This update took a little longer since I was hoping to add atriums, but they aren't quite ready yet, so they'll have to wait for the next update.



Changes

• Large windows will now merge with other adjacent large windows across room corners at or below 90 degrees
  
• Pre-marketing tasks are now shown for project management tasks
  
• Added more info to development progress detail window about requirements and unqualified employees
  
• Made shortcut list animation more obnoxious since people still aren't noticing it
  
• Added visualization to see where rooms are in basement when viewing ground floor and vice versa

Fixes

• Fixed game breaking after undoing merging a pillar and a room using wall drag tool
  
• Fixed windows and doors not snapping to a wall when wall is about 1 meter wide and diagonal at a grid intersection using standard building grid
  
• Fixed cases of being able to clone rooms on top of one another in certain circumstances
  
• Fixed thumbnail generator in furniture editor broke in last patch
  
• Take-over notification now differentiates between whether company was bought out or went bankrupt
  
• Fixed not being able to select security cameras when ceiling furniture is hidden
  
• Fixed conveyor belts being turned off on a custom rentable map

Beta 1.2 overhauls the digital distribution mechanics, requiring you to develop and support your distribution platform and compete directly against the AI companies with their own platforms.
This update wraps up beta 1.2 testing with a bunch of fixes and some improvements to the manufacturing mechanics.

Lasse and I are currently working on a larger graphical overhaul of some elements of the game, which is why this patch is smaller than usual. I will post more details once we get closer to release.

Changes

• Added 3 tiers of conveyor belts for building tight assembly lines
  
• Added ability to highlight all boxes on the premises related to a printing job
  
• Split up "Select furniture types in rooms" to make it more useful for selecting specific furniture
  
• Added warning when conveyor belts are facing each other
  
• Improved work progress detail window
  
• You can now reload a single furniture mod with the RELOAD_FURNITURE_MOD command

Fixes

• Fixed door signs sometimes being visible on lower floors
  
• Fixed subsidiaries being able to open digital stores
  
• Fixed not gaining access to add-ons when taking over project management projects
  
• Employees will no longer offset their arrival times due to slow commutes by more than 4 hours, since some saves had people arriving 27 hours early
  
• Fixed game thinking work was missing applicable employees due to active iteration in alpha phase
  
• Fixed game not highlighting project management tasks when issues popped up referring to tasks in project management
  
• Updates and add-ons are now considered when determining how long it's been since player's last release in a software category
  
• Employees will now try to arrive near a lounge in case there are no applicable team rooms or PCs
  
• Fixed creating new company in a custom building would set that building as auto-save target and break it on save
  
• Fixed being able to use server group that doesn't exist by moving into building with servers from the future on the premises
  
• Fixed using arrow keys to change slider values in furniture editor not moving by 1% increments for some sliders
  
• Fixed not being able to edit new alt styles in furniture editor until reload
  
• Fixed being able to release distribution platforms as consumer products by assigning it to a subsidiary

Please note that save files from Beta 1.2 are not compatible with Beta 1.1, so if you think you want to go back to Beta 1.1, make sure you don't overwrite your save files in Beta 1.2. Beta 1.1 save files will work fine in Beta 1.2, but your digital distribution platform will be reset on load.

Click here to see how to join the Unstable branch.

Changes

• Overhauled digital distribution so all companies can open their own store and digital products have to be sold through them
  
• Digital distribution platforms now require software to be developed and maintained for them
  
• Player can make exclusivity offers to only sell a product in their store
  
• Separated digital distribution and manufacturing tasks into 2 windows
  
• Moved utility interface from finance window to its own window
  
• Overhauled main bottom button panel and added new Logistics category (Code mods can add their own buttons and categories as well)
  
• Added window to manage an assembler's component queue
  
• Added K to toggle max interaction distance visualization for selected furniture or furniture being built
  
• Bottom left info panel will now say when an employee is working on secondary tasks
  
• Rebalanced support ticket generation speed
  
• ISP cost reduced
  
• Added RelativeServer record to features for modding that multiplies/divides server requirements rather than adding up
  
• Added quit confirmation if last save was > 1 minute ago
  
• Increased number of rooms an employee will search for a fridge, from their desk, to put their lunch in, from 2 rooms to 3
  
• Assemblers will now throw out the least developed assemblies first when full, for chance to actually finish an assembly, in case player has balanced it wrong
  
• Added warning when product is too expensive and losing sales
  
• Tech levels will now lose revelancy more slowly to avoid products being outdated on release due to the update system
  
• Wall mounted furniture can now be placed right up against wall split if angle formed by walls is above 180 degrees

Fixes

• Force recompilation of code mods, due to breaking change in last update
  
• Fixed AI sometimes engaging in cross-holding, allowing for infinite money exploit
  
• Fixed rotation of corner tables when mirroring rooms
  
• Software updates didn't add new bugs due to bug
  
• Fixed tutorial videos not always playing
  
• Helicopter pads built from basement floor are now blocked by roads above
  
• Fixed collision issues when building furniture under roads or roads above furniture
  
• Fixed employees getting stuck on stairs when they had their pathing interrupted
  
• Fixed staff receiving company car benefit on hire
  
• Fixed features not being auto selected for sequels when new forced features have been unlocked for software
  
• Added way to break out of save loading screen on computers that are way below minimum requirements
  
• Fixed update ETA being wrong

• Added ability to colorize windows and doors + added different looks to standard door
  
• Added ability to put signs on doors
  
• Police will now ignore parking assignments
  
• Added unfixed bug count to collapsed support work item
  
• Reduced width of the wall-mounted conveyor belt so it fits right up against walls
  
• Fire inspection fines now scale with company size
  
• Added button to view/select servers in server window
  
• Server connections are now preserved when cloning rooms or building blueprints
  
• Room use limits no longer apply to pass-through, e.g. a designer can pass through a programmer-only room to get to another room
  
• The "center" of a room will now move if it is not within the room itself, e.g. if the room is U shaped
  
• You can now see path connections when building or removing paths
  
• Added button to select all of the same segment type in a room, e.g. all doors, works the same as "Select furniture types in selected rooms"
  
• Added ability to change lead designer for project management design tasks

• Fixed furniture editor not handling holdable points correctly
  
• Fixed not being able to open add-on details from distribution window
  
• Environment overlay now shows furniture impact on environment
  
• Fixed patent list in company detail windows
  
• Fixed pie chart labels in design document window
  
• Fixed missing lead designer for subsidiaries notification not dissapearing when company is closed
  
• Fixed instances of prematurely finishing game load, when another wave of navigation mesh generation was expected, causing rooms to appear unreachable on load
  
• Fixed normal mapping not working for furniture atlas shader when RGB mapping was disabled
  
• Fixed framework boost not being scaled by framework quality in design document window
  
• HR will no longer hire designers with demands
  
• Fixed daily hiring pool for HR management not having a limit if player or other HR team had made no similar searches
  
• Fixed employees being able to go through a blocked passageway one-way, leading them to get blocked-in on the other side
  
• Blocked passage warning for elevators and stairs are now visible on both floors
  
• Made anti z-fighting scaling on cubicle walls more subtle
  
• Fixed single team selection not working properly after filtering by search and then picking with mouse instead of enter
  
• Fixed missing spec warning in update window not refreshing after reopening
  
• Fixed ambiguity of distribution deal notifications
  
• Cancelling a project management task didn't unhide any running update tasks
  
• Fixed position of tools in update window sometimes getting jumbled
  
• Fixed employee education filter not filtering out employees with big brain trait ready for education in locked specializations
  
• If an employee fails to find a path to a furniture that wasn't ruled out by team assignments, they will skip any other candidates in the same room to improve performance
  
• Employee satisfaction effect from salary changes no longer decays while they are gone
  
• Final release window is now scaled to always fit on screen independent of UI scaling

Changes

• Added search bar to team selection window
  
• You can now switch between windowed and exclusive fullscreen, enabled by Unity 2018 upgrade
  
• Room auras are now globally capped and mood aura calculation has improved
  
• Added ability to click arrows in material preview panel to scroll between styles

Fixes

• Made gable generation more robust, e.g. for ramp shaped roofs
  
• Autosave now happens after wage negotiations have finished
  
• Fixed bugs when merging rooms using wall drag tool inside an outdoor area and undoing
  
• Fixed update teams for project management not getting updated when renaming teams
  
• Game will now remember when a name generator failed to find a unique name and exit early to avoid simulation slow downs
  
• Game will now fallback to built-in company name generator if modded company name generator fails to find anymore unique names
  
• Fixed buggy interactions between wind turbines and blueprints
  
• Fixed Hardware Inc. map conveyor belts not being switched on by default. Can be fixed in older saves by power cycling them using connected conveyor belts
  
• Game will only warn about missing lead designer progress once, to avoid spam caused by trainer mod
  
• Failed to get cursor position: Success messages from Steam Deck now ignored
  
• Fixed temperature output usage estimations in UI to account for room size

Changes

• Added company sign customization options
  
• Highlighting for selected carpets and signs has been added
  
• Default buildings are now loaded from RAM, so custom buildings can be cloud synced with Steam

Fixes

• Fixed Gas boiler, Heat pump and Roof AC usage estimations, that would otherwise make them break too quickly and make them seem cheaper in the build menu
  
• Fixed bug that would make game think manufacturing process was invalid because a step was skipped
  
• Fixed an infinite loop bug when dragging a wall in cramped spaces
  
• Fixed divide by zero error in add-on sales calculation
  
• Fixed walls also being lowered for pillars when toggling walls
  
• Fixed component printer or assembler being marked as sending to an invalid destination in cases with many splits and merges along the assembly line
  
• Fixed staff not picking closest furniture if they had assigned rooms and the furniture was placed directly above on another floor

Changes

• All car models updated

Fixes

• Fixed fire alarms being animated on load
  
• Fixed being able to place wind turbine in the middle of road and vice versa
  
• Fixed bugs that would cause employees to get stuck until reload when deleting elevators they were using
  
• Fixed game sometimes failing to restore stolen or burnt furniture

Changes

• Made it take a little longer before lead designers quit over unmet demands
  
• Team changes in project management is now also applied instantly for support, marketing and update tasks
  
• Moved notifications out of the way of the money label in build mode
  
• Added option to update tech for project management

Fixes

• Fixed wall furniture not getting collisions updated when dragging wall out
  
• Made lead designers move computer if they are at work when they demand a private office and made them better at picking private offices when it happens
  
• Fixed employees sometimes not waiting for IT to finish fixing their assigned computers before moving onto another free computer

Changes

• Save files and some settings are now synced with Steam Cloud
  
• Canteens and lounges are no longer treated as special rooms when assigned to teams, so employees stop avoiding them
  
• Furniture that contains perishables can now define a expiration date, to avoid paying for a full refill every day

Fixes

• Game will no longer load mods with invalid name generators instead of failing silently during gameplay
  
• Fixed a couple of edge cases when placing single room duplicate in existing room, using wall drag or rectangle split causing game to break

Software Inc. has entered its beta phase, which warranted an update of the now 5 year old trailer.

• Added add-ons, which are extra products that can be developed and sold for a software or hardware product
  
• Added software updates, which allows increasing the tech level of a product to extend its life, and updates are now required to release bug fixes
  
• Added subscription-based software
  
• Added lead designers, who heavily impact the sales and marketing efforts of a product and have demands to boot
  
• Added hardware design system, so each hardware product's look can be customized
  
• Overhauled hiring with a limited hiring pool that refreshes every month
  
• Overhauled employee traits, there are currently 30 traits
  
• You can now have up to 4 founders when you start a new company
  
• Overhauled utility values and prices and added more ways to generate and store electricity
  
• Overhauled product reviews, you now get 3 reviews from various reviewers that focus on specific aspects of the product and company
  
• Improved rectangle room building and added wall dragging tool
  
• Overhauled notification system and look, issue messages now stick around until they are fixed
  
• Added bikes, body odour and bathing
  
• Save files, blueprints and some settings are now synced with Steam Cloud

You can still play Alpha 11 by switching to the legacy branch in Steam, click here to see how.

Alpha 11 save files are compatible with Beta 1, but won't take advantage of many of the new features, like add-ons and hardware designs.

With the release of beta 1 the price of Software Inc. goes from $14 to $16 (Depending on your region). The plan was always to increase the price of the game as it neared completion. This would make the game cheaper the earlier you bought it, as a reward for backing it early.

The game is now 5 times bigger than I originally planned and I've been developing it for 7 years, rather than the 3 I initially planned for. Your support and feedback, and my enjoyment of developing Software Inc. has motivated me to continue improving on the game for so long, and it has made the game so much larger than what it would've otherwise been.

Now it's at the point where I'll be spending most of my time polishing what is there, rather than expanding on it (I won't rule out feature creeping completely, though ;). This includes finishing up some game mechanics that aren't quite there yet, like digital distribution. And I'll finally be pushing towards actually finishing the game.

Thank you so much for sticking with me all this time! But also thank you for not sticking with me all this time, but just playing it a couple of times 3 years ago and forgetting all about it, I still appreciate the support!

Click here to see how to join the Unstable branch.

Changes

• Employee notification will now select and move to employee when clicking, instead of opening detail window, when there is only one
  
• Nerfed hosting deals a bit
  
• Added support for spawning notifications from background threads
  
• Added hint about spacing out component printer output to avoid excessive recycling

Fixes

• Fixed grass not refreshing when undoing destroying path
  
• Fixed bug with watch in new game menu when changing personality after enabling watch trait
  
• Fixed traits filters for HR not being copied over when copying team

Unity made some undocumented changes in 2018 that broke crash reporting. Not sure if it's ever going to work in Linux or OSX again

Changes

• Employees with the private office demand will now wait around for their assigned computer, in case it's broken or being fixed by an IT supporter
  
• Added date for next phase change for active projects in project management window
  
• Style picked in style picker panel is now applied to furniture placed from inventory
  
• Added fallback toggle in furniture editor in case the mod is not available on target PC
  
• Added label to main menu when new version is available

Fixes

• Fixed company sign no longer showing up
  
• Fixed a bunch of bugs relating to the wall dragging tool and undoing
  
• Fixed not being able to close wage negotiation window if player rejected poach deal with only employee left in negotiation
  
• Fixed bug where duplicating room could cause doors and windows to be improperly attached to wall
  
• Table grouping is now recalculated on load to fix any corruption

Click here to see how to join the Unstable branch.

Changes

• Upgraded from Unity 2017 to Unity 2018
  
• Reduced impact of low creativity score for easy and medium difficulty
  
• Project managers can now schedule updates
  
• Subscription-based toggle is retained when clicking Make sequel from releases window
  
• All errors found in furniture mods is now also displayed in main menu modding window
  
• Added ability to pick lead designer specialization in new game menu
  
• Added creativity estimation to design document window

Fixes

• Product and component printers will no longer work in rented maps when the rooms they are in has not been rented
  
• Fixed employees working bugs in update tasks being counted in such a way that player was not getting warning about missing specializations
  
• Fixed fire inspectors requiring alarms and sprinklers in outdoor areas
  
• Fixed how speed of update task is calculated
  
• Fixed project management cancelling support work before any sales had been made
  
• Fix for employees getting stuck waiting for an elevator until reload
  
• Game will no longer load build and navigation boundaries that are defined in clockwise order in modded furniture

Changes

• Added P-key to report screenshot and added screenshot preview to feedback window
  
• Game no longer freezes on launch while loading steam workshop mods
  
• Added window to visualize who is working on what for development tasks
  
• Staff will now ignore which rooms they are assigned to when looking for a couch to loiter on

Fixes

• Fixed receiving money for wind turbines when moving from rural plot, when they haven't been purchased yet
  
• Fixed unlocking new furniture not making furniture visible immediately if build mode is active

Changes

• Made lead designers with the private office demand prioritize rooms with only 1 PC, if they haven't been assigned to any (Finding a PC is still FCFS)
  
• Made right click to drag compatible with all tools that use right click to cancel
  
• Separated subscription based, software, hardware and add-on income in finance window
  
• Added tooltip to finance window about not being able to use interest from bonds until withdrawn
  
• Lead designer private office demand is now only breached if another employee in the room is also sitting at a computer

Fixes

• Fixed lead designers having experience with software types that are not out yet
  
• Fixed new task priotization algorithm for HR hiring and education ignoring player chosen specialization filter
  
• Fixed changing the wrong team color if the team list is sorted by color
  
• Fixed game breaking when publisher would try to market add-ons during development

Changes

• Publishing deals now affect any forced add-ons as well, e.g. joysticks
  
• Improved output of furniture editor when saving furniture with no base

Fixes

• Made the demand breach notification work for founders demanding private offices
  
• Fixed dirt paths no longer being visible
  
• Fixed game sometimes overestimating active workers on a project causing slowdowns
  
• Fixed IPs becoming public domain while a sequel is being developed and cancelling development
  
• Fixed getting message about console running out of stock, when it was really a joystick halting sales for it