Hey, heroes! 👋 We've got some delicious updates to share with you this month. From the much-anticipated Open Beta announcement to significant strides in our tutorial system and gameplay mechanics, August has been a tasty mix of progress and excitement. So grab your favorite snack (burgers, anyone? 🍔), and let's get into the latest developments! [h1]Open Beta in September! 😍[/h1] Yes, you read that right! After months of hard work and countless iterations, we're ecstatic to announce that a [i][b]limited[/b][/i] Open Beta will be live from [b]September 13th to 15th[/b]. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/f8436a7700eec5c1e4f5c6ebdb8ff7153caf03bf.png[/img] This is your chance to experience the latest version of the game with all the new features, and give us your valuable feedback before the demo release in October. But there's a catch. 😉 Slots are limited, and keys are flying out the door on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you haven't requested beta access in the last two weeks, [url=http://eepurl.com/hL3Qvv]sign up now to register[/url]. Our goals for this playtest are simple:[list] [*] Gather your feedback to fine-tune the gameplay. [*] Iron out any hiccups before the official demo. [*] Build a stronger connection with our amazing community—you! [/list]We [i]absolutely[/i] can't wait to have you onboard and hear your thoughts! Now, onto the exciting behind-the-scenes work we've been doing. [h2]Tutorial System Design Challenges[/h2] Designing a tutorial for a strategy game is no walk in the park, especially when you’re trying to satisfy both [b]Achievers[/b] who crave structured guidance and [b]Explorers[/b] who love to discover things on their own. To strike the right balance, we created a two-part onboarding system that that caters to both styles of play. [h3]Navigational Guide[/h3] First, we implemented a skippable navigational guide to help new players get familiar with the game’s interface. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/2b22b4d071766eca6a4360ab4b0e3ba5f82a5db4.jpg[/img] We know how overwhelming a strategy game UI can be, especially when you're first starting out, so this guide aims to make that initial learning curve a bit smoother. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/dd3dbf5aa8bab8a431e00e6554649d4cbf987fd8.jpg[/img] However, for those of you who love diving straight into the action, you can skip this guide right from the get-go. [h3]Gameplay Discovery[/h3] Next, Instead of handholding you through each mechanic, we set mini-goals and provide tips that help you discover the game's mechanics by doing. Completing these challenges will earn you experience points that can be used to unlock items in the research tree. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/9356004480a5d5994004983276d93055594e9e8d.png[/img] We believe this method works exceptionally well for tycoon and management game players, as it mirrors the decision-making and strategic planning that are core to the gameplay. [h3]Core Considerations[/h3] While building this tutorial, we've kept three key considerations at the forefront: player autonomy, a rewarding experience, and clarity. We want you to feel empowered to discover the game your way, with just enough guidance and meaningful rewards. [h2]New Game Setup Screen[/h2] We’ve also overhauled the game setup screen to give it a fresh, spacious layout with a more vibrant color palette. Here's how the previous version looked: [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/c03be0342e5bb03d6fb58acb5ccf07511b74e417.png[/img] In the latest version, essential elements like weather conditions, starting funds, GDP, and interest rates are now prominently displayed, giving you a clearer sense of how they’ll impact your game’s difficulty. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/9c2fbb87dbdaf76f4f272b0ae9943a30cff1f4e2.gif[/img] Additionally, the new difficulty gauge resolves a previous usability issue where players attempted to adjust the difficulty setting by interacting directly it. [h2]Preventing Unintended Consequences[/h2] Another QoL improvement we made was to implement informative pop-ups that help prevent unintended consequences. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/85e3f12110450d3bf481bdf4608ef65eecee1825.gif[/img] Whether you’re tweaking a recipe after placing an inventory order or starting a new research queue, these pop-ups will now warn you of any potential impacts on your strategy. This way, you can make informed decisions and avoid any unintentional slip-ups. [h2]Discarding Inventory[/h2] A longstanding pain point we've seen during gameplay has been the management of surplus ingredients that take up more storage space than necessary. Previously, the only solutions were to either incorporate surplus items into recipes where they didn't really belong or to cease ordering them altogether, hoping to balance the stock manually over time. Neither approach was particularly satisfying or realistic. To address this, we've implemented a new 'Discard Inventory' function that allows you to delete either a portion or the entirety of any ingredient that's cluttering your storage. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/39277006/6aa1b90721065e8117b77c86b8a6a2e7450cf365.gif[/img] That's it for August! 🥂 Don't forget to [url=https://mailchi.mp/aeee9bdf2b69/join-us]join our mailing list[/url] to get these behind-the-scenes specials delivered directly to your inbox. Plus, we've got other exclusive perks waiting for you. Live Long and Prosper 👋, [b]Team Visionaries[/b]