Preface:
In its current state, the game is a decent foundation, but it’s lacking any significant depth and connectivity in its systems. I find this to be concerning when the game is being labeled as beta, has little to no overhauls planned in the roadmap, and a planned release date of August. While I understand that you may be unable to implement a lot of these features due to either time or budget constraints, I fear that without many of them your game will be unable to gain a dedicated and satisfied audience. This post will be in multiple parts, the first being where I believe the most improvement can be made, employees.
Part 1, Employees:
Currently, employees are empty husks that have little to no impact on a store’s performance. When attempting to simulate a business, employees are one of the most essential parts to get right, since they are one of, if not the most important part of any store. They currently have almost no impact on any of the systems currently used, and no signs that this will be adjusted. Some suggestions I believe will help flesh out and vastly improve the system are:
- Creating both full-time and part-time employees, each having its own benefits and drawbacks to their use. Full-time employees would be more reliable and productive but at the cost of needing various benefits like sick days, PTO, and insurance.
- Expanding on the skill system. Creating more varied skills rather than everything relying on customer service as it does now. Some examples would be stocking, cleaning, cooking, cashier, bagger, security, floor manager, general manager, and accounting.
- Creating a job position system. Allowing the player to set up positions and what skills those jobs would be using as well as what benefits would be applied to those employees. An example would be something akin to the job priorities in Rimworld, but rather than for each employee it would be for each position.
- Implementing an employee efficiency system. This would be somewhat similar to what you had done in Startup Company but restricting each boost to specific roles.
- Refining the way that employees level up skills. This could be done by allowing small levels of skills to be gained while they are doing that role or by attending training. Alternatively, you could separate experience and skill, allowing skill to make up a larger portion of the efficiency boost received but allowing a slower burn boost for experience based on hours worked in that role.
- Implementing job benefits. Based on each job position allows the player to set how many PTO, sick and their quality of insurance.
- Implementing a store and company policy system. Would allow for various boosts with associated costs in various capacities.
- Creating a job satisfaction system. Based on the hours scheduled as well as their pay and benefits employees would have a satisfaction level that would impact their job efficiency as well as how often they call in.
- Creating a customer and employee theft system. This would create a realistic addition for store losses. Ways to counter it would be by having better floor managers, accountants, and general managers as well as using policies that implement audits and security measures.
- Adding injuries for both customers and employees. This would also improve the realism of losses but using workers comp as well as potential lawsuits. The chance could be lowered by having better training policies and employee job skills. Having certain security policies in place could also reduce the risk of insurance fraud. Having better store insurance would reduce the loss.
- Refining the max customers per hour to be based on the employees rather than on shelves. A potential formula can be found on the Calculations sheet in the linked google sheet.
Some examples of policies and some potential formulas can be found here:
(There are multiple sheets, see bottom of the page.)
That also means you probably will find the system a bit too simple, but we have to consider the broader audience.