Info about Bus Simulator 18:

Official game description:
Bus Simulator 27 Coming Soon! Wishlist it Now!
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About the Game
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Whether in the industrial or harbour zone, downtown, in the surrounding villages or the business park, in **Bus Simulator 18**, you experience up-close the exciting everyday life of a bus driver in a vast and freely drivable urban area. Get behind the wheel of your 8 original licensed city buses from the great brands of Mercedes-Benz, Setra, MAN, and IVECO BUS and transport your passengers safely and punctually to their destinations, either solo in single player mode, or with friends **in real-time multiplayer mode**.
As a bus driver in the 12 different districts, you’ll face the challenges of the traffic in a big city and everything that entails. Don’t be deterred by freak weather conditions, potholes, traffic jams, fare evaders, accidents, construction sites, night driving and specific passenger requests. On the contrary, take full control of your bus, earn money, gain a good reputation owing to your safe and punctual driving style and enjoy almost limitless driving pleasure in the authentic urban locations. Use the thousands of miles of virtual roads and streets to gain new districts, new buses and new customisation options.
With the extensive modding support of **Bus Simulator 18** there are no limits: create routes, build your own buses, create bus liveries, design new maps and share them with the community, or download and install the modding content available from the Steam Workshop to enhance your game experience.
But drive carefully with the buses you build! Don’t cause any damage or accidents and watch out for the speed cameras located around the city, or it could have a negative effect on your reputation, not to mention your wallet.
So, what are you waiting for? Your shift has already started!
Features:
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*   8 buses from 4 leading manufacturers are faithfully reproduced in meticulous detail, including the Mercedes-Benz Citaro K, Mercedes-Benz Citaro G, MAN Lion’s City bus, MAN Lion’s City CNG articulated bus, SETRA S 418 LE business, SETRA S 416 LE business, IVECO BUS Urbanway and the IVECO BUS Urbanway CNG articulated bus.
*   In real-time multiplayer mode you can drive around the 12 districts and over 5.8mi² of routes in the freely drivable urban area with up to 3 friends and therefore promote your bus service.
*   The updated progression system and the comprehensive management element, including route planning, the purchase and sale of buses, staff planning and numerous statistics will guarantee long-term game motivation.
*   For novices and pros: you can play in a simplified or a realistic mode.
*   Modding: let your imagination run wild and create routes, build your own buses, design bus liveries, create new maps and share them with the community. You can also download and install the modding content available from the Steam Workshop to enhance your game experience.
*   Support for popular steering wheels, gamepads, Tobii eye tracking and TrackIR.
*   Authentic bus sounds, extensive tutorial and passenger voiceovers in English and German to provide even more atmosphere.
*   Control your bus in different weather conditions, both day and night.
*   Customisation: fully customise your buses with different colours, patterns and advertising panels.
*   Authentically reproduced cockpits of the 4 manufacturers, equipped with numerous individual functions.
*   Smart traffic AI and a range of challenging traffic situations await you (bus station, night driving, construction sites, diversions, long-distance journeys, potholes, traffic jams, accidents and speed bumps, etc.).
*   For a complete gaming experience, a variety of incidents in the bus, e.g. interior soiling and debris, special passenger requests, fare dodgers, loud music and cars parked in designated bus bays.
*   Modern technology: The Unreal® Engine 4 provides a high level of graphic detail and stunning simulation quality.
*   Create your own license plate with the license plate generator

Release date: Jun 13, 2018

Categories: Driving Simulation, Vehicle Customization, Multiplayer, Mod Support, Management Simulation, Realistic Simulation, Customization, Career Mode

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The game is heavily criticized for its monetization practices, particularly the segmentation of content through DLCs. Players feel that essential buses, achievements, and customization options are locked behind paid DLCs, making the base game feel incomplete and not worth the price. This strategy is seen as a cheap cash grab and predatory, forcing players to spend additional money to fully enjoy the game.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game suffers from frequent crashes and requires additional configuration to run properly. Controller support is inconsistent, which may affect the user experience. Despite these issues, some users appreciate the realistic mechanics and detailed vehicle models.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game overpriced at its current price point. Multiple reviews mention that the game is more reasonably priced in the range of $15 to $25. These reviews indicate that the game is worth purchasing when discounted to this range, implying that the fair base-game price should be within these values.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 150.0h
  - Story completion: 36.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes several direct mentions of playtime hours and completion times. For example, one review mentions it took about 36 hours to complete all tasks, while another review states that the game was played for 110 hours to achieve over 90% of the achievements. Additionally, a review categorizes the game and mentions a full collection time of about 150 hours. These quotes provide a clear indication of the time required for game completion, story completion, and extensive play sessions. The mention of sitting for almost an hour driving also supports the session length.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game becomes fun and engaging primarily through its multiplayer mode, which adds a social dimension and longevity to the gameplay.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Multiplayer mode
  - Time to anchor: 0h 15m
  - Friction: Broken tutorial; Terrible traffic; Repetitive passenger dialogue; Brightness settings issues; Game-breaking bugs; Repetitive missions
  - Unlock drivers: Cooperating with friends; Competing with friends; Managing bus companies together; Operating routes together
  - Conditions: Playing with friends; Cooperative play; Competitive play; Multiplayer mode
- Player Archetypes:
  - Casual Relaxation Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and enjoyment
    - Playstyle: Casual and laid-back
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual player; relaxation seeker
    - Reference games: ETS2
  - Simulation Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Realistic simulation experience
    - Playstyle: Detailed and immersive
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: simulation fan; hardcore player
    - Reference games: Euro Truck Simulator
  - Social Multiplayer (buy)
    - Motivation: Social interaction and cooperation
    - Playstyle: Cooperative and competitive
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: multiplayer fan; social gamer
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Authentic bus variety and customization (weight 0.53): The game features a wide range of officially licensed buses with detailed models and customization options, including decals and advertisements.
- Fun and relaxing gameplay (weight 0.41): Players find the game enjoyable and relaxing, with engaging gameplay that is easy to get into and fun to play with friends.
- Realistic bus simulation (weight 0.4): The game provides a realistic bus driving experience, including authentic bus features, realistic driving mechanics, and passenger interactions.
- Good graphics quality (weight 0.28): The graphics are generally well-received, with many players noting improvements over previous versions and the use of modern graphic engines.
- Multiplayer support (weight 0.17): The game offers multiplayer and co-op gameplay, allowing up to 4 players to play together in real-time.
- Easy route creation (weight 0.15): Players appreciate the ability to create custom routes and the managerial aspects of planning routes and hiring drivers.
- Mod support (weight 0.15): The game supports mods, allowing players to enhance and customize their gameplay experience.
- Improved over previous versions (weight 0.14): The game is considered a significant improvement over previous bus simulators, with better graphics, optimization, and fewer bugs.
- Sleek and modern UI (weight 0.09): The game features a sleek and easy-to-use interface, which is simple and uncluttered.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive missions and gameplay (weight 0.41): Many players find the missions and overall gameplay to be repetitive, which can lead to boredom.
- AI and pedestrian issues (weight 0.38): The AI, particularly for pedestrians and traffic, is reported to be poorly implemented, leading to unrealistic behaviors and interactions.
- Game has numerous bugs (weight 0.27): Players frequently report encountering a wide range of bugs and errors in the game, affecting overall gameplay experience.
- Game crashing and freezing (weight 0.25): The game frequently crashes and freezes, sometimes failing to launch altogether.
- Multiplayer connection issues (weight 0.18): Multiplayer mode is plagued with connection issues, long wait times, and various bugs, making it difficult to enjoy.
- Limited and small map (weight 0.18): The map size is considered too small and limited, restricting the driving area and overall content.
- Various performance and quality issues (weight 0.16): The game suffers from poor physics, optimization, sound effects, and overall quality issues.
- Lacking game features (weight 0.15): The game lacks several expected features such as bus lanes, emergency vehicles, and an in-bus announcement system.
- Price not worth content (weight 0.15): Many players feel that the game is overpriced for the content and quality offered.
- Control configuration issues (weight 0.13): Players report issues with control settings, including inflexibility and the need for manual configuration.
- Visibility issues in rainy weather (weight 0.11): Players experience poor visibility, particularly in rainy weather, affecting mirrors and overall gameplay.
- Steering wheel problems (weight 0.1): There are issues related to steering wheel sensitivity and overall road feel, affecting driving mechanics.
- Occasional performance lags (weight 0.1): Players report occasional lags, FPS drops, and audio issues during gameplay.
- High and unreasonable fines (weight 0.09): The game imposes high fines for minor infractions, which players find unreasonable.
- Strange bus models and shapes (weight 0.09): Bus models are reported to be poorly made and lack drivers, affecting the realism of the game.
- Limited passenger conversations (weight 0.08): Passenger conversations and phrases are limited and repetitive, reducing immersion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Variety of bus models and customization (weight 0.25): The game offers a variety of bus models and customization options, although some reviews mention limited or poorly made models.
- Comprehensive passenger management system (weight 0.23): The game features a detailed passenger management system, including boarding, alighting, interaction, and fare collection mechanics.
- Detailed driving simulation experience (weight 0.23): Players can experience a realistic driving simulation with various conditions and weather effects, enhancing the immersion of bus driving.
- Extensive bus and company management (weight 0.23): The game includes mechanics for managing buses, creating routes, hiring NPC drivers, and handling the growth of a bus company.
- Advanced route management (weight 0.2): Players can plan, update, and customize bus routes, providing a strategic layer to the gameplay.
- Immersive and realistic gameplay (weight 0.2): The gameplay is highly rated for its realism and immersion, making it engaging and enjoyable for players.
- Dynamic weather and time settings (weight 0.17): The game includes various weather conditions and day/night cycles, adding to the realism and variety of the gameplay.
- Career mode and route system (weight 0.15): The game features a career mode with a route system, providing a structured progression and goals for players.
- Pedestrian and traffic behavior (weight 0.13): The game features pedestrian and traffic behavior, although some reviews mention it could be improved.
- Comparison to other simulators (weight 0.09): The game is often compared to other simulators like Bus Sim 21 and ETS2, with reviews highlighting its strengths and weaknesses in comparison.
- Customizable control settings (weight 0.08): Players can configure keyboard controls and other settings to suit their preferences.
- Progression and achievement system (weight 0.08): The game includes a task and achievement system, providing goals and a sense of progression.
- Random events and situations (weight 0.08): The game features random events and situations, adding unpredictability and variety to the gameplay.
- Realistic driving penalties (weight 0.05): The game includes realistic driving penalties, adding a layer of challenge and realism to the driving experience.
- Map and route design issues (weight 0.05): Some reviews mention problems with map extensions and route design, indicating areas for improvement.
- Adjustable difficulty settings (weight 0.04): The game offers various difficulty levels, allowing players to adjust the challenge to their preference.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.27): The game crashes often, including during specific actions like shutting doors or completing tutorials, and some crashes are related to system settings or hardware limitations.
- Optimization issues (weight 0.23): There are widespread reports of poor optimization, affecting various hardware configurations and leading to performance problems.
- Multiplayer performance issues (weight 0.21): Multiplayer mode suffers from various bugs, frame rate drops, and synchronization issues, particularly as the number of players increases.
- Graphical and visual problems (weight 0.2): There are reports of poor graphics quality, uncomfortable visual effects, and issues with visibility in mirrors during rainy weather.
- Game fails to launch (weight 0.19): Many players report that the game does not start or launch properly, indicating significant issues with game initialization.
- Compatibility and hardware issues (weight 0.1): The game has compatibility issues with newer versions of Windows and specific hardware requirements, leading to crashes and performance problems.
- Lagging issues (weight 0.1): Players experience occasional lags and performance drops, which can affect the overall gaming experience.
- Minor bugs and errors (weight 0.08): There are minor bugs and errors reported, such as UE4 errors and radio station bugs, but these do not significantly affect the overall gaming experience.
- Controller and peripheral issues (weight 0.06): Some players report issues with controller support and steering wheel functionality, indicating problems with peripheral compatibility.
- Specific performance scenarios (weight 0.06): The game runs smoothly once past initial errors on some systems and runs well on systems slightly below the required specs, indicating varied performance experiences.
- Game size and temperature (weight 0.06): The game has a medium size and can cause high computer temperatures, which might be a concern for some players.
- AI and gameplay mechanics (weight 0.06): Some players report issues with AI traffic behavior and game mechanics, such as the game launching on the wrong monitor.
- Campaign mode performance (weight 0.04): There are performance issues reported in the final stages of the base game's campaign mode.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for simulator enthusiasts (weight 0.36): The game is highly recommended for those who enjoy simulator games, particularly bus driving and public transport simulators. It is praised for its attention to detail and is often compared favorably to other simulator games like Euro Truck Simulator.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.24): Many reviewers suggest purchasing the game when it is on sale. They feel the game is worth the price, especially at a discounted rate, making it a good value for the money.
- Suitable for various audiences (weight 0.13): The game is considered suitable for a wide range of players, including teenagers, adults, and those who enjoy relaxing and calming gameplay. It is also recommended for solo players and those who enjoy repetitive tasks.
- Prefer Bus Simulator 18 (weight 0.09): Some reviewers recommend buying Bus Simulator 18 instead of the newer versions, citing it as a better option. This suggests that the 2018 version may have features or qualities that are preferred over the 2021 version.
- Specific features praised (weight 0.06): Certain features like mic support for announcing bus stops and the inclusion of a bike rack on the front of the bus are highlighted as positive aspects of the game.
- More customization needed (weight 0.06): Reviewers express a desire for more character customizations and a wider variety of people in the game, indicating that additional customization options would enhance the gameplay experience.
- Not for weak laptops (weight 0.04): Reviewers note that the game may not be suitable for weak laptops, indicating that it might require a certain level of hardware performance to run smoothly.
- Wait for significant discount (weight 0.03): Some reviewers advise waiting for a significant discount before purchasing the game, suggesting that the full price may not be justified for some players.

Other player notes:
- Discord bans for feedback (weight 0.04): Players report being banned from the game's Discord server after raising issues or concerns about the game.
- New reviewer formatting issues (weight 0.04): A reviewer mentions potential formatting errors in their first review, indicating possible issues with the review system or user interface.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.3): Players are frustrated by a multitude of technical issues, including frequent game crashes, freezing, and bugs that hinder gameplay progress. The AI behavior, particularly of pedestrians and traffic, is often criticized for being unrealistic and poorly designed. Additionally, players express frustration with the game's controls, translation problems, and the lack of proper simulation elements, which detract from the overall experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.17): Players feel disappointed due to the game's poor optimization, lack of content, and unrealistic features. The game often fails to meet expectations, with issues such as a small map size, limited character customization, and various gameplay flaws. Comparisons to other games like ETS2 highlight the shortcomings, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.14): Players find satisfaction in the game's realistic driving mechanics, good graphics, and the variety of buses and maps. The game's detailed and immersive simulation experience, along with the extensive mod catalog, contributes to a positive experience. Additionally, the enjoyable career mode and multiplayer features add to the overall satisfaction.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game's realistic details, driving dynamics, and the ability to play with friends. The multiplayer experience, mod support, and the overall fun gameplay contribute to a positive experience. Despite some flaws, the game provides a lot of fun and engaging moments.
- Frustrated (weight 0.04): Players are frustrated by the game not launching, high fines, and repetitive gameplay. Poor AI behavior, long wait times for multiplayer, and various bugs and issues in multiplayer mode contribute to the frustration. The game's poor optimization and unfair compensation for accidents also add to the negative experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Players find amusement in the humorous descriptions of gameplay experiences, funny quotes, and passenger conversations. The game's humorous account of playing while drunk and fun passenger dialogue and events add to the amusement.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the multiplayer experience and the feeling of driving a bus in real life. The game's fun and engaging gameplay, along with the unique gameplay mechanic of being a terrorist, contribute to the excitement. The anticipation of improvements and corrections from the community also adds to the excitement.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players express joy and satisfaction with the game's overall experience, driving test, and routes. The relaxing and enjoyable gameplay experience, along with the positive aspects of the game, contribute to the joy.
- Angry (weight 0.02): Players are angry due to unoptimized and buggy games, broken promises, and the game being not worth the money. The game's poor performance and frequent crashes contribute to the anger.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the unique gameplay mechanic of being a terrorist and the detailed features and customization. The anticipation of improvements and corrections from the community also adds to the excitement.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the enjoyment of earning money with workers and the overall enjoyment of the game. The game being finishable and having fewer bugs contributes to the happiness.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgia for the bus simulation and the game being old but still enjoyable. The game helps get rid of the urge to return to bus driving, adding to the nostalgic feeling.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Players are annoyed by translation issues, poor sound effects, and poor optimization. The ugly game appearance and lack of basic settings also contribute to the annoyance.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players hope that the lag issues might be fixed someday and that the game will continue to be optimized and updated. This hope is driven by the desire for a better gaming experience.
- Happy (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the overall enjoyable gameplay experience and the game's immersive details. The positive aspects of the game contribute to the happiness.
- Relaxation (weight 0): Players find relaxation in the game as it allows for deep thinking. The game's relaxing gameplay experience contributes to the sense of relaxation.}