v0.04 — Parts & Workers Get Serious
v0.04 is a “make the game sturdier and clearer” update: I refactored a bunch of the parts/supplier pipeline, cleaned up UI windows so clicks do what you expect, and made workers smarter about what they do next. There’s also a big quality-of-life pass (speed controls, autosaves, resizable windows, better button clarity) and a long list of fixes that came out of stress-testing scenarios and edge cases.
Big news: the Steam store page is now live — if you want to support the project, the best thing you can do right now is wishlist Car Factory Tycoon on Steam. The website is launched, and you can now sign up for blog updates right on the homepage by entering your email.
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Highlights
Updated first 2 minutes
The opening flow got a polish pass so the game ramps cleaner right away: • Updated the first 2 minutes of gameplay to improve clarity and reduce early confusion. • Added a Help button that opens the help window when you need it.
Smarter workers + better job flow
Workers make better decisions and the job system is more resilient: • Expanded job priorities and smarter job selection. • Workers now re-evaluate jobs when a new job is added, reducing “standing around” moments. • Workers lose stamina while walking, tying movement cost into the parts/energy loop. • Refactor: improved target object validation in worker logic (more safety, fewer weird edge-case crashes).
Supplier + parts ordering rework
This is the core of v0.04. Ordering parts and receiving them is clearer and more expandable: • Supplier + ordering parts system reworked and refined. • Parts system refactor to support different part types (and future expansion). • Added a part delivery/receiving area to make the flow easier to understand. • Added a dropdown to choose what part to order (less confusion, more control). • Fixed part shelf overflow and multiple related “inventory edge case” issues. • Removed duplicate UI window for parts deliveries to reduce clutter. • Fixed parts vanishing when delivery jobs are interrupted. • Cleaned up parts visuals/behavior (no extra box when a worker picks up the last one).
UI/UX clarity pass
A lot of the “what am I clicking?” friction is reduced: • Car Details UI added/updated, plus a pass on worker UI cleanup. • Combined Car Stand UI and Car UI to avoid click confusion. • Clearer button UI + layout tweaks for readability. • Added a pulse effect on the car stand to alert you when it’s idle. • Suppliers UI improvements + updated graphics. • Logos + Discord updates.
Save/load, autosaves, and speed controls
This update also tightens up the “game loop reliability” side: • Save/Load improvements plus autosaves. • Speed controls (and related fixes). • Resizable windows. • Fixed the “scrolling camera + UI” interaction bug (no more fighting input focus). • Auto-queue research (less micro).
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Fixes (selected)
This patch includes a big pile of bug fixes and edge-case cleanups: • Car stand + parts bug fixes. • UI window crash fix + additional UI bug fixes. • Error message when trying to hire a worker without enough money. • Fixed abstracted/generic parts issues. • Finished car graphic polish.
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Support the project
If you’re enjoying the progress and want to help Car Factory Tycoon succeed: • Wishlist on Steam (huge help for visibility) • Join our Discord to share feedback, report bugs, and help guide the next updates • Sign up for blog updates on the homepage (enter your email and you’ll get new devlogs automatically)