Is the sequel or original better?

[Peach Jelly]

I'm considering buying either this one or its predecessor, but I don't want to just assume the sequel is the definitive better of the two without asking first. To those of you who have played both: Is it safe to just buy Mad Games Tycoon 2 and skip the original, or would I be missing something?

[Kyouko Tsukino]

The sequel has many more features and some of the old features were either reworked or removed (teleporting employees, for example, are gone, thankfully.) Things like room creation were very improved, no more "boxes" unless you want rooms to be boxes.

Neither game is without flaws (both objective and subjective) but I haven't played MGT 1 in more than one year, simply because last time I played it, it just seemed like a watered down version of this game. Still a good economic simulation, but the sequel beats it at most things.

[[PBS] Kafka Rambo]

One thing I miss from MGT1 is that employees have their favorite genre, which gave the game some purpose as I would usually collect teams focused to strategy, FPS etc. In MGT2 everyone is as good or bad in every genre. But pretty much in everything else MGT2 is better.

[Kyouko Tsukino]

The whole "Favorite genre" of employees, mechanically, only affected things in a similar vein to "special" genre or platform do in this game. It was an okay cosmetic feature with marginal effects on gameplay.

And just like following trends, matching engine to genre/platform or matching your games to your publisher, it was a way for the players to feel like they had to do something that was entirely optional, which in the long run could be harmful to new players, who may be dooming themselves without knowing why. Example: Making and maintaining twenty different engines, and then wondering where all their time and money has gone.

Anyhow, here's the actual answer to the thread's question, courtesy of the game developer:

Originally posted by Eggcode Games:
Here is a list with the new features and changes (already available in the EA). Since I just wrote it, it will be incomplete, of course. But at least you have a rough overview.

And now I have to continue fixing a game, so you won't have a tantrum in 5 days. ;)

*** Rooms, Building & World
- Rooms are no longer limited to a square wheel.
- Windows can be set.
- Rooms can now be automatically updated with better items.
- All buildings are now on one map (moving is no longer necessary).
- Dirt, heat & quality system.
- Graphic studios, sound studios etc. can now also support each other.

*** Game character & staff
- You can create your own game character.
- Completely new employee characteristics.
- Employees now have professions.
- Employees now have special properties (e.g. don't make bugs).
- Employees can quit.
- Employee settings like crunchtimes, breaks or pressure.
- Employees now create dirt that needs to be cleaned up.
- Morale system for employees.

*** Development
- Addons & standalone addons also for normal games.
- Choice of lead designer for game projects.
- The financing of games can be regulated.
- Engines features & gameplay features are now separated.
- Engines now have a special platform.
- There is now a publishing phase where bugs can be slowly removed even without QA.
- A game description can now be written optionally.
- Age rating for games.
- AntiCheat software can now be selected.
- InApp purchases can now be set for all games.
- Online/Digital Sales.
- Deluxe & Collectors editions can now be produced.
- You can now choose between multiplatform game, retro game, exclusive game, etc.
- Platforms & Engines now have a tech level.
- Platforms now have feature requirements (e.g. controller support).

*** Other
- Launch year is now 1976
- New platforms, genre, themes, screenshots etc.
- Multiplayer mode
- Graphic studios, sound studios etc. can now do contract work.
- Servers can now overheat.
- Items are now unlocked depending on the date.
- Platforms now have a complexity value that affects development time.
- Platforms now have a flag if they are internet enabled.
- Search function e.g. for themes.
- You can now sign a publisher exclusive contract.
- A market research can be done.
- The support room can now answer questions & emails from fans.
- Significantly more statistics.
- Awards.
- Fans are now divided by genre.
- Publisher relationships can now drop if you neglect them.
- Most rooms must now be explored instead of unlocked very late in the game.

*** What's next (or ideas that could still come)
- Fan merchandise (added)
- Mobile Games - Has been added to the game now
- Arcade Cabinet Games - Has been added to the game now
- Game Pass (added)
- Port games - Has been added to the game now
- Multiplayer: Sabotage & Support (added)
- Multiplayer: Victory Conditions
- Make calls from fans chargeable. (added)
- Outsourcing (Freelancer)

In short, not counting "Victory conditions" for multiplayer and outsourcing, everything in that list are things that weren't in MGT 1. Consider just how many of those things are things you want to see in a game of this kind, and you'll know which is the better MGT. Unless you're one of the trollish few that whine about nothing having changed just because they're farming for jester awards. ;)

[Panda]

Originally posted by PBS Kafka Rambo:

One thing I miss from MGT1 is that employees have their favorite genre, which gave the game some purpose as I would usually collect teams focused to strategy, FPS etc. In MGT2 everyone is as good or bad in every genre. But pretty much in everything else MGT2 is better.

I actually liked this little addition as well but I also agree with KT.

With employees already having additional traits/features, having them also have a favorite genre could lead players into a 'Pokemon' experience of wanting them all focused as you brought up. This is fine (and even potentially fun) for experienced and late game players but could be detrimental for inexperienced players falling into that 'trap' of thinking it's necessary or even just that feeling of being guided in that direction.

[Kyouko Tsukino]

The flavor of that in the sequel is employees having one main 'job' - which just means they can only be at the maximum for the skill related to that job, making it so you'll generally want scientists for research, graphics artists for the graphics studio, game testers for QA...

But for "old players" this can also create undocumented "challenge modes." Ever tried to play the game with everyone being a scientist? It can be fun, if you like struggling and making the best out of what you have available.

The sequel has its own trap of that kind ("this looks cool so I probably need to have a lot of this!") though: Legendary employees. They're not worth their cost until a point in the game when you don't really need their one semi-unique perk anymore. For new players who are in the early part of the game (1976-1996) and playing above Medium difficulty, hiring a non-zero number of Legendary employees can slowly but steadily kill their company. "Been there, done that."

[Peach Jelly]

Thanks for addressing my question Kyouko, Kafka, and Panda (a dev, wow)!
(^▽^)☆
It sounds like, all around, the sequel added a *lot* of both fun and functional features. I enjoyed Eggcode's Mad Tower Tycoon (a fun throwback to Sim Tower), so I'm looking forward to playing this one next!