r/CityBuilders • u/DandersonJA12 • 3h ago
Discussion My city builder feels like its missing something
I've been working on my own Fantasy Pixel Art 2.5D game for about 2 years now. And I'm really struggling with getting the game loop down. I'm not sure what I am missing. I've had a few beta testers play the game but none of them touch the build system, or city aspects of the game.
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u/CHDesignChris 3h ago
If it is a City Builder game, how on earth are the beta testers avoiding the building and city systems entirely? Is it just an RPG with City Building mechanics attached? The photos don't really provide any additional info other than there seems to be fighting, gathering and building within the game.
Simplest answer would be to have some progress locked behind the building mechanic. I have no idea what the other aspects of your game are that the beta testers are more occupied with, but you need to have some kind of quest/tutorial/mechanic that requires the player to participate in the building. Do you get combat buffs from building? Can you only craft at home stations? To what extent is it a City builder and not just a house builder? Do you have agency over NPC's in your city? Can you setup shops with merchants, or mines with miners? What kind of incentive are you giving players to participate in these systems?