1. Realism: The behavior of vehicles and pedestrians is as close to reality as possible. We’re working hard to improve AI algorithms to make traffic movement more natural and dynamic. Special attention is given to vehicle behavior at intersections, their reactions to traffic lights, and road signs.
   
2. Interactivity: Traffic responds to the player's actions and other events in the game world. AI-controlled vehicles can adapt to road situations, taking into account the player's actions and those of other road users.
   
3. Dynamism: Road congestion levels change depending on in-game time and other factors, creating diverse driving conditions.

One of the recent changes we added to the game is the effect of time of day on road congestion. This is an important element for a realistic gaming experience, as now you’ll need to choose the most optimal time and routes for your trips.
Mornings in the game are characterized by increased traffic levels. Drivers will need to be extra cautious and patient, maneuvering through the dense flow of vehicles.

• Increased traffic
  
• Some game locations are closed in the early morning hours

Daytime represents the peak period of city activity. Traffic becomes more stable and predictable, allowing for better route planning.

• Standard traffic
  
• Most game locations are open and available for interaction

Evenings bring back higher traffic levels. This creates additional challenges for drivers, requiring more attentive driving.

• Increased traffic
  
• Some locations begin to close

Nighttime is characterized by significantly reduced traffic, offering a chance for more relaxed driving and city exploration.

• Lower traffic
  
• Some night venues open up

To give you a better understanding of the traffic creation process in the game, we’d like to share some technical nuances and game elements:

Major Challenges in Building the Traffic System

Switching to Unreal Engine required us to almost completely rework the traffic system. The mechanics from the CCD simply didn’t function under the new conditions, so our initial task was to recreate the existing logic in a new environment. Additionally, we aim to surpass the traffic system of the CCD by adding many new parameters for vehicle behavior and improving the physical model of the cars. Another challenge is balancing realism and performance. We want the city to feel alive and vibrant, but the game must run smoothly even on mid-range PCs. Therefore, we are developing an optimization system that dynamically adjusts the number and detail of traffic objects based on the player's position and system power.

Implementing AI for Traffic Control

The basic behavior of vehicles is based on a rule system that takes into account road signs, markings, and other infrastructure elements. We’ve also added decision-making algorithms that allow AI vehicles to adapt to different road situations, such as adjusting speed depending on traffic conditions, avoiding collisions, and considering the actions of other road users.

Ensuring Traffic Variety and Behavior

We’ve created a library of vehicles with different characteristics. Each traffic vehicle has its own unique parameters: acceleration, braking, maximum speed, turning radius, and more. The AI considers the vehicle's parameters and changes its behavior on the road, creating a more realistic traffic flow.

Early Access Expectations

We already have functional traffic that can react to road situations and conditions, closely approximating real-world behavior. AI drivers follow traffic rules, stop at lights, give way to cars and pedestrians. Of course, we still have a lot of work ahead to polish the system. It’s one thing when the city lives its calm life, and quite another when an unpredictable player appears on the roads. We’re confident that players will experience the best traffic simulation!

Future Plans for Traffic System Improvements

In the future, we plan to further develop AI traffic. For example, we want to implement a system that remembers the player’s behavior on the road, causing cars to either keep their distance or attempt overtakes depending on how the player drives. We also plan to create a system of probabilistic events—cars may make random mistakes, like sudden braking or delays at green lights, adding more dynamism and unpredictability. We’ll start this once the core work is complete.

While we were writing this article, our tester sent in this video. Well, the development is in full swing—we’re off to fix some bugs!
Dear friends, we’d love to hear your thoughts! What aspects of traffic do you consider most important for a realistic gaming experience? Your feedback will help us make the game even better. We look forward to your ideas in the comments. See you in two weeks!

Here are slightly updated frequently asked questions with answers, new questions with answers, and if you missed it.

Will there be multiplayer?

We understand that many want to see multiplayer, but currently, we don't have the capacity to fully implement and continuously maintain it for every player. Our stance remains the same: we don't rule out that an online mode may be added in the future, but we can't say when exactly.

Is there support for gamepads, steering wheels, and other devices?

Yes. Primarily, the game is being developed with steering wheels in mind, but the keyboard and mouse remain the main input devices for PC, which we cannot forget. We also know that gamepads are a convenient tool for games. Therefore, the main input devices will be supported from the very start. If, by the time the game releases in Early Access, we encounter issues with certain devices, we will provide detailed instructions on which devices work smoothly, which need adjustment, and which are too difficult to integrate with Unreal Engine and will not be supported in the project. Currently, we support the following steering wheels:

• Logitech G27
  
• Logitech G29
  
• Logitech G920
  
• Logitech G923
  
• Thrustmaster TMX
  
• Thrustmaster T300
  
• Moza R5

Will there be different regions and countries in CCD 2.0?

In Early Access, we plan to release only one region: a city in the Mediterranean region, where eternal summer reigns. The city is Porto Valanta. In the future, we plan to expand and add more locations.

Will TrackIR support be available?

At the time of the Early Access release, there will be no TrackIR support. Right now, we don't have the ability to fully implement it, so we cannot promise this feature.

Will VR support be included?

It's similar to TrackIR, but VR has a better chance of being supported because we have previously created a VR mode for the original CCD.

Will there be expanded social interactions with the audience? For example, a Discord server to discuss the game or talk directly with the developers?

Yes, there will be. At the moment, you may have already noticed changes in our social media. We are also preparing a Discord server, and once it's ready to launch, we’ll let everyone know.

Will the emphasis on following traffic rules remain in CCD 2.0, along with the driving exercises?

Yes, we consider traffic rules one of the essential gameplay elements and are working to deepen player interaction with them. This is a core mechanic that shapes the entire game, and we are not planning to remove it under any circumstances.

Will it be possible to adjust traffic density, pedestrian numbers, and weather conditions like in the original CCD?

The traffic will be dynamic, as will the weather.

Is Steam Workshop support planned?

Yes. We want to give players the ability to share their modifications with maximum convenience.

Is it a simulator or a game?

Despite Forward developing City Car Driving 2.0, we are a separate division from the simulator team, and we are creating a game.

What about licensed cars?

We do not have the means to license cars. We strive to make all cars as realistic as possible, closely resembling the originals to the best of our ability. However, there will be no branded, patented objects or other proprietary technologies in CCD 2.0, even after Early Access.

Why is the game being released in Early Access?

We don't have the budget to immediately create a large-scale car simulator. We aim to make a big, ambitious driving simulator that can hold its own in the market, but this requires more funding than we currently have. That’s why we decided to use the Early Access model. The second reason is that we want to gather player feedback and plan the future of the game together.

What DLC plans do you have? How will the game be updated after the Early Access release?

At the moment, none. Before thinking about DLC, we need to release the game in Early Access and then successfully develop it into a full version, realizing all the potential we’ve envisioned for CCD 2.0. As is standard for Early Access games, while the game remains in Early Access, all content updates will be free, as they are part of the game’s core development. Afterward, we’ll consider community feedback when planning further updates.


Games on the UE engine often have problematic physics. Have you addressed this, perhaps with a dedicated physics module?

Absolutely. We have our own settings and enhancements for the vehicle physics engine. Specifically, on the UE side, we have overhauled the Chaos physics engine globally, as Chaos was not well-suited for vehicle simulations. We also integrated physical simulation improvements from other projects within our company for more accurate simulation. Compared to the first CCD, the physics have been completely revamped, affecting both player vehicle simulation and traffic behavior. Traffic vehicles now lean during turns, suspension works during braking and acceleration, and player vehicles have updated physics. Suspension is fully simulated, wheels can slip, axle drift can occur, and realistic simulations are applied for front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive.

The city seems "sterile": road signs look factory-fresh, for example. Will this be addressed?

Not specifically with the signs. This is a deliberate decision: we consider that different players have different hardware, and this can affect graphics quality. There are devices that meet only the minimum system requirements (we'll provide more specifics before the Early Access release), and such elements could reduce the readability of signs during gameplay. As for the city, while we haven’t focused on this in our development logs, the roads already have textures and various small debris. Level art work is ongoing.

What is the target audience? There are games like BeamNG for physics and cars, and Forza for graphics and cars. What is CCD for?

For traffic simulation and a variety of activities.

Will there be a projector for the windshield in the game?

Not at the moment. But thanks for the question about customization elements; when we get to customization, we will definitely remember this.

Will there be hands, feet, and body of the driver, and thus animated gear shifting, etc., in the first-person view?

Not in Early Access. We’ll look at community requests later. This is a somewhat controversial aspect for us.

Will it be possible to drive public transport and create your own routes on the map? And at what stage will this be implemented?
If by public transport you mean buses, then no, this option will not be available. We are not aiming to be a BUS Simulator. However, in some form, there will be opportunities to work as a driver for passengers (such as taxis), and something close to that. When this will be implemented is still uncertain.


It seems that the third-person camera is too harsh. It can be unsettling over bumps...

Don’t worry, this effect can be disabled in the game settings.

Why not include trucks or vans, and loads for them?

As we’ve noted, we want to provide a unique experience for driving passenger cars. While there will be a freight mechanic, at this stage, we do not want to replicate the experiences of other car simulator games.

When will the system requirements be announced?

We will announce them in advance. Work on optimization is still ongoing.

Periodically, you ask about community ideas. What do you plan to do with them?

We compile a list of ideas for the future, noting what players would like to see in the game. The best ideas, or those that fit well with the game, will be implemented in the future. After the Early Access release, we will continue sharing development logs, and in one of them, we will definitely highlight which community ideas made it into the game. Currently, from your ideas, drunk driving will definitely make it into Early Access.

Is your development team mostly from the CIS region?

Yes, the entire team consists of residents of the CIS.

What about the soundtrack and radio?
At a minimum, we need to replicate the functionality of the original City Car Driving. Therefore, the game will definitely have a soundtrack, and there will be an option to connect streaming services (for example, a 24-hour radio station) to listen to real radio in the game. As for tracks for in-game radio, we will try to prepare music.
Will there be an option to disable the HUD?

Yes, it will be possible to disable the HUD entirely if desired. This does not include UI mechanics related to car wash, service stations, or gas stations. We felt that putting all the game functionality on the phone would be inconvenient for the player.

Can NPCs be more lifelike? They seem like something out of GTA Vice City.

We are showing the processes of implementing and developing pedestrians in the logs. We will definitely try to make them more lively.

You occasionally get feedback about the game being too bright. Have you tried using more pastel tones?

We’ve tried. It doesn’t work well with the setting. The magic and atmosphere of the location can be lost. In any case, you might notice changes in the game’s colors in each development log, as balancing realism and stylization is one of our key areas in graphics and atmosphere.

Will there be railways and trains in the game?

No, there definitely won’t be in the first version of Early Access. We are considering preparing an alternative for future updates, but we can’t say more at this time.

Will there be a closed beta test?

Yes, we will announce the recruitment of players in advance.

What about taxis? What’s the final decision?

At Early Access release, taxis will not be available. We focused our efforts on refining other mechanics and postponed working on taxis for the future. Moreover, we understand that there are existing taxi driver games on the market, and we want to offer car enthusiasts a slightly different experience.

Will we be able to get out of the car and walk around the city?

We view this mechanic as ambiguous, and it will depend on community feedback as the game develops in Early Access.

Will CCD 2.0 feature vehicle damage simulation, where vehicles lose functionality?

In the first version of Early Access, this will be implemented in a simplified manner and without visual damage. However, we plan for the first major updates to address vehicle damage and customization aspects.

Are systems for fatigue, hunger, etc., planned?

This is one of the changes in perception and direction of the game. We still believe that adding these features might complicate things and be somewhat excessive for a living person, so we aim to create a comfortable balance. At a minimum, we have added fatigue mechanics, along with drunk driving, and will observe community reception of these mechanics. We understand that in other driving simulators, fatigue is often turned off. We’ll look at the feedback.
How many people are on the team?

18 people.

Will it be possible to create and add custom cars in City Car Driving 2.0?

Yes. The process will be similar to the original City Car Driving.

Why is this a new product and not an extension of the original City Car Driving?

We changed the engine, altered the gameplay, and introduced new mechanics, so Car Driving 2.0 is not just a “major update” – it’s a new game.

Will it be possible to create and add custom maps in City Car Driving 2.0?

We would love to provide this feature, especially considering the desire of our users to create their own maps. However, in Early Access, a map editor should not be expected.

Will cars from the original CCD be in 2.0?

No, we want to maintain the uniqueness of the products and will not mix vehicles. CCD 2.0 will feature only new cars.

Will the sounds be the same as in the original CCD, or changed?

With the transition to UE, the sounds in the game will be changed.

What will happen to the original CCD?

It will remain with the players in its current form; we are not replacing or taking the game away from people. We do not rule out the possibility of small updates for the original City Car Driving, but right now all efforts are focused on developing City Car Driving 2.0.

Will motorcycles be introduced in CCD 2.0?

Definitely not in Early Access.

Will trailers be available in CCD2?

Trailers will not be in Early Access, but we plan to add them after the game’s release.

Will there be a voiced navigator?

We understand that this is an important and interesting detail in gameplay, but it will not be available in Early Access.

Will there be additional sections for traffic lights?

Yes, they are already present in CCD 2.0.

Will there be construction work on the roads?

Yes, but we’re not ready to share the details yet.

Will there be a demo version of the game?

Most likely, no.

Why are the streets so clean and perfect?

Cracks, trash, dirt, etc., are final touches in level art. Currently, the focus is on more significant aspects of development.

Will there be economy and sport modes in cars?

No, in early access on the cars that we are preparing for CCD 2.0, these driving modes will not be available.

Will there be electric cars available for the game?

In early access, we focus on standard, still familiar cars, and there will be no electric car in early access. However, we do not exclude the addition of increasingly popular transport in the future, especially given the trend towards the popularization of electric cars.

Are you planning a console release, not just PC?

At the moment, no, but if City Car Driving 2.0 becomes a popular car simulator, then of course I would like to get it on these devices.

What's the situation with cloud gaming?

And this is also currently not the case. That is one of the reasons why we are trying to optimize the game for older and weaker computer configurations.

Will there be microtransactions?

ПThe first question where our "no" will sound like something good. No, microtransactions are not planned and will not be present in CCD 2.0

Will there be an expansion of dangerous situations? If so, what kind?

An expansion of dangerous situations is planned, but in what form - we will not yet announce. We do not want to disappoint if this does not make it into Early Access.

Will there be biofuel??
No, it won't be in early access. Same thing with electric cars.

Will there be different types of gasoline (92, 95, 98)?

Yes, it was one of the earliest features we implemented into the game.

Will prices differ at different gas stations? Will prices change at gas stations depending on the time?

If the game designer doesn't forget to set the parameters :)

What engine is the game created on?

Unreal Engine 5

How are things with customization?

In early access, as well as the damage system, it will not be there. However, we understand what this means for car enthusiasts, and later, we will certainly add it.

If you continue adding cars to the game, how do you like the idea of ​​having a vote for the "community" option?

We will be expanding the car park and this is a great idea. As soon as we go into Early Access, we will definitely start holding similar events and surveys.

Will there be an intercity highway?

Throughout Early Access, we are developing and creating only one city. Then, we will take on the location, so-called, "by community requests." So, despite how cool this idea is, we cannot promise that we will take on an intercity highway. (However, the suburban highway will already be in Early Access!)

Will trucks and buses be playable?

No, they definitely won't be in early access. Perhaps in the future, we will expand the vehicle fleet.

Will there be an initial test to obtain a driver's license?

Yes, of course. As we have explained in previous diaries, without obtaining a license to operate, you will not be able to engage in some gaming activities.

What about a full-fledged system of fines?

Of course, there will be fines that you will need to pay, because there will be an economy in the game. We could not leave CCD 2.0 without fines - this is a key feature of the game.

Will drifting be possible in the game due to the changes in physics?

We do not encourage unsafe driving in any way, and we do not advise you to do so. (Yes, it will be possible, how else, in a game about cars? :) In the first version of Early Access, rear-wheel drive player cars are not planned, but we will add them in the first major patch.

Will there be a police implementation?

Possibly. We haven't looked that far ahead. If we decide to do this, it will definitely be before the game is fully released, but not in the first major patches. Development diaries are published every two weeks. Don't miss out!