Maybe make it not so ridiculously easy this time?

[Pete Concrete]

I get the "Two Point" approach of making fun, casual, inclusive games. You know what's also fun? A challenge. There are people out there who have played management games before. Who are above the age of 14. Who have a higher skill level. At least give us the OPTION to raise the difficulty. Or a fourth star instead the usual three, where you really need to put up your sleeves if you want to reach it.

I'm sure there are people who played the first Two Point games who are 6 years older now and want to be challenged a bit more.

[Schutzengel]

Being older doesnt mean wanting more challenge. In my case, it means less challenge. That being said, as long as a higher difficulty doesnt lock me out of content or achivements, no reason to not include higher ones.

[Talon Rose]

You want hard games, play Dark Souls.
Relaxing, chill games exist, and exist for a reason. Some times, people just want to relax, and that is more than valid.

[Pete Concrete]

Originally posted by Talon Rose:

You want hard games, play Dark Souls.
Relaxing, chill games exist, and exist for a reason. Some times, people just want to relax, and that is more than valid.

You know there is a middle ground between very hard and very easy.

[Two Point Abby]

Hiya! We get this question a lot, and I share the sentiment for the most part, I'm a hardcore CMS player and LOVE a challenge too.

If you've played both our previous titles, you'll know there was a difference in what some players call "difficulty" between TPC and TPH. The team took onboard a lot of this feedback, and from day 1 when brainstorming for museum they wanted to emulate what we've called "plate spinning".

This means the minute-to-minute game play of Museum should feel more like TPH, if you're familiar with the title. You're keeping on top of a couple of things at once (keeping multiple plates spinning- get it?), so maybe whilst you're working toward an objective you're running expeditions and staff get hurt, so then there's a knock on effect so your Frozen Caveman defrosts and causes havoc, and then a Thief Guild attacks and your security guard with the camera room qualification is MIA etc. etc.

Stuff can catch fire, be stolen, melt or die; and you're balancing staff needs alongside impressing different guest archetypes. You might have school children visit, who then get bored, so you wanna build a new area with interactive items for them, distracting you from your main objective - things like that.

With that said, we're not a 4X title, we've always tried to emulate that old school 'tycoon' game vibe, which if you're anything like me you did play whilst you were young. Did mum sometimes help with a level? Sure! But those titles were accessible and enjoyable by a wide range of players, and we've always championed being an accessible management sim that doesn't need a spreadsheet or a long video tutorial to 'get'.

I hope that alleviates some worry about the difficulty level, if you're looking to feel sad or defeated at your management skills, the new Frostpunk is pretty brutal, and older games like Banished still kick me when I'm down - so definitely check those out (:

[Pete Concrete]

Hey Abby, thanks a lot for your reply!

That "plate spinning" approach does sound intriguing.

I was a fan of TPH even before its release, as I loved Theme Hospital way back in the day. I loved what you guys did with TPH and put almost 400 hours into it. Over 150 hours into TPC. It felt to me that the difficulty balance in TPH was better than in TPC.

Funny and kind of cool that you mention FP 2, as I'm a big fan of the first Frostpunk too. I've already played through the story mode of Frostpunk 2.

I love that the Two Point games are more chill. What I would love after getting the third and final star, is instead of feeling like "well, that's done", it should feel more like "cool, I did it."

Thanks for listening.

[Vault Traveler]

Originally posted by TwoPoint_Abby:

Hiya! We get this question a lot, and I share the sentiment for the most part, I'm a hardcore CMS player and LOVE a challenge too.

If you've played both our previous titles, you'll know there was a difference in what some players call "difficulty" between TPC and TPH. The team took onboard a lot of this feedback, and from day 1 when brainstorming for museum they wanted to emulate what we've called "plate spinning".

This means the minute-to-minute game play of Museum should feel more like TPH, if you're familiar with the title. You're keeping on top of a couple of things at once (keeping multiple plates spinning- get it?), so maybe whilst you're working toward an objective you're running expeditions and staff get hurt, so then there's a knock on effect so your Frozen Caveman defrosts and causes havoc, and then a Thief Guild attacks and your security guard with the camera room qualification is MIA etc. etc.

Stuff can catch fire, be stolen, melt or die; and you're balancing staff needs alongside impressing different guest archetypes. You might have school children visit, who then get bored, so you wanna build a new area with interactive items for them, distracting you from your main objective - things like that.

With that said, we're not a 4X title, we've always tried to emulate that old school 'tycoon' game vibe, which if you're anything like me you did play whilst you were young. Did mum sometimes help with a level? Sure! But those titles were accessible and enjoyable by a wide range of players, and we've always championed being an accessible management sim that doesn't need a spreadsheet or a long video tutorial to 'get'.

I hope that alleviates some worry about the difficulty level, if you're looking to feel sad or defeated at your management skills, the new Frostpunk is pretty brutal, and older games like Banished still kick me when I'm down - so definitely check those out (:

Sorry for kinda necroing the thread, but I am glad we got a bit of a challenge again. TPH wasnt hard but you had to keep an eye on the screen.

In TPC I had moments where I watched youtube videos on my smartphone, thats simply not s good thing for a game.

[therealjohnconnor]

The latest Twitch stream shows exactly how you can customise your game in Sandbox to make it as easy or difficult as you like. Constant thieves? Fine. Staff constantly want their pay doubled? You got it. Zero Kudosh or Dept of Culture funding? Knock yourself out! Visitors don't care and donate peanuts? Why not..?

[keekeedeke]

Originally posted by Pete Concrete:

I get the "Two Point" approach of making fun, casual, inclusive games. You know what's also fun? A challenge. There are people out there who have played management games before. Who are above the age of 14. Who have a higher skill level. At least give us the OPTION to raise the difficulty. Or a fourth star instead the usual three, where you really need to put up your sleeves if you want to reach it.

I'm sure there are people who played the first Two Point games who are 6 years older now and want to be challenged a bit more.

Not sure what you mean by this. I have both Hospital and Campus... absolutely love them (or I wouldn't have pre-ordered Museum months ago), and I am a grown adult. 6 years won't change anything for me, other than being 6 years older. Again though, I love both and am sure I'll love Museum just as much.

[Dark Princess]

Originally posted by therealjohnconnor:

The latest Twitch stream shows exactly how you can customise your game in Sandbox to make it as easy or difficult as you like. Constant thieves? Fine. Staff constantly want their pay doubled? You got it. Zero Kudosh or Dept of Culture funding? Knock yourself out! Visitors don't care and donate peanuts? Why not..?

This is good to know, thank you! As someone who generally wants an easier and more relaxed experience. I think I'm in the minority so I got nervous lol

[Pete Concrete]

It is indeed good to know that you can raise the difficulty, if only in sandbox mode. I still would prefer a fourth or even fifth star for each stage.

folks in this thread are focusing on the age thing in my original post, when i have pointed out all kinds of players who would welcome a higher difficulty, like people who have played the previous games and/or are skilled in management games in general, etc.

[Vault Traveler]

the important part is that it does not feel like an idle game really

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by Pete Concrete:

It is indeed good to know that you can raise the difficulty, if only in sandbox mode. I still would prefer a fourth or even fifth star for each stage.

folks in this thread are focusing on the age thing in my original post, when i have pointed out all kinds of players who would welcome a higher difficulty, like people who have played the previous games and/or are skilled in management games in general, etc.

Not only are there five stars designed by the developers for each level, there are unlimited stars after that.