But the scoring system is just too much. I’m so sick of having to stare at a stupid wiki… why can’t my space strategy game have a rich backstory, branching dialogue, and a virtual economy? How exactly does having those things take away from the experience?
If I had unlimited money and resources, I would create an all encompassing mmo game that encompassed every genre. Your formulas are way too restrictive.
Subtraction by addition.
Ba dum *tiss
That’s the challenge with balancing a game of this nature. It could be argued that everyone out there thinks any possible combination should be valid because, in their mind, they think it could be a good game. The problem is, how do you make a game of this nature if any combination is just as good as the other? At that point you lose the actual game itself and it just becomes a calculator that can only perform additions.
The developers did mention they will continue to tweak the game balance and in a scenario like you mentioned (virtual economy, etc.) they may address that (you had some good points.) However, my belief is you gotta draw the line somewhere and there will always be someone who complains about that line.
I understand the comment… and I too love the idea of this game, but there are some elements to the way the scoring works which seem counter-intuitive and are keeping me from returning.
First off, the notion that good quality doesn’t equal good reviews simply because you’ve released games in the past that were ‘too good’ seems odd and wildly unrealistic. As a game developer I should be trying to release the best products I can and compete with other good games on the market, rather than competing with my previous ‘best game score’ (not review score) which, incidentally is never revealed.
Secondly, It’s frustrating to have to have a wiki open next to me and make precise calculations in order to get through the game (especially since this game loves to be full screen). I can fully understand the hardcore fans wanting to perfect their formulas and squeeze every ounce of score out of their careers, but it takes away from the creativity of this kind of game to essentially require an in-depth understanding of the scoring algorithm in order to do even moderately well and last 30 years.
I hope that the game scoring/rating/review mechanic gets a thoughtful re-design soon so it more closely resembles how game development works in reality. It doesn’t need to be made easier, just more understandable and realistic.
This is something I have been finding out with Game Dev Tycoon. In order to succeed you need to think like the game or have a wiki thing.
I played it more as think what fits together and what would improve the base. The OP description of his game its Imperium Galatica.
How well it sold I dont know, it scored well in reviews, I loved it and enjoyed it alot.
Yes you can put that all in and get great scores dosnt mean it sells great unless your right platform, right marketing, right time and just the right people. NOT THE RIGHT RATIO ON SLIDERS AND RIGHT COMBO OF FEATURES ON YOUR ENGINE! Id like some randomness to it.
I was more expecting a vibrant living market, not a cold cut calculations. Yeah they try with “current Trends” however its pretty binary.
I always kind found it feeling weird being so deep into the back ground of Game dev in real life as an enthusiast, that I cant set up launch windows and release games at prime times, look for opening were nothing is released.
I like it…just I have not gotten very far in the second stage, I have at maxed survived till PS1 and saw the Tes 64. I play rougelikes and enjoy failure.however its becoming less about myself failures than it is my failure to understand what the game wants.
In Stage 2, I strongly recommend finding Publishing deals (just avoid wonky restrictions on combos like Romantic Action on a Gameling) until you hit your 100K fans.
But having said that, it seems this game would benefit from a Difficulty Level. A novice would get more forgiveness, i.e. have wider ranges in the slider system, but a veteran would get the strict ranges we see now. And perhaps as a novice, any time your combo is new, you get a lot more forgiveness in having to “improve” over a previous game.
Of course, hopefully the devs grow their team with the popularity of this game, and can make updates or a sequel 
good thread.
I think in general the holy grail of any good game of this kind is ‘easy to understand, difficult to master’ with a healthy dose of player customization so you feel like you are applying your own creativity and strategy and winning in your own way versus figuring out an algorithm.
They’re on the right general track with this game, but it needs some work for sure - I’m convinced enough with Greenheart Games ability to produce a nice finished product that I’d happily support them in order to get a patch created or even a sequel done.
I’ve played up to year 50 now. I got to year 20 without the help of the wiki, but my company would have went under had I not started paying attention to the + categories and - categories of each genre. Failures become more costly as the game goes along, so conforming to the wiki is necessary for success.
I believe that having - categories is the problem with this games scoring system. Improving a game, makes the game better, regardless of what way the game was improved, or what genre the game is. Instead of - categories, there should be plataues to reach in the + categories for each genre, that correspond to the in game year. So as the industry move forward, what is considered ground breaking will be harder to produce. The game as it is, punishes to harshly for putting any time or systems, into minus categories.
The biggest thing to add to Game Dev Tycoon, is visible competition. The games that your competitors have released should be viewable, along with their scores in tech and design, and sales. THEIR scores should be the measuring stick by which your game is judged.
But that’s just from a review stand point… Sales should be determined by brand strength.
The sequel to this game needs to incorporate a branding system, and visible competing companies, their games, and their brands.
Just to fix this game, taking out the - categories and adding plateaus for + categories would be sufficient.
This game has already accomplished alot. It is an improved Game Dev Story.
The Sequel should really be something.