The Architect's Collection will launch alongside a huge update to the base game on 11th November 2021. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1339440/Megaquarium_Architects_Collection/ In this post we'll take an in-depth look at the changes I've made to sandbox mode as part of this update. Before we get started I'd just like to clearly state that this update will be available to all players regardless of whether they own any of the expansions.

A scalable sandbox

I had many goals when redesigning the sandbox mode. Primarily I wanted to create a more scalable sandboxone that could respond to however many expansions or mods you have installed. Secondarily I wanted to create a more responsive and varied sandbox, where every playthrough is different and where the challenges and opportunities you are offered depend on your actions as a player.

Unlimited opportunities

One of the problems with the previous sandbox mode was that there were a finite number of opportunities (side-objectives, trades and merchants) that appeared in your inbox. These opportunities were linked to your prestige value rather than time, so even if you spent a lot of time at the same rank, no new opportunities would appear. The first change I made was to unlink the opportunity generation from prestige and have them become available based on the passage of time instead. This means that, if you wait long enough, eventually every single animal will be available via an opportunity, even if you have hundreds of animals from various expansions and mods.

More responsive, more varied

If we are generating new side-objectives etc. as we go along, rather than at pre-determined prestige levels, we can also make those objectives respond to other factors within the simulation. For example, the game might offer an objective which encourages the player to use an animal or item they've not used yet.
The game can also create progressive objectives challenging the player to keep pushing further in various metrics such as animal diversity, combined point totals or guest count. To achieve this I have designed a system where objective "styles" can be defined. These comprise:

• A set of conditions which need to be true for the objective to be offered.
• A reward definition which allows an appropriate reward to be chosen based on the current state of the aquarium.
• A set of objective goals which can also be programmed to adjust based on the current state of the aquarium.

Put all this together and you have a system capable of incredible variety while also being responsive to ensure balance and good gameplay.

Highly moddable

It won't be a surprise, then, to learn that this system is incredibly moddable. I've covered all the basics so that all animals will fit into one opportunity or another. But a modder could be much more targeted and specific. Imagine a mod which adds 1 or 2 animals but also includes special objectives which are the only way to obtain said animals. This is 100% possible. I'm excited to see what modders are able to do with this!

Rarity factor

One of the things I'm most excited about with the launch of this new sandbox is the creation of more of a rarity factor among animals in the game. Unless you set animal availability to "Everything Available" when creating the sandbox, a selection of animals will be excluded so that they are not available to unlock with ecology. Previously this selection was purely random, but with this update, the selection is now based on a rarity factor for each animal. Put simply, it's much less likely for you to be able to access high prestige animals like whale sharks and ocean sunfish with simple ecology. Instead you're going to have to complete difficult objectives or trades for them. I think this will create a really nice rarity factor that I've wanted in the game for a long time.

Expansion-specific objectives

Finally, I'm pleased to announce that both Freshwater Frenzy and the Architect's Collection will include unique sandbox objectives that only appear if you have the expansions active. For example, with Freshwater Frenzy active, you'll be offered special breeding objectives from the master breeder himself Emmanuel Tosh!
Likewise, with the Architect's Collection, you'll be offered architect challenges where you are incentivised to make use of all the new content in the collection. This model allows me to create tailored content for each expansion, all accessible simultaneously via sandbox mode. With each new expansion the gameplay becomes richer, more varied and hopefully more fun! So that just about sums things up. For me this update is integral to the future of Megaquarium. Just like the optimisation updates earlier this year, it creates a foundation upon which future content can be built. I'm thrilled to share it with you finally. Tim

[ 2021-10-31 10:32:25 CET ] [ Original post ]