Scenarios!

[PhiR]

The game is great but it seems a bit like a sandbox, it really needs more diverse scenario/challenges/campaign. There should be "easy/normal/hard" settings and more "maps" with specific objectives and constraints! Right now every game plays almost the same.
It is not a lot of programming compared to what has been done but will add a lot of value to the game.
Maybe the map editor could allow for configuring objectives/constraints and the player base would share interesting starting maps through steam ?

[cliffski]

Hmmm. The scenarios are actually REALLY easy to add by modders (I only made a few...) by FAR the biggest bottleneck to adding more is just the sheer time it takes to do multiple play-throughs in order to check the objectives are hard enough (but achievable).
FWIW, scenarios are just text files found here:

steam\steamapps\productionline\data\scenarios

sample format:

[config]
Name = scenario_medium
GUIName = Scenario #2: Mass Market
Map = mission_medium
Type = GOAL
HourLimit = 240

[objectives]
CHEAP_SOLD = 3000

most of this is self explanatory, but the objectives can have various values right now:

CHEAP_SOLD
CARS_SOLD
EXPENSIVE_SOLD
MID_SOLD
COMPONENTS_PRODUCED
LUXURY_SOLD
LUXURY_INCOME

If players really like the scenarios, I could add some more objectives, mod-support for user-submitted scenarios, and try and find time to test out some more official ones?

[cliffski]

actually...I'm adding support for loading scenarios from mods into the next update...

[PhiR]

That's a good start!

On top of my head some modifiers for difficulty would allow some fine tuning:
AI research speed/own research multiplier
base refund rate for slots
components price multiplier (to encourage in-house manufacturing).

maybe in a future update also allow for limiting the tech tree (forbidding certain techs/slots)

I insist that varied scenarios are important for the game's replayability hence its value. Right now many features are not really useful because they're not that lucrative (engine and most component manufacturing come to mind).

[Skyliner121]

I think, a sandboxmode with incoming orders could be funny.
Something like: build 100 sedan with a specific configuration within 5 days. Then while you producing this serie, the next order comes in and you have to manage which of your production line could do the new order.

[Gopher]

It definitely needs some difficulty sliders. I never went bankrupt on my first play through, and now that I've got 30+ hours I can make billions fairly easily.

Once you get marketing the game becomes a cakewalk.

When he fixes the market competition from being a nightmare like it is in the early game (changing from 80% market competition to 40% every hour, forcing constant pricing adjustments or go bankrupt), and then weakens the late game marketing it would be more balanced as right now you can sell any car as long as you are running all the marketing options.

Then all we need is to have a slider to increase the computer difficulty.

I also want a slider for research difficulty. I'd love to have a game where what you research really matters. Right now I just research everything so fast the components never get to be "normal".

Also being able to set the difficulty on the price of non manufactured goods would be good like steel, wood, glass.

[cliffski]

Regarding the speed of research, this is always a tradeoff. On the one hand, as you say, you do want tech to be considered 'normal' and for cars to go the whole line without experiencing multiple tech revisions! On the other hand, the game has a BIG tech tree, and you don't want to force people to play 50 hours of the game just to see the whole range of tech.

I agree that having this as an option might be interesting.

[F҉e҉i҉b҉n҉i҉z҉]

""most of this is self explanatory, but the objectives can have various values right now:

CHEAP_SOLD
CARS_SOLD
EXPENSIVE_SOLD
MID_SOLD
COMPONENTS_PRODUCED
LUXURY_SOLD
LUXURY_INCOME

If players really like the scenarios, I could add some more objectives, mod-support for user-submitted scenarios, and try and find time to test out some more official ones?""

Is it possible to add "LUXURY_INCOME" these ourself? if not could you make it possible so I can make scenarios especially for my mods for eg: POWER_GENERATED, POWER_USED, RESEARCH_DONE_??? and ITEM_CRAFTED_???,(amount)..

you could also add MONEY_EARNED as in total.. or RESOURCES_MADE_name,10000000

or even SLOTS_PLACED_name,amount etc.. I would really like that ability..

and am super excited about the next update btw..

[Kev734]

To create new scenarios starting from the existing ones, you must proceed as follows:

- go to the directory productionline\data\missions
- copy the file related to the map on which you want to make changes and rename it to your liking

eg: mission_custom.txt

- edit the created file and change the values ​​of the first 2 fields of the "config" section

eg: name = mission_custom and guiname = Tight Budget Custom

- save and exit

- change to the directory productionline\data\scenarios
- copy the file related to the scenario on which you want to make changes and rename it to your liking

eg: scenario_custom.ini

- edit the created file and change the values ​​to the following items for example:

Name = scenario_custom
GUIName = Scenario # 5: Custom
Map = mission_custom

The first value is the name of the scenario, to the second assign a progressive number, to the third put the name you assigned to the mission in the first field of the mission file (previously modified txt)

-Modify the objectives in the following fields to your liking.

When finished, save, close and launch the game.

If you've done everything right, a new map will appear where you can play your own custom scenario.