Development Log #15 - Synths, Soul & Sizzle ๐ท๐น
Hello there, Emperors! ๐
Today weโre diving into something that might not be in your recipe book, but itโs just as important - the music. That steady groove you hear while flipping patties or slicing tomatoes? Itโs part of the Food Truck Empire.
Let's start from the beginning
Our composer, Marcin, grew up playing tycoon games like Transport Tycoon Deluxe and Theme Hospital - games where the music was as iconic as the gameplay. Back in the day, those games pulled inspiration from jazz, funk, blues, soul, and R&B. But hereโs the twistโฆ
The technology was limited. So instead of fully recorded tracks, you got MIDI compositions interpreted by your sound card - making every track a little bit funky, a little bit synthetic, and completely unforgettable.
Thatโs the flavor weโre channeling in Food Truck Empire.
From plasticky pianos and too-shiny brass to synthetic bass guitars and stiff drum kits - our goal was to recreate the slightly โoffโ but totally charming sound of that era. Marcin was using FM synthesis, old ROMplers, and quirky sound fonts to bring that retro-futuristic vibe to life.
The result? A soundtrack that feels like it could live inside a '90s sound cardโฆ But somehow still grooves perfectly with a modern-day food truck empire.
Cooking in rhythm
Of course, it wasnโt all smooth mixing and instant hits. The first version of the soundtrack was written before we even had a playable build. And once we started testing the game, we realizedโฆ It was a bit too catchy. With so much going on in the music, it was hard to focus on outfitting your truck or planning the perfect menu.
So, Marcin went back to the kitchen. He softened the sharp edges, reworked arrangements, and toned down the energy - while keeping that signature flavor intact. A lot of the tracks changed completely. And even though the instruments were โsimpleโ, mixing them turned out to be a complex process.
Bringing together dozens of different sources - each with their own quirks - meant hours spent adjusting reverb, cleaning up harsh frequencies, and finding just the right balance so nothing felt out of place.
Meaning of sounds
But most importantly, music in FTE is a part of the gameโs identity. As Marcin says, โitโs not just about matching the aesthetic - itโs about adding something new, something memorable, something that makes the world of the game feel just a bit more aliveโ.
Now hereโs a question for you - what kind of music would you love to hear in the game? Maybe a street jazz band for one of the cities? Some lo-fi beats for late-night cooking shifts? Or how about a synthwave twist for a neon-lit food truck dream? Let us know - the kitchen (and studio) is always open.
Food Truck Empire joins The Days of Ramadan Festival! ๐
Hello Emperors! ๐
We're thrilled to announce that we've joined The Days of Ramadan Festival! ๐
At first we thought - โA game about food at a festival centered around fasting? Thatโs quite the contrast"! But the more we considered it, the more we realized how much food plays a role in bringing people together - especially during Ramadan - when meals like Iftar and Suhoor are moments of connection, tradition and community for so many families.
While our game is about running a food truck business, itโs also about the joy of sharing meals and creating something people love at its heart. Weโre honored to be part of this festival and to celebrate the cultural and culinary traditions that make food so meaningful beyond just eating. Quite literally, joining this festival is a food for thoughts for all of us and brings us additional perspective which we cannot be more thankful for.
To those observing Ramadan - we wish you a peaceful and fulfilling month! And to all our players, weโd love to hear your thoughts - what dishes inspired by Ramadan and its traditions would you love to see in Food Truck Empire? Let us know! ๐
And since we're talking about community - you might want to join us on our Discord - just click the image below!
Not only is it the most direct way of getting your feedback to us but we also often host closed playtests for our Discord members. Our Discord is also a great place for all kinds of chats and discussions!
โ ๏ธ Developing Food Truck Empire is an immensely satisfying process but we couldn't done it without you. Make sure to let us know about your comments, ideas, suggestions - pretty much any and all feedback. We believe in player-facing development and we want to hear from you whenever we can.
Food Truck Empire Demo available for longer - during Women's Day Sale! ๐
Hello Emperors! ๐
Our piping hot new demo is finally here - play now on Steam! ๐
Women's Day Sale starts today and as we're part of it we're extending the availability of our demo!
This is your next best chance to play through the demo of our burger-serving, customer-pleasing, city-conquering game! Join hundreds of players who already had the chance to experience our gameplay and enjoy yourself making sure that your dishes are the tastiest, trucks the loveliest and your empire continue to grow! ๐
There are many neighborhoods to be conquered and many dishes to be created - don't miss your chance to become the true Food Truck Emperor and make sure to give us your feedback here on Steam or on our Discord!
Here are some important details: ๐ 28 February - Our demo is available again and it's the start of the Women's Day Sale! โฐ TBA - We haven't yet decided how long the demo will be available on Steam but it will be up at least until March, 9th - make sure to play now and don't lose your chance! ๐ฌ Gameplay Stream with content from demo is now available - come chat with us and ask all your questions! ๐ The gameplay stream will last about one hour and will be looped afterwards
This is your best chance to experience the mouth-salivating gameplay of Food Truck Empire - don't miss out on it!
You might want to join us on our Discord - just click the image below! Not only is it the most direct way of getting your feedback to us but we also often host closed playtests for our Discord members!
โ ๏ธ Developing Food Truck Empire is an immensely satisfying process but we couldn't done it without you. Make sure to let us know about your comments, ideas, suggestions - pretty much any and all feedback. We believe in player-facing development and we want to hear from you whenever we can.
Weโre beyond excited to finally reveal Rockbeasts, our upcoming band-management, story-driven game set in the heart of the 90s rock scene!
Lead a band of misfits on a roller-coaster ride to stardom in the age of MTV, rock anthems, and bad haircuts. Rockbeasts is a story-driven, role-playing management game that puts you in the shoes of a manager of an up-and-coming rock band. Your job โ take them to the top.
Weโre thrilled to share the announcement trailer with you - it has just premiered on Youtube and we hope it will spark the excitement for what's to come! Let us know what you think of the trailer and if you like it - make sure to wishlist the game on Steam now!
As we've said previously - you can already wishlist the game as the steampage for it is already live! Make sure to check it out to learn more about the game!
This is just the beginning of the music-filled, rock'n'roll-themed journey and weโd love for you to be part of it. We have an electrifying story to tell you and we can't wait to share more info. By wishlisting Rockbeasts on Steam, youโll stay updated on all the latest news, behind-the-scenes insights, and upcoming reveals. You will also be there when the final curtain drops and the band is ready to rock with you at their helm. Don't miss out on it!
To give you a closer look weโre also sharing some brand-new screenshots showcasing the gameโs atmosphere, characters and the places youโll experience when playing Rockbeasts. Check them out below! โฌ
We hope you're as excited as we are - let us know what you think of the trailer in the comments! More exciting updates are coming soon!
Play Food Truck Empire Demo during Baltic Showcase DevGAMM Gdaลsk! ๐
Hello Emperors! ๐
Another fantastic festival, another great chance to play the demo of Food Truck Empire! ๐
Main part of Baltic Showcase DevGAMM Gdaลsk will happen between 27-28 February however we're already happy to not only announce we're taking a part in it but also already make the demo of our game available for y'all!
This of course means yet another week full of amazing dishes that you yourself will create in your mobile kitchen and making sure that all customers are taken care of with fantastic, still sizzling meals that you can almost literally die for! Combine your culinary prowess with strategic mind and you have yourself a true recipe for success and a phenomenal playground to test your ideas on - the whole big bustling city!
We'd love if you could give Food Truck Empire a try and wishlist it if you like it. We are still working on the game to make sure that many more features will find its way into the core of it and make the experience even more fun than it currently is - and we await your feedback regarding the game and your experience with it!
And since we're talking about you, our dear players, you might want to join us on our Discord - just click the image below!
Not only is it the most direct way of getting your feedback to us but we also often host closed playtests for our Discord members. Our Discord is also a great place for all kinds of chats and discussions!
โ ๏ธ Developing Food Truck Empire is an immensely satisfying process but we couldn't done it without you. Make sure to let us know about your comments, ideas, suggestions - pretty much any and all feedback. We believe in player-facing development and we want to hear from you whenever we can.
Thank you for playing our demo during the Laughs and Smiles Game Festival! ๐ฅ
With the end of Laughs and Smiles Festival another period of availability of our demo comes to an end - we appreciate all of our players who spent the last few days building their own succesful Food Truck Empire! We hope you had tons of fun and if you did - make sure to wishlist our game!
As in January - our demo is currently going to be turned off as we work on improving, enhancing and extending both it and the full game to cover more features, bring more joy and be a better experience. We're already armed to the teeth with your feedback, ideas and suggestions - and we're still collecting more of it while we're working on incorporating many of those we already got into the game!
This is also a great chance for us to invite you to our Discord server - it's one of the best places to suggest your own ideas and send us your feedback. We're happy to listen and even more happy to talk about the game!
๐ Join our Official Discord! ๐
Stay tuned for further updates. Weโll see you soon, back on the streets, serving up delicious fun!
PS. Literally, stay tuned - very soon we'll have some cool opportunity for you to add your little own touch to the game. You'll see!
Food Truck Empire Demo is here again - Laughs & Smiles Fest has started! ๐ช
Hello Emperors! ๐
Our demo and gameplay stream are up - join us and let's chat! ๐
Laughs & Smiles Festival starts today and we're happy to be part of it! It's yet another great chance for us to showcase the demo of the game we are working really hard on and bringing the demo back for a limited time makes us truly happy!
Here are some important details: ๐ 30 January - Start of the Laughs & Smiles Festival โฐ 06 February - Last day of demo's availability ๐ฌ Gameplay Stream is live with special featuring on 12:30 AM - 01:00 PM PST / 21:30 - 22:00 CET - Come chat with us at that time and ask all your questions! ๐ The gameplay stream will last about one hour and will be looped afterwards
If you missed your chance during the last demo availability period then this is your best opportunity to play Food Truck Empire. The game keeps on evolving behind the scenes and with each piece of feedback we receive from you we advance further on the road to create an amazing, fun-packed experience!
We've already collected tons of feedback last time our demo was available but don't be mistaken - we still are happy to hear your voice! You can express your feelings in the comments on Steam or ๐ through this survey ๐!
You might also want to join us on our Discord - just click the image below! Not only is it the most direct way of getting your feedback to us but we also often host closed playtests for our Discord members!
โ ๏ธ Developing Food Truck Empire is an immensely satisfying process but we couldn't done it without you. Make sure to let us know about your comments, ideas, suggestions - pretty much any and all feedback. We believe in player-facing development and we want to hear from you whenever we can.
Demo is coming back during Laughs & Smiles Fest! ๐
Hello Emperors! ๐
Weโre thrilled to announce that during the upcoming Laughs & Smiles Fest you will be able to play Food Truck Empire demo once again! ๐
As we're part of the upcoming festivities we are happy to invite you to check out our stream that's going to go live just as soon as the event starts! This is going to be yet another chance to personally check out the gameplay of Food Truck Empire and have fun while creating all kinds of burgers and food bowls.
What is more - the demo is making a come back for another round everyone! ๐ฎ๐
If you haven't played yet - here is your chance to check it out! If you have and you liked it and you wish for more - say no more we've got you covered! And if you're here by pure luck - even better! Give the game a chance and feed them pesky customers, you might find yourself really liking the game!
We can't wait to see what you're going to cook in your trucks! ๐ฒ
Here are some important details: ๐ 30 January - Start of the Laughs & Smiles Festival ๐ฎ Demo will stay available throughout the Laughs & Smiles Festival - between 30th of January and 6th of February โฐ Stream - don't miss out on Food Truck Empire Gameplay stream starting the same day! ๐ฌ Talk with us on chat and we'll be happy to discuss the game with you ๐ The stream will last about one hour and will be looped afterwards
Wishlist our game now and make sure to drop in for the stream!
โ ๏ธ Developing Food Truck Empire is an immensely satisfying process but we couldn't done it without you. Make sure to let us know about your comments, ideas, suggestions - pretty much any and all feedback. We believe in player-facing development and we want to hear from you whenever we can.
What meal would you love to see in Food Truck Empire? ๐
Hello Emperors! ๐
We'd love to hear your voice! ๐ฒ
As we continue to develop and improve the game, we want YOU to have a say in what kinds of meals make it into your food truck menu. After all, who knows better than you what should be served on the go?
Weโre curious to hear about the dishes but also ingredients youโd love to see in Food Truck Empire. Whether itโs a classic comfort food, something exotic or maybe something completely unique - we want to know what you think would make the perfect addition to our game.
โก๏ธโก๏ธโก๏ธ After reading the questions make sure to answer them in this thread or in the comments to this log!
๐ What meals would you love to see in the game?
Think of anything from pizza and tacos to more complex dishes! What would be the ideal food to serve in a food truck? It can be both hot and cold, keep that in mind!
๐ฅ What ingredients should we add?
Is there a unique ingredient you think should be part of our in-game kitchen? Weโre looking to add variety throughout the development, so feel free to list anything you feel we might have missed!
๐ฅ (Bonus question) ๐ฅ What type of customer would want these meals?
Every customer in Food Truck Empire has different preferences. What types of customers should we target with these new dishes? Are they looking for something spicy or maybe vegetarian? Perhaps we need to add another type of customers? What kind?
โก๏ธโก๏ธโก๏ธ After reading the questions make sure to answer them in this thread or in the comments to this log!
Weโll be reading through all your responses and after proper consideration your suggestions might end up influencing our choice of meals that we'll make available in the game! This way your input will help shape Food Truck Empire and weโre excited to see what your priorities would be.
๐ Weโre also still gathering ideas for neighborhood names!
Weโre looking for names that capture the essence of our neighborhoods but we are also more than keen on learning about your ideas for new neighborhoods. Feel free to suggest any ideas you have and maybe even add some fun backstory or theme to them! Your input will help bring these cities to life in ways we canโt wait to see!
Be part of the Empire - Name our in-game neighborhoods!
Hello Emperors! ๐
We need your ideas and suggestions! ๐ฅ
As you already know - the city is full of different neighborhoods and locations. Each of those places deserve their own name and we'd love to hear your ideas for the names. From the suggestions you will post we might select the names to immortalize them within the landscape of Food Truck Empire!
We're going to give you, our players, the chance to name the neighborhoods availble in our game hoping to bring your personal touch to the world of Food Truck Empire. Each name you create helps shape the personality and atmosphere of the game, making the city feel alive and unique. Itโs an incredible way for you to leave your mark and see your creativity come to life in a bustling world!
Main points:
๐ Basically we want to change the regular "normal" names for some cool community-based names ๐ Below you'll find a list of neighborhoods that you can currently find in the game (this might change in future, but we'll save your ideas)! ๐ Suggest a name for any of the neighborhoods via this thread!
This is a place where people of all kinds of backgrounds live and take advantage of available Leisure & Hospitality objects. Notice the abundance of greenery - possibly a great place for picnics?
A low density area focused mainly on Hospitality (notice the big green-roofed grand hotel!) and making sure that people coming to this area are appropriately animated!
Often bustling with sounds of people masses this is a place focusing on Commerce and Hospitality. The railroad cannot be forgotten, so many people come to this town through this place!
This is the place where leisure and commerce intersects - a lot of fantastic shops and stores can be found here, as well as restaurant and cinema. It's almost an entertainment district!
Many citizens decide to live in this very convenient area - you will find housing here but also convenience stores and gas stations very closeby. The green areas also make the place very cozy!
This area is mostly a residential area where many peace-loving citizens decided to stay and live. You will find many families here but there is also one quite unique looking villa... wonder who lives there?
This bustling neighborhood blends cozy residential streets with vibrant commercial hubs. Lined with charming homes and lively markets, itโs the perfect mix of community and commerce.
Keep in mind that we're accepting all kinds of suggestions! ๐ฉ serious and cool ๐คช funny and silly ๐ค cute and adorable ๐ฅ referencing movies, tv shows, songs ๐ง๐ฆ even personal ones or inside jokes are okay
