Why This Matters
Showtime, Storytime DLC introduces powerful new careers, creative systems, and tools that expand inZOI into a full-scale storytelling and media production platform. Whether you’re building a media empire or crafting scripted stories, this DLC gives players the freedom to produce, direct, and distribute content like never before.
- Launch new careers in Broadcasting and Film Production — take control of live shows, news segments, and scripted productions with professional-grade workflows.
- Explore alternative creative paths — dive into Blogging or specialize in Shows, Series, and Sitcoms with unique mechanics and audience dynamics.
- Bring stories to life across the city — unlock City Theaters and Cinemas as active venues for premieres, screenings, and cultural impact.
- Master new game systems — write with the Storytime Script System, film with the Scene Director, and perform through Zoi’s Personality System, using and developing your skills to achieve success.
As a passionate fan of deep gameplay systems and endless customization beyond preset visuals, I understand that DLCs focused on visual content can matter more — and still, there may be players who appreciate this format. At least, for creators of scripted stories and video content, the majority of this DLC is dedicated to the tools they need.
New Career: News / Broadcasting
- Start as a street observer and rise to a media specialist shaping the public narrative.
- At every stage of your career, encounter unique scripted scenes — dynamically generated based on time of day, city district, and unfolding events.
- Conduct interviews, uncover social conflicts, urban mysteries, and NPC personal dramas.
- Interact with the broadcast tower and news agency — select stories, complete editorial tasks, and build your ratings.
- Take on assignments from authorities and rush to on-site incidents — from fires and thefts to political scandals — add tension and demand rapid response.
- Gain press access to restricted zones, attend official briefings, cover city reforms and campaigns — turn journalism into a window into the city’s reality.
Alternative Path: Blogger
- Choose the path of an independent blogger — work outside agencies, build your own audience and unique content style, cover events from a personal perspective.
- Build your career based on likes, shares, and engagement — every post affects your reputation and unlocks new story scenes.
- Monetize your content through in-game platforms, subscriptions, and brand integrations.
- Interact with NPCs as followers, critics, and collaborators — immerse yourself in the city’s digital culture.
- Earn in-game rewards for originality, influence, and social impact, gain access to exclusive zones through popularity rather than official channels.
- Become a media personality — join talk shows, get invited to premieres, and become a topic of public discussion.
Content Zone: Blogger Studio
- Use a compact studio to record podcasts, video blogs, reaction clips, and live streams.
- Customize your background, lighting, and so on — create a recognizable style and visual signature.
- Invite NPCs for interviews, discussions, and challenges — expand your format and boost engagement.
New Career: Film Production
- New Location: Cinema District, inspired by Hollywood: sound stages, city streets, casting offices, and editing studios.
- Start your journey as a production assistant and rise to the role of director, managing actors, scenes, and final edits.
- Shoot scenes, rehearse dialogues, and set up stage designs / decorations.
- Oversee directing, filming, editing, casting, and voiceover — control the entire production cycle.
- From amateur clips to full-length dramas — every project impacts your career, reputation, and public perception in the city.
- Plan shooting schedules, manage budgets, seek sponsors — take charge of the full producer workflow.
- Archive your projects, submit them to festivals, earn in-game awards — embed your films into the city’s cultural legacy.
- Rumors of backstage drama, canceled premieres, and actor conflicts — all may surface during production.
Alternative Path – Showrunner
- Launch shows — create TV talk shows, reality shows, series.
- Produce series — plan seasons, character arcs, track audience reactions, and adapt scripts accordingly.
- Publish projects on in-game streaming platforms — sign contracts, gather views, retain audience, and earn seasonal ratings.
City Theaters & Cinemas
- Use theaters for live performances, dramatic duels, and experimental plays.
- Present films in cinemas — host premieres, and collect audience ratings.
- Attract other Zois to events, shape public opinion, and engage with the reputation system.
- Interact with critics, fan clubs, respond to scandalous reviews — immerse yourself in the city’s cultural buzz.
- Rent venues, sell tickets, advertise shows — manage your own theater business.
- Organize touring productions, collaborate with other cities — expand the boundaries of art.
New Game Systems
Zoi’s Personality system
- Use all your personal skills — such as Empathy or Authority — to read people, sense their intentions, and persuade them to open up or follow your lead. Every interaction becomes a stage where your personality is the key to influence.
Script System: Storytime Scripts
- Use the built-in script editor to create and original storylines.
- Support dialogue trees, build branching narratives, trigger emotional reactions and career consequences.
- Integrate scripts with the reporter profession — reenact or dramatize real events.
- Activate hidden triggers, create double-faced characters, launch irreversible plot twists — simulate true drama.
- Publish scripts in Canvas, receive ratings from other players, influence city events — make your stories part of the shared narrative.
- Add mods, import external templates, generate scenes by keywords — unlock infinite storytelling potential.
Cinematic System: Scene Director (Inspired by The Movies)
- Enter shooting mode — load selected set and scene parameters.
- Place actors and props on stage — build the scene layout manually / assign roles, costumes, and starting positions.
- Select animations from a preset library or create your own via built-in tools and assign them to actors per shot.
- Position cameras — set static or dynamic angles, define movement paths, and configure zoom levels.
- Adjust lighting and environmental effects — control mood, shadows, and time of day.
- Trigger scene playback — preview actor actions and camera movement in real time.
- Record takes — capture footage with timeline control, preview, re-shoot if needed, and save to timeline.
- Assemble scenes in the editing bay — trim clips, add transitions, sync audio, and export the final cut.
- Store shot data — save scene metadata including actor states, camera paths, and lighting presets.
References
- The Movies (2005)
- Empire TV Tycoon (2015)
- Headliner: NoviNews (2018)
- Not For Broadcast (2020)
- Showrunner (2023)
- Movies Tycoon (2024)
- News Tower (2025)
Notes
- This thread is a work in progress and will be updated and refined based on ongoing comments.
- All referenced videos are representative only.
- It’s preferable to split the content into Luxury, Rhythm & Glory, and Showtime, Storytime, as each theme explores different dimensions and offers distinct gameplay. Merging them into a single package is more likely to result in repetative mechanics.
Ugh, yeah, I kind of dropped those ideas — there’s just so little support for them. It’s okay.
