Let's build some houses

[silencer_pl]

Hey folks.

 

Recently Thorondor posted a news about new Prison Architect sim, that I turned down because of looking poor. That thing sprang something inside of me and I wanted to return to other less fortunate building sim.

 

This game came through without even a minor notice, being a low budget game from ElectroGames. Since I like this kind of games (well not every title took my heart) I decided to give it a go.

 

It looks nice - full 3D building sim - works perfectly fine (except those crashes when I forgot to save in crucial moment).

 

The game has 20 missions to complete + a sandbox mode that gives you free reign over won scenario. The only downside of this game is that crews you hire are constant meaning in each game you will probably stick with same persons.

 

I hope that I will interest you at least in "watching" new buildings being created and of course I encourage you to make a plans for next missions yourself thus even making your creation real (in game that is).

 

So let's get started (but first the intro)

 

 

A bit cheesy but with catching tune.

 

Also this might frighten you - because I got it from Topware Interactive that means whole game is localized in Polish and I can't do a thing to make it English (unless provided with English text files), but I will try to translate things for you as much accurate as my technical English allows to.

[silencer_pl]

Mission 1

 

 

Yes each mission has it's own intro

 

 

Our first mission is to create small residential house with minimum 5 apartments. Each floor must be connected with stairs and elevator (even cellar must have elevator connection). Cellar must contain at least 1 room (or whatever it is called). (you might learn polish too by the way )

 

 

Our budget for this project is 800000 credits and we must do it in at least 140 days. Also the life standard, utility and ligthning (or illumination) are just 1 star standing to achieve the goal.

 

 

Next are detailed requirements of the construction such as:

 

-corridor: not in cellar, width at least 4x4 with minimum capacity of 10 squares (4x4 = 16 so I guess it will be always met) and it must connect with both stairs and elevator,

 

-apartments: not in cellar (obvious) width at least 4x4 with 50 squares but not grater than 200, facade wall 20% (don't know what that means as I am not an architect ), must be connection to elevator and stairs and be adjacent to hallway, minimum 5.

 

-balcony: only on higher floors (obvious), adjacent to apartment

 

-cellar hallway: only in cellar (that means -1 floor or deeper), size 4x4 at least and must connect to elevator and stairs

 

-cellar room: size 3x3, minimum 20 squares, minimum 1

 

-entrance: only on ground floor (figures), adjacent to hallway - well technically everything what you expect of an entrance

 

-technical shaft

-chimney or vent (don't know how actually you call those in current buildings)

-roof: can be added on higher floors (if you add roof in floor 1 but you are building 2 floors high building it means that the small fragment will not be available on higher floors - yes I know IRL this is not true but hey this is just a game)

 

 

This is our "playground"

 

 

Before we start building anything we want to design how our "masterpiece" will look like. That is making decision about its foundations, insides, outsides and contents.

 

First the foundation:

 

It will be something of an excavation pit - since we are creating small building it will be enough - there are other techniques but that are better for higher buildings. I might introduce them in other missions.

The depth of this hole will be 1 floor since we only need 1 cellar floor. There is also another option of connection foundations with ground but currently we don't need to use it (nor I don't remember what was it called)

The last option is when there are ground waters in the dig site to drain. Because there is on ground water we don't need those pumps

 

 

Next is the main construction of the building, starting with vertical structure - there are few options - they only differ by the amount and diversity of used materials really. For this building we will use "formed walls?" don't know if it is right translation - you will see what I meant by forms.

 

Second option is horizontal structure same as previous - there are few options that differ by the amount and diversity of used materials. I have chosen concrete beams with prefabricated panels.

 

Third option is endurance: options are 5 or 10 floors - guess which one I took

 

Fourth options are walls: My choice was Full panels

 

Last option is housing or casing: prefabricated panels

 

 

Next is the exterior of building

 

Fa

[silencer_pl]

Having decided how our building will be constructed now we can arrange interior:

 

First the hallway:

 

The first option is internal doors (if I will add walls to separate hallways those kind of doors will be applied): I have chosen double glassed since it improved lightning / illumination rating

 

Second option - electrical installation - options are normal and reduced I'll give you a guess what I have chosen

Third option is heating - there are 4 kinds of heating - electrical, gas, heating on the ground and heating on the ceiling. I have chosen electrical since it doesn't boost a thing - also using the 2 last ones means more stuff must be applied.

 

Fourth option: sewerage or mains - since it is a hallway there is no option to use it

Fifth option is what will be applied for the ground - there are few options - covering, plastic, panelling, terracotta + you can choose the pattern (plastic doesn't have one)

Sixth option is same for walls - I've chosen wallpaper

Seventh option is security system.

 

 

Next is the balcony - same options all off them are disabled except for doors

 

 

Next is the cellar hallway - same options - doors will be of metal and floor and wall will be painted

 

 

Next is the cellar room - options don't change - metal doors, linoleum on floor, walls will be painted

 

 

And finally we have apartments

 

Double wooden doors, floor heating, upgraded sewerage / mains that enables kitchen and bathroom ( the other option is just for kitchen only I think). Parquet will be used on floor, painted walls and basic alarm system.

 

So as you can see a pretty nice apartments

 

 

Of course there must be an option to adjust the roof - but I can't choose anything there

 

 

 

So having that settled now I can arrange it into a "blueprint" for our workers to do their job.

 

This is our foundation:

 

 

(note: the lines on the right are the connection of sewers and electrical power)

 

This how will -1 floor be arranged

 

 

Ground floor:

 

 

First floor:

 

 

And the roof:

 

 

(note - once you finish planing you can't go back - so if you will screw something and accept it then you can only jump out of window and press load button (providing you did save)).

[silencer_pl]

So, now we can begin the real work here - grab that shovel and start digging boys....

 

So I prepare the basic needs for working construction site. In the foremost top-left corner I attached basic stuff like water, phone, water drainage and electricity installations. Three (yellow) storehouses, two (grey) offices, one (green) meeting room, one (brown) dinning room, and one (blue on the right side) garage. Also 3 waste containers. On the left I marked field for ground and on the right side is the field for materials that will be used. The fields on the middle are delivery spots.

 

 

Next we rent small crane. Small crane is good enough for up to 10 floor high building but it has limited coverage (see picture) but for our small site it is enough to cover everything we need.

 

 

Next we hire two drivers. Workers are divided into 6 categories with 3 levels of experience.

 

Drivers, Welders, masons, carpenters, technician and interior decorators. Their experience levels are - practician (0 stars), journeyman (1 star), master (2 stars). Each team must have at least team leader and it is obvious that the best experienced in team should be leader but each worker has its traits - for example someone likes working with other, some don't, some take extra care on details but team works slower - such kind of stuff.

 

There is also morale for current team - but that later.

 

 

So having drivers of course we need vehicles. Because this is basic dig site we need only power shovel and dumper.

 

 

We assign our first team to do the hard work and we order stuff that we will need for our construction such as reinforcements, prefabricated stuff, isolation, scaffolding, forms and other stuff.

 

 

After a week of hard work (yeah how long does it have to take to dig such a small hole ).

 

 

We need a third machine - a compactor (this is the name of the vehicle I managed to get from English version but as you can see it is rather a ground roller)

 

 

Also we can hire some masons

 

 

The ground is ready. Masons can now get to work. Also we don't need the compactor any more

 

 

Ground reinforcements ready - now concrete will be placed

 

 

Concrete placed - now our building can take form.

 

 

Those are the forms I was talking about - if they are called different please let me know

 

 

 

Now it is time for isolation

 

 

Inner walls

 

 

 

Now we can hire technician but because I am a noob I hired carpenters first.

 

 

You probably notice that orange face in one of the workers - that is the morale indicator. The lower the morale the worse worker performs. So in order to rise morale we either rise salary (but that gives small benefit and should be used as last resort). There is second option - we added bonuses for the team. The bonuses can help motivate workers, increase their security, increase the quality of work, call meetings to increase efficiency for small time.

For this team I gave them - supply of fresh water (+ motivation, + created waste), pizza (++ motivation, + created waste ( food bonuses can't be applied together for example pizza and sandwiches), worker gloves (+ security, - created waste), construction plans (+ quality of work), safety boots (+ security).

 

 

And as you can see our carpenters headsman is fully motivated

 

 

But we need technicians

 

 

Masons continue their work and technicians added lift shaft and stairs. Also because masons finished their work on -1 floor they added scaffolding to work on the ground floor

 

 

[silencer_pl]

Of course I can't think of every possible item I need so the need for plasterboards appeared so I order amount that should be enough for whole project.

 

 

Of course accidents happens and one of our carpenters struck herself in a finger with a hammer and will be out for 3 days (but I gave them protective gloves )

 

 

Ground floor update:

 

 

-1 floor is complete - it only needs finishing touch.

 

 

So I hire interior decorators

 

 

Bleh another accident. 3 days absence.

 

 

And again she used the hammer not how it should be. i begin to see the pattern why women shouldn't be hired as construction workers - they hurt their fingers even in protective gloves

 

 

Our cellar is completed

 

 

Ground floor update:

 

 

Mason work done on ground floor, now the hole can be filled with sand, the scaffolding was taken down and all workers take rest (bleh I hate unproductive moments).

 

 

 

That's done we will not need the drivers nor the machines. Note firing workers costs you their weekly salary.

 

 

Ground heating being installed

 

 

And our first floor begins to take shape

 

 

Roof being completed

 

 

And our first floor needs finishing touch

 

 

After hard work our masterpiece is finally finished - just added few things on the outside

 

 

We finished the projects 3 months and 10 days earlier than was expected and we saved 179600 credits thus earning 900 project points. Project points are used to hire better assistants.

 

[silencer_pl]

Mission 2

 

In this mission we must build small hotel. Hotel must contain at least 12 rooms, office, reception and kitchen on the ground floor.

 

 

Our budget for this project is 1750000 credits and we have 180 days to finish it. Only acoustic standard must be better than in previous one.

 

 

Spacing and construction requirements are mostly the same but there are few additions. There is laundry in cellar at least 3x3 with at least 25 squares, storehouse same setting.

Reception: 5x5 with 30 squares, ground floor only

Office: 3x3 with 12 squares, ground floor only

Restaurant: 6x6 with 40 squares, ground floor only

Kitchen: 3x3 with 12 squares, ground floor only

Toilet: 3x3 with 9 squares but not bigger than 100, ground floor only

Clothes store: 3x3 with 9 squares

Hotel room: 4x4 with 20 squares but not bigger than 150, need 10 (but the main info said 12 - wut?)

 

 

 

So maybe some off you would like to design the hotel and we will see how it will be created?

You can use ASCII code here - or if want you can draw it on piece of paper and scan it here. Will be waiting till end of Friday for any offers.

[Thorondor]

Build it and they shall come!

 

 

Your first masterpiece doesn't look bad at all, silencer. Too bad it's near a gas station (alien hazzard), or I might even buy one of the apartments from you.

 

I don't think I've ever heard of this little game before either, which isn't too surprising given it's not even translated into English.

 

::

 

So maybe some off you would like to design the hotel and we will see how it will be created?

You can use ASCII code here - or if want you can draw it on piece of paper and scan it here.

Errrm, sorry, I seem to have had a few issues with a hammer here, and someone has to help the careless ladies you know...

[silencer_pl]

Thx Thorondor at least you tried

 

Yes the game just flew buy without any echo, yet I find it as a good game, though more options would be welcome because for example I can't build a house like you see on the right or the left which is shame.

 

Also I made a mistake Elektro games is more of a publisher - the real developer is Creative Patterns, which is by the looks very small company and this game is their only PC game

 

Creative Patterns

[silencer_pl]

So you lazy sod. Time to build that hotel.

 

 

No I don't have any idea in what way the characters are connected.

 

In this scenario I will show the other techniques of foundation laying.

 

Our foundation type will be Crevice wall with addition of bearing piles. No ground waters here too.

 

 

Also I will this time use one of the other types of construction. The structure will be based on steel beams and compressed plates. Walls will be made of panels and the casing will be curtain of the ark (direct google translation )

 

 

Exterior will be covered with gravel and windows will have metal borders. While ground floor will be covered with mosaic and windows will have bars.

 

 

Now the interior.

 

Balcony will have double glass doors

 

 

Hallway will also have double glass doors, normal electrical installation, gas type heating, on the floor will be put linoleum and walls will be covered with marble. Also we use advanced security system there is.

 

 

Cellar hallway:

 

Metal doors, normal electrical installation, and painted floor and wall.

 

 

Reception:

 

Double glass doors (do you see the pattern here?), normal electrical installation, the other type of ground heating but as you see it is put on the celling. Walls and floor will be covered with marble and no thief will have easy time.

 

 

Restaurant:

 

Double wooden doors, heating and installation as always the same as the rest, floor will have floor panels but wall have plastic. Security will be lass advanced.

 

 

Toilets:

 

Double wooden doors, walls and floor will be covered with terracotta.

 

 

Laundry room:

 

 

Store room:

 

 

Cellar:

 

 

Kitchen:

 

Kitchen has electrical installation under the floor

 

 

Lingerie store:

 

 

Hotel room:

 

 

Office:

 

 

And roof:

 

[silencer_pl]

Having our designs ready, it's time for some blueprints.

 

Our Hotel will have cross shape:

 

 

Those are the plans for basement:

 

 

Ground floor:

 

 

First floor:

 

 

Second floor:

 

 

Roof:

 

 

The blueprints are ready time to prepare our construction site. Because the area is quite bigger than the last one I must use bigger crane

 

 

Now the place is set it is time to hire workers and rent some vehicles:

 

 

We will need 4 total vehicles but now we will rent 3 for now:

 

The new cable shovel (english version name though direct from polish it would be excavator line), power shovel and dumper.

 

 

Also I hire same drivers as of the last mission and add them some sandwiches that boost their working speed.

 

 

While they are making hole in the ground I order some basic stuff that will be needed in the construction.

 

Also this foundation technique requires masons to start working on the dug terrain. Because I am fairly inexperienced I should have hired only 1 but bleh - let them have some money.

 

 

Halfway through the first stage

 

 

Now the power shovel can make propel hole. The difference in this technique is that there is no waste time spent after the ground floor will be finished like you saw on the previous mission, though I think it takes more time to prepare the ground but you have less workers so less money used.

 

 

Also because we used support beams we need to rent Pile driver and also a compactor to flatten the ground.

 

 

 

After the masons prepared the ground now it is time to hire some welders for that steel beams construction.

 

[silencer_pl]

The construction goes as planned, we can now go above the ground

 

 

Ground floor decorated:

 

 

First floor after completion

 

 

 

Second floor in the works:

 

 

And our hotel is finally finished. I failed at some point and went over the budget but I managed to get on time at least.

 

 

Also after this I have realized that there are bad translations and I was strangely missing the pavement segment... Well those 2 blocks on the left and right side are the pavement though the translation says that it is a recreation field.... bah next time I will use it properly

 

Because I went over budget I got less point thus this meagre 200 construction points thus total of 1100 points and I can use other assistants (for more money no less).

 

[silencer_pl]

Mission 3

 

Now we will be building small office building. Each office should be separated from others also common and functional areas should be kept at minimum

 

 

Requirements are minimal for quality. Our budget is bigger: 2000000 credits and we have 250 days (wow that long?)

 

 

We will have to make 8 offices and here are the following areas that will be used:

 

 

My offer still stand I will wait till the end of the day - maybe someone will find courage to make plans for this nice building.

[silencer_pl]

New office building coming right up.

 

But first...

 

 

I begin to understand those (I think)

 

 

So... During those 2 missions I managed to accumulate enough points to "unlock" better assistant - She will help our workers to be more safer and it works - providing you give enough safety bonuses I haven't witnessed any accident.

 

 

The founding will be the same as in previous one except I will not use beam support. Notice the blue area? That is the the ground water If I would have to have 3 stories of basement.

 

 

The construction will be base again on steel support as it allows me to use Glass casing - in this case glass with acoustic insulation.

 

 

I bet you wonder why I could choose the outer elements if I am using glass as a wall. Well If you add a balcony then you will have to paint it - don't know if glass should be used too, but I never saw glass building with balconies.

 

 

Now the interiors:

 

Balcony:

 

 

Hallway - everything is used as from previous missions so nothing new is added except maybe different combination

 

 

Cellar hallway:

 

 

Reception

 

 

Cellar:

 

 

Office (I could make many versions of offices and name them for example Thorondor Office, but... maybe other time):

 

 

Roof:

 

[silencer_pl]

So now the blueprints. The office will have a look of a donut (well sort off).

 

Basement:

 

 

Ground floor:

 

 

First floor:

 

 

Second floor:

 

 

Roof:

 

 

And so the building may commence. I don't know why the allow me to use the crane in the middle, since when the building will be done there is no way it would be extracted but hey, this is just a game.

 

 

 

The same process like everyone else - hire drivers and machines, hire mason, wait a week, hire welders, technicians, carpenters and wait for results

 

 

 

A weird bug found when you use plastic floor well this thing happens (on the right office floor)

 

 

 

 

Looks all nice...

 

 

 

But... I went over budget and the building is not quite finished yet. Bleh never do fancy stuff on the early stage...

 

 

 

Now the surroundings do look quite better right ?

 

 

And I have managed to score 300 points though

 

[silencer_pl]

Mission 4

 

This time we will be building a small bank, so yeah the intermissions are somewhat related to what will be build now or next.

 

The instruction says the bank must be secured. Naturally.

 

 

Usefulness must be second grade.

 

 

And areas that we will use:

 

Traditionally, elevator and stairs, cellar. New rooms are waiting room, personnel room, secured passage, the place where you are taken care off (sorry no clue how is that named in english) and of course safe.

 

 

 

So the intermission

 

 

Let's get started...

 

As in my standard the foundations will be the same as always

 

 

This time we will use reinforced concrete as the base of our building.

 

 

And raw plaster as outer coverage with bared windows

 

 

Basement nothing excitement

 

 

Personnel hallway a little bit showy with mosaic floor and marble wall with small hint of security

 

 

Hallway also for show with advanced security

 

 

Secured area:

 

 

Safe area:

 

 

The cash register(?) place ?

 

 

Offices

 

[silencer_pl]

Now the "blueprints"

 

Basement:

 

 

Ground floor:

 

 

Office floor:

 

 

I wanted to try making this building in $ shape but not enough space to do it .

 

So our construction place is set:

 

 

We of course hire drivers, machines, masons then we order stuff, hire more persons and the work goes on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time I managed to stay in the budget and of course 2 months before schedule.

 

 

A nice bank. Now your money can be safe.

 

We earned 700 points

 

[Space Voyager]

I admit this game looks interesting. So it is not all about blueprints as one would expect... You actually need to build them well, on budget and on time! Nothing like I've ever seen before.

[silencer_pl]

Though it isn't that much detailed as in real life but it gets you enough knowledge to understand how things go.

[silencer_pl]

Mission 5

 

 

This round gave me so many crashes that I had to take a break

 

 

In this mission we are going to build a Dorm house.

 

 

 

Expectations aren't still high.

 

 

 

The construction will have standard places:

 

 

Dorm rooms, basement, janitor office, toilets, common-room, bar or buffet.

 

 

 

 

Intermission time

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pCq8aLElaXs

 

Before we do anything it's time to change our architect advisor. She will increase the quality of projects.

 

 

Foundations as always be the same

 

 

Construction will be base on formed walls and concrete.

 

 

Decoration will be paint and grated windows.

 

 

Hallway will be covered in linoleum and wallpaper.

 

 

Basement will be raw

 

 

Common-room will have carpet covering and wallpaper

 

 

Bar / buffet

 

 

Toilet.

 

 

Cellar.

 

 

Dorm room

 

 

Kitchen

 

 

Showers

 

 

Janitors office

 

[silencer_pl]

Let's now make some plans

 

Because there have to be 30 rooms (if I recall right) so my spacing is very tight. A simple rectangular construction will have to be.

 

So let's begin - basement:

 

 

<I somewhere missed the ground floor>

 

First floor

 

 

Second floor

 

 

We have plenty of time and cash to do this. So we do it properly. Starting traditionally with two drivers and a mason.

 

Basement and first floor under construction

 

 

 

Basement ready

 

 

First floor - work in progress

 

 

Ground floor finished

 

 

Second floor

 

 

 

Roof

 

 

And the finished building. Don't forget the statue to honour our great Thorndor.

 

 

We made it way before the schedule and saved a lot of money. 1100 points earned in this construction

 

[silencer_pl]

Fixed the broken post.