Euro Truck Simulator 2 News

Today, we're excited to share with you more about our plans for our next rework project for Euro Truck Simulator 2, Project Benelux! The name Benelux is derived from the first letters of each country's name, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, each of which will be reworked from scratch.

Please note: This project is still in its very early stages, and many of the screenshots in this blog post showcase areas of the rework that are still in being worked on and are incomplete. With that said, let's take a closer look at the road ahead!

The rework of the Benelux region in Euro Truck Simulator 2 marks an exciting and long-awaited update to one of the oldest parts of the game's continental map. We spoke with Jan H, Lead of Project Benelux to learn more about the team. "There are 10 map designers, including myself working on this project" Jan explains "of course, there are many others from the Research, QA, Assets, Programming department who are a part of the project too."


The decision to overhaul the region was a natural progression following the rework of German cities. Given the age of the existing map and the many changes that have taken place in real life, the decision was made to completely rework the region from scratch.

One of the most significant aspects of this update is the addition of new cities "You can expect new cities such as Antwerp and Eindhoven," Jan tells us. "Additionally, we're including major road network routes like the A2 motorway, a significant portion of the E40 highway and the scenic N57 road in the Netherlands."


Drivers will also be able to deliver to and from a variety of reworked depots, as well as some new industries such as a sugar beet factory. Don't forget to be on the lookout for new landmarks too!

This rework presents unique challenges for the team, as Jan H explains. "The countries are rich in complex highway infrastructure, waterways, canals, dams, locks, drawbridges and more. The landscape is very specific, ranging from the flat terrain crisscrossed by water canals in the north to the dramatic scenery of the Ardennes in Belgium and Luxembourg."


We are sure this project will breathe new life into an important part of the Euro Truck Simulator 2 world. Players can look forward to a region filled with new sights, landmarks, routes and a more faithful depiction of one of Europe’s most fascinating regions.

We look forward to sharing more news and preview about this project in the near future. Until then, be sure to keep up to date with the latest by following our socials on Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram, and by subscribing to our Newsletter! Til' next time, keep on truckin'!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/227300/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2/

At SCS Software, we love celebrating the passionate individuals who bring our trucking simulators to life. Today, we’re excited to feature a dedicated content creator and truck-sim enthusiast, Mark Armstrong. Mark has built an impressive setup and a thriving community (Armstrong Gaming) around his love for virtual trucking, making him a well-known figure in the simulation world. Let’s dive into his journey!


“I am Mark Armstrong, I am from the northeast of England, born and raised. I currently am 34 and I'm a huge driving simulator enthusiast!”


Before discovering his love for trucking and simulation gaming, Mark was an avid cyclist, riding competitively with his father. His dad wasn’t just a parent, he was a best friend and mentor. They shared a passion for road biking, mountain biking, and trials-riding, always pushing each other to be better. “My dad was more of a friend than a dad, really. He was my riding partner, my motivator. We did everything together, whether it was fixing bikes in the garage or hitting the roads. He was always there.”


However, a severe accident at 20 years old changed Mark’s path, leaving him unable to continue cycling. Looking for a new passion, he turned to gaming, a decision that would shape his future. “I had a severe accident, which caused me to be unable to ride... I was housebound and I actually sat one day on the sofa and made a joke about 'Farming Simulator' and then for Christmas, my wife at the time and my dad actually got me the game, and that's where it all started.”

From there, Mark quickly became engrossed in the simulation gaming world, exploring different titles until he discovered Euro Truck Simulator 2 through a friend, which he instantly loved. His passion for virtual trucking led him to build his first simulator setup, starting with a basic wooden rig and an affordable steering wheel. “I started on a wooden shoe rack that I took apart, put it back together into the shape of a simulator, and bolted a seat from a Renault Clio onto it. Then I put a 30-pound steering wheel on. You don’t start where you end up, you have to start small.”


His love for simulation extended to American Truck Simulator, where he developed a deep appreciation for American trucks, particularly the Peterbilt 389. “I like the big chrome, big shifter, laid-back seating position. That’s what I like. But as soon as I go on ETS2, I want to sit like a Scania driver, so I change everything around.”

Mark’s journey into content creation was heavily inspired by his father, who had experimented with uploading RC tank videos to YouTube. “My dad mentioned one day, 'Start a YouTube channel, record some videos, bring them to my house, and I'll upload them for you because I have internet.' Brilliant. That’s what I did.”

Over time, Mark transitioned into livestreaming and built a loyal following. His father played a huge role in this, not only as a supporter but as a gamer himself. “My dad was gaming before I even was. I remember him getting into Colin McRae Rally back in the early 2000s when we still had dial-up internet. He was always ahead of the game, even buying a new graphics card every few months since the technology moved so quickly. He swore he’d never get back into gaming, but when I started trucking, he couldn’t resist joining me again.”


Mark’s father became an integral part of his streaming journey, joining in on multiplayer convoys and even taking over the channel occasionally. “He loved it. He went full in, bought himself a full gaming rig, triple monitors, everything. He would take over my streams so I could take a break. He was just as passionate about it as I was.”

Unfortunately, in November 2023, Mark’s father passed away unexpectedly. The loss was devastating. “Losing my dad was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. We had built so much together. He wasn’t just my dad, he was my best mate, my biggest supporter. And suddenly, he was gone.”

Mark not only lost his father but also his home, as his dad had taken over financial responsibilities after Mark’s wife left.”After he passed, I lost the house too. I was basically homeless for five months, bouncing between friends' houses and staying with my 91-year-old Nan. It was a hard time, but the community kept me going.” Despite the immense personal challenges, Mark continued to stream, leaning on his audience for support. He eventually found a new home and rebuilt his studio, determined to carry on his father’s legacy.


Mark’s current setup is a testament to years of dedication from both himself and his father. His simulator consists of a triple 65-inch 4K 120Hz TV setup, a SimMagic Alpha Mini wheelbase, and a collection of truck shifters built by a dedicated community member. For those who have had the pleasure of tuning into Marks stream, you'll know his streams almost look like the real deal! “I stream in kind of a POV style, I have my GoPro camera located behind me, like your sitting on the bunk in the cabin. It gives you that aspect that you’re driving with me.”


While Mark’s simulator setup is already impressive, he always looks for ways to improve. “The simulator side of things is limited, because I want my community to be able to enjoy the view and setup as much as I do. If I were to set it up just for me, I’d make the rig a lot more enclosed and immersive. But I choose to balance it so that everyone can enjoy it”


With over 300,000 followers across YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and Discord, Mark has built an incredible community. He credits his audience for keeping him motivated and finds joy in interacting with fellow truck sim enthusiasts. “The community has been fantastic. People think you need emotional or financial support, but you really don’t. If you turn your stream on and there are 10 people there in a happy mood, that’s my support.

Mark also tells us of how the kindness of one of his followers led to a relationship, “One of my subscribers, Mitch, very kindly gifted a Fanatec McLaren wheel for my setup. Through my streams, he met two other community members, one who became a very close friend, and the other he recently became engaged to; our community really is special”


Streaming is more than just a hobby for Mark, it’s his full-time passion and job “I can never drive in real life, so I am literally driving for a living through my channel, which is amazing. If you’re looking for a community to join, we are very, very laid back, and we'd love to have you join us, whether you choose to just watch or drive along with us.”


For those looking to follow Mark’s adventures, you can find him streaming on YouTube and Twitch under ArmstrongGaming. “We don’t have a set schedule because of my health. But we go live when we can and as much as possible. We just keep things very calm and collective, no drama, just trucking with friends. Thank you, Mark, for sharing your incredible journey with us! Keep on trucking, and we’ll see you out on the virtual highways.

Has Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator played a vital role in your life? If so, we'd love for you to share your story with our community! If you're interested, you can contact us on X/Twitter, Instagram, or BlueSky!

In today's blog, we take you to the north of Europe again with another behind-the-scenes look at the Nordic Horizons DLC! This time, we have a preview of some of the beautiful churches you will come across on your travels through this upcoming map expansion for Euro Truck Simulator 2.


From historical landmarks to modern masterpieces, you will find some amazing architectural gems in the northernmost part of Europe. Our asset and map designers have done an incredible job recreating these churches, taking inspiration from their real-world counterparts. Among the older ones, you might recognize the Trinity Church in Vaasa. Can you identify some others?


These sacral buildings often dominate their environment. You don't want to miss out on those beautiful structures when passing by in your truck! The architecture of the more modern ones is quite unique and impressive - take a look at the Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø or the church in the city of Geilo - but there is more to discover!


Whether built centuries ago or in recent decades, these churches are not only a religious place but also an architectural heritage of these northern countries.

We hope you have enjoyed this little sneak peek into this upcoming map expansion for ETS2. If you are excited about the Nordic Horizons DLC, make sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist! Stay tuned for more updates by following us on our Twitter, Facebook. Instagram, and YouTube. We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. And be safe on the road!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2780810/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Nordic_Horizons/

Today, we are happy to take you for another look Under the Hood! This time, we bring you an interview with some of the members of our team who are working on the redefined cargo system for both ETS2 and ATS in the upcoming 1.54 update. So without further delay, we'll let the experts explain what this new system is all about and take you behind the scenes of their work!


As our games continue to expand, the number of cargo types and trailers has grown significantly, making the old system increasingly difficult to manage. To understand why a change was necessary, it helps to look at how the previous system worked.

Until now, what seemed like the game combining a trailer with cargo, such as a piece of machinery, was actually a manually created model, with each trailer-cargo pair stored separately on disk. This approach required an enormous number of unique models, making it harder to add new content efficiently and taking up disk space.

Programmer Simon, also known as 50keda, who worked on this task from the very beginning, explains this in more depth.

"In our world, every cargo must be attached to a trailer in some way. The way cargo is visually linked to the trailer, including the chosen model for loading, is part of what we call the cargo system. This system manages how visual models of cargo are connected to the appropriate trailers, playing a role in the broader economy. As our projects expanded, the number of cargo and trailers increased to the point where the older approach became unsustainable. Managing the growing combinations of trailers and cargo became overwhelming, leading to longer release times and affecting the order in which new cargo and trailers could be integrated," he shares with us.


Smety, our Senior Vehicle Artist explains that this issue has been a growing problem for some time and needed solving. "Things were getting complicated with the arrival of new cargo and a lot of new branded trailers to the game. Each cargo was attached to all trailers of that type, meaning if we had 3 flatbeds, we also needed 3 specific cargo models - and every cargo variant usually has two or three visuals. Plus, we have branded trailers so the combinations were reaching huge numbers. I had the task of reworking the trailers."


Our goal was to simplify the process of connecting new cargo and trailers, eliminating the need to manually manage their combinations, as Simon explains here: "We could achieve this by having the code automatically merge cargo and trailers based on simplified rules, rather than creating separate models for each trailer type. This means that each cargo will define its own model, loading methodology, and lashing method. While this approach may have some initial challenges and might not be perfect at first, it lays the foundation for future expansion and improvement. For example, when loading cargo programmatically - such as a pallet - you will only need to model a single pallet. The code will then determine the correct number of models and position them on the trailer according to the chosen loading methodology."

So the new system's biggest advantage is that it no longer requires our 3D artists to manually create pre-baked trailer-cargo pairs. Instead, it dynamically matches any compatible trailer with any compatible cargo, procedurally decides its placement and generates believable lashing elements which will make the work of our vehicle team much easier.

Our producer, Karel, coordinated the project and played a key role in overseeing its progress, helping to ensure a smooth completion.

Karel - Producer

"When I joined the development team, I was initially just curious about how wooden logs would be handled in the new system, as I was mainly working on a related feature which is the dynamic cargo (un)loading. However, when I realized the massive amount of work required - replacing thousands of combinations of cargoes and trailers with just a few hundred "smart" ones - I took over production responsibilities so Simon could focus primarily on development. This included providing time estimates, planning, tracking progress, getting more 3D graphic vehicle designers and testers involved, scheduling the release, and more. And of course, a huge shoutout to our QA team, who took on the heavy task of testing all combinations and reporting countless issues," Karel shares with us.

Naturally, we also had to rework the cargo models to ensure they function seamlessly with the new system, which automatically pairs cargo with trailers. Matěj, our 3D Graphic Vehicle Designer, took on this task.

Matěj - 3D Graphic Vehicle Designer

"Instead of creating six or more different cargo models, I designed a single version and, when necessary, split it into multiple variants for more diverse cargo - such as two versions of air conditioning units. After finalizing the model, I checked to ensure everything was in order and placed special locators to define how and where the cargo would be secured to the trailer. The system then dynamically distributes the cargo based on its size and weight and the trailer's length. This new approach simplifies the creation of cargo models and allows for greater variety in the game," Matěj tells us.


Petr, another 3D Graphic Vehicle Designer on our team, is working on the same task - and, in his own words, he's enjoying it.

Petr - 3D Graphic Vehicle Designer

"I joined the New Cargo System project between August and September, working alongside Smety and Simon. My primary task - then and now - is converting existing cargo into the new system. It was an exciting shift for me, moving from 3D modelling to actively developing a new game feature, which I found both stimulating and fun," says Petr.


Our programmer, Max, played a key role in integrating the new cargo system into the games' economy, among other tasks, as he explains below.

Max - Programmer

"The main part of my work on the new cargo system was its design and connection to the rest of the game. Automatic placing and lashing of independent cargo models should simplify any modelling work for the future. Recalibrating the economy data ensures it should work with all current cargo and trailer combinations. There are some issues remaining, so we definitely have plans for improvements for the next time," Max says.

This change will significantly boost the work of our vehicle team as it allows them to create even more cargo and trailer combinations as we continue expanding our games. While there may be issues in the first iteration, it's a worthwhile goal to refine the system, as it not only improves efficiency but also saves disk space and memory by eliminating the need to store countless pre-made combinations.

Simon teases that this project may lead to other possibilities for both of our games. "For now, we're focusing on reworking all cargo and trailers to be compatible with the new system while ensuring they look visually believable. That said, the cargo system opens the door to countless possibilities. This project will definitely be integrated with dynamic cargo (un)loading, and we aim to improve the way we calculate how many items can fit on a trailer. Currently, the logic is fairly simple and won't be accurate in every case, but it already showcases the system's potential. With a bit of imagination, this could even lead to some level of player interaction - but we'll see where it takes us."


We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into the new cargo system from the point of view of our colleagues who work on it. Make sure to stay connected with us for all future updates by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. We'll see you on the road!

Today, we're excited to release a new episode of our SCS On The Road series! Join us in Turin, Italy, as we are given a tour of the IVECO Industrial Village, Design Centre, museum and more. We also had the special opportunity to get up close with the IVECO S-Way, which we recently added as a free addition for all Euro Truck Simulator 2 owners.


Join Oscar, our Director of Global Partnerships, as he takes us behind the scenes to reveal how our team gathers reference material. He also sits down with Max Praz, IVECO Academy Director; Marco Armigliato, Head of Industrial Design; Giuseppe Bruno, Creative Design Manager; and Alessandro Pili, Surface & Virtual Design, to discuss the history of IVECO, the intricate design and creation process, and much more.

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We are incredibly grateful to the team at IVECO for inviting us, allowing us to film and share this experience with you, and for their warm hospitality during our visit. We hope you enjoy this episode and appreciate your continued support for this series. If you liked the video, be sure to subscribe, hit the like button, and leave a comment, we’d love to hear your thoughts! We’ll see you soon for the next episode. Until then, keep on truckin'!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3354860/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Iveco_SWay/