18 Wheels of Steel
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18 Wheels of Steel (sometimes abbreviated as 18 WoS) is a series of trucking simulators published by ValuSoft and developed by SCS Software. The series currently has 6 installments. Despite being released as budget games, the series has surprisingly high production values.
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[edit] Versions
There are several versions of 18 Wheels of Steel.
[edit] 18 Wheels of Steel Across America
This installment is very similar to Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel except that the graphics were updated, more trucks and cargo were added, and a new map was created that enables users to travel across the entire continental U.S., through 20 cities. Choose from 17 rigs and 30+ trailers. The game uses it's clock in the minutes which is a total of 24 minutes, and it goes by rather quickly.
This game focuses on the delivery of cargo. Unlike in Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel, the sleep timer was removed from the simulation. There is an improved traffic model as well as planes, helicopters, and trains with authentic sounds.
[edit] 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal
In this installment, released in 2004, the user can travel across the entire continental US, and also northern Mexico and southern Canada, through 30 cities.
The sleep timer was brought back in this version. It has an improved traffic model. 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal requires OpenGL.
[edit] 18 Wheels of Steel: Convoy
In this updated installment, you can travel through the United States, as well as southern Canada, though it differs from 18 Wheels of Steel: Pedal to the Metal in that Mexican cities are not present. You can travel through 30+ cities and choose from 35+ rigs, 45+ cargoes and 47+ trailers. You have to use your mouse to look outside of the cab for your mirrors. The graphics are also much improved in this version, and you can see drivers in other vehicles. However, other graphical features such as dynamic dashboard gauges were replaced with simple textures.You can also buy things to protect yourself.
[edit] 18 Wheels of Steel: Haulin'
This installment adds more cities and has more realistic graphics, but Mexico is gone from this installment, as in Convoy. The ability to use custom soundtracks and save games during deliveries was added also. Choose from 32 rigs, 45+ cargoes and 47+ trailers.The game doesn't require a very powerful computer to operate properly but it requires an up-to-date graphics card (RAM 256MB, processor 1.4GHz,64MB video card). 18 Wheels of Steel: Haulin' may be one of the most realistic trucking games on the market. Prism 3D may not respond on older graphic cards resulting in a game crash on the game's startup.
[edit] 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul
In this installment, you can travel through the United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. The game is the same as 18 Wheels of Steel Haulin' except for 2 new trucks, Interstate 90 Highway, and Northern Mexico to drive in. Also the game has some better graphics. You can travel through 44 cities and choose from 32+ rigs, 45+ cargoes and 47+ trailers.
[edit] Modification
Much of the game's data is in a file named "base.scs". This file can be renamed to "base.zip" and then extracted with a variety of software. If the contents of the extracted folder (folders with the names "defs", "makes", and such) are placed in the game's "My Documents" directory, they are read instead of the original "base.scs". Within the new folders are most of the game textures, including terrain, truck skins, backgrounds, and others, as well as code for cities, trucks, and other ingame objects. The 3D models themselves are also in the folders, in a PSM format. While the game's publisher, ValuSoft, does not provide support on exactly how to "mod" the game, there are several communities and sites dedicated to that purpose.
