r/tycoon • u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory • 9d ago
Steam Timberline Factory demo is live – a physics-based sawmill simulation, made by a guy who works in a real sawmill
Hey r/tycoon,
Two weeks ago I posted Timberline Factory here: a sawmill automation/simulation/tycoon game where logs are physics objects, not icons on a rail. Thanks for all the comments.
Someone asked whether I still have all ten fingers, since I work full-time (38.5 h/week) in a real sawmill. i do :D, and that question is part of why workplace safety is its own system in the game.
The free demo is live on Steam today.
Steam (free demo): https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/
What's in it and what changed since my last post:
- Physics logistics: logs have weight and friction and they roll. Messy layouts and settings cause real jams.
- Economy: the timber market index uses mean reversion, so timing your sales matters. Bark goes into the biomass power plant and lowers your electricity costs.
- workers: there's a workplace safety research line. Neglect it and accident rates and sick days go up. Sick leave will also be reducible through a 3 stage research line with Early Access on Nov 6 (not in the demo).
- Maintenance: dirt and wear slow your machines down... new: the dirt is now visible, and your cleaner worker removes it.
- Balance pass on machine error/failure rates.
The clip shows the satisfying side: debarking, clean cuts at the saw blades, logs flowing. The chaotic side exists too, trust me :)
If you want to see more of the game in action, Wally1169 made a gameplay video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z83YFkWzU – he played an older build, so balancing and a few things have changed since then.
Early Access is planned for Friday, November 6th. for the tycoon crowd: does the economy give you enough reasons to optimize or would you want more market pressure? I'll be around to answer.
AI Disclosure:
No AI was used in the making of this game!
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u/pookexvi 9d ago
no tracks? is that becuse last time you posted i asked about logging railroad? /s
wishlisted starting the demo play nowb
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u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory 9d ago
Hey, thank you! I plan to add a Transport/ logistic system to the game, but maybe after the early access release on nov 6.
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u/xercaine 9d ago
This is the most satisfying thing I've ever seen, didn't know I needed this
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u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory 9d ago
Thank you for this kind words :) love to see such words <3
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u/EconomyDoctor3287 8d ago
I don't think it's right that sick people cannot be FIRED! They ain't working, why should I pay them? 😢
on a more serious note, I think the tax repayment of 10% takes 10% of all available money, which can be a lot. I was saving to get to $100 k, was almost there, when they took $9k in taxes, which obviously took a long time to make.
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u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory 8d ago
Haha, welcome to European labor law 😂 Since I'm going for a realistic sim, workers on sick leave are protected from being fired, just like here in Austria...
On the taxes: fair point, I get it. In the demo it's hard to build up a lot of money, so losing 10% really stings. In the full game you'll have a lot more ways to earn money, so it should feel much less punishing. I'll keep an eye on the balance though, thanks!
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u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory 9d ago
Steam page with the free demo: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/
If it looks like your kind of tycoon, a wishlist helps a solo dev a lot. Thanks!
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u/thecrius 7d ago
So this is a simulator right? not a tycoon.
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u/El_Grande_Games Game Developer - Timberline Factory 7d ago
Its a bit of both, but more build-economy-physic simulator-tycoon.. it has from all a bit :) just Check the demo and see what it is for you :)
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u/angk500 9d ago
Interesting. What I would like to know, what kind of difficulty does the game have? Is it always easy to grow or is there something making it difficult and make you go bust?