Storyline solution - Part 1 Rig'n'Roll Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Bolded, blue text - game's characters
Bolded, green text - locations related to missions
Bolded, orange text - missions' names
Bolded, black text - time limits to complete particular missions
The game opens with an intro that introduces to you Matt Tierson (guy in a red, baseball cap on my picture). Your main character's name is Nick Armstrong (dude in between the display frame). You're the owner of Nick Trucking Transportation Company now, which has the main office in Oxnard.
Matthew will introduce to you company slob named Crane and also your secretary - Pamela. He will also give you some basic advices how to play, where you can find the nearest repair shops and other locations, what is their purpose, etc., and show you the main computer installed in Oxnard's office. And then he will disappear... Your task will be to find him, to solve that storyline's mystery that hides behind Matt's disappearance.
In the journal of your handheld organizer book (F3 function key) you can read about events you have participated in. First entry in this journal applies to the cutscenes you've just watched.
Shortly after starting a proper game Crane should contact with you asking for help - he wants to borrow a lug wrench from you. Of course Nick accepts Crane's request, besides fat man already took a wrench form the garage. Remember that you should press the Enter key, if you want to answer on messages incoming over the CB-radio, and if you have problems with following the chat you can also pause game with P key - this enlarges chat window and shows you the whole chat history with current interlocutor.
After some long time of free gameplay Matt will call you over the CB-radio asking for help (well, looks like he didn't disappear yet...). He wants you to pick up his friend, a girl named Dorothy O'Leary from "60 miles" bar located on the truck stop at the southern exit from Oxnard. This mission is called "Save Dorothy". Dorothy is in troubles - she's being chased by a couple of thugs. Don't reject this request and press Y key (say "yes", in other words), when you see a question, if you want to help, in the dialogue. Thought you should remember that after accepting this request other (current) tasks will be canceled.
You can also check where you should go exactly to pick up Dorothy, by looking at your handheld organizer book - just click these 3 dots (lower dots) in current task's details window. This location is also marked (though not so precisely) with an arrow on your mini-map. You have approx. 5 minutes to get to the place.
After getting to the truck stop in Oxnard you'll see a truck parking near the bar - this truck belongs to the bad guys chasing Dorothy. Before you stop your vehicle and enter (by pressing the Enter key - btw, you must slow down in order to get in anywhere, or to pick up a hitchhiker!) "60 miles" bar, you can try to reduce thugs' chances for effective pursuit after picking up Dorothy. With this end in view you can try to damage thugs' truck by hitting it with your vehicle, if you have a couple of minutes (at least) left to pick up a girl. There's a repair shop nearby, so after such an action you will be able to repair your truck. But there is also other and even better method of taking an advantage over the thugs later, when they start to pursue both of you (Nick and Dorothy). And this method boils down to buying earlier in one of these repair shops the NITRO installation. And eventually a double capacity tank, as NITRO eat up fuel very quickly after turning this thing on. So don't forget to refuel your truck at gas station, also located nearby, if you already have NITRO booster. Parking cam can also come in handy - with its help you'll be able to observe a situation behind your truck and simultaneously safely drive your vehicle away.
When Nick tries to enter the "60 miles" bar, Dorothy storms out then, yelling for help. After hoping in Nick's truck (thugs hop in theirs) the pursuit starts with the effective cutscene. Though if you're late (and you didn't manage to be in time) you'll be killed by these thugs right in front of the bar's entrance - this ends the game! Similarly, if you've allowed them later, during the chase (when you were on time at bar), to get to close to your truck, your vehicle explodes - this is the end of game too!
Though, if you've installed the NITRO boost in your vehicle earlier, and you use it now intensively, then you shouldn't have bigger problems escaping these thugs.
After a while the pursuit is over, Dorothy introduces herself to Nick, thanking him for saving her life, and then she takes wing.
After some time Crane again contacts Nick using the CB-radio. Fat man is wondering what happened to Matt - Matthew isn't answering his phone calls and he wasn't in the office for a long time. Nick promises to get in touch with missing Matt.
Later a detective Mark Metzger from Oxnard Police Department wants to see Nick in his office - it's important. You've got 1 hour to get to the place and mission is named... just "Go to the Police Station". ( It's a lot of time, so you can complete some orders before you go to the Police Station in Oxnard.
In order to get to the Police Station in Oxnard you have to turn off the main road leading from Oxnard to Santa Barbara/Lebec and get on the road marked on your mini-map with green number 1. It's Pacific Coast Hwy (South). Drive by this road to the south and near the end of the road (near two gas stations), turn left.
Few blocks further, on the left side of the road, you'll find the Police Station building. Park your truck near the entrance and press the Enter key.
During your conversation with detective Metzger you'll be informed by him about Matthew Tierson's truck, which was found on the outskirts of the city, riddled with bullets and burned. However, cops didn't find Matthew's body in the wreck.
Metzger wonders whether you'll cooperate and assist local cops in the investigation. Answer "yes" of course (by pressing Y key) - Matt is your friend in game and friends should help each other, when one of them needs this...
After some time of a free gameplay Nick got a call (CB-radio) from some guy (named John Doe), who says he has information about missing Matthew. In order to talk to this guy you have to get to the "60 miles" bar on the truck stop near Oxnard's north entrance. Doe waits there every night and this mission is called "Meet the Stranger". You have approx. 250 minutes to get to the bar. It's a lot of time so feel free and make some money, before you go there.
When you've decided finally to talk to Doe, try to arrive at the agreed-upon place at night. I've been at bar before 6 a.m. and haven't met the guy.
But you can take a nap for a couple of hours in the motel nearby, setting the alarm clock for 9 p.m., to wake you up before the night. Then go to the "60 miles" bar again. If Doe is already inside you'll hear an acoustic signal when disembarking your truck.
Both gentlemen will have a natter. Doe says that Matthew worked not only for Flat Sole managed by Topokinaki (Topo is known to Nick), but also was somehow involved with Storm Express. And that's why he could afford his house and the truck. Storm Express is another transportation company which makes big money on illegal freight. By Doe's account, dudes from Storm Express are dangerous, and Matthew could've just ended up on their bad side... Doe recommends Nick to pay a visit to their boss, Jack Murdoc.
You'll find Murdoc at another "60 miles" bar, but in Santa Barbara this time. You've got approx. 185 minutes to get to this place, so again there's no hurry and you can do some other tasks first. This next mission is called "Talk to Murdoc".
Before you meet with Murdoc it is advisable to repair and refuel your truck - it's important! You can do this on the truck stop located north-west from Santa Barbara, between Santa Barbara and Atascadero. If you've still got no NITRO booster and extra tank, try also to purchase them in some of the repair shops. Soon they should be very useful.
Many things indicate that you should be at "60 miles" bar in Santa Barbara right before the expiration of the time limit anticipated for completing this mission, in order to catch Jack Murdoc there. Additionally, you have to be there after the sunset. I was there at 11.00 p.m., just a few minutes before time limit expiration. When you're at bar earlier, it's possible that Murdoc's thugs you meet there (you know them well - they pursued Dorothy) will told you to come back later. And later and... - this may happen even couple of times in a row.
But if you're at bar in Santa Barbara using my above-mentioned guidelines, you should finally catch Murdoc (wearing a weskit on my picture) there. He will give you some information about missing Matthew only if you win a race against him (to Atascadero, in all probability). You'll lose your truck in case of your defeat.
Though, we're here not to lose anything, but to take the next step in the storyline. So you should win the bet and the competition. With NITRO booster and extra tank installed in your default truck you shouldn't have any problems with this. On medium difficulty it's easy to win this race even without "afterburner" - just step on gas and after some time you should pass Murdoc's truck. But if you use booster it's far easier to pass this dude, even if you started this race from so-called "standing start". Pay attention only to not deplete your fuel reserve completely, because you won't be able to refuel your truck during this race, without losing the competition!
The competition ends when you're close to Atascadero. Murdoc keeps his word and informs the winner (this is you - Nick) about missing Matthew. It turns out that Matt Tierson owed Storm Express some money. They offered to forget the debt if he brings one of Toponaki's shipments to them (Murdoc doesn't want to tell what was the cargo), but Matt refused. They didn't kill him though, he just disappeared somewhere far away. But Murdoc threatens he'll find Matt sooner or later...
After the conversation with Murdoc Nick thinks that Topo's gonna lose his company in two days. Nick (that means - you) has to talk to Topokinaki before that happens. And this is where the next mission, called "Meet with Topo" begins. You have approx. 175 minutes to complete it. Topokinaki's office is located in Oxnard, half a mile away from Nick's office.
After arriving at place you'll see a trailer parking in front of Spyros Toponaki's office (Flat Sole). Enter this building by pressing the Enter key.
During your conversation with Topo you'll be informed by him that his business is really on the verge of bankruptcy and soon it will be auctioned off. No wonder this guy looks totally depressed. Nick convinces Topo to give him the order that Matthew was supposed to deliver before his disappearance. You have to take a special load of cargo you saw outside the office to Lebec and wait there for further instructions. There's something strange with this cargo - it's worth so much money, that this one delivery alone would have gotten the bank off Topo's back. And the customer is also very mysterious - he demands complete discretion, won't specify the destination until the last moment, and when you decide to take this order, he will give you instructions over the CB-radio. For the moment you should take the 126 towards Lebec. You've got 7,5 minutes of time limit and this mission is called "Deliver the special cargo". After completing this order Topo promises Nick his company as a reward! Lastly he gives you one more advice - watch your back when hauling a trailer.
After exiting Topo's office hook the trailer by pressing T key and proceed towards Santa Barbara. Notice, there's no traffic on the roads at present, you won't see any cars - this is strange...
When closing to big crossroads turn right towards the Lebec and Palmdale - this is highway number 126. A moment later you'll see a Storm Express truck (should be well known to you by now) with Murdoc's thugs (these two bandits that pursued Dorothy earlier) behind you. They want you to stop and probably want to kill you for this cargo - don't even slow down! Notice, that you're not able to save your game progress during this mission, unlike in previous episodes! Few seconds later Nick got a call from Crane also - fat man says he and Dorothy will meet Nick at the exit to the 126. You just have to hold out.
In order to drive away use your Nitro booster and eventually skillfully cut off these thugs in Storm Express truck. Without the "afterburner" it can be hard to shake them off - you're hauling a heavy trailer and they don't have such a ballast.
Carefully observe the road in front of you and zoom in your mini-map to spot all the sharp windings before it's too late. If you have a rear view camera installed in your truck turn on the monitor mounted in the cab and take a look at the screen from time to time, to quickly orientate yourself where are the thugs, how far behind your truck. When you're closing to a spot of the 126 road marked on your mini-map with an orange arrow, some guy named Dakota will contact you using the CB-radio. He says "hold out, till the next crossing". He will try to stop the thugs there.
On that crossing you'll see Dakota's truck passing you and then this dude will quickly unroll a stopstick. Storm Express truck will stop - these thugs are not able to continue their pursuit with flat tires.
Continue towards the orange arrow on your mini-map - you can't lose your way here. However, you can't still save your game, so drive carefully. When you're closing to the spot, you've got a call from the mysterious customer.
He wants you to go south along highway 5 towards Los Angeles and wait at the truck stop there for further instructions. You have approx. 8 minutes to get there and this anonymous guy is named John Doe for the moment.
No one should pursue you anymore, but the traffic comes back onto the streets - drive quickly, but carefully, avoid road accidents with other cars. However, there can be another small inconvenience - poor weather. I traveled in rain and on slippery roads. When you're closing to a big interchange you should notice two trucks parking on the roadside - this is Crane and Dorothy. After chitchating with them continue south, towards the truck stop - they will warn you, if someone comes after you again.
Zoom in your mini-map and drive across that big interchange, heading for Los Angeles and the truck stop on the south. After a moment the mysterious customer John Doe calls again. Now he wants Nick (that means - you) to drive towards Palmdale (east) using the road number 14. Couldn't he say this earlier!?
You can reach the truck stop and refuel there, or you can turn round immediately (braking the road rules) - the highway is wide and the lanes shouldn't be separated with concrete barriers here. This time you've got approx. 8 minutes to get to the place marked on your mini-map with an orange arrow. Doe will take the trailer from you there. You still aren't able to save your game progress.
Slow down when closing to the destination point on road number 14. You'll see a black truck parking on the roadside in front of you. Then starts the cutscene with Nick unhooking the trailer on it. Mysterious Doe orders Nick to leave the delivery sheet in the cab of his truck. Funny thing - the drawing on the client's mudflaps looks very similar to Matthew's cobra tattoo. Could it just be coincidence?
Notice also, that after doing the job your account will be fed with 22k $ from Topokinaki. Topo also gives Nick his firm, but he's just glad he has got his reputation back at least.