Tong Manager

Disclaimer: Tong Manager (working title) is a project by Maayer Dowa Studios, actively being developed by Atik Sameer (Game Director/Gameplay Designer), Abhik Hasnain (Technical Lead/Gameplay Designer), and Arifin Sumonto (Artist).

"Tong Manager is a resource management/survival//narrative game based around different locations across Dhaka. Explore the unique stories of the people in this melting pot of hope and nightmares while managing a social hub that’s open to all classes of people. Interact with rebellious students, jobless poets, hustlers and degenerates while brewing the best cup of tea.

This game will put the players in the shoes of a tong-wala and how the player’s anchorage and venue is witness to the lives of unique characters who stops at the tong. The game will feature a standard text-based storytelling format and a 2D fluid, tea-brewing gameplay mechanic. The city will contextually change depending on events that unfold, effecting business and the in-game economy. The player will meet unique characters who visit the tong and interact with their lives and stories in ways they choose to do so, sometimes even changing their fates. The player will go through the daily operations of a tong, brewing, serving tea and conversing with the customers; while trying to make ends meet and hopefully prosper by discovering new recipes, sourcing unique ingredients and making the best tea in the city.

The gameplay loop consists of starting each day with a visit to the local shops for ingredients, opening the tong, brewing tea while interacting with the customers and closing the tong for the day/night. Each day will end with a daily rundown of expenses, savings and quest progresses (if any).

The winning condition of the game is to financially and mentally survive till next week while making personal progress with local NPCs (tier 2) and experiencing unique stories (tier 3). Losing condition is to not being able to do so. The lore of the city will change depending on events which will happen in the background. News of such events will be played through a radio broadcast or news paper heading. The player can also build a reputation for himself as well as build relationships with regular customers to get special perks as rewards or maybe to just make a friend."