Month 19 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

Access to the Free Build update is now available from the InDev branch on Steam. Details below.

The Quintessential Construction Simulator

Free Build update enters InDev

After many months of development, the Free Build Update is finally available through the InDev Branch!

What is InDev?

InDev is a separate branch on Steam that gives players access to updates earlier while they are still in development. It’s a great way to try out new features early whilst also helping to make updates release as polished as possible. Whilst InDev contains the majority of the content available in the upcoming Free Build update, players who opt-in should expect bugs, performance issues and some missing features.

What’s in Free Build?

Free Build is our biggest update yet. Removing all restrictions and introducing the ability to build homes from the ground up. Move and place walls, build an extension, install staircases and add multiple floors. With the Free Build update, Landlord’s Super leaps closer toward being THE Quintessential Construction Simulator!

How to Access InDev?

Details on how to access the InDev branch through Steam follow the patch notes below.

Free Build Patch Notes

• Free Build
  It’s time to knock down the walls of your home and begin designing and building your dream home!
• Staircases & Additional Floors
  Build staircases to gain access to additional floors in your home. Up the wooden hill, son!
• Hot Bar
  Better interaction options for certain building supplies. Just hold RMB to open it up!
• New Windows & Doors
  Many new styles and colours to install
• New Bricks and Shingles
  Dozens of new bricks and shingles to really express yourself Can now place bricks freely
• Improved Visuals
  Various improvements make the game look even better!
• Curtains
  Finally, privacy
• Balance & Quality of Life Changes
  Completely revamped Roofing including Shingles snapping to grid Balanced energy for longer work days
• Many Bug Fixes 
  Details on this at a later date

Debug features are enabled in this build!
Q = free fly
N = add energy
M = add money
Additionally, the trowel will never run out of mortar / no-fines

How to Access InDev

1. Right Click on your Landlord’s Super install in Steam and select “properties”
2. Click the Betas tab and then select InDev In development access
3. The InDev build should start to download on steam!

Note: Steam may require a restart after stage 2 for the InDev to download.

Special Thanks

With such a big update, we required a closed “testingbranch” period to ensure the game was stable and functional. A select group of players over on the discord elected themselves to help out. Without the help of these players, the Free Build update would likely not have made it into InDev before Christmas. So we wanted to give a special thank you to the following players.

Special thanks to Johnfister, Luke Capicchioni, Trust37, Sparkz, Nargin, steam train, kinghingle, Gyger, G1n_rumZz, Silky, BrownTown, gv05, ShawbertoCarlos, RustyShack, Im The Dronk Tracktore Man, Mulex, Hoopsure, markuzz, vanGogh, Inevitable K, tuinkers, Kapitan Elementu. 

Thank you all for the help, all your support, and all your patience during this period. 

Jingle Jam

Happy December 1st. But do you know what that means? Jingle Jam is back!

Over the last 10 years, people raised over $20 million for charities across the world. It’s honestly mind blowing. And this year we’re back again!

But what’s even better by making a donation (between 1st Dec and 14th Dec 2021) of at least £35 (around $47 USD) in a single transaction to one of the charities you will receive keys for 56 games!

List with all of the games and charities are in the link below.

Check it, maybe you will see something that you like!
https://www.reddit.com/r/Yogscast/comments/r5tg29/jingle_jam_2021_schedule_and_links/

NOVEMBER

Month 18 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

A short one this month, as we’ve entered another gear in order to get the update completed.

We’re looking at getting a test build of the Free Build update into the InDev branch before Christmas. Let’s look at how that will look.

Free Build? When?

Work on the construction elements is finally drawing to a close. However, development still needs to complete on two more areas of the game before the update can hit the public branch. 

First is making sure that the new construction gameplay is presented correctly. This means revisiting how the start of the game plays out. Answering questions such as “how do you complete tasks in the notebook with free build?”. Enhancing areas of the game such as the loan system, reworking how the tool shed is unlocked and of course, tutorials for the new mechanics. 

Second is bug fixing. Once we enter this phase we’ll share the game on the InDev branch where players can try the new features early and help us out with bug tracking.

Also of note; we’ll start releasing builds on InDev with debug tools. So you’ll be able to spawn money, refill energy, fly around, etc. This is to ensure playthroughs are faster and bug tracking is easier.

New Shingles, New Bricks

A variety of new Shingles and Bricks are making their way into the Free Build update. Each with their own price and style, allowing our players even more creative freedom.

Panelling

The ability to build wooden housing has been a popular request, so we’re adding in the ability to panel your homes in plasterboard and wood panelling. Both the insides and outsides of your homes can be fully panelled and painted. 

We look forward to seeing how creative players get with this once Free Build is released!

OCTOBER

Month 17 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

The Free Build update sure is taking a long time, huh? We appreciate players are probably starting to lose patience with it, so this month, we’ll be looking into why exactly this update is taking longer than previous ones, but it’s important to know that the guts of the game are really being torn out and refitted. We’re confident, however, that this work will give the game the longevity it deserves. 

We’ve also done a bunch of work on Roofing, Newspapers and Curtains. We’ve even took on an extra pair of paws to help us speed along development.

Our Biggest Update Yet

The Free Build Update is by far our biggest update to the game thus far. Due to this, save data from previous versions of the game will not be compatible with The Free Build Update (oof). All players will need to start a fresh save when the update comes out.

There’s a justification for this. Big changes to how construction gameplay works have also meant reworking how the save and load system works. We understand that losing save data isn’t any fun, so we’re making sure to add as much new content to the game as possible. Starting a new save in The Free Build Update should feel like playing a whole new experience.

We’ve spoken over the last few months of the changes incoming. Interior Wall Placement, Exterior Wall Placement, Ceiling Generation, Staircases, Hot Bar, and a raft of quality of life improvements and bug fixes. But there’s still even more to come. Let’s take a look.

Save data from previous versions will not be compatible with the Free Build update.

Newspaper Changes

Greg managed find time to sneak in a long-planned feature with the in-game newspapers. 

With how hidden some features are in Landlord’s Super, we’ve always worried that a lot of the depth of the game gets over-looked. Our Discord channel can usually help mitigate this, with users pointing out unknown features to new players, but we really wanted an in-game way to address this.

Newspapers are our chosen solution for this. They are now generated on a daily basis, come with a period appropriate headline – which have been drawn from an array of real-world press articles – and a “tool tip” headline hinting at some of the mechanical depth and hidden features of the game. It’s really neat!

Newspapers change on a daily basis, and can be viewed anytime a player used a toilet (We’ve adjusted the UI a bit so you can read without skipping time). 

Roofing Changes

After adding the ability for players to determine placement of both interior and exterior walls, we found that a solution for roof placement was also needed. Both the ceiling and base of the roof are generated automatically upon an exterior wall loop completing. Players can also place gable and square roof frames to build various slanted and flat roof styles.

We’ve also taken a look at addressing how fiddly roofing was. Roof planks can now be resized during placement. They also snap into place. Shingles also snap to grid, allowing quick and easy placement. 

Roofing is still a work in progress, with more on this coming next month. You can see this new feature in action here.

New Windows & Doors

Finally, players will be able to fit new colours, sizes and styles of windows and doors!

We’ve added 6 new sizes of window and 3 different style types (Functional, Traditional, Post-Modern). Each of these can be customized in a variety of colours or materials. Doors have also been given the same treatment, with a variety of new styles and colours to choose from.

Curtains

Extra time this month meant we managed to sneak curtains into the game too. Finally, some privacy! 

UI Changes

Another thing we spent doing this month was tightening up the UI for the HUD and various catalogues. UI should no longer overlay elements. Phone dialogue should no longer obscure player view. Additionally, players can read the newspaper without skipping time now. The HUD has also been moved closer to the screen edge, with visual issues being fixed, allowing much more screen space to be dedicated to the game world. 

Discord Level Up

the Official MinskWorks Discord server has now been boosted to level 2! A huge thank you to discord users Tea, ShipMasterCaine, BLKWave , Rūta and 87isaiah8718 for server boosting us to level 2.

Level 2 means we are now eligible for server discovery, have a fancy new banner and most importantly, can share up to 50mb of in-development footage. Thank you all!

Meet Our Newest Hire

Welcome Bija, the newest member to the MinskWorks team!

Bija is a Cockapoo who is very sociable and loves stealing team members slippers. She is currently 13 weeks old and enjoys morning and evening visits to the bark park. She is also looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the coming update!

SEPTEMBER

Month 16 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

Apologies from us for missing a month. We were away visiting family in Lithuania for much of July, so there really wasn’t a lot for us to report on. 

Now we’re back and have been making good progress on the much anticipated Free-Build update.

Let’s take a look at what’s coming.

Exterior Wall Placement

Something we teased back in July’s newsletter was the Interior and Exterior wall placement. Continued work on this has meant walls can now be placed on roofs – allowing for the addition of multiple floors to your property.

Greg has also spent sometime reworking and polishing how wall placement works. It now utilises a much more intuitive “drag & drop” system, which you can see in action linked below (twitter link in image).

Ceiling Generation

Ceilings are generated whenever the game recognises a closed loop between exterior wall segments. Greg got bogged down with making sure this generation worked as expected and without issues, it took a while but the system is now solid and means the game can support the construction of multiple floors! Access to multiple floors will require the use of something that’s been anticipated for a long time…

Staircases

Planning on adding multiple storeys to your property? You’re going to want to order some staircases. Staircases allow access to the upper floors of your property. Place them on the ground and secure them with your spanner and you or your tenants now have access to a whole new area of the house!

With three different styles of staircase – each with multiple step designs and colours – you’ll also be able to match staircases with any of the furnishing styles you’ve decorated your property with.

Video example linked in the image below.

Catalogue Updates

“Staircases” and “Walls” pages have been added to the Q&Q catalogue. The Save & Load system now also supports both these features. Roofing is still to come but work on that will begin soon. More on that next month.

Quality of Life Improvements

For the Free Build update, we’re also looking at improving how comfortable the game is to play. For example, windows will now snap to the correct height, making them much easier to place. We’re also setting aside time to speed up roof construction, and implement grid-snapping for tile placement. We’d also like to add a better way to place items on the ground (one that doesn’t destroy the property!).

Other considerations we’d like to see make their way into the update are more involving ways to earn money, and more convenient ways to recover energy. If you have any suggestions for us, we’d love to hear them!

Community Spotlight

Mar (@midmodmar, commissions open) created an amazing rendition of the player character H. Abiff and local landlady Tamsin. Człowiek Elementu provides the meme magic with not one, but two original memes. Finally, ASkeleton sets the game record for highest wheel barrow stack. Bravo all! 

JULY

Month 14 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

This month saw the release of The Landlord’s Super Original Soundtrack, composed by Jeremy Warmsley. Available for purchase now on Steam.

Steps are also being made towards the release of the Free Build update. Though we’re not yet at the stage where we can provide a release window.

Tragically, we’ve also had to say goodbye to an old friend. 

Soundtrack Now Available

The Landlord’s Super Original Soundtrack, composed by Jeremy Warmsley, is now available for purchase on Steam.

Purchase now to receive 17 tracks, including the full in-game mix tapes and theme song, and support a talented and hardworking musician.

Free Build Progress Report

Development was slowed this month due to a house (and with it home office) move, but progress is now getting back to full steam. Here’s an overview of what we’ve worked on.

Interior Wall Placement

Players will soon be able to remove & place interior walls. Create an open-plan living space, or finally make that bathroom smaller.

Each Plaster Frame can also be resized using our new “Hot Bar” functionality (details further on).

Hot Bar

Relying on clicking the right mouse button to change the shape or selection for things such as the Trowel was proving to be annoying. We’d long planned to replace this solution with a hot bar system and finally, with the introduction of Interior Wall Placement, the Hot Bar is making it’s way in. 

Holding down the right mouse button for a short time will now open the Hot Bar (restricted to applicable items). From the Hot Bar, selections can be made to change the type or style or placement for the object the player is currently holding.

Objects that make use of the Hot Bar include the Trowel (for mortar placement), Plaster Frames (interior walls), No-fines Frames (exterior walls) and Plaster Board.

Exterior Wall Placement & Roof Generation

Along with Interior Wall Placement, we’ve now started work on Exterior Wall Placement. The aim of this feature is to allow players to remove and place exterior (No-Fines Frames) walls. Essentially, this will allow players to design the layout and size of their property. Making them both builder and architect!

Whilst in theory the execution of this feature should be the same as Interior Wall Placement, there’s a couple considerations needed. One thing to consider is how we handle roofing? Do you have players build the roof themselves? Do you generate the whole thing? How does the game decide then, what should be a flat roof or a gable roof?

The current solution is a mixture of both generated an placement. Once a full loop of the exterior wall is completed, a flat roof mesh will be generated (pictured). Placement of gable frames will then be allowed on this roof, so players can design what parts of their roof will be gabled and flat. 

There’s still a lot of work left to be done on this feature, but it’s looking promising that customising the layout and size of the house will be possible soon. 

Farewell Simba

Tragically, this month saw the passing of our dear friend and companion Simba. Simba was a Chihuahua who loved sleeping under the covers and watching Daniel Day Lewis films. He was a funny dog, wearing himself out with excitement before a walk to then take himself home for an early bed. Rest in peace dear friend, you will not be forgotten.

Simba you were a huge part of Jalopy and Landlord’s, thank you for all your support.

MAY

Month 12 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

Landlord’s Super has been in Early Access for an entire year! Since entering EA a year ago, we’ve seen the addition of a number of features. Including painting, no-fines, new tools, wallpaper, flooring, carpeting, new jobs, tool shed, Totter’s scrapyard, and more. We’ve still got plenty to come, starting with the up-coming Furniture Update.

As it’s been a year, we just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has played during Early Access. Thank you for all the Steam reviews, for all the save data sent to Greg, and for all the bug reports and suggestions. You cannot imagine how helpful it all is, and we are truly grateful.

Furniture Update Now Available in Steam InDev branch

InDev access for the Furniture Update is now available. You can opt in here. 

What is InDev? InDev is short for In-Development. The InDev branch is even earlier access to content updates. Want to help out with early testing and can’t wait for new content but aren’t scared of bugs, crashes and save corruptions!? Then InDev is a perfect way for you to play new content, whilst helping to speed up the development of Landlord’s Super. 

The Furniture Update has been in the InDev branch for over a week now, so is pretty stable. But do be aware, it can still contain early and untested content.

Furniture Update

Content and bug fixes are being added to the Furniture Update’s InDev branch on a daily basis. With this in mind, we’re looking at a mid-May release for the Furniture Update. This release will be tied to a 20% sale, so if you’ve been holding off buying, this could be a great time to dive in.

Mix Tape Channel

We added a Blank Tape to Landlord’s that allows players to add their own .WAV files to play in-game. You can add up to 20 tracks to the blank tape. A channel to for players to share their mix-tape playlists was requested. So we’ve added the #mix-tapes channel to the MinskWorks Discord. Got an in-game playlist you want to share? Head on over.

Community Highlight

This month’s highlight comes from u/ShorsIsExpTime over on the subreddit and nickisdoge through email. 

MARCH

Month 10 of Landlord’s Super Early Access.

The majority of February was spent modelling the huge number of new furniture assets (coming your way next update). Yet, progress has also been made on new music and some bold mechanical changes. Read below to learn more.

Furniture Work (Again, again)

Furniture update continues to take longer than expected. The main issue is just workload. There’s a lot of new furniture coming to the game with a lot of new functionality. We’re not just bringing you sofas, ovens and beds. There’s washing machines, radiators, medicine cabinets, washing baskets, dining chairs, grills, toilet carpets, over 100 types of kitchen sinks (That’s not even including bathroom sinks!) and much more. Every piece also has colour variations and damage models. So it’s a steady process. 

Better Damage

Not only is furniture getting damage functionality, but we’ve also spent time reworking damage a little. We noticed players are getting frustrated seeing their property deteriorate too quickly. To help relieve this somewhat, damage will now have to pass a certain threshold before it shows visible wear and tear (currently set to 75%). While we’re also working on how tenants damage the property, this is a good first step in ensuring your properties holds their value and stay beautiful for longer. 

Another interesting feature we’re adding is that scrap will drop from destroyed components. This will mean players have something to sell if a tenant completely destroys something. Scrap dropped from destroyed objects is also very compact, allowing players to cart around more value in their wheelbarrows. 

New particle and audio effects are also coming to compliment the improved furniture visuals. 

Crouch Reworked

Accessing low down screws or placing cement onto bricks higher than the player in the current game is a pain. One reason why is that players have no control over their standing height. In the furniture update, we’ve reworked crouch to address this. 

Holding the crouch input will enter crouch state as before. Now, rather than walking, using the movement input will change player standing height.

Players can lower themselves to the ground to get a look under kitchen sinks, or stand right on their tippy-toes to see atop hard to reach bricks. That’s right, you’ll soon be able to stand on your tippy-toes in Landlord’s Super!

Music

Jeremy is hard at work, more on this next month…

Community Highlight

More decoration this month, this time from @Nixinox over on twitter. And never one to let us down, Mar continues to impress with her wonderfully creative illustrations.