[LTVW #002] Transporting 20 Tons of Lumber in a Mercedes Actros, from Manchester to Dover

Here comes my second job!

I decide to push back the update regarding my computer hardware configuration, because I think it will be … boring. And I come up with a video instead. So, here I am, your humble trucker wannabe, sharing my second delivery in Euro Truck Simulator 2 for my "Girly" profile. In case you never heard of ETS2 before, it is an awesome truck sim game that won PC Gamer 'Sim of the Year 2012' award. If you like driving or racing games or simulator games, or if you simply a person who has certain interest in trucks, you really have to try playing this game.

For my second job, I had to haul a trailer containing 20 tons of lumber from Manchester—as shown in my debut video, it is my first and main base—to Dover. This time, I drove a Mercedes Actros. The reason I picked this quick job was it had the second longest route than the other jobs.

It’s about your choice of strategy in playing the game. If you just start a new profile in ETS2, IMO there are goals that really matter: getting money or gaining levels. For me it is gaining level. I want to gain as much XP points as quickly as possible so I will be at high enough level to purchase a decent truck. That’s why route length is my top priority in choosing jobs. The longer you go, the more miles/kilometers will be converted into experiences, the faster you level up. However, you can also choose to aim for the money. In this case, you better pick jobs with high price/distance. It’s not a bad strategy actually, but I prefer gaining XP to start.

For this delivery, the Actros I drove was quite an excellent truck, except that it didn’t have the best cabin and there’s no dashboard GPS.  If you play the standard game of Euro Truck Simulator 2, it won’t be problem because you will always have your virtual GPS on your monitor. However, I’ve chosen to make my truck driving adventure a bit challenging by using an internal navigation mod. This mod deactivates my virtual GPS, so it only displays the fuel meter, speed, driving time, and the ETA of my delivery. For the navigation, I should rely on the dashboard GPS of the truck I drive, which in the Mercedes I drove, it was nonexistent.

Having no dashboard GPS is not the end of the world. I still had my map. Never set a foot on the land of England myself, I know nothing about the roads there and had to consult the map quite often. Yet, from starting from Manchester until arriving at Dover, it was a great drive. The traffic was good, weather was clear, and I ship my cargo ahead of schedule.

So, without further ado, here’s my second video. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoy making it. Bon appetite.