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Pre-Installation Instructions

ETS2 - "Route of the Wolves" Mods Collection

Table of Contents

1. 💾 Storage Requirements:

The complete mod collection consists of two main components that work together:

📦 NO-MAPS Mods: Following our mods installation list

SourceSpace NeededDetails
Steam Workshop 🔌~40 GBAuto-downloads and updates
Manually Downloaded 📥~20 GBFrom other sources
Subtotal60 GB 

🗺️ MAP COMBO Mods (The GMC Community): Depending of the map combo selected

CollectionSpace Needed
International Classic 🌍~50 GB
International Extra 🚛~60 GB
Subtotal60 GB

Total Space Required:

NO-MAPS + MAP COMBO~120 GB
Recommended Free Space ⭐150 GB

The extra 30 GB provides room for future updates, additional mods, and ensures smooth performance.

⚡ Hard Drive Recommendations:

For the best experience, where you store your files matters significantly. Here’s what we recommend:

✅ Strongly Recommended – Install the following on an Solid State Drives (SSD):
ComponentWhy It Matters
Euro Truck Simulator 2 game files 🎮Faster loading times, fewer stutters while driving
Steam Workshop folder 🔄Automatic mod downloads need quick access
Windows Documents Folder 📁Contains Euro Truck Simulator 2/mod – critical for mod loading

What’s an SSD? Think of it as a lightning-fast, no-moving-parts drive. Unlike old mechanical hard drives (HDDs) that spin like a CD player, SSDs access data instantly. If your computer feels snappy and boots in seconds, you’re likely already using one!

🐢 Optional – Mechanical Hard Drives (HDD). You can use a traditional hard drive for:
ComponentInstructions
Downloaded ZIP archives 📦Store the original downloaded files here as backup
Mod archives 💿Keep the ZIP files on your HDD, then extract to SSD

Process: Download to HDD → Unzip → Move the .scs files to Documents/Euro Truck Simulator 2/mod on your SSD

2. 📂 Manual Downloads Folder Creation

Create a dedicated folder on your drive of choice, name it “ETS2 Mods Downloads”, inside create another named “ETS2 Maps”, so you will keep separated “Regular” mods and “Maps” Add-on mods, that will prove very useful during updating process:

Minimum Space120 GB
Recommended ⭐150 GB

This folder will hold all your manually downloaded mod archives as backup. Once extracted, the actual mod files go to your SSD.

3. 🎯 Quick Checklist

Do you have 150 GB free on your SSD/primary drive?

  • Is ETS2 installed on an SSD?

  • Is your Windows Documents folder on an SSD?

  • Do you have a backup folder on any drive with 150 GB space?

3.1💡 Pro Tip
  • If you’re low on SSD space, you can install ETS2 on a smaller SSD and keep the Downloads folder on a larger HDD. Just remember: the active mods (the .scs files) must live in Documents/Euro Truck Simulator 2/mod which should be on your fastest drive!

4. 🎮 Two Ways to Modding ETS2

The game has two primary ways to manage where your mods are installed and stored. Think of them as two different garages for your truck add-ons.

🛠️ Path 1: The Steam Workshop

This is the easiest and most popular method. The Steam Workshop is like an online store for mods that’s built directly into Steam.

  • How it Works: You browse the ETS2 Workshop, find a mod you like and hit the Subscribe button. That’s it! Steam automatically downloads the mod and places it in a special folder on your computer.

  • The “Auto-Updates” Perk: The best part? Whenever the mod creator releases an update (to fix a bug or make it compatible with a new game version), Steam updates your copy automatically. You don’t have to lift a finger!

📦 Path 2: Manual Download

Sometimes, the best mods aren’t on the Workshop. Massive map mods like ProMods, weather mods or AI Traffic Mods mods from sites like TruckyMods are often downloaded manually as ZIP files.

  • How it Works: You download a .zip or .scs file from a website. You then need to place this file yourself into Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod folder.

  • The Manual Update Responsibility: Because you installed it yourself, you are also responsible for updating it. You’ll need to visit the website again, download the new version, and replace the old file. Always keep an eye on our guide, on the mod’s website or forums for updates!

5. 🔎 Finding Your Mods:

📁 Case 1: Finding Steam Workshop Mods

This is where things get a little tricky because Steam doesn’t use the mod’s name for the folder. Instead, it uses numbers.

  1. The Main Folder: All Workshop content for all your games lives in one place. Navigate to your main Steam installation folder. It’s often in one of these two places:

    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\

    • C:\Steam\ (or another drive where you installed Steam)

  2. Follow the Path: From your main Steam folder, follow this path:
    steamapps\workshop\content\

  3. Find ETS2’s Universal ID: Inside content, you’ll see folders named with numbers. Each number is a unique ID for a different game. The magic number for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is 227300 . This folder number is the same for every single ETS2 player in the world.

    • Full path: ...\steamapps\workshop\content\227300\

  4. Cracking the Code – Identifying Individual Mods: Open the 227300 folder. Inside, you’ll see more folders with numbers. Each of these numbers is the unique ID for a specific mod you have subscribed to .

    • How to find a mod’s ID: Go to the mod’s page on the Steam Workshop website. Look at the URL in your web browser’s address bar. The number at the very end is its ID.

    • Example: the popular mod Sound Fixes Pack v26.42 – ETS2 can be found in Steam Workshop, at the URL https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=648591060, the Mod ID is 648591060.

So, if you wanted to find the files for that specific mod on your computer, you would look in: ...\steamapps\workshop\content\227300\648591060\ .

📁 Case 2: Finding Manually Installed Mods

This case is much simpler. Manually downloaded mods go in a folder that’s much easier to find and remember.

  1. Go to Your Documents: Open your Windows File Explorer and go to your “Documents” folder.

  2. Find the ETS2 Folder: Look for the folder named Euro Truck Simulator 2 .

  3. The ‘mod’ Folder: Inside the Euro Truck Simulator 2 folder, you will see (or may need to create) a folder called mod .

  4. Your Mods Are Here: This is the place! Any .scs file or unzipped mod folder you place here will be detected by the game.

    • Full path: x:\Users\[Your Windows Username]\Documents\Euro Truck Simulator 2\mod\

Remember: your manually downloaded mods will be at x:\ETS2 Downloads in the case of NON map mods, and in the x:\ETS2 Downloads\ETS2 Maps in the case of Maps mods. 

6. In-Game Profiles: Safeguard your Progress

Why Use Profiles?

Profiles allow you to switch between different game setups quickly. This is especially useful for testing mods, troubleshooting issues, or simply enjoying a vanilla experience without losing your modded progress.

Recommended Profiles

Create the following profiles to organize your gameplay:

Profile NameDescription
Takoda Full ListIncludes all mods (both non-map and map mods) from The Route of the Wolves guide.
VanillaNo mods activated—pure ETS2 experience.
ONLY Non-Map Mods(Optional) Only non-map mods from the guide, for testing compatibility.
GMC ONLY Map Mods(Optional) Only map mods from the GMC Community Map Combo, for testing map-specific issues.

 

How to Create a New Profile

  1. Start the Game: Launch Euro Truck Simulator 2.
  2. Access Career Menu: From the main menu, select Change Career.
  3. Create a New Profile: Click the + button, then select New Career.
  4. Name Your Profile: Enter one of the recommended profile names (e.g., Takoda Full List).
  5. Disable Steam Cloud: Uncheck Steam Cloud Synchronization to avoid potential save file corruption or loss.
  6. Connect to World of Trucks: Log in to World of Trucks if desired.
  7. Start Playing: Your new profile is ready!

 

Important Notes

  • Backup Your Saves: Regularly back up your profile saves manually. Store copies in a separate folder (e.g., ETS2 Backups) to restore them if needed.
  • Steam Cloud Risks: Avoid using Steam Cloud for profiles with mods. There have been reports of saves being corrupted or lost when syncing modded profiles.
  • Testing Profiles: Use the ONLY Non-Map Mods and GMC ONLY Map Mods profiles to isolate issues. If a problem occurs, you can quickly identify whether it’s related to non-map mods, map mods, or conflicts between them.

 

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Profile Switching: If the game crashes or behaves unexpectedly, switch to the Vanilla profile to check if the issue persists.
  • Mod Conflicts: If a mod causes issues, disable it in the problematic profile and test again.
  • Backup Before Updates: Always back up your profiles before updating mods or the game itself.

 

Profiles are a powerful tool for managing your ETS2 experience. Whether you’re testing mods, troubleshooting, or just want a clean slate, creating separate profiles keeps your gameplay organized and safe.

7. ⚖️ In-Game Mod Manager: Spot the Difference

When you launch ETS2 and go to the Mod Manager, you’ll see all your mods from both installation methods listed together. But you can easily tell them apart:

Mod TypeIcon in Mod ManagerUpdate Method
Steam WorkshopA small Steam logo appears next to the mod name.Automatic (handled by Steam).
Manual InstallNo Steam logo.Manual (you must download and replace files yourself).

You can place them in your load order (activating them) in the same way, regardless of the source.

And there you have it, folks! You now know the ins and outs of mod storage for Euro Truck Simulator 2. Happy trucking, and may your load order always be stable! 🚛💨

8. Applications to use in the guide:

  1. 7zip: https://www.7-zip.org/
  2. scs_packer.exe: https://modding.scssoft.com/wiki/Documentation/Tools/Game_Archive_Packer
  3. Windows PowerShell: included in Windows 10/11
  4. Notepad++: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/
  5. Batch tool: visit Appendix 1: Mod Tool – Unpack/Edit/Pack SCS Files Easily to read about and download it.

9: Hardware Performance Specifications:

To give you an idea, with the hardware specifications below, my computer runs ETS2 with In Game Settings at max quality. The average FPS is 240 fps with full list load (The Route of the Wolves + GMC Community Classic Combo Maps).

Processor

AMD Ryzen 5 5500 3.60 GHz

RAM

DDR4 32 GB (4x8GB) Dual Channel

GPU

AMD RX 5700XT 8GB

OS Drive (Windows 11 Pro)

NVMe M.2 Kingston A2000 500 GB

ETS2 Drive (Steam Folder and System Documents Folder)

NVMe M.2 PCIe WD Blue SN580 1TB

Mods Downloaded Manually Folder

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB (mechanical)

10. Game Loading times with the above System Specifications:

The loading times measured here represent the seconds it takes from the ETS2 Main Menu till the In-Game Profile virtual garage. The save in each profile are rather new with a few deliveries done on each.

Be aware that aside your hardware and system configuration, times can also vary depending on mods added later on, how long have you been playing the game in the profile, etc. This is only a reference.

Vanilla (No mods)

Guide Collection ONLY NON map mods (without GMC Map Combo)

GMC Community International Classic Combo Only (no NON maps mods)

Full Guide: The Route of the Wolves + GMC Community Map Combo

~12 seconds

~65 seconds

~80 seconds

~160 seconds (roughly below 3 minutes)

11. ETS2 Expansions and DLC requirements:

Required Maps expansions for Maps Mods to work properly and also for some of the NON Map Mods.

Recommended Cargo Packs DLCs

Optional Cargo and Trailers

Greece, West Balkans, Iberia, Road to the Black Sea, Beyond the Baltic Sea, Italia, Vive la France!, Scandinavia, Going East!, Nordic Horizons.

Special Transport, Heavy Cargo Pack, High Power Cargo Pack

Farm Machinery Cargo, Krone Trailer Pack, TIRSAN Trailer Pack

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