Game update: 17/04/15

Whoa! What's this? An update post at the weekend? You bet!

Notification for new expansion

Out of nowhere there was a game update on Friday night which although not your typical kind of update did include something to cheer about - a NEW EXPANSION!

It's really a huge moment for Restaurant Story. We've not had a new expansion introduced in years, quite literally. Here are the requirements for the expansion to 24x27:

• 17,500,000 coins and 65 neighbours; or
• 80 gems

This is an equal step up to the cost gap between the now third to last and second to last expansions which is pretty fair. And the neighbour requirement is the same as it was for the 23x26 expansion so again Storm8 have been reasonable there.

I personally am not yet ready to execute this expansion but am well on my way. I've got around 12,500,000 coins in the bank right now so have still got some saving to do. And that may take some time since my big refurbishment in March resulted in a less efficient layout. I've definitely noticed a reduction in cash flow - so much so that tens of thousands of plates of food are stacking up on my counters!

There's a (very very) small part of me which is put out at this expansion. When I expanded to 23x26 I felt like I had reached the culmination of something and had in some respect completed the game. Now the gamemakers have shifted the goalposts and that moment of triumph is somewhat superficial.

But that sadness is overwhelmed by the excitement at what this means for both my game and the game as a whole. Once again I truly have something to fight for. In recent months I've been completing goals and mastering other new recipes (to minus one of course!) but otherwise have been stuck for things to do. It's all very well cooking lots of high profit dishes, but when there's nothing to save for you begin to wonder if it's worth bothering. Now there's a very real landmark to strive for, and I'm itching to get the Roast Chickens loaded up!

And for the greater picture this is fantastic news. The sequel game, Restaurant Story 2, has been receiving a lot of updates and development recently which had given me the impression that the original was very much on the back burner. My theory on Wednesday about the high volume of floor decorations of late added fuel to this fire, but this new expansion has really poured a bucket of icy water on that.

If the game was really on the way out there is surely no way that Storm8 would be adding new expansions, especially considering it has been years since they last did this. The same has occurred in Bakery Story too, so I suppose you could argue that with the relevant code written for it they may as well drop it into Restaurant Story too, but they've still gone out of there way to put some effort into our beloved game.

As well as the expansion excitement, there are a handful of items have been listed as limited time.

Goal items listed for removal

These are old goal items, and it appears that the game's developers are doing some spring cleaning to tidy up the market. All five of these decorations were unlockables in the Spring goals in 2014, which I seem to recall was one of the best received updates of last year. For those who managed to get access to these items at the time of the goals this is your last chance to buy them up before they join the ranks of the removed.

Unfortunately as of now the gamemakers have not released these pieces for players who started their adventure after the Spring 2014 goals. That's a real shame in my opinion - these are beautiful items and it would be swell for everyone to get an opportunity to purchase them before they get tossed out. I understand that those who do have them had to put some work in via the goals to unlock them, but surely one year is a long enough time to keep them padlocked for the rest? It would be nice to think of the reward for completing the goals as being 'early access' to these items rather than exclusive access. I know everyone's got their own opinion on this but that's my take.

So that is your weekend update. With the Pearl Fountain LTO offered last Friday could this be the start of something? A second update every Friday in addition to the main event on a Wednesday would be quite something, although I can't say I'm all that desperate. The fact that Storm8 have provided a weekly update every single week for more than four years (no exceptions!) is stellar stuff in itself and a second regular update isn't strictly necessary to keep me hooked. But it does get me animated!