The Ultimate Guide to Enhancing Realism in Sim Games: Parcel Simulator Dev Shares Expert Tips!

Replayability is crucial for a sim game's lasting appeal, particularly when it offers a relaxing experience that veers away from the usual stresses of daily life. However, for Dan Yates, the developer of Parcel Simulator, sim games often struggle to find the balance between enjoyable replayability and tedious repetition. Throughout the game's development, Yates aimed to create an engaging and entertaining experience centered around package inspection, without limiting it solely to that aspect.

The trailer for Parcel Simulator hints at gameplay reminiscent of other routine-based simulators, where players assume the role of parcel inspectors responsible for ensuring that packages meet their designated requirements. Through visual inspections, barcode scans, and even the use of x-ray machines, players have the ability to either accept or reject parcels for shipping. In a recent interview with Game Rant, Dan Yates, the developer behind Parcel Simulator, discussed his approach of taking a simple idea, incorporating entertaining gameplay elements, and ultimately creating a cohesive package.

There’s A Document For That

The inspiration for Parcel Simulator originated when Yates discovered a tour video of a sorting facility on YouTube, coincidentally while playing the game Papers, Please. Papers, Please is also an inspection game where players assume the role of immigration officers responsible for reviewing applications in a strict nation. Regarded as an exemplary instance of "video games as art," Papers, Please introduced accessible inspection mechanics that set the stage for a captivating meta-narrative intertwined with moral dilemmas and emotionally-charged subtexts relating to immigrant experiences.

Although the Parcel Simulator dev was already impressed with the critically-acclaimed inspection sim, their ultimate praise did not center around the personal playthroughs in Papers, Please. Instead, it focused on the enjoyable simulation created by a straightforward inspection mechanic.

It may seem odd and counterintuitive, but that is actually the beauty of many simulator games. They transform seemingly mundane activities into gamified experiences that are incredibly fun, engaging, and satisfying.

Yates's inclination for gamifying package inspection surfaced during his research. With the help of his best friend, who was also in the sorting industry, Yates obtained pictures that depicted a typical day for a sorting specialist. While these activities were ordinary for his friend, Yates perceived them as ripe with potential for gaming.

The allure of being a solo game developer lies in constantly exploring the possibility of turning things into games. It's a constant thought process of seeing something and considering, "Can I transform this idea into a game?" or, "Can I gamify this activity?"

Breaking Linearity With Progress

Despite drawing inspiration from Papers, Please, Parcel Simulator diverges from its familiar inspection mechanic in terms of the overall gameplay loop. While checking documents can be enjoyable and provide replay value, there is a concern that a repetitive system could make the simulation feel mundane to play.

The game involves continuously building up these inspections, causing the amount of things to check to increase exponentially. This can reach a point where there is a massive monolith of items that need to be checked and inspected. While this can be fine and interesting, I wanted to shift towards automating some of the inspections that have already been done extensively.

That's where the mechanics originated from - my desire to create a unique experience, avoiding a repetitive feeling.

To tackle the issue of monotony in the sim genre, Yates took a different approach with Parcel Simulator. Instead of sticking to a linear progression, he introduced automation as a solution. Like other sim games, Parcel Simulator follows the typical "tasks per day" system, where players must inspect specific parcels. However, Yates goes one step further, allowing players to construct and expand their sorting facility. This grants them the freedom to upgrade and incorporate new technologies to enhance various aspects of parcel sorting at their discretion.

There's a greater emphasis on player freedom to construct and expand the warehouse in any desired manner, creating a sense of a well-defined progression system and the immersive experience of constructing a fully functional facility. This mirrors the gradual growth process that a small sorting company or facility would likely undergo.

Beyond Parcels