Car Mechanic Simulator

[BanzaiCat]

...not really a wargame, but on the computer, so one out of two ain't too bad I suppose.

I'm enjoying the 2015 iteration of this quite a bit. I liked 2014 though I didn't get too deeply into it. What's hilarious (to me, anyway) is that I know very little about car mechanics...never had it taught to me as a kid and just never had that much of a mechanical interest. So it's strange that I'm enjoying putting in time here and there to play this.

The 2015 version kind of ticked me off initially as the tutorial doesn't really hold your hand and tell you what to do. That made me rage quit (helpless quit?) twice before I fired it up a third time to give it one more chance, and then I realized that you can learn so much more just by jumping in. I've been spoiled by detailed tutorials and initially hated this one, but it actually works well.

Like driving a big rig in American Truck Simulator, there's something very cathartic about taking a car apart to find bad parts and fix 'em. Initially you're just buying parts online (and passing the cost on to the 'customer,' and then some), but later you have the option to start repairing parts. I think much later in the game, too, it gives you a chance to build your own vehicle (there's a vehicle auction location that you can travel to, but you need a ton of XP before you can unlock it, which I've not done yet).

The XP thing is pretty cool, too. You earn it by completing tasks, some of which are simple (replacing brake pads) to much more complex (being told something vague such as "the steering is off" or "the ride is too bumpy" and needing to figure out the issue(s)). At every 1,000 XP you can 'purchase' an upgrade that makes your garage more efficient.

You can purchase DLC add-ons to add vehicles to the mix; there's several but the only two I can think of off the top of my head are Maseratis and DeLoreans.

Anyway, it's a pretty fun title. Anyone else playing it?

[weateallthepies]

Yeah I've been messing with it. It is oddly engrossing despite me having very little interest in cars in general. It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the cars.

Agreed the tutorial is pretty awful, I thought there was something wrong with it as it just seemed to stop telling me anything but as you say if you just start doing things it becomes fairly obvious. I played the 2013 iteration I think which I seem to remember having a better tutorial so some of it already made sense.

[chemkid]

[...]It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the cars.

[...]

glad to hear it's a fun game - one of the giveaways from my recent humblebundle buy.
i rather play the 'Big Pharma' - 'It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the drugs.'  :))

btw, it looks like there's still one key left - check the donation thread! 

[mirth]

I've been busy playing driving in the snow simulator and wondering why I didn't work from home simulator.

[weateallthepies]

[...]It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the cars.

[...]

glad to hear it's a fun game - one of the giveaways from my recent humblebundle buy.
i rather play the 'Big Pharma' - 'It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the drugs.'  :))

btw, it looks like there's still one key left - check the donation thread! 

Ha, yeah I like that one too. I'd go grab a key but I got that bundle so I have everything. Reminds me that I have some keys to giveaway though, will do that when I get a moment.

[BanzaiCat]

glad to hear it's a fun game - one of the giveaways from my recent humblebundle buy.
i rather play the 'Big Pharma' - 'It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the drugs.'  :))

btw, it looks like there's still one key left - check the donation thread! 

I got that same bundle, with Big Pharma, but my jury is still out on Big Pharma. I'm not really into puzzles but when I have time I want to dig more into it to see how intricate it is...it looks to be fairly deep.

Yeah I've been messing with it. It is oddly engrossing despite me having very little interest in cars in general. It's just quite relaxing wandering around and tinkering with the cars.

Agreed the tutorial is pretty awful, I thought there was something wrong with it as it just seemed to stop telling me anything but as you say if you just start doing things it becomes fairly obvious. I played the 2013 iteration I think which I seem to remember having a better tutorial so some of it already made sense.

Yep, I think the 2014 version had a pretty decent tutorial. I am liking more how 2015 just lets you jump right in and eventually just lets you discover the parts yourself - which is really helpful. But, f*ck those damnable rubber bushings! They're hard to find in some of those cars. :)

I've been busy playing driving in the snow simulator and wondering why I didn't work from home simulator.

That latter one isn't exactly relaxation time, unlike what you might think. Before I know it most of my day is gone. Though it is nice to not have to wear pants while working.  O0

[gameleaper]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/293760/

this blows the exhaust of car mechanic

[BanzaiCat]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/293760/

this blows the exhaust of car mechanic

That looks pretty cool, gameleaper, but it looks way over my head and too technical for my tastes. Still, I'll probably add it to my wishlist and keep an eye on it, especially for some let's play vids.