Springloaded, the studio behind Let's Build a Zoo, is developing another ambitious simulation game: Let's Build a Dungeon. This new title allows players to not only design and populate their own dungeons with monsters and traps but also to create and publish their own video games within the simulation. Players will experience the entirety of the game development lifecycle, from managing finances and dealing with investors to handling press, crunch, and even unexpected events like cyberleaks.
A Game Within a Game
The core of Let's Build a Dungeon involves players creating their own games. This includes designing quests, populating environments, and allowing simulated players to test their creations. The simulation aims for depth, even allowing real players to try the games that are made within the game. To add to the challenge and realism, the game simulates a vast ecosystem of fictional titles, with developer James Barnard stating, "We have, like, 700 [fictional] games or something, and the list keeps on getting longer." This extensive list of fictional competitors provides a dynamic market for players to navigate.
The game simulates various metrics used in the real-world game industry, such as impressions, click-through rates, conversions, and wishlists, all of which feed into how your fictional game performs on simulated storefronts. Attending industry events is presented as a significant opportunity for gaining visibility, but it comes with its own set of simulated logistical challenges.
Simulating the Grind of Game Development
Beyond the game creation aspect, Let's Build a Dungeon delves into the operational side of running a game studio. This includes managing employee schedules, finances, and responding to external events. The simulation incorporates a detailed progression of computer hardware, mirroring historical advancements from CGA to VGA, which affects the game's performance requirements and the studio's infrastructure needs. "When you go from CGA to VGA, you have to upgrade some of your computers, and then the size of everything expands and becomes bigger, so suddenly you need more hard drive space because all your assets are now high resolution," Barnard explained. The game features approximately 150 distinct computer components that players will interact with.
Even seemingly minor details are simulated, such as the evolution of audio hardware, which will alter the in-game soundtrack based on the simulated computer's capabilities. Travel for game showcases is also simulated as a "ridiculous minigame." Players must book flights and hotels for their staff, with prices fluctuating based on booking time and the distance from the studio to the event. The simulation even accounts for layovers based on the geographical location of the studio and the chosen event.
Unexpected Challenges and Personal Touches
Let's Build a Dungeon introduces unexpected events to keep players on their toes. One such event is the "Cyberleek," where a hacker targets the studio. This hacker might threaten to leak the game or attempt to influence the studio's operations, leading to various possible outcomes. "He's either going to leak the game, or he's or he's going to convince you to put him in the game," Barnard noted.
Adding a touch of personal simulation, players will receive messages from their in-game mother, offering encouragement, pie recipes, and even cat videos. These interactions can provide in-game rewards, such as inspiring designers to create new in-game food items like pies, which can then be incorporated into the player's created game.
For players who wish to focus solely on game creation without the studio management simulation, Let's Build a Dungeon will offer a campaign mode, a build mode, and a creative mode. Additionally, players can engage with games created by others. The game is set to launch into early access in February, with a demo currently available.