Euro Truck Simulator 2 video: setup, mods and recording

Creating a high-quality Euro Truck Simulator 2 video begins with correctly setting the rendering parameters in the configuration file, where the user must manually enter values for anti-aliasing and texture detailing. Many virtual highway drivers mistakenly believe that standard settings are sufficient for recording, but the engine Prism3D requires fine calibration to eliminate motion blur. Ignoring these technical nuances leads to the appearance of artifacts and a drop in FPS during heavy traffic, which makes the resulting material unsuitable for publication on platforms like YouTube.

To achieve a cinematic picture, you need to activate the mode Depth of Field and adjust the focal length, which is especially important when shooting static scenes in parking lots. Professional content creators also recommend turning off Vsync while recording if your monitor supports a high refresh rate to avoid micro-stuttering. Only an integrated approach to technical aspects allows us to obtain a clean and smooth image that will be highly appreciated by viewers of simulators.

Optimal graphics settings for recording gameplay

The basic requirement for recording gameplay is a stable frame stream, which should not fall below 60 FPS even in large cities with dense traffic. To do this, in the graphics settings menu, you should limit the number of reflected surfaces and reduce the detail of shadows, since these are the parameters that load the video processor the most. Usage SSAO (ambient light occlusion) adds realism, but requires significant resources, so its inclusion is justified only on powerful systems.

Special attention should be paid to the adjustment of rear-view mirrors, which often become a bottleneck during rendering. Reducing the resolution of reflections in the side mirrors to 1024 or 2048 pixels has virtually no effect on visual perception in compressed video, but provides a noticeable performance increase. This allows you to reserve computing power for processing high resolution textures, which are critical for detailing the cargo and cabin interior.

⚠️ Attention: Enabling the function Motion Blur (motion blur) when recording video at low bitrates can result in digital noise and “squares” appearing in the image.

It is also important to set the field of view (FOV) correctly to avoid the fisheye effect that often occurs when using wide-angle lenses in a virtual camera. The optimal value for a standard monitor is considered to be a range from 55 to 65 degrees, which ensures a natural perception of space. It is better to conduct experiments with this parameter on straight sections of the route, where it is easier to notice distortions in the road geometry.

Installing and using camera mods

The standard set of cameras in the game is limited to several angles, which is often not enough to create dynamic video content. The modding community has developed many add-ons such as Jazzycat's Camera Mod or Real Camera, which add dozens of new shooting points. Installing such mods usually does not require complex manipulations and comes down to copying files to a folder mod inside the documents directory.

🚛 Interior Cam: Allows you to inspect the cabin in detail, switching between the dashboard, berth and glove compartment.
🌉 Drone View: A free camera that simulates drone flight is ideal for capturing panoramic views of bridges and serpentines.
🎥 Cinematic Shake: Adds realistic body shaking depending on speed and road surface conditions.
🔄 Smooth Follow: Removes sharp camera jerks when turning the steering wheel, making the picture smoother.

Activation of mods occurs through the “Mod Manager” menu in the player’s profile, where you need to drag the desired file into the active list and confirm the changes by rebooting. Some advanced mods require file editing config.cfg to unlock hidden features such as real-time focal length changes. Before installing new addons, always check version compatibility, as game updates often break the functionality of third-party addons.

Free Camera Secrets

To activate a completely free camera without mods, use console commands. Press the tilde (~) key and enter: g_set_free_cam 1. To return to the cockpit: g_set_free_cam 0.

Video Capture Software

The choice of screen recording tool directly affects the quality of the final material and the load on the system. The most popular solution remains OBS Studio, which provides flexible encoding settings via NVENC or x264. For owners of NVIDIA video cards, the built-in GeForce Experience overlay is also relevant, allowing you to start recording at any time without setting up complex scenes.

The key parameter when setting up the codec is the bitrate, which for Full HD video should be at least 15,000 - 20,000 kbps. Lower values will result in compression artifacts, especially noticeable on rapidly changing textures of asphalt and tree foliage. Using the container format MKV instead of MP4, it guarantees that the recording will be saved even if the game suddenly crashes or there is a power outage.

Don’t forget about sound capture, which in simulators plays no less a role than the picture. It is recommended to separate audio streams: record engine and ambient sounds separately from system sounds and music. This will allow you to balance the volume of the engine and radio station during installation, creating a more professional sound.

Creating cinematic videos

To shoot full-fledged trailers or music videos inside the game, it is not enough to simply enable screen recording. You must use the photographer mode, available through console commands or special mods that allow you to control the time of day, weather and sun position. Team g_set_weather allows you to instantly change weather conditions, creating dramatic scenes with rain or thick fog.

Parameter	Command/Action	Effect
Time	`g_set_time 20 00`	Sets the time to 20:00 (sunset)
weather	`g_set_weather 5`	Rain with thunderstorm
Traffic	`g_traffic 0`	Shuts down all traffic on the road
Fuel	`g_set_fuel 100`	Full tank for long trips

Route planning also plays an important role: for the video, it is better to choose scenic roads of Norway or Alpine passes, avoiding the monotonous straight sections of the German autobahn. Using map mods such as ProMods or RusMap, significantly expands the geography of filming, providing access to unique locations. Don’t be afraid to stop at special locations to adjust the light and choose the best angle for static shots.

⚠️ Attention: When using map mods, make sure that all participants in convoy mode (if you are recording a joint trip) have the same file versions, otherwise desynchronization may occur.

Installation and post-processing of material

After capturing the raw material, the editing stage begins, where the raw video is turned into a finished product. Even simple stitching together of episodes requires adherence to the rhythm and logic of the narrative in order to hold the viewer’s attention. Programs like DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere Pro allow you to adjust colors, add transitions and apply sound effects.

Particular attention should be paid to color correction, as the original picture from the game may look faded or too contrasty. Adding subtle grain and adjustment layers with curves helps give the video a cinematic look, bringing it closer to real trucker documentary footage. It is also useful to add subtitles with city names or cargo information, which improves navigation through the video.

🎬 Color Grading: Adjust color balance to create a consistent video style.
🔊 Audio Mixing: Balancing engine, wind and music sounds.
✂️ Cutting: Eliminate boring moments and long delays at traffic lights.
📝 Text Overlay: Adding titles and information blocks.

💡

Save your editing project in a proxy-compatible format if your computer is slow to process 4K video. This will speed up work in the editor.