Game at Launch, What is in? What is Out? - Updated 08/2014

[Killrob]

These are two good ways to implement it - I like both ways, the engine AI solution and the prebuilt engines.
When the time has come to implement it we would of course prefer using an AI, while plan B is exactly what
you propose: it will be easy to have prebuilt engines to choose from. That would make balancing a bit easier
too I guess.

Making it a competition would be a really bad idea though: that would probably mean the winning engine is
so good that building your own engines is a waste of time, as many never would build an engine that good.

Cheers!
/Killrob

[Brodz]

As regards the 'hopeful' future driving content. Wouldn't be far easier to acquire a driving physics engine from a software studio? Maybe there is a low level studio out there that won't charge much for a decent driving engine?

[bigcat1969]

Hum, I wonder if a good but not great engine competition would be possible? The Mediocre Engines of Legend Contest! How would you judge the best of mediocrity?

I really should read more threads before I ask this as it has probably been addressed... What is the AI going to be like?
It would be nice if it was basically the computer doing what the player is doing and trying to beat him at it, but that can be tough to design and program. On a small scale and as a college student long ago, I messed with AI and it will warp your mind as you try to build it. However, this way you could build in difficulty levels by having competing car companies start with more or less resources and start earlier or later than the player. Imagine trying to break into America in years past while competing with the Big Three. It is more dynamic and more fulfilling for the player.
I could see it being a sort of high level quasi AI that is just sort of there to keep the player interested and automatically comes out with prebuilt platforms every decades and prebuilt cars every few years. While not dynamic, it would be fairly quick and easy and that might be important as the project runs farther into 2015.

At the risk of feature creep, what about economic cycles, fuel worries, government and environmentalists? The auto biz is interesting because it has more variables than most other industries. It is very sensitive to the economy both to car prices as buying power fluctuates and and to the price of gas. It is a high profile polluter, so sees pressure to 'clean up' as we are witnessing now with the push to hybrids that no one but Democratic politicians seem to want. There can also be political pressure to assemble cars in the country you are selling them so they are 'Made in (Home Country)'. Countries also have street legal definitions.

Again feature creep alert. What about 'events'? It could be fun to have earthquakes shake up your factories, one of your researchers make a great discovery that allows for more power per liter but produces more heat, a nightwatchman sneak a smoke in the fuel mixture lab, a deranged message board user who suggests crazy ideas on your website or PETA protesters showing up outside your office because your luxury car uses lambskin upholstery.

OK off to suggest ways to make games that actually function without patches on the EA boards. They will love me!

[Nightmare5oh]

Alright, you made your car company.... would you be able to make it as a company that's all performance car driven like say... Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lotus or even something like Shelby or Saleen even and be a contracted party for another industry? I know I read that you would like to have a motorsports/racing option. Perhaps build a car company off of strictly racing renown... Maybe I'm asking to much, I'd rather it just be done tomorrow and you guys just do add-on content for sale later

[Q_res]

Making it a competition would be a really bad idea though: that would probably mean the winning engine is
so good that building your own engines is a waste of time, as many never would build an engine that good.

Cheers!
/Killrob

To be fair, a contest wouldn't necessarily have to lead to this result. That only happens if the selection criteria becomes picking the most technically excellent engines submitted, which you correctly point out as counter-productive. The selection criteria can be anything you want them to be, they can even be secret or non-existent, no rigid goals to meet just pick engines that you like and think would add something to the game.

Actually, the biggest problem I see with a contest, is the actual effort put into it. Namely manhours on the part of the devs, which already seem to be at a premium.

[jakejakejake55]

[quote="Deus ex Machina"]@ turbo/W16:

its acutly 2 of audis v8s welded to gether so yeh

[RevZ]

No it isn't; it's two eight-cylinder VR-type engines used in a V-opposition. Said Audi V8-engines are not of the same kind.

On a more on-topic note: Will there be the possibility to build flat-twelve engines? or exceedingly small multi-cylinder engines (eg. BRM 1.5-liter V16) ?
Or, seeing as the game includes technology years/eras, rotary valve heads instead of camshaft-operated valve systems, for the later years?

EDIT: Oh, It slipped my mind to say how I'm impressed with the demo so far. Sure, there's not much variety yet but that's what it's a demonstration for. I spent hours on it already, tinkering with it all and made a whole series of engines, from big low-revving thumpers to a small 1.3L lean-burn high-compression engine with quite low emissions and high volumetric efficiency that still costs relatively little to produce (from 2010 onwards of course).

[thereddaikon]

what about different cam drive systems? IE: chain, belt or gear driven. I know cosworth had some of their engines gear driven which while more expensive seems to be the most reliable. Chain driven cams are also better than belt ones. if your belt fails your valves go crunch. I could never understand why that is even used.

[Leafy]

what about different cam drive systems? IE: chain, belt or gear driven. I know cosworth had some of their engines gear driven which while more expensive seems to be the most reliable. Chain driven cams are also better than belt ones. if your belt fails your valves go crunch. I could never understand why that is even used.

Belt drives are quieter, dont require an extra oiling system for the chain, and are cheaper to replace. And on something like a miata with a non interference engine, if the timing belt goes on the highway you're out 12 bucks and in 2 hours you've fixed it on the side of the highway.

[thereddaikon]

chains dont really need to be replaced.

[Leafy]

chains dont really need to be replaced.

A lot of cars the interval is 100k, one year the robot in the factory made an oops and the oil squinter for the chain in 02 ecotec engines is weak so the chains stretch and fail at around 80k.

[TripleDiamond]

>2-Stroke
TRABANTS INBOUND

>Diesel
RABBITS INBOUND

>2-Stroke Diesels
MINI-JIMMYS INBOUND

Ah, I can only dream.


Anyways, will there be an option to have the 2strokes uniflow or loop scavenged?

Loop scav is the style used in SAABs, Trabis, and that Toro weedeater out in your garage. Where the oil is mixed with the fuel and breathed through the crankcase.

Uniflow would require the use of a blower and exhaust valves, however, I don't think they were ever used in a car (Unless you want to count a '66 Crackerbox Jimmy haha)

Now how about more than 2- and 3-cylinder 2-strokes?
Will I be able to make a V-8 mill?
Straight six 2-stroke? HHHNNNNNGGGGGG

[Daffyflyer]

No idea on any of the above, we haven't turned our attention to 2 strokes at all yet

[Johny_Sonner]

I hope there will be mod spupport so you can make your own cars and enginges liki in street legal racing redline it is just an

[Daffyflyer]

There will be mod support for sure, but I warn you, its pretty mind breakingly complicated at times! (we'll try and do some good documentation though)