A few players have asked me to be more specific about what my current ‘roadmap’ is for the game, in terms of what features I am working on, in what order and when players can (hopefully!) expect to see each feature in the game.
I thought this would be a good place to layout the current roadmap and ask for feedback on it. Obviously timescales are always subject to change, and we still gather per-version votes from Early Access players on what our priorities should be regarding development, so this may change, although I’ll try to update it whenever that happens.
Postcard Mode (screenshot with no UI and full rendering) Completed 2th June Progress 100%
Objectives for remaining maps (scenarios)
ETA 30th January 2019
Progress: 50%
Electric Car battery production system Completed 27th June Progress: 100%
Selling old stock at a discount Completed Progress: 100%
Reliability of equipment and equipment breakdowns Completed Progress: 100%
New small-van body style Completed Progress: 100%
Car Visual Customisation Options Completed Progress: 100%
Improved Editors for Maps and Slots(mods)
ETA 28th November
Progress: 50%
Ported to 64 Bit (Allows for bigger maps) Completed Progress: 100%
World Events
ETA 13th January
Progress: 0%
Auto-steering and Parking Sensors Completed Progress: 100%
Not at the moment, but that may change, depending on how popular an idea it is. The random world events are planned to give a campaign-like feel to the game.
Selling at discount is a great idea
Model/body style based marketing would be an excellent way to go
Ability to customize designs is a good idea
Why directx 11? not the newest thing 12?
Basically the ONLY thing I need from newer versions of directx (and ‘need’ is relative) is support for texture arrays, which just is not in directx9. The newer versions do very little in the way of extra benefits for 2D or isometric games that use sprites, but texture arrays would let me add a lot more graphical variety to the game without sacrificing performance.
Well I havent got around to doing ‘world events’ yet, which I think will make the game a bit more ‘story’ like, because the player will have to react to stuff like subsidies or taxes being applied to certain car types, or shortages in some materials prompting price rises and so on. Thats scheduled to go into the game before release. All of the numbers in the game currently are up for possible revision based on player feedback and my own testing etc.
Once the game is closer to complete I’ll add some more achievements, as since the last batch we also have added stuff like quality control, which could be tied to an achievement easily (sell 1000 cars without defects etc)
Glad to see you have selling old stock at discount on your roadmap! large maps is a big one I am looking forward to as well. specific marketing and car customizations sound great as well.
Yup, just updated all the dates. I am planning chip fabrication, and also will be introducing a high end ‘ai-chip’ you will needs to buy in or maybe make (at great expense) for stuff like self driving and so-on.
One thing I was looking at while playing with the discounts, I would like to see an option to have a discount when features are missing, not necessirily just the ones that are universal, but ones that are missing items as you change the new cars you make, so the old ones in the showroom will go away.
I know I keep bringing this up, but I would ,love to see the ability to add new import and export slots to the map. Meaning, new access points. But a thought just dawned on me, would that be possible since the Data for the map being used is saved in the Map file, while Slot Data in the save game. Would that cause the save game file to get even bigger, by requiring the Import Export location data to be in the save game? What kind of effect would that have on performance?
Plus with the recent change to the export slot, and the splitting of paperwork, the additional export slots are not really needed. Imports could be nice still.
Now another thought just popped in my head, its about the loans and the percentages on multiple loans. Aside from the ability to pay off loans, or making extra chunks of payments, would there be something that could be researched to where you can have reduced Loan rates? Not even sure what that would be called, or even the need for it, But as I just took out a 3rd loan at a high interest rate, it got me thinking… Maybe a Bribe, under the Administration Research, or the option to make your company go “Public” and get investors (someone else mentioned investors before) I can see that if you go public, there could be a whole dynamic of keeping them happy, and meeting their demands for what you sell next, or make next or research,. Now I’m going back to my Microprose Xcom days thinking of the country funding and who would be happy and sad and cut their investments.
I know this is A long rambling post, but my mind is racing this morning. Thanks as always for reading, and for such an awesome Game.
