Simulation games with Construct 3 possible?

Hi all,

I like to make a small railroad simulation game with Construct 3. I have the book "Learning Construct 2" which mention that simulation games are very difficult to make in C2.

What I need in that small simulation game is a timetable of scheduled trains. then a random ocurancies of problems which can happen, a defective train, a slow freight train, track maintenance, improvements and so on. Also the traffic on those tracks has to be increased or decreased depending on the hour, day.

The user control the switches and the signals. When there is a train crash, the game ends.

Can this be done in Construct 3? Can Construct 3 make simulation games?

Thank you very much in advance.

Chris

Thank you mumu64 for your reply and insights. I also thing that the author of the book was a little short with his opinion about C2 (despite he wrote an excellent book about Construct 2).

I only make small games for our young daughter. So my experience is very limited. Your idea to use an array to keep track of the layout (rail, switches, signals and trains) is the way to go. The game has to keep track which section of a track is occupied or not, or how fast a train is going.

I should think of creating a "class" which I sub-class for every section of track in the game. However, this is not possible I think in Construct 3.

But when my thinking is correct, "families" do just that. Objects in families, do share the same events and behaviours. I am gonna find out what objects share the same events and hehaviour and how I can divide them in families.

I will keep you informed here.

Thank you again and have a great day.

Chris

Hi all,

I like to make a small railroad simulation game with Construct 3. I have the book "Learning Construct 2" which mention that simulation games are very difficult to make in C2.

Simulation games are the easiest to make in C2 and C3 not sure why he said are difficult.

I do agree in the case where, if you compare a simulation game to a 2 minute game then the simulation game is difficult, but the same process of creating the 2 minute game goes in the simulation game as well just more complex. So definitely, C2 and C3 can create a simulation game, now there are a few things that might be difficult and maybe even impossible to achieve but those are influenced by your ability into coding, graphics and logic programming in Construct and other skills that you personally might not have, or knowledge about some things required by Construct or your game logic and assets, however everything can be learned, all you need is give it some time, and not expect over night results. The beauty of C2 and C3 is that you can do a pretty complex game with it, with zero knowledge of the traditional coding and programming. However do not expect Crisis 3 to be made in Construct also do not expect Unity 3d games made in Construct.

From my opinion i see it as a prototyping tool, that can be used to make games, apps and even animations in minutes, as long as finished products, but then again if you read the manual there are 3 stages of knowledge: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, i would also add Pro Level after Advanced cause there are people in this community that are working in Construct like are breathing air, but thats off topic.

Resuming to the difficulty, the process of polishing your application and becoming a intricate final product is another story, and when you are asking if its possible or difficult to make a simulation game in Construct ... to me makes no sense that question!

Any game is possible if you know the engine you will use, and any game is difficult if you have zero knowledge in the engine your about to use.

Now about the book: Who wrote the book? - is he even a Construct user? or he is just a writer?

If is the book i found online, those details in there are same details you find in the Construct official manual which is free, the same templates in the book are the same as the default templates and tutorials that are made by the official channel and can be found both on construct.net and on

.

I think the book writer is just a writer and the information in the book might be written just to be written by somebody else (im not going to buy the book just to prove it, but il trust my guts and usually im right, unless the book was created by scirra members and i mean official members, then the difficult part might actually be true to a surtain extent or into a surtain situation).

My advice to you:

Before you go into a course tutorial online outside official information, first make sure you have a basic understanding of the engine you are about to use to make your application with, before you buy a "specialized training book".

The answer to your question if is difficult to make a simulation game in Construct being 2 or 3 or Classic is the same: "Is as difficult as you make it."

This was not a rant or diss, was my honest opinion.

Thank you very much for your long and interesting reply.

The book title is "Learning Construct 2" written by Aryadi Subagio and is now already many years old.

I find it an interesting book which I read regularly. It is published by Packt. The author is very positive about Construct. Maybe at that time, it was more difficult building simulation games with Construct.

Anyway I do not use any other engine than Construct. My game experience level is very small because I have to do that in my spare free time. I really wish I could have more free time to build games with Construct.

Chris