When I saw some footage of Automation a few months ago, it blew me away. A tiny team of local Melbourne indie developers are creating something so detailed, different, and innovative in a genre which really is known more for its constant iteration and refinement. There are plenty of games that are tailored for racing fans, particularly for those into the simulator side of racing. Automation, however, is a simulator slanted specifically towards the car aspect side of things. We're not just talking different coloured paint jobs, decals, and body kit selections, however. It goes much, much further than that. So what exactly is Automation?
In the upcoming game Automation you will be placed in control of a newly founded car company starting in the post-war era of 1946. You will be responsible for designing your cars from scratch - from the chassis and the engine to its body styling. Your goal is to meet the needs of different markets and various types of buyers. You will need to research new technology to keep ahead of your competitors and expand your company...
Not only will you get the freedom to design cars that look how you want, but you will also be responsible for the technical aspects such as creating your own engines. Benchmark your creations and watch their components in action while you are provided with realistic specifications and performance figures.
The team behind Automation, Camshaft software, are looking into crowd funding to speed up development. Funds received will go into software and legal costs, as well as additional hires that the programmer and 3D artist due at Camshaft would prefer to delegate the work to, such as sound design and 2D graphic design. If the $100,000 campaign goal is met, it would also allow Camshaft to work on this project full-time.
As per usual with crowd funding programs, there are a bunch of levels that you can contribute to with differing rewards the more you put in, so head on over to the project page and have a look at what interests you. Be sure to check out the Automation youtube page here to check out some of the amazing demonstrations!
http://www.rockethub.com/projects/2752-automation-the-car-company-tycoo…