Any Games or Simulations for Water Engineering (PC or Mobile)?

[u/PiWhizz]

Hi everyone,

I’m a civil engineering student with a focus on water engineering, and I’m looking for games or simulations related to this field. Specifically, I’d love to explore tools or games that involve: • Designing water distribution systems • Managing flood scenarios • Planning irrigation systems • Any other water-related engineering challenges

I’m open to suggestions for both PC and mobile platforms. If you’ve come across anything fun or educational in this area, I’d really appreciate your recommendations.

Thanks in advance!

[u/GeorgeCauldron7]

You should try this fun game called HEC-RAS. I’ll even send you some projects and tell you what the goals are for each one. And I won’t even charge you! I just need them done by the end of the fiscal quarter. 

[u/walkingrivers → u/GeorgeCauldron7]

But yeah just start playing around with GIS software and free modelling software. HEC-RAS is free and industry standard for river and flood modelling. It’s got major upgrades coming and will be used in the future. Its mapping component is really great visually and you have ability to modify terrain - like the old sim city 2000!

[u/ixikei → u/walkingrivers]

HEC-RAS can do grading!?

[u/walkingrivers → u/ixikei]

Yup, versions 6 and up have various terrain modifications options. Raise, lower, add shapes

[u/walkingrivers → u/GeorgeCauldron7]

Sometomes modelling feels like a video game.

[u/Kannada-JohnnyJ → u/GeorgeCauldron7]

Then get some environmental agency person tell you it’s wrong despite 0 engineering background or technical training

[u/GeorgeCauldron7 → u/Kannada-JohnnyJ]

Ah, I see you’re also a LVL 80. 

[u/msamib → u/GeorgeCauldron7]

Don't forget to mention, just like BeamNG, there is a built in map editor, RAS Mapper.

[u/OttoJohs → u/GeorgeCauldron7]

😂 Just like video-games, I see too many button mashers using HEC-RAS! 😂

[u/esperantisto256]

Unironically, just start playing around with HEC-RAS/HEC-HMS with whatever data you can find. Their aren’t any games for this as far as I’m aware since it’s such a niche topic. You’re not gonna find a kerbal space program.

[u/jamesh1467 → u/esperantisto256]

Honestly, hec-ras can be fun. Find a place you like and make a 2d model

[u/hydro_wonk → u/esperantisto256]

There are tutorials for HMS and RAS with example projects on the HEC website. There’s also enough information there to learn how to spin one up for almost anywhere.

[u/notepad20]

Carson does one, that's sort of but not really a "game". Its pretty shit.

Workers and Resources: Soviet republic has water distribution, treatment, sewerage included, with pump and gravity systems, demand, etc. and does similar with heat and a heap of other items. Fairly abstracted but as good as you can get. No open water mechanics.

Timber born is a beaver based city builder with reasonable flood and water mechanics.

Cities skylines 1 had a "rainfall" mod for it that introduced a flood managment mechanic. jsut due to the game not great though. Apparently will be one for sklines 2 eventuially but a long way off.

Hec-Ras is free, and increadibly easy to use to just get a flood map happening if you dont really care about specifics. PLenty of other free tools to generate a hydrograph from a particular water shed, you can download a DEM fro a place of interest, establish hydrology, run the model and see what happens?

[u/MrSpindre]

I know of Aqua Republica made by DHI-UNEP to foster water management in communities. But it seems it has been taken offline.

[u/kuzurikuroi]

Try urbano from studio ars. Its an extension for cad, but its ok.

[u/InterviewFluid3612]

https://games4geoscience.wordpress.com/games-library/

Not sure if you can get access to any of these, but it's an interesting space to be aware of. Chris Skinner seems like potentially a good person to contact.

[u/Bag-Important]

Sim city 2000

[u/thurs-day]

Timberborn. It’s a fun game where you play as a group of beavers and control water to help your beaver city grow. It is especially challenging when the dry season hits and you have to manage fewer resources.