Idol Manager beta update #20: The story update
almost 4 years ago – Thu, Dec 31, 2020 at 02:41:34 AM

It's finally here: Idol Manager's new beta build is live and available for download via the game's itch.io page. (If you're a Kickstarter backer and never got your access key, now would be a great time to contact us and get that sorted out!)

This is by far the biggest update we've made for Idol Manager, adding the biggest and perhaps most important feature in Idol Manager: the main story! We hope you enjoy it and drop by the beta forums to let us know what you think!

Features

Story mode

The game's story is finally here! When starting a new game, you have the option to play in "story mode" or "free play."

The "free play" mode functions the same as previous beta builds have acted -- the only story events included are the early events with Fujimoto and Rival. (As with previous builds, the "new game" menu has settings that give you the option to skip things like the intro dialog, policies dialog, and so on.) Any save files you have from previous beta versions will exist in "free play" mode. To play in story mode, select "story mode" from the main menu to start a new game.

"Story mode" is the version of Idol Manager that has been our goal from the start: you'll progress through several "chapters" by completing various criteria, and along the way you'll make choices that will lead to one of a variety of possible endings. Most of your advancement through the story will be based on the tasks system that was introduced in September's update. (Not all endings are necessarily good! If you want to have a career that lasts longer than the events of the story, keep that in mind when making important decisions that could affect your career and the future of your group.)

There's lots of new features and gameplay systems bundled in the new story events, and this is normally the part of the announce post where we'd detail them at length...but we'd prefer not to spoil them and let you discover those moments along the way during your time with the game's story mode.

Romance

When socializing with other adults, you have the option to flirt and potentially explore romantic interest. (Not everyone is receptive to attempts at flirtation, and flirting attempts can easily backfire, so tread lightly!) Spend enough time kindling that romantic interest, and you may be able to spend more time socializing with them outside the office in a variety of venues. Of course, becoming romantically involved with people in the workplace is the kind of thing that has been known to end careers, so be careful...

More events and substories

Even if you don't play the game's new story mode, there's still lots of new story moments for you to encounter during your time with Idol Manager, including conversations that will have effects on gameplay.

The effects can be positive or negative, and there are lots of ways to trigger them, which is all the more reason to be careful with how you're running your group: if your company's finances spend too much time in the red, or you have too many explosive scandals, you might have a moment of reckoning...

Other changes

Rival gender

You can now choose the gender of the rival character when starting a new game. (This is now chosen independently of your player character's gender.)

New save menu

The new save system allows you to name your save file, and the menu displays additional information about your save files, including your playtime (which, as of this update, is now tracked).

 What we're still working on

We were hoping to have the tutorial system done in time for this update, but ran into a number of challenges along the way that meant that we would have had to delay this update if we wanted to include the full tutorial system. As such, the tutorial will be implemented in a future update.

That being said, we have a thread on the beta forum that shares some of the text assets from the tutorial -- in addition to this possibly serving as a useful text guide for those who might be playing the beta for the first time, experienced players are also welcome to give their feedback on the (non-implemented) tutorial based on their experience with the game!

We're also looking forward to getting your feedback on this version of the game, and our next update will likely be focused on bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements based on your feedback and experiences with this version of the beta.

Other things on the horizon...

While this version of the beta comes close to delivering the full Idol Manager experience, we have a few other surprises in store for when the full game releases next year. We can't talk about them just yet, but we're looking forward to sharing the news with you next year when the game is ready for official release, so please stay tuned!

Thank you!

This has been a challenging year for many of us, but we got to spend the year building and improving a game that has been our passion project for many years -- and that's been possible due to all of the support we've received from all of you. To everyone who has supported us during the Kickstarter campaign and in the time since, we're incredibly grateful: you are the reason we've been able to spend so much of our time working on this game, and for that, we cannot thank you enough.

Not only have you supported us financially, but your feedback has been a critical part of sculpting Idol Manager into the game it is today. If you decide to play this version of the beta, please drop by the forum to let us know what you think! We're close to the end, but we're not done yet, and hearing from you helps us to make Idol Manager the best game it can be. This is our biggest update yet, and we're thrilled that you can now experience what we've been working on for so long. 

It's been a long journey to get here, but we're looking forward to the game's final release in 2021 , which seems so close we can almost taste it. Thank you for getting us this far and sticking with us for so long!

Idol Manager beta update #19 (And news about the future of Idol Manager)
about 4 years ago – Sun, Nov 01, 2020 at 12:40:51 AM

First off, the latest update for Idol Manager is now live! If you joined the beta program by backing the game or buying the game on itch.io, to manually update you can head over to the game's itch.io page to download the latest version.

New Features and Changes:

Delaying graduation

When an idol is planning to graduate soon, she'll initiate a conversation to let you know. During this conversation, you'll be presented with dialog options, including the possibility of trying to convincing her to stay with the group longer.

A idol's willingness to stay with the group will be dependent on how much influence you have with her: an idol that feels particularly indebted to you will probably be more willing to stay with the group longer than an idol who you don't have much influence with.

Auditions changes

Several tweaks have been made to the auditions system:

• All auditions now have a small chance to find a gold or platinum idol
• You can now reset the cooldown on auditions by spending research points or money
• The "best employer" bonus has been reworked to increase the chance of getting a rarer idol across the board, instead of guaranteeing a specific rarity

Changes to marketing for single releases

The marketing options for singles have changed, with some existing options changed, and some new options added to the mix. You now have the ability to opt for a "risky" marketing option, which can result in different levels of success or failure.

• Ad campaign: expensive, high chance of success, resulting in a small bonus to sales and new fans gained. (Failure will result in a penalty to sales and new fans)
• Viral campaign: cheap, high chance of success, resulting in a large bonus to sales and new fans. (Failure will result in a penalty to sales and new fans.)
• Fake scandal: the cheapest option, low chance of success, resulting in a large bonus to sales and new fans. Failure will result in receiving scandal points.
• Edgy PV: success will result in a large bonus with teen fans and small bonus with female fans. Failure will result in a large penalty with adult fans and a small penalty with young adult fans. Chance of success depends on formation's "cool" and "funny" stats.
• Lewd PV: success will result in a large bonus with male fans and small bonus with hardcore fans. Failure will result in a large penalty with female fans and a small penalty with casual fans. Chance of success depends on formation's "sexy" and "cute" stats.
• Artsy PV: success will result in a large bonus with adult fans and a small bonus with female fans. Failure will result in a large penalty with teen fans and a small penalty with male fans. Chance of success depends on formation's "pretty" and "smart" stats.

(Digital release and handshake events are unchanged.)

Extended negotiations

When working on a business deal, you always have the opportunity to try and negotiate better terms, but this doesn't always pay off. Now, you have multiple chances to try and get better terms in case negotiations don't go the way you want. How much you can negotiate on a single business deal is based on the staffer's "deals" stat.

Other changes

Several miscellaneous UI improvements and sound effect changes have been added (along with several new accessories that we'll leave for you to discover for yourself).

What's coming next

The good news first: we're planning a massive content update that will drop before the end of this year and will include core features that we've been waiting to add to give you the  should give you the "full game" experience.

That being said, part of why we wanted to have the beta program was to give us time to fix issues and bugs that might crop up as we added more features and content to the game. Since we're adding a ton of new content to the beta before the end of 2020, we want to give ourselves time to make tweaks and fixes based on player feedback once beta players have had a chance to play the game.

As such, Idol Manager's "official" commercial release will happen several months later, near the start of 2021.

So, when can I play it?

To put it simply, for people in the beta program (which includes all of our Kickstarter backers, as well as everyone who has bought the game on itch.io), you will be able to play Idol Manager in 2020 in a form that's pretty dang close to what we expect the finished game to be: all the game's core features will be there. However, if you're wondering when the game will actually hit version 1.0 and be available for purchase on platforms like Steam, the answer is "early 2021."

So, what kind of "core features" and content are we talking about here? Glad you asked! Here's what you can expect:

Main story

We already shared a bit of a story preview in one of our previous updates, which you can check out if you don't mind some light spoilers. The story features several different routes which lead to several different "main endings." (Note that the end of the main story doesn't have to mean the end of the gameplay experience: you'll be able to keep playing in sandbox mode after completing the events of the main story.)

In addition to the "main endings," we'll also be including several "early retirement" endings: right now, one of the biggest things missing from the beta is that there's no way to go out of business, and the full game will feature several interesting ways for you leave the industry. (Some retirement options are voluntary, while others are less voluntary.)

Romance and dating

The game's romance system is also something that we'll be drastically expanding when the big content update drops later this fall. This is one of the biggest things that's missing from the current version of the game: previously, you've had the option to flirt while socializing, but there's no way to actually go on dates. Dates (and a number of other substories tied to the romance system) represent a huge content addition. (While it's not nearly as big as the "main story," the last time I checked the word count on the game's script, the romance section alone was equivalent to a novel's worth of content.)

Tutorial

Now that the game is (nearly) mechanically complete, we're working on a tutorial system that will assist players with on-screen prompts to guide them through the process of doing various things in-game when starting up a new game. 

The tutorial will be an optional feature: if you've already been playing the beta (or prefer to figure things out through trial and error), you can play without the tutorial enabled. That being said, we understand that the early game's learning curve can be a bit steep as you're expected to build an agency up from scratch and have to engage with a bunch of new gameplay mechanics, and having a tutorial to assist with that is an important feature for many players.

We have other content planned too, including more random events and scandals and more substories.

Thank you!

Idol Manager wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the incredible support we've received from all of you. Idol Manager started as a labor of love, and we're immensely grateful to everyone who has played a part in making our dreams come true.

(Also, a special shout-out to everyone who has been playing the beta and providing bug reports and other feedback: an Idol Manager update post wouldn't be complete without the obligatory reminder that if you've been playing the game, you can drop by the forum to let us know what you think!)

For those of you who have been with us since 2018, we know it's been a long wait, but we're closing in on the finish line, and we're incredibly excited to share what we've been working on with you later this year. Thank you all for your support!

Idol Manager beta update 18: Taken to task
over 4 years ago – Wed, Sep 09, 2020 at 12:08:29 AM

The latest update for Idol Manager is now live! This update focuses on several changes that affect the game's "tasks" system, as well as several other UI changes. If you joined the beta program by backing the game or buying the game on itch.io, to manually update you can head over to the game's itch.io page to download the latest version.

Features:

Updated tasks system

If you read our previous update post, you probably know that a lot of our attention as of late has been focused on getting the main story ready for release. That's still in the works, and when it's added, tasks will be part of how you advance through the main story. That being said, you may already be familiar with the tasks system from your time with the beta if you've ever taken a loan from Fujimoto or socialized with an idol and asked her about her wishes. You can collapse or expand the tasks widget from the top left corner of the home screen.

The tasks system has been updated: you now claim the reward associated with a task by clicking on it within the tasks widget once it's complete. 

Some gameplay changes have also been made to make fulfilling idols' wishes more rewarding: if an idol's wish is fulfilled, her mental stamina will be completely restored, and she won't spend mental stamina for the next 4 months, even if her physical stamina is completely drained. (Note that this doesn't change the fact that idols with low physical stamina are still at greater risk of getting injured.) The mental stamina bonus for fulfilling an idol's wish comes in addition to the normal friendship bonus you previously obtained for completing these tasks.

Idol card viewing options

By default, the idol list shows idols attributes ("dance," "vocal," "cute," "cool," etc). You can now toggle the UI to show their relationship stats instead, which can make it easier to tell at a glance who likes you (and who you might owe a favor to.)

To toggle between the two views, hover your cursor over an idol's stats and click the translucent ">" icon arrow that appears right next to her stats (shown for the top idol in the screenshot above).

Changes to idol profile view

Several updates have been made to the idol profile UI.

Under the "bonds" tab, idol relationships that you don't know about yet will show up as question marks. (As before, socializing with your idols and asking about the latest gossip can be a good way to find out more about how the group's members are getting along with each other.)

The left and right sides of the UI also have arrows that you can click to switch to the next/previous idol in the group.

Modding changes

To use a mod, you now should place it in the following folder (you may have to create the "Mods" folder if it doesn't already exist):

• Windows PC: C:\Users\*username*\AppData\LocalLow\Glitch Pitch\Idol Manager\Mods\
• Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Glitch Pitch/Idol Manager/Mods/

Old mods (including mods that were broken by the beta 17.5 update) should now work, provided they're moved to the correct folder. (If you encounter any problems or odd behavior when trying to load mods, please stop by the beta community forum to let us know!)

The mod editor page now also includes a download for an example mod ("test mod").  The test mod is listed as a separate download on the page that includes the download links for the Windows and Mac versions of the mod editor, and includes a modified intro dialog as well as showing the use of custom idol portraits.  See the README files for more info.

Bug fixes

• Fixed: multiple lines of text overlapping in the "extras" profile tab
• Fixed: Quitting the game shortly before the awards ceremony caused various bugs during the ceremony after resuming the game.
• Fixed: Hitting the randomize/dice button to select a song name during single creation would sometimes give song names that didn't fit in the allocated amount of characters allowed
• Fixed: Idol profiles would still show relationships with graduated idols

Your feedback, suggestions, and bug reports are what allow us to keep improving Idol Manager, and if you play the beta, we hope that you'll stop by the beta community forum to share your thoughts with us. Thank you all for your support!

Idol Manager beta update #17.5: Odds and ends (and story previews)
over 4 years ago – Thu, Jul 23, 2020 at 11:39:05 PM

Idol Manager Beta 17.5 patch notes:

The latest update for Idol Manager is now live! This update includes some bug fixes and improvements to the game's performance along with some new graphics options. If you joined the beta program by backing the game or buying the game on itch.io, to manually update you can head over to the game's itch.io page to download the latest version.

Improvements:

After staffers max out one of their skills, 25% of experience points they earn for this skill gets added to their other skill

Performance and graphics:

New performance optimizations have been added. How this affects your game will depend on what system you're running on and how big your agency is, but most players should see about a ~30% improvement in FPS.

New (temporary) graphics menu:

A temporary graphics menu has been added, where you can set the resolution, vysnc, and texture quality. (Note: These options will be moved to the main settings menu in the next update.)

If you need a performance boost, especially if you have an agency with lots of idols, you can set texture quality to low and then click "clear cache" in the main menu options to use lower quality idol portraits.

Mods:

• Switched scripting backend from il2cpp to mono - this makes hardcore modding a lot easier
• We're in the process of rewriting how mods work internally - as a result, mods that replace idol or staff sprites won't work properly in this version. They'll work again in the next update; you don't have to change anything.
• Mods: There's a new debug menu for testing dialogues - press F7. Click "Reload files" to update dialogue files without restarting the game.

Bug fixes:

• Fixed: Stylists not earning experience points for their cute/pretty skill
• Fixed: Blurred screen freeze on some machines
• Fixed: Game not starting on some machines
• Fixed: Improved age gap check when two idols start dating

What we've been working on

You might notice that this update looks a bit sparse compared to most (which is why we're calling it update 17.5 instead of version 18). Since the last update, we've been working on a lot of new content and features to the game since the last update related to the game's main narrative. While we usually add new features to the beta as soon as they're ready, we're holding everything related to the main story back until the whole thing is complete so that players can go in fresh and experience the whole story with the pacing we intended, rather than having it slowly trickled out over several months.

That being said, we'd like to give all of you a chance to see some of what what we've been working on, so here's a small peak at some of what we have in store, and introduce you to some of the characters that you'll encounter while playing the main story.

We're not going to cover anything that would be major spoilers, but if you're one of those people who likes to experience things completely fresh and meet characters for the first time while playing the game, feel free to sit this one out.

Main story previews

As you might know if you've been following Idol Manager's development, the game consists both of dynamic semi-random side stories (including scandals that come in the form random events, and substories that follow the smaller conversations that happen inside the agency building), as well as a main narrative. That being said, the main narrative isn't completely linear. While some major events will be common to most playthroughs, there are several different routes leading to several distinct endings. The decisions that you make during (and between) major story events will affect what ending you see. Here are a few of the characters you can expect to encounter along the way.

Rival

If you've played the beta at all, you've already met this shadowy figure:

Your rival is one of the main characters that you'll be interacting with throughout the main story events. (…Erm, what is their name again?)

You're not the only producer in the area who's promoting a new fledgling idol group -- another young upstart has recently undertaken a similar project and she (or he) is going to be keeping a close eye on you to make sure that you don't pull too far ahead. While you might compete against your rival's idol group in the music charts, some of your conflicts will be more direct in nature: the fact that you and your rival are in similar positions means you'll be chasing similar opportunities, and that means you'll be crossing paths from time to time.

That being said, "rival" doesn't have to mean "enemy." As you make choices that affect the path of the story, you may run into chances to make decisions that antagonize them, but you could choose to take a more conciliatory route as well. You can never have too many friends, and that goes for both your personal life and the world of business. (Of course, those two worlds often collide.)

Who knows, your rival might even be able to help you out from time to time, if you're willing to return the favor. Of course, letting your guard down around a potential rival has its risks -- do your best to make sure you're not the one getting stabbed in the back.

Fujimoto

A familiar face that you've already encountered if you've played the beta, Fujimoto is your group's sponsor, and occasionally helps you out during moments early on in the story.

Fujimoto is a man who deals in favors, and he prefers to seal his deals with a handshake than an official contract.

While he has a past that he doesn't talk about too willingly, he seems to have recently turned over a new leaf, and sponsoring an idol group is part of his transition toward turning legit -- at least, a little bit more legitimate than he was before. It's unclear what exactly it is that he's trying to leave behind, but if you spend enough time with him, you might learn a little bit more about his past. He probably won't be revealing any deep dark secrets to someone who's just a business associate, but might be more forthcoming with people he considers to be personal friends. How far you choose to wander down that path of friendship is up to you.

There are definitely perks to being part of Fujimoto's inner circle. That being said, while Fujimoto is willing to lend a helping hand to up-and-coming talent, he doesn't believe in one-sided relationships. When you ask for favors, it's usually customary to ask for something in return.

What exactly is it that Fujimoto wants? That, like many questions, is one that is easier to find an answer to if you're one of his friends.  But who knows: depending on how you play your cards, Fujimoto might end up being the one who's indebted to you.

Aya

Like your rival, Aya is another up-and-comer -- not in the world of entertainment production, but in the world of entertainment reporting.

Equipped with a portable recorder, a wireless microphone, and an intrepid spirit, Aya is willing to go wherever there's a story to be reported -- even if that means ambushing them as they're leaving a recording studio.

In the world of entertainment, the press can make your life harder, or it can make it easier. Aya's always on the prowl for a juicy good story, but sometimes, a story that gets people to pay attention can make your idol group look good -- or make a rival idol group look bad.

While Aya might be on shaky ground when it comes to experience (and journalistic ethics), she makes up for it in ambition. This week it might be blogs and tabloids, but she's looking to move up in the world and make a name for herself. (As the producer of a rising idol group, maybe you can relate.)

One thing's for certain: Aya is a woman with questions, and if you plan to spend much time around her, you'd better be prepared with answers.

Thank you!

Of course, there's a lot more that we could tell you about what's coming in Idol Manager's story, but we don't want to spoil too much. We're still working hard on getting Idol Manager ready for release, and we're looking forward to getting to share the complete story with you when the full game is ready. Hopefully this preview is enough to sate your appetite for now.

Thank you all for supporting Idol Manager!

Idol Manager has a new trailer!
over 4 years ago – Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 11:30:56 PM

Here's the new trailer for Idol Manager that debuted New Game+ Expo:

We're also pleased to announce that Playism will be publishing the game and handling the localization for Idol Manager's Japanese and Chinese language release.

Seeing the response that Idol Manager got during New Game+ Expo served as a reminder of just how far we've come since we started this project, and just how much we owe to you, our Kickstarter backers. Your financial backing enabled us to devote our time and attention to working on the game, and the many of you who have played the beta and given your feedback in the forums have also played an instrumental role in helping us to develop the game as we've tweaked the game, fixed bugs, and added new features. Idol Manager wouldn't be the game it is today without your support.

It's been a long journey, and we look forward to releasing the complete version of Idol Manager later this year. Until then, we'll keep working hard, and thank you all for your continued support!