California Rework - The Golden State #3
Today we are happy to be celebrating American Truck Simulator's 8th Anniversary! Since its release in 2016, we've come a long way in providing so much new content and so many free updates. One such project we've been continually working on is our California Rework, which sees the one of the first U.S. states to be released with our base game, being rebuilt from the ground up by our talented team and brought upto todays map quality standard. Once complete, it will be released as a free update for all current and future owners of American Truck Simulator.
This blog serves as a part 3 on 'The Golden State', so we recommend taking a read of our previous Part 1 and Part 2 blogs, if you haven't already!
[h3]CA-1[/h3]
Our team has been continuing their work on the legendary CA-1/US-1 Coastline Scenic Route, which is being reworked completely from the ground up. This time, the team is focusing their efforts recreating the highway between Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo. Along this part of the CA-1, you will pass through famous coastline areas such as Big Sur, San Carpoforo Creek and Willow Creek.
As you may know, this highway is incredibly scenic and will feature many bridges and creeks which lead onto the beautiful California coastline. It is a must-drive for any American road-tripper.. or trucker!
[h3]I-5[/h3]
We've also been working on part of the I-5, running between the south of Huron to Bakersfield. Along this route you'll find a mix of scenic landscapes, landmarks, and points of interest, making it a notable route for travellers. This segment of I-5 also traverses the San Joaquin Valley, which is also known for its agricultural richness and diverse scenery.
You'll be sure to find scenic landscapes and a typical Californian climate environment when travelling on this part of the Interstate!
[h3]US-99[/h3]
The historic US-99, also known as the Golden State Highway, is also another route our team has been focusing on during this phase of the rework. Meandering through a diverse California landscape, the US-99 showcases the state's natural beauty. The highway will also take you past charming towns and cities, each with its unique character and landmarks.
The route also offers glimpses of California's cultural and agricultural heritage, making it a delightful journey for those seeking the state's nostalgic charm.
[h3]Can you guess where these were taken?[/h3]
The team has been kind enough to provide us with quite a few images from their progress of reworking California. So we decided it would be fun for you to guess the location of these screenshots!
Think you know? Share the answers with us in the blog comments below! We look forward to sharing more of the work taking place in this phase of our the California Rework for American Truck Simulator. Until then, keep on truckin'
This blog serves as a part 3 on 'The Golden State', so we recommend taking a read of our previous Part 1 and Part 2 blogs, if you haven't already!
[h3]CA-1[/h3]
Our team has been continuing their work on the legendary CA-1/US-1 Coastline Scenic Route, which is being reworked completely from the ground up. This time, the team is focusing their efforts recreating the highway between Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo. Along this part of the CA-1, you will pass through famous coastline areas such as Big Sur, San Carpoforo Creek and Willow Creek.
As you may know, this highway is incredibly scenic and will feature many bridges and creeks which lead onto the beautiful California coastline. It is a must-drive for any American road-tripper.. or trucker!
[h3]I-5[/h3]
We've also been working on part of the I-5, running between the south of Huron to Bakersfield. Along this route you'll find a mix of scenic landscapes, landmarks, and points of interest, making it a notable route for travellers. This segment of I-5 also traverses the San Joaquin Valley, which is also known for its agricultural richness and diverse scenery.
You'll be sure to find scenic landscapes and a typical Californian climate environment when travelling on this part of the Interstate!
[h3]US-99[/h3]
The historic US-99, also known as the Golden State Highway, is also another route our team has been focusing on during this phase of the rework. Meandering through a diverse California landscape, the US-99 showcases the state's natural beauty. The highway will also take you past charming towns and cities, each with its unique character and landmarks.
The route also offers glimpses of California's cultural and agricultural heritage, making it a delightful journey for those seeking the state's nostalgic charm.
[h3]Can you guess where these were taken?[/h3]
The team has been kind enough to provide us with quite a few images from their progress of reworking California. So we decided it would be fun for you to guess the location of these screenshots!
Think you know? Share the answers with us in the blog comments below! We look forward to sharing more of the work taking place in this phase of our the California Rework for American Truck Simulator. Until then, keep on truckin'
Alma, a picturesque town, sits nestled along the Republican River. It's a small town that greets players upon arrival from Kansas. It's home to the great Harlan County Lake and also some nice historic sites.
Ansley, another delightful destination, welcomes truckers with its small-town charm. Surrounded by the stunning Nebraska landscape, it offers a refreshing break from the open road. Ansley, like Basset, is on Route US-183 and that opens up an opportunity for us in the future to consider some other important roads in Nebraska.
Auburn, with its vibrant atmosphere, showcases the heartland spirit. As players roll through its streets, they'll encounter a blend of modern amenities and classic Midwestern warmth. You can find several colorful Honeybee sculptures there which is an unmissable landmark.
Beatrice, a town with a rich history, invites players to discover its unique blend of the past and present. From historic architecture to modern buildings, Beatrice provides a delightful mix for those looking to immerse themselves in the region's diverse culture. We hope truckers will appreciate plenty of historic landmarks typical for this town, especially some of its beautiful churches.
Ogallala, situated on the edge of the Sandhills, offers a unique blend of history and natural beauty. The nearby Lake McConaughy adds to the allure, creating a lovely setting that captures the essence of Ogallala's colorful past.
Red Cloud, the birthplace of renowned author Willa Cather, invites players to discover its literary heritage and explore the town that inspired some of Cather's most beloved works. Drive through the streets that echo with history and experience the connection between literature and the Nebraskan landscape.
Lusk, Wyoming, joins the American Truck Simulator map as a crucial connecting point to Nebraska. This quaint town, set against Wyoming's picturesque backdrop, serves as a gateway between the two states. Explore Lusk's charm, from its small-town hospitality to the vast landscapes, as it becomes a notable addition to the Wyoming experience with the release of the Nebraska DLC.
Immediately after the research was done, it was obvious that Missouri is an interesting state with many things to offer for our game. As a leader and recent visitor to Missouri, I'm keen to deliver a beautiful DLC full of foresty nature, hills, nice views, and interesting cities. We are finally near the Mississippi River which was always a big milestone for me. 
It's been three years since I started working at SCS Software as a map designer. Today, I'm facing the biggest challenge of my career. St. Louis, which is a really big city. However, I've grown to love it because I've been there in real life and I've seen everything I'm creating with my own eyes. What I enjoy most is the technical side of the work and the ability to go deep into the engine, get to its limits, and pass on the experience to new colleagues. I enjoy cities and truckstops the most because they are technically challenging tasks.
My journey in SCS Software began during the Colorado DLC, where I experimented with my first country roads and small cities. Since then, I've been a part of the Texas and Kansas map teams. I'm always seeking new challenges. Right after Amarillo, Corpus Christi, and some parts of Houston, it was Kansas City that I enjoyed the most so far. In the upcoming Missouri DLC, I'll be working on something unique in terms of custom depots which you can look forward to!
I have been working for the company for six years and every year the work gets more interesting. I worked on the Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas, and Kansas DLCs where I focused more on cities and depots. In Missouri, I will be working on Springfield, where you can look forward to many interesting areas.
After Kansas, the Missouri DLC is my second project as a map designer in SCS. Although now I feel much more comfortable in the process of creating an interesting environment for the player, I am still trying to challenge myself and push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve. In Missouri, I really hope that I can capture the spirit of US-36 and the city of Saint Joseph, and bring you the hidden beauty of these inconspicuous places in a way that will do them the justice they deserve.
It's been a little over 4 years since I joined SCS as a map designer back in 2019. My main responsibility for Missouri is the city of Joplin and its surrounding roads. Outside of the map, I also focus on selecting generic models that would be best for our DLC, which are later created by our amazing 3D graphics team. What I enjoy creating the most are smaller cities and settlements as they usually have very unique architecture and atmosphere.
I am very keen on working on Missouri as it is almost contrastingly different from what I worked on before. To add to that, I will have to wrestle with making a city for the first time. so I am excited to see the result of that. I still look forward to working on interstates and highways, as that is what I think I'm most skilled at.
I am responsible for half of the custom depots for Missouri. I made some of them for Kansas and then for Nebraska but now I am working on several depots which were not announced yet. These new depots will bring new challenges and new experiences for players. That is the part that I love most about this job because creating challenging layouts makes me think about how will players react to everything that I prepared for them.
In Missouri, I'm looking forward to creating Cape Girardeau, an unmistakable city on the Mississippi River. I hope to translate the genius loci of the riverside town both in the more industrial areas as well as in the urban part of the city.
I celebrated 8 years in SCS this month. As a DLC asset lead, I have the opportunity to influence what awesome landmarks, industries, statues, murals, and other buildings will make it into the expansion. I'm responsible for the perfect condition of these 3D models like the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Jefferson Capitol, or Springfield Underground that you come across on your travels. I am most looking forward to the new opportunities that this state will allow us to bring into our game. I won't talk about specifics so I won't take the surprise away from you. Our team will do everything possible to deliver the DLC at least as good as the previous one.
