Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 255: Roof Replacement

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 255: Roof Replacement

Sometimes, the default roofline morphing range for a specific body set in Automation may not be enough for your aesthetic needs. Fortunately, the Steam Workshop offers a free 3D fixture mod set (Shadow's Roof Fixture Pack 3) that allows you to insert the turret (which includes the roof, pillars, and windows) from a specific real-world car into your build. The mod actually contains dozens of fixture sets based on Asian, American, Australian, and European machinery; some of these sets also have multiple variants each. Just select the set and variant that suits you best, then insert the window glass material into the window slots while using the default chrome or plastic materials for the window trim, along with either color-coding the roof and pillar slots or applying a contrasting color to them, and moving and resizing the fixture accordingly, and you're good to go.

Taking the '92 Evade (2.53m wheelbase) as an example, there are several options from this massive mod fixture pack that could be viable. In true mad scientist fashion, I examined all manner of possibilities after hiding the roof, pillars, and windows of the base body set, and after several hours, found multiple options, with the following three being the most promising, as shown below:

Above, from top: Three examples of combining custom roof fixtures (showing one variant each from SHD's Euro 00s Sports, Asian 00s Coupe, and American 90s Muscle 3D roof fixture mod sets) with the '92 Evade body set (2.53m wheelbase in notchback configuration, with a wraparound rear window that is not shown here), reshaped and repositioned accordingly to suit the base body set's morphing zone settings. I hid the roof, windows, and pillars by using a fully transparent material for the former two, and some transparent patch fixtures to mask the latter.

All three of the above options (especially the variants shown here) are recommended if you want an expansive yet low-slung glasshouse, but with a different shape from the stock roof.

To be fair, the stock roof/pillars on the fastback variant on this body set (the one without a wraparound rear window, instead having actual B- and C-pillars along with rear quarter windows) can be made quite sleek (though still more upright in side profile compared to the custom options I've shown) if the morphing settings for the A Pillar, B Pillar, B Pillar Adjustment, Lower C Pillar, Roof Detail, Roof Height, Upper A Pillar (vertical and horizontal), and Upper B Pillar zones are all set to zero, as follows:

Above, from top: The sleekest, lowest stock roof settings for the fastback variant of the 2.53m wheelbase '92 Evade body set can give it the cab-rearward proportions of a front-engined grand tourer, but look more upright in side profile compared to the custom 3D fixture roof options shown here, although they will most likely work fine if you would rather have an actual fastback instead of a notchback.

There are other roof fixture/body set configurations that are known to work well in some circumstances, but the three options I've shown here are generally seen as good starting points if you want an accentuated notchback profile. Just make sure the roof fixture chosen overlaps as cleanly with the stock bodywork as you can make it through resizing and repositioning the fixture, without too many unsightly gaps (or ones that are too large).

In short, if a body set's stock roof can't provide you with the right roofline, a custom-made 3D-fixture one can serve as a suitable replacement, provided that it is correctly sized and in the right place.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 242: Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead for 2026

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 242: Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead in 2026

Happy New Year to my fellow Automationeers! 2025 turned out to be quite a challenging year for me - after several years of playing on the previous Ellisbury build, the Al-Rilma build went from an open alpha to an open beta, and eventually I was sufficiently convinced of its improvements to finally migrate to it. As time went on, it became the new stable release, and has since received three further patches. However, the changes introduced in this build were so comprehensive, that I decided to rework some of my Ellisbury-era builds to account for this - and others could follow, either out of necessity (due to the deprecation of their original body sets), or just for the fun of it. 

In addition, I created some new fully detailed builds completely from scratch using some of the new body sets introduced in the Al-Rilma era (such as the '86 Rosso and the '09 Jackal - other body sets, such as the '87 Bossa Nova, '88 Copy Cat, '93 Loser, '99 Slantnose, and '07 Temptress, among others could be next in line). Moreover, I discovered, and applied, a few new design techniques, such as creating custom panel seams (along with covering up the default seams), and placing and coloring custom light fixture covers - I'll explore these (and other car exterior design procedures) further in the future. In short, I'd delivered on some of my Automationeer's New Year's resolutions last year (including winning a Discourse challenge hosted on any UE4-based game build solely on merit for the first time ever) - and this year will be no different.

The first of my 2026 New Year's Automationeer resolutions is to conclude the challenge I am currently hosting, which you can find here. As of now, I have received a decent amount of entries (including several high-quality ones) and am writing down draft verdicts for all the valid ones as we speak -  a handy pre-emptive measure considering that the deadline is now just a few days away. Anything that isn't compatible with the rules by the deadline, however, will be ignored - although thankfully I haven't been left with too many unresolved rule violations. Also, I began work on, and later finished, a car that I felt could fill a gap between the KMA KX12 and its entry-level sibling, the KX4.

Thus, the 1992 KMA KX8A (whose "A" suffix refers to its aluminum chassis and bodywork, replacing the alloy-clad steel space frame of its predecessor) - which sat neatly between the two - was born. With its all-alloy 3-liter 32-valve flat-crank V8 delivering 325 naturally aspirated horsepower to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox and helical limited-slip differential, it can reach 60 mph from a standstill in less than 4.5 seconds, on to a top speed of over 180 mph thanks to close gearing, a 1.2-ton curb weight (aided by its small footprint), and race-bred aerodynamics. Combined with track-focused yet supple suspension tuning, low-profile high-performance tires wrapped around 18-inch forged alloy wheels, and powerful ABS-assisted 4-wheel vented disc brakes, it was one of the most formidable performance cars of its time, offering most of its big brother's abilities at a lower, more accessible price point. However, it still came with a high-quality premium interior and CD/cassette stereo, so it wasn't totally bereft of creature comforts.

Above, from top: As the smaller sibling of the KMA KX12, and the larger senior counterpart to the KX4, the 1992 KX8 fulfills its mission of being the mid-range offering in the KX series of mid-engined performance cars more than adequately.

Theoretically, the other KX-series cars, being built on the now-deprecated predecessor to the Bossa Nova body sets, could also be remade on variants of the '86 Rosso on which the KX8A was based. That car used the 2.4m wheelbase variant in notchback configuration, so as a follow-on, the KX4 and KX12 could also utilize the Rosso (most likely with the 2.3m and 2.55m wheelbase variants, respectively, to better align with prior lore) - a body set which, since its introduction, may actually be more in keeping with their overall shape in the Ellisbury era.

In short, I am satisfied with having fulfilled my previous set of Automation New Year's resolutions from last year, and have also defined a new set for this year - the fact that I am about to accomplish one of them in a few days' time is icing on the cake.

Update (31 January 2026, 2:00am, UTC+7): I have revised the KX8A with an updated front end, some different interior materials, and a simpler rear lip spoiler fixture in place of the wing, as follows:

Above, from top: The redesigned KX8A as of now, with retractable headlights up front and a lip spoiler in the back where the wing used to be. Its interior has also been mildly updated accordingly.

It's a cleaner, more streamlined look than before, and one I found to be more period-accurate considering the low bonnet line.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 223: An Inevitable Evolution

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 223: An Inevitable Evolution

With the base trims of the Mantle Torpedo now complete, I decided to see how a tuned version would look and feel like. The resulting car, the 1992 Mantle Torpedo Evo, is shown below.

Above, from top: The 1992 Mantle Torpedo Evo, a tuning package for the base model, turns the fun factor up to 11 with an extra 76 horsepower, a lightweight sport interior, wider tires/wheels (the latter of which are forged items), a more aggressive aero kit, and uprated brakes and suspension for even better handling and braking than before - all on pump gas (95 RON premium unleaded this time) and regular higher-performance tires to retain much of the stock trim's daily usability.

The extra power comes from an increase in boost (to 1.0bar), and I improved the car's other components accordingly. The front lip was replaced with a more aggressive spoiler fixture, and a rear lip (resembling a diffuser) was added. Enlarged brake discs (with 4-piston calipers up front and 2-piston calipers at the rear) removed any possibility of brake fade, while 20mm wider tires front and rear yielded even more grip, with the suspension tuned to compensate for this. A lighter sports interior and high-flow 3-way catalytic converter exhaling through dual straight-through mufflers completes the package.

All told, for an extra $2,000 AMU over the base model, you would've had something that could reach 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.28 seconds and top out at 167 mph - serious supercar stuff back in the day, and enough to make it even more of a giant-killer. It may not be a car for the faint of heart, but it's immensely rewarding for anyone who can tame this lighter (1215kg) and fiercer pocket-sized beast.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 222: My First Taste of Al-Rilma

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 222: My First Taste of Al-Rilma

Today I did something unexpected for once: opt into the new Al-Rilma build of Automation (which eventually migrated from its alpha phase to an open beta one) far sooner than I had intended to. After all, I'd already entered a few more Discourse challenges requiring the Ellisbury stable release prior to this. But with the growing number of challenges being hosted on Al-Rilma, I chose to take the plunge - by creating a fully detailed build (complete with 3D-fixture interior) based on one of the new body sets that weren't present in Ellisbury. After several hours, I came up with this: the 1990 Mantle Torpedo.

Above, from top: The 1990 Mantle Torpedo, being my first fully detailed build of any kind in Al-Rilma, was based on one of the new body sets introduced for that build.

This mid-engined budget sports car, based on the mid-engined 2.45m wheelbase variant of the '86 Rosso (specifically, the tunnel-back body style), is powered by a turbocharged 200-horsepower iron-block, alloy-head straight-four with 16-valve twin-cam heads, mounted transversely and driving the rear wheels (16-inch cast-alloy items on this example, wrapped around high-performance tires) via a 5-speed manual gearbox and helical limited-slip differential. With a 150-mph top speed and a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds, it can easily torpedo the aspirations of many heavier rivals with larger engines.

The Torpedo's galvanized steel chassis, clad in treated steel bodywork, uses strut-sprung front and rear ends to save space (and cost). However, careful suspension and brake tuning (for the ABS-assisted vented disc brakes), combined with a 1250-kilogram curb weight, ensure that it can be a giant-killer in the corners, even at an in-game price of $22,500 AMU (Automation Monetary Units), which includes dual airbags, variable-ratio hydraulic power steering, and a stereo sound system with a cassette tape player. It even comes with driver's side and hood-mounted camera positions for use in BeamNG, if anyone wants to test it there.

In addition to the '86 Rosso, there are many other new body sets new to Al-Rilma (such as the '75 Caravel, '80 Bento, '88 Copy Cat, '90 Kompetitor, '96 Kompakt, and '12 Tahara, among others), and there are multiple new forced induction types (such as supercharging, compound/parallel turbos, and twincharging, which combines supercharging with turbocharging). I would like to sample at least some of those in the future - which looks very bright indeed for Al-Rilma. In short, the Al-Rilma era has finally begun, and is definitely off to a promising start.

Changelog (7:42 pm, Thursday, September 18th, 2025, UTC+7): Touring trim added to model range, with traction control, premium interior, and CD stereo for an extra $2.5k AMU, as shown below.

Above, from top: The Touring package adds more creature comforts to the Torpedo, but not without adding too much cost or price to the basic recipe.

With the Touring package, the Torpedo is more comfortable on long trips, but it's still a highly focused sports car at heart.

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.

The Mystery of Esmerelda: The Most Infamous Thief in Sector Prime

The Mystery of Esmerelda: The Most Infamous Thief in Sector Prime

Throughout the Infinite Space trilogy, there has been one minor character who has a knack for being especially mischievous. That character goes by the name Esmerelda, but it wasn't always thus. In the first game, there were two random events that could prove detrimental to your quest to fully explore the map, both of which were the work of then-unnamed culprits.

Esmerelda - a thorn in the side of every Infinite Space traveler... unless you manage to capture her, of course. You'll need the right items to do so, though.

The first one, called Thief, would take away a random item (except for the Klakar Beacon) from your cargo bay; however, if your cargo bays were empty, all of your towels would go missing. The second one, called Saboteur, removed a random item that was installed on your flagship (a Terran corvette), and would be particularly annoying if the item in question was a high-value one such as a Particle Vortex Cannon. Some ports of the first game even give the Saboteur the ability to instantly destroy your entire fleet if encountered, thus ending your game prematurely. Unsurprisingly, Digital Eel considered the Saboteur's effects unfair enough to warrant removal from all subsequent games.

For Weird Worlds, the thief would finally be given an actual name, species and gender: a Terran female called Esmerelda. This time, she was guaranteed to appear somewhere on the map, but to balance this out, she could no longer steal lifeforms, and you could even capture her if you have either (or both) of the following items in your cargo hold:

• Lookout Frogs: This lifeform has its origins in Garthan scientists' efforts to turn unassuming creatures into sentries, scouts, or even food for Garthans, according to their description. Being living things, they are especially valuable to the Zorg (and, in Sea of Stars, the Terran research facility on Gamma Station).
• Toy Robot: This piece of treasure is actually a mechanical sentry device that just happens to look like a harmless toy. Its description states that it can be wound up with a key, pre-programmed or remote controlled by its owner, and it has a powerful stun ray concealed in its head. It's not worth much to any faction, though - the shop at Haven Station appraises its value at just 70 credits.

The only two items that can be used to capture Esmerelda: the Lookout Frogs (top) and Toy Robot (above)

If you successfully capture Esmerelda, she will not be able to escape, and if you complete the game with her on board your flotilla, you will receive a 500 credit bonus. On the other hand, if she successfully steals an item, there is a chance that, instead of disappearing altogether, it will be moved to one of the home worlds on the map (including your own). In addition, her background states that she is also a smuggler, spy and saboteur wanted in five different star systems, lending weight to the theory that the Thief and Saboteur from the previous game are actually the same character, but with a different effect. However, Esmerelda does not provide any other benefits after she has joined your fleet.

The result of capturing Esmerelda with a Toy Robot and/or Lookout Frogs - the infamous thief decides to tag along with you. If you survive your adventure, you will also earn an additional 500 credits as a reward.

Sea of Stars made a few changes to Esmerelda. Not only are you no longer guaranteed to encounter her, the items required for you to capture her are no longer mutually exclusive (i.e., in Weird Worlds, if one of them spawned on the map, the other could not, unless you created that item from a Timeless Bauble). Thus, it became theoretically possible to obtain Lookout Frogs and/or a Toy Robot on a map that did not contain Esmerelda. Nevertheless, capturing her will still yield a 500 credit bonus at the end of the game as before. And if she does manage to steal an item, that item is now absolutely guaranteed to end up on a home world; thus, you can no longer lose it permanently if you have enough time to reclaim it. One of the possible in-universe explanations for this is that Esmerelda was either killed or captured just before landing on that home world, but the item she stole remained intact.

It is worth noting that some mods (such as Odd Adventures) for Weird Worlds reintroduce the Saboteur and her effects. Specifically, whenever the Saboteur steals an item, not only will it be one that is currently equipped on one of your ships, there will also be no chance of you recovering it later, as was the case in Strange Adventures. As a result, a modded game in which the Saboteur has been implemented will certainly be more difficult than a standard unmodded game. I have yet to see Sea of Stars receive similar treatment, however, but if it did, I would expect the Toy Robot and Lookout Frogs to retain their abilities if you were unfortunate enough to encounter the Saboteur - with the reward for a successful capture being increased accordingly..

As a further aside, Esmerelda is the only minor human character (apart from the player) to appear in every single Infinite Space game, and the only character who can board your fleet as a passenger to have held that distinction. The Zorg and Muktian ambassadors, on the other hand, were omitted from Sea of Stars (where it is easier to forge alliances without adding their respective vessels to your flotilla). Also, in that game, a crew of Calatian castaways replaced the lone Calatian emissary, and Yuri Smetlov's disembodied brain, which debuted as an artifact in Weird Worlds, was given a cybernetic body and reclassified accordingly as a potential passenger, just like the newly introduced Phredd, an alien creature of unknown species who takes a liking to your crew upon first contact. It should be noted that these passengers (except for the Calatian crew) will also yield a small credit bonus at the end of the game, but do not provide any other benefits.

One final note: If you have both the Lookout Frogs and Toy Robot in your inventory at the same time (which is more common than you think), and you manage to capture Esmerelda, only the message related to the Toy Robot will be shown on screen, implying that the Toy Robot will alert you to the thief's presence sooner than the Lookout Frogs can.

In short, Esmerelda may be the bane of the treasure hunters of Infinite Space, but there are foolproof ways to ensure she can't get away with her crimes - and if all else fails, leave the cargo hold(s) empty so that she can only take some towels instead of your valuable goods.