Showrunner
Create your show
Name your show then pick a genre (options include drama, comedy, procedural, thriller or mystery) and a theme (for example sci-fi, fantasy, medical, office or historical). Score a lucrative contract with a television or streaming company as long as you can meet the goals they set for you!
Craft scripts
Lay out episode scripts by playing scene cards, defining the overall story structure. Each card will increase the score of the script in various categories (plot, characters, visuals, comedy, drama, action) with smart selections and powerful combinations earning special bonuses. Unlock new and more powerful cards over time. Gradually define themes for each season that pair well with your scripts and characters.
Make characters and select actors
Pick an archetype for each character then try to find an actor that fits the bill. Define the character’s appearance from extensive customisation options then develop them over time to be more nuanced and unique by picking perks that further characterise them and provide major boosts.
Hire and manage staff
Hire writers to complete scripts, directors and crew to handle filming and editors to bring together the final cut. Staff have varying stats and classes which tend towards specific strengths and weaknesses and they gain experience over time. Rotate and rest your team to manage their energy and keep everyone working at their best.
Design and manage your studio
Buy items and furniture to personalise and improve your studio, gaining staff boosts in the process. Build new rooms, upgrade existing ones and increase your studio’s reputation. Manage this while trying to balance your finances and keep your studio in the black!
Make episodes and gain fans
With the outline for a script ready the writing team will work their magic from there. Have your actors, directors and crew film the scenes then the editors wrap things up. Build a dedicated following for your show and grow interest with good reviews and popular characters.
Game Discussion
Steam User 0
I like where this game is heading, its just a little primitive at the moment as expected. There are some really good aspects like the way you can structure an episode, the fame works and how you can level up your studio. I do feel more fun would be had if we could do a little more. it seems a little too bare bones at the moment to play too much more of after a few hours. I would suggest adding like an archive to where you can view your old shows in more detail. It would be nice also to see reviews flood in when the series has been completed. The idea of pitching your show to other networks may be a good add, along with marketing them . But a minor adjustment that has bothered me, i wish i could make supporting characters main ones if we find they are popular. Hope this helps give you a small pointer. all in all good job guys. cant wait to see how this will develop
Steam User 0
For the prize it is an amazing and really cute game! A lot of thought went into it, while it is not perfect and there are some bugs here and there, I still would recommend.
Edit: I get a lot of crashes sadly, in like very obvious places -> Firing one of the Actors, but still wanting to review the character they played and then I get a crash, because he cant find the actor. There is a lot of those crashes, when you try to go to the "Detail"-view of actors or characters. Still a good game for the price, even though the updates keep coming rather slowly. Is there a place where I can submit crash reports @devs?
Steam User 2
I like this game! If you're a fan of Game Dev Tycoon, then this is right up your alley -- hiring staff, creating good combinations (in line with your genre), skilling up your team for better results, and trying to get higher points on every episode.
I had an Office-like comedy going for 4 seasons, but when it came time for renewal, apparently I missed one of the goals and the show had to end. I would have liked to keep it going, especially when I was getting 17 million+ viewers per episode. Maybe an option for another company to pick it up?
Either way, for Early Access, I'd say its quite polished. There's of course some opportunity in all areas of the game to further improve, but at its current price and content, its an easy pickup!
Steam User 1
This is a fun little game that will keep you occupied for a while. I am only on my second show but am starting to get to grips with some of the scene mechanics and my I have now been renewed for 4 seasons. I am really looking forward to future updates and hope there will be a good amount of progression, maybe having several shows running concurrently.
Steam User 1
Showrunner is a very promising game in development that is worth the price. I really enjoyed the creative elements and time management so far, and I think they will continue to deepen as the game develops. A few suggestions:
Leveling up characters and staff seems to take an awful long time, and leveling up the studio to the point where you can conduct higher-quality searches for better staff takes WAY too long. I'd cranked out six seasons of a successful show before I'd even gotten to do a tier three staff search. This should be accelerated because it seems like I would be able to hire a better set of actors for a show with tens of millions of viewers than I did when I had a show with thousands of viewers.
The compatibility system for actors, characters, and staff also takes too long to level up. Actors who'd been working together for years still had D-level compatibility.
Making the sequence in which one places the scene cards matter more, and maybe adjusting the time cost for each one down by one "clock" would enhance the episode planning section.
Despite those critiques, this game is already fun and headed in the right direction! I'll be back when more content comes out.
Steam User 0
Fun even though its clearly still missing a lot. Lot of potential