The Goal of the Game Until 0.6 Comes Out.

[daygrindmike]

The problem with the Rivals isn't that they're too difficult to defeat, it's that they're too grindy to beat, and I will explain.

Everyone loves a challenge. Difficulty settings. There's a ton of people who play Dark Souls. So the difficulty in and of itself is not the problem. The problem with Rivals is that the war between you and them is very simple. If your goal for the game as it currently stands is to beat the Rivals, it's just going to leave you feeling bored and a waste of your time. Same with stacking up as much money as possible. You're just going to end up bed ridden and watching the time fly by until you feel like your playthrough is absolutely pointless.

The way to combat Rivals are extremely simple that it wouldn't be enjoyable to go through the process once you understand the few basic strategies involved.

1. Buy up all the available office and retail buildings that are up for rent as mentioned in previous comments.

2. Mark all of your products and fees that are shared with the Rival to a point they lose profit when trying to compete with your prices.

3. Poach their higher skilled employees.

4. Set up the same types of companies close to theirs to add more competition.

After all of this happens, they'll either file bankruptcy on all of their businesses or there will be one stronghold business that you will have to buy the building entirely to drive them out.

Okay. Pretty straight forward. It's a long and tedious process as you know all of the simple and basic rules of dealing with them. If there were other variables that went into dealing with them, and more RNG at play with some more complex variables then maybe it might be fun. But as it stands, it's too weak of a selling point to make that your main goal of playing the game.

A better way of playing the game right now is to setup your own hard custom mode, making it as difficult as possible on yourself. Once you do this, change your goal from "I'm going to own NYC and take out every Rival", to "I hope I survive." Then you'll end up having a little more fun until even that isn't a challenge, i.e. the current spot I'm in now. Perhaps the only possible way to have fun is finding a proper tax rate, as 100% tax is the only difficulty setting that's impossible to survive on. Maybe make it 60% and set year to 30 days. If you're getting by at 60%, then bump it up a little. Other than that the game is kind of in a dead spot right now, feeling like a 3D version of Adventure Capitalist (a boring android mobile tycoon idle game with no replayability whatsoever).

[Knottypine]

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

A better way of playing the game right now is to setup your own hard custom mode, making it as difficult as possible on yourself. Once you do this, change your goal from "I'm going to own NYC and take out every Rival", to "I hope I survive." Then you'll end up having a little more fun until even that isn't a challenge, i.e. the current spot I'm in now. Perhaps the only possible way to have fun is finding a proper tax rate, as 100% tax is the only difficulty setting that's impossible to survive on. Maybe make it 60% and set year to 30 days. If you're getting by at 60%, then bump it up a little. Other than that the game is kind of in a dead spot right now, feeling like a 3D version of Adventure Capitalist (a boring android mobile tycoon idle game with no replayability whatsoever).

Alternative way. Not better. What you find more enjoyable may not be appealing to someone else.

[jhughes]

I agree with your strategy for beating rivals. I also agree it is too grindy to do. I don't mind setting prices lower and taking over a rivals stores, etc.

What I do mind is trying to set prices for Soda to $0.99 in 25 stores. Then setting donuts in 25 stores, etc.

Once we get the 'set all prices in this neighborhood to X' then rivals will become fun. Right now, it is just too grindy for me.

[David Estes Creations]

Originally posted by jhughes:

What I do mind is trying to set prices for Soda to $0.99 in 25 stores. Then setting donuts in 25 stores, etc.

Once we get the 'set all prices in this neighborhood to X' then rivals will become fun. Right now, it is just too grindy for me.

And that will be coming!

[Knottypine]

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

Believe it or not it is possible to arrive at a conclusion where one is able to pinpoint what's better and what isn't through the process of logical deductive reasoning. The reasons I gave for arriving at my conclusion that it's better are several but the biggest one being that you end up bed ridden for weeks, months, and in some cases where someone has a very high tolerance for repetitiveness years, spamming the 24 hour clock cycles in order to get another $800,000 for the day. At a certain point one cannot sustain having such an attention span for said repeat cycles. There is nothing ultimately to do with millions of game currency besides saving up for buildings that do not net a positive return on investment.

My way is better for several reasons that I've explained but the biggest one is it avoids said situation of repeating ad nauseam the same ultimately boring and useless loop. That by the way seems to be the thing most people are complaining about in the reviews that are negative.

Again, what you're describing is your suggested way of playing. Not a better way for every player. In your OP you've described a few suggestions that some people may enjoy, such as a custom hard game making it difficult on the player and setting a high tax rate. Essentially all that is going to do is prolong the gameplay and arrive at the same end game much later after going through a similar grind. Your way adds in a personal challenge for a player which is an alternative way to play the game, the purpose of a custom game. The overall loop remains similar.

You could play my way and it's a different experience. Have decent income, I offer ALL of my employees gold insurance. I sneak in with multiple businesses, competing or otherwise. Once I'm ready I swoop in and buy out all rival businesses before they have the opportunity to poach my employees.

Either way you play the game, your way, my way, another random custom way, you're going to end up in the same loop, IMHO.

[jhughes]

Alternative way. Not better. What you find more enjoyable may not be appealing to someone else.

Believe it or not it is possible to arrive at a conclusion where one is able to pinpoint what's better and what isn't through the process of logical deductive reasoning. The reasons I gave for arriving at my conclusion that it's better are several but the biggest one being that you end up bed ridden for weeks, months, and in some cases where someone has a very high tolerance for repetitiveness years, spamming the 24 hour clock cycles in order to get another $800,000 for the day. At a certain point one cannot sustain having such an attention span for said repeat cycles. There is nothing ultimately to do with millions of game currency besides saving up for buildings that do not net a positive return on investment.

My way is better for several reasons that I've explained but the biggest one is it avoids said situation of repeating ad nauseam the same ultimately boring and useless loop. That by the way seems to be the thing most people are complaining about in the reviews that are negative.

It is better 'for you'. And that is great. Not everyone likes a specific type of game play. I play and like Starfield, lots of people hate it so I understand not everyone see things the same way I do.

The Devs have not created the end game yet. This game is early access. We know there is little to do end game.

[Myst Leissa]

Believe it or not it is possible to arrive at a conclusion where one is able to pinpoint what's better and what isn't through the process of logical deductive reasoning. The reasons I gave for arriving at my conclusion that it's better are several but the biggest one being that you end up bed ridden for weeks, months, and in some cases where someone has a very high tolerance for repetitiveness years, spamming the 24 hour clock cycles in order to get another $800,000 for the day. At a certain point one cannot sustain having such an attention span for said repeat cycles. There is nothing ultimately to do with millions of game currency besides saving up for buildings that do not net a positive return on investment.

My way is better for several reasons that I've explained but the biggest one is it avoids said situation of repeating ad nauseam the same ultimately boring and useless loop. That by the way seems to be the thing most people are complaining about in the reviews that are negative.

"My Way is right..." is always wrong. Logic.

[Silverflame]

The problem you are describing is not solvable because this game, like making money in the real world, is ultimately a hollow pursuit. There is no actual life worth living attached to the character, and no matter how the game is designed, it will never resolve this issue. What the game did teach me is how the rich moneybags are exploiting and enslaving everyone else (everyone at the bottom must work the additional amount which flows to the rich without them doing anything), and how their mindset becomes this game they play with each other, trying to get as much as possible. No amount of money or success will ever be enough for them, in the real world, because it is a hollow pursuit as well. In this game, all the additional complications are taken out, like having to do contracts and such. You do with a few clicks that which would normally be complicated to do, but the fundamental game and its effects on human psychology are the same, including its ultimate hollowness. It thus also taught me that life really isn't and shouldn't be about that pursuit at all.

[Knottypine]

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

Originally posted by Silverflame:

The problem you are describing is not solvable because this game, like making money in the real world, is ultimately a hollow pursuit. There is no actual life worth living attached to the character, and no matter how the game is designed, it will never resolve this issue. What the game did teach me is how the rich moneybags are exploiting and enslaving everyone else (everyone at the bottom must work the additional amount which flows to the rich without them doing anything), and how their mindset becomes this game they play with each other, trying to get as much as possible. No amount of money or success will ever be enough for them, in the real world, because it is a hollow pursuit as well. In this game, all the additional complications are taken out, like having to do contracts and such. You do with a few clicks that which would normally be complicated to do, but the fundamental game and its effects on human psychology are the same, including its ultimate hollowness. It thus also taught me that life really isn't and shouldn't be about that pursuit at all.

As a christian I agree with these things. Anyone who reads the book of Ecclesiastes will come up with the same view as well.

Ah. Well that explains why you believe your way is the correct way to play.

[Spaznetz]

[quote=Knottypine;6918175460685557911
Ah. Well that explains why you believe your way is the correct way to play. [/quote]

LOL

[David Estes Creations]

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

Believe it or not there are correct ways to play.

Hey bud - the amazing thing about each person being unique is that each person has their own personality. They have their own style. They have their own...well everything.

And along with that, comes unique feelings and opinions. You have your own feelings, and that is perfectly valid. However, you keep insisting that your opinion is THE ONLY opinion, or at least, the only RIGHT opinion. And, of course, we all know, that is silly and invalid!

Multiple people have expressed multiple times that what you possess here is your own personal opinion! We appreciate your having and sharing that opinion. But remember....it's merely one opinion among many!

There is no need to be arrogant and condescending.

[Saint Lucifer]

daygrindmike do not worry I understand and share your thoughts. Whatever u say they want to game to be easy dont want to fail :D just earn and earn and earn... Just wait and see what will be the game's route. I'm optimistic about game soon I hope and wish they will add more challenging elements.

[David Estes Creations]

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

If the company really thinks the flaw in their game is due to a personal opinion

Definitely not. The game is still in early access. There will be a big revamp for progression rate in the future which should solve a lot of this already.

But your "better way" is the part that is personal opinion, as has been described by several players!

Nothing wrong with having an opinion on different ways to play and have fun. But everyone has their own valid way of playing and having fun - there is no one "right way".

Originally posted by daygrindmike:

with most of the player base being kids who like participation trophies and zero challenge

There is no need for continued snide remarks against those who have a different opinion, though.