Build System and AI Overhaul

Build System and AI Overhaul

Hello folks! Over the past two weeks, I've been hard at work with not only finals, but squashing bugs and refining systems for Expresso Espresso. Today, I was finally able to release the latest update dubbed "Build System and AI Overhaul." After reading a lot of the negative reviews, I determined the biggest issues the game had to be the AI and building system. This is just one of many updates to come that'll change how you play the game.

I have a lot I want to implement for the game, but nothing I can publicly commit to yet. Nonetheless, here's a list of changes that were made/implemented:

Build System

• Implemented Item rotation for chairs, tiles can be rotated by pressing the R key

• Changed tile selection controls. You now click on a tile in the build menu, then either place it down or drag a selection rectangle out. Before, we had the reverse.

• Building furniture on-top of furniture will replace the existing furniture tile with the new tile

• Adjusted bulldozing/deleting items. Can be turned on by pressing B.

• Clear your tile selection by right-clicking.

• De-select the current tile you are building with by pressing C.

• Walls, floors, machines, and furniture now add to your expenses when being built. The item refund rate is currently set to 80% of its original price.

• The red-brick and plaster wall tiles automatically update their textures based on their neighbors. If either tile has their same tile on the north and south sides, their textures will change.

• Added several new furniture tiles.

AI System

• AI will now spawn on a random concrete tile, rather than at the middle of the map.

• Pathfinding predicates (rules to go somewhere) were changed.

• Pathfinding changes were made for the Barista, Front, and Support employees.

• Pathfinding changes were made for the Customer AI.

• Barista employee will drop-off drinks 1 tile below the register.

• Front employee will now stay 1 tile above the register, once the register is found.

• Customer entities will not go through each other, except when picking up their drinks.

• Customer entities now correctly finds the register, goes to 1 tile below the register.

• Customer entities now correctly find their chairs.

• Customer entities now correctly find their coffee cups.

• Adjusted the range detection for all AI.

Customer Spawn System

• Modified the current customer spawn system to match with the stores current level.

• As the store level increases, customers will spawn more frequently.

• Customers spawn in packs of 5.

Other Changes/Fixes

• Fixed an UI issue not allowing the Settings button to be seen.

• Fixed the "Buy Chairs" objective not disappearing once 5 chairs were built.

Despite the negative reviews the game initially received, I loved reading them. I enjoyed the honest and constructive feedback we've received. If you have any bugs you found or if you just want to hangout, come join our Discord below! https://discord.gg/4SVdhBqfuD