Good day to you!

Wouldn't it be great to preview an experimental branch for our huge EA 0.9 update? If you said yes, then good news...here it is!

The complete patch notes will be included when EA 0.9 is ready for its full release, but for now, here are the changes in EA 0.9.

Please notice: This version is unstable, unoptimized and might contain game-breaking bugs which may destroy your savegame. The branch will be updated frequently as we squeeze bugs.

Similar to how we handled EA 0.8's preview branch, all progress/savegame will be retained once this testing period is over (assuming no major bugs are found - remember to make back up saves!) and your savegames will continue on through the full 0.9 release!

This is an opportunity to help us find bugs and get some early insight into the development of our next update. The experimental/preview version of the game is not simply a way to play the new update earlier.

Please don't leave us negative reviews based on your experience with the experimental branch, thank you! ❤️

There's a LOT of new stuff in this update, so let's walk through it all!

Brand New Tutorial

First up - we have a brand-new tutorial! For the most part, it should feel similar, but heavily upgrade. Several items were missing from the previous tutorial like Health Insurance and Headhunters, so we made sure to add those.

Plus, many of you have expressed that you don't want to have to create the same two stores every time you do the story mode, so now the tutorial allows you to start any wholesaler business and dynamically adjust the tasks based on what store you set up!

You might also notice we got a new Uncle Fred voice actor as well! Unfortunately, our amazing, original Uncle Fred actor, Mike McKay, has passed away, so now we welcome our new voice actor who has stepped up to fill his shoes, the impressive Jeff Pillars

There are also some new "side quests" that pop up, based on what's happening in the game - like the first time a rival starts fighting you, Uncle Fred lets you know what's going on!

This new tutorial is ready to guide you through the latest and greatest version of Big Ambitions!

New Starter Delivery Job

Speaking of side jobs - we have a new starter job! For those who love the classics, you can still work at El Gato, but now you can spice it up with a new job option: the delivery driver!

Scattered around the city are vans that have deliveries waiting to go. These vans locations have a toggle in Voogle Maps to help you find them.

Once you take one of these delivery jobs, a timer starts ticking down for you to deliver items to three locations. Quickly make all three deliveries to earn your payday, but try not to damage the van - they'll deduct that from your earnings!

Upon returning the delivery van, you'll get paid for your services plus any tips from generous customers. Remember, faster deliveries can potentially earn more tips, so try to make the deliveries quickly!

Industry City

Speaking of driving around - remember that bridge that's been teasing "Opening Soon"? Well, that bridge is finally open and ready for you to venture across! What lays on the other side? Industry City!

It's a whole new neighborhood for you to take over, build your factories and dominate the market!

Industry City brings 6 new warehouse sizes (P1, P2, P3, Q1, Q2, Q3), which are great for creating factories:

New and Relocated Businesses

Okay along with these Industry City changes, some businesses have moved, so here's a handy guide to what's new and relocated!

• Titans of Industry Supply is a new wholesaler in Industry City

• Stonegood Architecture is a new Interior Installation Firm in Industry City that now handles warehouse and factory blueprints.

  • You should now find some basic, default factory blueprints at the installation firm

  • Kristian Bahood continues to handle retail blueprints from their original location in Hell's Kitchen

• Factory Supply Depot has moved to Industry City

• US General Trucks has moved to Industry City

• The Truck Repair garage (previously a garage hidden near US General Trucks) has also gotten a major facelift in Industry City and become a full truck gas station, IC Truckers.

• There is a new clinic in Industry City.

  • This new clinic can't perform any Hospital surgeries, but at least you won't end up in Midtown after you pass out!

• Metro Wholesaler has moved up to Hell's Kitchen

  • ⚠️ Note: If you had a residence in the rarely used, 18 1st St, unfortunately, you have been evicted, but you should receive an in-game refund for any items in that location!

• StockCo is a new wholesaler in Midtown.

  • Have you noticed that blocked off ramp on 2nd Ave? Well, that's been opened up, and we've added a wholesaler

• There is also a new subway location in Lower Manhattan and a few locations in Industry City!

Blueprint Creator

Now for a highly requested feature to help you conquer NYC. While our goal with the game is a bit of immersion, many of you have asked for an easier way to build your new stores without having to run to the store 50 times! Well we think you'll love this new feature.

The Blueprint Creator is here to save the day! Quickly drop all the items you want for your store, and arrange them to set up your perfect layout.

New tools like the "duplicate" tool can copy an item with all of its attachments in one click - set up a desk with a chair, computer, mousepad, and everything you need, click the duplicate tool, hold shift and copy that full workstation with ease!

Now you can make new layouts faster than ever! Once you're done just head over to the Interior Installation Firms and install your blueprints into your businesses.

While we were in there, we fixed a few other little things about blueprints:

• You can preview your custom blueprints in the Interior Installation Firm preview kiosk!

• If you subscribe to a blueprint on Steam, the game will now recognize it in your library without having to redownload it in game

• You can now edit your blueprints and reupload them to Steam without needing to create a new Steam Workshop entry - allowing you to add new features to your existing blueprints!

Bathrooms

Speaking of adding new features, that segues us to bathrooms! Don't worry - we didn't add a bladder meter to your character! This is for customers and employees, because they don't complain enough yet!

In retail stores, customers will complain and your customer service score will go down if you don't have bathrooms. And in offices, bathrooms will now be required based on the building size.

⚠️ Note: If you load an existing save, offices will now require bathrooms or they won't earn money. To help ease this transition, you will find toilets and sinks in your office's "Delivery Spot" waiting for you!

But just because bathrooms aren't required for your character, doesn't mean you can't use still them! Put a sink and toilet in your apartment, and buy yourself a shower! Your character will get a happiness boost from your good hygiene habits.

Plus, our art team added some bathroom decorations you can use as home decor!

New Progression Update

Okay, but why is this update called "The Struggle" and what is a "Progression Update"? Great questions - let's dive in!

It's no secret that you could previously start the game and be making millions if you create the right store in the right neighborhood. Well, now you can still do that, but it's going to be a bit more of a challenge to get to that point. You'll need to "progress" through a bit more "struggles" to get there.

To help balance this, though, "Easy" difficulty now adds a nice free boost of customers to your default traffic, and "Normal" adds a small boost as well!

Item Availability

The biggest change is what items are available from wholesalers and importers.

All wholesalers now sell the same items and can provide inventory for:

• Fast Food

• Coffee Shop

• Fruit and Vegetable Store

• Supermarket

• Florist

• Hairdresser

• Cheap Gifts

Each importer sells paper bags, sodas, and a unique selection of items. Importers can provide inventory for:

• Bookstores

• Liquor Stores

• Nightclubs

• Cheap Jewelry

• Headphones / Earbuds

• Cheap Clothing

And you will need a factory for the most profitable items:

• Expensive Jewelry

• Expensive Clothing

• Smartphones

• Smartwatches

Wholesaler and Importer Deliveries

Wholesaler and importer deliveries have had some updates as well.

• Both importers and wholesalers now deliver in units instead of boxes since box sizes are different for each item

• You can quickly see how much of an item you have sold and how much you ordered last week

• No more "minimum order amount" - you can order 1 paper bag if you want!

• You can now manually toggle "Smart Delivery" on or off

• Deliveries happen once per week now on Monday morning, 08:00

• Items now have a weekly ordering limit, but this is per location, so you can make separate orders from different wholesalers or importers

Warehouse Deliveries Van

The original van was in serious need of rebalancing, and it has been replaced with a new (more expensive) delivery van, the Mersaidi Dash.

You'll still find the original van being used by the delivery job, so it hasn't been removed completely, but you won't be able to purchase it any longer!

Expenses

You might have noticed that rent is incredibly cheap - especially with no utility costs or upkeep! That has been increased a bit, especially for things like warehouses, making it a bit more of a jump to start using importers!

Additionally, a few more business courses have been added to the "Manhattan Business School" that you will have to complete and pay for all the way up to factories!

Economy

Rivals and Market Events have gotten a little bit of an upgrade as well and should be a little more dynamic and reactive to your actions.

Rivals

For instance - you should now notice a distinct difference between the income of the rivals. The lowest earning rivals only use wholesaler stores, while some larger rivals use importers and wholesalers. And, of course, the special rivals are the top earners, selling everything they make from their own factories!

Rivals should also now close their businesses more logically - if their business is doing well, they shouldn't randomly shut it down, and if you've driven their business to being unprofitable, they will shut it down and focus on the ones earning them money!

And finally, the rival income has been balanced to be more in-line with what players can earn as well! Rivals should no longer be earning more than the player can make at the same store.

Market Events

Market events are now more dynamic as well, so you'll have to watch your inventory!

The first time a new product is added to a neighborhood, that product should go on "Hype", increasing sales for a week. However, items that go on "Hype" often end up in a "Shortage" the following week.

Or if too many stores are ordering from the same wholesaler or importer, that item has a higher chance of going into a Shortage. And finally, if you continue to order an item that is in shortage, it has a chance of going fully out of stock and into "backorder".

Balancing

In addition to balancing the rivals income compared to the players, store income has been rebalanced a bit as well, and some of the worst performing stores have been improved a lot!

Florist and Fruit and Vegetable stores can now make decent money (although they use a lot of inventory), and nightclubs are now much more profitable during the weekend!

And in exciting news: REAL ESTATE rent has been balanced! Now rather than taking 450 years to earn back the millions you are paying for a building, you can earn back your investment after a few decades!

Previously Unused Items

Two items that have existed, but weren't functional have been activated!

• The Uniform Locker is now required to change employee uniforms

• Changing Rooms are now required for clothing stores

  • ⚠️ Note: If you load an existing save, clothing stores will now require changing rooms or they won't earn money. To help ease this transition, you will find changing rooms in your clothing store's "Delivery Spot" waiting for you!

New Art

Beyond the entire Industry City, new buildings and bathrooms, our art team decided to add even more new props, including:

• Window Curtains

• Roller Blinds

• Venetian Blinds

• Air Conditioners

• New room dividers

• New Bathroom Decorations

• A new "Fruit Pallet" to sell fruits and vegetables

• Wall Mounted TV Stand (as seen on our artist / dev live stream!)

• And more!

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Quality of Life

• Storage and Bathroom areas have been added to D2 and J1 size buildings!

• You can now overtake a business even after buying the building

• When looking over candidates in your MyEmployees app, we added a "Hire and Assign" feature so you can hire and assign many recruits much faster

• Want to change up how your character looks? In addition to changing hair, beards and eyebrows at the hairdresser, you can now visit Mr. Ternity at the hospital for a quick "plastic surgery" option to redesign your character!

• All decorative items should now be in the help files. Several Areas were expanded as well to give more detail on many sections!

• In a Custom Game mode, you now start with full energy (previously it matched the old story mode where you started tired).

• You can now put the flatbed in the V150 and Nunavut vehicles

• The appliances stores should now have flatbeds and hand trucks available for use

Bugs

And tons of bug fixes - the full list will be included with the full changelog!

Known Issues

• You currently can't fully interact with the Sunset park gym items. That will be fixed

• You currently can't enter the pool area at Sunset park. That will be fixed!

Please notice: This version is unstable, unoptimized and might contain game-breaking bugs which may destroy your savegame. The branch will be updated frequently as we squeeze bugs.

Similar to how we handled EA 0.8's preview branch, all progress/savegame will be retained once this testing period is over (assuming no major bugs are found - remember to make back up saves!) and your savegames will continue on through the full 0.9 release!

This is an opportunity to help us find bugs and get some early insight into the development of our next update. The experimental/preview version of the game is not simply a way to play the new update earlier.

Please don't leave us negative reviews based on your experience with the experimental branch, thank you! ❤️

Here's how to access the branch:

• Right-click Big Ambitions on Steam

• Select Properties

• Select Betas

• From the dropdown menu, choose "experimental - Use at own risk - Unstable!"

Good luck!

Remember to submit Bug Reports!

If you see something weird while in-game, be sure to hit F2 to submit a bug report so we can fix it! Any information on what you did before the bug occured are greatly appreciated.

If you have additional information to contribute, or need a response, the best option is to create a thread on Steam, Reddit, Big Ambitions Forums, or our Discord, then mention that thread in the Bug Report, so we know it's yours and can reply to you!

As always, huge thanks to all of you for the support you give. Every comment, bug report, feedback and words of encouragement means the world to us. You make this whole thing possible. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

~ Hovgaard Games and the entire Big Ambitions team!