I know I’ve been extremely critical of Bus Simulator 16 since it was released over two months ago. Since that time (2nd March), I’ve only accumulated 20 hours in the game. If you so desire, you can read the content I’ve written about BS16. However, I would like to direct your attention to the last entry from 7 April which discussed a previous update. Today, I’m actually very pleased to say that StillAlive Studios finally….fixed an issue which should have never been an issue at all in an update which they released on 26 April. You can read all about that here.
You know….I can (and often) overlook little bugs and quirks in a piece of software. As I’ve stated before, I actually work for a large software company. I understand some of the challenges development and support teams face in keeping customers happy and providing some balance between what can and can’t be done technically through software. However, the main reason why I only have 20 hours of time invested in this game is because of one issue which I viewed as a complete showstopper in my ability to balance realism through simulation. Of course, I’m talking about the broken GPS functionality that StillAlive Studios FINALLY fixed with this update.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll go ahead and repeat myself now. The issue with the GPS should have never made it to production. There is no GPS on the face of the planet (that I’m aware of) that doesn’t auto-rotate the map and show the arrow always pointing up. My Garmin, my Magellan and even my smartphone all feature an auto-rotating map so the arrow points up. While SCS Software (the folks behind ATS and ETS2) certainly have some small bugs and quirks with their software…both ATS and ETS2 feature rotating maps. So therefore, Bus Simulator 16 should have never been released. But after two months, on what I believe is the third software update made available to BS16, this issue has been resolved. Finally!
More about the Update
This update (again released on 26 April) is the 3rd update made available to Bus Simulator 16 since it was released on March 2nd. This new update includes the following changes:
New Content: 5 brand new missions and decals
Mouse-steering
Increase angle limits of in-cockpit camera
Adjustable sitting positions
Assign camera centering to button
GPS auto map rotation
Sensitivity adjustments for keyboard steering
Changes for Nvidia graphic cards in laptops
Ability to rename bus routes (name and number)
Turn signal indicator adjustments
Curve Look (camera moves and follows as you turn into a curve)
Option to disable cashier
Of course, I’m truly most happy about the GPS fix. This being either broken or poorly designed really had a significant impact on my realism through simulation. But the other item I’m almost equally excited about is the option to disable the cashier. I’ve disabled the cashier option and my bus company now requires either exact change, pre-paid bus passes or you can stand on the sidewalk. I really grew bored with making change.
Right now I’m really spending most of my gaming time playing American Truck Simulator (I’ve opened a virtual trucking company) and Farming Simulator 15. But I will (now that the GPS is fixed) spend a little more time with BS16. What about you?
Until next time…
Happy Simming!!!
J