automationgame.com

First I wasn't the one who was complaining about how the van got such a high rating, its a result of what still isn't in the game. Though I would say that the off-road stat does need some revising once things like a solid front axle, and an actual 4X4 transfer case are implemented.

My argument is that you state that an off the shelf 4X4 (not with optional lockers) is only capable of driving down dirt roads. Even though for the most part bumpers are cosmetic as far as capability I am posting pictures of some off the shelf 4X4's in action, with no custom bumpers, locking differentials... even from the factory.



My still bone stock CJ following a stock cummings powered dodge truck.


A bone stock Jeep Grand Cherokee on a mountain road.


Do we upgrade ours to make them more capable.... of course there is always that more difficult trail that we want to be able to do, but it doesn't mean that our rig wasn't already capable of doing some pretty impressive things.

Here's my take:

The game is designed to simulate design and sales of PRODUCTION vehicles. I interpret that as addition of aftermarket lockers, lift kits, winches, etc. would raise the Offroad stat to waaay above what is capable through tweaking. Like in the 200's.

On the flip side, the fact that ANYTHING got over 100 IMO means there's something in the stats (whether the body's capability or how the game calculates the stat) that needs tweaking.

Not a whole lot of production vans have great off-road capability. The Ford E-series has the ground clearance and the truck frame to do it, but is RWD. The GMC Safari/Chevy astro has 4WD/AWD, but lacks ground clearance and has a unibody frame. Neither are great. When people think of vehicles that, off the shelf, have the most offroad capability, certainly the short list includes the Jeep Wrangler, Nissan XTerra, and the various gamut of small-to-medium pickups. No one picks up a Dodge Caravan and says "Hey, I'm gonna lift this and take it rock crawling."

And if they do, and lift it and put in the appropriate drivetrain and equipment, more power to them. But they're about as nuts as that guy with the 5-cylinder radial engine in his MR2.

My bad, I've drawn a false conclusion from two incomplete sources...

I inferred that because the 4WD's I'd seen were modded that those mods were NEEDED for offroading whereas I should have seen them as UPGRADES,

On reflection, there are a number of offroad capable 4WD's, the Landrover Defender and the 75 series Landcruiser being two good examples, but I would suggest that the lack of vans in that list is due to a lack of trying, not some inherent flaw in vans! The stats aren't perfect but, until there is a 4WD body in-game, I still believe the van isn't that badly balanced.

There are some 4X4 vans, we have a couple where I work, including a couple of 4X4 buses. Typically they are special order items.

Glad I could get you to come around.

If I understand it correctly, in Automation there will be proper 4x4 along with the AWD we have right now. For all road-test purposes, i.e. ALL simulations run currently, the 4x4 is reduced to a 2WD vehicle, while it gets a significant bonus to its offroad stats (even compared to AWD). Tweaking of the offroad stat range has already been done in the current beta, now having a base value of 30 instead of 50, meaning on average 40% lower offroad values. The stat itself will become more interesting as more options improving it are added. The next big update will almost finish that stat's progression.

Schweet!

Regarding off road vans.

I know it's a Mitsubishi Delica (which seems to be pretty popular for off-road modding), but why am I reminded of the Boogey Van?

http://newbergford.com/inventory?Body=VAN%204X4

Looks like the vans we have at work are modified after the factory.

The humble VW vanagon syncro