My Story

[Mercodious]

Hello folks. My name is Mercodious, but I go by Big Merc. This is my story on how I found the game, and how it's helping me in real life.

A little bit of history first though. I have quite a few health problems that limit my mobility. I've had three surgeries in the past 15 months to help the issue, but so far nothing has really fixed the issue. In fact, it's just like a vehicle when you fix one thing and two more things break. I had a neck surgery in early 2018, a shoulder surgery in late 2018, and another neck surgery in the same area in early 2019. After my most recent surgery in May 2019, I had a mild stroke in the hospital after recovering from the anesthetics. Since then, I've had some major problems with my left arm and left leg. I've also had moderate complications with my thought process, concentration, and memory. It basically threw me for a loop and I felt like it knocked me several years into the past as compared to what I normally was.

So, the game. A few weeks before my last surgery, I decided to find a nice game to play while recovering. I happened across this game in Steam, and a friend of mine plays it as well. What's funny is that my friend also drives trucks for a living. Oddly enough, this is actually quite common that people who drive trucks would also play a game about driving trucks. I downloaded the demo and played it for the time before my surgery, starting over each time the demo ended. I would use different trucks and allocate my skill points in different categories. I was really impressed with the level of detail in the graphics. The game looks absolutely beautiful, and I always seem to find myself stopping in different places to take multiple screenshots. I really enjoyed using the photo mode, as I got quite a few nice shots here and there. I was also impressed with the areas you could visit. Every time I started over, I picked a different garage to start in. It really felt like a brand new game every single time, and I was completely entertained and even engrossed in the game, playing it for hours on end just to see what new things I could find.

That was until my controller died. I was very upset when that happened. I spent a few days looking around online for a new controller, but instead decided to use an XBox One controller with an official chatpad. By using the USB, I was able to use the chatpad as a keyboard. This allowed me to use all of the keyboard functions right from the controller, which really helped out with things like cruise control, navigation, truck settings, and even some of the game settings. This felt like it opened up a lot more functionality, and it helped get my attention back to driving and enjoying the game.

After my surgery, I had extreme difficulty walking and using my left arm, including my hand. It made it very difficult to use my keyboard and type like I used to. Needless to say, this made me very depressed and upset. However, using the controller and chatpad, I was able to do a few things here and there. I decided to try playing the game again, and I was surprised. After playing for a few hours, I was able to concentrate enough to type out a few messages. Oddly enough, I was also able to drive just fine, even with dual articulated trailers. I was very happy! At that point, I purchased the game along with the New Mexico and Oregon DLC, as well as the Heavy Cargo and Special Delivery DLC. Since then, after playing the game for a few hours, I noticed increased mobility in my left hand, as well as an increase in my concentration skills. I started to take on some of the harder jobs in the game, like the heavy cargo deliveries, and I noticed a marked improvement in my ability to handle those loads.

It's been three weeks since my last surgery, which was on my neck, and I have got to say that this game has really helped me recovery from my surgery. I am enjoying every minute of playing it, and even my friends and family have noticed that I am bouncing back from having the mild stroke. It is really working on rebuilding what I have lost in mobility and concentration. In fact, I already have plans to purchase the Washington DLC once it becomes available, and I might even purchase a few of the customization DLCs to dink around with so I can make a really nice truck. I have really enjoyed playing American Truck Simulator, and I plan on playing it for an extended time.

EDIT: Complete

[cowhand214]

Cheers man! Welcome and thanks for sharing a bit about yourself and your experiences. I'm glad the game has had such a positive impact for you. I know posts like this mean a lot to the devs too.

I find it very interesting that the game appears to have had such a positive impact on your cognitive state and recovery. Myself, I find it very relaxing (unless the AI does something stupid) and use it as kind of a stress reliever. As a chronic insomniac I find playing an hour or two before bed in either ATS or ETS helps me wind down from work or whatever. I'd imagine some part of that might be similar for you. The mental and physical stress of surgery, stroke, and then the frustrations inherent in any lengthy recovery process must be difficult.

Anyway, I hope you stay on the mend and stick around with us.

[flight50]

Definitely welcome Big Merc. Please come in, visit and chat more with us. Glad you found the site and even happier ATS won you over for support. The player base is smaller than ETS2 but ATS is an awesome game. As time goes on, hopefully more supporters will come so that content can keep rolling out for it. Both ATS and ETS2 should be owned in my opinion. But being American, I play ATS 90% of the time.

I am one of the fanboys on this site, lol. I love me some ATS. I am quite active on here and most people see me a lot and even tease me from time to time because of how much I love this game. ATS is my crack cocaine and this site is my heroin. I can't get enough of either, lol. This game is just as cowhand has stated though. Relaxing and a stress reliever. It has calmed me down many many days. With my family life at home, it has pulled me out of my darkest days. Glad to know it is helping you in your condition Big Merc.

[joschac2]

I,m also a fanboy.....

[SmokeyWolf]

Fanboy here too!

[Shiva]

Mercodious, thumbs up to you
Gaming can help. I have read about it a bit here and there.

flight50, if ATS/ETS2 and SCS impacts negatively on your private life and work, then it has gone too far

[avervgejoe]

Hey Big Merc! Welcome to the forums. I'm a pretty big fan of both games as well. I started out playing ETS2 in my freshman year of college, and pretty much became addicted ever since lol, especially since ATS came out. Like cowhand I've come to find both SCS games a stress reliever. When times got difficult in school I would sit and play either one of these games for hours at a time, because it helped keep me from stressing myself out. I'm glad these games have had a positive impact on your life and recovery.

Hope you stick around, and nice to meet you!

[flight50]

@Shiva. If you put it that way, yep it has gone too far then, lol. Too late now. I am no quitter, lol.

I have been consumed since June 2016. I use to be into the fish keeping hobby. Lets just say in June 2016, I abandoned the project having spent a few grand to get it all going. I never made time to go back to it because I'd rather drive in ATS, lol. It didn't help in August me and my significant other falling out. To add to that, I had a bathroom renovation project that I was suppose to do, lets just say I didn't finish that either becauseeeeeeeee.....yep, I'd rather drive in ATS, lol. So yes, ATS is drugs, I tell ya, lol.

[J. Ritter]

Welcome, friend! You're in the right place.

[bobgrey1997]

Good to see that this game has proven helpful in your recovery.
I've never been in any similar situation (and hope I never am), but I do have a few physical and mental issues that have proven difficult in relation to employment (and am currently unemployed for 2 years now).
Gaming has kept me going. More specifically: modding.
I spend a large amount of gaming time making mods for those games. ATS has been the focus of a "pet" project of mine (linked in Signature below). In this way, I can relate to your situation. Gaming, especially ATS, has been beneficial for overall health (mental in my case rather than physical). Unfortunately, I have been unable to play games because my graphics card no longer works.

Stick around in this community, and you will find that there are many friends-to-be who enjoy this game as much, or more, as you do!

Good luck with your recovery and I hope your issues improve in the future.