u/El_Grande_Games

Hi all. I work in a sawmill in Austria and in my free time I'm building a sawmill sim. Logs come in, get debarked, cut and sorted by length and wood type (spruce, larch and so on).

I know the mill side pretty well, but I'm sure I'm missing stuff on the forestry side. A few questions:

- What usually goes wrong with log deliveries that a game could show?

- Anything about sorting by length or species that would make you cringe if a game got it wrong?

- Is there something you'd love to see in a game like this?

It's a game, so some things are simplified, but I'd like it not to feel fake to people in the industry. Thanks!

Hey r/tycoon,

Two weeks ago I posted Timberline Factory here: a sawmill automation/simulation/tycoon game where logs are physics objects, not icons on a rail. Thanks for all the comments.

Someone asked whether I still have all ten fingers, since I work full-time (38.5 h/week) in a real sawmill. i do :D, and that question is part of why workplace safety is its own system in the game.

The free demo is live on Steam today.

Steam (free demo): https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/

What's in it and what changed since my last post:

- Physics logistics: logs have weight and friction and they roll. Messy layouts and settings cause real jams.

- Economy: the timber market index uses mean reversion, so timing your sales matters. Bark goes into the biomass power plant and lowers your electricity costs.

- workers: there's a workplace safety research line. Neglect it and accident rates and sick days go up. Sick leave will also be reducible through a 3 stage research line with Early Access on Nov 6 (not in the demo).

- Maintenance: dirt and wear slow your machines down... new: the dirt is now visible, and your cleaner worker removes it.

- Balance pass on machine error/failure rates.

The clip shows the satisfying side: debarking, clean cuts at the saw blades, logs flowing. The chaotic side exists too, trust me :)

If you want to see more of the game in action, Wally1169 made a gameplay video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z83YFkWzU – he played an older build, so balancing and a few things have changed since then.

Early Access is planned for Friday, November 6th. for the tycoon crowd: does the economy give you enough reasons to optimize or would you want more market pressure? I'll be around to answer.

AI Disclosure:
No AI was used in the making of this game!

Hey, solo dev from Austria here. I’ve been working on my wood processing sim, Timberline Factory. After some heavy feedback (okay, it was a roast) here on Reddit, I basically rebuilt the entire visual identity and UI to make it feel more modern and 'metallic.' It's all about realistic logistics and the flow of the factory. The demo is coming out in a few weeks for Steam Next Fest. If you have any questions about the project or how to handle physics simulations as a solo dev, feel free to ask ;)

hey r/tycoon, solo dev from austria here. i’ve been working on my game timberline factory for a while now and finally reached a point where i feel it’s worth showing.

i really wanted to move away from the typical everything on a grid style. in this game, logs are actual physics objects. they have weight, they roll, and they collide. if your layout is messy, the logs will just pile up and cause a physical bottleneck. it’s been a nightmare to code and balance, but it feels way more satisfying than a static grid once you get the flow right.

also tried to make the production chain a bit deeper than just cut wood, sell wood. i implemented a waste system where bark goes into your power plant to lower electricity costs and sawdust can be pressed into pellets later in the game for extra cash.

the market prices also aren't just random..i’m using a meanreversion algorithm for the timber index so you actually have to time your sales when the market is up. :)

quick heads up on the ai rule here: i actually got roasted on reddit a while back for using ai placeholders. i listened, ripped everything out and spent the last few weeks rebuilding all assets, screenshots and the UI by hand in unity and gimp. no ai shortcuts anymore, just 100% hand made industrial look.

i'm curious though, do you guys prefer the perfect "grid based" logistics or do you like the challenge of managing a bit of physical chaos in your tycoons?

i'm also currently polishing a demo for the steam next fest in october. if this sounds like your kind of tycoon, i'd really appreciate a wishlist. it helps a ton since i'm doing all this on my own.

steam link: [ https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/ ]

would love some honest feedback on the systems!

Servus Leute,

ich bin Armin, Solo Entwickler aus Österreich, und arbeite aktuell an Timberline Factory, einen Sägewerk-Simulation -Tycoon mit Fokus auf physikbasierte logistik und Automatisierung.

Ich war vor kurzem schon mal auf Reddit unterwegs und wurde für meine damalige Grafik (KI-Platzhalter und "Plastik Look") ordentlich gegrillt. Ehrlich gesagt: Das war das Beste, was mir passieren konnte!! :)

Ich habe mir die Kritik zu Herzen genommen und die letzten Wochen Tag und Nacht am Spiel geschraubt:

• Komplettes UI Overhaul: Weg vom 90er Jahre Holz-Look hin zu einem modernen, industriellen Design.
• Grafik Update: Neue High Poly-Rundhölzer und eine stimmungsvolle "Golden Hour" Beleuchtung.
• Neue Mechaniken: Ein Wartungssystem (Maschinen verschmutzen und werden langsamer) und ein Biomasse-Kraftwerk, um Abfälle sinnvoll zu nutzen...

Das Spiel ist ein Mix aus Tycoon und physikalischer Simulation. Jedes Stück Holz hat Gewicht und ein eigenes Rollverhalten, kein bloßes Icon Schieben!

Aktuell stehe ich bei den IndieDB Charts auf Platz 35, was mich als Einzelkämpfer riesig freut :)). Die Demo ist mittlerweile auch so gut wie fertig (ca. 60 Min. Spielzeit).

Mich würde brennend interessieren: Was ist euch bei einer Wirtschaftssimulation am wichtigsten? Eher die nackten Zahlen oder das "Gefühl" für die Produktion?

Falls euch das Projekt interessiert, findet ihr Timberline Factory hier auf Steam:
[ https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/ ]

Danke fürs Reinschauen und euer ehrliches Feedback!
Armin

Hey everyone,

I’m the solo dev from Austria working on Timberline Factory. About 8 days ago, I posted here and got roasted for my "90s wood style UI" and AI placeholder art. Honestly...? It was the best thing that could happen!! :)
I took your feedback to heart and spent the last week working day and night...

What changed:

• Complete UI Overhaul: I threw away the old wood textures and built a fresh "Industrial Modern" HUD from scratch.
• Maintenance System: Machines now accumulate dirt over time, which reduces production speed. you can now hire "Cleaners" to automate the maintenance!
• Visual Polish: Improved the "Golden Hour" lighting even further to make the factory feel more atmospheric.
• New Content: Added the Drying Kiln and Biomass Power Plant loop to give the tycoon gameplay more depth.

I made a short Before/After comparison video here: [short Youtube video]

Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037170/Timberline_Factory/

I’m a coder, not an artist, but I’m committed to making this game as "honest" and polished as possible. Does the new look feel like a step in the right direction?

(I'm heading to my late shift soon, so I might be slow to reply, but I'll check every comment during my breaks! thank you!)