The new Komatsu PC210 excavator by _jacob fills a gap in the range of excavators available in CS2015. It is larger than the 918 wheeled excavator and smaller than the Liebherr 936. In fact, it is a perfect fit for a lot of sites where the 936 is too large to maneuver, and the 918, being wheel-based, is not maneuverable enough.

For the model itself, _jacob started with the sample basic excavator provided with the Vehicle Editor, then added detailing such as hydraulic piping, new cylinders, cab protection, rotating beacon, exhaust smoke and rear camera. The original textures are weathered, but the hydraulic cylinders look new, giving the feeling that this is a used but well-maintained machine, refurbished with some new parts.

But the model is just the visible part of a vehicle. In CS2015, what matters the most is the vehicle's behaviour. _jacob knows his excavators, we knew this already from his very successful CAT 390D LME,and it shows with this new Komatsu. He overhauled the operating parameters to something as close to real-life as possible within the limits of the game engine and the vehicle editor. Traverse and operation in general is smooth with realistic speeds. Digging is easier than with the 936 because it is less strict about bucket angles. The vehicle is easy to load on the low-boy trailer.

Sounds are well balanced, sound occlusion in the cab is good (i.e. engine sounds are muted inside the cab). There is a rear-facing camera view, very useful when backing up, but the boom-mounted camera from the CAT 390 is not there on the Komatsu, presumably because it is not there in real life either. Oh and it even has a horn, which is sorely missing on most other excavators, the horn being essential for communicating with truck drivers. The only thing missing is a hook for lifting cargo, _jacob couldn't get it to work with the useful but sometimes temperamental vehicle editor.

We tested the vehicle in a multi-player game and experienced no problem at all.


_jacob's Komatsu shines where space is tight, such as the many sites where you must maneuver the machine in the narrow space between an appartment building and the site's perimeter fence, resulting in many 936s getting stuck or launched into orbit.

I recommend you give it a try, especially if you host multi-player games. Your workers will be more efficient with this excavator.