Line #36 VideoGame/HardTruckApocalypse


1	[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hard_truck_aka_ex_machina.jpg]]
2	In an unspecified time in human history, [[ApocalypseHow a catastrophic crash]] destroyed much of the Earth. The crash of an unidentified object condemned the planet's atmosphere to become poisonous forever, killing off those who inhaled it. Species began to die out (save for plants, which continued to thrive on), until someone invented special masks which would allow humans to breathe again. Ever since then, humanity continued to live on. The masks, due to their rather eerie plain looks, are mostly identical to each other. This led to humanity being much more united. They still formed separate clans though, with them making a living via primitive ways such as farming, trading, manufacturing, repairing old scraps, etc. Perhaps the most desired job is being a trucker, as you get to travel the world, meet new people, hang out in new towns to trade and take jobs. However, this new lifestyle never changed the fact that HumansAreBastards, and many still choose to make a living by killing and stealing or [[ForTheEvulz wrecking havoc in the name of fun]].
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4	[[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture 13 August 2234]], its your birthday today. Your (foster) father, Peter, thinks that you're old enough to be a trucker. He gives you his truck as a birthday present and sets you off on your first adventure alone into the dangerous world, which is just a short trip to a neighbouring town and back. However, your birthday couldn't be any more bleak, [[DownerBeginning as upon your return you find your hometown razed to the ground and Peter dying from his injuries]]. In his last moments, Peter reminds you that you're just an adopted son and that your biological father, famous explorer, close friend, inventor of the masks and [[MessianicArchetype somewhat messianic figure]] Ivan Go, might still be alive. He tells you to meet up with one of Ivan's close associates, [[CoolOldGuy Ben Throttle]], who may be able to help you find your long lost father. You also develop a [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge thirst for revenge]] and desire to get back on whoever was responsible for the destruction of your hometown and the death of Peter. From here on, you set off on a long journey to avenge Peter, find your biological father, discover your true self and ultimately the truth behind the calamity that has since turned the Earth into a DeathWorld.
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6	''Hard Truck Apocalypse'' (also known as ''Ex Machina'' in Russia) is a unique blend of metal-crunching VehicularCombat and story-driven RolePlayingGame developed by Targem Games (who later made the ''VideoGame/{{Carmageddon}}''-esque ''Armageddon Riders'' / ''Clutch'' and the sequel to the Codemasters classic ''1nsane'') and published by Buka Entertainment, released in Russia on 8 December 2005. The game plays like your standard RPG: the player travels around from town to town while gaining coins from jobs and selling items which can be used to by upgrades and groceries and regularly encounter monsters (or in this case, bandits in [[WeaponizedCar weaponized cars]]). The game was a huge hit in Russia, being awarded "Best Game Design" by the Russian Game Developers Conference and some others by the press. It was exported to North America on 19 June 2006, though the reception was entirely the opposite, with big name gaming sites like Gamespot and IGN giving it bad ratings due to unimaginative missions, awkward controls, bad voice acting and repetition.
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8	Nevertheless, a standalone expansion ''Rise of Clans'' (''Meridian 113'') was made. This time, it shifted the focus from a young boy in search of his father in post-apocalyptic Europe to a lone vagrant in the dystopian wastelands of North America who is on a quest to find the mythical city of Edmonton. Probably due to ''Hard Truck Apocalypse'''s unsuccessful outing in America, this expansion was a case of NoExportForYou until the game's UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} release in 2014.
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11	!!This game provides examples of:
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13	* AscendedExtra: A number of "{{Mook}}" vehicles in the first game are made drivable in ''Rise of Clans''. Your character even starts with a Scout, a buggy mainly used by enemies and [[{{NPC}} NPCs]], instead of the Van.
14	* AfterTheEnd
15	* AlmightyJanitor: You are a farm boy who goes on a miles long journey through many countries, dealing with and solving many problems while taking out bandits and other villains along the way, and ultimately [[spoiler:(with the help of aliens) put an end to the contamination, bringing hope back to the people of Earth once more]].
16	* ApocalypseHow: Class 5. The aftermath is a Class 3; the poisoned atmosphere killed off all life except plants and humans who wore masks.
17	* ArmorPiercingAttack: Piercing weapons (e.g [[MoreDakka machineguns]]) can rapidly wear down cabin and body armor, increasingly able to hit the chassis directly as they grow weaker. Energy weapons (e.g [[EnergyWeapon lasers]]) on the other hand, directly hit the chassis, [[NoSell completely ignoring cabin and body armor]]. They can OneHitKill enemies that will otherwise take ages to destroy using other weapon types.
18	* ArtificialStupidity: The only way enemies attack is by driving straight at you while firing all their weapons. They'll even try to climb up steep slopes in order to get you. They will however lock you into a circle when they get close enough.
19	** A rather jarring case of stupidity is how enemies will use long ranged missiles in ''close quarters''. You can simply lock them into a circle and fire away while they desperately try to lock on you and fail to hit you every time (unless they are dangerously close to you).
20	* {{BFG}}: The more powerful weapons tend to be gigantic, often mounted on top of truck bodies.
21	* BigBadassRig: The entire point of the game.
22	* BodyArmorAsHitpoints: Averted. The cabin and body armor protects your truck's chassis. The weaker they get (from taking enemy fire), the more likely enemy projectiles can directly hit the chassis.
23	* BottomlessMagazines; Most if not all weapons (even the [[GameBreaker gamebreaking ones]]) have unlimited ammo, but have to occasionally reload.
24	** As mentioned below, weapons such as missile launchers require ammo. These are sold separately unfortunately.
25	* CriticalHit: Introduced in ''Rise of Clans'' thanks to the game's refined engine. Parts of vehicles can be shot individually, with the parts that warrant a critical hit being the fuel tanks, the ammo racks and the windshield. Destroying the former two will cause it [[EveryCarIsAPinto explode catastrophically]], while shooting the latter may instead kill the driver, leaving the vehicle completely intact for looting.
26	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Vagrant is only referred to as such. It even seems that he has adopted the word as his name or is indeed named Vagrant.
27	* FragileSpeedster: Among the five drivable trucks, the Lorry has the least amount of armor but is still pretty fast. [[{{Mook}} Mooks]] tend to use buggies which are fast and pretty deadly early in the game, [[OneHitpointWonder but will easily succumb]] to the more powerful late game weapons.
28	* {{Foreshadowing}}: When you first arrive in Sowth, you will see a Bulldozer tending the crops. You won't see this vehicle anywhere else until in [[{{Qurac}} Vahat]], the second to last country you visit, where they appear as [[EliteMook Elite Mooks]].
29	* GiantMook: Urals serve as this in the middle of the game. Cruisers and Belazs later take this role late in the game (they're only found in Vahat). The aforementioned Urals will appear everywhere else, but [[EliteMook upgraded]].
30	* HatePlague: Turns out that the people of Vahat aren't [[CrazySurvivalist paranoid about bandits]], their violent mood swings are caused from [[spoiler: the radiation coming from the crashed UFO in nearby Zarmeck]].
31	* JackOfAllStats: The Ural is fast, tough, affordable and has the most diverse collection of cabins and bodies which offer multiple weapon hardpoints and large carrying capacity respectively.
32	* LightningBruiser: The Peacemaker, the last truck you can buy very late into the game, has high armor ''and'' speed. With the right cabin and body combination, this behemoth can have StoneWall armor, absurdly high speed and a lot of weapons mounted. It does have three major downsides: It has absolutely terrible fuel economy (it has a small fuel tank and drinks through it very quickly), small carrying capacity and limited slots for truck/weapon improvements (the Phantom cabin for example has four slots for weapon improvements, but none for truck improvements).
33	* MacrossMissileMassacre: With the right cabins and bodies, you can outfit your truck with '''lots''' of missile launchers. They can then be grouped together, allowing you to fire them off ''all at once''. Of course the fun ends when you [[OhCrap run out of ammo]], leaving you either unarmed or reduced to using a pea shooter...
34	** The Hail is the best way to achieve MMMs. This vertical missile launcher doesn't need targeting. Instead, it fires three pairs of missiles at any surrounding targets in rapid succession. Combined with truck improvements that increases reloading and firing rate of explosive weapons, whole packs of enemies can be quickly reduced to burnt out chassis in a dazzling display of missiles shooting up and crashing into them in a 360 degree radius.
35	* PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo: The player character from the previous game appears in ''Rise of Clans'' as the Oracle's emissary and controller of the robots. And is apparently in cahoots with [[spoiler: Sam, whom you thought was dead, sort of]]. Oh and he makes his appearance as a boss, [[spoiler: piloting the same gunship that tried to kill you earlier (and to some extend, the same gunship the Oracle used to kill him in the previous game)]]. And he's no pushover.
36	* ProductPlacement: Ural and Belaz. Both of these are names of real life truck manufacturers. They are also loosely based on a truck model from each manufacturer.
37	* SniperRifle: Sniper ''cannon'' to be exact. Cannons are the de-facto sniper rifle, having long range and are very accurate. Good for taking out enemy barricades.
38	* StuffBlowingUp: Explosive weapons ([[{{BFG}} cannons]], [[DeathFromAbove mortars]], [[MacrossMissileMassacre multiple missile launchers]], [[LandMine mines]]) are easily the most hard hitting of the three weapon types, specializing in area damage. Most of them have very slow reload and in the case of missiles, mines and certain mortar variants, are ammo dependent.
39	* WakeUpCallBoss: [[BossInMooksClothing While not a boss per se]], a Ural will ambush you at a junction leading to Seth in Sacred Forest. Be sure to get your own Ural (or a Belaz if you've got the money) before going there.
40	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler: Sam]] has you killed after he has found a better way to get the Ancient's superweapon. Before that, you and Sam were working together to find it.

Context VideoGame / HardTruckApocalypse