Hard Truck 2
Check this out. For those of you that had tried the original 'Hard Truck'
and found the physics, etc. to be good, and the game a little shallow,
but fun, it looks as if the Russian developers are doing something
very, very original.
Hard Truck 2 looks like the space-sim classic 'Elite' , .... for trucks.
Nice screenshots at the following URL.
(I'm buying it!)
==============================================================
[link lost in import]
Hard Truck 2
Publisher: 1C
Developer: SoftLab-NSK
Scheduled To Release: March 2000
Written By: John Bergerud, *** News Editor
Posted On: Thursday, February 10, 2000
Introduction
Russian Developer SoftLab-NSK promises to usher in a brand new genre
of driving titles - featuring a unique truck driving simulator with
strategical and economical elements. Hard Truck 2 (working title)
takes place in real time in the world of virtually endless roads,
where night succeeds day, and road and weather conditions change right
before your eyes.
Story
The player is one of the long-haul truckers who runs about the region
looking for a gainful order and peddles wares from town to town. The
profit depends on the shortage of the merchandize delivered, so the
quickest makes the most. But be careful because there are always rival
*** drivers that try to get there sooner than the player and get
a gainful order.
Keep on Truckin'
Between runs for wares players can participate in sport events,
including various races, trials and truck football. There are also
some key strategic elements that will influence the gameplay. To be
successful players will have to search for secret paths that will let
them shorten the way and reach destination points earlier than their
competitors; recognize mafia and resist it using the power of the
truck and driving skills; evaluate current and forecast future
economical situation in the region. The goal of the game is to
monopolize delivery business and bankrupt all other virtual layers
controlled by sophisticated AI.
Impeding Forces
The forces that obstruct the player:
Forces of Nature - Difficult route, meeting of traffic, weather,
wayless parts, temporary pavement defects.
Rivals, who try to get there sooner than the player and get the
gainful order.
The Mafia - They would hold up your truck and rob you of your truck
and/or your cargo and/or your money. Their devices include as those of
your rivals as also shooting, mines, traps.
The Police - Aims to stop the driver who acts unlawfully and fine him.
In serious cases (like trying to destroy the rivals or other vehicles)
and trying to escape the pursuit start fire for effect. Uses cars and
helicopters.
The Goal
At the very beginning drivers possesses trucks of small and middle
class. As the game goes on, a successful driver (real or virtual) can
upgrade their truck or change it completely, with the option to also
hire a bankrupt rival.
A player is considered bankrupt, when they have the worst truck and
can not afford to repair it. You then receive a depreciable value for
your truck and and are given a status of a hired driver. The strategic
goal of the game is to monopolize the delivery business and mantian
your status as a reliable driver (someone who can deliver the goods on
time, everytime time).
The means to attain this goal (i.e. tactical goals of the game) can be
the following:
Mastering your driving skills, get to depots ahead of your rivals
Learn to balance the speed and safety
Find gainful orders and win at sporting events
Find secret ways and use them actively to shorten the way
Be able to recognize Mafia and their traps
Learn to resist the Mafia using the power of your truck and driving
skills
Evaluate the current economical situation in the region
Increase the power of your company and trucks
Features
First Truck driving simulation
Continuous road net, variety of alternative and secret ways (up to 120
km total)
Powerful built in economic system with endless possibilities
realistic 3D graphics quality, dynamic lighting
Dynamically changes of atmospheric conditions, day-and-night races
Complex terrain, different road conditions, marshes, lakes, off road,
canyons, mountain serpentines
Abundance of special effects (tire marks, exhaust, blinding by sun and
lens flare, rain, snow, fog, storm)
Simultaneous first and third person views, panoramic view, mobility of
the driver within the cabin
Realistic physics, ergonomic adjustable controls, steering wheel force
feedback support
Intensive arterial and road traffic (up to 70 different vehicles
totally in the game including police helicopters)
Considerable facilities for replay
Several multiplayer modes. Up to 1024x768 screen resolution, Direct3D
hardware accelerators support Pentium II, Katmai and AGP support
--
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