Roadhouse Simulator Guide

Gangs and the sheriff

There are two kinds of law around this bar: the biker gangs who want things from you, and the sheriff who wants you to stop giving it to them. The store page lists both as headline systems — "make deals out back", and "manage inspections, fines and bribes".

The management board: faction territories around the Road House, with influence and owned territories tracked at the top

The gangs

  • Rival biker gangs operate in the area and turn a normal night into a gang fight if they meet in your bar.
  • Deals out back are part of the loop. Influence with gangs opens "alternative" supply sources — cheaper or unavailable goods, at a cost.
  • Neutrality is a strategy. Octane, the character introduced in DRAGO's devlog "OCTANE — The Roadhouse Godfather", stays neutral so that "business just keeps moving": he keeps rival gangs in check, handles shady suppliers, and keeps the sheriff off his back by not picking a side. His devlog describes him as starting as a bouncer and working his way to owning the roadhouse, which is the arc the player copies.
  • All The Dots — a name DRAGO kept from their unreleased Shady Deals project, along with the gangs and Octane. What it does mechanically has not been detailed in public.

Note the family tree: Shady Deals was originally a DLC idea for Gas Station Simulator, grew into this standalone prelude, and was rebuilt — around 90% of assets created or remade, systems redesigned.

The sheriff and the law system

  • Evidence follows crime. The store page says it directly: "Crime leaves evidence, and when you run the Road House, every mess becomes your problem." Bodies, stains and debris are that evidence, and your HUD counts them.
  • Inspections happen whether you like it or not. There is a dedicated "Prepare for police inspection" objective in the builds so far.
  • Fines and bribes are your two answers. Pay the fine, or pay someone, or clean up so neither happens.
  • Patrons snitch. The store description for the related Prologue notes the police can be summoned by customers informing on you.
  • Losing is real. Consequences escalate to fines and temporary shutdown, not just an angry visit.

A practical order of operations

  1. Clean before the shift turns. Bodies out, stains mopped, debris bagged.
  2. Keep gang members apart. If two crews are inside, your priority is separating them, not serving beer.
  3. Take the deal that keeps supply flowing. Deals out back are how you keep shelves stocked when normal suppliers are not enough.
  4. Bank cash for fines. A fine you cannot pay is worse than one you can.
  5. Do not inform on yourself. Every un-cleaned mess is a note in a file with your name on it.

Territory and influence

The management screen in the official art shows a map of the area divided into gang territories — plaques for factions (BEARS and COYOTES appear on the board) around a central Road House — with INFLUENCE and OWNED TERRITORIES tracked at the top and a breakdown of who is currently in your building (MAX. GUESTS, GANGSTERS, CIVILIANS).

The store's wording for this is "acquire more territories to widen your influence" and "expand the Road House and turn it into the wildest stop on Route 66". Influence is what turns one bar into a local power; the gangs are the price of admission.

Unconfirmed at launch

Faction names beyond the two visible on the board, what each gang actually supplies, bribe pricing, and how territories are captured. The game unlocked on September 21, 2026 and we revise these pages as the live build is verified.

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