On the road, Truck simulator Options

[Lopov]

In this thread I'll occasionally be posting screenshots from the American Truck Simulator. As the name suggests, you're put in a role of a truck driver and must drive cargo between various cities / states. The game is based on the European Truck Simulator - if comparing the maps, the ETS is much, much bigger than ATS, but new stuff (states for ATS or countries for ETS) are still being added. Roads / highways are based on real ones, except that they're significantly scaled down of course, nonetheless it can take a long time to get from point A to point B. I started with ETS first, but I'm so familiar with European highways, so for the time being I enjoy driving across the USA more.

In the beginning you must accept contracts from various different companies, when you earn enough caps septims dollars, you can start your own company, buy your own truck etc. The game is quite realistic, that's why it's been a commercial success all over the world, maneuvering the truck is quite difficult, especially in towns, when streets get narrow and you must reverse (a nightmare for now, but it'll get better), but even apart of driving, you must watch out for regular refuel, getting enough rest, obey traffic rules (or try your luck and not get caught). Various unexpected events can happen on the road, like accidents, traffic jams, flat tires, random police controls, road work, traffic re-routing, more or less anything that can happen in real life.

I forgot the name of the town in Arizona where I started (I think it was Tucson), but I remember that the final destination of my first contract was a town named Show Low. Although I was used to trucking from ETS, this route was more challenging, because it involved a double trailer. I managed to get to Show Low without any % of damage - the more the truck or cargo damaged, the less you get paid.

Behind the wheel of Peterbilt

"Ahoy pal!" - sometimes I flash my headlights when another truck is driving in my direction, as a sort of greeting. Some drivers greet me back.

Turning left - it took a while to turn left obviously. I'm in the truck with the Wallbert logo, the second trailer isn't visible in this pic.

In a traffic jam - by default the traffic is more sparse but then roads feel too empty, so I increased the density in the game's .ini settings.

Nice scenery on the left

I don't recognize the car in front of me

Now both trailers are visible

Ridin' on to Show Low

Arrival at sunset

Lopoved

[haute ecole rider]

As someone who spent a LOT of time driving on the interstates among the Big Rigs: I can vouch for the headlight flashing. At least in the Midwest, where there's a lot of congestion and construction, the Big Rigs flash their headlights if the truck in front has clearance to make a lane change. I remember asking my Dad about it once (he knew a lot of Big Rig drivers from his work) and he explained to me that it's to let them know they can move into the lane in front of you. Once that driver makes the change, they'll flash their lights back at you as a "Thanks, buddy" signal.

I started doing that while driving my little car on those Interstates - I really paid attention to the Big Rigs and gave them space if they needed to change lanes. Sometimes I knew they would need to before they did! So I would be watching for that turn signal (and hanging back, pissing off the a$$hole drivers behind me who wanted to cut everyone else off) and be ready to flash my brights at them - I also made sure they could see ME in THEIR rearview mirrors! It was not unusual for them to flash their lights "Thanks buddy" at me once they would slide in front of me, always made me feel good.

There was even one or two occasions where that same Big Rig would have the chance to return the favor to me and flash their lights when I needed to make a lane change in front of them. I think both of those times were in that perpetual construction zone on I-90 right around Gary, IN. Always a nightmare to drive in those days . . .

[Renee]

Lopov: we simply call those flashing lights blinkers, or turn signals. Turn signals is the more formal word in my parts, though in other parts of America they are probably called by other names.

What kind of trailer is that in the Night picture? What are you supposed to be hauling?

Whoa, it's a service station. Oh my gosh, an actual car wreck! "Charged" looks like Best Buy. It's funny how they keep dancing around all the official brands and makes.

The more I see pictures of this game, the more I get interested. I mean, is there a version where we can simply drive a car around? All these pics are making me miss my traveling days. I'd get an old Nissan pickup or Corolla like I used to own. Be a traveling hippy again.

I remember asking my Dad about it once (he knew a lot of Big Rig drivers from his work) and he explained to me that it's to let them know they can move into the lane in front of you. Once that driver makes the change, they'll flash their lights back at you as a "Thanks, buddy" signal.

I started doing that while driving my little car on those Interstates - I really paid attention to the Big Rigs and gave them space if they needed to change lanes. . .

Me too! Back when I used to drive all over the country I got into the habit of flashing the lights on my little car (or pickup) to let them know it was safe to cut in front of me. Sometimes they'd flash back.

This post has been edited by Renee: Jul 13 2020, 01:27 PM