Steam Engine Simulator news & patch notes

This update adjusts the difficulty of the end-game and fixes some minor camera movement issues.

Change List (Base Game)

• Fixed an issue where there would be a delay before being able to pan on some mice.

Change List (Urban Power Generation)

• End-game challenges and final stage have been made significantly harder. Quite a few players have commented that the end-game seems a bit too easy in comparison to the rest of the game, especially the challenges which seem to actually be easier than day-to-day energy demands. There were reasons for this but regardless, I've made some adjustments to the final stages of the game. It is now much more difficult but should still be pretty relaxed on Normal/Easy difficulty. Expert, on the other hand, is now borderline impossible (unless you really know what you're doing). I assure you, it IS beatable but you will need to extract everything you can from the engine. Good luck...

This will be the final patch for at least a few days. I know there are some common requests still pending. I really appreciate everyone's interest and support of the game but I do need to move on now to my main project: Engine Simulator. I will document the crazy journey with Steam Engine Simulator in an upcoming YouTube video on my channel. I hope to see you guys there!

This update adds some quality-of-life features and fixes a few minor bugs.

Change List (Base Game)

• Added trackpad mode (can be enabled in the settings menu). This mode is meant to make the game easier to use on laptops where to pan is not convenient. Now, ALT + can be used.
• Added zoom to cursor setting (can be enabled in the settings menu). The game currently uses zoom to view center, while some people prefer zooming to cursor.
• Added scroll when hover setting (can be enabled in the settings menu). This setting allows the player to use the scroll wheel while hovering over a control, without having to use that control's keybind.
• Piston friction is now modeled slightly more accurately and large friction coefficients no longer cause numerical instability at low speeds.
• Fixed an issue where pause menu was still interactable for a short time after being closed, preventing other controls from being accessed.
• Fixed an issue where the game would override the normal mouse cursor even though the cursor was not above the window's client area (like when it's over the exit button for example).
• Reduced some noise artifacts coming from piston movement at low speeds.
• No access warning now works when using the scroll wheel on locked controls.

Change List (Urban Power Generation)

• Added additional information to parts list like whether an upgrade is available or whether an upgrade has been purchased but not installed. This makes it easier for players to keep track of what needs to be done during an outage.
• Adjusted energy usage randomness to make trends slightly more predictable.
• Reduced sporting event volume slightly.
• Added 3 new buildings.
• Fixed an issue where some ambient sounds might play very briefly when the game is first loaded.
• Fixed an issue where power outage warning would appear for a few frames after a planned outage ended, even if there was no outage (this was purely a cosmetic issue).
• Reduced generator volume slightly.
• Disabled pause game letter from Isambard if the tutorial is disabled.
• Spaced out part recommendations from Mr. Savery.
• Added higher quality fade effect for energy demand graph edges.
• Most tutorial arrows now disabled in Hard and Expert difficulty.

Change List (Power Generation Sandbox)

• Separated brake PID into two separate PIDs for generator speed and engine speed.
• Added more labels to feedback control cluster to clarify which PIDs control which inputs.
• PIDs now take control more smoothly than before.
• Fixed an issue where excitation PID was active even when master enable was switched off.
• Fixed an issue where enable damage toggle did not reset to the correct state on startup.
• Added pause keybind to controls list.

This update makes many adjustments to the game's tutorial based on community feedback. It also adds some minor features and bugfixes.

Change List (Base Game)

• Controls with non-default input modes now reset properly on game start
• Fixed a shader issue where alpha might exceed 0-1 range
• Added CPU brand information to AVX warning dialog

Change List (Urban Power Generation)

• Tutorial is now separated from the rest of the game and the main sequence of the game does not progress until the tutorial is complete
• Population no longer changes during the tutorial (during the engine management portion)
• Sediment no longer accumulates during the tutorial
• Mr. Savery now corrects the player if the water level drifts off-target
• Added a very clear, prominent warning when an outage is occurring
• Fixed a minor performance issue related to the MARKETPLACE and MAILBOX buttons (it's minor in 99% of cases but in cases of unusual player usage, could be more serious)
• Increased vibration amplitude for both gear sticks
• Heat control is now highlighted during the initial set heat task
• The "Shift to sixth gear" task has now been separated into 2 tasks since it was not clear to many players that you need to both be in 6th gear AND have the generator at operational speed
• Fixed "reverser to neutral" task tolerance to match the UI control
• Spaced out some of Mr. Savery's tutorial messages to not overwhelm the player
• Fixed an issue where highlighted controls in "emergency mode" were still controllable while the game was paused
• Adjusted Mr. Savery's throttle warning since many players reported that it happened too frequently and at inapplicable times
• Added New Year's event music
• Added sporting event sound effects
• Added fireworks sound effects. Some fireworks displays are now slightly longer
• Made usage hint font size slightly bigger in the city editor
• Adjusted numerous tutorial letters to make objectives and information clearer
• Added page flip sound effect when changing letters and marketplace page
• Added sound effect when spending and collecting money
• Added signature sound effect when responding to letters
• Broken powerlines are now highlighted since many players reported missing cable break events
• Fixed a bug where the no-access notification did not appear when clicking on the city viewer without being given access
• Reworded population milestone tasks to make objective more clear (specifically with respect to debt). Some players thought the task was referring to debt levels of the population itself, which is not a mechanic in the game
• Tutorial arrows fade in/out faster

Change List (Power Generation Sandbox)

• Added pause button to sandbox mode
• Added dynamometer feedback controller to automatically manage generator excitation to maintain generator speed. This operates like a real-world dynamometer
• Sandbox mode now starts paused

This update fixes a few minor issues.

Change List

• CPU check for AVX no longer terminates the program but allows it to continue running after showing a warning. This is mainly for people running the game on unsupported platforms where AVX support is not reported but may be supported in other ways.
• Fixed an issue where the base game damage toggle was appearing in the DLC modes.
• Renamed "STORAGE" to "INERTIA"
• Adjusted generator voltage curve
• Fixed an issue where magical energy multiplier readout was not showing the correct value
• Fixed a formatting issue where "MWH" was instead rendered as "GWH"
• Added short description to frequency changer part in marketplace
• Made some weather changes transition more smoothly

This update adds a few minor improvements to the game and tutorial.

Change List

• CPU check is completed at the beginning of the program so players know if their CPU is compatible or not. This is really just a check for AVX support which is supported on most CPUs made after 2011.
• Added more decimal places to transmission readout.
• Adjusted tutorial letter to specifically say "BOILER STRUCTURE" repair so that it correlates directly with a heading in the marketplace.
• Player now gets a notification if they try to click on a control that they currently don't have access to.
• Mailbox and marketplace are highlighted with arrows during the tutorial so players can find them more easily.
• Arrows were added to help players find where to click when repairing the powerlines for the first time.

Hey everyone, I'm working on some tutorial improvements right now but it will take some time to get it right. Until then, I've recorded a short tutorial video which should help players in the meantime. I've closely observed the playerbase over the past few days and I've noticed some people having difficulties, especially with the early phases of the game. I've also seen some negative reviews criticizing the game for not providing enough information in the tutorial. I'm not entirely sure how I want to address this just yet. Not all players are struggling to the same extent and some ramp up on the game quickly and others don't. I could expand the tutorial, but it's already pretty information-heavy at this point. In fact, it may even be completely counterproductive since I find that it seeds particular ideas and strategies that are meant to be generic and won't be applicable in all situations. I think there are ways of adjusting the tutorial to make it a bit easier on beginners but it'll take some time to develop. For now, this video tutorial should help with the area of the game that players seem to be having the hardest time with: the early game, which is really much easier than it seems at first. Ultimately, I don't believe teaching every aspect of this game is possible in an in-game tutorial. It takes experience and probably a few failures to get the hang of it completely and there is no set strategy that works all the time. As a community, I'm noticing that the overall skill level has risen dramatically since the initial release date so maybe focusing too much on this aspect isn't important, but let me know what you guys think.

This patch addresses some common complaints I've seen, mainly regarding difficulty level. I did release a few other patches before this which mainly focused on minor UI changes like starting the game in the main menu to avoid confusion for people who just purchased the DLC.

Difficulty Adjustments

I first want to address a common misconception about the career mode that fuel is "too expensive". It isn't and this is quantifiable and provable mathematically. Furthermore, there are no "dumb tricks" or hacks needed in order to win. That being said, I do understand that for someone who hasn't spent a lot of time in the simulation, it can seem mysterious or counterintuitive. I assure you, the simulation is not broken and it's not scamming you. Physics just doesn't care about gameplay and these are the harsh realities of physically based simulation. To ease the pain for players, I've lessened the difficulty level slightly in the easier levels (everything other than Expert), specifically the economy which seems to be a common pain point. Expert mode is the only mode that is objectively balanced when looked at mathematically. The other modes are heavily biased in favor of the player. With this in mind, I'd like to hear from you guys about where you're having difficulties and how the tutorial and game might be improved to alleviate those challenges.

TIME UPDATE The game will release during regular working hours in EST (Eastern Standard Time), likely around 2 PM. Knowing me, it's possible there might be a few delays but that's the time we're aiming for. Hey everyone, I'd like to thank you all for being very patient. The DLC and major game update are finally complete and will be released on January 7, 2025 (tomorrow). I have decided on a price for the DLC of 5 USD (subject to regional pricing) based on tester feedback and market research. The base game will of course remain free.

What to expect on January 7

January 7th will be by far the biggest release I have ever personally undertaken. This project took over 3000 hours of work and I anticipate will have at least a few hundred downloads on the first day of release. I don't really know what to expect. I've done all I can as a single developer to test the game to make sure it performs well and is fun to play. However, my sample size of a few hundred tester computers will not find everything. Issues will inevitably arise on release day when an order of magnitude more users try the update for the first time. If you experience issues and want to help out, please consider joining the Engine Simulator Official Discord server. I have set up dedicated channels for Steam Engine Simulator to anticipate the influx of complaints, suggestions and bug reports. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Should the 10 liter boiling achievement be removed?

When I added achievements to this game, my understanding of how players interacted with Steam achievements was not accurate. I did not anticipate anyone seriously wanting to AFK achievements in general, let alone in Steam Engine Simulator. But, clearly I was wrong. This achievement has resulted in many of this game's negative reviews (and criticism in the discussion board) and it's very frustrating to put this much effort into a game only to have it negatively reviewed because of a simple Steam achievement. I would have removed this achievement long ago and avoided this headache completely, but I know that many players have already put in the time to get it and might not appreciate the achievement being removed. If you have ideas on how to fix this while causing minimal upset in the community, please let me know in the comments. No achievements are being added in this update and no achievements require the DLC to function. I've noticed that this is a common complaint from players of other games and since Steam offers no way of adding DLC-specific achievements, I'd rather not deal with this hassle.

I'm Looking Forward to Your Feedback

This release does not mark the end of development, but rather, the beginning of a new phase of the game's life and I will most likely be actively releasing patches and updates for at least a month after initial release. I try to read pretty much everything that is posted to the Steam community hub, my YouTube channel and my Discord server. Please do not hesitate to share your feedback and I will do my best to accommodate suggestions that I believe will improve the game. Thanks everyone! - Ange

Hello steam engine operators! It's been a while since the last update but since then, we've had a successful alpha release of the power generation DLC to game testers and it was met with a positive response. I recently uploaded a video to my YouTube channel discussing some of these changes and the current state of the DLC if you'd prefer to watch on YouTube. NOTE: at this time, development is funded by Patreon supporters and YouTube sponsors and this video contains a sponsored segment between 00:31 and 01:30. You can skip this ad using the timestamps in the video or moving the play cursor to 01:30.

Steam Engine Updates

New Pressure Relief Valve

The old pressure relief valve has been replaced with a more realistic version with adjustable set-point so that you can more precisely regulate the pressure in the boiler. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/321aca887dc42200877c96f23af3133aceeeb0bf.png

New Brake Mechanism

The brake has been completely reworked with completely new art and a new physical mechanism. You can pull the spring-loaded brake lever to activate the brake temporarily, or adjust the brake stop to hold the brake at a minimum position. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/87447ea0cabbc60994892c7c5321d9408276fee6.png

Valve Gear/Reverser

The steam engine now has a real valve gear with adjustable cutoff. The old valve gear was inefficient and not particularly realistic. Now you can precisely adjust cutoff, reverse the engine and operate more efficiently. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/528b36a69fb415aaec17fec69cc17ad980f0bc28.png

Completely Reworked Audio Engine

This is hard to demonstrate without seeing/hearing it for yourself, so I strongly suggest watching my YouTube video on the subject. Go to 13:50 of the video below to see a comparison between the current Steam Engine Simulator and the updated version. Steam Engine Simulator's audio system has been completely overhauled resulting in major performance improvements and dramatically improved audio quality.

Water Inlet Flowrate and Water Level Gauges

This was a frequently requested feature from the community and it's now been added! You can now see inlet/drain flow rates and get a precise readout of the water level. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/fd060dfc214535e5429fb07cf1ea9e826c5119b8.png

Rate of Change Indicators

Most gauges now have rate of change indicators which are helpful to balance a very precise static value. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/104146a4aae8751928814d22afb250a7d8706948.png

DLC Progress Update

The Power Generation DLC is nearing completion. Testers enjoy the career mode and I'm pretty happy with where the game is at.

New Game Mode: Sandbox Mode

Sandbox mode can be activated from the main menu just like the career mode. Adjust parameters of the steam engine and optionally use the PID controllers to operate the steam engine for you! The controllers can be activated individually, so you can (for example) operate the reverser to control engine speed and have the autopilot control the water level and boiler pressure. The player can also adjust ambient temperature, flywheel mass and many many other parameters. You can experiment to find the best performing steam engine or see what happens when input parameters are set to completely unrealistic values. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/e067e8485c5eaa1038253cdf941e3ba896129d8c.png

Career Mode: Steam Engine Upgrades and Repairs

The steam engine can now be upgraded and repaired in career mode. Upgrades/new parts can be purchased in the MARKETPLACE tab. This includes things like new boilers with higher pressure ratings, better water filters (more about this later) and better piston seals for higher efficiency. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/cc9dbccd2e99ebaaba6f6f6e02a9ba26658408b4.png

Boiler Sediment Simulation

Sediment and particulate now deposits at the bottom of the boiler, acting as an insulator which makes the boiler less efficient. Sediment can be cleared out with a Boiler Descaling service purchased at the MARKETPLACE. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/02e4377606e3a5126cef87c5f0e5c7814c5eaba2.png

Side Quests

The player can now complete optional side-quests for money, like signaling the New Year's fireworks with the steam whistle or waking up the mayor so he doesn't miss an important meeting. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/48a3c9e10a9d0fb3f25e5df8a1d2add5f1897568.png

City Editor

The city viewer now features an editor to give more details about individual city plots. The city feels a lot more alive with unique addresses generated for each building, unique building names and a readout which shows the plot's current electricity bill. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/6667c5728d6f91fbdd3e5feea8b0a6cc13a34dbc.png

Release Date

We are very close to an official release date for this DLC (which will be released with all the other updates I showed in this post). Early-access is available right now to all paid Patreon supporters. Patreon supporters will also get the DLC for free when it releases. If you want detailed updates and to be notified when the official release date is announced, I post daily updates on the Engine Simulator Official Discord server.

Hey guys! I really appreciate everyone's patience. It's been a busy few months and my time has been split across multiple projects, like Engine Simulator and others which I don't want to reveal publicly yet. Nonetheless, work on the DLC continues and the project has definitely not been abandoned. A mostly complete version has already been released to testers and I'm working that initial feedback into the final version I'm working on now. Some new features that you may be interested in are:

Boiler damage and explosions

This feature will also be coming to the base game and you won't need the DLC to unlock it. It's a fairly simple damage model but you can now boom-boom the boiler which has been heavily requested. Damage is also toggleable in the main game mode. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/098c851196569087a979e0277ecf95bb5655d2ab.png

NPCs

Steamtown now has NPCs with simple AIs and can communicate with the player through text-based communication. Some testers found the game was extremely frustrating without guidance, so some NPCs were added who can guide and instruct the player (sort of like a tutorial). They also move the story forward and give some life to the in-game town. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/9abeb4f62129074268becceaa520e505d92504e1.png

Game story: missions, goals, plot

The game now has basic goals, missions, challenges and a real story. It's not going to win any awards but I like it. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/95ec30085e84aabfe509cc2f57b337bd0511d457.png

New toggleable readouts for all gauges

This has been heavily requested since the game's release. The small window in the top-left is no longer necessary as all important measurements are visible directly in the game's UI. All of these instruments are toggleable with the mouse. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/da2c28d4100aa3dfc782668424c867dd2ff37443.png

Resettable max speed readout

Max speed can now be seen in digital form and reset. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44018798/50836aef85370ca2cf5b37364733a13d5406fcbe.png

About the release date...

I don't want to reveal too much about the intended release date right now. I know this seems like a simple project because of its outward appearance, but the reality is a bit more complex than that. At the end of the day, I feel a great sense of responsibility because over 32,000 people have wishlisted this product, around 100 times more than I was originally expecting. I don't want any of those people to be disappointed with their purchase and I've allowed this project's timeline to go way beyond what I was originally planning to hopefully succeed in that goal. Being my first ever "game" project that goes beyond being a sandbox simulation, I don't expect this game to win awards, but I at least want everyone to feel that it was worth their money and support. To be honest though, after this experience I'll stick to sandbox simulations... game development is hard haha. Thanks for your patience guys. - Ange

Hello engineers! A new video was just released on my main YouTube channel discussing the history and current state of the power generation DLC! NOTE: this video does contain a sponsored segment and is not a normal development update. For those who don't know, I was a YouTuber before Steam Engine Simulator was released and at this point I still rely on sponsor support and Patreon to sustain myself. You can skip to 01:04 to skip this segment or use the timestamp included in the video.

Video Summary

History

Work officially started on this DLC in July of 2023. A new developer, Hjorgun, put together the initial prototype which was completed in October and by December the DLC had most of the elements that were originally envisioned. To me though, the final result was just not good enough to release and considering the greater than expected number of wishlists, I decided against releasing it.

Updated Game Mechanics

The game mechanics were redesigned with a more detailed economy that intends to keep the game engaging and encourage the player to operate the engine as efficiently as possible. The basic mechanics are:

• Fuel can be purchased to run the steam engine and generate electricity
• Buildings can be constructed in the city to expand population capacity
• Building upgrades can be purchased which increase profit margins
• The player must occasionally maintain their infrastructure (replacing snapped cables, etc.)

There are some emergent mechanics from the simulation itself, like power generation being less efficient when demand is lower (due to parasitic losses in the engine being more significant in relation to the engine's output).

Development Update

Most of the components of the DLC are complete with the exception of the mailbox and a single gauge cluster in the lower right corner. The mailbox will be where the player receives letter from concerned citizens, advisors and the other simple NPC's in the game. Thanks for watching. - Ange

Greetings steamers! The revised core mechanics of the new Power Generation DLC are now complete and I feel ready to reveal some in-development footage. Check out the video on my second channel and let me know what you guys think. - Ange

Hey guys, if you want to learn about what's happening in the Engine Simulator universe, please check out the latest update on my YouTube channel!

Hey guys! Judging by the "RIP dev" and "where DLC?" comments on both Steam and Discord, I can tell that a lot of you are upset, and I completely understand why. I originally intended for December to be a tentative release date (ie plus/minus a few weeks) but in retrospect, this was definitely a mistake on my part.

So where is the DLC?

The DLC is in a complete and playable state right now, undergoing testing with a small group of 30 play-testers. Honestly, I'm just not 100% happy with it as it is now and I had to make the difficult decision to not release in December. With such an unexpectedly high number of people wishlisting/waiting for this DLC and many having very high expectations, I can't in good conscience release something which I'm not 100% comfortable with releasing. I hope you guys can understand.

So when is the DLC actually releasing?

I'm going to learn from my mistakes on this project and not announce the exact date right now. I know a lot of you are excited and want to know an exact date or a rough estimate but I'd rather prioritize the quality of the game over releasing on a particular schedule.

This is such a simple game, how could it possibly take so long to develop this DLC?

This game appears simple on the surface because of its 2D graphics, but underneath, it performs a lot of computation and features a very detailed physical simulation. Cutting corners on physical accuracy in order to achieve better gameplay is not a valid option for me and undermines the purpose of the game. This DLC had to be carefully designed to present an interesting and fun challenge without sacrificing the essence of the simulation or unbalancing the game's minimalistic aesthetic.

How much will the DLC cost?

The DLC will cost between 1-5 dollars. So, why isn't it free? Steam Engine Simulator started mostly as a "meme" and I had put only a few weeks of effort into the project. At this point, I have over 350 hours of in-game time, just from testing during development. I have undoubtedly put over 1000 hours into developing this game. To remain sustainable (ie survive), I need some form of income. YouTube ads and sponsored segments are pretty unpopular for obvious reasons and while I greatly appreciate my Patreon supporters, I don't want to rely on crowdfunding forever. The traditional business model of selling a product feels simpler and more honest to me, compared to pushing ads or accepting crowdfunding donations. The base game will always remain free and I'll continue updating it into the future. Hopefully you guys understand why it just isn't feasible for this DLC to be free. I really appreciate everyone's patience and the numerous people testing the new beta release and providing feedback. I am taking all feedback into consideration to release the best possible product for you guys. Thanks everyone and happy New Year! - Ange

Greetings steam engine operators! To prepare for the release of the Power Generation DLC, a public beta-testing branch (called beta) has been created for the base Steam Engine Simulator game. The game has received many performance and interface improvements as well as improvements to the physics engine which were needed for the upcoming content. You may find that it plays slightly differently compared to the previously released version of the game. I'd love to hear your feedback and straighten out as many bugs as possible before the release of the DLC. Feel free to join the Engine Simulator Discord Server to report issues and get development updates. Thanks everyone!

The "Spinny Valve" Controversy

I know that the new control style has not been popular with everyone. My rationale for this change was:

• With radial adjustment, adjusting the sensitivity is as easy moving the mouse further away or closer to the center of the widget
• With practice you can quickly open and close the valve but also adjust it very precisely, especially using the Shift key
• Many players actually complained that the PREVIOUS control style was not intuitive and requested that the valves be adjusted like valves in real-life
• When you master the movement, it is immensely more satisfying than dragging linearly which does not match the reality of what would be happening in real-life

I have around 350 hours of play-test time in Steam Engine Simulator and after getting used to the new control-style, I very much prefer it over the previous one. For players that have a few hours already in-game, it will take some time to get used to. I'll leave the radial controls for now and if people don't like them even after getting used to them, I'll add a setting to revert to the old control-style. - AngeTheGreat

Change List

• Generally improved and more consistent performance
• Water pump pressure changed from 50 psi to 100 psi
• Water valve now controls water flow rate instead of water pressure
• Holding shift now allows the mouse to finely control valves and other components
• Pressure relief valve is now controlled with an adjustable stop
• Visual indicator added to show when tank is overflowing
• Quality calibration no longer adjusts the quality down if the user manually sets the quality
• Reduced instability noise when tank is fully filled
• Demon mode heat transfer coefficient increased

As always, please let me know if you encounter any issues as your feedback is critical to improving the game. Thanks everyone!

Change List

• Game no longer crashes after 20 hours of play-time
• Fixed tick count on pressure gauge (it had 6 segments instead of 5)
• The engine and controls would sometimes freeze after a lag spike; this has been fixed
• Hints no longer display when hints are disabled
• Controllable elements are highlighted when controls are displayed
• Starter motor pitch adjusted down slightly
• Steam particle system looks more consistent at different framerates

New Content

• Added starter motor
• Added drain valve
• Added water pump (at 50 psi)
• Better animations when interacting with gate valves
• Improved gauge appearance
• Vacuum reading added to pressure gauge
• New vacuum achievements

Performance Improvements

• Better multicore performance (audio and physics are now multithreaded)
• Audio synchronizes more quickly after a desync/lag event
• Reduced audio latency
• Reduced game folder size by 60%
• Improved game startup time
• Optimized game geometry for faster rendering
• Improved steam particle performance on laptops

Bugfixes

• Window clears with the correct color when resizing
• Better error handling when encountering audio driver issues
• Game no longer crashes when alt-tabbing to desktop

Hidden Features

• F3 debug screen
• n + scroll will manually adjust audio/physics quality

Change List

• New achievements
• Fixed a bug where display is jittery when zooming and panning at the same time
• Physics engine robustness improvements
• Removed unnecessary files from game folder

"When engine builder?"

This game will not be expanded much from where it is now, however, I am working on an engine building game that will have many of the features you guys want. That is an entirely different project called "Engine Simulator 3D". You can also download the prototype of this project (not currently available on Steam) called "Engine Simulator" which does allow you to build and test gas-powered engines. Please check out my YouTube channel (all links in the game) to learn more.

Note about freezing after long play-time

In order to get some of the more insane achievements, some people have attempted running their games for many hours consecutively. A few have experienced the application freezing while doing this. I'm looking into it. I'm not sure what's causing it yet, but don't worry, your stats won't be lost if this happens as the game saves them periodically.

Note about "viruses"

Some players have reported that Microsoft Defender in Windows 11 flags this game as suspicious or potentially containing a virus. I can assure you that this game does not contain any viruses or malicious code. I've already submitted a false-flag report to Microsoft and hopefully this will be patched soon. If you do notice anything suspicious about the game or have any questions at all, please let me know.

Steam Achievements Are Here

It's a pretty basic list of achievements right now but we're open to suggestions. If you notice any bugs or broken achievements, please report them, thanks!

Change List

- Added Steam stats and achievements - Gauge needles and whistle handle move more smoothly - Reduced VRAM and RAM usage - Window returns to original windowed size when exiting fullscreen

Steam Whistle Added!

I wasn't sure if it was possible but apparently a procedurally generated steam whistle can be done. Hope you guys enjoy it. - ATG

Change List

• Added steam whistle (can be activated by clicking and dragging handle or pressing up arrow)
• Mouse can now be dragged beyond the window border
• MMB added as alternative keybind for panning
• Issue with program sometimes playing audio after being closed should be fixed for most people
• Pressure relief valve minimum pressure raised
• Flame heat is now slightly higher
• Inputs are now slightly more responsive

Pressure Relief Valve Update

By popular demand, you can now disable the pressure relief valve.

Change List

- Pressure relief valve can now be disabled with the keyboard - Physics engine robustness improvements - Audio volume now visible in information panel - Max rpm achieved now visible in information panel - Hints will appear on the screen occasionally - Controls do not appear by default by showing the information panel ( can now be used to show the controls directly)

Change Notes

- Added a pressure relief valve - Flywheel is now much heavier (slightly unrealistic for this size of engine but makes the game easier to play) - Audio when filling water is now smoother - Removing water from the tank previously didn't account for energy loss correctly - Made audio volume slightly quieter - Dampened some harsh audio frequencies - Renamed "throttle" to "throttle valve" and reversed number reading on information panel - Engine no longer makes an abrupt noise when the program is started

This is just a small update based on feedback from players. Change List - Window resizing cursors now appear to make window resizing easier - All game controls can now be adjusted with the mouse by clicking and dragging - Grid rendering is optimized for better performance on laptops - Keybind text now changes to indicate state (to see whether warnings are disabled, for example)

- Removed unused file from game folder - Re-added steam particle effect - Values in information panel update slower (for visibility) - Brake/throttle/heat level displayed in information panel - Adjusted information panel appearance

- Some device names caused the game to crash. This should now be fixed