AI Drivers and Training

[Yawzheek]

So, hopefully a rather simple question:

I've taken my AI drivers from "Balanced" to "Long Distance Driving." I think it goes without saying that micromanaging their every skill isn't something we're brimming with joy to do, but I'm wondering; should I forget to change them if they max out Long Distance Driving, will they default to Balanced or something else?

It's possibly a stupid question, but I couldn't find an answer to this online. I'd like to know that they won't just end up with wasted skills until one moment I think "OH YEAH! Should manage my drivers!"

I've actually went with a new game, bought and upgraded my first garage to large, recruited 4 drivers with their own trucks, and I mostly think of them as my penalties/fines coverage while I quick job. They're the buffer between my loans and speeding penalties. I know Long Distance Driving is the "best" spec for them, and apparently ADR (which is odd because ADR is never really a factor for me once I unlock "Urgent Deliveries" and have a point in "Fragile" and "High Value"), but provided they're making a profit, I don't want to continually watch them. Can I leave them at Long Distance and know even if I forget/neglect their skills, they'll still gain ranks?

[Goose_Few]

If you don't want/will to micromanage them leave then to Balance.
They will not revert or chage to another set of skills once they max one you set.

If you want to recieve the most profit out of them. Let tem max ADR, then Max Long Distance, only then set them to Balance... In my experience, that is how your drivers bring the bacon the fastest.

[Yawzheek]

Originally posted by Goose_Few:

If you don't want/will to micromanage them leave then to Balance.
They will not revert or chage to another set of skills once they max one you set.

If you want to recieve the most profit out of them. Let tem max ADR, then Max Long Distance, only then set them to Balance... In my experience, that is how your drivers bring the bacon the fastest.

So strange. Long Distance tends to bring the most bacon - even when you consider the time investmet - for a player-driver. I've found two levels in Just-in-time (for urgent deliveries) with Long Distance (for a player-driver) usually reaps the best rewards, and even better with a skill point in Fragile and High Value. Maximizes the amount of experience per haul, even for hauls of signifcantly lesser value, which short term is at worst recouperating potential losses of taking higher gain hauls for experience contributed towards higher gains long-term when you contribute the points towards High Value, Fragile, or Just-in-time later.

[The Pitts]

My experience - which relates to leaving drivers, who were already fully developed in all other skills, on Eco training whilst only having three pips of Long Distance - is that once a skill fills the game does not simply ignore the additional level ups (ie. my drivers added points to Long Distance once Eco was full).

However, I think the approach of concentrating on Long Distance only is flawed. For hired hands I would recommend sticking them on Balanced and forgetting about them. I have taken multiple different approaches. from micro-managing every point using a variety of strategies to just using Balanced, and I can't say that any particular method demonstrably outperformed any other. For the driver themself then my strategy, if starting again, would be something like I suggest in this post (to save repeating myself).

Having said that, if you are interested in your drivers making more money then their XP (which you cannot see in game) needs to increase just as the player driver's does. Therefore the same principles apply and if you would like to micro-manage them then follow a similar pattern to that recommended in the linked post. However, the difference between that approach and leaving them on Balanced is probably going to be so small as to not be visible above the random number generator noise.

[kaki_gamet]

Originally posted by The Pitts:

However, I think the approach of concentrating on Long Distance only is flawed. For hired hands I would recommend sticking them on Balanced and forgetting about them.

Finally someone else that understood hired drivers fully : )

[MarkJohnson]

I've tried microing several different way to tech and they seem to balance out no matter which way I go.

I usually go long distance and leave it there, then it does balanced automatically.

The only difference is I get paid in larger sums, but every few days, instead of daily or a few times a day.

But I haven't noticed a major difference any way I tech them.

I did notice better trucks make more money though. So if you buy the cheapest trucks, you may get slightly less profits. I wish there was a way to track each and every delivery.

But just leaving drivers on defaults of balanced should be more than fine.

[racdavies]

I have several fully trained drivers but still only take small jobs

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by racdavies:

I have several fully trained drivers but still only take small jobs

Really? Did you take long haul first? or just balanced? My guys don't get paid for days sometimes, so I know they're on the long haul.

[mojo_musica]

I have every available driver, all the garages (large) and they all drive the same most expensive and best engined Volvo trucks, everyone has a trailer available and I am still working on getting them all to the highest level they can achieve. I think that at the moment there are about 20 to 30 out of the 270? I am still levelling up, changing the skills individually as they fill them. Then they go on balanced and can be forgotten about. It can be part of the game if you want it, or you can leave them on balanced and not bother. So far the company is almost €1,000,000,000 in profit (one billion Euros) and I can spend my time getting achievements, looking at the scenery and having the most blinged-out trucks I can buy. Not one single mod, and all the DLC installed. This game is so flexible, it can be whatever you want to make it, from just driving, to the whole business of running a trucking company.

[Eisbär]

Originally posted by mojo_musica:

This game is so flexible, it can be whatever you want to make it, from just driving, to the whole business of running a trucking company.

It's not even close to the " whole" business of running a trucking company. I really wish it was.

[blitzthedragon]

Although it might be dated, according to this page,[eurotrucksimulatortutorials.wordpress.com] the best way to micromanage the training is to go

+3 Long Distance
+1 each into Fragile and High Value Cargo
+3 into ADR
+1 more into Fragile and High Value Cargo
Max out ADR
Max out Long Distance
+1 Just In Time
Alternate between Fragile and High Value Cargo until maxed
Max out Just in Time
Max out Ecodriving

Because I have so frigging many drivers (260 as of writing), I only follow this guide until I've maxed out Long Distance. Then I switch to Balanced.

[The Pitts]

I would argue that the reasoning behind that approach is flawed and it would not give optimal results, but ultimately it doesn't matter a great deal.

[LordOfWar]

I've had drivers on different modes to check what's best. I recon balanced wins.

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by LordOfWar:

I've had drivers on different modes to check what's best. I recon balanced wins.

+1

It seems best for me so far. Plus it's less headaches, lol I have only tested 4 times, so far.

[HiTmAn]

ADR is really good cz u dont need powerful truck and they are payed very good

[Cabeza1805]

I know that by now, with the amount of updates, this is kind of old, but for me personally, Long Distance seems like a double edge thing:

Driver A: 4pts in Long Distance, 2 in Value, 1 in Fragile, 2 ADR
Average time per job: 2.5 days
Average profit: between 10K and 15K (every 2.5 days)

Driver B: 3pts in Value, 3 in Fragile, 2 ADR, no Long Distance
Average time per job: 0.5 days
Average profit: between 1k and 2,5k (every 0.5 days)


so while the Long Distance skill sure makes a lot of money, it takes a long time to get it... while the rest of the skills can make almost the same amount of money, but with a better rate, which is great when you need some quick money apart from what you are making on your own

so my personal choice would be having AI drivers focused on ADR, High Value and Fragile... while you can exploit Long Distance having your own truck.... that way you can get more money in less time (yes, player jobs are shorter than AI's).. and at the same time, have a good amount of extra money from your drivers