This update fixes a couple of things players flagged, reworks how development policies function, and adds a fresh soundtrack.
Fixes
- Air & sea routes no longer bleed money. Route maintenance was running roughly 10× too high — a busy line at max fares still lost money every month. Costs are sane again, so a well-used air or shipping route is properly profitable.
- Development policies actually work now. Several policies (Tourism Zone, Special Economic Zone, Coastal Trade, and more) quietly had no effect on transport demand — fixed. A policy's GDP effect is now a real, lasting bonus rather than a rounding error.
- Stability: rapidly clicking "Next Month" (or holding Space) could desync your finances or save mid-calculation. Months are now processed strictly one at a time.
Development policies now work as intended
- Several policies (Tourism Zone, Special Economic Zone, Coastal Trade, and more) previously had no effect on transport demand — that's fixed; they now boost passenger/cargo demand as their card claims.
- A policy's GDP benefit is now shown as an annual growth bonus (e.g. "+5%/yr") that compounds over ~10 years, instead of the near-invisible one-time nudge it used to be. Hold a policy longer and it pays off more.
- Existing saves are fully compatible.
Balance
Transport hubs now induce local jobs and reward busy through-traffic corridors.
Player-founded settlements start with population, development, and GDP that fit their surroundings, instead of always starting tiny.
Audio
- A brand-new ambient soundtrack for the menu and in-game, with smooth fade-in/out and quiet gaps between tracks instead of back-to-back looping.
- New music volume & mute controls in Settings — both before and during a game.
Thanks you all for the reports! (I may not be able to reply to every comment, but I read through them regularly — and the game will keep getting updates. Thanks for playing, and keep the feedback coming. )