I think it would be great addition to implement ability to attach multiple trailers to a single truck, and if not as vanilla feature, add an implementation for modders.


Implementation:

  • Every next trailer is an inherit child of the previous trailer, it is already possible in game using devtool and custom trailer XML.
  • From XML there should be a way to mark separately a dolly (that allows to attach a semitrailer) and separately a trailer (any regular or semi-trailer). That way we can have exclusive behaviour for dolly part.
  • Optionally: allow each level/region to assign a total amount of trailers a truck can attach.
    • That way you can have for instance American regions to allow 3 trailers total (regulation-wise) and European regions only two trailers total (regulation-wise)
    • Dollies part should not be counted to that amount, however if player has 2 non-dolly trailers, no more dollies should be allowed to attach afterwards.
    • Examples: With a limit of 2 trailers total, player can attach: 
      • trailer -> trailer
      • dolly -> trailer -> trailer (cannot attach another dolly after the second trailer)
      • dolly -> trailer -> dolly -> trailer (cannot attach another dolly after the second trailer)
      • trailer -> dolly -> trailer (cannot attach another dolly after the second trailer)
    • To clearly indicate to the player that no more trailers can be attached, automatically cover the last trailer hitch with tarp model.

image1.png

Accessibility/UI:

  • From Functions Menu, if player already has an attached trailer and the second trailer's hitch is within range of attaching, pressing the Attach Trailer button will prioritize attaching a next trailer in line over detaching already attached trailer.
    • Example 1: Player has attached one trailer and the second trailer is in range, pressing Attach/Detach trailer will attach the second trailer.
    • Example 2: Player has attached one trailer and the second trailer is not in range, pressing Attach/Detach trailer will detach the already attached trailer.
    • Example 3: Player has two attached trailers, to detach both, player has to press Detach Trailer once, move forwards and press Detach Trailer the second time. Opposite is true to attaching multiple trailers.
  • When in Functions Menu, player can use cursor to click on each trailer connection to detach/attach the trailer after that connection.
    • Example 1: Player has two attached trailers, player clicks on the second trailer connection to detach the second trailer, then clicks on the first trailer connection to detach the first trailer from the truck.
    • Example 2: Player has two attached trailers, player clicks on the first trailer connection to detach the first trailer from the truck, leaving the first and the second trailer connecte to each other.
    • Example 3: Player has one trailer attached and the second one is within attaching range, player clicks on the second trailer connection to attach the second trailer.
  • From within the Functions Menu player can attach/detach together any two nearby trailers that are not attached to the player's truck.
    • Example 1: Next to the player's truck there are two trailers connected with each other, from Functions Menu layer can click on their trailer connection to detach them apart, then click again to attach them together.

Issues:

  • Currently if you attempt to do this in-game (using devtools and custom XMLs), the second trailer will behave strangely physics-wise and the rear axle of it will jump from time to time. I suspect this is caused by physics rendering radius around truck, which would need to be extended in that case, which I'm afraid might be an issue for consoles like Nintendo Switch.
  • Balancing issues as it will effectively allow to double or triple cargo capacity, on the other hand it will require much more planning and technical driving, and the feature is too cool to care about balance :p
    Issues: