Major update, demo and EA

While this update adds new content and improves QoL, the most important part is that it marks separation between demo and full/early access builds of the game. Right now the only difference is that demo is limited to one small predefined map while EA already includes several maps, heightmaps processing and procedural generation if you want to try new maps.

Demo version will stay free, while EA will have a price from now on (which may increase in future as I will be adding more content to it). Demo will also be updated, but only with QoL/UI and graphics changes, as the new content will go directly to the paid version.

Playtesting notes

Huge thanks to everyone who took part in the demo playtesting, all your feedback was extremely useful (both positive and less so).
I started addressing the issues from the first day and now all the urgent ones are fixed which is why this demo was just released on Steam as well.

Full changelog

v0.5:

• brand new interactive tutorial!
• better default hotkeys
• one new BGM track (and others have the abrupt end issue fixed)
• improved camera movement, different texts and other small things

• new vehicle: snow groomer
• new building: snow groomers depot
• new overlay: satisfaction (shows where visitors gain or lose satisfaction)
• new overlay: snow quality (shows which trails need grooming)
• new overlay: overcrowding (shows occupancy rates for lifts, trails and service buildings)
•  new overlay: safety (shows probability of injury for last visitors who passed there)
•  dynamic charts for finance and reputation reports

Announcements

I have a release date now, Octohill 1.0 will be released in March 2025!

Next update will be focused on localisation (and UI improvements in general). I am planning to have UI and tutorials translated into several languages with generative AI as a starting point, and hope the players feedback will help me to correct mistakes and improve the translation quality later. The update will also add dark mode for the UI.