Cinema Architect - Management Simulation [Devblog] [UPDATE - 13 July]

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Belion

Guest
Cinema Architect - Management Simulation



Hi guys,
i just want to share the progress from the project im working on!




07 July 2019 - Update 1 - Pathfinding and AI Decisions
10 July 2019 - Update 2 - Graphic Content - Smooth View - AI Fixes
13 July 2019 - Update 3 - UI tweaks and overhaul + Name Change



What? A Cinema Management game?
Basically yes. Its about building a cinema with tons of features and content in a real time simulation. See customers interact with your own build cinema, be creatvie and design everything as you want and expand and upgrade your whole technique.

So how far is your progress yet?
At the moment its possible to build single walls or a whole room as a blueprint - there are builders which are really important because they finish your blueprint to a real building. I've made a buildingmenu where you can find everything place- or buildable.


Thats how it look, when you create a blueprint for a structure. Like a basic room.


Thats the actual UI or in this case the buildmenu i've talked about. You see those bars to the right? Its about energy, reputation and of course the decoration effect.

Effects? And what is the goal of the game?
The main goal is to create your own cinema - in story or either in sandbox mode. Earn reputation, manage everything that belongs to a cinema. Pretty detailed stuff and everything you do in the game affect the reputation from your customers. The storymode is based on different scenarios. And the sandbox mode - i dont think i need to explain that! :)

So whats planned?
• Free building system - no limits (excludes your money! :p )
• Tons of micromanagement
• Real time simulation, where you can watch your customers/staff interact with everything.
• A pretty interesting storymode and a free sandboxmode
• And alot of more i dont want to spoil now! :)





Current state


Old Screenshots:
(Beware: old screenshots - make sure you check out all the updates which are listed on top of this thread!)


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Earlier footage captured and uploaded to Youtube.


So, what do you think? Are you interested? I will keep you up to date!

Best Regards

Belion
 
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As someone who plays a lot of these types of games and similar ones at that, I look forward to seeing what you can do. I expect to see more cinema screens in the future. Oh yeah, hope you can make trash cans and janitors too.
 
B

Belion

Guest
Update - Pathfinding and AI Decisions
The last days i was working on the beginning of a custom AI with different decisions they will make. Still work in progress and needs alot of polish/optimisation - but the direction is great yet.

I made a few placeholder animations, for testing reasons. As example this here!



At the moment i can show you a screenshot of debugging the AI. Its hard to get it foolproof, since you are able to build a whole cinema in realtime. But it works fine to this early stage. Still needs more work, for sure.



I'll keep you up to date when theres the first content from the finished AI.

At least, thanks for you reply. I never say no to future content or suggestions - so if you have a great idea - let me know!
 
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Belion

Guest
Update 2 - Graphic Content - Smooth View - AI Fixes
Today i'll post a screenshot of a pretty updated graphics. I'll added some decals, and grass sprites - updated the whole walls a bit and added new doors. And you see a few technical changes. Like the View and some AI fixes.

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Graphics

A Stone and a few grass sprites.


The new door animation.



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Technical (View and AI)

View
I recoded the whole view control. Its pretty smooth now and wont stop immediately. Its such a better feeling while playing the game already.



Pathfinding/AI
The NPCs and customers gets more and more realistic about own made decisions, pathfinding to destinations and more. Heres a screenshot from the debug mode. As you can see they decide to buy a ticket, maybe some snacks, then they go to the ticket gate - or later a staff that collects the tickets to make sure your customers paid for the movie. Pretty basic, huh? But lemme spoil, i am already much further than this stage - keep hyped! You wont regret it. (I wont show the progress about the AI right now - because its hard to understand yet.



At least in own things
Do you have any wishes or ideas what you like to see in that game? What is a must have? Any cool stuff i should implement?

Let me know!

See you!

 

rIKmAN

Member
Do you have any wishes or ideas what you like to see in that game? What is a must have? Any cool stuff i should implement?
I'd like to see NPCs that talk, use their mobile phones or eat too loudly while watching a movie and other NPC's that confront them about it and cause a fight in the cinema - if their personality type allows of course.

Full blown riots in Screen 3!

Keep up the good work, solid start. :)
 
Awesome idea for a game. As for features I'd like to see... I'd hate to pile on to what I'm sure is already a big list of your own, but you asked for it.

-Rare prints of movies as rewards for reaching certain milestones. Sure you've seen this movie already, but have you seen the original black & white director's cut?
-The ability to get a reputation for the kind of movies you show. Do you show the latest blockbusters on every screen, or do you show small indie films? What about old horror/sci-fi movies?
-Along the lines of rIKmAN's idea, you can have customers that try to sneak in without paying or underage kids that pay for a children's movie and try to sneak into an R-rated one instead. And ushers to escort them out.
-Drive-In Theater DLC?

Excellent work so far. Even though its early, its already reminding me of Theme Hospital.
 
B

Belion

Guest
Update 3 - UI tweaks and overhaul + Name Change
I finally got the UI done for now. Thats how it looks. Maybe i will do some changes later but basically thats it!

And now i've got a final name for this game, since Cinema Tycoon was just a worktitle.

Now its called
Cinema Architect!



Feedback
Thanks alot for your input - i really appreciate it!

In this early stage i definitly need alot of feedback - and its a really important thing for the whole development progress.

I'd like to see NPCs that talk, use their mobile phones or eat too loudly while watching a movie and other NPC's that confront them about it and cause a fight in the cinema - if their personality type allows of course.
Interesting idea and a realistic thing. I note this idea, but i would do something like the NPCs will talk or use their mobile phone which produce negative reputation - and i will try to figure out which feature allows the player to prevent that. I do not think that fights will be a part of the game.

-Rare prints of movies as rewards for reaching certain milestones. Sure you've seen this movie already, but have you seen the original black & white director's cut?
Thats a great idea. It was already planned to add some archivements - but milestones and rewards sounds pretty cool!

-The ability to get a reputation for the kind of movies you show. Do you show the latest blockbusters on every screen, or do you show small indie films? What about old horror/sci-fi movies?
Already planned. Since reputation is a important gameplay mechanic you will be able to get and loose reputation overall. So, as example the latest blockbuster you'll show gives way more reputation than a 6 weeks old movie. But its also more expensive. Reputation will be the challenging aspect of the game - keep everything in balance, and expand your cinema and technique.

-Along the lines of rIKmAN's idea, you can have customers that try to sneak in without paying or underage kids that pay for a children's movie and try to sneak into an R-rated one instead. And ushers to escort them out.
Cool! Because the customers have to buy a ticket for a movie which will be shown they have to go to a ticket gate at the moment. (Its content for later to replace a staff member so you can optimize your finances and have less work with staff needs)

-Drive-In Theater DLC?
Noted. Thanks - but maybe as a free content later. I really like that idea. Also cars are planned to. Like a own car engine and KI which allows parking lots so customers can travel with cars to your cinema.
 
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