Trucking Simulator Games Discussion

[timmelon]

Yes, even if the SoftLab’s first two games were released earlier, SCS's product looked more like the actual trucking — with long rides, sleep hazard and adequate penalties for damaged cargo — not like in HT2:KotR, where you can crush 70% of your goods and still have a half of full reward .

Among all driving games, SCS products are closest to my preferences — I don’t really like «very limited content, but every button is clickable and you can walk around»-like approach, but it can be a good way to make a trucking fan out of trainsim fan . Also, when somebody prefers some game with danger, there is Beware .

[MasterXtreme]

Unless some new company can come in and create a game that beats what SCS does in terms of maps, trucks, and includes all the features fans have been begging for, it will be hard for a new team to grab significant market share.  It is already a niche market of gaming as it is, but it certainly has some room for competition. 

The best strategy a trucking game can do is corner something SCS hasn't done.  Find their own niche.  We saw this first with Truck Driver, which tried to make it a story-driven trucking game, where you build relationships with townsfolk and business owners.  Unfortunately, their game hasn't been a big success.

Now we see Alaskan Truck Simulator.  They are giving fans more access to walk around, freedom, that SCS doesn't do.  They are adding some survival elements to be different, maybe capture some new market share.  Clearly they can't match the mapping of licensing of SCS, but they are trying something different.

I know we don't talk about it here, but you have the Spin Tires games (Mudrunner, Snow Runner, etc) which are a type of truck game.  Their unique bit is the off-roading and licensing trucks.  Their maps are different in that they focus on off-roading, winches, mud, rivers, etc.  They are successful and found a slice of the market.  Though I am not sure how much of "SCS Truck Sim" people overlap with this game, even though they are both truck related.

So you get the idea.  To compete with SCS right now, they are just trying to cut a small slice of something unique, whether it be a new gimmick or gameplay feature.  If they are truly driven to make a successful series, they will need to build off a solid foundation from their first products, and continue manufacturing the best product they can.  That way they can grow a fanbase.

But as it is right now, no one comes close to SCS's games.

That is a great break down.  Nice write up. 

[MasterXtreme]

So I am sure some of you noticed.  San Francisco in the game is the "old San Fran" with a not so realistic city skyline.  When you drive over the Bay Bridge, the city model is still the old ATS from 2015.  But strangely, there is some set-dressing in the part of Northern California from ATS 1.44.  If you look at the distance from a pier of I-80, the game increases the draw distance and has a new model for San Fransciso, one we can expect to see when San Fran gets fully overhauled.  This San Fran skyline we see is the current, modern day skyline that isn't in the current game which uses generic buildings and has no landmark skyscrapers.

New San Francisco skyline seen in-game. (It is currently just a texture in the distance).


Games old and current skyline which is seen up-close and is generic buildings. No landmarks.


Real life San Francisco skyline from a similar location as the image above.


As of right now, some of the worst, most unrealistic skylines in the game are current Oaklan (none in game), San Francisco (generic buildings), Los Angeles (generic buildings), Pendleton OR (which has buildings scaled too large) and Spokane WA (which has many landmark buildings missing and one scaled too large), Phoenix (generic buildings).

[timmelon]

Wow, that’s a big difference between last two images .

[Smiles2us]

Free San Francisco, lol.

[MasterXtreme]

Very big differences.   Even when SCS created SF back in 2014/2015, it wasn't even close to being accurate then.  Strangely, the most accurate skyline the game had at the time was Tucson or Phoenix.

[flemishcap]

Hello San Francisco in-game, you sure look sparse compared to the real city, lol!

Also Alaskan Truck Simulator looks average.  It looks soulless. 

[Wolfwood]

Also Alaskan Truck Simulator looks average.  It looks soulless.

I was getting those vibes.  Unity game from the workshop.

[Anyponedrawn]

NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO confirmed!!!! 

[timmelon]

Free update for Krone DLC is coming!

(Twitter page with video)

So, the upcoming patch 1.45 will give us not only the licenced drop side trailer from Krone (I see it’s more detailed than existing trailer of that type ) and paper-oriented curtainsider, but even a Krone factory, which will be a base for deliveries. Also, some cabin trinkets like toys and note book will be added.

[Anyponedrawn]

I don't own any of the trailer DLC's.  I didn't want to drive a trailer that just advertises a trailer company.  Who does that? lol.

So eventually I will probably get these trailer DLCs.

[Nemesis Prime]

There are SO many pages to go through, so i thought it might be easier to just ask. So I'm pretty clear some of you have played this quite a while, can you open a little about the community? How friendly is it towards new players? Or would it just be better to play solo for years before dipping toes in the online world?
I'm really enjoying driving around, thou i cant really take any part on which places look more authentic, since i've never been to USA, which is kinda why i like to play this, I love looking at new scenery, since it's quite different compared to Finnish scenery

[timmelon]

I have never played it online — for me, the primary purpose of this game is to admire the scenery . Also, I don’t remember how participants of this topic were sharing a lot of memories about online driving, so the information you need is better to look for at some TruckersMP or official *TS multiplayer forums. From my observation on some streams I have seen, playing online in this game is similar to communication in Discord, but while driving a truck .

I love looking at new scenery, since it's quite different compared to Finnish scenery

Well, the part of Finland presented in ETS2 is so small it can’t really be very diverse , but European map still seems to have more diversity than American one — including the different proportions of primary/secondary roads, where we have freeway-oriented Spain, Romania with small roads and villages, and balanced France.

[MasterXtreme]

Welcome @Nemesis Prime.  Pretty much all of us here play single player.  This game's core is single player, though there is a massive multiplayer community called Truckers MP, and others.  Though no one here at PSF is a part of that.  The following info may be overwhelming since there is a lot to read and take in.

The official webforms of the community are SCS Software forums and there is a sizable community on their respective American Truck Simulator Steam forums, or Euro Truck Simulator 2 forums.


Depending on which you want to buy, ATS or ETS2, it is fully up to you.  Most people will say buy the base game, and the map DLCs.  That is how you get the most bang for your dollar. It expands the driving world/explorable world very fast and is extremely detailed.


For realism, currently ATS has more realistic landscapes and world.  The towns and cities are far more realistic to their counterparts as they have really mastered the American layout.  But they have recently really been improving the ETS2 world, starting with their Scandinavia upgrades, Italy, Spain, etc.  The issue is, they can't capture the density of European countries as well quite yet.  American cities (for the most part) are more spread out and the ATS game excels with open countryside.  ETS2 releases map DLC usually based on regions, while ATS releases DLC based on entire US States.  Even traditionally "boring" States provide an amazing glimpse at rural American life and it really provides a glimpse at how massive driving through America is.  So I wouldn't skip and maps if planning to do ATS.  Coming next are the maps of Montana and Texas.  For ETS2, they are working on the Balkans.

So if you want to go somewhere "Exotic" compared to Finland, ATS may be the game for you.  If you want something more recognizable, ETS2 may be for you. 

The best time to buy the game and the map DLCS (which they often bundle with deep discounts) is when there is a Steam sale.  The game often drops to $4.99USD, so I wouldn't purchase it at full price if you aren't sure if you want it.

The game frequently has updates.  All new trucks are free to the game.  They frequently update "older" parts of the map to meet their current high standards.  They will often include free new roads, routes, and towns and they will come free if you already own a map DLC.

The base game of ETS2 comes with England, Scotland, Benelux, Germany, part of France, part of Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, and I am probably missing something, lol.  These old parts of the map are not all that detailed but are slowly being upgraded to look like their real life counterparts.  This part of the map was made way back in 2012.

The base game of ATS comes with California, Nevada, and is often bundled with Arizona.  This is considered the old map of the game, mad in 2015.  But it is constantly being upgraded and is currently being rebuilt officially by the studio.  They have rebuilt Northern California and are moving south.  This part of the map, even the oldest parts, are more detailed and realistic than the base parts of the ETS2 map.  In the few year difference, their standards as a studio improved ten-fold as they got more resources.

Today there are two divisions within the development studio.  One part works on ETS2 and another works on ATS.  The ATS side has a separate division that works on rebuilding and updating the ATS map.  The ETS2 team is smaller and has a team that occasionally will work on rebuilding the old map when they have time.

It's a relaxing game, and might be worth a peak.  The next Steam sale and big discounts start on June 23 of this year.  There is a current sale right now and all the map DLCs are very affordable.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/270880/American_Truck_Simulator/
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/15571/Pacific_Northwest/< They are currently running two promotions.  The Pacific Northwest Bundle is a good one that comes with the base game and 3 map DLCs, plus other content.  All their maps are currently on sale and under $4USD.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/227300/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2/ < A decent bundle is also available for ETS2 with the base map and two map DLCs including Scandanavia and all of Poland.

[RainySunshine]

Things are on a pretty good discount right now.  You can own all the map DLC's if you purchase the Pacific Northwest Bundle, and grab some of the remaining maps all for under $40. 

It is not a game for everyone, and I don't want to overhype it.  In reality it's pretty linear and slow paced.  You simply pick up deliveries and drive them to destinations.  Customization comes in for how you want your truck and trailer, which you can own and buy, or you can work for a company.  There is also a light business management aspect if you choose to expand to own new garages and hire employees and buy them trucks.

This game is sort of a un-wind from the day kind of game.  It's relaxing to sit back, listen to some music, and watch the landscape roll by through the window.  There isn't much in terms of excitement.  So you want to make sure your expectations are in check and this is the kind of thing you like.  The most excitement is probably a traffic jam or a rain storm with lightning.