Update 0.1.7 – Patch Notes

🧠 Realistic Customer Decision System

Customers now shop with limited budgets.

There are 3 hidden customer tiers, each with different purchasing power. Customers will:

• Evaluate prices

• Add products to their basket based on affordability

• Stop shopping once their budget is reached

This prevents unrealistic behavior such as:

• Buying three phones at once

• Purchasing five laptops in a single visit

• Stacking multiple high-ticket electronics unrealistically

Customers now behave in a more economically rational way. The system is built around real retail principles:

• Budget constraints

• Tiered purchasing power

• Department-based price elasticity

• Store variety influences customer quality

As your product variety increases, higher-budget customers begin to appear — similar to how larger real-world stores attract stronger purchasing segments.

The goal is to simulate real-life retail dynamics more accurately while keeping gameplay balanced and strategic.

📊 Department-Based Price Elasticity

Each department now reacts differently to price changes.

Some categories are more price-sensitive, others are more tolerant. Overpricing and underpricing will no longer produce the same effect across all departments.

Pricing is now a strategic management tool rather than a simple global multiplier.

💻 New Price Adjustment Window

You can now adjust product prices directly from the computer via the new price management window.

For all unlocked products:

• Prices can be modified

• Their effects can be observed

• Strategic pricing decisions are easier to manage

📈 Early Game Balance Adjustments

Starter departments (their initial licenses) have received market price adjustments.

Early game progression is now approximately 15–20% easier overall to improve accessibility and pacing for most players.

Further economic balancing may continue as needed. Market prices are adjustable variables, and additional tweaks may happen based on feedback and data.

🐞 Bug Fix

• Fixed a rare issue where the loading screen would not close properly.

🔜 Next Update

I know many of you are waiting for proper controller support.

While the game is technically playable with a controller right now, the UI is not fully reactive and still requires occasional mouse interaction. My goal for the next update is to make the entire experience fully controller-friendly — meaning no mouse input should be necessary.

The next update will focus on:

• General bug fixes

• Full controller support implementation

As a solo developer, your feedback and patience mean a lot. Thank you for continuing to test, report issues, and support the project.

See you soon with proper controller support.