Please add a pause! The game is great!

[Immortall]

Thank you very much for game, I got great pleasure and an interesting challenge!
I've wanted an energy game for a long time, and now you've finally created it!
I will definitely buy your game on release.

But there is one feature that completely spoils the game, and destroys the ability to play it comfortably, especially closer to day 30+ .. Lack of active pause. Without an active pause, playing is just sadomasochism. Of course, I understand that there are fans of such hardcore, but I suppose your main audience is lovers of strategies of the colony sim genre, and in these games there is no way to pause the game at any time and engage in construction during it.
I hope you will consider this request.

[TGP1994]

I'd also like to support this idea. I like to pause a game like this to have time to catch my breath and think for a moment. It would also be nice if we could plan out constructions while paused, then construction will commence after unpausing.

[Seklas]

Isn't that the point of this game though? It's more challenging because if something goes wrong, you need to be quick to fix the issue as you cannot pause the game and fix it that way.

They have leaderboards too, so players can compete for the high-score. If you do, however, want to just have a breather if something happens or at any time, you can always just go to the menu or go to one of the building screens.

They could include a separate game mode which allows to pause the game I guess, but I don't think a pause function is something developers have intended.

[Rhombico Games]

Hey everyone! Thanks a lot for playing the game and for taking the time to provide feedback!

I think that the pause issue has been the one that created the highest number of heated arguments in our team. There are people who fully support it and people who think that the game wouldn't be as fun if you could pause and take your time.

Right now we're thinking about adding a pause mode that is only activated at the end of the day. So you can use that time to make any necessary changes and fixes to your infrastructure, but then everything needs to run smoothly with no pause until the end of the next day. We think that strikes a nice balance between the keeping the urgency and preventing frustration.

I'd also like to invite you all to join our Discord, where we were talking about this issue just a few moments ago! http://crytivo.io/ptp_discord

[Immortall]

Good day!

As for the pause mode - I'm sure most people playing the game will face problems after 30-40 days, because of which their gaming experience can be unpleasant, without the pause mode.
I'm sure it will be useful, just look at games like frostpunk or Imagine Earth (not to mention other colony sims).

If you are not sure whether to introduce it, given the fact that the game will lose its competitive aspect, I suggest one of the options:
- Allow the player to select the option "without pause" ("survival") before the start of the game, as well as the difficulty level and give players who play without pause + 50% points.
- Add "achievements" to the release, in which some achievements would be counted only in this mode.
- As you suggested, pause at the beginning of each day, for thoughtful construction.

I'm afraid if there is no pause mode at all, many players will have a negative experience.
Thank you!

[Rhombico Games]

Originally posted by Immortall:

Good day!

As for the pause mode - I'm sure most people playing the game will face problems after 30-40 days, because of which their gaming experience can be unpleasant, without the pause mode.
I'm sure it will be useful, just look at games like frostpunk or Imagine Earth (not to mention other colony sims).

If you are not sure whether to introduce it, given the fact that the game will lose its competitive aspect, I suggest one of the options:
- Allow the player to select the option "without pause" ("survival") before the start of the game, as well as the difficulty level and give players who play without pause + 50% points.
- Add "achievements" to the release, in which some achievements would be counted only in this mode.
- As you suggested, pause at the beginning of each day, for thoughtful construction.

I'm afraid if there is no pause mode at all, many players will have a negative experience.
Thank you!

That's really well put. Thank you so much for the feedback and the ideas! We definitely have a few different things to try out and see what works well and what doesn't. Make sure to follow us on Twitter or join our Discord[crytivo.io] so you can stay informed of the latest news regarding development! :)

[Nameless]

I was also looking for a pause function not to have it easier but to repair my powerlines.
My game was going fine until I've apparently made a mistake and one of my powerlines failed. This caused a chain reaction and my entire network failed.
It was impossible to get it back up, becaus as soon as I would repair the lines one by one, it would fail again due to the overload.

So I had no time to think what to do better and no change to repair the lines. Maybe a repair all function would have given me a moment to improve my network

[Spaznetz]

Originally posted by Nameless:

I was also looking for a pause function not to have it easier but to repair my powerlines.
My game was going fine until I've apparently made a mistake and one of my powerlines failed. This caused a chain reaction and my entire network failed.
It was impossible to get it back up, becaus as soon as I would repair the lines one by one, it would fail again due to the overload.

So I had no time to think what to do better and no change to repair the lines. Maybe a repair all function would have given me a moment to improve my network

If the failure is due to too much demand on a single line, it just fails again and again since it is still overloaded when you make the repairs.

I think (at least for now) the only way to make repairs when you get this kind of "domino effect" of failures is to shut down the power plant or substation.

Then you install whatever equipment necessary to resolve the overload (hopefully, you have enough money).

Then, when you have your load balanced, make your repairs and turn things back on.

I still agree that a Pause function would be nice and a Repair All would be a great addition.

[Pinstar]

Throwing my hat in the ring in support of a pause feature.

Here is my reasoning: Everything about the game is presenting itself as a challenge to your planning, budgeting and organizing abilities. To make smart decisions now that anticipate growing demands later. The game does not present itself as one that is meant to test your quick-twitch reflex skills like an RTS (Starcraft) or FPS (Call of Duty). In those games, yes your strategic plan factors in, but minute execution and APM (actions per minute) give players with better reflexes an edge over those who don't.

A pause button would not defeat the game's difficulty as it is based more on planning and resourcefulness.

Say you have a transformer that is getting overloaded. Pausing before it explodes is not a cheat IMHO because you still have to have had enough money to either delete the old transformer and replace it with a bigger one, or run another high voltage line and build a 2nd transformer to balance the load. Solving the problem draws on your planning and organization skills. If you reached that situation and were broke, no amount of pausing will magically save you from it.

However, without a pause, now a slower-reflex player is getting punished. Say you want to delete the old and install a new transformer. If you have slow reflexes, that's going to cause hours of blackouts and penalize the slow-reflex player, even though they had the foresight plan ahead and keep enough money in the bank for that swap.

Unless you're hoping the game to be more of an RTS (which it really doesn't seem to be given the amount of planning involved) please include a pause. I'm cool with the game's systems being driven by a real time clock. This game would lose a lot if it were some strictly turn-based affair, but real time with pause is a good compromise IMHO.

[KaeWhy]

Gonna throw my hat in the ring for the "pausing between days" option - the profit menu is already a quick recess, you're just making it longer.
It'd also be helpful to know in advance where the towns will pop up. Real sick of having to relocate the brand new molten salt megaplex because Smoothbrainville opened for business three tiles beside it and wants it gone.

[Miccrhaafetl]

I really want to like this game but I have Slow-reflexes due to medical problem. Without a way to stop or slow down time, the game can become unplayable for me.

[Wingtip]

Couldnt agree more. If things start going wrong, time is going so fast that as you start trying to fix things, before you can correct them in time they break down again.. theres just not enough time to put things into place. We desperately need to be able to pause and place/destroy things, then unpause and watch them take place.

Also it would be nice if you could run low voltage lines underneath the high voltage lines. right now if you try to run a line of low voltage lines across a line of high voltage lines one line will be disabled...

[Commander]

Originally posted by Miccrhaafetl:

I really want to like this game but I have Slow-reflexes due to medical problem. Without a way to stop or slow down time, the game can become unplayable for me.

I could not agree more with you. There needs to be options to slow the game play down and pause when you want to.

Put toggles in so everyone can play how they want. More options and you get more sales.

I like this game very much and want to buy it. but without slowing time down and pause it sucks the fan out of it after day 20 or so.

[wicked lester]

Originally posted by KaeWhy:

Gonna throw my hat in the ring for the "pausing between days" option - the profit menu is already a quick recess, you're just making it longer.

The main difference is that you can take actions while it is paused.

It'd also be helpful to know in advance where the towns will pop up. Real sick of having to relocate the brand new molten salt megaplex because Smoothbrainville opened for business three tiles beside it and wants it gone.

Yep, my first game ended in failure because the new town was opposite my first town from my first plant. I had no money to build a new plant+substation+cables before happiness plunged below 50%.

[Zeglouton]

I agree with most of the players here. It's not a speed game, we need to think and can't do it while in the run. Please add pause and why not adding a difficulty level where you can't pause. Game is fun.

[g00r]

I think a pause function to be able to stop, think and look at your grid to work out what you want to do, but you can't make any changes while paused.

I like the absence of a pause function, it forces you to (first lose a few games then realise that you have to) plan ahead. If you put your foundations down in a new city (pre-laying power cables) then you should be able to separate these into smaller circuits easily enough.

As for cascading failures, there's always the option to cut the power entirely while you perform upgrades. In doing so, you of course will lose income and your reputation will drop, but that's part of the challenge.