I've searched the forums for similar topics before posting, and have not found anyone of them similar to this. If I was wrong, I do apologize. ON TOPIC: Steering is a critical system on land vehicles, and I am a little surprised by the fact that tie rod and steering box damage is not on the simple vehicle damage app or the notifications. Yes, this is BeamNG.drive, and cars can get so bent out of shape that even functional steering would have no affects. But I think it is still useful to know that if the tie rods or the steering box is broken, and that can give us better prepare for the situation. I would like the development team to consider this suggestion in the future. As for now, keep up the good work! Sincerely.
This would help add some more notice to the game, if you know what I mean by that. Off-Topic: Has anyone ever noticed that there is no light for low oil or low coolant, but there's a little light that tells you your windshield wiper fluid is low (I know there is one for low oil pressure, but I'm not gonna include that)? Someone needs to get priorities straight.
This would actually be extremely helpful. In theory, you could even monitor the beams for the tie rods (I mean... there are only 2) and if they deform beyond a particular point you could get a generic notification like "Drivers Side Tie Rods bent" as bent tie rods can really ruin your day if you didn't even know it was bent until it mattered. Off-Topic: There is one for windshield washer fluid? How did I never notice that before!
Its a very credible suggestion, thats probably the only part of the car that never seems to get damaged as if the steering box made out of unobtainium or something outlandish like that even after a 200mph crash it still seems to work even though it should be very very broken indeed, but as for the tie rods from the steering box to the tyres yes that is also a valid suggestion to have it in, as for the Windshield washer fluid, do you want working wipers too added to that list of things to add to the game, if the devs EVER decide to add in "wet" weather into the game...
Personally, I think why the tie rods are not on the simple vehicle damage app, is probably their shapes. It might have caused confusion if its symbol was not designed well. Also, The simple vehicle damage app is displaying all the components of the powertrain and drivetrain, while steering is another separated system. But tie rods, steering box, (and steering column?) should get damage notification in the notification app. Here my personal simple (bad) concept attempt of the current app. I currently have no idea of what the steering column/box should look like. Maybe you have better ideas than the picture I made. Edit: It turned out that my arrows are unfitting and confusing. So it might really need some effort to create an understandable symbol.
I Like your idea, but I gave it a shot as well (Not shootin you down in this pic, just don't have access to the simple condition app right now so I just put an X through your additions) https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xHaGAsFiwgZlJyeEVrN3VhUHc/view?usp=sharing The steering wheel icon is supposed to be black btw
I would wait for the official version from the developers. I've looked at "https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1xHaGAsFiwgZlJyeEVrN3VhUHc/view?usp=sharing", and personally, I felt that it is unclear and a little confusing (tie rods). I'm sure that if the developers were to put this in, they would make sure that it will be simple, pretty and understandable. (My arrows were ugly and unfitting.) We are just suggesting this idea to the developers, and they will handle the rest. But, I do remember now that the simple damage app is still "Work In Progress", so maybe there is already a new template ready to be coded. Still, it would be nice to add steering components' damage to "Notifications".
