18 Wheels of Steel : American Long Haul

List Price: $19.99 Discount Price: $19.99

Features:

• Start behind the wheel transporting 45+ types of cargo including livestock, chemicals and mobile homes
• Back up to loading docks, manage your fuel and maintain your trucks in peak condition
• Build your reputation coast to coast as you long haul across 48 states, Canada and Mexico
• Build your business and add rigs to your fleet. Own up to 37 mammoth machines and trailers

Customer Reviews:

Nothing New [Posted on 2007-12-18]
Valusoft/SCS have created a great series in 18 Wheels of Steel. They've constistantly kept the price down (only $19.99) and have made great products. The 18WoS franchise has been a great driving simulator and buisness sim as well as being pretty stable (not counting Convoy).
Unfortunately it seems like the 18WoS series is beginning to get stale and repetitive. The cities need to be lively!

In the latest release by Valusoft/SCS American Long Haul has the same graphics as Haulin as well as the same premise. You start off with a truck and haul different types of cargo through the United States, Canada and now Mexico (only a few cities). Mexico was added was previously in 18WoS: Pedal to the Medal but wasn't in Haulin or Convoy. The only thing different in !8WoS: ALH is that you can bid on cargo. You can also be your own boss and hire other drivers just like in Haulin. I think the minor additions to American Long Haul could of very well been a patch for Haulin or just simply included in Haulin.

When I saw this on the SCS website, I was looking forward to a new chapter in the 18WoS series however when I played the demo, it's exactly like Haulin. I wasn't expecting American Long Haul to be unbelievably the same as Haulin.

Sadly, the graphics are getting old and the game itself is beginning to get stale. When you travel the highways, there are barren areas and areas that you wish were barren. The same setup for the cities is again in American Long Haul. What this means is that the cities are devoid off people, the traffic lights are strangely the same in every city, the buildings and scenery are bland and look like pop up books. The only pleasant scenery is the water (bodies of water). What is inexusable are the highways and streets throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. The developers should of at least done their homework on how the cities are laid out as well as the routes to get to them. I was hoping for the actual suspension bridges that lead to New York City as well as others. What about the tunnels to go from Manhattan into New Jersey? The Deleware River Gap Bridge when you drive on Interstate 80 through New Jersey? I'm not just talking about the New York/New Jersey area, I'm speaking for the whole area that is included in 18WoS: American Long Haul. With games being manufactured on DVD's you can't tell me that there isn't enough space on a DVD. If the budget was too tight maybe split it into several expansions? Use Google Earth if you can't travel all over the United States and take pictures. I also am wondering that thoughout the game, how come there are absolutely no truck stops anywhere. At truckstops, you can relax, have a meal (everyone, come on you know the words....YMCA, gonna stay at the YMCA....sorry couldn't help it! :-), maybe wash your rig, or buy acessories as well (Yes I saw the History Channels Modern Marvels: Truck Stops). At some weigh stations if you make the wrong turn to the parking lot before you "get weighed, you get a ticket! What I'm implying is that the realism factor has certainly gone down. The first couple from the 18WoS series it's understandable and I have been amazed as to how 18WoS first came out and matured into a surprising hit as a driving simulation and business sim. If the cities are more realistic instead of empty of any human activity, and the routes to get to and from cities was more accurate, I think I would not mind to pay extra if the coompany raised the price from $19.99 to $29.99 or even $39.99. With todays computers (dual core, quad core) and graphic cards, SCS/Valusoft can certainly put together a 18WoS game that certainly can wow people. Reading a few reviews when the 18WoS franchise was first started showed that it was a surprising hit and got better with each new release (again not counting Convoy).

I only played the demo for a few minutes because it seemed like I was playing Haulin all over again. I enjoy Haulin even though the graphics are making me go blahhhh. If you do to, stick with Haulin because if you buy American Long Haul, its 99.9999999% the same.

It would be nice if the next title in the 18WoS series would bring live cities: people, more realistic buildings, bridges, traffic, construction, accidents, and toll bridges. Maybe the developers can add car washes and realistic gas and service stations. Can I get out of my truck to pump my own gas? Can I check the oil and engine? Check my tires? Can I buy a snack or a drink? Can I tell the mechanic (depending on the time of the day to check the engine)? Replace the tires? What about truck stops? What about after a long delivery, can I go to a Motel or Hotel (again getting out of my truck) and rest? If my house is nearby, can I go home and rest? If I own a company there is got to be other things to do than simply hiring drivers and buying them rigs. How about building an office complete with a truck yard? Finally, since when do you deliver your cargo and there is no one to except it. All the companies are completely devoid of people and no other trucks come in but yours.

It's time to polish up the graphics, extend throughout the farthest reaches of North America. Let it become what the Simcity franchise has been known for----neverending and without any "clear goals." You just need to balance your budget. The game could end if you decide to retire, steal from the company and get caught, get arrested and can't pay the court fees and fines and/or jail time or cause such a horrific accident that your license it taken away for good. A good lesson within the game would be if you are in a resturant/bar on your night off or your down time and you drink to much, the police WILL catch you and determine if you were under the influence, arrest you, and this means game over. A realistic police force (an intelligent AI) would be fantastic. Throwing a wrench in this game would be to become the TOP TRUCKING COOMPANY that meets the demands of "its" customers while balancing a budget. If you retire you can have the option of buying an industry or a commerical business that trucking companies do business with so you're still a part of the action if you decide to "take a break." It would be great to have control of building your own warehouse to store whatever your hauling and actually have employees as well yourself removing the cargo. Again the cities in Long Haul as well as the previous 18WoS, are so stale that it seems like no one lives in these cities. All you see are cars and trucks. The wow factor in this game and hopefully this won't be the last one is to release it on a DVD(s) and restore this game as a model of beauty. The 18WoS franchise had put a lot of $30-$50 games to shame. I think (and I'm not speaking for everyone) people will be willing to shell out a little bit more if this game, company, and franchise go up a level or two and take the Tycoon trophy. I would love to see this game be the talk of the industry with system requirements copying Flight Simulator X. In a lot of forums I've see most people say Flight Simulator requires at least a Quad Core Processor.

An option for multiplayer would be interesting. People can decide to be a trucker, own, a truck dealership, drive in cars, become a police officer, a customs official (goods coming from abroad and into your warehouse to ship), own/build resturants, car washes, gas stations, industries, the tools for trucks (pipes/hoses for gasoline trailers ect. You could drive a gasoline trailer either to the gas companies refinery and/or the actual gas station and fill up the stations gas tanks for its customers.

I realized that the modest system requirements have allowed the 18WoS franchise to bring a great level of playability and realism. I think it's time to up the system requirements and completely change how a simulation and a tycoon game can be created. With todays computers and computer components as well as their prices the game can reach another level. I would love to see this game require dual core processors and at least a NVidia 8800 and ATI x1950 or higher video card. The graphics being the most important. Even with thise requirements I promise you, you will not break the bank.

To anyone who's never played the 18WoS games then this is the game for you. For those people who own 18WoS: Haulin, it's pretty much the same game and you might feel disapointed and think, "Hey, I just played this in Haulin.", when you play the demo. I love the 18WoS series and hope new content is added.

Improvements [Posted on 2008-05-13]
The Game is great but I recommend that there should be smaller roads other than the highway like shortcuts leading to a lake and small villages, and farms roads. There should be truck stops to eat and hotels to go and sleep with the man getting out of the truck, putting gas. There should be more locations where you could hire people. There should be where you could use other vehicles, like to load your own truck with, to use at a construction site(Bulldoazers, Fork lift, etc). Another one is to make people walk on the sidewalks in the city. Plus all the cities look similair. If there is a car accident the man should be able to call for help. Other than this the game is fun.

Click here for more details and discount information...