Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 111: Into the Unknown

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 111: Into the Unknown

After recently trying out version 4.2 of Automation in its most recent state (open alpha LCV4.12), I can glad to tell you that I am most definitely impressed. Yes, there are still plenty of mods from earlier builds that have not been carried over yet, and some annoying bugs are still present (as I have already explained in the previous post in this series), but this latest build is generally an improvement over earlier ones. For one, there are now advanced trim settings for wheels, tires, suspension and engine placement, although these are purely aesthetic and will not affect a vehicle's stats in any way. The actual engine and trim configuration options, however, are far more comprehensive and realistic.

With the release of the 4.27 build, there are now many advanced aesthetic trim settings to choose from.

In particular, there are now many more options available when designing an engine. Balance shafts and harmonic dampers are now a selectable item, and are virtually mandatory for high-revving engines due to the durability bonus they provide when they are fitted. More significantly, turbochargers are now much more realistically depicted, with options to select wastegates, boost control and even smart boost depending on the year. In addition to this, thermal stress (which is shown in the turbo graph tab) has been factored in, and excessive thermal stress can even render an engine unusable.

Turbo tuning is more detailed than ever before, as this screenshot of the turbo setup graph shows.

One of the more useful trim settings is the weight balancer, which allows you to skew a vehicle's weight distribution to the front or rear - a handy tool for counteracting excessive oversteer or understeer. There's also a weight optimization slider which you can use to add or subtract weight depending on how much (or little) of it your vehicle needs. On top of that, you can select in-car entertainment systems and grades independently, with the availability of each variant being dependent on the era.

More significantly, though, there are plenty of new car bodies and exterior fixtures that have been introduced in this build, either by default or through mods. To go along with this, some of the existing bodies have been revised, with different measurements and unlock years compared to previous builds - and each body now has a list of compatible seating configurations displayed when you move your mouse over them. This makes it easier to find out if the body you wish to use is the right one for your needs.

One of the most significant changes in version 4.27 is the unlock year for a whole set of sedan bodies being changed to 2006, compared to 2009 in prior releases.

In terms of aesthetics, the range of options in the engine and trim tabs is now much wider than before. There are now far more areas in both tabs that can have their materials and/or colors changed, especially with the new material mods introduced in the opt-in open alpha. This is especially important for anyone seeking a period-accurate appearance for their build.

There are now far more engine components that can have their colors and materials changed - and this is also true of the car as a whole.

All in all, after a period of initial skepticism, I am pleased to tell you that the most recent open alpha build of Automation has finally delivered on its promises. It is still a long way from being as stable as the previous version (4.24), however, even with the latest 4.13 patch, but the gap has noticeably narrowed. In fact, it's now more complete than it's ever been - and it will get better over time.