That’s pretty cool that it does that. Wonder if it includes bad RAM, which is a PITA to pinpoint, because good ol’ memtest86+ isn’t what it used to be. IRL in a previous PC I had a bad stick that tested fine with that but would give me BSODs anywhere from every couple of weeks to ten months apart one time. I went nearly 4 years dealing with that crap before someone suggested Prime95, which caught it right away.
Yes, it does all that but keep in mind that it’s just a game and is not as sophisticated as real life!
Here’s video (not mine) that gives a general idea of the beginning gameplay loop:
Now available - PC Building Simulator : Leftover Screws DLC!
Can you drill holes in the monitors?
I played this a bunch over the weekend. It is very repetitive but I did find it oddly enjoyable. I’m going to play more later. I do still mostly enjoy building real PCs. This sort of hits the same nerve, without the frustration and finger slicing.
At first in the campaign the jobs you get are mostly upgrades, virus cleaning, and a few repairs where they just tell you what to replace. Initially the jobs are things like “upgrade to 16GB”. Later you get ones to bring a machine up to spec for a certain game (you buy a program to tell you the specs and if the PC can run the game). Then you get requests to upgrade, or to do a full build, to meet a minimum 3DMark score (you install and run the Timespy test on the machines, and it shows a short version of the test on the PC in the game). There’s software to stress test machines, but I haven’t purchased that yet. Timespy is my stress test for now.
I’ve only just gotten to the point where I have to diagnose broken machines. There’s no multimeter. It’s basic turn it on, see if fans spin, see if the bios comes up, see if the CPU/drivers/memory are listed in the bios, if it boots run 3DMark, etc. You accumulate spare used parts from upgrades so in typical IT fashion you swap parts out with a random spare until you isolate the broken one and then order a replacement. So far all the broken parts are obviously broken, or in the case of overheating the thermal paste was missing. In the overheating case the PC crashed almost immediately running 3DMark. I haven’t had things like a bad chip that causes random crashes or anything subtle, but that may come later.
The way the game structures jobs, where you are given an assignment and a predetermined budget and you get to keep the used parts you replace, really provides a perverse incentive to run an unethical shop. You can sell the used parts, and I understand that later you can used them to build PCs you can sell. So there’s a lot of incentive to spend the client’s entire budget and replace things that might not need replacing. Ordered a video card upgrade? Why not throw a power supply upgrade in there too if there’s budget for it. I mean I could upgrade this machine to 16GB by throwing another 8GB chip in there, but the budget is enough to replace both and pocket the used one. You don’t even need to call the client to try and upsell “Sure, I mean your current PS could probably handle it, but just to make sure I suggest you spend another $80 for this fancy one just to make sure”.
Not to be confused with the Loose Screw DLC. Those little SSD ones are the Devil!
Aven Colony is free on EGS now. I’ve heard good things, I think?
Yep! Solid (if a touch bland) sci-fi city builder.
Bland is an apt description of Aven Colony. I could not finish it. It was too boring, to much of the same thing over and over.
A reminder to those like me who haven’t spent their Epic Coupon yet: We have until the end of Monday.
I’d love to, but never claimed it 😅
Thanks!
What is good though?
Not sure how to answer; I mean… there’s a ton of games, some good and some not. It’s a smaller selection than Steam, but unfortunately has the same problem when someone asks what’s good on Steam.
I’ll snag a list from a random googled website that was supposedly updated three days ago to get a list of PC exclusives (so not on Steam, but may be on consoles), as perhaps that might be the most useful to look at (?), and point out some potential highlights of not-free-to-play games (so no Fortnite, Rocket League or Magic: The Gathering Arena);
Airborne Kingdom (city-builder)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/airborne-kingdom/home
Anno 1800 (it’s an Anno game… )
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/anno-1800/home
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (another which doesn’t need an intro)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/assassins-creed-valhalla/home
Darkest Dungeon II (early access)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/darkest-dungeon-2/home
Immortals Fenyx Rising (think snark-oriented Zelda)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/product/immortals-fenyx-rising/home
Kena: Bridge of Spirits (adventure)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/kena-bridge-of-spirits
Kingdom Hearts Series (adventuring weirdness and crossovers)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/discover/kingdom-hearts
Old World (Soren’s excellent take on the historical 4X genre)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/old-world
Phantom Brigade (Early Access)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/phantom-brigade
Spelldrifter (turn-based tactical deck builder, decent mobile port)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/spelldrifter
Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy (Early Access)
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/p/unexplored-2
That coupon will get you Beast Breaker (made by me and my friends at Vodeo Games) for $5! Eurogamer recommended!
/selfpromotion
That looks fun! I somehow missed its release.
Maybe one of those games is close to 5 dollars after the coupon, so most of those will be skipped not massive discount come along.
I just have to many games to just add more to the pile just because there is a coupon.
If you’re looking solely for $4.99 games (after coupon) that aren’t Epic exclusives, here’s an incomplete handful I can recommend;
Beast Breaker (Nightgaunt’s game)
Kosmokrats
The Falconeer (on sale)
Ironcast
Legend of Grimrock
Halcyon 6
Shadowrun Returns
Shadowrun Dragonfall
Ape Out
Into the Breach
Bad North
