Dynamic Companies: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact on the Game World

Optional Features
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#11 Post by Optional Features » 25 Jan 2022 20:11

MMBrown wrote: 25 Jan 2022 20:08 I very much enjoy ATS/ETS2 as they are so I hate to complain, but you're right, the games could be so much better. It was easily forgivable 5+ years ago but now it feels like the gaming industry is vastly outpacing SCS. I'm very grateful for an active modding community keeping things alive, but a game shouldn't have to rely on that, especially since so many modders seem to have gone the payware route.

It's wonderful that we have had some substantial updates to the game for completely free, but honestly I think I'd be happy to pay a bit if it made for some more drastic leaps. Unfortunately, it seems SCS's game plan is to just keep riding the geographic DLC gravy train for income and do some incremental updates when they can. I do hope a completely new game is secretly in the works behind it all, but I very much doubt it. :(
Thank you!

I'm not saying this as someone that hates SCS. I have 1000 hours into their game. I stream it almost every weekend.

I want to play more, not less. A proper trucksim fitting the title would be the only game I played for weeks on end.

Until we can agree that the game needs improvements, it will never improve.

And it badly needs improvements in every area, most notably interaction.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#12 Post by bobgrey1997 » 25 Jan 2022 20:18

seriousmods wrote: 25 Jan 2022 20:09 Yeah, the game needs some life. Hauling cargo back and forth between plot points gets old. I want to deliver to a car dealer and drive by a week later to see a few cars gone. I also want to drive the cars on and off the truck and strap them down, but that's never going to happen.
Driving them on and off (well, simply being able to load/unload and secure) is also something I'd love to see. We really need an full expansion upon the trucking lifestyle, as it is far more than just driving. In fact, the lifestyle and business management is my main complaint with the game, with the previously mentioned map aspects being the second.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#13 Post by Optional Features » 25 Jan 2022 20:22

Agreed! There is nothing to do but drive, and honestly the driving isn't that remarkable. We need bumpier roads with potholes, ruts, crowning for drainage, and obviously improved/heavier traffic.

But between now and then, the gameplay aspects can improve drastically. It doesn't take much, but anything would be more than we have.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#14 Post by bobgrey1997 » 25 Jan 2022 20:34

I haven't touched ATS since June specifically because of lack of things to do. They add as much content as they want, but if they don't add anything new to do, that content has no real purpose.
As a truck driver in reality, I have no reason to play ATS, because it is literally just a boring version of my job, while it should be a fun version of it.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#15 Post by Optional Features » 25 Jan 2022 20:52

bobgrey1997 wrote: 25 Jan 2022 20:34 I haven't touched ATS since June specifically because of lack of things to do. They add as much content as they want, but if they don't add anything new to do, that content has no real purpose.
As a truck driver in reality, I have no reason to play ATS, because it is literally just a boring version of my job, while it should be a fun version of it.
Yeah, I can't agree more. I wanted to be a trucker, and I have spent many hours on the road observing semis, even learned a few driving tips from them.

I wish ATS was a game where I could live out my dream, but oh well. Maybe someday.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#16 Post by bobgrey1997 » 26 Jan 2022 05:32

Becoming a trucker isn't too hard, or expensive, at least in the US. Some companies will pay for you to go to wherever their training facility is, pay for your hotel, provide transportation, and ask for no upfront payment. They will even pay for your medical examination and such. You will need to pay for food and such, but initial training is usually only a few weeks before you start getting paid.
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Re: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact

#17 Post by Optional Features » 26 Jan 2022 09:01

bobgrey1997 wrote: 26 Jan 2022 05:32 Becoming a trucker isn't too hard, or expensive, at least in the US. Some companies will pay for you to go to wherever their training facility is, pay for your hotel, provide transportation, and ask for no upfront payment. They will even pay for your medical examination and such. You will need to pay for food and such, but initial training is usually only a few weeks before you start getting paid.
Yeah, that dream of mine has passed for family reasons. But I still enjoy observing from a distance.
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Re: Dynamic Companies: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact on the Game World

#18 Post by MMBrown » 26 Jan 2022 14:21

I don't know much of anything about software code, but I suspect at this point the whole underlying architecture needs replacement before any real improvements can be made. Even just considering the maps/DLC alone...my understanding is the mappers have to do just about everything manually - just think how much quicker (and cheaper) they could work with a more efficient foundation! I also suspect with an architecture change they could drastically improve the game's optimization - I should not be getting lower FPS in a truck sim with barely any traffic than I do in GTA5.

Also, look at indie games with a one-or-two person dev team. They may not look as polished, but with a modern architecture, they have the agility to make changes and improvements on a regular basis.

Time for ATS2 & ETS3, I think...
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Re: Dynamic Companies: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact on the Game World

#19 Post by bobgrey1997 » 26 Jan 2022 16:53

Speaking of frame rate compared to other games, this reminds me of the fact that I get far better frame rate in a very detailed space game called Star Citizen on max settings (which I run at 4k) than I do in ATS with medium settings at 1080.
For an idea of how dumb that is, take a look at some gameplay videos of Star Citizen (if you haven't already, or don't play it).
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Re: Dynamic Companies: Virtual Truckers Should Make a Visible Impact on the Game World

#20 Post by Optional Features » 26 Jan 2022 17:37

MMBrown wrote: 26 Jan 2022 14:21 I don't know much of anything about software code, but I suspect at this point the whole underlying architecture needs replacement before any real improvements can be made. Even just considering the maps/DLC alone...my understanding is the mappers have to do just about everything manually - just think how much quicker (and cheaper) they could work with a more efficient foundation! I also suspect with an architecture change they could drastically improve the game's optimization - I should not be getting lower FPS in a truck sim with barely any traffic than I do in GTA5.

Also, look at indie games with a one-or-two person dev team. They may not look as polished, but with a modern architecture, they have the agility to make changes and improvements on a regular basis.

Time for ATS2 & ETS3, I think...
I couldn't agree more. The SCS engine lost relevance outside these trucksims around 2009. It's long been time to upgrade, but I don't believe they plan to.

With modern AI, they could finish states in a matter of days or weeks. Texas is going on 2-3 years.

They should find a spot, probably the Mississippi, to split the game, then start an ATS2 with a new engine, optimization, and actual features.
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