Plays...

Back in 2020 I found myself playing Live for Speed for about a month. I've now found myself playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS) which I also found free to play [here]. Sadly I sold my steering wheel back then, but I'm enjoying this so far simply using the keyboard.

I'm enjoying the realism and the challenges faced with manoeuvring large vehicles [see below] (something that has always looked like a dark art!) and trekking about Europe. I'm using this page section to keep a track of the locations I've been, some of the interesting loads I've hauled, and Issues I've encountered (or proposals I've considered) along the way.

[UPDATE] This was all getting a bit long and wieldy so I have now reorganised it into the separate pages above.

Somehow I could fuel-up with my truck this far away from the pump! I'd been sleeping in the bay to the right and when I woke and needed fuel I inched forward rather than do a trip round the gas station #lazy... it detected I was in the refuelling zone and let me fill up!

Now another one of these awkward spots to reverse a trailer into!

27/07/21: Another tricky spot to reverse into (it took me a few attempts):

19/07/21: I had big impact today... into a train crossing barrier; I'd just come round a bend and didn't notice the crossing (and that the barriers were down AND there was a train passing) until too late. It's somewhat silly that you can crash into a barrier at speed and not break IT instead of your truck! I've done something similar at checkpoints/toll booths where I've not stopped in time (I even tried to quickly follow a vehicle ahead through without paying, but that didn't work!)

This was a tight spot to reverse into!

I got a "Good Work" award, rather than the usual "Excellent" or "Late":

Now to sort out that damage...

18/07/21: Today's jobs weren't without issue...

Ouch! That was my largest fine to date! Oh well, the load as delivered and successfully parked in this space:

Now a quick hop to Finland:

17/07/21: Since arriving in Russia I've been enjoying the sights and soviet signs...

14/07/21: I arrived at a yard with a delivery... and saw my next... gotta love a double-trailer challenge!
The delivery wasn't even to where I wanted to get to! (and yes, I successfully back into that space)...

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Do you play this game too? Let me know; I'd love to hear your views!

[Contact]

Controller:
So far I have only played the game with a keyboard but I have just purchased a Thrustmaster Steering Wheel and pedals with will no doubt affect my game-play and times.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

[Click Here]
 

When you come to deliver a load you're given three options:

• Do the full required manoeuvre (earns highest xp based on difficulty it seems and generally requires reversing into the space) [right top]

• Do a simple park of the load (typically 15xp), [right bottom] or,

• Leave the load there for them to sort out (0xp).

A complicated manoeuvre takes more time so the idea is you can consider if you're running late already, however, I've found that now my confidence has grown I am more willing to take on the challenge, regardless of the time (which I haven't been paying attention to anyway), and I enjoy the satisfaction of getting a trailer in its spot, even if it takes multiple attempts. Reversing a trailer still seems like a dark art and I get confused which way I could be turning the wheel (using a keyboard also causes me to lose track of how many turns of the steering wheel I've done. [A tutorial would be nice.]

I had this option for 90xp... reverse into that space! I didn't have time IRL to give that multiple attempts! [I have since done a few of these manoeuvres]: