Info about Master Of Pottery:

Official game description:
Contact Us
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■ Email：AZGames@foxmail.com
About the Game
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Master of Pottery is a pottery-themed creation + simulation game. Create unique works and run your own exhibition hall.  
As an excellent potter in the game, you will participate in base steps of pottery making, making your own works and placing them in the showroom for people to visit and interact with visitors! Get more materials, create more beautiful works and expand your showroom to run an exhibition.  
In the game, the basic processes of throwing, firing (drying, preheating, high temperature), painting, glazing, etc. in the pottery process are realized. The game refers to the traditional Chinese pottery craftsmanship. I hope that you can appreciate the traditional Chinese pottery culture in the game.  
\* Unique - rich production tools and materials, and you can use the custom pattern, which can use your own image for painting.  
\* Creation&SIM - each work has its own heat in the game, expand your showroom, create the hottest exhibits and attract more visitors.  
\* Random event - Tourists have their own preferences. They will buy their favorite works and send you a thank you letter.  
\* Share - You can export your work and share to other player.

Release date: Nov 11, 2019

Categories: Pottery Creation, Management Simulation, Creative Freedom, Relaxing and Cozy Gameplay, Progression System, Customization, Single-player


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $2.99 - $4.99
  - Reasoning: The community consistently recommends purchasing on sale, indicating the full price of $5.99 is considered too high. Several reviews mention 'a few bucks' as a fair price, and others advise waiting for a discount. Thus, a fair base-game price range is likely between $2.99 and $4.99, with the lower end reflecting typical sale prices and the upper end reflecting a still-acceptable but not full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 10.0h
  - Story completion: 2.5h
  - Session length: 0.8h
  - Endgame: 8.0h
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly states the main story/flow length is about 2.5 hours, supporting storyCompletion. The second quote indicates that after 8 hours the gameplay becomes repetitive and tiring, which marks the onset of endgame content, supporting endgame. The third quote from a Japanese review reports unlocking all achievements in about 10 hours of continuous play, supporting gameCompletion. The fourth quote describes a typical daily session of 0.5-1 hour, supporting sessionLength as the average of that range (0.75 hours).
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with a clumsy, repetitive feel and minimal tutorial support, but becomes enjoyable once players shape a piece and unlock the full creative pipeline, supported by a gentle progression curve.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Shaping a piece
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: clumsy controls; repetitive early gameplay; lack of detailed tutorial
  - Unlock drivers: shaping a piece; unlocking new features gradually; progression system
  - Conditions: if you prefer structured objectives; if you play for long sessions; if you want to break records
- Player Archetypes:
  - Relaxed Creative (buy)
    - Motivation: Stress relief and creative expression through pottery making.
    - Playstyle: Freely shapes pots, experiments with styles, and enjoys the process without pressure.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Jingdezhen native
    - Reference games: 一起做陶艺
  - Content Creator (buy)
    - Motivation: To create unique pottery pieces and share them with an audience, either through videos or in-game community features.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on making visually interesting or humorous pieces, often for screenshots or videos, and desires better community integration.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: UP主
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Achievement Hunter (buy)
    - Motivation: To complete all achievements quickly and easily.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on unlocking achievements, often using guides or efficient methods.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: achievement hunters
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Content Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: They want a deeper, more substantial game experience, not just a sandbox. They are disappointed by the lack of progression and content.
    - Playstyle: They try to engage with the game's systems but find them shallow or repetitive. They may compare to real pottery or other games.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: real-life ceramic artist
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Relaxing pottery experience (weight 0.58): Players consistently describe the game as a calming, stress-relieving activity that requires little mental effort. It is praised as one of the most relaxing games available, helping improve mood and providing a pleasant way to unwind.
- Creative freedom emphasized (weight 0.55): The game is lauded for allowing players to unleash creativity through a vast array of virtual creations, custom shapes, and patterns. It provides high customization freedom and serves as a novel creative outlet, even with limited tools.
- Best pottery making game (weight 0.54): Reviewers highlight the game as the premier pottery-making experience, offering an emotional and immersive sandbox-style creation process. It allows players to focus on making and decorating pottery, including playful options like poop ceramics, with freedom to shape clay.
- Rich features and details (weight 0.17): The game is filled with features, rich shaping options, and fine details that enhance the creative experience. Players appreciate the depth and polish of the gameplay mechanics.
- Excellent graphics quality (weight 0.17): The graphics are highly praised for being very good, pleasing, and refined with detailed textures. Visual presentation is a standout aspect of the game.
- Pleasant and soothing music (weight 0.13): The game's music is described as relaxing, soothing, and pleasing, contributing to the overall calming atmosphere. It is noted as pleasant and not irritating.

Common complaints:
- Game becomes boring and repetitive (weight 0.58): Many players report that the game quickly becomes monotonous and repetitive, especially when played alone or for extended periods. The core loop of shaping clay pots is seen as tiring and lacking variety.
- Scoring system is flawed (weight 0.36): The scoring system is criticized for being confusing, inconsistent, and too reliant on material quality rather than artistic merit. Early game it's hard to get high scores, but late game SSS is too easy, and display ratings are buggy.
- Developer inactive and abandoned game (weight 0.34): Players express frustration that the developer has been inactive for over a year, with only one update per year that adds nothing important. The game has been in Early Access for years, and the developer's silence and focus on another game have eroded trust.
- Limited pottery shapes and sizes (weight 0.33): Players are frustrated that the game only allows making bottles and jars, with size limits preventing plates, bowls, and other shallow or small items. The clay height limit and wheel throwing constraints restrict creativity.
- Gameplay is minimal and shallow (weight 0.31): Several reviews criticize the game for having almost zero gameplay, with mechanics that are formalistic and lack depth. The simulation management content is seen as superficial, and the game feels more like a lathe than a pottery wheel.
- Economic balance is frustrating (weight 0.3): The game's economy is poorly balanced, with expensive materials, high prices for paint and display slots, and advertising costs that never recoup. Even S-rank works can result in financial losses, and currency is always tight.
- Translation quality is poor (weight 0.27): Multiple reviews mention bad translations, including English, Spanish, and Japanese versions. Some text appears in Chinese even when set to English, and the Japanese translation is compared to Google Translate.
- Multiplayer features are broken (weight 0.27): Multiplayer is reported to rarely connect successfully, requires the host to stay online, and lacks mail-based chat. The online interface never shows other players, and the online selling feature is not functional in some regions.
- Lack of guidance and tutorials (weight 0.24): New players find the game lacks proper tutorials and level design to teach pottery skills. The editor is given without guidance, and the absence of a task system makes it hard to know what to do, especially for those unfamiliar with pottery.
- Content is too short and thin (weight 0.24): The main flow is only about 2.5 hours, and the game becomes boring after 3 hours. There are too few materials, furniture items, and events, making the game feel underdeveloped for an Early Access title.
- Painting and glazing limitations (weight 0.23): Painting patterns lacks fine adjustment controls, brush sensitivity is unresponsive, and glazing only allows one type. Custom painting is locked behind progression, and colors sometimes don't look right.
- Technical bugs and glitches (weight 0.19): There are several technical issues, including graphical errors, bugs with style display on dark patterns, and accidental selection of wrong patterns. The game also has issues with text auto-formatting and unnecessary cutscenes.
- Firing and shaping mechanics are simplistic (weight 0.17): Firing is too simple, relying only on mouse buttons to control temperature, and smoothing during wheel throwing is slow. Clay does not always follow the mouse direction, and the pottery process is too short and unrealistic.
- UI and controls need improvement (weight 0.17): The UI menus, especially in English translation, could use refinement. Style and design menus are difficult to navigate, placement controls are sliders instead of drag-and-drop, and scaling controls are inverted in some places.
- Progression and leveling issues (weight 0.16): The level cap is too low, making the master role too easy, and experience points become useless after level 10. The unlock speed of patterns is slow, and the game's pricing system is frustrating even when maxed out.
- Community features are inconvenient (weight 0.13): Viewing other players' works requires exiting the game to the community, and community creations can only be viewed as screenshots, not models. The game lacks a photo mode with adjustable camera specifics.
- Achievement names are offensive (weight 0.09): The first achievement is named '处女作' (maiden work), which some players find off-putting. This is considered an offensive name for an achievement.

Gameplay feedback:
- Pottery creation is core (weight 0.97): The game is primarily a pottery-making simulator where players shape clay on a wheel, create various forms, and decorate pieces. This is the most frequently mentioned aspect, indicating it is the central gameplay loop.
- Management and simulation blend (weight 0.61): The game combines pottery creation with light management elements, such as running a studio, managing showroom income, and attracting visitors. This hybrid approach is noted across multiple clusters.
- Selling and earning income (weight 0.54): Players can sell their pottery creations, either through exhibitions, a gallery, or direct sales, to earn money. This economic aspect is a key part of the gameplay loop.
- Progression and unlock systems (weight 0.27): The game features a progression system with fame, money, experience, and leveling up, which unlocks new features, patterns, and designs. This provides a sense of advancement and long-term goals.
- Apprentice training system (weight 0.23): The game includes an apprentice system where players can train apprentices, adding a management and teaching dimension to the gameplay. This is mentioned in several clusters.
- Custom image import (weight 0.17): Players can upload local images to use as custom designs on their pottery, allowing for personalized creations. This feature is highlighted as a notable customization option.
- Simple and easy controls (weight 0.13): The game is described as having simple mechanics and controls, making it accessible and easy to pick up. This is a positive aspect for casual players.
- Community and rating system (weight 0.11): The game has community creations and a rating system, allowing players to share and evaluate each other's work. This fosters a community around the game.
- Photo studio feature (weight 0.09): Players can set up scenes for photos, suggesting a photo studio mode that allows them to showcase their creations. This feature enhances the creative and sharing aspects.
- Single-player only (weight 0.08): The game is single-player, with no multiplayer mode, which may limit social interaction but focuses on individual creativity. This is a notable limitation for some players.
- Chinese cultural elements (weight 0.08): The game includes Chinese localization and traditional cultural elements, which may appeal to players interested in Chinese pottery and aesthetics. This adds cultural depth.
- Irregular bottle shaping (weight 0.08): The game allows shaping irregular small bottles and drawing on them, offering unique creative possibilities beyond standard pottery forms. This is a niche but interesting feature.

Performance notes:
- Runs well on Steam Deck (weight 0.11): Players report the game performs excellently on the Steam Deck, including when docked to a large TV. This indicates strong optimization for handheld and docked play.
- No bugs encountered (weight 0.06): Players report encountering no bugs during their playthrough, indicating a polished and stable release. This contributes to a positive overall experience.
- Stable on older hardware (weight 0.06): The game runs steadily on an older system with no crashes or frame rate spikes, though it does heat up the desktop. This suggests good performance on modest PCs.
- Low system requirements (weight 0.06): The game has low PC requirements, making it accessible to a wide range of players. This is a positive aspect for those with less powerful machines.

Recommendations:
- Game is worth buying (weight 0.6): Many reviewers strongly recommend purchasing the game, citing excellent value, complete experience, and overall enjoyment. It is considered one of the best purchases on Steam.
- Great for relaxing creativity (weight 0.31): The game is highly recommended for players seeking a relaxing, creative experience, offering calming gameplay and the joy of making something unique. It suits those who want to unwind from intense or action-packed games.
- Best bought on sale (weight 0.17): Several reviewers suggest waiting for a sale or buying at a low price, as the full price may be considered expensive. This is especially advised for players who may not invest many hours.
- Not recommended for lack content (weight 0.1): A few reviewers do not recommend purchasing the game at its current stage due to insufficient gameplay content and lack of replayability. This suggests the game may feel thin for some players.
- Recommended for pottery fans (weight 0.09): The game is specifically recommended for pottery enthusiasts and those who want to become a pottery master. It offers a satisfying experience for fans of the craft.
- Great for social play (weight 0.09): The game is recommended for playing with family or friends, and starting with multiple friends is strongly encouraged. It provides a social and enjoyable experience.
- Not for familiar players (weight 0.08): The game is not recommended for those familiar with the subject, as it may become boring after several hours. It is more suited for newcomers or non-Chinese players.
- Good for content creators (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for video makers or screenshot takers who can create content. It offers creative freedom that appeals to those who enjoy making unique pieces.
- DLC also recommended (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the DLC as well, indicating that additional content adds value to the game. This suggests the base game may be enhanced by expansions.
- Focus on single-player (weight 0.05): One reviewer suggests the developer should focus on single-player content rather than multiplayer. This indicates a preference for solo experiences.
- Great for apprentice system (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game for players who want to seriously engage with the apprentice system, suggesting saving low-level ceramics for teaching. This adds depth for dedicated players.
- Not for everyone (weight 0.05): One reviewer notes that the game is not for everyone, indicating it may have a niche appeal. It is best suited for those with specific interests.
- Guaranteed wonderful time (weight 0.05): One reviewer states the game is guaranteed to provide a wonderful time, reinforcing its positive reception. This is a strong endorsement for potential buyers.

Other player notes:
- Compared to mobile version (weight 0.34): Reviewers compare the PC version to its mobile counterpart, noting better optimization and details on PC. This comparison highlights the game's improvements over the mobile experience.
- DLC availability is confusing (weight 0.27): Multiple reviews mention DLC, with some saying the game has DLC and others saying it does not, causing confusion. This inconsistency may mislead potential buyers about the game's content.
- Small but well-made game (weight 0.26): The game is described as small and inexpensive, yet well-crafted. Reviewers appreciate its quality relative to its size and price, making it a good value purchase.
- Continuous updates and content (weight 0.22): The game has been continuously updated with new content, though updates are slow and infrequent. Reviewers note that the developer releases updates periodically, but the pace is a concern.
- Limited language support (weight 0.2): The game lacks Spanish translation and is only available in English, which limits accessibility for non-English speakers. This is a significant drawback for international players.
- Chinese developer and localization (weight 0.17): The game is developed by a Chinese developer and includes Chinese localization, which is noted by several reviewers. This cultural aspect is a key selling point for Chinese-speaking players.
- Easy achievements (weight 0.15): Achievements are easy to complete, with some achievable in a few hours or within 81 days. This accessibility is appreciated by completionists but may reduce long-term challenge.
- Long early access period (weight 0.14): The game has been in early access since 2019 to 2026, which is a long time. Reviewers express concern about the prolonged development phase and its impact on the game's completeness.
- Online selling feature requested (weight 0.13): Players suggest adding a feature to sell their pottery online, similar to Taobao, to increase engagement. This would allow players to share and monetize their creations.
- Domestic indie game with license (weight 0.09): The game is a domestic independent game that obtained a license, which is notable in the Chinese gaming market. This status may influence player trust and support.
- Store page presentation lacking (weight 0.05): One reviewer notes that the store page presentation is lacking, which may deter potential buyers. A more polished store page could improve the game's visibility and appeal.

Emotions:
- Enjoyment (weight 0.13): Players enjoy the simple, smooth gameplay loop of crafting, exhibiting, and selling pottery, which offers creative freedom and little pressure on visual appeal. The game is immersive, relaxing, and allows players to unleash creativity and make progressively cooler creations.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): The game provides a sense of becoming a master through progressive unlocks and training high-star apprentices, which gives a strong sense of achievement. Players are satisfied with the creative freedom, rich content, and the rewarding feeling of making successful pieces.
- Frustration (weight 0.08): Players face frustration due to lack of pottery knowledge, expensive materials, and imperfect firing results. Misleading translations, UI navigation issues, and inconsistent scoring systems also contribute to the frustration, along with the slow unlock speed of patterns and high prices.
- Disappointment (weight 0.07): The game disappoints players due to its lack of guidance, shallow and repetitive gameplay, and limitations like the clay height preventing bowls and plates. The developer's inactivity, lack of content, and thin systems like the auction house and tea house also lead to disappointment.
- Relaxation (weight 0.07): The game is widely praised for its tranquil pacing, absence of pressure, and healing music, making it a great way to de-stress and unwind. Players find the pottery creation process relaxing once tools are mastered, and the game is considered one of the most relaxing games ever played.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): Players are amused by the ability to create absurd or meme-worthy pottery, such as poop ceramics or phallic shapes, and sell them at high prices. The humorous contrast between cultural creations and the player's silly ones, along with NPCs praising poorly made works, adds to the amusement.
- Boredom (weight 0.04): The game becomes boring after extended play due to repetition and limited content, especially in the late game. Players report boredom after around 3 hours or after day 50, and the game is less engaging when played alone.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Players are excited by the game's potential, the ability to trade artwork with friends, and the real-time inspiration from others' works. Updates and the discovery of a ceramic game on Steam that matches their interests also generate excitement.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game for filling a niche no other game on Steam does, allowing pottery without the mess and space requirements. The heartfelt and emotional pottery experience, along with the freedom to let imagination run free, makes it a beloved game.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the custom tasks and apprentice mode that prevent boredom, and the game's simplification of the painful wheel throwing process to focus on creative painting. The heartwarming exchange with a customer and the game's ability to support both serious and silly play are also valued.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): The game evokes nostalgia by reminding players of their childhood, playing 4399 games, or their time on a pottery wheel. It is seen as a PC version of a childhood game, and players still love playing with mud.
- Amused (weight 0.02): Players are amused by NPCs sending photos of hideous items in their homes and praising even poorly made works. The ability to add emoticons to pots and the absurdity of buyers purchasing bad clay lumps add to the amusement.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Players are confused by the game's limitations, such as not being able to shape and paint plates despite being a pottery game, and the lack of a task system. The game's inability to apply color to pieces after the first one and inconsistent scoring also cause confusion.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players feel joy from the fun of kneading clay and the game's tribute to childhood. The game's update after two years and the overall fun of pottery making contribute to the joy.
- Satisfied (weight 0.02): Players are satisfied with the game's value for its price, better optimization than the mobile version, and the good DIY experience. Successfully creating and selling items like a Christmas tree-shaped bottle for a high price also brings satisfaction.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players anticipate more features due to the game's high potential and the developer's work on new content. They look forward to the exhibition hall decoration feature and many relaxing hours building their pottery studio.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players are frustrated by the lack of template teaching and limited Chinese font options, as well as their works consistently receiving low scores despite effort. Some are also annoyed by other reviewers' negative reviews.
- Relaxed (weight 0.01): The game's built-in calmness and relaxation, along with its status as one of the most relaxing games ever played, help players unwind. Making pottery in the game is a relaxing activity.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited by continuous customization and the anticipation of updates, as well as the ability to realize wild ideas. The DIY feature that allows pasting custom images and selling works for high prices also excites them.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game as beautiful work moving toward something impressive, and the community's incredible creations, such as the Laoganma trademark image, are highly regarded.}