Hi, we just made a new build of Production Line available. This takes the game to build 1.23. here is a full change list:
[version 1.23]
[GUI] Research button now pulses red if there is currently no research set.
[GFX] Changes to sunroof visuals so they leave the roof edge in place.
[Feature] Reversing Camera and TACC upgrades both now require a new ‘camera’ component.
[Bug] Loans can now never be negative, nor offered unless company estimated worth is at least $100k.
[Feature] Cars are now sold and priced in four different price-categories, with corresponding GUI changes.
[Feature] New features tab on the finance screen shows information on how popular each feature is at each price category.
[Bug] Fixed crash bug when deleting a slot while its configure imports window is open.
[GUI] Save game dialog now has a close button.
[GUI] It is now no longer possible to keep the conveyor placement GUI active after you hit the bulldozer button.
[Balances] Changes to the research times and value of some items.
[Tutorial] Added some extra explanatory tutorial windows and highlights.
[Bug] Bad conveyor message now no longer shows incorrectly with production slots.
[Bug] Fixed crash bug if quitting to main menu when cars with multiple features were in the showroom, then starting a new game, and autosave happening.
[Bug] Resources are no longer consumed for upgrades that are not selected for the current vehicle.
[Feature] Added new car feature & researchable technology: Touchscreen Interface.
[Feature} Added multi-language support.[/list]
The big changes here are the pricing model, where we now have price categories, and availability of research being different for each category, plus (in the long run) support for translations. At some point (hopefully tomorrow) I’ll be doing a new steam guide explaining how the game will handle translated text, and its pretty simple to do, so hopefully if any members of the community are bilingual and able to help with translating the game, we can get support for other languages in there. It will probably make sense to have a separate forum for discussing language stuff too.
Interested to know what people think about the price-category changes. This is only phase one of ‘fixing’ the sales model, as right now potential customers have no defined income and thus the sales demand for every category (and body style) is the same. that will change.
Think the “create new model” button broke in this update since I can’t get a new model to create for the life of me in old saves or in new games. Point #14 works correctly in most situations (I tested it with heated seats and it didn’t put the heater in on models that didn’t require it) but doesn’t work in situations where the upgrade over-writes the old component So the make roof section can only create no sun roof or panoramic sunroof when it is upgraded to panoramic sunroof. I’m assuming that since the component “sunroof” isn’t stocked it just uses roof and calls it a day In the last build it would create a sunroof but by consuming the more expensive panoramic sunroof piece. My thought would be to initially tell those slots to stock an equal number of both components. Then you could add a research that allows people to set their own limits on the station stockpiles. So if most of the cars on your line use regular sunroofs you could say you want 7 sunroofs and 1 panoramic sunroof in stock at all times. Think that would help as you possibly add more complex features down the line (like if you added different engine types).
I have not tried the Issue above, but I noticed that research does not snap to the completed item like before, so once I finished Entertainments, I needed to scroll down to start the Radio
Cliff - Thinking about the Upgrade All option, and what the GUI could look like
What I was thinking was kind of like a spreadsheet
A List of the Slotnames that are currently in use shows up, to the right of each slot name, an image of the upgrade, like first robots upgrade would appear, clicking on that icon, would push the “button” down and show it pressed down like a button, purchasing it. Then you can select the ones in that list you want the upgrade to apply to on a per slot basis, also at the top, an button for upgrade all.
Upgrade All (Robot) $Cost for all
Fit Front Axle (robot) $2000
Fit Rear Axle (robot) $2000
Fit Fuel Tank (robot) S2000
etc.
that’s just for each time the upgrade pops up.
Also, another button on the top that would pull up a complete list of all slots, with images for each upgrade that is available (Able to be bought in color, Already purchased a darker shade, like the button is depressed, and if its not researched it would be grey)
Fit Front Axle (robot) (robot 2) (robot 3) Predictive Stock
Fit Rear Axle (robot) (robot 2) (robot 3) Predictive Stock
Fit Fuel Tank (robot) (robot 2) (robot 3) Predictive Stock
If I can brush up on my paint skills, I can get a rough image made.
