Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 124: Indicators of Success

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 124: Indicators of Success

One of the recently added body sets in Automation has quickly become a favorite of mine. Called the Indicator, it is available from 1988 onwards, and comes in four sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large, with wheelbases of 2.55, 2.70, 2.85, and 3.00 meters respectively. Each of them comes in 14(!) different body styles (2- and 4-door soft-top convertibles, 2-door and 4-door sedans, 2-door and 4-door coupes, SUV, minivan/MPV, pickup truck/ute, 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks, 5-door wagons/estates, plus 3-door and 5-door liftbacks for the two smallest sizes), opening up a very wide range of possibilities from the late '80s through to the whole of the '90s and even the early 2000s.

The new Indicator body sets are among the most diverse and useful in Automation as of LCV4.2.32.

These body sets were introduced as a replacement for a similar-looking body set (available from 1990 onwards) that debuted as a Steam Workshop mod. Over time, it became popular enough to be added to the list of vanilla (default) body sets. Originally, it came in one wheelbase (~2.7m) and three body styles (4-door sedan, as well as a 2-door coupe or convertible, the latter with a soft top just like its successor). However, this was a very limited choice compared to some other similarly sized contemporary body sets, and over time, this and its other limitations (such as a lack of morphing zones in certain areas) became apparent.

It should therefore come as no surprise that I find its replacement to be vastly superior in nearly all aspects. Along with their sheer diversity of body styles and morphing zones across all sizes, the Indicator body sets can now accommodate wider tires and wheels on both axles than their predecessors (or equivalents, for sizes other than the default 2.7m wheelbase). In fact, one of my few complaints about them is that each one has a narrower engine bay than they should have. Also, their body roll is generally higher than it should be for comfort-oriented builds. Nevertheless, I expect them to be highly popular - potentially even more so than other similar contemporary body sets - and would happily use any of the bodies in this set to flesh out a company's lore.

The Indicator body set is not the only one in Automation that has proven to be a worthwhile replacement for its predecessor. For example, the rounded 1985 coupe body set, introduced back in the Kee era with two wheelbases (2.52m and 2.72m) has since been remade with a smoother appearance, revised morphing zones, and a greater number of body styles, plus two additional wheelbases (2.42m and 2.62m) and a more appropriate unlock year of 1988. The 1995 Egg body set (another holdover from the Kee era) has also been reworked, and now comes in multiple wheelbases (from 1.9m to 2.6m), with all but the smallest of these being available as 3- or 5-door hatchbacks (the 1.9m wheelbase variant only comes with three doors - no more, no less). Finally, in place of a pair of much-used but slightly bugged mid-engined body sets with an unlock year of 2000, there are four new similar-looking body sets (called Mako) with an unlock year of 2009 - and modders have even created versions of them with larger engine compartments, among other changes.

Do any of these Automation body sets look familiar to you? If so, that's because they're superior remakes of existing body sets that were introduced in previous game builds.

In short, the Automation community's program of remaking car body sets that date back to long-obsolete builds is mostly a win-win - we might have to remake any cars built on those bodies, but the results will look and feel far better than they used to.