Poster: A snowHead
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There's a new PC game currently under development (edit: it might not actually be new) called Snowtopia, where you can design your own ski area (lifts, runs). Another snowHead has mentioned it briefly elsewhere, but I thought it deserved its own topic. I've no connection to the game.
The Open Alpha version is free and available to download at https://www.playsnowtopia.com/ and I think it's pretty good, at least for a freebie in the early stages of development. If you try it, would be interested to know what you think!
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In particular I found the landscapes quite thoughtfully designed. Peaks, valleys, resorts etc. were in sensible places, allowing you to design an interesting ski area. The lift / piste building process is quite slick, with the helpful option to add contours to the map.
A few annoyances:
- as the game progressed, it got quite difficult to get all the guests to use all the available terrain, with some lifts / pistes staying quite busy. A bit like real life
- if you replace a lift, you often have to redesign all the pistes it serves, as they no longer "connect" to the new lift
- not enough staff to run lifts at full speed. Although staff numbers increase as visitor numbers / satisfaction go up.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds interesting, I'll download it when I dust off my pc, I've not needed it since bringing my work laptop home.
I always enjoy reading the comments, 'snowcats omg!', and the developers seem very resistant to making it about economic management, they are French after all. So how are you constrained?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Where it is simulating? Alta? Not one snowboarder.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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An idealised scenario obviously.
Maybe this project has genuine social value, designing a winter sports resort where boarders and skiers could live together in perfect harmony, like in that Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder song
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just an update to this thread from last year, looks like Snowtopia is now out in early release on Steam. On sale until 2 Feb, for less than £20. If you're seriously climbing the walls during lockdown, it looks like it might be fun (I've only played around with it very briefly when @denfinella mentioned it last spring).
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You can actually watch the developer play the game if you follow the original link and then go through to the steam website. Looks fun.
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I purchased it this morning, after watching a YouTube video last night.
Turns out its only for PC and i'm on a Mac! Hoping to dig an old laptop out and see if I can get that working again, but it's not been used for nigh on 10 years...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The alpha is worth a go and has also been improved slightly since I first posted in April 2020.
As for the early release version which costs money: from various comments it sounds like it still has quite a few bugs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Having read this earlier, I decided to download and try it, (alpha version).
It's a bit fiddly on a small screen (13.5in) tablet, and probably needs a bit more RAM than I've got. It was a bit slow occasionally.
It gets easier as you get used to navigating your way round with the keys. - deleted the first half dozen games and started again. but can see how you can easily pass a few hours with it. Half the challenge is to keep adding facilities fast enough to keep up with the increasing number of visitors to maintain a decent satisfaction rating.
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Just played the demo/alpha version and it was a lot of fun, a bit like Rollercoaster Tycoon if anyone ever played that.
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