Hey future citizens,
For this month’s devlog, we decided to answer questions from our Discord community, collected over the past week. We received a lot of them (thank you!), so we put together a mix of the most requested topics.
The goal of this Q&A is to give you a clearer idea of what your experience in the game will look like, while also summarizing some of the things we’ve covered in previous monthly devlogs.
Before we dive into your questions and our answers, we also want to address the elephant in the room. We know you’ve been waiting for the release date announcement and rest assured, it’s coming. We’ll have some big news to share in April! We’ll go into more detail later on, but we hope you’ll stick with us until then.
With that said, let’s get into the Q&A!
Gameplay
What is the core gameplay loop of the game? What will players spend most of their time doing?
This game is a unique combination of narrative, life simulation, and management gameplay, where the core experience revolves around discovering the interconnected stories of its inhabitants by interacting with them and building relationships.
You’ll spend a lot of your time following quests across the city, unraveling the mysteries of the plot and getting to know its main characters.
On top of that, there are management elements. During your day, you can decide how much time to dedicate to the story and when to focus on growing your restaurant business. You’ll buy ingredients, upgrade your venue, hire and manage staff, expand into new districts, and more.
Is there a main story or end goal, or is the game more open-ended like a life sim?
It has a defined story it wants to tell, and a specific ending we want players to reach.
Some gameplay aspects can keep going over time, but at its core this is a story with a beginning and an end, even if there are many different paths you can take along the way.
How deep are side quests, and can they impact the main story or your personal progression?
With more than 130 characters, side quests are a big part of the experience. Each character has their own goals, background, and personality, and how you choose to interact with them will lead to very different dialogues and outcomes.
So your path to reaching the end of the main story (or maybe we should say main stories), can be quite different from someone else’s.
Beyond running a restaurant, what other activities or systems can players engage with?
As we’ve shown in our monthly devlogs, there are quite a few side activities you can dive into, beyond managing your business and dealing with rivals.
For example, decoration is a big one. It’s not just about your restaurants, but also your apartments, or even decorating spaces for clients who are willing to pay for it.
You can also take part in activities that support your business, like fishing or managing a greenhouse to grow crops in increasingly complex systems. As you progress, you’ll unlock new recipes and even customize them, adding another layer to how you run your restaurant. Fishing itself expands over time as well, letting you discover new spots and species with your boat. There’s also another mini-game where you can challenge some of the inhabitants, but we’ll talk more about that another day.
World & Exploration
How do you move around the city? What transportation systems are available?
You’ll move between districts using automated systems like HOVA taxis and trains. You won’t be able to drive cars, but you will be able to pilot your own boat.
This lets you explore more freely and reach areas that are, of course, connected to the waters surrounding the city.
Will players be able to own multiple properties or expand to new locations?
Yes, you’ll be able to purchase multiple restaurants or venues to expand your business, as well as apartments and standalone houses across different districts of the city, each with its own style.
As you progress through the story, you’ll also unlock new locations to explore.
How interactive is the city? Can you explore interiors, and are there loading screens?
The city is divided into large, detailed districts, and there will be loading screens when traveling between them.
Within each district, you can freely explore everything, including the interiors of most of the businesses that make the city feel alive.
Characters & Relationships
How do relationships and romance work in the game?
With each character, you can build different kinds of relationships, from friendship to rivalry, business partnerships, or romance.
This mostly depends on the choices you make during interactions and in the side quests connected to them.
Will NPCs have their own stories, personalities, and evolving interactions over time?
Yes, character writing has always been a big focus for us. Each character has their own story and personality shaped by their past and their goals, and the way they interact with you will change based on your choices.
Can relationships influence gameplay (e.g., business, quests, or story outcomes)?
While we do want the main stories to reach specific endings, your relationships with NPCs can definitely influence how you get there, as well as the outcomes of side quests.
Business relationships can also impact your experience economically and open up new opportunities. For example, buying more often from certain vendors might get you better prices.
Systems & Immersion
Do systems like weather, day/night cycle, or media (radio, TV, internet) affect gameplay?
Yes, some systems have a direct impact on gameplay. For example, day and night life offer different opportunities (after all there’s a curfew for a reason).
Certain events can also affect how some markets behave, and keeping an eye on that can help you make smarter decisions.
How does buying, inventory, and item delivery work?
Across the different districts, you’ll find all kinds of vendors offering a wide range of goods, from cooking ingredients to furniture.
You’ll have access to multiple inventories: your personal one, your kitchens, your greenhouses if you have them, and of course your homes.
Development & Release
Do you have a release window and pricing planned yet?
As mentioned at the beginning of this Q&A, yes, we do have a release plan, and the release date will be announced in April.
We know it’s been a long wait, but making a game is a complex process, and sometimes things happen that you just can’t fully plan for. We’ve finally worked through some of the obstacles that held us back, and we’re really happy to be able to share this moment with you!
As for pricing, we’ll share more details later.
Will there be post-launch updates or ongoing support?
We definitely plan to keep supporting after release, especially by improving the game based on your feedback and suggestions.
Of course, the more people decide to support us by becoming citizens, the more we’ll be able to do over time :)
Are there any connections or references to Cloudpunk?
Nivalis is the same city featured in Cloudpunk, our previous game. So yes, if you’ve played both, you might notice some familiar details and small connections.
That said, this game is designed to be a standalone experience.