Urk.... how? For me ETS is stress central. Sure, there are stretches of road where you can zen out, but so often you're dealing with insane AI on the roads who will ram you out of nowhere or police speed traps where you least expect them. I actually disabled the speed traps because it was just too much of a pain, and in real life, i've never experienced so many of them.
I haven't been in ATS for a long time, much prefer ETS2. But I find in ATS it's more relaxing, but I like country roads so ETS is the one for me.
I do like both games though very much.
git gud at not speeding?
(couldn't resist)But I have so much money I don't care about speeding 1.6 billion, I've even changed the economy to make it harder (currently making a loss, but only 1.4 million a week). Some of the speed limits are misleading though, and the ai will nab you the instant the limit changes, I really like the US system of signs warning that a limit is changing.
Try adjusted the Ai numbers up via the console, then it's hair pull out time (I've gone as high as 5, default is 1 and it goes up to 10!). I do wish the Ai was smarter around junctions.
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Apologies for sounding short tempered. The lack of emotes and voice inflection in your post led me to make an unsubstantiated judgement about you from your reply.
That being said, the sandbox game play in ED is some of the best in the gaming industry. However, I believe ED definitely has a content deficit in terms of lacking more structured game play (like PP elements, more structured career progression etc). Especially given the degree of maturity as one of the best space games in the market to date. OA did an excellent job of analyzing the game's limitations to date here:
Which is why I am one of the most rabid disciples in that heretic camp of adding unprecedented game play features the likes of space legs, EVA mechanics, atmospheric planets (and associated air breathing atmospheric flight), and greater game world interactivity. I don't want to just admire the beauty of the ED galaxy and space environment. To passively interact with its 2D menu based NPCs in non interactive and non enterable stations. I want to directly interact with it in terms of its NPCs, added plant and animal life, interaction with its lore (Thargoids from a more personal 1st POV regardless of whether this is xeno friendly or a more FPS pew pew manner in a ship, SRV or space legs). I want the ability to make my mark in some form in the ED universe. Sure being the first Cmndr to discover and explore a star system, planet etc. is a great feature. But it's also the only feature FDev added to the game to date. I want more customization features like the ability to build our own base HQs in space and on planets.
Back in 2017, FDev stated some 0.003% or so of the Milky Way galaxy was discovered and explored by players to date. That percentage is definitely higher by now, but IMO doubtful if it's greater than 5%. So given the size of the ED player base (which is significant orders of magnitude smaller than popular titles like GTAO, PUG, Fortnite, TES/Fallout, Space Engineer and NMS player bases) then this implies all ED players should have significant capacity to build several base HQs throughout the galaxy. Especially if FCs become a reality next year and or if a MMO game the likes of Dual Universe ever makes it into Early Release.The custom ability to make your mark on the ED universe. A powerful game play feature that would inject new life into the ED franchise AND significantly increase its shelf life. Particularly where PvE centric careers like trading and exploration are concerned. IMO despite whatever PvE game play features FDev has added in the past (PP, Engineers etc), the game is still heavily biased towards the combat career and especially where PvP in Open is concerned.
Exploration and trading rewards from direct exploration of RNG earth like worlds (in which you can land and explore RNG POIs in 1st POV like in NMS and Empyrion where possibility of FPS contact with hostile NPCs exist). Interactive planets in general where you can experience RNG PvE combat with NPCs (in Solo or PG). Or unpredictable PvP 1st POV combat encounters (if playing in Open).
And more specifically, if you're purely into the business side of things as in the trader career, then FDev really needs to step up on their game in this area. They do have the creative ability to add more structured PvE features that would support and enhance the trader career. The relaxation sight seeing part of the game already exists by default of exploration. But they could work on making ED more trader friendly with a more structured business/career progression the likes of ETS. Instead of just giving players the flat sand box career goal of ranking to Elite.
Here's are some implausible and heretic suggestions that could improve the existing trader career in ED:
add a structured business sim feature similar to ETS for the trader career. i.e. an official trade empire/trade organization building framework. Where you go from a single Adder as a n00b to a trade empire baron with a high engineered fleet to fill an FC. This is what I personally love about ETS. Its dedicated Capitalism II business sim structure which drives the realistic exploration/travel/sightseeing GUI while you're in your truck or managing the employees as you grow your trucking organization. I'd love it if ED could:
Which would lead to other emergent game play loops like one in which you find your Holo Me needing to complete a mini survival scenario. In which they must restore their ship to minimum flight readiness. So they can make off the planet/back into SC to their final trade destination. Or the nearest pit stop/planetary base/orbital station before they run out of space leg based oxygen and/or ship/SRV life support
- Add trader friendly routes (similar to the road to riches) that all pass through the most scenic star systems in the galaxy. Don't restrict these trade routes to any instance. Reduce the degree of unwanted NPC interdiction to a combo of reducing their RNG frequency, or limiting them to unknown signal sources of high to low threat levels. Which the player is then free to investigate for a potential reward (based on threat level) while en route to their trading hub destination.So those players who want a serene ETS trucking experience can do so in the peace of Solo/PG v. those players who want full operational risk with no holds barred by playing in Open.
- Add specific pit stops i.e. orbital and planetary stations on trade specific routes that pass through the scenic star systems within the Bubble. Add these at random points outside the Bubble and give traders financial incentives to discover such trade routes and/or share.
- Give traders the financial incentive to explore the universe and build their own trading empire network. This would require an overhaul of the game to allow players to build their own base HQs the way you currently can in games like SE and Empyrion.
- Add more trading/mining specialized ships and/or modules that can endure the harsh environments, harvest and refine raw resources of gas giants, explore/harvest local fauna/flora and marine life on rocky, ice, earth like, and water planets.
- Add specialized hovercraft that can facilitate space leg friendly activities like spelunking to better provide terraform mapping of earth like planets. Provide data on likely RNG POI of native flora and fauna spawns on planetary bodies and in gas giant environments. This trade data would range in value depending on their geographic location and attractiveness to terraform on the earth like planet (temperate v. artic v desert regions). And which in turn would affect the commodities market trading and BGS.
- Give traders the ability to build their HQ/trade posts near mapped POI locations (so they can increase the value of their mapping by harvesting and trading plant/animal life near the POI locations). This would increase the value of said trade data to NPC and other players in trade transactions. While also providing the said trader with a viable source of income.
- Add specialized Subnautica style marine craft that would permit underwater harvesting of plant and animal life on water/earth like based planets for commodities trade at stations.
- Give traders the ability to make their mark on the world by establishing their own economic trader highway and trade routes for personal advancement or profit.
- ability to use popular, well developed 3rd party tools in game (and create trade route based versions of the Road to Riches) and communicate/share their trade route discoveries with other traders on the fly.
- ability to facilitate analysis of vanilla BGS data, with use of said 3rd party tools in game. The existing galaxy map is cumbersome to digest even with appropriate filters on. Traders need to be able to better map and suggest lucrative trading markets/hubs along the best scenic trader friendly routes.
- allow traders to provide live feedback in game about which dynamically existing trade routes are most profitable based on star system market demand, BGS state, operational system risks (i.e. political, PP, war etc). About strategic and tactical operational news such as player driven risks (e.g. which systems are currently under siege by PvP players (in Open) or by hostile NPCs (if Solo/PG) etc. That would add emergent game play where traders could tactically detour their route if they so chose to. Or make an unplanned station pit stop/EVA sandbox mission to ready their ship to enter a potentially hostile star system which is their trade destination.
- Add random but scripted logistical risk that opens emergent game play from events like friendly law enforcement to hostile criminal NPC interdiction. As a trader, you could get fined for speeding above certain SC speeds in a star system. This could vary depending on the controlling faction of a station/planet as your ship passes within a specific proximity in a star system.
- Possibly increase the distances for travel between jump arrival points and orbital/planetary stations. Similar to the distances traders would have to fly to reach HO from the arrival star. That would give players the ability to admire stellar phenomena while in long distance SC within star systems to their destinations. Again playing in the more restricted instances (PG and Solo) would result in significantly less logistical flight risk than flying in Open (no holds barred).
- For those traders who want more of an ETS challenge, add more hands off friendly features.
- Like automatically engaging SC the moment the ship reaches the arrival star.
- Reducing the frequency of NPC interdiction (by criminal and/or law enforcement) in anarchy and populated star systems.
- Reducing newly added features like scripted, RNG environment space weather once you enter a star system. Provide purchase of new radation proof/corrosive modules which would reduce the harsh, ship unfriendly environment of space.
- Buying additional ship insurance that would opt them out from having to experience O&M and potential ship system failures while traveling to their trade destinations
- For those traders who more of a challenge (ie less of an ETS trucking experience), increase the frequencies of RNG events like space weather. Instead of allowing the player to safely arrive at the destination star after a jump, add features like
- RNG solar radiation/plasma storms that would damage your ship upon arrival sun in a system (since player opted to not install the necessary protective modlues)
- add events like unpredictable, long range EMP waves from unknown signals that could knock out your your ship electronics if you fly too close to their signal. Or drop into the local instance directly from SC.
- require typical RNG operational risk like ship O&M and repair events. Instead of allowing the player to safely arrive at a station/planetary base where they can safely repair/upgrade their ship.
- RNG scripted events that cause the ship to break down and/or suffer mechanical failure while int transit. Or result from specific events such as harvesting resources in the highly corrosive environment of a gas giant. That would expedite the adverse impact to the ship's operational readiness/ability to fly.
Which would lead to other emergent game play loops like one in which you find your Holo Me needing to complete a mini survival scenario. In which they must restore their ship to minimum flight readiness. So they can make off the planet/back into SC to their final trade destination. Or the nearest pit stop/planetary base/orbital station before they run out of space leg based oxygen and/or ship/SRV life support
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Quality post, but wrong thread.
Its one thing to compare in general with ED, but another to provide a deep dive of suggestions about what ED should be in a thread about ETS
Ok. but how is this any different from an annoying PvP ganker ramming your trade ship, while you're minding your business in queue to enter a mail slot? Forcing you into causing a major traffic accident where you jack knife your rig, destroy all your fragile cargo and lose 100% profits from the ETS mission? Analogy here is griefer hat PvP Cmndrs or hostile NPCs interdicting your non engineered T-7 ship filled with VOs. Then having your visit the rebuy screen after destroying your ship & cargo. That was exactly my original point. ED and ETS have more similtude than dissimilarities in many aspects of the trader career......
Please show us on the foam semi truck where the bad griefer touched you.
I suspect that the degree to which you see ED and ETS/ATS as similar will depend on how you play each game. Personally, my attitude to trucking is that I'm not in it to make money, but to enjoy the journey. I no longer bother with all the trucker-business-building kerfuffle, and just drive my own truck (or trucks - I have to buy another garage every so often just to keep them all in).
As for the AI, it is stupid, but so are many real drivers. The artificial-idiots manage to screw things up in ways that real drivers don't, but you can get used to them, and often predict when they are going to do something stupid. Defensive driving is the key, and doesn't really slow you down that much. And if you don't see it as a race to make money, you'll enjoy it more, hopefully.
As for the AI, it is stupid, but so are many real drivers. The artificial-idiots manage to screw things up in ways that real drivers don't, but you can get used to them, and often predict when they are going to do something stupid. Defensive driving is the key, and doesn't really slow you down that much. And if you don't see it as a race to make money, you'll enjoy it more, hopefully.
PG/Solo solves that. When i play in open its generally not in busy areas.
However, last time i was in Shinrarta in open i didn't get attacked once. The gankers are really slacking.
Nah man, don't mind me. I'm just reacting to you bringing a bunch of negativity to the thread like calling people "a.$.$.hat's" and "pr#ck's." On the other hand, if you really would like to see me be a pr#ck then just go ahead and keep that tone and we'll be off to the races. Personally, I find your entire tone to be out of line starting from when you turned on AA with your mouth and bad attitude and then continued by denigrating playstyles whom you don't agree with derogatory names up to and including me for trying to humorously point that out so you could walk it back instead of being one yourself.
I just picked up American Truck Simulator, played the very first "drive 4 miles to deliver some groceries" mission and can already tell I'll like it. It's a bit overwhelming, but in a good way. One question I have is how distance in the world is handled? For instance, if I'm in Sacremento and I take a delivery for Elko Nevada, how many real time hours (minutes?) will it take me to drive there? And can I save midway, or once I'm on a delivery am I locked in to finishing it in one setting or failing?
You can save and stop anytime. I have a habit though of looking for a place to pull over though rather than just stopping in the middle of the road.
Distance is very compressed, most journies you can do in under 30 mins, although it depends on the distance, roads, traffic, and how much you speed
Is that time frame including all the dlc? All I have is the base game so far, wanted to see if I actually liked it first.You can save and stop anytime. I have a habit though of looking for a place to pull over though rather than just stopping in the middle of the road.
Distance is very compressed, most journies you can do in under 30 mins, although it depends on the distance, roads, traffic, and how much you speed
The DLC states add a lot of land mass to ATS, so yeah driving from the corner of Washington down to New Mexico can take over 30 minutes, but those are the really high paying jobs too. You can pick whatever length jobs you like the best so its never really a problem.
Buying the extra states is very worth it by the way, they are incredibly awesome.
I only have base game for ATS. I have some expansions for ETS. Again though, depends on the jobs you take. I'm sure a journey over the longest distances in both ETS and ATS can take well over an hour.
There again, the profits from such are usually worth it.
Do you use Steam Workshop mods at all for this, and if so do you have any "must have" recommendations?
I've tried mods, but i prefer vanilla.