[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38191591/d90562b5deea64ba4a5ba6664fceb32877bfa692.png[/img] [b]Hey there gym owners![/b] It's been a while since the last update, so let's do another one! In this dev update, I will talk about the new preview branch and what to expect for the upcoming 0.9 update! If you haven't already, don't forget to [i]Wishlist[/i] and [i]Follow[/i] Gym Tycoon to stay up to date! [h2]Preview Branch[/h2] Last week, I have created a new [i]open beta[/i] branch on Steam called the [b]preview[/b] branch. This new branch allows me to release updates more quickly, while you will be able to try out brand new features and give feedback. You can leave your feedback in the [b]gt-feedback[/b] channel of our [url=https://discord.gg/aWXnMtnMx6]discord server[/url]. If you feel adventurous, you can already go ahead and change to the new preview branch: [olist] [*]Right-click Gym Tycoon in Steam > [i]Properties...[/i]. [*]Under [i]BETAS[/i], select the [b]preview[/b] branch. [*]Future preview updates will now automatically download to your computer. [/olist] [b]A couple of warnings first![/b] [list] [*]Games saved in a newer version of Gym Tycoon cannot be opened in older versions. [*]The preview branch may contain more bugs than the stable branch. [/list] [u]Always save your preview games under a different name to avoid losing data if something goes wrong![/u] [h2]Employees[/h2] The main feature of the 0.9 update is the addition of [b]trainer employees[/b]. Employees are [i]semi-automatic[/i], meaning they will do their best to do their job automatically, but you can still give them instructions to perform a specific task. Hopefully this will make the main game a bit more [b]fun[/b] and [b]interactive[/b] to play, while [i]not[/i] making it [i]too difficult to manage[/i]. I will be releasing multiple preview updates over the coming weeks. Each update will have more employee functionality added. Let's take a look at some of them: [h3]Player character & Instructing[/h3] The first preview update will feature the ability for you to [b]create your own player character[/b] in the new character creator. This is your first [i]'employee'[/i]! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38191591/7a514216f5752ffa678d4512eec8199a1d9cdde8.png[/img] Additionally, employees will have the ability to [b]give instructions[/b] to gym members, this boosts their effectiveness, yielding better exercise results. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/38191591/94c47dd11f92e3668ec6d9c1a43e69e104833c66.png[/img] I expect to release the first preview this/next week, there are still a few bugs to fix before it can get released. [h3]Future updates[/h3] The next preview will focus on adding a reception job to employees. I will be using this opportunity to improve both the applicant join and level up systems. You no longer have to manually level up a gym member anymore, and the intake of new gym members will also be regulated in a more automated way. After this, I will focus on adding auxiliary tasks to trainers, like the ability to clean and maintain your gym. For now that's it. I hope you're excited for the next update! If you like this status update, remember to hit the [b]Rate Up[/b] button and leave your comments using the [b]Discuss[/b] button below. I read all your comments! [i]Have a nice day! >> Jasper[/i]