With the last, massive milestone update having been out for a good while now, today we want to share with you the roadmap for the ongoing Supercharger Update development cycle. With the series of updates contained therein, we are bringing the core of the game to feature completion - including lots of things the community has been asking for since the early days of Automation!
The Supercharger Update - What is it?
As you all witnessed during the way-too-long LCV4.2 development cycle, it would seem appropriate to break up a milestone like this into three smaller, more manageable updates. That is exactly what we're doing for the Supercharger Update, which would be enormous all put together. That way, we will deliver new content and features more frequently, without the long wait until the end of what will likely be a year-long (likely more) development cycle.
We've also given each of the three updates within this cycle a special name; these are the names of some of the cities in the Automation Light Campaign world, and each has some significance to the content of each of the updates.
Keep in mind that anything we talk about and show here very much is WORK IN PROGRESS and may or may not be fully indicative of the final content as it will appear in Automation!
Let's get into it!
Update 1 - The Ellisbury Update
A summary of all the main points included in this first update of the larger cycle.
In the Ellisbury Update, much of the content we're adding is the logical extension of everything we've added in the LCV4.2 update. It is taking full advantage of all the new systems we created to make engine design a more interesting and nuanced proposition. One aspect of that are the new engine block construction methods and re-thinking how all of the moving parts within the engine - crankshaft, conrods and pistons - interact with one another in terms of reliability and performance.
Up-boring and all kinds of new bottom end options.
Also, we are completely reworking the drivetrain options, with the addition of CVTs, proper racing sequential gearboxes, and the ability to manually set gear ratios if you prefer to do so. Drivetrain types and differentials will be getting a rework too, with a complete rethink of how Automation handles all-wheel drive to better reflect the wide variety of different systems in use in the real world!
The new gearing setup and gearbox options. Still missing here: several new AWD systems.
And finally, the test track system is going to be completely redesigned, from the ground up, with the track becoming a zoomable entity no longer relying on a 1280x720 image as its background, but a massive 8192x8192 texture with tons of detail. That means you will be able to closely follow your car around the track.
Additionally, we will be adding another official track to the game; the very versatile Ellisbury Tri-Oval! With a tri-oval itself and three very different road courses available, this track will test your creations to their limits, and beyond.
A first look at the new and yet unfinsihed Ellisbury Tri-Oval.
Update 2 - The Al Rilma Update
This is the big one that everyone has been waiting for. In the Al Rilma update, we will be bringing in not just superchargers of several different kinds, but also sequential turbochargers and likely twincharging too. As many of you might remember, sequential turbos got postponed in the LCV4.2 update, since that update took so long to deploy, and also because deploying them with superchargers and twincharging makes a lot more sense from a development perspective. But, as promised in all the way back in 2011, here they come!
As if that's not enough for one update, we are bringing back a popular feature from the pre-Unreal Engine days; the scenario-based multiplayer challenges! How does that work, you wonder? Everyone in a multiplayer game will be given the same randomized scenario to design an engine or car for, that must meet certain criteria. Players will have a limited amount of time to complete their entries, which are scored based on how well they perform compared to the requirements. These player scores are always visible in a leaderboard for you to climb in these fast-paced and very competitive challenges!
If you love cringe and want to see how far the game has come, we have some proper ancient video for you from 2013 where this kind of multiplayer existed in the early Kee Engine version of the game. Enjoy... or not. xD
[previewyoutube=vrj3bymxtk8;full][/previewyoutube]
Update 3 - The Terso Update
The third and final major update of the Supercharger Update will bring much more multiplayer functionality; more on that to come in the following months, but we can say that we have some incredibly exciting plans for this. Additionally, full scenario gameplay will return, as will a comprehensive suite of tutorials for Automation - something that new players always ask for!
Finally, this third update will also see us fully integrate Steam Community Items, including Steam Trading Cards and Achievements into Automation! We have some fun ideas for this, which we will share with you all when the time is right :)
That is a brief overview of what the Supercharger Update is going to look like; what do you think? Let us know in the comments! We encourage you to watch the Little Dev Update at the top, and to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok for the very latest information. We love to hear from you!
Cheers!
