1st Update!!: Enhancing Interactivity with Resource Buildings & Enhanced Timer System and Resource Collection

Devlog Entry: Enhancing Interactivity with Resource Buildings

Greetings, dear players! In our continuous journey to refine and enhance your gaming experience, we've rolled out an update that introduces a new interactive element to resource buildings in our game. This feature aims to improve the user interface and make the gameplay more intuitive, especially for new players.

New Feature Overview

We understand the importance of making every aspect of our game clear and engaging. To this end, we've added a dynamic label to all resource buildings that haven't started producing resources yet. This label, reading "Click to make resources," serves as a nudge for players to interact with these buildings and kickstart their resource generation process.

The Inspiration

Feedback from our community highlighted that new players sometimes struggled to understand how to initiate resource production in buildings. Our team brainstormed solutions and decided that a simple, yet effective UI enhancement could significantly improve the learning curve for managing resource buildings.

How It Works

• Initial State: When a resource building is first placed or has not started producing resources, a label is now prominently displayed over it, inviting players to "Click to make resources."
• Interaction: Upon clicking the building, players can upgrade it using in-game resources, which, in turn, starts the resource generation process.
• Dynamic Update: The moment resource production kicks off, the label automatically disappears, signifying that the building is now active. This change is immediate, providing clear visual feedback to the player.

Behind the Scenes

Implementing this feature required careful consideration of user experience and game mechanics. Our development team updated the resource buildings' scripts to monitor their state and toggle the visibility of the instructional label accordingly. Signals related to resource updates and building upgrades were crucial in ensuring that the label's visibility accurately reflects the building's status.

Persistent Timers Across Sessions

We've heard your feedback loud and clear. You wanted a more persistent world, one where actions continue to have an impact, even when you're not staring at the screen. We've implemented a new timer system that keeps ticking, no matter where you are or what you're doing. Our boats and buildings will now continue to gather resources even if you switch scenes or log off. Here's how we made it happen:

• Autonomous Timer System: We've integrated a backend-based timer system using the reliable services of Silent Wolf. Now, the timers for your boats and buildings are not just in-game placeholders but part of a robust backend system.
• Rounded Time Display: We know every second counts, so we've made sure that the time displayed to you is rounded to the nearest whole second for clarity and consistency.
• Save/Load Integration: Your game progress, including the exact state of resource timers, is saved to our backend. When you log back in, you'll find everything just as you left it, down to the last counted second.

What Does This Mean for You?

• Uninterrupted Progress: Planning and strategy just got more real. Your resource accumulation will now persist in real-time, making your return to the game as seamless as possible.
• Consistency: The timer starts when you initiate resource collection and doesn't reset unless you collect your resources. No surprises - if you come back to a 30-minute timer with 5 minutes left, that's what you'll get.
• Dependability: With Silent Wolf's backend, you can trust that your timers are in safe hands. Whether the game is on or off, your world keeps living and producing.

Community Involvement

Your input is invaluable to us, and this update is a testament to the impact of your feedback. We encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences as you explore the new feature. Your engagement is what shapes the future of our game!

Looking Forward

This update is just one step towards making our game as user-friendly and enjoyable as possible. We're already working on additional features and improvements, guided by your feedback and our vision for the game.

Conclusion

We hope you find the new label functionality helpful as you expand your in-game empire. Dive in, explore the update, and let the resource production flourish! As always, we're excited to hear your feedback and look forward to your stories of conquest and success.

Thank you for being a part of our gaming community. Stay tuned for more updates, and happy gaming!