automationgame.com

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:38 am**

Hey guys!

The Q&A video is now up and answers plenty of your questions and discusses some bigger topics:
http://youtu.be/P4S6L-kMev0

Here the quick overview of what is being covered:

Big topics
1:02 Topic A: Hybrids, Electrics, Rotaries
5:28 Topic B: Diesels
9:51 Topic C: Driving Cars
12:44 Topic D: Development Timeline
17:28 Topic E: Where to draw the line?

Quick Questions
22:51 Q1: Track making tool?
23:27 Q2: Gearboxes, diffs, etc.?
23:51 Q3: DLC, what first?
24:31 Q4: Steam keys?
25:02 Q5: Why new music?
25:56 Q6: Trucks, SUVs, Offroad?
26:24 Q7: Racing / racing manager?
27:24 Q8: 200 octane fuel?
28:27 Q9: Engine-adding difficulties?
29:14 Q10: Do aesthetics matter?
30:01 Q11: UI update?
30:56 Q12: Campaign mode content?
32:30 Q13: Company reputation?
33:13 Q14: Car problems & QA?
34:03 Q15: Market simulation?
35:06 Q16: Scripted economy events?
37:17 Q17: Favorite upcoming feature?
38:04 Q18: Currently poor feature?
38:46 Q19: Physical game copy?
39:18 Q20: A bad dream!
40:02 Q21: Automation at Gamescom?
40:46 Q22: All in one take?
41:38 Q23: Endure obvious questions?
43:38 Q24: Scripted jokes in videos?
44:27 Q25: Why New Zealand?
45:19 Q26: After Automation is done?

Cheers!
/Killrob

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:51 am**

Thanks for answering all of our questions!

Posted: **Tue Apr 08, 2014 6:39 am**

Awesome video.

It was rather nice to get a number of good questions answered. It's certainly nice to see a game that a) isn't dependent on weak patches and torrents of reskin dlc. b) focuses on simulation vs gimmicky faux simulation. I'm really looking forward to seeing your (read: camshaft team) vision of the tycoon.

I think my biggest wish is to see a consistent pattern of content and code update delivery (read: something to tie us over monthly).... and a dev blog closer to KSPs.. maybe not DAILY like those nuts manage to put out.. but something to look forward to on a weekly basis for a beloved game. I know - I know - you have milestones to reach, and every time someone says they want another update.. more this, more that, you get a little more bitter, part of you dies inside, etc. I think it's important to realize there are more than likely, a lot of fans really enjoying this content and that we are not terribly vocal on youtube, social media, or these forums; but we do however greatly appreciate the value were getting for our money. I at least have high hopes that this will be the beginning of a long lived, greatly loved saga of automotive tycoon games. Be sure to comment the crap of your code, you may need this code base (at least as a reference, or hey, posterity!) for many years to come

.

Imho, when people see video updates - they're inspired! They want to play! And when you talk about future visions, possibilities, release timelines, etc... the gears (of the mind lol) get going. Of course, the kids who lack patience, can't help themselves but ask, ask, ask for more stuff. You really can't take requests for new features as an insult to what you have poured blood and sweat into. Anyways, I just wanted to write this note, that I see turned into a novel.. Because as a designer/developer myself, I feel the burn when I pour my soul into a project and only get burdened by more questions for content, release schedules, etc.... It helps me at least to know when there's people benefiting and appreciating my work.

-dasherk

Posted: **Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:20 pm**

dasherk wrote:I think my biggest wish is to see a consistent pattern of content and code update delivery (read: something to tie us over monthly).... and a dev blog closer to KSPs.. maybe not DAILY like those nuts manage to put out.. but something to look forward to on a weekly basis for a beloved game. I know - I know - you have milestones to reach

Yeah, our development process really focuses around getting a major package of features that all work together and rely on each other to exist, whilst we do have new patch versions every week or so in the closed beta they are ALWAYS broken in some sense, with old features often being broken and new features not working as intended yet, it's not stuff that'd be fun for public consumption.

We kind of work by the theory that every update we release should be a mostly finished, well polished chunk of game and as such we kinda need a while where things can be broken so we can bring in all the new features then spend a while balancing and polishing it all.

I agree we do need to do better dev blogs though, we do a lot of youtube videos and facebook updates, but we don't really tend to sit down and write much text very often. I'd like to improve that.

Posted: **Tue Apr 08, 2014 3:37 pm**

Personaly, i think you guys do great with keeping your players up to date, better than most big ticket alphas such as dayz.

Posted: **Tue Apr 08, 2014 3:41 pm**

I loved it. I wrote a comment on there for my favorite questions and topics, if you're interested in reading it. Thanks for taking the time to answer the community's questions.

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:43 am**

Daffyflyer wrote:
dasherk wrote:I think my biggest wish is to see a consistent pattern of content and code update delivery (read: something to tie us over monthly).... and a dev blog closer to KSPs.. maybe not DAILY like those nuts manage to put out.. but something to look forward to on a weekly basis for a beloved game. I know - I know - you have milestones to reach

Yeah, our development process really focuses around getting a major package of features that all work together and rely on each other to exist, whilst we do have new patch versions every week or so in the closed beta they are ALWAYS broken in some sense, with old features often being broken and new features not working as intended yet, it's not stuff that'd be fun for public consumption.

We kind of work by the theory that every update we release should be a mostly finished, well polished chunk of game and as such we kinda need a while where things can be broken so we can bring in all the new features then spend a while balancing and polishing it all.

I agree we do need to do better dev blogs though, we do a lot of youtube videos and facebook updates, but we don't really tend to sit down and write much text very often. I'd like to improve that.

Would it be practical to make a nightly build available with some dev notes, or no? In any case, I'm really looking forward to see how this all completes. I'm dying for a good tycoon game!

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:53 am**

If anything, a monthly build would make more sense. As it says in the FAQ, if you are not happy with pledging your money with what is out at the moment, don't preorder. Personally, the amount of hours I have gotten out of this game already makes it a worthwhile investment. The only reason for doing the releases often, as they already seem to be happy with the number of beta testers they have, is to give players more content, which I am guessing is what you want. However, like I said, if you are not happy with the content at the moment, and you don't believe that what is out at the moment is worth your money, follow the FAQ's advice. I would rather not have the devs have to make only one small change per day and then make sure that it works without ruining the rest of the game, and instead focus on the important, game changing things that might, indeed, require them to change the game in a game breaking way for a bit; at which point they already know what isn't working, so they got no benefit out of it and got the negative of the wasted time, and you got only the positive of seeing what they are working on, and the negative of not being able to play a functioning, if not completely bug free or content filled, game.

Correct me if I'm wrong

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 12:12 pm**

A nightly build would just be an extra layer of work to put out a most likely slightly broken and occasionally totally unplayable update, it'd detract from our main goal of releasing actual high quality finished updates and generally serve no purpose that the video updates don't already cover. I know it sucks having to wait while we work on and polish up content, but that's the development process we think is best for the overall quality of the game.

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 12:15 pm**

Daffyflyer wrote:A nightly build would just be an extra layer of work to put out a most likely slightly broken and occasionally totally unplayable update, it'd detract from our main goal of releasing actual high quality finished updates and generally serve no purpose that the video updates don't already cover. I know it sucks having to wait while we work on and polish up content, but that's the development process we think is best for the overall quality of the game.

I agree, i would rather play polished and working content rather than jumping up and down in wet cement and then falling in a hole.

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 12:23 pm**

USDMFTW wrote:I agree, i would rather play polished and working content rather than jumping up and down in wet cement and then falling in a hole.

That's an... interesting analogy. :lol:

Posted: **Thu Apr 10, 2014 12:30 pm**

gt1cooper wrote:
USDMFTW wrote:I agree, i would rather play polished and working content rather than jumping up and down in wet cement and then falling in a hole.

That's an... interesting analogy.

Accurate though!

Posted: **Fri Apr 11, 2014 12:52 am**

gt1cooper wrote:
USDMFTW wrote:I agree, i would rather play polished and working content rather than jumping up and down in wet cement and then falling in a hole.

That's an... interesting analogy.

Dayz, i walked into a house and fell through the floor, and then fell through the map and died <.<

Posted: **Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:49 am**

Very insteresting Q&A but I have one other question. Do you will make unlockable technology in car designer like engine designer with the type of injection and bottom different crank rod n piston ? Like some type of body or light will be unlock only in 90s.

Posted: **Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:23 pm**

minifrank24 wrote:Very insteresting Q&A but I have one other question. Do you will make unlockable technology in car designer like engine designer with the type of injection and bottom different crank rod n piston ? Like some type of body or light will be unlock only in 90s.

Oh god yes, all the body types, suspension types, chassis types etc will all have to be unlocked through research.

automationgame.com

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