Why it matters to you
Building a PC virtually could teach you a lot about building one in real life.
Building a PC is something that becomes far easier with practice, but if you make mistakes they can be expensive ones. That’s why something like PC Building Simulator could be great for those who want to try their hand at it, or for old pros who want to test their skills without breaking open their prized PC.
Currently under development by independent programmer “Claudiu,” PC Building Simulator is undergoing pre-alpha testing, which is why he’s released a build of the game to the public. He hopes that the game will be useful for people wanting to learn about putting together a gaming PC, or those who simply want to try out different hardware configurations in a 3D, digital setting.
As it stands the game is in a pretty bare-bones state, with very limited components to choose from, a single, rather drab environment to do it in, and no advanced cooling options like water or phase change. However, the basics are there and for anyone who hasn’t built a PC before, seeing that everything slots in easily can go a long way to assuaging any concerns you may have.
More: How to build the perfect budget gaming PC
It’s nice to see cabling included, too. One of the most daunting aspects for new PC builders can be installing power cables, due to the fear that should you use the wrong one, you could blow something up. While that isn’t as big of a scare as people might expect, the tutorial in PC Building Simulator shows a list of all of the most important cables and makes you pick the correct one before allowing you to continue.
In the future, Claudiu plans to add a career mode, which will let people pick their own hardware and let them practice budgeting for specific goals and try out lighting and cooling configurations. There’s even the potential for puzzle-like gameplay in the form of damaged components and PC repair (thanks RPS).
One important step that isn’t taken in this demo though is for users to ground themselves. While not strictly necessary, making sure that any static you have built up in your own body doesn’t short out components is an important step for new PC builders to take. If you’re planning on building a PC yourself, make sure to check out our handy guide, no experience required.
And if you’d like to try your hand at building a virtual gaming system, you can download PC Building Simulator using various links found on the official blog.