Dev Studio Tycoon is simulation game where you focus on running a game development studio, rather than an entire empire. Begin as an indie developer and take charge of your studio keeping it as an independent studio, or turning it into a AAA studio!
Unlike other software simulations, Dev Studio Tycoon is focused on the most difficult part of development: project management, where you play the project manager. It all starts with the initial game design and prototype before you submit it to publishers. Of course, if you have enough money, why not publish it yourself? Once your project is defined, you will elect team leads for each stage of development where you battle decisions on team member suggestions that will affect the outcome of your game. Features in the game include:
- Project manage and set timelines through development stages like Pre-production, Prototype, Level Design, Testing, etc.
- Generated company names, games, engines, consoles, employees, and more. You'll never play the same game twice!
- Hundreds of combinations of genres and themes to choose from
- Use game engines to create games, or develop your own engine!
- Sell games, engines, and consoles, or take a bite at contracts!
- Sign agreements with publishers or publish your own games
- Employees will make attempts to improve the game, but beware, it might hurt development time or the project!
- Hire/Fire employees like artists, designers, writers, etc.
- Each employee has various statistics including art skills, technical skills, happiness, and speed skills
- Employees gain experience over time, but they all have different potential ceilings
- Increase employee pay, enforce overtime, and more. Be the boss!
- Employees will get stressed out if they work too much or deadlines are too difficult.
- Sales tracking - All games, all companies, and all consoles will have sales and earnings tracked
- Scenario-based events for challenges - the game will get gradually more difficult depending on your circumstances
- Expos to display games (E3 anyone?)
- Magazine Reviews - Expect magazines and websites to review your games and rate them. These could help or hurt sales.
- Market your games through radio, television, and magazine ads.
- Trends - RPGs may be popular one year, but action games the next. Themes like zombies or football will also have trends.
- Each company has a different philosophy as there are six different AI's
- Expect competing companies to have bankruptcies, mergers, sabotages, and acquisitions!
- No end game or year, but there are constant challenges.
- Moddability :)
This game was written in Visual Studio .NET Express 2010.
It's fully playable with some minor bugs, but feel free to donate at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SB7CFNDSBHEFN