Fixed an internal logic problem whren creating savegames.
#Known Issues
In some cases, data gets carried over from a previous game, if the player returns to the main menu and from there starts a new game. (Workaround: Quit and restart the game, if you want to start a new game)
When loading a saved game calculation for sales data for finished games from AI Companies is slightly more linear, then it should be.
Your savegames from 0.8.5.14 and above will work fine. No need to start fresh.
Enjoy the game!
Hotfix #4 is online!
Attention: To ensure that some changes take effect, I recommend starting a new game when updating to version 0.8.5.14. Save games made before this version of the patch may not load correctly, and while they might still work, they may result in unwanted glitches.
If you encounter any issues with save games made before this version, please note that I may not be able to provide support for them.
I always strive to make older saves still viable with each patch. However, depending on the changes, it is possible that older saves will stop working from time to time. I aim to keep these occasions as rare as possible.
To avoid confusion with older save files, I suggest going to
and deleting any save games stored there (files that end with *.dat) before starting the game for the first time after the update.
#FIXES:
Fixed some camera problems when calling people from the contacts window.
Employees will now show up to work after being hired from a call made via the contacts window.
Fixed an issue where sales for a game would skyrocket again when the game should actually be taken off the market. This will make the game probably a lot more challenging, especially in the beginning.
Fixed an issue where values in a saved game for finished games would get messed up in some cases.
This hotfix concludes the ongoing work of fixing issues with save games. There might be small patches fixing minor errors in the upcoming weeks. Otherwise, I will now start working on the first content update, including the highly requested UI overhaul, scalable UI, and further localization.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Sascha
Quick Hotfix 0.8.5.135
—— Hotfix 0.8.5.135 ——
Quick “sneaky” fix for some smaller issues & improvements.
#Fixes
Fixed some more small problems when loading a saved game
Fixed an internal error, that triggered unnecessary functions when clicking on the “Open UGN”-button.
#Changes
AI Companies do now hire new employees more frequently. You will have to stay on your heels to get the best programmers, before your competitors do.
When you enter a name for a savegame, you can now only use alphanumeric characters. This prevents savegames from getting corrupted, when unusual characters where used.
Patchnotes 0.8.5.13 - Fight the savegame issues!
Hi everyone,
With today's patch 0.8.5.13, mainly more annoying save game problems have been fixed.
NOTE: Saved games from version 0.8.5.12 and above should now load correctly. However, some values might be different due to the implementation of fallback values for previously unsaved or incorrectly saved data. It is recommended to start a new game to avoid any potential issues when continuing a save file from before version 0.8.5.13.
Further i highly encourage you to restart the game before loading a savegame for now, to make sure saved data is loaded correctly.
#Fixes
Fixed the "Quit game" button in the main menu.
Fixed a bug that caused incorrect values to display for workers on the "Overview & Statistics" page.
Fixed several issues related to loading saved games, including:
Correctly loading game scores for released games.
Properly loading data for hired staff members.
Ensuring that staff members remember their assigned desks after loading.
Instantiating progress bars correctly.
Loading engine settings for games in development.
Saving and loading box art correctly. (For save games before version 0.8.5.13, the game will regenerate the box art the first time you load those saves, so it might look different from what you remember.)
Fixed an issue where the system for currently developed games was not saved correctly.
As a final note, here's a little heads-up for the next days: Another patch is likely to be released later this week before I start working on the first major update.
Please continue to report any bugs you find either here in the community or on the game's Discord.
Best regards,
Sascha
Dev-Diaries #1: Fixes, Fixes, Fixes!
Dear players and video game entrepreneurs,
It has been exactly 3 days since "Software Company" was released on Steam. These have been stressful, but also amazing 3 days.
On release day, the game even managed to secure the first place among EA releases for a few hours. A small success that I absolutely did not expect.
I want to thank you not only for giving "Software Company" a chance, but also for taking the existing bugs and glitches in stride and helping me eliminate many of them with constructive feedback. Currently, there are still some bugs on the list that need to be fixed, but thanks to the numerous helpful insights into your save games and logs, these problems will soon be a thing of the past.
To keep you as up-to-date as possible on the current state of development, there will be regular dev diaries like this one. In them, I will report on things I am currently working on, bugs that are being fixed, and anything that might interest you about the game's progress.
To start, I would like to inform you about the current status of some bugs, specifically problems that still occur in connection with save games.
Again, I would like to thank you for your understanding in dealing with the current problems. As a solo developer, I had limited systems available to me for testing the code for problems and bugs prior to release. Especially in the PC market, every system is unique - from hardware and installed software to the operating system. Each of these factors plays a role in whether a bug occurs or not. By submitting your save games, you have greatly increased the number of systems I could gain insight into, so fixing the small but annoying bugs in the save games is progressing quickly.
Yesterday, a small, undocumented patch was released online that was able to fix some of the biggest problems with most save games. I am currently aware of some other errors that I am working on and fixing. Once this is complete, there will be the first larger interim update in about 10 days, the content of which I will announce in the coming days. Currently, I am working on the following issues:
- Progress bars of currently developed games are not loaded correctly.
- Occasionally, when loading a game, employees are not assigned their workplace correctly and diligently program in the parking lot.
- Box arts are not loaded correctly, but appear as white boxes.
- Some values in the individual game overview are displayed with incorrect values from time to time.
- Occasionally, the game generates unintentionally unrealistic high sales for a game after it should have been taken off the market.
Work on the bugs mentioned above is progressing quickly, so I can already release the hotfix hopefully tomorrow afternoon.
Please continue to post reports of any further errors you discover.
Otherwise, I wish you continued fun with "Software Company"!
Best regards and THANK YOU!!!
Sascha
Hotfix #2 is online!
Hello everyone,
First of all, thank you all for the amazing last 24 hours. I received many nice messages and helpful reports regarding bugs and glitches. So, without further ado, here are the problems I fixed for now. The hotfix should be online as you read these patch notes:
## —— Hotfix 0.8.5.12 —— #Fixes
- Fixed an issue where some entries in the research trees had no "available" date set and could not be researched. - Fixed an issue, where the stats for programming, sound, graphics and design where set to 0, when loading a saved game. - Fixed an issue where the "Review" page was skewed on some resolutions. - Fixed an issue where the buttons in the "My Games - Overview" disappeared upon opening the window. - Fixed an issue where the tutorial got stuck when asking the player to set the game size to "C". The tutorial should now continue once the player sets the game size accordingly. - Corrected some spelling mistakes and improved grammar in the tutorial. (Both English & German localization)
#Changes
- Added the Microsoft .NET redistributable to the game installation. This should help players who had trouble saving the game. If you still have trouble saving/loading your saved games, please uninstall the game on Steam and redownload it. - Changed the time given to the player to read the tutorial prompts to 20-30 seconds. This should make it easier for players to follow the tutorial's explanations. An option to skip ahead manually will be added in the first content update in May. - Added a confirmation window that appears upon hiring a new employee. This will make it more obvious when the player has hired a new employee during a conversation. - Added a confirmation prompt that confirms when the game has been successfully saved.
#Known issues
- Sometimes, box art is not loaded correctly when loading a saved game, and is instead displayed as white boxes. - Errors may occur when attempting to load a game from the in-game menu. Until I address this issue in the next hotfix, I recommend loading a saved game from the main menu.
Thank you for your support so far and enjoy the game. As always: For reporting bugs, feel free to use the games Discord or the community page here on steam.
Cheers,
Sascha
REMINDER: TEst-Keys will be invalid as we approach Early Access!
Dear volunteer testers,
I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for all the hard work and dedication that many of you have put into testing my video game. Your feedback and suggestions have been indispensable and have helped to shape the current state of the game into something very special to me.
As we move towards the start of the Early Access phase in a few hours, I wanted to inform you once again that the keys for the test versions will no longer be valid.
I understand that this may disappoint some of you, but it is necessary to ensure a smooth and successful launch of the Early Access version of the game.
Thank you once again for your valuable contributions to this project. You have helped to make this game the best it can be, and I hope that someday you will enjoy the final result as much as I do.
With sincere thanks,
Sascha, Ink Dev Studios
EA-Roadmap for "Software Company"
Dear Players,
I'm excited to share with you the roadmap for the Early Access release of my game on Steam. As a solo developer, my goal is to provide a comprehensive plan for the next several months of development that will enhance the overall user experience and increase player retention rate through monthly updates with new features and bi-weekly updates with minor fixes. I expect the game to be ready for final release after 6-9 months in Early Access.
Here's a breakdown of the key features and improvements I plan to implement, along with specific milestones and dates:
April-May:
Addition of one more map: I'll include the first additional map shortly after release. This map was already planned to be included in the first EA-release but didn't quite make it. I'll make sure you guys will have the ability to buy a bigger office not too far after release, where you can hire more employees.
Bug-Fixes: I hope you guys won't encounter too many bugs during your first few hours of gameplay. But those you will find will be fixed as soon as possible.
May - June:
Bug fixes and performance improvements: I'll prioritize game-breaking bugs and performance improvements during this period.
UI improvements: I'll enhance the user interface to make it more intuitive and user-friendly.
More dialogue options: I'll add additional dialogue options for player characters to add depth and realism to the game.
July - August:
Company Charts: I'll add a list of all active companies in a playthrough, sorted by company value, and updated every month in-game.
More maps: I'll add additional maps to play on, providing players with even more options to explore.
Ability to purchase other companies: I'll introduce a new feature that allows players to buy other companies, expanding their portfolio of games and employees.
September - October:
Random game events that impact the economy: I'll introduce economic crises and trends impacted by successful game genres, adding depth and unpredictability to the game.
Yearly Game Awards: I'll add categories like Game of the Year, Most Financial Success, Company of the Year, Technical Breakthrough, and others to recognize the achievements of players in the game.
Game sequels: I'll add the ability to create sequels for previously developed games, giving players more options for expanding their portfolio.
November - December:
Development of own Consoles: I'll introduce the ability to create and sell your own gaming consoles, adding a new level of customization to the game.
More bug fixes and performance improvements: I'll continue to address any remaining bugs and performance issues to ensure a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience for everyone.
I recognize the importance of community feedback in the development process, and I welcome any suggestions or concerns you may have. I'll be actively monitoring player retention through Steam statistics and balancing new features based on your feedback.
I understand that unforeseen delays can occur, but I plan to mitigate these risks by building a buffer in my timeline and communicating any delays with the community. My goal is to create a game that is both enjoyable and engaging for all players, and I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Thank you for your continued support.
Best regards,
Sascha, Developer of Software Company
Software Company Early Access release announcement!
Hello everyone,
Since everyone is eager to know when Software Company will finally be available, I will keep it short:
Software Company will be available in Early Access on April 13th, 2023! You can find all the information on the Steam store page of the game.
In addition to this announcement, I have also updated the store page with a fresh set of screenshots, with more coming over the following weeks leading up to the EA release.
I want to thank you all for staying interested in the game and for your patience with the last delay. You guys are awesome, and I am really happy that I can finally present the game to you soon!
Stay awesome!
Regards,
Sascha
Infos for the upcoming playtest of Software Company
Hello everyone.
The playtest of Software Company starts today at 6pm CET.
So, I want to take the opportunity to answer some frequently asked questions and explain what is to be expected in this playtest.
First of all: There WILL BE bugs and that's one thing, what this playtest is for. Finding as many bugs as possible and fixing them.
So if you are scared of bugs, this playtest may not be your cup of tea and you might want to wait and take a look at the game, when it is released.
To make identifying the reasons for bugs easier, Unity's own debug-console is active in this playtest version. If you encounter a bug and you want to report it, it would be great if you could provide a screenshot of the error message displayed in the console. The console can always be closed, if it becomes disturbing or is in the way of an UI-element.
How much of the final game is in the playtest-version?
The playtest-version is around 35% of the final game. You will see that there are already some things in this version that don't have any deeper function or are limited.
More features are already being programmed, but are not ready yet to be implemented.
During the 3 weeks of playtesting, there will be a chance that I unlock more features. Depending on how it goes.
What features are available from the start of the playtest?
Here is a quick rundown of features already available right from the beginning in no particular order, in brackets you will find more infos and features may be unlocked in upcoming patches.:
3D-Low-Polygon graphics with day-/night cycle, changing weather based on seasons, roaming pedestrians and so on.
Animated menus with sounds (some buttons may have missing sounds)
Character- and studiocreation.
Small tutorial, that helps you get going. (You have to play through the tutorial each time you start a new game right now).
Save-system. (Loading a saved game is only possible through the main menu at the moment.)
Game-development function.
Research (Themes and genres are all unlocked from the start in this playtest for balancing purposes)
Conversation-system (Only for hiring new employees at the moment. Later you will have more conversation options like talking to your employees to boost their morale, firing them. Also you will be able to try and convince staff from other companies to join your studio)
Economic and financial stats. (More detailed overview over deeper statistics of your company and those of your rivals will be added later.)
Advertising. (Or a very basic form of it)
In-game website about games produced by you and other companies. With reviews and sale-charts. (In the future there will also be news around the industry and more to find here, as well as online-statistics where your made games will be compared to games from other players from all around the globe)
6 rival companies. (They hire employees. produce games and have the same options at their disposal as you do. All those companies are there right from the start. In the final game, they will show up on the market based on the first appearance of their real-world counterparts)
5 gaming systems to develop for. (All available right from the start. They also will be released based on the release dates of the real-world consoles. Market-shares are fixed values right now, later those market-shares will dynamically shift over time.)
Where can i report bugs and make suggestions? Feel free to use the steam-discussions page to report bugs and post your ideas and feature-requests. I will try to take everything in consideration and be active there as much as possible to talk to you guys.
I hope you guys enjoy what I have prepared for you and contribute as much as possible to help me make this game as good of a product as I can.
Expect patches every 2-3 days during playtest.
In the upcoming weeks, there will be a roadmap posted here, where I lay out the future plans for this game, as well as a release date.
I am really looking forward to your guys' opinions and experiences.
