StateOS V0.1 Foundational Alpha Progress Update

General Notes

Hi everyone, been a bit since the last progress update but I have a lot to share.

The update is essentially finished as of July 15th. I could release it early, but I'm doing final rounds of any rare bugs that may still exist in very long campaigns, and final changes to UI that I'd maybe want to make.

You can expect the update to release on July 30th as usual for both the demo and the main version of the game.

I also have a proper roadmap now for the game, and I expect to release the game into EA around update 0.4 or 0.6. So early 2027 or next summer.

I already have begun work on 0.2 which will be released on September 30th. Each subsequent update will be roughly 2 months in advance.

You'll notice store page changes right before the 30th as I'll need to replace the old screenshots with the new update screenshots and also a new trailer for the game.

I also have changed the price to 9.99. Mainly because of the current EA status and the fact that I don't really need to sell the game at such a high price.

This update and any further updates will be stable with much less bugs if any as most of the development period is spent on playtesting, refactoring and bug fixes and also have longer timespans between updates.

This is thanks to the time I spent in April and May thinking about the game as a whole before I started working on 0.1 in late May. I had taken serious time thinking about the different architectures and means of implementations I should do for the game going forward.

I plan on releasing to EA when update 0.6 is complete.

Game Roadmap

0.1

The update coming out at the end of this month is focused on the core gameplay. Elections and legislation working properly including the save system, politician creation and management, the UI overhaul, bug fixes, and major code refactors. It is to set up a stable foundation that other updates will be built on and a stable but mainly bug free and crash free base.

0.2

This update which is already in the works has government metrics with history, legislation tied to government metrics, custom parties, dynamic party popularity, parties tabs, and custom scenarios including Germany and the UK. So far I've added Germany, the UK, government metrics with history and the legislation effects.

After I add the remaining features for 0.2, I'll spend serious time refactoring the code base, play testing, and doing any other changes needed to make sure the update is completely stable and complete. 0.2 comes out on September 30th.

0.3

This update focuses on campaigning for elections. Improving the systems for them as a major focus. Canada and Japan will be added in this update. This includes much more realistic primaries, traveling to different locations on campaigns, campaign staff, polling upgrades, rally upgrades, campaign platforms, and much more. The idea is to get the core systems of the game complete first before I really add any flavor or side mechanics. 0.3 comes out on November 30th.

0.4

This update similar to the last one will be a major focus on legislation, executive actions, and relationships. Specifically making legislation more involved along with adding actions to do as an executive. This also will have to touch relationships as they will be a part of the new legislation systems. This update will also focus on adding history to your campaigns. Bringing back politician history, government seat history, and election history completely including the wiki system. This will also bring back budget management for the government and legislation. This update comes out on January 30th.

0.5

This update is focused on the government. Specifically bringing back government departments, cabinet members, and yearly reports from the departments and cabinet for the executive. Adding features for the executive or general government in regards to electing or choosing department heads or cabinet members. Government department metrics management being a major part and ways to effect department metrics through legislation and executive actions potentially. I may look into adding ways of getting a job as a cabinet member or department head. I'd think that this would potentially help you in winning elections in the future as a gameplay mechanic through relationships and experience. This update comes out on March 30th.

0.6

This is a party overhaul update. Focused on adding back some parts of the old party features but not all of them. This includes specifically relationships in your party which is important for winning specific elections in your party like becoming a party leader. I'd want to keep the scope focused on important gameplay so that would include regional parties, or potential party splits and schisms that could happen or party rebrands. There will be ways to help your party win elections as a whole in this update as well. I'll avoid adding many party features that would be hard to add and not exactly entirely effective yet. Which would include party committees, many party members and their meetings. This update comes out on May 30th.

Keep in mind that any of these updates could have more features added to them or some changes over time. I'll be planning roughly up to a 2.0 with a 1.0 being a Beta version of the game. But this is a small taste of what is to come and what to expect.