Every month I list five things I'd like to see added, altered or abolished from the game. Because even though my long time of playing Restaurant Story clearly shows I love it, that doesn't mean it's perfect. Some of the ideas I'll air will be significant game changers while others will be low-key and irrelevant in the eyes of many of you readers.
You can share your own suggestions too via the comments. If I like them, I may even include them in the next instalment!
In no particular order, here are this month's entries...
Saturday 25 March 2017
Friday 24 March 2017
Game update: 24/03/17
Just when you thought Restaurant Story had turned sour...
The Citrus Crate has been introduced, with a 24 gem gamble resulting in one of a number of floor decorations being given to you at random. As ever the higher ranking prizes are the hardest to come by, with only your luck to decide your fate.
 |
| Notification for Citrus Crate |
The Citrus Crate has been introduced, with a 24 gem gamble resulting in one of a number of floor decorations being given to you at random. As ever the higher ranking prizes are the hardest to come by, with only your luck to decide your fate.
Saturday 18 March 2017
Any particular part?
It's that time again when I attempt to answer the age-old question by having a look back at the variety of parts which have been utilised in recent months for building new appliances. This has become something of a biannual tradition, and you can read my previous breakdowns here.
Parts usage is something which does change over time, and that's why I like to periodically review the situation so as to gain some insight into which parts are perhaps the best choices to gift.
The last set of analysis was in October and covered 19 appliances. Since then we've had 18 more new cookers introduced, and they have all been considered within this post. It's worth noting that any appliances which have been re-released as part of a special sale - such as the Shamrock Oven brought back in the St Patrick's Day sale this week - have been excluded from the investigation.
Of those 18 new appliances, 12 have required construction. Of the remaining six, there have been five goal cookers which mercifully could be built without the need for any frantic part requests, and one appliance added for gems - the Founders' Oven - that rather wisely did not require parts either.
Parts usage is something which does change over time, and that's why I like to periodically review the situation so as to gain some insight into which parts are perhaps the best choices to gift.
The last set of analysis was in October and covered 19 appliances. Since then we've had 18 more new cookers introduced, and they have all been considered within this post. It's worth noting that any appliances which have been re-released as part of a special sale - such as the Shamrock Oven brought back in the St Patrick's Day sale this week - have been excluded from the investigation.
Of those 18 new appliances, 12 have required construction. Of the remaining six, there have been five goal cookers which mercifully could be built without the need for any frantic part requests, and one appliance added for gems - the Founders' Oven - that rather wisely did not require parts either.
Tuesday 14 March 2017
Game update: 14/03/17
We're not finished yet people! In an unexpected move, the gamemakers have provided us with a Tuesday update, one of the very few ever in Restaurant Story. Technically speaking it's not your typical update since there's no completely new content, but given the current situation I'm more than happy to give it the full bells and whistles treatment!
So with St Patrick's Day this coming Friday, Storm8 have provided a special sale of Irish themed content from yesteryear. Since there have only previously been three St Patrick's Day themed updates, the array of decor on offer is less mouthwatering than we've had in recent sales, but I know that I personally am not worrying about that.
Here is the complete selection of 17 deals (with discounts reaching as high as half price) lasting for six days:
The only category not represented is flooring, and that's because we've never had an Irish themed tile.
You can kind of make out two distinct themes that have featured in the past, those being rainbows and shamrocks. Both are well represented here, and I suspect the rainbow style will be particularly well received by the players as the Rainbow Table and Rainbow Chair have been clamoured for on plenty of occasions.
This sale has certainly come out of the blue (or maybe out of the green?!) Our last update of any description was the Mardi Gras goals effort which arrived 15 days ago. The complete silence since then had resulted in concerns for the game's future growing with every passing day, but now we have some confirmation of something at least - Storm8 are not finished with Restaurant Story, at least not yet.
If Restaurant Story had been chosen to receive the chop following Storm8's lay-offs, we certainly wouldn't be seeing a re-release. Of course it's possible that no decisions on the future of the various games in the Storm8 fleet have been taken yet, but I like to be optimistic, and this sale does bode well.
Despite all of this positivity, there is the caveat that this is a re-release rather than a full-on update with brand new stuff. If that's all we get from now on then there will be plenty of frustration in the medium and long term. However I'm just pleased to see anything at this rocky time!
Back to the content in this sale then, and the Shamrock Oven makes an appearance. This cooker is a constructible appliance requiring 6 Shamrocks and 6 Gears. At the time of writing the Shamrock isn't actually available in the gift list so can only be obtained by sending out requests. That's a slight source of annoyance, but not something to get too worked up about, not least because the game's developers will probably add it before long.
It's worth me pointing out that there are three recipes on the Shamrock Oven, and they are not particularly strong on the ratings front. Since they are not new dishes I won't get deep on the numbers, but you can find all the details in my recipe list.
In addition, the Egg Salad Sandwich has been added to the front of the Basic Stove. The implication here is that this dish (which was originally released in a St Patrick's Day themed update in 2012) has been put back into the game for a limited time. However I have my doubts - it was brought back in 2014 and according to my records was still available to cook right up to today. Could well be an administrative blunder on my part though!
Also among the deals is the Lucky Chest, available at 50% off. It was included in the titanic Black Friday sale in November, but nevertheless it's nice to see this crate which has not spent all that much time in the market overall getting some airtime. Just in case you're wondering what's inside, here's the image for the box that is published on the Storm8 Forum:
And the distribution list is as follows:
First Prize
This is a pretty good box in my view. As ever it's the first and second prizes which pull you in, with the Irish Dancers especially attractive, perhaps because it can be utilised in lots of settings beyond a St Patrick's Day theme. The lower ranking decorations are not worth the asking price, but I guess that's where the 12 gem cost comes in - the likes of the Lucky Lamp may not scream of gem quality, but at least you can be sure that you've sacrificed half the number of gems in obtaining it.
So Tuesday has become the new update day. Well, at least until the next update! It seems that there is no rhyme or reason at present which given the turmoil currently ongoing at Storm8 Towers is somewhat expected. We're all on tenterhooks now waiting for what's next, but we've got the luck of the Irish on our side, so things are looking up!
 |
| Notification for St Patrick's Day 2017 sale |
So with St Patrick's Day this coming Friday, Storm8 have provided a special sale of Irish themed content from yesteryear. Since there have only previously been three St Patrick's Day themed updates, the array of decor on offer is less mouthwatering than we've had in recent sales, but I know that I personally am not worrying about that.
Here is the complete selection of 17 deals (with discounts reaching as high as half price) lasting for six days:
 |
| St Patrick's Day 2017 sale items |
The only category not represented is flooring, and that's because we've never had an Irish themed tile.
You can kind of make out two distinct themes that have featured in the past, those being rainbows and shamrocks. Both are well represented here, and I suspect the rainbow style will be particularly well received by the players as the Rainbow Table and Rainbow Chair have been clamoured for on plenty of occasions.
This sale has certainly come out of the blue (or maybe out of the green?!) Our last update of any description was the Mardi Gras goals effort which arrived 15 days ago. The complete silence since then had resulted in concerns for the game's future growing with every passing day, but now we have some confirmation of something at least - Storm8 are not finished with Restaurant Story, at least not yet.
If Restaurant Story had been chosen to receive the chop following Storm8's lay-offs, we certainly wouldn't be seeing a re-release. Of course it's possible that no decisions on the future of the various games in the Storm8 fleet have been taken yet, but I like to be optimistic, and this sale does bode well.
Despite all of this positivity, there is the caveat that this is a re-release rather than a full-on update with brand new stuff. If that's all we get from now on then there will be plenty of frustration in the medium and long term. However I'm just pleased to see anything at this rocky time!
Back to the content in this sale then, and the Shamrock Oven makes an appearance. This cooker is a constructible appliance requiring 6 Shamrocks and 6 Gears. At the time of writing the Shamrock isn't actually available in the gift list so can only be obtained by sending out requests. That's a slight source of annoyance, but not something to get too worked up about, not least because the game's developers will probably add it before long.
It's worth me pointing out that there are three recipes on the Shamrock Oven, and they are not particularly strong on the ratings front. Since they are not new dishes I won't get deep on the numbers, but you can find all the details in my recipe list.
In addition, the Egg Salad Sandwich has been added to the front of the Basic Stove. The implication here is that this dish (which was originally released in a St Patrick's Day themed update in 2012) has been put back into the game for a limited time. However I have my doubts - it was brought back in 2014 and according to my records was still available to cook right up to today. Could well be an administrative blunder on my part though!
Also among the deals is the Lucky Chest, available at 50% off. It was included in the titanic Black Friday sale in November, but nevertheless it's nice to see this crate which has not spent all that much time in the market overall getting some airtime. Just in case you're wondering what's inside, here's the image for the box that is published on the Storm8 Forum:
 |
| Items from Lucky Chest as shown on Storm8 Forum |
And the distribution list is as follows:
First Prize
- Leprechaun House
- Irish Band
- Irish Dancers
- Hug Me, I'm Irish
- Irish Welcome
- Pot of Gold
- Irish Terrier
- Lucky Lamp
- Irish Treats
This is a pretty good box in my view. As ever it's the first and second prizes which pull you in, with the Irish Dancers especially attractive, perhaps because it can be utilised in lots of settings beyond a St Patrick's Day theme. The lower ranking decorations are not worth the asking price, but I guess that's where the 12 gem cost comes in - the likes of the Lucky Lamp may not scream of gem quality, but at least you can be sure that you've sacrificed half the number of gems in obtaining it.
So Tuesday has become the new update day. Well, at least until the next update! It seems that there is no rhyme or reason at present which given the turmoil currently ongoing at Storm8 Towers is somewhat expected. We're all on tenterhooks now waiting for what's next, but we've got the luck of the Irish on our side, so things are looking up!
Saturday 11 March 2017
RS2 News (Mar 2017)
It's that time of the month where we have a look back at the past month's activity in the sequel title, Restaurant Story 2. We are of course having a tough time at present in the original game, and the same can be said of the sequel too.
But before we get to the quiet, we have to deal with some busy. At the time of my last round-up, the Valentine's Day cruise event was in progress, with my uncharacteristic excitement stemming from the promise of the special guest - Frank - delivering Valentine Cards once unlocked. Why was this causing a buzz for me? Because back in February 2015 those Valentine Cards were key to a goal set. They were required to unlock recipes on the Valentine Oven, and I was unable to capture them all before the deadline.
The Heartberry Tart has remained unobtainable throughout the two years since, and yet it remains so. That's because the Valentine Cards produced by the gem making recipe are distinct from the 'Valentine' offered during that quest in 2015.
But before we get to the quiet, we have to deal with some busy. At the time of my last round-up, the Valentine's Day cruise event was in progress, with my uncharacteristic excitement stemming from the promise of the special guest - Frank - delivering Valentine Cards once unlocked. Why was this causing a buzz for me? Because back in February 2015 those Valentine Cards were key to a goal set. They were required to unlock recipes on the Valentine Oven, and I was unable to capture them all before the deadline.
The Heartberry Tart has remained unobtainable throughout the two years since, and yet it remains so. That's because the Valentine Cards produced by the gem making recipe are distinct from the 'Valentine' offered during that quest in 2015.
Friday 10 March 2017
Another barren week
I had sincerely hoped I wouldn't have to deliver a repeat of my post from a fortnight ago when there was no weekly update in Restaurant Story. Alas, history has repeated itself, with no new content introduced in the past few days.
Of course we did get a very attractive Mardi Gras themed update complete with a goal set a week past Monday, and this served to give players around the community a cause for optimism regarding the game's future. We pondered why it was a Monday launch, with the most logical conclusion being that the Mardi Gras stuff was pencilled in for release the previous week, but with the upheaval at Storm8's headquarters it was delayed. Given that Mardi Gras was on the following Tuesday, there was little choice but to get the update out on the Monday.
I went on to speculate as to whether this would mean there was still an update scheduled for the Wednesday of last week, in addition to receiving the Mardi Gras drop on the Monday. My hopes were soon dashed, but given that the Mardi Gras goals were very successful I was not overly concerned.
Of course we did get a very attractive Mardi Gras themed update complete with a goal set a week past Monday, and this served to give players around the community a cause for optimism regarding the game's future. We pondered why it was a Monday launch, with the most logical conclusion being that the Mardi Gras stuff was pencilled in for release the previous week, but with the upheaval at Storm8's headquarters it was delayed. Given that Mardi Gras was on the following Tuesday, there was little choice but to get the update out on the Monday.
I went on to speculate as to whether this would mean there was still an update scheduled for the Wednesday of last week, in addition to receiving the Mardi Gras drop on the Monday. My hopes were soon dashed, but given that the Mardi Gras goals were very successful I was not overly concerned.
Saturday 4 March 2017
Mardi Gras goals content report
I think we were all taken by surprise when Storm8 dropped a Mardi Gras update upon us on Monday, making it the first ever Monday update in Restaurant Story. Not only that, it came with goals, and here we will peruse the content exclusively available via the quest.
Firstly some thoughts on the structure of the goals is necessary. There was a new slant on the so-called 'sidesteps' in this event, with them appearing right from the start. So with two separate goals on the go at the outset we had plenty to be getting on with. Although the main strand kicked off with a basic one tap effort which wasn't really necessary. Not that I'm really complaining - it just seemed a little surplus to requirements.
Then later in the goals came two steps involving variants of the Basic Oven. In truth I can't be sure, but this may be the first case of an existing recipe being asked for within a quest. To me this is fantastic, particularly in a smaller-scale goal set with just the one new appliance. I'm constantly calling for some originality in the goals, and the gamemakers have delivered that here by utilising some existing dishes.
Firstly some thoughts on the structure of the goals is necessary. There was a new slant on the so-called 'sidesteps' in this event, with them appearing right from the start. So with two separate goals on the go at the outset we had plenty to be getting on with. Although the main strand kicked off with a basic one tap effort which wasn't really necessary. Not that I'm really complaining - it just seemed a little surplus to requirements.
Then later in the goals came two steps involving variants of the Basic Oven. In truth I can't be sure, but this may be the first case of an existing recipe being asked for within a quest. To me this is fantastic, particularly in a smaller-scale goal set with just the one new appliance. I'm constantly calling for some originality in the goals, and the gamemakers have delivered that here by utilising some existing dishes.
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