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Games Factorico - Factory simulation game

Discussion in 'Works In Progress - Archive' started by PatrikSamuelTauchim, Sep 8, 2017.

  1. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
    Posts:
    13
    Hello, as complete programming and Unity beginner, I had started working on this project like 2+ years ago. Since it was one man, free time & in-mood project, progress was kind of slow. However, in recent months, as I already have some (questionable) level of skill, I managed to invest more time and efford to make some big steps towards playable game. While end result is still far from being fun to play, lacking some basic features and contains many bugs, I had decided to bring this creation, hardly to be called "alpha", to daylight.

    So today I'm proudly presenting you what I named Factorico, factory simulation game, where you take role of factory manager/owner to take care of everything that processing and manufacturing of goods requires. Hire workers, buy equipment, desing production lines, manage resource and cash flow and so on.



    Factorico is inspired by old game called Free Enterprise, but should bring new ideas, more features and details.

    As more features are present, things are getting more complicated to test and debug for me, so I'm looking for some passionate people, who are interested to try out game in this early stage of development in order to provide me with valuable feedback.

    Platforms available for now:
    • Windows x86
    • Windows x86_64
    Platforms potentionaly available:
    • Linux - I dont have capacity to test linux builds at all. Ask for it.
    • MacOs/OSX/iOS/That thing - I dont have stuff with apple logo on it. Ask for it.
    Missing features, that I consider basic, but I did not bothered to include are:
    • Save/Load support
    • Removal of already placed objects
    Know bugs:
    • Forklift can get blocked by inactive workers
    • Object placement does not check, if object can be actually accessed by workes/forklift, which can leed to bad situations. Please keep that in mind and leave atleast 1 meter for workers and 2 meters for forklift.
    • Workers sometimes jumping/falling. Just visual glitch
    Working so far:
    • Placing few machines
    • Producing few products
    • Hiring workers
    • Importing/Exporting resources/finished products
    • Workers operate machines and distributing resources around factory
    Instructions to play:
    Typical production line setup is:
    Depalletizer > Conveyor > Unboxing Station > PCB Solder Paste Printer> Conveyor > PCB Pick & Place > Conveyor > Reflow oven > Conveyor > Boxing Station> Palletizer
    While input is Calculator PCB (Blank) and output is Calculator PCB (Complete)

    You and also make 2 plasic kinds plastic items using Injection molding machine.

    Feedback I'm looking for:
    • Unexpected behaviour of implemented features
    • Crashes
    • Deadlocks
    • UI problems - UI just sucks, I know, but it should work, somehow
    • Performance problems
    Feedback I'm NOT looking for:
    • I want feature ABC
    • I want feature XYZ
    • Graphics sucks
    • UI sucks
    • It just sucks
    • This post is long or sucks
    Instalation instructions:
    • Use Itch.io App for best results
    https://pst.itch.io/factorico
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2017
    DBarlok likes this.
  2. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
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    Posts:
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    Version 120917-0840 is out now.

    Changes and fixes:
    • Resolved major issues with queueing of items on angled conveyors (Conveyor Belt Right and Conveyor Belt Left)
    • Removed limitation causing that only firstly placed Forklift Parking Zone is used for parking.
    • Improved pathfinding around machines with operator
    • Some little fixes and improvements
     
  3. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
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  4. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
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    Version 210917-1155 is now released.

    Changes and Fixes:
    • Workers can now be fired, so you can get rid of them. Just left click on worker and click appropriate button. If worker is performing some task, he will leave after finishing it. Context menues CANT be closed yet, other then selecting some option. Will change with future update(s)
    • Fixed issues with task requiring forklift were not terminated properly, which could lead to task being repeated again and again.
    • Fixed forklift unparking procedure from parking zone and obstacle avoidance around it. Still not perfect, but works.
    • Added messages (at bottom of the screen) informing you, not just, about state of Export and Import orders.
    • Messages can be removed by clicking on them in extended list. Does not always work at 100%, will be fixed with next update.
    • Calculator case parts should be now correctly delivered on Pallet in boxes. Still no machine is using them, yet.
    + Updated first post.
     
  5. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
    Posts:
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    Version 250917-1159 is out!

    Main change in this update is complete reworked ingame UI. While it may apper that only colors are changed, opposite is true. Everything behind UI has been made from scratch and optimalised.
    • You have now option to close menues (for worker and depaletizer)
    • All information messages shoud be now removable.
    • As usual, some stuff has been fixed and improved.
     
  6. Billy4184

    Billy4184

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    Jul 7, 2014
    Posts:
    6,009
    UI will make or break this sort of game, simple as that. And you UI is not great (as you pointed out yourself).

    I would suggest looking at the UI setup of realtime strategy games, especially non-combat games, for inspiration. Just looking at it the things that strike me the most are:
    • Everything is in drop-down menus which are a pain to deal with at the best of times, and it's easy to forget about what's there and become disoriented. Consider sidebar, top and bottom bar UI panels - it's a must at a minimum for the things that the player will be doing on a regular basis.
    • Make a huge effort to avoid text at all costs, meaningful colorful icons could replace all the boring text in the menus and make them something you'd want to look at.
    • The message on the bottom seems quite important to the gameplay, but it's horribly removed from the main view area.
    Aside from that be always mindful of how clear the function of each UI item is. For example I have no idea if the 'Enter Amount' means that you are ordering something, or you already imported it and have to record it (or none of the above), let alone what this means in the grand scheme of things.

    Good luck, seems like it could be a fun game when done right - but remember that games are supposed to be fun and full of 'stuff going on', and that simply implementing directly for example some kind of logistics mechanic is almost inevitably going to be as boring and tedious as it is in reality.
     
  7. GarBenjamin

    GarBenjamin

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    Not sure if you want this feedback or not but the name of your game is very close to a popular game released Feb 2016 on Steam that may cause confusion. At first I thought you were the dev of that game posting about it here.

    Factorio


    I'll check out your vids after work. Was on tail end of lunch break when I saw this thread.
     
  8. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
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    Hello Billy, thank you for great feedback.
    You are right, dropdowns and text are not very user friendly. Right now, I use them just because they are quite easy to prototype and fill with content. Once I will get more into unity UI, I will flush it down the toilet.

    Right now, I am putting together something like this. Let me know, if you like it more. ;)
    factorico_ui01.jpg Submenues are still based on dropdowns, but more visualy recognisable while containing more information (price). I guess, that text information will move into tooltips, later on, so only icons will remain.
    Please note, that icons are all the same just for demonstration...

    I had put it to the left, where you can expect things like menues, while also taking into consideration wide displays, we have today. I will also move message panel to the top (and make to toggleable), and include some beep sound when new message arrives.

    Actually it is quite difficult to decide on importance of message panel right now, since it supplements many non-existent features and is more like debug log for player.


    Hello Benjamin, dont worry, your feedback is appreciated! Thank you for your time.

    You are not first and definitely not a last person who brings name topic on the table.

    I had already expressed my thoughs on this in my itch.io devlog. My reply is quite extensive, not sure if you lunch break is long enought to read it through ;-)
    https://itch.io/post/277041

    Have a great day!
     
  9. Billy4184

    Billy4184

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    Icons already make the game look much more interesting!

    If I were you I would spend a lot of time looking at UI heavy games - even if they are in a different genre, much of the principles are the same in terms of hierarchies of information, screen layouts, what should be shown all the time vs what should be hidden until necessary etc
    e.g.

    I think that perhaps a good rule of thumb for the UI is that the screen should never hide under popups the information that a player will continuously or often need to use in a given context in the game. Stuff that is hidden should be stuff that the player will only need to read or set very occasionally.

    The important thing IMO is that games relying heavily on UI should always invite the player to click on buttons and encourage them to explore the controls, by showing interesting UI icons, playing interesting UI sounds and showing interesting UI animations. In a way the UI is like a beautiful landscape that makes the player want to walk around in it. It's hard to do that when things are hidden.
     
  10. GarBenjamin

    GarBenjamin

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    By the time I got off work I had forgot all about this having had a lot of other stuff on my mind including seeing a bunch of other games. Always busy doing something. Lol

    I will take a look at it today. Will set an alarm on phone for tonight.
     
  11. GarBenjamin

    GarBenjamin

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    Okay, I just downloaded and tried it out. I had no idea what I was doing. I went by your "cheat sheet" in the OP talking about a typical production line setup but I did not see conveyor available in the list so skipped it.

    I set up everything else. Hired a worker. But I don't see how to actually do anything. I am guessing though this is just due to be not being familiar with this kind of game. I don't now what the goal is or anything.

    That may or may not help you. I can say the game ran very well. Over 300 fps on my laptop. The production line pieces looked interesting especially when the entire line was laid down. Again nothing seemed to actually be running doing anything but maybe it wasn't supposed to.

    Well I know that isn't much to go on but I just didn't know what to do or how to do it. Most likely because I am not your target market but hey I gave it a try anyway. lol
     
  12. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
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    Hello Billy, thank you again for valuable feedback.
    I am happy with results of my work on new UI. I also like the icons. I got rid of dropdowns, now I have only scrollable panels. In future, with expanding list of buyable equipment, I will sort them into categories so there wont be long scrollable lists. I can also imagine having search field here and there, and some keyboard shortcuts to navigate through menues. No fancy animations yet, but we will get there, eventually!
    factorico_ui02.jpg

    Hello Benjamin, it is so cool that you actually setted up an alarm to try Factorico out!

    Good to hear you got so far, since I am having nightmares about players getting stuck in broken main menu! Sure, it would be more satisfying if you actually got things moving, but with current state of game, it is hard to figure stuff out. I get it!

    To get stuff & staff moving:
    • Make a production line, starting with Depalletizer.
    • Hire a worker.
    • Left Click Depalletizer and from DropDown menu select what type of content you want to be placed on production line. If machine after Unboxing table is PCB Paste (it will get better name soon) you want to feed it with Calculator PCB (blank), so select it.
    • Now order some Calculator PCB (blank) via Import button. Check wiki article: http://factorico.wikia.com/wiki/Import_Zone (yeah, animation will get updated soon)
    • Place a Forklift Parking Zone which comes with Forklift parked, since you need to move those heavy pallets around somehow!
    • You should be good.
    Conveyor belts are not always necessary, unless you need to move stuff further around or around the corner. They can also serve as buffer, where stuff gets queued.
    • I did non managed to reproduce issue with missing conveyors in menu. Are you sure you used scrollbar? If still an issue, maybe screenshot could help to figure out what is happening.
    I test Factorico both on desktop and my quite old laptop to see how it performs. For now, I make stuff simple and sometimes ugly, to make sure our poor machines will handle it. FPS will drop once stuff gets moving, dont worry about that. :)


    Have a great day guys. Thank you for your time!
     
    GarBenjamin likes this.
  13. N00MKRAD

    N00MKRAD

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    Honestly... your game's name is ridiculous.

    You just want to bait people into thinking this is Factorio.
    It's literally just one letter difference.
     
    DonLoquacious and Martin_H like this.
  14. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

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    Jun 24, 2016
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    Factorico version 280917-1442 is out!

    While last update was mostly about stuff behind UI, today we have completely new UI, which have been completely redesigned. Now with icons. Some polishing and missing icons will come in future updates.

    Changes and fixes:
    • New UI
    • Fixed control conflict causing scrolling in menues also to change zoom level.
    • Fixes clicking through UI. No more clicking on objects under UI.
    • Fixes infaormational messages about imports and exports, when names of items where not correct
    • Added some hints
    • Fixes some strings
    • Minor fixes and improvements as usual
     
  15. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2016
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    Factorico update 021117-2202 is now out!

    New features

    • Injection Molding Machine (IMM) for making plastic products, has be added to game.
    • Two new products (parts of Calculator): Calculator Case (top) and Calculator Case (Bottom) made by IMM
    • New resource Plastic Pellets (in bag), consumed by IMM
    • Workers can now carry items (above head). Only bags of Plastic Pellets are supported for now. They can be delivered and emptied to IMM's pellet hopper.
    • Some machines got updated models and textures
    Fixes:

    • Workers disappearing
    • Workers operating Boxing and Unboxing Tables will leave it, when there is nothing to do.
    • Wrong orientation of items on angled conveyors in some situations
    • Some other improvements, fixes and optimalizations


    I was AFK for more than 3 weeks, so thats why it took a while from last update.
     
  16. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

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    Update 091117-1311

    New features & improvements
    • Empty containers (boxes, bags,...) are no longer listed in Buy/Sell/Depalletize menus, as there is no need for them now. Lists got shorter and easier to navigate.
    Fixes:
    • Many fixes and optimalization regarding handling of Containers (Pallets, Boxes, Bags,...) including, but not limited to:
      • Fixed issue, when Pallet is first moved to Storage Zone and then moved to place where it is required.
      • Fixed positioning of Pallet content, which is no longer placed outside Pallet in certain situations
      • Fixed issue, when Pallet was not correctly processed by Export Zone.
    • Fixed crash, when Worker attempts to park Forklift, while there is no Forklift Parking Zone available, under certain conditions.
    • Fixed crash caused by Unboxing Table.
    • Fixed unparking of Forklift, it no longer jumps away.
     
  17. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

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    New features & improvements

    • Improved collision detection in construction mode.
    • In construction mode, all parts of object being placed should be now colored.
    • In construction mode, right shift now works same ways as left shift - hold to place more object of the same type.
    • Added Exit button to left panel. No need to press Alt + F4 anymore. (just note, that there is no confirmation dialog, yet)
    • View can be rotated using Q and E keys, handy when you move using WASD keys. Or using / and * on numpad.
    • View can be zoomed using + and - key on numpad. Much smoother than using scroll wheel.
    • Unboxing Table renamed to Unpacking station
    • Boxing Table renamed to Packing station
    Fixes:

    • Fixes issue, when empty Pallet was not delivered to Palletizer in some situations.
    • Fix issue, when some containers were not depalletized by Depalletizer
    • Fixed issue with workers being pushed out of factory - I removed hole in wall for now. We will get proper door soon.
    • Fixed rotation of container at Packing station
    • Some random fixes and improvements
    Known issues:

    • Palletizer places some objects at incorrect position and rotation at the Pallet. (this bug is back or recreated)
     
  18. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

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    Finally, Factorico version 081217-2211 is out!

    Most of the changes in this update are internal, behind the scenes, improvements, optimalizations and fixes. There are few visual changes for your eyes and playability. Well, not so few.

    Noticeable changes:
    • Palletizer has new model and its function is now fully animated.
    • UI ToolTips: Options in left panel now have text tooltip (appears while hovering mouse over icon).
    • UI Scaling has been fixed/ improved
    • Factory now has proper door (still waiting for proper texture)
    • Factory now also has proper loading/unloading ramp, with access stairs for workers
    • Factory Floor has been retextured
    • MainMenu scene has been updated
    Behind the scenes:
    • Navigation and obstacle avoidance has been improved a lot
    • Stacking items on pallets have been optimalized to improve performance
    • Fixed issue with I forgot what.
    • Many big and small changes, fixes and improvemens.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2017
  19. PatrikSamuelTauchim

    PatrikSamuelTauchim

    Joined:
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    I had managed to break some basic features, like connecting machines together, with last update. Today, it should be working again:

    Fixes:

    • Fixed incorrect orientation of inputs/outputs and control panels of some machines
    • Fixed incorrect orientation of Pallet at Depalletizer
    Unmentioned changes from last update:

    • Forklift moves up to 2x times faster