Cars Incorporated is a business simulation game in which you can design, build and sell cars. It's inspired by classic simulations like Detroit and Motor City. A chain of thoughts on how to grow from these classics has lead to a unique approach on how to build your cars ingame:

A semi-free body editor and components derived from tech-levels with improvable properties truly make your cars your cars.

In the game you can...

...see how your cars hold up against the competition in a simulated market that is based on what the cars in it can actually do.

...let your cars compete in simulated races and see how well they hold up to the competition in this field.

...sell cars on all 6 continents and become the greatest car manufacturer of all times in a game that will ultimately span the entire history of the automobile from 1900 all the way to 2020 (the current alpha version ends in 1930, the next major update v0.30 will end in 1950) and possibly beyond (an add-on is under consideration).

You can already try out many of these features in the current alpha version, representing the state of development.

This game has been in development for 2.5 years and has released an update every 1.5 months on average since it's first alpha release in late 2011. It has received nothing but positive feedback and praise by the few people who stumbled upon it and has even been called highly addictive and more stable than most game's beta or even final versions. But you can try the first 5 game years right now, or play without limits if you preorder or contribute to this campaign, selecting a perk with alpha access.

(15.3 MB, Windows XP/Vista/7/8, German/Englisch)

Developing a game requires a lot of time, dedication and effort.

With my past as a store manager for a big german computer chain I know very well how to dedicate myself to a task and with 2.5 years in which I spent most of my short spare time on developing this game I have already invested a lot of effort into this project.

The problem I need your help in solving is freeing up the time I need to concentrate more on Cars Incorporated. Most of the time I could spend developing this game for you I need to work on my regular job as a self-employed computer technican, so I have a roof over my head and enough to eat.

What happens if the campaign fails?

Contributions towards the campaign will not be in vain. As I said the money is used to free up time to work on the game instead of having to make money otherwise and even an amount of just 100 Euro will take 1-2 weeks off the waiting time as it allows me to work 1-2 days fulltime on the game. So even in the worst case this campaign already has shortened the waiting time for the next release.

Cars Incorporated will definitely be completed. Over 60 people have already preordered and paid for the game prior to this campaign and I owe it to these people to see this project to it's proper end. Even preparations for actually producing the boxed version have been done and at least a small batch of 300 copies will be produced, more depending on how well they sell. So yes: All perks will be fulfilled.

The only difference is how long it takes for the game to be completed and whether or not there will be an add-on. So contribute now and help spread the word to fast-track the development of Cars Incorporated.

All you have to do is use the tools provided by Indiegogo further up on this page to promote this campaign. If you are logged in when doing so Indiegogo can track how many people you sent here. Just be sure to send them here, not to the game's homepage as that can not be counted by Indiegogo.

For each referral (unique visitor) you will receive 1 point. Every Euro contributed by one of your referrals (limited to those Indiegogo could track) will give you 5 points. The 5 highest ranking people at the end of the campaign will receive the following prices:

1. Price

Will receive the Perk "The Big Box" for free. This includes immediate alpha-access, an autographed boxed copy with your key once the game is completed, access to the development versions and a cool T-Shirt with one of your ingame build cars on it.

If the campaign raises the initial goal of 6.600 Euro the winner will also get 100 € from me by PayPal or German/EU wire transfer (not taken from the funds raised).

2. & 3. Price

Will receive the Perk "The Inner Circle" for free. This includes immediate alpha-access, a boxed copy with your key once the game is completed, as well as access to the development versions

If the campaign raises the initial goal of 6.600 Euro the 2. and 3. price winners will also get 50 € each from me by PayPal or German/EU wire transfer (not taken from the funds raised).

4. & 5. Price

Will receive the Perk "Alpha Package" for free. This means a digital copy of the game with immediate alpha access.

All funds raised by this crowdfunding campaign will go into the faster development and growth of Cars Incorporated, as well as into the further expansion of the game and the covering of production costs for physical perks.

Hitting this target will allow me to concentrate on the development for at least half a year. This will get the game into or at least close to the Beta Phase in the first quarter of 2014. Upon arriving in the beta phase all major features will be implemented.

Hitting this target will not only decrease the time required to get into Beta but it will also increase the amount of detail I can care about during development.

Hitting this target will take the game all the way to the finish line, giving me the funds and time I need to get the game through the Beta Phase and on to the release version 1.00. When the game hits version 1.00 a limited amount of physical copies and other physical perks will be professionally manufactured and sent to those who ordered them.

This point will be reached eventually even if no or not enough funds are raised, but hitting this target will greatly speed things up.

If this target is hit, the game will be produced in one run and upon completion the add-on that is currently under consideration will be produced immediately. The add-on will add a driving simulation to the game, allowing you to test your cars or drive them in races yourself. It will also expand the playable timespan into the future and add future technologies to the new game years.

Funds received beyond the required goals for completing the game AND the add-on will of course not go to waste. In fact there are many ways how more funds would benefit the game. Starting with additional time to make an even better game at no extra wait since most of you can play all the alpha versions, all the way to potential paid help such as a composer or a graphics artists to make the game even better. If it appears likely that more than 15.000 Euro will be raised you can post your ideas on how to use the money to improve the game in the comments, additional stretch goals will be added.

Funds that remain after Cars Incorporated is finished and I don't see other ways to improve this game will be used on my next game.

 Most of the planed features such as an ingame newspaper, stock markets, a patent system or bulk orders (e.g. by the police or a cab company) will be added over time, usually in smaller updates. Below you will find a short list of the main targets for the major updates.

v0.30 - Components Update

(Already in development) This update will introduce small components. Some of these will need to be placed in the body editor such as mirrors or headlights. Others can be added to improve your cars in general such as turbo-chargers or seat belts.

This update will also add the 3rd body generation and increase the playable timespan to 1950.

v0.40 - Community Update

This update will let the game go online (if desired). It will include multiplayer sessions by internet, allow you to share your successes via social media or add your topsellers to an online-highscore.

You will also be able to upload your companies from completed games and let your friends or strangers try to beat your best game. Or you can try to beat your old company yourself.

v0.50 - Body Trim Update

Add chrome trims to your newest cars and merge wheel houses with the main body while you take the 4th body generation all the way to 1970.

v0.60 - Media Update

With all the major elements in place this update will finally remove all the place holder graphics and replace them with much better looking, final elements, created for the most part with Blender.

Bigger screen resolutions, new backdrops, sounds, music and a limited amount of animations will give the game a much more refined look.

v0.70 - 80s Update

The car as a box. In the big times of the angular designs, body generation 5 will take you through the 70s and 80s, adding lots more of technical gagdets to the cars.

v0.80 - Beta Update

A headlight designer will allow you to make your cars even more individual for the final decades of the game taking you to 2020 with the 6th body generation.

With the arrival of v0.80 all major features will be integrated and the game status will change from alpha to beta. At this point the Beta package perk will yield keys to these supporters.

v0.90 - Home Stretch Update

The final ideas and player wishes that have come up during beta testing will be implemented. Further updates will concentrate on fixing final bugs while the game officially moves from beta versions to release candidates.

v1.00 - Release Update

This is the release version that will be delivered in boxes to those that ordered the Boxed Version or higher perks including it. Only minor updates and fixes are expected at this point.

The Add-On

If it is financially viable (e.g. because the Add-On-Stretch-Goal has been met) the development will continue on an Add-On that will let you drive your cars in races or just for fun. It will also expand the game time into the future and add some futuristic technologies to the game.

If it gets made it will be free to all who supported this project with € 10 or more and to all who preordered during the alpha phase.

If you are wondering what you can do to help this project beyond contributing your hard earned money (or instead of if you don't want to or can't afford to help this way), here are some suggestions:

• Use the tools on this page to help promote this campaign. Everyone who knows about this campaign could be the one that turns the tide and makes this game happen really fast. This can also get you the game and other prices in the referral contest. (see above)
• If you have questions about the game or this campaign you can ask me about them in the crowdfunding forum thread, in the comments of this campaign or on the game's homepage or facebook page.
• Let me know what other perks you would like to see
• Like the game on facebook or use the sharing tools on the game's homepage to let your friends know about this game.
• Talk about this game. On other websites, in gaming related message boards or to your friends in real life. Let everyone know about it.
• Join the game's message boards on the game's website and posts suggestions about the game for all players to see. Report bugs and your thoughts about it to help me improve the game.

PLAY the game ;-)

Essentially everyone who knows about the game and this campaign can help because as of right now the main problem for the game and this campaign is a lack of exposure. And so everything that brings in more people will in turn help the game as well. And you if you participate in the referral contest.