The head scratch

[Vitz]

I've had this game for quite a while (from the Windows Store) and one thing that's always bothered me was the random "head scratching". Your character will be working on something, racking up the points and then suddenly start scratching its head for a few days. This isn't a very big deal during game development, but it makes contract work so utterly unreliable, there's hardly any reason to do it.

I was really hoping for this lame game element to be removed from the reworked Steam version. I'm saddened to see it hasn't.

[Cookie Eater]

I always thought it was just writer's block.

[mettrik]

They have lice.

[Cookie Eater]

Originally posted by Dr. Derp:

They have lice.

Darnit! Even my Employees have bugs!?

[Prince]

They are thinking. Try increasing their speed.

[Charlie @ Greenheart Games]

I often stop, scratch my head and stare blankly at my screen when i am working, that stuff really does happen! :D

[Worpig]

I like that it takes a week to scratch your head though. "Alright 20 more points and this contract will be done" *scratches head* ... Contract Person:"You didn't finish your project in time? What a slacker" .. You:"Sorry I didn't shower for weeks doing this contract, that I started a week long head itch"

[sierra_one_]

It's essentially an indication of the developer hitting a wall and having to find a way around it. Like Charlie, I always come across programs that I have trouble understanding, or where I've got to backtrack through my code in order to make it work. As your character gets more experienced, this will happen less and less.

[Charlie @ Greenheart Games]

Im not a dev, I am the community manager and I compile bug reports and do random stuff so I think my head scratch is more understandable :p

[LeLobster]

Originally posted by sierra_seven_:

It's essentially an indication of the developer hitting a wall and having to find a way around it. Like Charlie, I always come across programs that I have trouble understanding, or where I've got to backtrack through my code in order to make it work. As your character gets more experienced, this will happen less and less.

To be more precise; the more 'speed' a character has the less time it spends scratching his/her head.

[Vitz]

I get why it happens, but it's not a very good game mechanic. Let's say you take on a job that needs to be done within three weeks. It's just a guessing game at that point whether you're going to make it or not, because at random you could suddenly lose 33% of the time you had due to your character spending a week scratching his head.

[Cookie Eater]

Originally posted by Charlie @ Greenheart Games:

Im not a dev, I am the community manager and I compile bug reports and do random stuff so I think my head scratch is more understandable :p

I think the headscratch is fine, it adds a bit of unpredictability to the game.

Now that you say bug reports, is there a way to do that? Because I noticed one. When the random event for releasing an engine to the fanbase comes up. Refusing it will say something like
"20K has refused .....and has lost 20K fans"
and then I GAINED 20K fans from this event.

[Charlie @ Greenheart Games]

You can send descriptions of bugs you have found, along with save games, screenshots etc to me at [e-mail] and i will compile a report.

Also you can post on our forums to check if its a known issue;http://forum.greenheartgames.com/

[Slurp]

Originally posted by Charlie @ Greenheart Games:

I often stop, scratch my head and stare blankly at my screen when i am working, that stuff really does happen! :D

For two days? That never happens to me. -_-

[Fabiano]

Originally posted by Vitz:

I get why it happens, but it's not a very good game mechanic. Let's say you take on a job that needs to be done within three weeks. It's just a guessing game at that point whether you're going to make it or not, because at random you could suddenly lose 33% of the time you had due to your character spending a week scratching his head.

Exactly, not to mention it's not explained or addressed to in any sort of way, it just totally feels like a horrible bug that can make or break a game release or b2b contract.

I know Greenheart is not going to change it now after so many years, but just for good practice of suggesting a way to improve it instead of just complaining:

Instead of scratching their head for 2 weeks they could be taking sick leaves, with an animation of them being tired or ill, smoke from their head and such :)
It would be crucial to explain it as part of the initial tutorial, maybe when the first "head scratching" happens, so to avoid realising it's happening ages later and not understanding it, quite frustrating (like me).
A bar indicating how long it will still take to end might also help.