Truckers 3 Preview

"Hauling cargo is fun" – I think no one will argue that a slogan like that should have graced the box of "Hard Truck 2." It would seem, what's interesting about driving between points A and B? Yet the people at Softlab-NSK did the near-impossible – they captured the romance of the road, steeped in dust and gasoline, absolutely perfectly.

Road Adventure

Treating "Hard Truck 3: Conquest of America" as a simulator is a bit wrong, for it is more of a guide to the life of American drivers, a world with its own laws that aren't limited to traffic regulations alone. But that, of course, doesn't mean you can ignore the established norms of behavior on the highway: flagrant violators risk a hefty fine, or even ending up in jail. What's more, cameras and radars have been removed from the roadway, but fellow drivers can easily "turn in" unscrupulous motorists to the police. The officers of the law themselves aren't napping at their posts either: run a red light, break the overtaking rules, pull a dangerous maneuver – and cars with flashing lights, I assure you, won't keep you waiting long. By the way, after an accident the player faces a tricky dilemma: stay at the scene of the crash and pay a fine, or stage a crazy chase with the cops. The choice is naturally yours, but shaking off the "tail" is very hard – we're driving a multi-ton monster, remember? On the other hand, we don't need another GTA clone, so that's for the best.
Sometimes simplifications really do matter a great deal. For example, under the laws of the state of California (where we'll be cruising), a driver is forbidden to stay behind the wheel for more than ten hours. Of course, that's a fairly long stretch; hardly anyone could sit that long in front of a monitor. But in "Hard Truck 3" one day equals one hour of play. So you'd have to pull into a motel to rest after every 20 minutes at the wheel. Admit it, such "realism" would hardly have done the project any favors.

This way you can drive across half the country without fearing the loss of your driver's license. Oh yes, American policemen, unlike their Russian counterparts from "Hard Truck 2," don't take bribes. Get caught "red-handed" – and the lawsuits begin, promising the young entrepreneur considerable losses, or even ruin. After all, we'll be starting from the very bottom, gradually fighting our way into the "big league." At first you'll have a modest office, a battered rig and a stack of orders to deliver this or that cargo. Work well – and profit will flow like a river. New contracts will pour in, branches will open in different corners of the country… In short, a genuine "American dream"! "Stop! Won't the driving simulator turn into ordinary office busywork?" – the attentive reader will ask. No, because the player is free to choose his own fate. If you want to sit around in your office handing out orders to subordinates – no one will say a word. And if, after your twentieth million earned, you keep driving the truck yourself while putting your deputy in the CEO's chair – well, that's your decision.

Source: www.stopgame.ru