Tavern Manager is a neat fantasy simulator video game, under development by One More Time. The game allows players to run a tavern by completely revamping all of its aspects. Players have complete control over how to build a perfect tavern, from small repairs to expanding the venture to new heights. You will be able to achieve a very relaxing cooking simulation experience while also pouring beers into large mugs for the customers.
Apart from cooking, as a tavern manager, you must also clean the surroundings to welcome new customers and meet all kinds of expectations. With so much more to explore and the game release just around the corner, the community is excited to get the whole experience. But before that, we contacted Ivan, the game producer, to provide more details about the game’s inspiration and the major challenges involved during development.
Ivan: My name is Ivan, and I am the producer for the game Tavern Manager Simulator. We are a small indie studio, and this is our first project.
Ivan: Lately, we have been drawn to games that allow us to relax while playing. After work, it’s nice to immerse oneself in an engaging world without the high stakes of saving the universe. That’s why we chose a genre we often play ourselves for our first game.
The fantasy tavern setting was not chosen by chance. We love meeting friends in cozy bars and hope we have been able to convey that atmosphere in the game.
Ivan: Our motto is that playing should be fun. This is what we focused on in the game. Every time the player is about to get bored, we introduce a new mechanic that adds variety to the gameplay.
Later on, when the player becomes familiar with the main mechanics, they get fairy helpers to manage. These helpers can be assigned to various stations in the kitchen or to serve guests.
This way, the player has the opportunity to adjust the game’s difficulty and choose the most interesting mechanics for themselves.
Ivan: The goal of the game is to turn an abandoned little place into a thriving tavern. Players have all the necessary tools to achieve this.
They will be able to expand the tavern’s space, even building a second floor and a stage for bards. Players can arrange tables and furniture in the most convenient order to serve the maximum number of guests.
Additionally, they can decorate the tavern to their liking with various decorations. Besides the tavern itself, players can also develop the surrounding area. For example, they can open a stable.
Ivan: By completing tasks and orders in the game, the player accumulates the Tavern’s reputation and earns coins. Upon reaching the required amount of reputation, the player can purchase a new level for the Tavern.
Upgrades unlock new mechanics and decorations and expand the Tavern itself, allowing it to accommodate more guests, earn more coins, and gain more reputation.
We decided to design the game based on the principle of “reward, not punish.” If a player fulfills an order perfectly, they will receive additional tips, and if not, they will lose nothing.
In any case, the player will be able to unlock all the content in the game regardless of their play style.
Ivan: We didn’t immediately arrive at the mechanics that are currently in the game. It required extensive prototyping and reworking of various elements. It was important for us that the mini-games be simple yet deep and not become tedious for players.
Ivan: In addition to regular visitors, the player can encounter unique ones. These NPCs have special roles, and the player will need to find the right approach to earn maximum reputation from them.
For example, the Critic only eats dishes of the highest quality. If you serve him a dish of lower quality, he will leave and give your Tavern a negative review.
The Traveler is always in a hurry, so he needs to be served as quickly as possible, and so on.
As the game progresses, new characters will be introduced who will visit the player’s tavern.
In the future, we plan to add more such NPCs.
Ivan: To diversify the gameplay, we added random events that temporarily change the game rules and familiar processes. For example, during a Soup Festival, all visitors order only soup, and the player needs to adapt.
Currently, the game features several such events. In the future, we plan to create a full system that automatically combines different modifiers, making events more diverse and unpredictable.
Ivan: The demo festival helped us gather valuable feedback. We not only fixed technical bugs but also improved gameplay. We adjusted the balance, redesigned some locations for convenience, restructured the quest order, and made the early game tutorial more detailed.
We plan to support the game for a long time and regularly release updates. Our goal is to make the gaming experience as enjoyable as possible, so we carefully monitor player feedback and suggestions. Additionally, we aim to enrich the game by adding new features: additional mechanics, secret locations, and new decorations for the tavern.
Ivan: Recently, there has been a significant increase in games within this genre. Now, you can find simulators for almost any profession. Cooperative modes are increasingly being added to such games so that players can enjoy them with friends. We believe that the future lies in unconventional settings and deeper gameplay, where players can interact more actively with the world.
Ivan: The most challenging aspect of developing games in this genre is finding the balance of difficulty. If a game is too easy, it quickly becomes boring. If the mechanics are too complex, players may not want to figure them out.
The best way to find the perfect balance is through feedback from real players. Playtests and demos excel at this task.
Ivan: We are currently actively preparing for the game release in August. We are addressing the final issues and making improvements to gameplay based on player feedback. Additionally, we are developing a post-release support plan to make the game even more engaging
Tavern Manager Simulator is an upcoming 3D simulator video game, currently under development by One More Time. The game is planned for release on August 5, 2024 for PC.
Good job! Please give your positive feedback 😏
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 💡
From writing short stories in his room to finding true enthusiasm for video game and computer hardware journalism, Huzaifa plays video games and write all the latest and greatest news about them. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science, he dives deep into the news, authenticating every tiny detail to serve his audience. When he’s not breaking news, he becomes a master storyteller, conjuring up captivating tales from the depths of his imagination. With a wealth of experience as a Video Game Journalist. He has also worked with Publishers like eXputer, The Nerd Mag and Gamesual making him an expert in Gaming News Industry.
