Although Schedule 1 offers an engaging experience and plenty of opportunities for business growth, players often encounter a dilemma once they hit their peak. After advancing through all ranks, establishing a client base, and completing mission objectives, the pathway forward becomes less clear.
The endgame experience is not the only area needing improvement in Schedule 1. Being an early access title, it still has numerous features that could be fleshed out, which might contribute to a feeling of incompleteness. While enhancing the endgame is one potential solution, elevating the gameplay experience leading up to that point could significantly enrich player satisfaction.
Schedule 1 Requires More Challenging Obstacles
Make Challenges Meaningful
With a total of 74 ranks, each containing various levels, you might assume the game features a comprehensive progression system. However, the experience leans more towards tediousness rather than challenging gameplay. The constant, lukewarm difficulty fails to provide meaningful satisfaction upon achieving completion.
The mechanics between dealers and clients are straightforward, with the game’s most complex element being the diverse effects you can create. After mastering every recipe, players may find themselves at a standstill. The absence of adjustable difficulty settings means the gameplay is uniform, lacking individualization. Although the journey to success should present significant trials, the principal challenge remains simply avoiding detection by law enforcement.
Many games either offer minimal guidance or, conversely, overly assist players; Schedule 1 seems to fall into the latter category. The learning curve for creating various effects was not as steep as anticipated, and I expected escalating difficulty with each rank achieved, but unfortunately, this was not realized. Progressing through ranks felt monotonous without any noticeable challenges.
Enhancing Difficulty on the Path to Endgame
Boost Difficulty and Rewards
Addressing the understated challenges inherent in ascending the game’s ranks is essential to invigorate player engagement. To combat the prevailing monotony, there should be a range of unique challenges tied to each rank. This could mean not only increasing the overall difficulty as players progress but also diversifying the challenges encountered. Consider the following options to enhance gameplay:
- Introduce greater unpredictability in police behavior, increasing the likelihood of capture.
- Assign distinct personality traits to characters, complicating sales based on their current mood.
- Incorporate random events such as house fires that obliterate your inventory, forcing a fresh start.
- Implement stricter penalties for repeat offenses, raising stakes considerably.
- Deploy rival factions seeking to undermine and steal your business.
Player-generated mods have become a popular avenue for enhancing gameplay, but with suitable adjustments in difficulty, their necessity may diminish. Developer TVGS has released a roadmap for future enhancements, and I am particularly hopeful these enhancements may address some of the current shortcomings, leading to a transformative experience. For instance, introducing a credit score mechanic could complicate purchases of vehicles and properties, thus adding another layer of challenge and strategy.
Additionally, introducing consequences such as losing ranks for failing to meet specific criteria could add an exciting dimension to the endgame. The potential for losing your hard-earned empire might motivate players to exert more effort into maintaining their status rather than merely wandering aimlessly post-completion. Post-ranking incentives, such as financial bonuses or exclusive materials for upper-echelon players, could also enhance the game’s allure and reward structure.