Gear City
Version 1.25.0.9 Released
I released version 1.25.0.9 today. This update includes bug fixes and UI tweaks. It also includes balancing of the base maps and some additional improvements to the English file. However, I still have work to do on all three systems. The Spanish and Italian language files have come along nicely thanks to the dedicated people working on them.
Version 1.25.0.10 will be a continuation of my bug fixing and minor UI improvements efforts. I hope to go through a few rounds of gameplay to get a comprehensive list of text that is too big for the UI widgets, so that I may turn off the pink color in the font resizing system. And I hope to finish my balancing efforts with Base Territory Map and finish editing the English translation.
Version 1.25.0.10 should be another month-long effort. There are three more updates, including v1.25.0.10, before the game is fully released. I hope to jam as many fixes in as I can before then.
I have reverted default build to Version 1.25.0.8 because of random crashing issues. It seems some folks have problems and some do not. And I am in the do not camp, making it very difficult for me to debug. Version 1.25.0.9 is available in the Test Build branch located in the Steam Beta Tab. Directions on how to switch to it are here: http://wiki.gearcity.info/doku.php?id=gamemanual:switching_steam_builds
I'll bounce it over to default branch as soon as I find the source of the issue.
Hotfix #1-Fixed
Hotfix #2- Fixed issue which broke late game administration benefits system. Admin employee counts are a little high at the start of the game however. This will be fixed for the next update. Several other minor code cleanup fixes.
Hotfix #3- Reverted fix to engineering benefits demand action memo header to prevent possible crash issue. Fixed early game administration employee amount.
Hotfix #4- Fixed balancing issues with Administrative employee count.
Hotfix #5- Clean up a possible issue in the SQLite optimizer. The issue happens in extremely rare occurrences, but it was a serious enough game breaking bug that should go in a hotfix. Also a fix for factory destruction during "total war" (WW2).
Hotfix #6- Addresses unit conversions issues for value comparisons against the internal units.
Change Log:
-GUI: Moved web-browser window down 50px on 1050px Resolutions.
-Gameplay: Reworked the credit rating system so there are less chances of not generating a bond or a loan. Some balancing might be needed for this rework, as bonds might become too easy to get.
-GUI: If a player clicks "No" to a tutorial three times, we automatically click the "Do Not Display Again In This Save Game" button. Pro-tip, you can do this yourself, it's the button right next to "No".
-GUI: Fixed Scrap "Yes" Button size.
-Gameplay: Tweaks to AutoProduction, should utilize player's factories better.
-GUI: Stopped mod window from opening when the player has never made a component.
-GUI: Fixed overlapping text when the player can not increase credit limit.
-GUI: Fixed Modify Component from automatically selecting "Significant" modification when changing selection in the list.
-GUI: When the player has renewed or declined all contracts, the window automatically closes in the office.
-Gameplay: Reworked required administration employee calculation to use physical location count instead of labor costs. This fixes possible issues in the benefits system. This new formula may require more balancing.
-Bugfix: Fixed incorrect weight comparison in the UI for Gearbox contracts.
-Bugfix: Fixed incorrect header text in engineering strike demand action memo.
-Gameplay: Disabled production line replacement when using the replace system while auto production is enabled. This prevents a possible over production by the auto production system.
-Bugfix: Fixed data not updating in the assisted designers after changing a sub-component selection.
-GUI: Fixed newspaper images appearing too small.
-Bugfix: Fixed dollar sign issue in contract headers using the Edited English translation file.
-Bugfix: Fixed issues causing the last entry in lists not to be visible.
-GUI: Fixed issue with magazine when using scale GUI on monitors the player shouldn't be using scale GUI on.
-GUI: Reverted changes to the decimal point used in specs. Converted requirement specs instead and then added an additional integer.
-Bugfix: Fixed some issues with quarterly numbers in the stock broker window.
-GUI: Converted ft-lb to lb-ft in Edited English translation for all them pedantic engineering types.
-Translations: Added additional Spanish translated text to the game. Almost 99% translated! Special thanks to Heewet! Feedback on translation welcomed.
-Bugfix: Fixed Windows 10 Save As crash when the player has non-ASCII report names.
-Gameplay Removed T-Head end year.
-Bugfix: Fixed manual HQ country production lines incorrectly telling the player they can't produce units there during war.
-Bugfix: Fixed a possibility of a duplicate AI model name.
-GUI: Some additional Superlatives use player chosen unit type.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue which can cause multiple triggers of modify component due to refitting old vehicle designs.
-Gameplay: Destruction of factory during war now causes inventory to be destroyed as well.
-Bugfix: Fixed possible issue where strike wages are not met by auto-hire system.
-GUI: Web-browser system now properly zooms based on player scale GUI settings on 64-bit OSs.
-Bugfix: Fixed unpopular fuel type window from screwing up "Quick Trim" system.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with Henry Royce achievement.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with Austin's achievement.
-GUI: Removed multi-click protection on contract submit bid. As it could cause cancel bid button to be clicked.
-Gameplay: Base City map balances, increased early year European and Asian sales. Decreased late game European and Asian sales. Increased late game North American sales.
-Gameplay: Base Territory map balances with the aim to reduce profits. (More to do here).
-Gameplay: Reduced maximum dealerships for larger population maps.
-Gameplay: Added a per turn growth limit for dealerships.
Version 1.25.0.8
Version 1.25.0.8 is out. This build includes several serious and minor bug fixes. The primary focus of this build was to edit the English game text. Unfortunately, this took more time than expected, and I did not complete it by release time. I finished a good amount, and I will finish the rest in v1.25.0.9.
Speaking of v1.25.0.9, besides completing the English Edits, I’ll start the balancing process for territory maps, and knock out any bugs I have queued. ETA for v1.25.0.9 is the end of the month.
As for full release, with the delays in getting the English text edited, we’ll be pushing back a couple more months. My target is a release for v1.25.0.12. That will allow me to complete the video tutorials (v1.25.0.10) and give me 2 releases to fix any issues that arise.
Here is an incomplete change log for v1.25.0.8:
-Bugfix: Fixed newspaper images not loading in some instances.
-Bugfix: Fixed newspaper fluff text not working with non-english languages.
-GUI: Added decimal value to some specs in the game to prevent unit conversation causing values to look like they work, but they don't actually.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with Italian Stallion achievement.
-Gameplay: Tweaked quality to price penalty to be less drastic.
-Bugfix: Fixed crashing issue in some non-english language localization files.
-Bugfix: Fixed crashing issue when lists hide horizontal scroll bars.
-Bugfix: Fixed crashing issue with vehicle types graphs.
-GUI: Quick Trim refreshes vehicle list now.
-Gameplay Adjusted AI's sub-component selection system. Should produce more I4's and less V4's now.
-Bugfix: Fixed exploit which could allow you to create new generation of a discontinued in research model.
-Bugfix: Fixed exploit which could allow you to make new generation or trims of vehicles you shouldn't be able to.
-Bugfix: Fixed mouse courser moving when clicking button in software-mouse mode.
-Bugfix: Fixed World Map Zoom system.
-GUI: Added multi-click functionality to prototype design refresh button and web browser forward and back buttons.
Localizations: Spanish translation has reached 90%+ level. (Thanks Heewet.)
Localizations: Over 1000 English entries edited.
Version 1.25.0.7
I just released version 1.25.0.7. As mentioned previously, this was a quick and short release. Just a few bug fixes and what have you. Version 1.25.0.8 will be a long release. So don't expect another update for a few weeks unless there are major issues with 1.25.0.7.
Enjoy!
-GUI: Added multiple pages to some graphs to reduce lines on charts.
-Bugfix: Fixed strike news article being published at end of strike instead of the start.
-Bugfix: Fixed Bond Issue slider not matching issued bond value.
-Bugfix: Fixed Henry Leland achievement triggering when it shouldn't.
-Gameplay: Reduced racing ambient sound.
-Bugfix: Disabled buffer click protection on all buttons with red-ish backgrounds.
-Mod Tools Added components.xml selector to racing editor.
-Mod Tools Fixed bug in Video Settings Editor which automatically enables dynamic reports.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with Data Map selection panel on World Map.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with Mega Menu drop down boxes.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with web browser windows.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with horizontal scroll bars.
-GUI: Disabled GUI Scaling with any widget that has negative position values.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with side panel location.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with "You're already in room" text.
-GUI: Fixed GUI Scaling issue with Newspaper when using the middle sized web browser window.
-Bugfix: Fixed bad encoding on filler newspaper article.
-Gameplay: World Map and New Game Map will no longer move when mouse is over most parts of the GUI.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with assisted engine designer not properly resizing electrics to fit specific chassis.
Version 1.25.0.6 Released
We have released version 1.25.0.6. This build features 9 bug fixes, 8 gameplay adjustments, 7 moderate GUI adjustments, some tweaks to the main tutorial, and an improvement to the mouse-clicking system.
Heavy work continues with editing the game’s English files and working with the resizing system to fit translations into the GUI. Our awesome community has made some progress in the translations, although they’re far from done.
I am running behind schedule for retail release. I was hoping to have most of these tickets cleared out before New Year so I can work on the wiki and video tutorials. As it is, I am about a month behind. The more I work on the game, the less bug-free (assuming I don’t make more bugs) the game is. So that is a positive at least.
Version 1.25.0.7 will be a short release. I hope to have it ready to go by next week unless many issues pop up with v1.25.0.6.
Change Log:
-Bugfix: Fixed bug where employee-less department can strike.
-Bugfix: Fixed bug which displayed incorrect $1 current wages in strike action memo.
-Gameplay: Slight bump to Gearbox max torque values when modifying the design.
-GUI: Warn player of price gouging in buyer rating table.
-GUI: Added missing help button text for "Contract Unit Prices" new game option.
-GUI: Made build/rebuild factory production line scroll buttons more sensitive when larger amounts of lines can be built.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with wholly owned subsidiaries not being purchasable.
-Gameplay: Additional balancing of AI vehicle design type selection
-Bugfix: Fixed issues with can cause Auto-production to over produce vehicles.
-Bugfix: Fixed lobbying efficiency rate being displayed as a decimal instead of a percentage.
-Tutorials: Additional fool proofing of the main tutorial.
-GUI: Hid component selection advice. Some folks read it as the gospel, so it's gone for now until I can tweak it.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with $250 Billion dollar company achievement triggering at $25B.
-Gameplay: Prototype designs now use a static pre-designed body instead of picking one at random every refresh.
-GUI: Relabled "Edit" buttons to "Save".
-Gameplay: Fixed issue with racing contracts being filled when Auto Production is enabled, and vehicle production has stopped.
-Gameplay: End production of a design will automatically end racing teams using that design.
-Bugfix: Fixed offset contracting years (again...)
-Bugfix: Fixed issue that wasn't allowing contract factory assignment from world map if there was more than one useable factory.
-Gameplay: Some additional tweaks to racing image.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue causing racing teams not to use contracted player designs.
-GUI: Memos window will no longer popup if unread message is no longer in the list.
-Gameplay: Improved Manual Production entry calculation speed for districts. Please note, values might be off by a few units if there are a number of factories.
-Engine: Forced GUI mouse to move after clicking a UI button, thus avoiding any multiple clicks of buttons.
-Gameplay: Made adjustments to the sales price effect on buyer rating.
-GUI: Resized UI in several places to fit translated text.
1.25.0.5 Released
I’m releasing version 1.25.0.5 this morning. This release is early because of the multiple hot patches I had to release for v1.25.0.4. Organizationally, this will allow me to get all 9 builds back on the same code base. Version 1.25.0.5 does not have everything I wanted to include in it. Most of the work I have slated for this update will go into v1.25.0.6. I expect that build to be ready mid to late January unless problems arise in v1.25.0.5...
So what’s in this update? Of note, I have restricted the creation of New Generations to one new generation per model. So, for example, if you create a new generation of one vehicle, to make a third generation, you create a new generation using the second-generation vehicle. I mainly did this to fix a couple of issues where players were creating multiple new generations of vehicles with the “Refit Modified Component” system.
In addition to that, the game will no longer allow you to replace a design that is already being replaced by an in-development vehicle.
We restricted the main tutorial with a lot more “safety” checks. We want people to follow along and click the red glowing things. In the past, I did not restrict the players to this because there were no other tutorials. But now that there are multiple tutorials in the game, we want the player to have tunnel vision on the basic game concepts, then allow them to explore. We’ll see how that works. I am sure someone will break it somehow.
Change Log:
-Bugfix: Fixed Henry Royce achievement triggering before making a v12 engine.
-GUI: Added Parts Inflation settings information to the Load Game screen.
-GUI: Removed white back arrow from all reports, and replaced it with an ascii arrow for only reports that allow viewing previous months.
-Gameplay: You can now only create a new generation of vehicle design once. To create a third generation, you must create a new generation on the second generation vehicle. This is to prevent user from accidentally creating multiple new generations when refitting modify components.
-Gameplay: You can no longer do model replacements if the replaced model already have active replacements scheduled. This is to prevent user errors asking for a model to be replaced multiple times when refitting multiple vehicle components.
-Bugfix: Disabled premade select button if no vehicle design is selected.
-GUI: Disabled the ability to unselect items in lists.
-Main Tutorial: Player can no longer click "Advanced Designer" when "Assisted Designers" are glowing.
-Main Tutorial: Tutorials are reset if player exits out of designer windows prematurely.
-Bug Fix: Fixed select button not glowing when selecting premade designs.
-Main Tutorial: Premade vehicle selection list now glows.
-Main Tutorial: First premade automatically selected.
-Main Tutorial: Player can no longer use custom body designs while in the main tutorial. Audio and text will be moved to a new tutorial.
-Main Tutorial: If the player creates an unuseable design, we reset the tutorial.
-Main Tutorial: Door, clock, and globe now blink.
-Main Tutorial: Fixed some overlapping blinking lights.
-Main Tutorial: No longer allow the player to advance in the tutorial if they do not assign production lines or vehicle price. We now give them a popup warning to read what it says to do.
-Main Tutorial: Fixed bug allowing audio playback when player is loading a different state.
-Main Tutorial: Fixed blinking lights continuing to flash when certain windows are prematurely closed.
1.25.0.4 Hotfix #3
The premade fix may cause a crash in showroom/NewTrim/NewGeneration when loading a design that used the unfixed base body. I should have this issue resolved in v1.25.0.5, which I will release a week ahead of schedule. Probably early Saturday morning, my time. Alternatively, the issue is fixed if you start a new save game.
1.25.0.4 Hotfix #2
v1.25.0.4 Hotfix #1
I just released a hotfix for v1.25.0.4 that fixes crashes when playing the game in a non-english language. Currently this hotfix is only for the Full 64-bit builds. Demos will receive the update in a few hours, and 32 builds sometime in the afternoon, my time.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
v1.25.0.4 Patch
In this build, I have also implemented an automatic text shrinking system for non-English languages. If the translated text does not fit in the GUI text area, the game will try to automatically resize it up to three times to get it to fit. Each time it logs the adjustments. By the third try, if it is unable to fit the words in the text area, it will turn the text purple.
This serves three purposes. It gives some wiggle room to translators. Also, it logs what doesn't fit so that I can either make more space, or we can have the text cut down. And finally, it allows the player to see the cut off text while they wait for us to resolve the issue. Currently, the system is disabled for English text. However, we will enable it for v1.25.0.5.
So what's next for v1.25.0.5? I will mostly be using the text shrinking system to look for common places where the text doesn't fit. And try to fix those areas. I've also got some bugs to look into, and some more foolproofing to do to the tutorial system. I should have the next update out before the new year.
Until then, enjoy!
Changelog:
-Bugfix: Fixed HR engineering and admin wage exploit.
-Bugfix: Fixed incorrect data in the Image report.
-Bugfix: Fixed factory reconditioning breaking Factory Operations report when auto production is enabled.
-Gameplay: Disabled AI and Player's ability to license vehicle designs with outsourced components.
-Save Update:Due to the above gameplay changes, we have converted any non-player outsourced components that AI have, which are used in licensed vehicles, to licensed components.
-Bugfix: Fixed sell marque to AI system not deleting marketing budgets when branches are included with the sale.
-Bugfix: Fixed texture issue on the USMC CSUV.
-Bugfix: Fixed tutorial height issues when scaled GUI is enabled.
-Bugfix: Fixed small IPO/Issue button text when scaled GUI is enabled.
-GUI: Back and Forward button are hidden if you can not go back or forward in the office web browser.
-Bugfix: Possibly fixed modify component tutorial from starting on its own.
-Bugfix: Fixed the ability to resize the load game window too small.
-GUI: Added an HiDPI warning message to language selector and settings windows. Hopefully this will direct the handful of people who can't read the font to the "Scale GUI" setting. So they can fix their problem...
-Bugfix: Erased last save game character if it is a space. This is to prevent undeletable folders in Windows.
-Bugfix: Fixed Advanced Components and Advanced Vehicle designer text overflow in the tutorial popups.
-Gameplay: Increase the effect of the old age penalty on older designs. In the hopes to deter people even more from using the same design for 40 years...
-Gameplay: If a game is started with Translation ID's enabled, it will automatically re-enable translation ID's on load.
-Gameplay: You can now view previous months "Monthly Sales Report".
-GUI: Game will now automatically reduce text size if translated text does not fit in the text area. This is currently enabled for non-english languages. Any reduction in text size is logged so that I can either try to increase the amount of area, or notify translators to reduce the text. Any unacceptable amount of reduction is colored purple.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue when calculating Racing Image, which caused the number of races to increase exponentially based on how many months series are run.
-Gameplay: Added engine torque checker to Advance Gearbox designer.
-Bugfix: Fixed some issue with loading save games with unfinished main tutorials causing hotkeys not to work, and not retriggering the tutorial. in the office.
-Gameplay: You now receive a high priority memo if you run out of outsourced components and autoproduction is enabled.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue causing "Production Halted" memos being triggered when Auto Production is enabled.
-Bugfix: Fixed some instances where game text was hardcoded. Thus making them translatable.
-Bugfix: Fixed blinking lights being on the incorrect list in Components Tutorial Panel #3.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with low smoothness warning button not being in the correct location.
-Bugfix: Fixed regression causing 7 cylinder about text to be the same as 9 cylinder.
-Bugfix: Fixed empty popup when doing advanced engine designer and not selecting any components.
-Bugfix: Fixed yearly sales memo showing old models.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue where awards can have wrong regional names.
-Bugfix: Fixed exploit where player can get full employees at $1/month.
-Bugfix: Fixed crash that occured when player clicks "Select" in the premade body designer without clicking a design from the list.
v1.25.0.3
We have another small update for you this week. The next update should be around December 11th. Unless I run into a big enough issue to waste a day putting together an update.
Here is what's in Version 1.25.0.3:
-Bugfix: Fixed disappearing Auto Production Restriction List
-GUI: Tutorial windows should no longer overlap the subject window on large resolution screens.
-GUI: Automatically close tutorial popup if the subject window is closed.
-Gameplay: Rebalanced AI production to more heavily favor popular vehicle types. May need to rework low end however, to make sure monopolies are rare in unpopular vehicle types.
-Engine: Disabled Windows "Not Responding" Ghosting. Added many more message pumps. I will revisit this decision after some testing/feedback.
-Bugfix: Fixed missing vehicle name in the smallest engine superlatives.
-Bugfix: Fixed several possible issues with the component selection system in R&D.
-Bugfix: Fixed contract issues with racing, which causes race teams not to be supplied.
-Bugfix: Fixed year values for Design Skills calculations. It was using 8 instead of 5.
-Bugfix: Hopefully fixed racing contract date deadlines... again... third try is a charm?
-Gameplay: Selling assets or your own shares will no longer grant you revenue achievements.
-Bugfix: Fixed issue with pre-designed vehicles surface area calculations causing incorrect data.
Probably a few more things I missed.