WT: Thrift Tycoon Devlog - 001

By A.A. Lopez

Introduction

    I don’t really play many mobile games; actually, the only ones I play are chess and a crossword game. But seeing the success and replayability of match-3 games such as Candy Crush or even Magic: The Gathering PuzzleQuest, I’m intrigued by attempting to create my own.

    Taking inspiration from my own mother’s recent obsession with watching thrift Etsy resale and YouTube videos, I figured that would be the baseline for the game. A match-3, crafting, resource managing, decorating game. It’s a bit ambitious in scope, I’ll admit, but the challenge of it is pretty fun for what it is. And as someone who enjoys games like Alchemy2 and Minecraft, there’s a certain dopamine I’ll get from creating something along those lines, or similar.

Gameplay

    The basic idea for the gameplay would be as follows:

• Starting on an 8x8 grid, 3-5 different items of various item types will be displayed, with differing rarity amounts based on the item type.

  • Item Types would be:

    • Non-Item – Super Common (95% drop rate)

    • Junk Item – Common (80% drop rate)

    • Threads – Common (80% drop rate)

    • Fabrics – Uncommon (50% drop rate)

    • Materials – Ultra Uncommon (35% drop rate)

    • Furniture – Rare (15% drop rate)

    • Clothes – Rare (15% drop rate)

    • Shoes – Super Rare (10% drop rate)

    • Accessories – Super Super Rare (5% drop rate)

  • Each item type will also be flavored to a different item you might find in a thrift store, like a non-item might be a hanger, a junk item might be a teddy bear, fabrics could be blankets or shirts, etc.

• Players will move adjacent items to get a 3+ match vertically, horizontally, or diagonally

• Once a player gets a match, they will get the item they matched, though depending on the higher rarity, it will have a lower chance of being the exact item and might end up being the items that make it in the crafting area

• Each item that the player gets can be crafted or sold, so even if they fill their inventory, they are still able to have some use.

• Recipes for items are as follows (Will be updated for balance and flavor in the future):

  • 1 Non-Item = 1 Junk Item

  • 1 Junk Item = 50% of 1 Thread or 1 Fabric

  • 3 Threads = 1 Fabric

  • 4 Fabrics = 1 Materials

  • 2 Fabrics + 2 Threads = 1 Clothes

  • 1 Materials + 3 Fabrics + 3 Threads = 5 Clothes

  • 5 Materials + 4 Fabrics + 3 Threads = 1 Furniture

  • 2 Materials + 10 Fabrics = 1 Shoe

  • 3 Fabrics + 3 Materials + 3 Threads + 1 Furniture = 1 Accessory

• As players fill their inventory at higher levels, instead of moving adjacent items, they can choose to swap out an item with one in their inventory. This ability will have a cool-down time based on its rarity and level.

• Each level will be completed by completing several task types

  • A player gets a score equal to the level times 1000 (level 1 = 1000 points, level 2 = 2000 points, …)

  • Gets a set amount of rare items

  • Gets a certain number of items within a timeframe

• As players level up and purchase items, they can choose either to use those items in the match portion or they purchase items to decorate their shop

    As it stands, while this is still in its nascent stage, the foundations for this game are there. Not only that, but the logic is taking hold on the backend as well.

Proof of Concept

    While I still flesh out the ideas and the mechanics of the game itself, I wanted to ensure that the logic and actual code of the game work and does as I intend it to. Using Python CLI before going into Godot 4 for the final product, I have a working version of the match logic. In place of the items, we’re using the letters A through E to represent them, on a grid of 0 to 7 on both the y and x axes. To move items around, a player inputs the coordinates of both “items” and then the grid is swapped, the matches are noted, then they are deleted and replaced (or cascaded).

    In the following video, you’ll see me play a quick game with two instances. While not graphically engaging, it still shows that the logic is sound.

Closing

    I’ll be honest here, namely cause no one ever gets to the last few paragraphs. When I started to look at this game, I figured it would be a get-rich-quick scheme, clone something that’s just been shown over and over again, and just make a quick buck. But that’s just not really who I am. Even if a project starts out like that, I can’t help but like the thing I’m working on.

    Maybe it’s integrity, maybe it’s being a fool. Each time, it just becomes something that I want or feel that I need to do. And if this is just a flash in the pan, cool, then I can wash my hands of this, but if the chance people like it, I will be so dang proud.

    For now, this is just one of many projects that I’ll be working on for the rest of this year. I hope to update you more and more on this title. See you soon.