After the massive patch 5, there are few things we need to address with a small patch 6 before moving on to open up some big cans of worms!

What are those big cans of worms? Campaign being brought back on one hand, and serious changes to how ignition timing works in the engine simulation, requiring testing and re-calibration of engine and fuel system performance figures. That will all be well worth it, but we might be "gone" for 2-3 weeks easily as these things get implemented.

Here below, you find the full changelog of notable fixes and additions in Al Rilma OA Patch 6.

• Added a new headlight fixture
  
• Fixed AI car and engine generation not working
  
• Fixed issues with exhaust placement
  
• Fixed issue with double-sided materials
  
• Fixed supercharger friction data being shown for 0% instead of 100% throttle
  
• Fixed issues with cars not starting properly on track with automatic or adv. automatic gearboxes
  
• Fixed track data debug UI tooltip look inconsistency
  
• Fixed test track crash when returning from photoscene / export
  
• Fixed gizmo visibility not being possible to turn back on
  
• Fixed paint merging upon export with multiple paints on the car
  
• Fixed livery collapsing making textures go missing
  
• Fixed hiding the chassis only hiding 1 layer of the chassis
  
• Fixed softbody export option string

Cheers!

A whole lot has been worked on since our release of patch 4 about a month ago. Various blocking issues appeared in our way to push this fix out in a more timely fashion - but as always, the wait was worth it with over 70 fixes and features in the update!

Here below, you find the full changelog of notable fixes and additions.

• Added 1994 Permafrost Truck and SUV bodies
  
• Fixed -safemode launch option not finishing loading all preview assets

• Added third dimension flip option for 3D fixtures
  
• Added Y & Z Axis flip 90 buttons to fixtures and consolidated X flip into 1 button
  
• Added a saved button toggle for default fixture 2D/3D vs custom 2D/3D spawning modes
  
• Added chassis material & chassis carpet material paint slots
  
• Added basic display for current track camber, slope, roughness
  
• Power & Torque Graph now correctly displays in poster mode, without stress lines
  
• Improved test track gear changes to be much smoother in RPM terms
  
• Distance mode now moves 3D fixtures in a plane of equal distance from the camera
  
• Camera now remembers last used camera (freeroam vs locked)
  
• Fixed another (the final?) instance of fixtures teleporting after specific sequence of actions
  
• Fixed car model year selection not taking techpool into account, nor updating on year change
  
• Fixed fender morphs resetting between sessions
  
• Fixed gearbox with 8 ratios having the same PU/ET as 5 ratios
  
• Fixed instance where a car causes track simulation failure
  
• Fixed engine placement changes not checking for engine fitment or rear suspension validity
  
• Fixed mid transverse and mid longitudinal issues with wrong gearbox art
  
• Fixed distance input for 3D placement converting numbers in strange ways
  
• Fixed issue where mesh of a placed fixture would not load
  
• Fixed solid axles sometimes spawning twice, or spawning wrong meshes
  
• Fixed morph sliders acting inconsistently & not updating when reset
  
• Fixed unchangeable material slot on headlight fixture SW_03_A

• Fuel maps are now a function of manifold absolute pressure instead of throttle
  
• Simplified fuel maps generated for engines without EFI
  
• Removed fuel map emissions optimization for carburetted engines with cats
  
• Added quality effect for manifold and header volumetric efficiency
  
• Implemented Boost By RPM option for smart-boosted engines

• Added a new BSFC graph with normalized torque (y) vs RPM (x)
  
• Tweaked unlock years of twinscrolls ('91) and VTGs ('03)
  
• Tweaked unlock years of sequentials ('83) and compound turbo ('87) setups
  
• Changed scalability settings to help keep to higher engine level of detail (LODs)
  
• Fixed issue with emissions calculation which was making negative emissions possible
  
• Fixed boost limit not working for advanced boost control on superchargers
  
• Fixed intake piping bug for certain supercharged configurations on 60 deg. V6/8/12
  
• Fixed issues with boxer sequential turbo piping
  
• Fixed certain configuration piping not being removed on engine change
  
• Fixed various instances of pinched spline pipes
  
• Fixed various intake and header art issues
  
• Fixed there being orange cylinders in the mounting of centrifugals
  
• Fixed superchargers / turbos not updating when changing their geometry
  
• Fixed change in engine family quality not triggering a recalculate
  
• Fixed exhaust pipes connection being broken by engine scaling
  
• Fixed emissions grade missing from catalytic converter tootips
  
• Fixed changing catalytic converter type not triggering an exhaust system rebuild
  
• Fixed inline engine centrifugal superchargers having incomplete engine art
  
• Fixed turbos meshes not disappearing when changing to supercharger on incomplete engine
  
• Fixed MFI emissions grade being wrong

• Improved forced induction stage UI interactions
  
• Improved turbo slider UI performance
  
• Improvements to Power and Traction graph showing more data
  
• Coming back from a photoscene now drops you on the panel you were on before
  
• Moved custom paint sliders to be next to each other
  
• Fixed relative cost widget having wrong tooltip
  
• Fixed icon missing on paste from clipboard button in the Car Designer Manager
  
• Changed naming of Turbo option in visibility widget to Aspiration
  
• Fixed comparison engine emission standard always showing N/A in side stats
  
• Fixed coloring of WES standard change in engine side stats
  
• Fixed issues with car trim cloning in grid mode
  
• Fixed fuel economy change coloring the wrong way around for L/100km
  
• Fixed markets manager and car designer missing the tick button to exit up
  
• Fixed individual part reliabilities being displayed wrong
  
• Fixed car stats field in car manager not populating when returning from car designer

• Overall improvements to the new softbody export functionality
  
• General improvements to exported car stability
  
• Improved car crash deformations
  
• Fixed issue with exporting soft body being stuck on finalizing export
  
• Fixed engine starter not having enough torque in some cases
  
• Fixed wheel rims partially exporting as white
  
• Fixed vanilla automation script decal causing errors in BeamNG exporter
  
• Fixed radiators being indestructible in exports
  
• Fixed 3D-placed exhausts not getting exhaust routing to the fixture
  
• Fixed exhaust routing sometimes going really low
  
• Fixed it being impossible to stall cars due to constant torque below idle RPM
  
• Fixed all engines exporting with their bounding box placed too low
  
• Fixed turbo pipes not exporting
  
• Fixed default camera positions in exports

Beyond that, we have been working on many more things than the ones listed. Campaign is being fixed up to make it reappear in the Al Rilma updates, as well as major engine simulation improvements regarding the handling of ignition timing for non-EFI systems. Beyond that there are many more things to address, but we'll get to that.

Cheers!

Due to a game-engine level issue with Unreal Engine and its Software Development Kit, we are currently unable to build new MacOS versions of Automation. This is the reason why the Al-Rilma Update alpha builds have not been available to MacOS users, and it is also the reason why Automation is currently disabled for all MacOS users.

We had a serious bug crop up in Automation with the BeamNG exporter not being able to export sound, that necessitated an emergency patch to fix. Because we are currently unable to build a MacOS version, we took the difficult decision of disabling all MacOS builds of Automation temporarily, as the other option would have been to leave the BeamNG exporter broken for everyone.

We have made the MacOS fix a top priority and we will be working hard to rectify this situation as soon as possible!

Thank you for your understanding, we will keep you updated as the situation progresses.

With some of the more pressing issues out of the way since Patch 3, we were able to attack larger problems that took more time to sort out. This is what made Patch 4 quite a bit larger and take longer than we wanted, but we're sure the changelist below shows it was worth the wait!

Massive improvements to engine simulation, the BeamNG Exporter, plus tons of fixes to the designers and UI in general, plus plenty of additional content made it into this patch.

• Added Tahara car bodies (2012)
  
• Added Copy Cat car bodies (1992)
  
• Added Bento car bodies (1980), replacing 80sCityCar bodies
  
• Added 180 new fixtures: 23 Basic Shapes (Deformation), 57 Hollow Shapes (3D), 50 Single-Sided Shapes (3D), 50 Outline Shapes (3D)
  
• Made .engine files export as human readable

• Added body dimensions to the morphs list UI
  
• Made the hoist lower/raise disable while fixtures are conforming
  
• Fixed fixtures being unable to interact with after interrupted hoist animation
  
• Fixed an issue where fixtures would become invisible
  
• Fixed superchargers not hiding when when the player turns intake visibility off
  
• Fixed test track sim having issues with fast cars not following the ideal line
  
• Fixed test track sim not taking into account road camber
  
• Fixed fixtures not mirroring on the test track
  
• Fixed body dimension values not adjusting with morph sliders
  
• Fixed selecting a different fixture type not saving an undo step

• Improved initial engine mass flow estimations, affecting all aspiration types
  
• Improved supercharger calculations to use more accurate flow calculation
  
• Improved supercharger bypass valve action
  
• Improved throttle size calculation to consider engine resonances
  
• Improved engine volumetric efficiency calculations
  
• Remodelled cam curves for lower engine volumetric efficiency at low RPM
  
• Tweaked volumetric efficiency progression for head choice
  
• Added octane penalty for low flow and low RPM conditions
  
• Improved calculations for valve timing overlap effects and VVT
  
• Reduced overlap for engines with turbos
  
• PD-supercharger size now directly affects maximum throttle flow
  
• Tweaked volumetric efficiency and fuel efficiency calculation balance
  
• Tweaked over-pressure stress progression to superchargers
  
• Buffed early roots supercharger volumetric efficiency by about 10%
  
• Fixed clutched centrifugal superchargers behavior as they go beyond 1 Bar boost
  
• Fixed manifold / header maximum flow to be independent of set boost limit
  
• Fixed carb boost limit tuning logic and combustion efficiency progression with boost
  
• Fixed carbs pulling extra fuel on boost to be boost limit independent
  
• Fixed PD SCs becoming super efficient when super large

• Added advanced boost control for superchargers
  
• Disabled boost control for superchargers unless they use advanced control
  
• Removed control type "None" for twincharged setups
  
• Improved scale for boost gauge during engine testing for high boost values
  
• Fixed issue with stage switch RPM for sequential turbos
  
• Fixed dual exhaust being unlocked with just 1 pair of turbos on compound setups
  
• Fixed issue with valve float reliability display UI / inconsistent calculations
  
• Fixed emissions optimization slider locking to reset to zero

• Fixed inconsistent tooltip for engine size fitment
  
• Fixed km to mile conversion being incorrect in reliability UI
  
• Fixed temperatures conversion to Kelvin
  
• Fixed switching between roots and screw resetting all supercharger tuning
  
• Fixed power density reliability / stress calculation not updating correctly
  
• Fixed issue with text input for compressor size of centrifugal superchargers
  
• Fixed and changed turbo pressure graph to show relative pressure not absolute
  
• Fixed issue with UI not updating max rear tire width correctly on morphing
  
• Fixed front tyre width being wrong in tooltip
  
• Fixed singleplayer car challenges having camera in engine bay
  
• Fixed issue with stress numbers display as they approached 100%
  
• Fixed singleplayer challenge mode ending with empty results table
  
• Fixed issue with flow bench for compound turbos

• Cars and engines can now be exported from MP scenario results screen
  
• Improvements to the multiplayer server backend and state-machine
  
• Fixed demographic requirements & scored stats not showing their target value
  
• Fixed readying up being possible before receiving the multiplayer scenario

• Completely new way the softbody mesh is generated, improves deformations and hitboxes. It makes utes as well as unusually shaped cars a lot more accurate. It is activated by default but can be turned off in cases where it is not working as intended yet.
  
• Big improvements to Ackermann steering geometry, enhancing stability and cornering feel. Currently implemented for struts and double wishbone, not fully implemented for live axle yet.
  
• Overhauled the way swaybar stiffness is translated from Automation to Beam
  
• Fixed suspension subframe linking to the chassis
  
• Adjusted steering rack position on Macpherson Struts
  
• Stiffened up the chassis
  
• Fixed washed-out textures (really now)
  
• Fixed missing texture for differential in BeamNG exports
  
• Fixed cast iron material exporting as flat red

Important Note: you can switch off the new softbody generation in exporting of cars in case the new method fails. Your examples of cars with issues using the new method will help us fix and improve things! So please share your findings.

We're continuing to work on everything that isn't quite right yet and are starting to get campaign back up and running too. More improvements and fixes coming your way soon!

Cheers

Since being back in office after the holidays, we've worked on getting a whole lot more fixes and general polish out to you for the open alpha! The following is the change log for the third patch of the opt-in open alpha, and with a little more than a week of development behind it, it is rather chunky:

• Added various bonnet fixtures
  
• Added folder button for engine exports
  
• Retrofitted new fuel selection to old engines in old databases and imports
  
• Improved displayed data on side stats for cars and engines
  
• Fixed various reliability effects to no longer be affected by quality directly, like stresses and knock
  
• Fixed fixtures moving on car load, connected to hoist position
  
• Fixed various car importing issues
  
• Fixed soundtrack 2019 song never playing in game
  
• Fixed test track best time to not trigger on first pass of the start line
  
• Fixed falsely labeled grm_mercy body door count

• Added one new car body model "Jackal" with 58 variants
  
• Removed chassis type vs engine position restrictions
  
• Updated ladder mid chassis tins with correct wheel morphs
  
• Fixed engine placement change not auto-selecting alternate drivetype
  
• Fixed suspension choices not being limited by chassis
  
• Fixed torsion beam not locking out RWD
  
• Fixed WES standard display in detailed stats

• Changed unlock year of methanol fuel to be available from the start
  
• Changed valve float warning to appear at 10% reliability loss, not 1%
  
• Changed turbo pressure graph to show relative pressure not absolute
  
• Buffed thermal efficiency of early roots superchargers by 4%
  
• Re-enabled compact manifold for roots and screw superchargers
  
• Fixed manifold / header resonances to be based on corrected massflow
  
• Fixed fuel evaporation not properly cooling intake charge for octane requirements
  
• Fixed dyno throttle control to have correct step size and range
  
• Fixed missing inline OHV dynamic logo
  
• Fixed floating superchargers on V60 engines
  
• Fixed a LOD issue with certain intakes

• Fixed undo function issues when using the gizmo circle
  
• Fixed 2 and 3 keys inconsistently setting 2D/3D fixture state
  
• Fixed comparison demographic being unable to be deselected on trim side stats bar
  
• Fixed UI layering issues new engine/car creation

• General improvements to multiplayer stability
  
• Fixed scenario timeline breaking in specific circumstances
  
• Fixed issue where host could start playing the game before other players
  
• Made scenarios use demographic nomalized desirability instead of competitiveness

• Improved supercharger sounds
  
• Fixed issues with fuel economy and engine thermals
  
• Fixed issue with brand not being exported, causing issues in e.g. drag racing events
  
• Probably fixed engines sometimes exporting as invisible
  
• Probably fixed weird triangles coming out of some engines

From here on you can pretty much expect about a weekly cadence to the patches until we start implementing some of the bigger features missing in the alpha.

Cheers!

Automation is 25% off this weekend, from January 2nd at 10 AM Pacific Time, to January 6th at 10 AM Pacific Time!

With our unique Car and Engine Designers, you can realise the car of your dreams in ways you've never thought possible, until now. While you're at it, give us a follow on our socials and stop by our Discord, so you can stay up to date on the latest happenings in the world of Automation!

Cheers!

Header image credit: Chickenbiscuit (Discord)

To wrap things up for this year, we do have yet another patch for you, addressing various issues you have been observing. It should also help with game stability and general playability. Here is the full changelog!

General

• Fixed forced induction memory leaks
  
• Added the Automation Test Track
  
• Added minimum reliability requirement for test track to run
  
• Added knocking as a reliability penalty
  
• Added engine loudness dependence on mass flow and cam

Engine Simulation

• Recalibrated engine performance by ~ +7% coming for NA, a little less for FI
  
• Improved valves, headers, and exhaust flow calculations
  
• Fixed intercooler efficiency not being based on absolute mass flow
  
• Direct Injection now adds fuel at the correct spot, in the cylinder
  
• Added mild scaling with boost limit to manifold sizing
  
• Fixed bug where pressure ratio estimation results was ignored, causing huge mass flow

UI Changes

• Moved drive type selection to engine selection tab & drivetrain tab to trim designer
  
• Added auto-reselection of drive type
  
• Fixed demographic target/pin loading & logic
  
• Fixed stress bench coloring for power density to be consistent with stresses

Multiplayer

• Fixed multiplayer players joining resulting in the start game button disabling
  
• Fixed various ways multiplayer could become stuck before entering a game when Join-In-Progress was active, or players connected mid-readying

Exporter

• Temp fix for cars overheating in BeamNG

Christmas being upon us already, this will be the last patch for this year. We'll be back in full force early-/mid-January and get to polishing up and finishing up the Al Rilma Update.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Cheers

We have worked steadily since the release of the open alpha to address issues that have popped up. The following is the change log for the first patch:

Car Designer

• Fix for fixture highlighting Issue
  
• Fixed traction graphs
  
• Engine meshes update on engine project selection

Engine Designer

• Lots of supercharger and piping related fixes
  
• Fixed incorrect RPM in engine sounds
  
• Fixed some wrong airbox stuff for centrifugal superchargers
  
• Supercharger RPM sound fix
  
• Fixed compound turbo sizing impacting wrong turbo
  
• Fixed wrong compound headers
  
• Changed ethanol unlock years
  
• Centrifugal supercharger boost limit increased to 5 bar

Multiplayer

• Client to server communication improvements
  
• Can now join games in progress
  
• Player will be forced back to lobby screen when the host starts a new game
  
• Various UI and player flow improvements

BeamNG Exporter

• Fix for superchargers not having enough torque and too high fuel consumption
  
• Doubled radiator fan speed
  
• Reduced radiator fan activation temperature from 105 to 95
  
• Increased calculated coolant and oil quantities
  
• Fix for RPM getting stuck at max when using manual clutch

Other

• Added alpha build number to build
  
• Fixed car engine project creation disabling itself
  
• Graph button now shows as enabled when finished calculating car/engine

These fixes should make the weekend go a bit smoother and we might have another little patch for you on Monday... if not, we wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Cheers!

One of the largest and most eagerly-anticipated updates in Automation's history is almost here, and you can experience it early!


Just like the Al-Rilma Open Alpha, the whole world stops and takes notice of this imperious luxury sedan by ThatOneFatAmerican.

We are launching the Al-Rilma Update into a public, open-alpha phase, which you can opt-in if you wish to participate. Do so by performing the following steps:

1. Right-click on Automation in your Steam library, and go to Properties.
   
2. Go to the Betas tab.
   
3. From the Beta Participation drop-down, choose openbeta - Al-Rilma Update Open Alpha

Allow Automation to update automatically, then launch the game!

As always, this is an alpha test - there will be bugs, unfinished features and the occasional lack of polish in this version; please comment and leave your feedback on what you find so we can make Automation better for everyone!

Compatibility Notes

All Sandbox cars from the current public build will continue to work just fine, though their engines will need a bit of re-engineering with the new fuel selection tab in the Engine Designer, and new cylinder head types chosen from the new options. All publicly-listed mod content on the Steam Workshop that is compatible with the current public build will continue to work seamlessly in the Al-Rilma Update.

Due to the number of new body families/variants in this update, we strongly recommend you subscribe to the Legacy Car Bodies mod, as this is where we put all of the old, retired and otherwise broken bodies we remove from Automation; this will at least preserve your existing builds that are on these bodies!

Campaign Mode has been disabled temporarily in the Al-Rilma open alpha; when it is restored, all Ellisbury Update campaign saves will no longer be compatible with the new version.


Wishing for sunny climes and fast cars, with this gorgeous modern supercar by Ivan.

• Complete re-work of body family and variant selection; no more clicking through years one or ten at a time!
  
• All-new car reliability calculations, and a chart to break down exactly where you are losing reliability.
  
• Re-worked the design flow of a car to be more logical.
  
• Added heavy-duty frame options, which benefit large pick-up trucks, off-roaders and delivery vehicles especially.
  
• Re-worked wheel choice options for more consequential choices by the player.
  
• Increased the effect of the weight distribution slider and moved it to a location that makes more sense.
  
• Added over 300 new bodies in several new or expanded families.
  
• Incorporated several new fixture families.
  
• First playable draft of the completely new Test Track simulation, which should be much faster and more accurate than before.
  
• Many bugfixes and stability improvements based on player feedback.

A pretty stunning, 60s/70s concept car interior by Portalkat42.

• Added superchargers, twincharging, sequential and compound turbochargers.
  
• All new throttle and gas flow simulation more accurately simulates engine behaviour at part throttle settings.
  
• Completely new reliability calculations, to go along with new car reliability calculations.
  
• Re-worked the fuel systems tab, to include a more accurate and realistic depiction of fuel mapping for emissions.
  
• Increased maximum family bore/stroke sizes.
  
• Re-worked engine reliability system - all engines have stress now to some degree, zero stress is (probably) impossible!
  
• Many bugfixes and stability improvements based on player feedback.

Yes, superchargers are really here, you're not imagining things!

• Multiplayer scenario play is back after nearly a decade-long hiatus. Try it out today!

Games are always better with your friends, as Gravity points out!

• General performance and lighting improvements in crafted 3D photoscenes, which should help with the poor performance and crashing issues many have reported to us.
  
• New design environment - Fruinian Garage.
  
• Added audible button clicks, making manipulating menus and sliders more tactile.

A delightful little family hatchback from the 80s, courtesy of Leonardo.


Our immediate task after the launch of the open alpha is to collect all of your bug reports, feedback and suggestions over the few weeks and work through them to fix any issues and streamline the experience for players. There is also quite a bit left to do in this update that we've promised, but haven't got working in a satisfactory manner just yet, such as:

• The standalone Track Editor,
  
• Campaign Mode, and
  
• certain quality-of-life features in Multiplayer mode.

As these features churn their way through internal and closed alpha testing, we will include them in the many regular patches that will be coming your way in the weeks following, and we will discuss them more as the time comes. Once that's all taken care of and the Al-Rilma Update reaches full release, our focus will then turn to the final part of the Supercharger Update suite - the Terso Update...more news on that in the near future!

Cheers!


Long, low and like a sci-fi spaceship; the winner of our Jet-Age Design Competition earlier this year, courtesy of Prium.

Hello again everyone,

We're back with yet another Little Dev Update! This one is a fun one, because we are talking about the new track simulation, which we will get a taste of in the Al-Rilma Update (and finish in the Terso Update to follow), as well as the all-new track editor.

Check it out on our YouTube channel:



As always, we love to hear your comments and feedback, and answer any questions you may have about this or anything else Automation-related!