Is this game playable for someone with only basic car mechanical knowledge?

[Skdursh]

I'm really interested in learning more about how cars work and since in my current living situation I do not have access to a garage or any of the more sophisticated machinery needed for in-depth work on a vehicle in real life I thought that this might provide a gateway for learning without having physical real-world access. So, I'm considering purchasing this game to use as a tool to help me to learn more about cars, engines, maintenance, ect., but first would like to know if this game is hospitable to someone coming in with very little technical understanding of vehicle mechanics? Is there an in-game tutorial system or any sort of encyclopedia + glossary with detailed explanations of how everything works and fits together or does it expect for you to already know most things about cars before jumping in? Will I need to purchase manuals/books outside of the game in order to understand how to make things work within the game or does the game teach the player in addition to simulating the environment? Thanks.

[EssBee]

This is a bit of a tricky one to answer right now as the game is just about to undergo a massive overhaul, the basics of which are in open beta for players to try out and offer feedback on now.
As it currently stands. Yes, the game is quite in-depth and technical, and can be a little tricky for some to pick up - but this is sometimes just simply due to them trying to rush things and not paying attention to what they're doing, leading to them making mistakes.

There is a small tutorial which you can run through to get a feel of the controls and things when you first start the game, but since the controls (for desktop users especially) are being pretty much totally reworked, how relevant this will be once the beta goes live on the Main Branch as the new game default state I can't say. I assume they will update the tutorial at some point to match the new game play though.

There is also an in-game manual, but this has been a 'work in progress' for some time now and was never really fully completed.
This is only a two man dev team though, so they have a lot on their plates and all of this stuff takes time to complete.

However, there is plenty of help available if you need it, both here and especially on Discord, so never be afraid to ask.
(Discord generally being far more active these days than the Steam discussions by a long shot, as I'm often about the only one who ever really checks and responds here, and due to health issues I can't always get online every day.)

No question, no matter how silly you think it might be, is a question never worth asking if you're unsure of what to do. Everyone has to start somewhere. No one is born with a wealth of knowledge. We all have to pick it up as we go along.
I'm one of the main 'go-to' guys when it comes to the technical side of this game as I am an ex motorcycle general and race mechanic (having worked alongside some of the UK's top motorcycle race tuners), and so have obviously worked on my own cars as well, and in total have over 30 years of experience in mechanical engineering roles of all kinds.
I have also been playing the game since release, so am one of the most experienced players when it comes to the actual game-play side of things too.
Put the two together and there's not much in this game that beats me! ;D
(bar the odd occasional well known bug or two - which are pretty rare really for such a complex game made by just two guys!)

So yes, the game is quite in-depth and complex, but if you want to learn about cars and their inner workings then this is without doubt the best game out there for that - hands down!
As I say though, don't be put off by the complexity. There's plenty of help available if you need it. Just don't be afraid to ask!


I made these two guides for the game which you might be interested in taking a look at, and which are posted here on Steam.
These are currently pretty much the 'go-to' guides for the game as they're probably actually better and more complete than the in-game manuals at present, to the point where one of the devs himself has actually pinned these in the #help channel of their Discord server to help bail out players who got stuck using the in-game manuals! ;D

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1631544923
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638916184

[Bobby]

The biggest problem that all simulations have concerning mechanics , is they do not model reciprocating parts.
As an old school mechanic. Listening to an engine running i could tell if big ends were going, camshaft tappets, timing chain, water pump. That’s just using my ears and no equipment.

Then if it didn’t run you would turn it over and look for a spark, or compression or fuel induction.

Then you jump to tuning while it’s running. Advance/♥♥♥♥♥♥ (steam idiotically thinks this is a derogatory term. It’s not in the mechanic industry. That is the real term for advancing and backing off timing) the distributor, use a timing light,

And on it goes.

But all sim games are static when it comes to engines. You can’t even push cars about or have suspension compression/flat tires or run them on a rolling road externally.

Running and engine on a stand was my ultimate goggle eyed moment went I was 16 years old. A battery and some fuel! Now I’m 60 and all this is history, since cars are too modern and restricted.

Btw, parts move in Wrench, just not mechanically.

Maybe try CMS21 before coming back to this and picked up,some basics. The best part about CMS is that you pretty much don’t need any knowledge to do stuff as it gets highlighted what to work on and how.

[chill dude]

Mechanic here, most small engine cars follow the same ideas so a general understanding covers a wife variety of vehicles. Instead of studying a wiki and learn with your virtual hands, start with mechanic simulator 2021, it's easy, plug and play and gives a good basic idea of how a car can be pulled apart and put back together.

This game will further refine those skills and when you work on a car in real life these skills will absolutely transfer over.

[CODE]

+1^

[Bobby]

Originally posted by judereformed:

Mechanic here, most small engine cars follow the same ideas so a general understanding covers a wife variety of vehicles. Instead of studying a wiki and learn with your virtual hands, start with mechanic simulator 2021, it's easy, plug and play and gives a good basic idea of how a car can be pulled apart and put back together.

This game will further refine those skills and when you work on a car in real life these skills will absolutely transfer over.

I would keep that scenario to the engine only. CMS# I’m talking about,
Regards other parts no. Due to there being brakes pipes, fluids, lambda sensors, electrical connections alone. Even replacing pistons and rings without a piston ring compressor…. In real life that will get you up to your neck in trouble, instantly.
The first thing you do when working on a vehicles is isolate the battery.
The game doesn’t even do that part right.
So yes, engine is cool just for parts etc. but don’t think you just loosen or tighten a cylinder head any old way…. good luck with getting it reskimmed
;)
Btw, I was an old school car mechanic back in the 80s traditional tools.
Today there’s no such thing as a car mechanic: they’re called technicians because they use laptops and OBD2 devices to trouble shoot codes.
And more and more parts are modular

No 12v bulb tester needed lol

Wrench does a superb job of parts, down to shims, locknuts. Bleeding brakes alone is done like no other has ever done and CMS# doesn’t ever do! Bleeding from shortest pipe to longest away pipe to cylinder. Utter class seeing the dirt and bubbles

[chill dude]

Originally posted by Bobby:

Originally posted by judereformed:

Mechanic here, most small engine cars follow the same ideas so a general understanding covers a wife variety of vehicles. Instead of studying a wiki and learn with your virtual hands, start with mechanic simulator 2021, it's easy, plug and play and gives a good basic idea of how a car can be pulled apart and put back together.

This game will further refine those skills and when you work on a car in real life these skills will absolutely transfer over.

I would keep that scenario to the engine only. CMS# I’m talking about,
Regards other parts no. Due to there being brakes pipes, fluids, lambda sensors, electrical connections alone. Even replacing pistons and rings without a piston ring compressor…. In real life that will get you up to your neck in trouble, instantly.
The first thing you do when working on a vehicles is isolate the battery.
The game doesn’t even do that part right.
So yes, engine is cool just for parts etc. but don’t think you just loosen or tighten a cylinder head any old way…. good luck with getting it reskimmed
;)
Btw, I was an old school car mechanic back in the 80s traditional tools.
Today there’s no such thing as a car mechanic: they’re called technicians because they use laptops and OBD2 devices to trouble shoot codes.
And more and more parts are modular

No 12v bulb tester needed lol

Wrench does a superb job of parts, down to shims, locknuts. Bleeding brakes alone is done like no other has ever done and CMS# doesn’t ever do! Bleeding from shortest pipe to longest away pipe to cylinder. Utter class seeing the dirt and bubbles

Yea it's not perfect but what you learn with this game isn't useless knowledge is all im saying.

[Bobby]

It’s not ‘useless’ at all. What I highlighted was the *dangers* that are not portrayed.
That’s why I mentioned the obvious electrical, fluids, loosening things incorrectly are all basic expensive and dangerous mistakes.
You take off pads that are worn -the game- get a set of new ones. They don’t fit like the game, why? Because the calliper pistons have settled into the position of the old pads. So now you have to compress the pistons back, at the same time monitoring brake fluid which is now going to overflow from the master cylinder…… see. Also using the incorrect compressing method on the calliper back can jam it in its sleeve. Instead of going around it 360 gradually bit-by-bit. Or using a proper tool -or a bit of wood and mole grips or plumbers pliers!
It’s all experience etc. I’m sure I didn’t need to spell all that out, but it’s for the sake of the OP