Scrap Mechanic is a new building game that released in Early Access last week (opens in new tab). It's a little like Besiege (opens in new tab) but bigger (and with fewer giant penis robots so far), with motors and spinning bearings and controllers that can be combined to make cars, tanks, mechs, multi-stage contraptions, and ridiculous rocket-powered airships.
Right now there's only a creative mode (a survival mode is coming), but there are already a bunch of components to snap together, and the subreddit (opens in new tab) is filling up experiments. I have to imagine that some of these took a lot of hours, given that all my creations so far are just sloppy, spinning boxes. Here's a selection of my favorites.
Convertible car
This is convertible from MrGarretto (opens in new tab) is impressive, though my favorite thing about it is that it looks like the creator had to put a hole in the roof to accommodate the character's big head. Ya do what ya gotta do. (Here's another good-looking convertible (opens in new tab), which was the first one I saw posted.)
Hockey arena
Most of the creations are cars and flying machines, but Scrap Mechanic's machinery can be put to all sorts of uses. Here's a hockey arena with working goal lights—well, not lights, but spinny things—and a 'jumbotron.' I guess Rocket League has some competition.
Hover transport
This is the most stable flying machine I've seen yet. It's not super intricate, but it does the job, and those lifts on the sides are pretty smart. (Let's hope the devs fix those silly drifting rocket effects soon.)
Flippable car
So far all I've been able to do in Scrap Mechanic is make are cars that immediately flip over. OJJVZ here has the solution I need.
Biped walker
Here's Gunnerkobra with the best biped robot I've seen so far, and it can even operate driverless.
Six-legged walker
Another walking mech, and the video gives a good sense of how complex mechanisms are designed if you're curious about getting into it.
Rocket test
There's nothing super special about this basic rocket ship, I just like it because we may never see it again. RIP in peace.
Battle tank
A great, basic tank with rotating turret. I'm hopeful a future update will allow Asteh to make that cannon operational.
Conveyor belt and crane
Another impressive non-vehicle. I bet we'll see some kickass Rube Goldberg machines in the coming weeks.
Transforming flyer
Tango Tek's flying car, made a little before Scrap Mechanic came out, is my favorite vehicle so far. It doesn't look especially easy to control, but that driving transformation is sweet.
