The current state of Condos is very interesting, but lacks a lot of depth. Condo IO was a huge step in the right direction, and added a huge amount of freedom to players trying to make things other than a room with cool furniture in it.
However, after tinkering with Condo IO and trying to come up with a unique gameplay experience that a player can’t find in the minigames, I found that the options are actually fairly limited. Physics items have no way of changing their properties, IO connections only really allow for basic games like escape rooms, and anything that would have a truly compelling gameplay loop would either require thousands of Triggers, Movers and IO connections, or just simply isn’t possible. The amount of effort required to make a super simple mechanic is crazy, and there is no way around trying to get certain things to work correctly. All of the other IO items are just replicas of existing minigames, and there is no incentive to a player to play Minigolf in someone’s Condo rather than just playing the minigame itself and earning units.
Moreover, it feels like the priority list is way out of whack. “Features” like cooking and laundry are at the top of the to-do list, and add little to no value to gameplay at all, outside of a one-off “Oh that’s pretty cool” moment. Things like adding more content to the Arcade, VR Support, and Controller support are obviously going to take precedence over Condos, as the player base will spend most of their time outside of Condos actually playing the minigames and chatting in the Plaza. That being said, I truly believe that a more robust and interesting Condo system would allow for so much more replay value and give people something to do other than achievement hunting once they have accumulated enough money. In my case, I’m sitting on ~4 million credits (which isn’t even close to the amount of money that some players have accumulated), and I sit in my Condo with nothing to spend it on.
If there was a system where I could create the experience I want to see, rather than sitting here in a forum post ranting about the lack of Condo content, that would be a complete game changer. Giving players the freedom to create complex game systems (not unlike Roblox/Fortnite Creative) would create such so much depth for players who have already done everything there is to do. I understand (to a degree) that the point of the Condo system is not for players to create a game inside a game, but it feels like there is a huge amount of replay value being lost in not exploring the Condo system more. I also can sympathize with the fact that (from what I can tell) most of the programming is done by macdguy or an otherwise very small dev team, and the only suggestion I can offer is to lean on the supporters of the game. Most of the people I have met on here are more than technically inclined enough to add some of these features, and I’m sure would be thrilled to offer assistance for little to no compensation (myself included) if it meant a step forward for Tower Unite.
TL;DR If making a condo was far too limited, I hated to see my game crashing where I’m setting condo I/O.
Yes, I’m seriously inspired to build an adventure type map called The Forgotten Temple from Minecraft by Lurler.
My map, as Lurler was referring in the Minecraft Temple said this map Includes following:
- Puzzles (whole lot of different ones)
- Hidden stuff
- Locked Doors
- Switches and Buttons
- High score counting system (FIRST EVER*)
- Puzzles with minecarts
- Lava
- Jumping paths (optional)
- Dispensers
- Puzzles with sound blocks (!)
- etc. (a chicken, two sponges, toilet papers, and ravioli)
Off-screen person: “There are no dragons?”
@PlucktheDragon: “No, sorry. I didn’t programmed this… WAIT, ARE YOU TALKING TO ME!?”
Anyway, ahem, building The Forgotten Temple in Tower Unite, room by room, while following the video in question, by myself is a pain in the neck and without anyone helping me programming condo I/O inside the temple (you know like “solving puzzles”?)
In case, you guys are properly wondering why I made this temple by myself, please send me an IM for proof.
This post doesn’t feel like a suggestion, more in General topic then anything. Someone passing by without read whole context seems more “rant-ty” then getting to the point.
But for the sake being on topic:
My one or two suggestion from of all of this post is add a toggleable Hunger system. Unfortunately from what I can dig up from other suggestion. Dev doesn’t want to do that because like a timer it’s not fun.
I can only rebuttal with “whats the point with food?” No buffs, only heals. And not a lot of things can actively hurts players to encourage eating.
Suggestion two: Upgrade Damage volume. (No hurt screen, time before hurt/heal, more death options)
I was trying working with a “cold” and air system. But the damage volume activates a red screen to imply hurt which is not good for the condo I want to make.
I’m not trying to make “realisms” I’m trying to make more fun knowing there’s danger of trying to going out in the “cold” or trying to swimming for under water for too long.
Tons of Garry’s Mod community maps have challenges to offer in terms of exploring.
If a player really wants to explore the map without dying they obviously could turn on God mode.
That’s just some of I’m thinking at the moment. Like Minecraft, some people opt to go on Peaceful mode, some prefer harder difficultly for the thrill.
Edit: When I mean “whats the point with food?” I’m referring to player’s hotbar. With so many candy from Halloween and X-mas, one does wonder why some players keep it. Myself including.
Food as condo items is fine.
I’m a bit confused how you got that a hunger system would solve the condo problems I brought up in my post.
What does this have to do with my post
cooking which reminds me of the how food is pretty pointless. My B lol
Correction: Timers ARE fun. Most people seem to think that they aren’t in general, but they absolutely are.
Yes of course. At the same time, I can understand why the dev feel that way.
When it’s done right, timers add to a game, whatever act like a bar draining or the classic vs games to stop playing chicken.
On the other hand, when you have to do a puzzle with a timer seemgly clock down fast before game over, that’s annoying.
It’s just all about how it’s done.
I suppose you do bring up the larger problem that I am kind of trying to get at, which is that there is so many things on the roadmap (in addition to things that have been implemented) that just feel pointless when there is so much more opportunity in things like the condo system. Just feels like priorities are misaligned with what the player base wants and what would make the game have more consumable content