Gear City

DennisS · June 05, 2014, 05:05:39 PM

While not specifically a war game, this is an EXTREMELY detailed and complex economic simulation of automobile manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. Whew!

Remininscent of the old Sierra game Detroit.

Here's a video review. Currently on Steam, as well. Still beta, but it looks very, very well fleshed out, already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP-2rjAG3Nw

Grim.Reaper · June 05, 2014, 05:09:16 PM

That actually looks fun....

link to steam page, $12 right now...

http://store.steampowered.com/app/285110/

Grim.Reaper · June 05, 2014, 05:10:37 PM

Demo available on this site....downloading

http://www.gearcity.info/

Grim.Reaper · June 05, 2014, 05:29:32 PM

who knew...another car game is coming out too...must be big market:)

http://www.cars-inc-game.com/index.php/en/

Gusington · June 05, 2014, 05:37:29 PM

Gear City looks very good. I have always wanted a game just like this...

Grim.Reaper · June 05, 2014, 05:47:30 PM

Quote from: Gusington on June 05, 2014, 05:37:29 PM
Gear City looks very good. I have always wanted a game just like this...

With this code at gamefly, you can get for $10.19.....go for it:)

JUN15OFF

http://digital.gamefly.com/#!/download-gear-city/5008373

DennisS · June 05, 2014, 05:48:03 PM

Cars, Inc., and to a lesser extent, Automation, deal more with the mechanics of car design.

Gear City, however, is much more like Capitalism 2. Capitalism 2 was, and remains, one of my all time games. I genuinely believe that this game is MORE involved, MORE complex than that.

32 vehicle types, 8 different marketing vehicles, such as newspaper, billboards, magazines, radio, etc., and three HUNDRED cities modeled.

Each city has a population, per capita income, tech level, and a variety of other factors.

Game starts in 1900, or 1930, 1950, or 1980, and runs until 2020. Turn-based, monthly, with ... 1,440 turns. Jesus.

You can have a few, or as many as 200(!) AI competitors.

There are a VAST number of user generated reports..really too many to list. I am having some difficulty wrapping my mind around all the options.

My only concerned is that this version is apparently buggier than a potato patch. It is playable, but caveat emptor.

Gusington · June 05, 2014, 05:49:30 PM

Games of Gear City can start in 1900? That is fantastic.

Grim.Reaper · June 05, 2014, 05:52:05 PM

Ton of tutorial and other videos....

http://www.youtube.com/user/VENTDEV

DennisS · June 05, 2014, 07:32:04 PM

Quote from: Gusington on June 05, 2014, 05:49:30 PM
Games of Gear City can start in 1900? That is fantastic.

The design feature is pretty cool. You spend the level of resources on the chassis, suspension, and engine, with reliability, fuel economy, or luxury in mind, and when you're done, you end up with a vehicle with a serious number of features. If you've done your research, you will have a vehicle that people want, and are willing to pay for. Pretty cool factory layouts, with the ability to expand, or retool.

There is also the ability to set up dealerships, in each of the 279 cities, and ship your vehicles to them. A limitless number, I might add...each of which you can upgrade and modify over time.

...with your enormous research and development program.

All things considered, this is the one I have been looking for, for a long time. It scratches the car itch, and the deep economic sim itch, but with the complexity not quite into the Campaign for North Africa territory.

Gusington · June 05, 2014, 07:41:07 PM

You're right. As a car guy forever, I must have this.

jomni · June 05, 2014, 09:32:39 PM

Does it deal with environmental controls? Emission targets? Oil price shocks? Union workers striking? Pension time bomb? Cheap foreign competitors from Asia?

DennisS · June 06, 2014, 04:50:10 PM

Quote from: jomni on June 05, 2014, 09:32:39 PM
Does it deal with environmental controls? Emission targets? Oil price shocks? Union workers striking? Pension time bomb? Cheap foreign competitors from Asia?

It has as many as 200 AI opponents, that are pretty competent.

Most folks are finding it difficult to stay solvent the first couple of years. The developer finally had to easy up the easy mode, for the noobs like me.

There are strikes, for sure..and they will affect your R&D, cost structures, and a variety of other parameters.

It is very much a spreadsheet game..but one that is SO complex, with inter-related and interdependent variables, that I don't believe that I will ever learn how to game it. The learning curve is immense..and with 279 cities, 34 vehicle types, and 1,440 turns, no game is likely to be the same.

Ian C · June 06, 2014, 05:34:49 PM

Lets see... cars, business sim, design sim, creativity, simulation, strategy, planning, nice charts, 1900 start...I'm in.

Grim.Reaper · June 06, 2014, 05:38:26 PM

Quote from: DennisS on June 06, 2014, 04:50:10 PM
Quote from: jomni on June 05, 2014, 09:32:39 PM
Does it deal with environmental controls? Emission targets? Oil price shocks? Union workers striking? Pension time bomb? Cheap foreign competitors from Asia?

It has as many as 200 AI opponents, that are pretty competent.

Most folks are finding it difficult to stay solvent the first couple of years. The developer finally had to easy up the easy mode, for the noobs like me.

There are strikes, for sure..and they will affect your R&D, cost structures, and a variety of other parameters.

It is very much a spreadsheet game..but one that is SO complex, with inter-related and interdependent variables, that I don't believe that I will ever learn how to game it. The learning curve is immense..and with 279 cities, 34 vehicle types, and 1,440 turns, no game is likely to be the same.

Dennis do you own the game or you playing the demo?