next »

[flowerthief]

7-24-2022 Update
Hello. The beta is now public. Downloads are below.

I'm now seeking an answer to a single question--Why do players stop playing the game?

The few who have played past the tutorial have had positive things to say about it. However, I can't help noticing that everyone stops playing before getting too far and never returns to it. Consequently, I have no feedback on the story or much else that happens beyond the first hour of play.

Is it that the game feels too open-ended and directionless? That's my best guess, being that the main story (by design) can be missed, but I'm not sure. Is it lacking some other quality? Whenever we stop playing a game there is always a reason. The reason might be a memory in the back of our head of a frustrating moment, or it could be something else.

This game is not a casual game and it has a learning curve. It is intended to be something that can be played over and over once you "get" the system. But if everyone is quitting early on then it is failing in its purpose, and I need to know why. I need to know whether it's something I can fix, or whether I should cut my losses and move on.

So if you try the game can you please tell me why you stop playing it? I'm not looking for a full video review...just an honest answer to why everyone likes the game but doesn't want to play it much.  



--------------------------------


Hello! I'm looking for testing/feedback on a complex simulation game that I've been developing for the past 10 years. I'll be glad to help test your game if you want to do a "trade".



About the game
--------------------------------

Earth City, the most prestigious new metropolis built in the 24th century, implements a protocol known as the "Social Imperative" whereby citizens must meet a weekly quota of new friends made and/or relationships deepened. Failure to meet one's quota means exile.

As a new citizen you will work yourself up from dirt to increasingly nicer living conditions. The freedom is yours to set your own daily schedule of work, study, and play, explore and familiarize yourself with the city layout, and interact with other citizens through conversation, collecting and upgrading an arsenal of conversation topics. While doing so perhaps you will discover the closely-guarded secrets of Earth City that the old generation "olgies" have kept hidden....

Where One Citizen is a hybrid that borrows from multiple genres including adventure games, role-playing games, romance simulations, card games, roguelikes, and visual novels, resulting in a unique multi-faceted turn-based system with depth and replayability.

The game generates not only its geography but ALL of its characters procedurally. Their visual appearance, their personalities, their familial relationships, where they live, what they do each day, and so on are all unique to each new game started. On a new game you won't meet the same character from before.

Where One Citizen official site



Downloads (beta)
--------------------------------
8-17-2022 the current version is 2.3.2

Download for Windows
Download for MacOS



Screenshots
--------------------------------

[michaelplzno]

I'd be happy to play it and do a public or private feedback video.  (no charge)

[flowerthief]

I'd be happy to play it and do a public or private feedback video.  (no charge)

Thanks much. I've sent you a private message.

[Koffi Duck]

I would like to playtest as well if it is not too much of a problem!

[flowerthief]

I would like to playtest as well if it is not too much of a problem!

Absolutely! This is a complex game and it needs all the testing it can get.
Even if people could tell me whether there is slowdown/stuttering on their machines that would be useful information. I'm very concerned about performance.

I've sent you a PM.

[flowerthief]

Public download has been added. Game is still very much in beta.

[jbarrios]

Hey flowerthief,

I played your game:

[flowerthief]

Thanks for that, jbarrios! You pretty much confirmed my suspicions for why people aren't getting far. Hmm, maybe I ought to add something like in-game "tooltips" to help new players.

Btw the reason nothing was happening with the jobs and classes is that you have to sign up for them from the location menu (the middle icon) which adds them to your schedule.

[sheudler]

I love this game. I'm very much surprised there aren't that many comments here. Maybe it's because the game is kinda hard, but I enjoy it and wouldn't want it any easier. The tutorial doesn't take that much time and is enjoyable, I wouldn't call it an info dump. I'll comment on all the bugs I have found later, I'm still adding them to the list. This isn't very much a feedback comment, I'm writing this to motivate u. <3

[flowerthief]

I love this game. I'm very much surprised there aren't that many comments here. Maybe it's because the game is kinda hard, but I enjoy it and wouldn't want it any easier. The tutorial doesn't take that much time and is enjoyable, I wouldn't call it an info dump. I'll comment on all the bugs I have found later, I'm still adding them to the list. This isn't very much a feedback comment, I'm writing this to motivate u. <3

Thanks for that. That means something to me. I had put this on hiatus for the past few months because I'm still not sure what it needs.

Yes, please share the bug reports. And if I may ask, how far have you gotten? By any metric (story seen, time spent, popularity gained, girlfriends/boyfriends made, etc)

[sheudler]

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!

I got to the point where someone dies. (not to spoil too much)

But now I have a big house and am filthy rich. I put it on hold, next week I WILL WIN IT, I KNOW ALL THE TRICKS and most importantly I'M THE BLACKHOLE OF THE CITY'S ECONOMY. (the house is 4 squares  )

[flowerthief]

Nice! If that's the event I think it is, and I'm pretty sure it is, it can be manipulated a few different ways. (you can influence which character(s) it is who dies)