Devlog 1. Location

Today’s topic is locations.

From the very start of development, the goal was to create several different locations outside parlor that the player could move between. The way this system looked and worked went through several iterations.

Version 1. Rejected
The simplest and most visually appealing option was using location cards. On the screen, there would be beautiful cards representing different locations. This looked good, but scaling became an issue.

If we had around six locations, it would work fine - nice art, easy navigation. But as soon as more locations were added, we’d either need scrolling or spend extra time redrawing the existing layout to fit everything on one screen.
This idea was almost immediately dropped, and the next one went into development.

Version 2. Better
A more functional idea was to create a kind of map. On the screen, there would be individual buildings to travel between, with a blurred city background.

This approach made development easier - buildings could be rearranged or added freely, with different shapes and sizes.
However, visually it didn’t fit well. It stood out too much from the overall style of the game.
So, this version was also rejected.

Version 3. Final
So, should we build a whole city? Yes - build a city.
A simple yet complex decision.
The idea was inspired by those classic play mats with printed city maps.

The city, however, was decided to be made in an isometric style.

This solution has both advantages and disadvantages.
The main drawback is the time required to create or modify the city.
However, visually it gives the best result, and I believe that outweighs the downside.
Here what the current city map looks like

As a bonus, here's what the current location layout looks like. Green - available in first release, others later.