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I changed gears and moved into the video games industry at the end of 2021. I started developing a city builder called Metropolis 1998 [1], but wanted to take
by YesBox 7mo ago
I changed gears and moved into the video games industry at the end of 2021.
I started developing a city builder called Metropolis 1998 [1], but wanted to take the genre in new directions, building on top of what modern games have to offer:
- Watch what's happening inside buildings and design your own (optional)
- Change demand to a per-business level
- Bring the pixel art 3D render aesthetic back from the dead (e.g RollerCoaster Tycoon) [2]
I just updated my Steam page with some recent snapshots from my game. Im really happy with how the game is turning out!
[1] https://store.steampowered.com/app/2287430/Metropolis_1998/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2287430/Metropolis_1998/
[2] The art in my game is hand drawn though
- 999900000999 7mo agoVery very cool! Did you roll your own engine, I know Godot has issues scaling past a certain number of simulations.
- YesBox 7mo agoThanks! Yes, I created my own engine to maximize efficiency (where needed). I think it was the right choice for me.
- vldszn 7mo agoLooks amazing!
- Aeolun 7mo agoCool! Isometric for the win :)
- herpdyderp 7mo agoI came across your game last year! Can't remember how. Any hopes of macOS support?
- joriskok1 7mo agoWould buy it if it has mac support as well
- zimpenfish 7mo agoI'll throw a third (fourth, fifth because I know a couple of people who'd play this on Mac but who have no access to Linux or Windows) request for a Mac version on the pile.
- wjr 7mo ago+1 for request for Mac
- YesBox 7mo agoNot at launch, but I'll be looking into porting during early access! Everything in the game is cross-platform ready
- tarokun-io 7mo agoMetropolis 1998 looks beautiful! (and addictive!) Will you do a native Linux release, or has it been tested with Proton? Also, just from watching the video and screenshots in the Steam page, it seems like a crazy amount of work. Are you doing everything by yourself?
- YesBox 7mo agoThanks :) I'll be looking into porting during early access. I've heard the game runs on Linux with a compatibility layer though. I do everything except the pixel art and buildings. It is a crazy amount of work!
- deleted 7mo ago[deleted]
- Folcon 7mo agoAwesome to see your progress YesBox! Didn't realise you'd swapped to isometric, it's looking fabulous!
- YesBox 7mo agoThank you! Really appreciate it :)
- adamgoodapp 7mo agoLooks amazing, added to my wish list!
- _el3m3n7 7mo agoLove the concept! I would love it even more if you could add support for SteamDeck/proton
- smusamashah 7mo agoI have been following you on twitter since I saw it. It looks amazing. Recently tried the demo. It is like under 50MB (the demo at least) which is insane these days. Placing building required construction of the building room by room which was tedious. I am sure some people will enjoy that. Will that be the core part of final game?
- YesBox 7mo agoThanks! Designing your own buildings is optional. The game has a feature to place zones where buildings automatically grow, but will be limited to residential and office zones at early access launch.
- nickandbro 7mo agovery cool
- asimovDev 7mo agoThe visuals are stunning, great work!
- iknowstuff 7mo agoSo pretty. But: > Both adults in a family will now own a car. This is required since there are not other transportation options, and sidewalks are optional. Is this temporary or are you planning to release it like this? SimCity leaned into euclidean zoning (separate industrial/residential/commercial zones) and pocketable cars which needed no parking, and thus failed to properly showcase how ugly car-centric cities actually are. I’m sure they did it because it made for an easy gameplay loop/balancing but I’d hope we could come up with more realistic and interesting mechanics in 2026
- sersi 7mo agoI actually would really love that in a city planner. A game that actually simulates walkable cities versus car centric abominations and would adapt families strategies based on the availability of sidewalks, public transports and incentives.
- dumbaccount123 7mo ago[dead]
- YesBox 7mo agoThe limited transportation options is temporary (the game is launching into early access). Both adults owning a car will be dynamic/based on the city once there are more transportation options. I'll also be adding options so the player can control how difficult traffic management is.
- titanomachy 7mo agoDid you ever play cities: skylines? Keeping traffic manageable was a big part of the gameplay. Without good transit the roads would all gridlock regardless of how many lanes you add to the highways.
- iknowstuff 7mo agoPlayed it a ton! But they stuck with euclidean zoning from SimCity and most car trips in CS don't need parking - they just disappear if there's not enough surface parking for them. They also poof away when stuck in traffic too long (unless modded).
- zorked 7mo agoI only had to look at the first screenshot to think "yup, this was made for me, I am buying this".
- zelphirkalt 7mo agoCan you tell more about your background? Making a sim like this also crossed my mind many times, but I learned in the past, that without much of any art skills, I would have to use resources of others or hire someone to make the graphics and so on. In the times of me playing around with RPG maker it was the missing story that was the problem. So it seems often that one core aspect is missing, when wanting to make a game. How did you learn to fill that gap, learn how to get that skilled with making the graphics?
- YesBox 7mo agoMy career background is software, but I've been a creative person my whole life. Ive hired out help for the pixel art, and then I enhance everything with shaders (tech art). If you're gonna make a game as an indie, you need to figure out ways to fill in your skill gaps. The competition is brutal. If you can't do it/dont have time to learn and do it, then the only other option is to hire out. or A lot of studios are formed from people (cofounders) who depart larger studios, so if you really want to get into the industry, you could start there and network.
- pjc50 7mo agoThe aesthetic is so incredibly 1998. Reminds me not just of SimCity 2000 but the lesser played "A-Train", with its gentle day-night cycle.
- gunju84 7mo agoCurious, What u used to do earlier ? before changing gears?
- tr3ntg 7mo agoLogged in to agree with all the other comments: this is so, so pretty. Will try the demo soon.
- nanders 7mo agoI am one of those who grew up with Sim City/Transport Tycoon. I will definitely try this when it's released and go back into nostalgia but with a modern touch. Adding it to my wishlist right now. Good luck with wrapping this up towards a release!
- yreg 7mo agoWe really do need more new isometric grid based games. They are less realistic but it is _so_ satisfying to build in them. I've commented on it before: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39810716 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39810716
- holografix 7mo agoLooking forward to the release!
- badpun 7mo agoI get a lot of "UFO: Enemy Unknown" vibe from the art.
- strontian 7mo agowow, love the look of your game!
- 2muchclout 7mo agoThis looks awesome! From the isometric perspective, how did you do the walls or vertical stuff in general? I have done a few game like that and always find it to be a struggle in 2D.
- YesBox 7mo agoThanks! The vertical axis is also broken down into a grid in a sense. Each "cell" is placed in a specific floor as far as the engine is concerned. So like (C++): vector<uo_map<int, ObjStruct>> Each vector element is a floor. You just need to move the sprite up in screen space to position it. Though I wish I went with a vector<vector<vector<ObjStruct>>> approach now a days <chunk_id>, <floor>, <object>
- multisport 7mo agoLooks very good!
- jmole 7mo agoAny chance you'll release on macOS/Linux?
- nickzelei 7mo agoAwesome! I’ve had this game on my wishlist for a while now. Just saw there is a demo, will have to check it out!!
- vijaym2k6 7mo agoDamn, that looks nice!
- cdaringe 7mo agoKiller latte art