Game Dev Tycoon
Secrets:
--------
Submitted by: David K.
-= Game-Name Easter Eggs =-
Several hidden office animations are tied to the posters in each office state. Create
a new game with the shown title while that poster set is active.
* Garage: Pong.
* First office before renovation: Wing Commander or Doom.
* Same office after renovation: Half-Life or Theme Hospital.
* After the R&D Lab opens: Halo, Star Citizen, or Okami. The Okami trigger also
accepts the spellings Okami, Ōkami, and 大神.
* Any suitable office: use the Game Dev Topic, Simulation Genre, and the title
Game Dev Tycoon for the game-within-the-game secret.
Use the spellings above for reliable activation. These secrets do not change the
normal company economy.
-= Red Explosive Barrels Secret =-
If Dave Johnson offers the Red Explosive Barrels feature, accept it. Later create an
Action game and enable Red Explosive Barrels during development. This triggers the
hidden Portal-style follow-up.
-= Company-Name Secret =-
Starting a new company with the name Greenheart Games triggers a hidden developer
nod. It is cosmetic and gives no economic advantage.
Hints and Tips:
---------------
-= The Four Checks Before You Start a Game =-
A strong Topic/Genre pair is only one part of a high-scoring release. Before
committing, check the Topic against the Genre and Audience, then check the Platform
against the Genre and Audience. Bad or terrible compatibility can cap a release even
when the sliders and staff are good.
* Prioritize a Great Topic/Audience match and a Great Platform/Genre match when
practical.
* Avoid Bad or Terrible Topic/Genre and Platform/Audience combinations.
* Use Game Reports after releases. They reveal compatibility knowledge in-game and
help you stop repeating weak combinations.
* Watch current market share. A perfect match on a dying platform can still sell
less than a good match on a healthy platform.
-= Reviews Compare You Against Your Own Best Work =-
Review scores are relative, not a fixed checklist. Once you establish strong
high-score games, the hidden target rises and later releases need more total Design
and Technology quality to keep earning the same reviews. This is why a combination
that once scored 9s can later fall to 7s even when you repeat the same sliders
correctly.
Increase output gradually through staff training, better Graphics, useful Engine
features, larger projects, and stronger assignments. Do not treat one successful
slider recipe as a permanent 10/10 formula.
-= Do Not Repeat the Exact Topic and Genre Back-to-Back =-
Releasing the same Topic/Genre combination as your previous game carries a review
penalty. Rotate between at least two proven combinations instead of repeatedly
shipping the same Fantasy RPG, Military Strategy, or other favorite pair.
-= Fix Every Bug Before Release =-
Let development finish and wait for the bug counter to reach zero before releasing.
Bugs directly hurt quality. The short delay is usually cheaper than wasting a strong
Topic, Engine, staff setup, and market window on a damaged review score.
-= Wait Before Releasing a Sequel =-
Do not release a sequel or expansion less than 40 in-game weeks after the previous
game in that series. Releasing too soon carries a quality penalty. Use the gap for
another series, training, research, contracts, Game Reports, or a new Engine.
-= Use a Better Engine for Sequels =-
Sequels are strongest when they use an engine with a higher Graphics technology level
than the previous game in that series. Reusing the same engine weakens the sequel
bonus. Build a newer engine before returning to an older successful series when
practical.
-= Do Not Move Offices at the Cash Threshold =-
The first office becomes available once the company reaches the required cash
milestone, but moving at the exact threshold is risky. Hiring immediately adds salary
pressure and temporarily lowers team efficiency. Keep a cash cushion, hire only the
staff you can use, and stabilize the team before attempting expensive Medium games.
-= Medium Games Need a Real Team =-
Medium games are designed around a small team rather than a solo developer. A manager
plus two useful employees is a practical minimum. Adding staff beyond what the
current game size needs increases payroll without automatically increasing review
quality.
-= Publisher Deals Are a Bridge, Not Free Money =-
Publishing deals are useful for building fans before self-publishing larger games,
but a contract can force a bad Topic, Genre, Audience, or Platform combination. Read
every requirement before accepting. A low royalty can still be worthwhile if the
combination is strong and the fan gain moves the company toward self-publishing.
-= Piracy Warning or Lawsuit Event =-
In the normal random piracy event, warning the pirates favors fan goodwill, while
suing recovers money but costs fans. If cash is not an emergency, the warning is the
safer long-term reputation choice; use the lawsuit when the immediate cash recovery
matters more than the fan loss.
-= Research Points Are a Bottleneck =-
Do not spend Research Points on every available Engine feature. Reserve points for
Topics, Target Audiences, Casual Games, Sequels, staff training, better Graphics, and
the late-game projects you actually plan to use. Contract work and Game Reports are
reliable ways to keep research moving when cash is tight.
-= One Graphics Version Per Normal Engine =-
For ordinary engines, include the best Graphics version you can support instead of
stacking several generations by habit. An engine with unnecessary old Graphics and
unused features costs more to build and can dilute the Engine technology level used
by sequel checks. Add features because a planned game needs them, not because the
checkbox exists.
-= PC Never Leaves the Market =-
PC remains available for the entire run and has no license fee. It is especially
useful for Adventure, Simulation, and Strategy and remains a safe fallback when
console licenses are expensive or a console generation is about to end. Mature is the
strongest PC audience match in the current data.
-= Game Length Is Chosen Before the Run =-
The run length is selected from the new-company screen through the cog options and
cannot be changed for an existing save. Reaching the normal scoring endpoint does not
delete the company: you may continue playing indefinitely, but normal platform
releases stop after the configured timeline ends.
Game Development:
-----------------
-= What the Sliders Actually Control =-
Each development stage divides time among three areas. The sliders are proportions,
not independent speed controls: setting all three to the same value produces an even
split. Genre rules care about which areas receive high or low attention, while the
final Design/Technology balance also influences review quality.
-= Reliable Genre Slider Baselines =-
These presets are practical baselines for normal single-genre games. Some Topics use
hard development-area overrides that replace part of the normal genre priority
pattern. Check the Topic-Specific Slider Overrides below whenever one applies.
Genre Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Action 100/80/0 0/80/100 0/100/80
Adventure 0/80/100 100/50/0 100/80/0
RPG 0/80/100 100/80/0 100/80/40
Simulation 100/100/0 0/100/100 0/100/80
Strategy 80/100/0 0/100/80 100/0/80
Casual 0/100/0 0/100/0 0/100/80
Stage 1 is Engine / Gameplay / Story-Quests. Stage 2 is Dialogues / Level Design /
AI. Stage 3 is World Design / Graphics / Sound.
-= Topic-Specific Slider Overrides =-
Nine Topics override normal development priorities. These symbols describe slider
importance only: +++ very important, ++ important, ~ flexible, -- low, --- very low.
Only changed areas are listed; every unlisted area keeps the normal genre priority.
Mystery and Detective share one pattern, and Music and Rhythm share another.
* Sports - Action: Engine ++, Gameplay +++, Dialogues --, Level Design ~,
World Design ---; Adventure: Gameplay ++, Level Design ++; RPG: Gameplay +++,
Story/Quests ++, World Design --, Graphics +++, Sound ++; Simulation:
Dialogues ~, World Design --; Strategy: Engine ~, Story/Quests ++,
World Design ~, Graphics +++.
* Racing - Action: World Design --, Graphics ++, Sound +++; Adventure: Gameplay ++;
Simulation: World Design --, Graphics ++, Sound +++.
* Mystery / Detective - Action: Engine ++, Gameplay ~, Story/Quests +++,
Dialogues ++, Level Design +++, AI ~, World Design +++, Graphics ~; Simulation:
Engine ~, Story/Quests ++, Dialogues ~, Level Design +++, AI ++,
World Design +++, Graphics ~; Strategy: Engine ~, Story/Quests ++, Dialogues ~.
* Horror - Action: Dialogues --, Level Design +++, AI ++, World Design ++,
Graphics ~, Sound +++; Adventure: World Design --, Sound +++.
* Cyberpunk - Action: Gameplay ~, Story/Quests ++, Dialogues ~, Level Design +++,
AI ++, World Design +++, Graphics ++, Sound ~; Simulation: World Design +++;
Casual: World Design +++.
* Law - Action: Dialogues +++, Level Design ~, AI ++; Simulation: Engine ~,
Gameplay ++, Story/Quests +++, Dialogues +++, Level Design ~, AI ++,
World Design +++, Graphics ++, Sound ~; Casual: Dialogues +++, Level Design ++.
* Music / Rhythm - Action: Graphics ++, Sound +++; Adventure: World Design ++,
Graphics ~, Sound +++; RPG: World Design ++, Graphics ~, Sound +++; Simulation:
Graphics ++, Sound +++; Strategy: World Design ++, Sound +++; Casual:
Graphics ++, Sound +++.
-= Design and Technology Tendencies =-
The development areas do not generate Design and Technology evenly. This matters when
assigning specialists and when a genre needs a particular final balance.
Area Technology Design
Engine 80% 20%
Gameplay 20% 80%
Story/Quests 20% 80%
Dialogues 10% 90%
Level Design 60% 40%
AI 80% 20%
World Design 40% 60%
Graphics 50% 50%
Sound 40% 60%
-= Staff Assignment and Overwork =-
Once Medium games unlock, assign people to development areas deliberately. Match
technology-heavy staff to Engine, AI, and Level Design; design-heavy staff to
Gameplay, Story/Quests, and Dialogues; balanced staff are valuable for Graphics and
the mixed Stage 3 areas. Keep each assigned worker at or below 100% workload.
Overloading a worker reduces output and can cost the Good Management bonus.
The total workload equals three full people for Medium games, five for Large, and six
for AAA. The manager can take assignments too. Do not force fewer people to cover a
size if that pushes any assigned character over 100% workload.
-= Train Before You Need the Specialist =-
A late-game lab can be delayed for years if nobody reaches the required stat. Build
one strong Design employee toward 700 Design and one strong Technology employee
toward 700 Technology while the company is still in the earlier offices. Specialists
also need the appropriate training after the stat threshold is reached.
-= Why a Good Combination Can Still Hit a Review Ceiling =-
Game size has technical-expertise gates in addition to the normal combo and slider
rules. Outside the garage, Small games cannot reach the full technical review
ceiling. Medium games need at least 100K fans to remove their equivalent ceiling.
Large games should use at least 2D Graphics V4 or 3D Graphics V3. AAA games should
use 3D Graphics V5 or later and assign at least three specialists to
development areas that are important for the chosen genre or genre mix. If a
well-built game keeps stopping below the reviews you expect, check these gates before
changing a good Topic/Genre pair.
-= Game Reports Close Knowledge Gaps =-
Run a Game Report after a release whenever you still need compatibility information
or Pirate Mode DRM feedback. Reports convert trial-and-error into visible knowledge
and generate Research Points, so they are particularly valuable after trying a new
Topic, Platform, Audience, or Genre combination.
-= Marketing and Hype =-
Marketing is most valuable on games that are already likely to score well and have
enough market reach to repay the campaign. Do not try to rescue a bad compatibility
setup with marketing. Late in development, time major hype pushes so the attention
lands close to release rather than decaying while the project is still far from
completion.
Company Growth:
---------------
-= Safe Early-Game Progression =-
1. Use proven Topic/Genre combinations and finish every game bug-free.
2. Research Custom Game Engine once the research cost is affordable without
stalling Topics and other key unlocks.
3. Build engines around the newest useful Graphics plus only the features you
expect to use.
4. Enter the first office with a cash reserve, then hire toward a three-person
Medium-game team instead of filling every slot immediately.
5. Use publishing deals to build fans if self-publishing Medium games is still
weak, but reject contracts that force a poor compatibility combination.
6. Keep training one Design-focused and one Technology-focused employee for the
future R&D and Hardware Lab requirements.
-= Key Research Milestones =-
* Target Audience unlocks early and should be researched because Audience
compatibility materially affects sales and can hurt reviews when badly
mismatched.
* Casual Games add the sixth genre and open several strong handheld/mobile-style
combinations.
* Sequels let successful series gain an additional quality advantage when the new
entry uses a better engine.
* Multi-Genre lets one game use two genres. A Great mixed Topic combination
requires the Topic to be Great with both selected genres.
* Multi-Platform expands market reach. Put the strongest Platform match first
because the first platform carries the most weight.
-= Unlock Hiring and Onboard New Staff =-
In the first office, train the company owner with Staff Management once for 25K to
unlock hiring. Each new employee can then take Staff Welcome Training once for 10K;
use it early because it raises the newcomer's starting efficiency and shortens the
weak-output period before the team settles in.
-= Hiring Search Types =-
Use Showreel when you want design-heavy candidates, Complex Algorithms for
technology-heavy candidates, and Game Demo for more balanced candidates. Hiring still
has randomness, so budget enough for a useful search rather than repeatedly accepting
weak candidates just to fill a chair.
-= Recover New-Hire Efficiency Before Big Projects =-
Hiring lowers team efficiency while the newcomer settles in. Give each new employee
Staff Welcome Training, then use low-risk work such as Game Reports, research, engine
work, or easy contracts until the efficiency bar fills. New hires are not overworked,
so sending them on vacation is not the onboarding fix. Avoid starting an important
Large or AAA project while the team is still recovering from a hiring wave.
-= Use Vacation for Established Staff =-
When an established employee's efficiency bar drops after sustained work, send that
employee on vacation and wait for the bar to recover. Large and AAA projects can
drain efficiency heavily, so restore tired staff before another important release
instead of carrying reduced output into it.
-= Use Boost Without Breaking the T/D Balance =-
Once Boost is available, it sharply raises an employee's output during the current
development phase or training, but efficiency falls afterward. During development,
use it where the extra contribution supports the intended Technology-to-Design
balance; blindly boosting the wrong phase can hurt review quality. Training is a
strong use when you want extra output without distorting a game's T/D ratio.
-= Specialization Is Expensive but Powerful =-
Development-area specialization requires employee level 7 plus the exact Design and
Technology thresholds shown in Reference. Each specialization costs 200 Research
Points and 5M, so train the people who will actually own those development areas
rather than specializing everybody at random.
Pirate Mode:
------------
-= Pirate Mode Changes the Economy =-
Pirate Mode is an advanced new-game option. It adds piracy, DRM research, and
company-share mechanics. Normal-mode strategies that rely on thin cash reserves can
collapse because a large part of potential sales can disappear to piracy.
-= Reach DRM Early =-
Treat Custom Game Engine and the first usable copy-protection technology as early
priorities. Keep upgrading DRM as the game progresses instead of relying on one early
version forever. Pirate Mode is deliberately tuned so falling behind the protection
curve can destroy otherwise solid releases.
-= Use Reports to Judge Your DRM =-
Game Reports can reveal how effective the DRM on a released game was. Use that
feedback to decide whether the next protection upgrade is urgent instead of guessing
from revenue alone.
-= Shares Are Emergency Capital, Not Free Cash =-
Pirate Mode lets you sell company shares to survive. Selling shares can save a run
that would otherwise go bankrupt, but ownership is a limited resource. Use it to
bridge the dangerous early economy or fund a necessary transition, not as a
substitute for fixing weak game quality and outdated DRM.
-= Pirate-Mode Research Priority =-
Research Points are tighter because copy protection competes with Topics, engines,
training, and normal progression. Prioritize strong repeatable game combinations,
Graphics upgrades, DRM, and only the Engine features you actually use. A smaller,
focused engine is easier to finance than an all-features engine you cannot exploit.
Late Game:
----------
-= R&D Lab Access and Purpose =-
The R&D Lab becomes available in the large technology-park office once the company
has a Design Specialist. A staff member needs at least 700 Design before the Design
Specialist training appears. Build this requirement before reaching the office so the
lab does not become an avoidable progression blocker.
-= What the R&D Lab Gives You =-
* Internet Opportunities, which leads to MMO and Codename: Grid research.
* Hardware research, which is part of the Hardware Lab path.
* Own Convention and late-game marketing options.
* AAA Games after a Large release reaches the required review average.
* 3D Graphics V6 and V7 after the previous Graphics generation reaches the required
experience level.
When no project is active, R&D funding can generate normal Research Points. Adjust
the budget rather than leaving an expensive lab at maximum funding when cash flow is
weak.
-= License Your Own Game Engines =-
After creating ten Custom Game Engines, the late-game engine-licensing research
becomes available through R&D. Complete it, research the Software Development Kit
feature, and include the SDK in a new Custom Game Engine. Licensing then runs
automatically and produces monthly income for a period; there is no separate
customer-selection screen.
-= Unlock the Hardware Lab =-
After the R&D Lab is open, research Hardware and train a staff member with at least
700 Technology as a Technology Specialist. Those two requirements unlock the Hardware
Lab, which is the path to designing and supporting your own console.
-= Custom Console Preferences in Current PC Builds =-
Custom-console compatibility is generated from your own release history rather than
using the fixed table used by normal platforms. Version 1.7.8 corrected
Platform/Genre and Platform/Audience weighting on custom consoles.
The corrected ranking is not reliable enough to publish as a fixed static formula.
Do not plan a current console around old least-used-versus-most-used rules. Release a
game, run a Game Report, and use the compatibility knowledge revealed for that
console when choosing later games.
-= Custom Console Quality and Support =-
Do not spend the entire treasury on the launch hardware. Higher Quality Assurance
reduces broken-console support pressure, while a weak Hardware Lab budget can leave
repairs piling up after launch. Keep enough cash for development, lab support, staff,
and games that actually drive the platform.
-= MMO Setup and Lifecycle =-
1. Open the R&D Lab and complete Internet Opportunities.
2. Research MMO in the R&D Lab, then research the MMO Support Engine feature.
3. Build a current Engine that includes MMO Support and choose a strong Great
Topic/Genre combination.
4. Release the MMO and keep watching its income and maintenance rather than
treating it like a normal one-time launch.
5. Use Expansion Packs to refresh a successful MMO. Rotate the exact Topic/Genre
setup where practical so consecutive releases do not trigger the
repeated-combination penalty.
6. Take the MMO off the market once declining revenue no longer justifies its
maintenance burden.
-= The Game Continues After the Score Endpoint =-
When the configured company timeline ends, the game calculates the run score and
normal platform releases stop. The company remains playable. You can continue
building games, research remaining systems, operate MMOs, and use late-game
facilities without being forced into a new save.
Solutions:
----------
-= Survive the First Office Without Going Bankrupt =-
1. Enter with more than the minimum move requirement; keep enough cash for
salaries and at least one development cycle.
2. Hire toward two additional useful workers, not every available slot.
3. Wait for the team-efficiency penalty from hiring to recover before an important
Medium project when possible.
4. Use a strong Topic/Genre/Platform/Audience combination and the correct Genre
slider priorities.
5. Take a publisher contract if fan growth and reduced launch risk outweigh the
royalty loss; reject forced bad combinations.
6. Use contracts and Game Reports between releases when you need Research Points
without committing to another expensive game.
-= Unlock the R&D Lab =-
1. Reach the large technology-park office.
2. Raise one employee to at least 700 Design.
3. Use Training to turn that employee into a Design Specialist.
4. Accept the R&D Lab construction offer and fund the lab.
-= Unlock the Hardware Lab and Your Own Console =-
1. Open the R&D Lab first.
2. Complete the Hardware research project in R&D.
3. Raise one employee to at least 700 Technology and train that employee as a
Technology Specialist.
4. Open the Hardware Lab when offered.
5. Use the Hardware Lab to design a custom console, keeping a reserve for Quality
Assurance, support, and future game development.
-= Start an MMO =-
1. Research Internet Opportunities in the R&D Lab.
2. Research MMO.
3. Research MMO Support for the Custom Game Engine.
4. Create an Engine containing MMO Support.
5. Develop the MMO with a Great Topic/Genre combination and enough staff for its
game size.
6. After launch, monitor the ongoing net result and use Expansion Packs only while
the MMO is worth sustaining.
Technical Issues:
-----------------
-= Current Windows PC Version =-
The current Steam Windows branch is v1.7.9. The v1.7.8 update fixed custom-console
Platform/Genre and Platform/Audience weighting, and v1.7.9 fixed a potential future
failure of the native share-code feature. Old guides written for earlier PC builds
can therefore be wrong about those two systems even when their basic game-development
advice remains useful.
-= Transfer a Save with the Built-In Share Code =-
1. Open the Load Game screen.
2. Click the small cog next to the save slot you want to transfer.
3. Acknowledge the save-sharing usage policy and choose Upload.
4. Copy the short code after the upload completes.
5. On the destination installation or device, use the save-download option and
enter that code.
The native share system is the preferred cross-platform transfer method because PC
and other platforms do not necessarily use the same physical save format. The Netflix
mobile edition cannot use this transfer system because its edition-specific content
is incompatible with the other editions. On a fresh regular mobile install,
play briefly until the game has created a save before looking for the download
control.
-= Windows Save Locations =-
* Steam local data: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Game Dev Tycoon - Steam\Local Storage
* Non-Steam local data: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Game Dev Tycoon\Local Storage
* Steam remote copy: \userdata\\239820\remote
Close the game before copying save data. For a manual backup, preserve the whole
relevant Local Storage folder and, on Steam, the matching remote data instead of
modifying only one database fragment.
-= Restore a Manual Steam Backup Safely =-
1. Close Game Dev Tycoon and keep an untouched copy of both the backup and the
current save folders.
2. Temporarily disable Steam Cloud for the game before replacing local data so the
cloud does not immediately restore the version you are trying to replace.
3. Restore the intended local and matching Steam remote data while the game is
closed.
4. Launch the game and verify the correct company and slot before making new
progress.
5. Re-enable Steam Cloud only after the restored local state is confirmed. If
Steam asks which copy to keep, choose the local copy only when it is the
verified restored version you intend to preserve.
Reference:
----------
-= Great Topic/Genre Combinations =-
The following list is a compact lookup of current Topic/Genre pairs with the
strongest compatibility. Other combinations can still be playable, but these are the
Great matches.
* Action: Airplane, Aliens, Alternate History, Assassin, Crime, Cyberpunk, Dungeon,
Extreme Sports, Fantasy, Horror, Hunting, Martial Arts, Medieval, Military,
Music, Ninja, Mythology, Post Apocalyptic, Prison, Rhythm, Sci-Fi, Space, Sports,
Spy, Superheroes, UFO, Vampire, Werewolf, Zombies.
* Adventure: Abstract, Comedy, Detective, Fantasy, Horror, Law, Life, Mad Science,
Medieval, Mystery, Pirate, Prison, Romance, Sci-Fi, School, Spy, Time Travel.
* RPG: Aliens, Alternate History, Assassin, Cyberpunk, Detective, Dungeon, Fantasy,
Farming, Fashion, Martial Arts, Medieval, Mystery, Post Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi,
School, Spy, Thief, Time Travel, Vampire, Werewolf, Wild West.
* Simulation: Airplane, Business, City, Colonization, Construction, Cooking, Dance,
Disasters, Dungeon, Dystopian, Evolution, Extreme Sports, Farming, Fashion, Game
Dev, Government, Hacking, History, Hospital, Hunting, Life, Martial Arts,
Military, Movies, Music, Prison, Racing, Rhythm, Sci-Fi, School, Space, Sports,
Surgery, Technology, Transport, Virtual Pet, Vocabulary.
* Strategy: Airplane, Business, City, Colonization, Disasters, Dungeon, Evolution,
Expedition, Fantasy, Government, Hacking, History, Medieval, Military, Sci-Fi,
School, Space, Transport, UFO, Vocabulary.
* Casual: Airplane, Cooking, Comedy, Dance, Fashion, Martial Arts, Movies, Music,
Racing, Rhythm, Sports, Virtual Pet, Vocabulary, Zombies.
-= Best Audience by Topic =-
When a Topic appears under several audiences, those audiences share its strongest
compatibility. Platform/Audience compatibility still matters, so use this as the
Topic side of the decision rather than ignoring the target platform.
* Young: Airplane, Dance, Extreme Sports, Fantasy, Fashion, Life, Medieval, Music,
Ninja, Pirate, Racing, Rhythm, School, Sports, Superheroes, Virtual Pet, Wild
West.
* Everyone: Airplane, Aliens, Alternate History, Business, City, Colonization,
Construction, Cooking, Detective, Dungeon, Evolution, Expedition, Fantasy,
Farming, Game Dev, Government, History, Hospital, Hunting, Law, Life, Medieval,
Movies, Mythology, Pirate, Racing, Romance, Sci-Fi, Space, Sports, Superheroes,
Surgery, Technology, Thief, Time Travel, Transport, UFO, Vampire, Vocabulary.
* Mature: Abstract, Aliens, Alternate History, Assassin, Comedy, Crime, Cyberpunk,
Disasters, Dungeon, Dystopian, Extreme Sports, Fantasy, Hacking, Horror, Mad
Science, Martial Arts, Military, Mystery, Mythology, Post Apocalyptic, Prison,
Romance, Sci-Fi, Space, Spy, Superheroes, Thief, Vampire, Werewolf, Wild West,
Zombies.
-= Development-Area Specialization Requirements =-
Each development-area specialization requires employee level 7, costs 200 Research
Points and 5M, and requires the listed Design and Technology stats.
Specialization Design Technology
Engine 180 720
Gameplay 720 180
Story/Quests 720 180
Dialogues 810 90
Level Design 360 540
AI 180 720
World Design 540 360
Graphics 450 450
Sound 540 360
-= Office and Lab Gates =-
* First office: available from the garage once the company reaches 1M cash.
* PC upgrade office state: after Y11 M6 W2, while in the first office with two
employees and 5M cash.
* Large technology-park office: after Y13 M9 W2 with four employees and 16M cash.
* R&D Lab: large technology-park office plus a Design Specialist.
* Hardware Lab: R&D Lab, Hardware research, and a Technology Specialist.
These office unlock dates are fixed game-time triggers and do not scale with the
selected campaign length. You still need the listed staff and cash requirements when
the trigger date is reached.
-= Selected R&D Project Costs =-
Project R&D Points
Internet Opportunities 500
Hardware 800
MMO 800
Codename: Grid 800
Own Convention 500
AAA Games 800
3D Graphics V6 unlock 800
3D Graphics V7 unlock 1000
AAA Games becomes available after a Large game averages at least 9.25. The V6/V7 rows
above are R&D Lab project costs that unlock those Graphics generations; after the lab
project, the normal Engine research still costs 250 RP and 1.2M for 3D Graphics V6
and 300 RP and 1.6M for V7.
-= Target Tech-to-Design Ratios =-
Use these as the center of each single-genre balance. T/D means final Technology
divided by final Design; the slider baselines are designed to move you toward these
targets while respecting each area priority.
Genre Target T/D
Action 1.8
Adventure 0.4
RPG 0.6
Simulation 1.6
Strategy 1.4
Casual 0.5
-= Multi-Genre Order Matters =-
For mixed games, the first genre has twice the weight of the second when the game
combines genre-dependent values. A Great mixed Topic combination therefore requires
that Topic to be Great with both selected genres. Put the genre whose priorities you
want to dominate first; swapping the two genres is not always equivalent.
-= Standard Platform Compatibility =-
These fixed desktop platform ratings are a fast lookup for the current
standard-platform data. Great is +++, Good ++, Okay +, Bad --, and Terrible ---.
Custom consoles are excluded because their matches are generated from your release
history.
Platform Act Adv RPG Sim Str Cas
PC ++ +++ ++ +++ +++ ---
G64 ++ +++ ++ ++ +++ --
TES + -- + + -- +++
Master V ++ -- + + -- +++
Gameling + -- ++ ++ --- +++
Vena Gear ++ + + ++ --- +++
Vena Oasis +++ + + ++ --- --
Super TES ++ ++ ++ +++ -- ++
Playsystem +++ + +++ ++ -- ---
TES 64 ++ + -- + -- ++
DreamVast +++ -- + +++ -- --
Playsystem 2 +++ + +++ ++ -- ++
mBox +++ + ++ ++ -- --
Game Sphere + + -- + -- +++
GS ++ ++ +++ ++ ++ +++
PPS +++ -- +++ + + +
mBox 360 +++ ++ +++ ++ -- ++
Nuu + --- -- +++ -- +++
Playsystem 3 +++ ++ ++ +++ -- +
grPhone + + -- ++ -- +++
grPad + ++ -- ++ ++ +++
mPad -- ++ + ++ -- ++
Wuu ++ -- + +++ -- +++
OYA ++ -- + ++ + +++
mBox One +++ + ++ ++ -- ++
Playsystem 4 +++ + +++ ++ -- ++
Swap ++ + +++ + -- +++
mBox Next ++ ++ ++ + -- +++
Playsystem 5 +++ -- ++ +++ -- ++
-= Standard Platform Audience Ratings =-
Platform Young Everyone Mature
PC + ++ +++
G64 + ++ +++
TES +++ ++ ---
Master V ++ +++ --
Gameling +++ ++ ---
Vena Gear ++ +++ +
Vena Oasis + +++ ++
Super TES +++ ++ --
Playsystem + +++ ++
TES 64 +++ ++ ++
DreamVast -- +++ +++
Playsystem 2 ++ +++ +
mBox + +++ ++
Game Sphere ++ ++ +
GS +++ ++ +
PPS + ++ +++
mBox 360 + ++ +++
Nuu +++ +++ --
Playsystem 3 + +++ ++
grPhone ++ +++ ---
grPad ++ +++ ---
mPad -- ++ +
Wuu ++ +++ --
OYA + +++ ++
mBox One -- +++ +
Playsystem 4 + +++ ++
Swap ++ +++ +
mBox Next ++ +++ +
Playsystem 5 + +++ ++
-= Fast Release Checklist =-
* Topic/Genre is acceptable and not the exact same pair as the previous release.
* Topic/Audience and Platform/Genre are as strong as practical.
* Platform still has enough market share to justify its license and development
cost.
* Newest suitable Engine selected; sequel uses a better Graphics technology level.
* Genre slider priorities are correct and assigned workers are not overloaded.
* Only useful Engine features are enabled for the project.
* Bug counter is zero before release.
* Game Report queued afterward if any compatibility or Pirate Mode DRM question
remains.
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CheatBook DataBase 2026 is a freeware cheat code tracker that makes hints, tips, tricks
and cheats (for PC Cheats, Walkthroughs, PSP, Sega, iPhone, Wii U, Playstation, Playstation
2, XBox, Playstation 3, Nintendo 64, DVD, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Color,
N-Gage, Nintendo DS, gamecube, XBox 360, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo) easily
accessible from one central location. (Release date January 10, 2026)
- All Cheats and Codes inside from the first CHEATBOOK January 1998 until today.
More Infos |
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