American Truck Simulator News

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, is the historic mining city of Butte. Previously nicknamed as 'The Richest Hill on Earth', this city once was thriving with industrial activity in the 1800's because of its abundance of mineral wealth.



While many of the mines from the 18th Century no longer operate, many of the old mining towers still stand as reminders of the past across the city. Each one of them are unique, and even have their own names! The downtown portion of Butte is rich in monuments and architectural buildings from the past, which our team have done a great job of recreating for our upcoming Montana DLC for American Truck Simulator.



Drivers visiting Butte can find several industries to deliver to and from, including an electric network service and electric substation. One unique industry players will be able to work with is the Port of Montana, which is located nearby Butte.



The Port of Montana is an industrial transload, distribution and warehousing facility with easy rail and highway access to directly benefit businesses throughout the region. It also include a unique Silene Gas Factory, which has been created according to a 1:1 reference!



With so many reasons to visit Butte, we hope you take a moment to stop by and admire all that it has to offer. Excited? Be sure to add Montana to your Steam wishlist; we appreciate all of you that have done so far. You can also check out our social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and give them a follow, or subscribe to our newsletter and check out our Montana microsite to not only stay in touch with the latest news but find a lot of interesting and exclusive content as well.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1811080/American_Truck_Simulator__Montana/

Due to the sheer size of Texas DLC, driving through the eastern and western parts might sometimes feel like two different sides of one coin. The various biomes always pave the way for specific industries, and there is one extremely important focused mainly on the east. Let’s take a look at the local logging industry and everything that it will have to offer!



Texas is home to approximately 62 million acres of forestland, so it is probably not a surprise that the logging industry has been in constant development for quite a while - in fact for over 180 years! There are records indicating the existence of sawmills near the Gulf coast and inland around the year 1820, which is truly amazing and it just shows exactly why the industry is contributing quite a lot to the current economy of the state.



We’ve read a lot of requests on social media to be mindful of the importance of this industry, and we hope our depots that will be reminiscent of the production cycle will do the job in the representation. Whether it will be areas for felling of the trees, sawmills that cut the wood into lumber, or construction sites that build wooden structures, you will always feel that your journey is helping the local economy. And we also know how much you love hauling cargo through challenging dirt roads, so you can look forward to several of those too!



Well, wood you be interested in hauling some materials related to the logging industry in The Lone Star State? If so, make sure to add the Texas DLC to your Steam Wishlist to stay in touch with all the latest news, and once the map expansion will be available, you can be one of the first to head out on the dirt roads and get amazed by the local forests!

Also, don’t forget to keep an eye out for our Texas DLC microsite, which contains a lot of interesting and exclusive content. And finally, check out our social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and give them a follow, or subscribe to our newsletter, to stay in touch with the latest news!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1465750/American_Truck_Simulator__Texas/

We are happy to share with you that the 1.44 update has now been released for American Truck Simulator. This update is packed with new features and changes, so we recommend reading through them all. 



We'd like to thank everyone who participated, provided their feedback, and made bug reports during the Open Beta of 1.44. Your valuable input helped us make tweaks, changes and smash some bugs we may have missed the first time around. We hope you can now begin to fully enjoy the various new features which are included within this update.

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[h3]California Rework: Phase 2[/h3]
We are excited to bring Phase 2 of the California Rework as part of this free update for all owners of American Truck Simulator. The focus of this projects sees the cities Eureka, Ukiah, Sacramento, Redding, and Truckee which have been rebuilt from the ground up, along with local landmarks, architecture and surrounding road networks.



We will also be saying goodbye to the city of San Rafael. Due to the map scale, we had to make the hard decision to remove the city from the in-game economy. To make up for this, we will be introducing a brand new city, which will be larger and of much greater importance in California's road network in Phase 3 of our ongoing project! Any guesses which one it might be? 



New rest areas and truck stops have also been implemented, but that isn't all! You will also find new assets, vegetation, and textures too, giving the area a completely new look and feel. We can't wait for you to explore it for yourselves. You can read more all about the rework on previous blogposts which have highlighted the cities and more which have been reworked. Read more here. 

[h3]Mod Refund Feature[/h3]
Since the introduction of third party modification support in our convoy mode, our team has been working to improve the mod support experience. In this update, we are happy to share a new feature which we hope will further improve players gameplay when playing with modifications. 

We like to call this new addition the 'Mod Refund' feature. In simple terms, after a player has downloaded a third party modification and used it on their truck, they may in the future want to remove it (or it even may have become incompatible). This new feature reads and recognises the data from the modification, even if it has been removed, and refunds the player the difference with the in-game currency. This removes the problem of players losing money after using a modification. 



It works by recognising that a crucial part is missing (such as the chassis, engine etc) and replacing it with a default part. Players will be prompted with a pop-up containing information that some parts are being refunded and will be given the option to accept or reject this refund. If you decide to reject the refund and reactivate the mod instead, the truck will now revert to its former glory even if you have saved the game in the meantime.

So, whether you're trucking with friends in a convoy session with mods, or you want to remove a certain modification after use, this new feature will make sure you won't go out of pocket!

[h3]Licensed vs Aftermarket Customization Options in UI[/h3]
Players customising their truck or looking at new parts in the garage may see some new icons appearing in the list. In total we have added 4 new icons to represent what type of accessory it is. When you hover over them, they will show if they are classed as a:

• Factory part - A stock part sold by the manufacturer (including interiors)
  
• Licensed part - Anything that is officially licensed that is not produced by truck factory
  
• Aftermarket part - Any additional accessory that is not related to the brand.
  
• Unknown part - A part that is not recognised or in some cases, a third party modification.
  

This should help drivers when it comes to customisation if they wish to keep it within the manufacturers customisation options, or tune their truck further with aftermarket parts. We hope you enjoy this small yet helpful feature!

[h3]Unmarked Roads Exploration[/h3]
With the 1.44 update, we are bringing into ATS and ETS2 a new feature; once you drive onto an unmarked road, you will be notified about having done so with a message in the route advisor, and the explored road will appear on the map as an orange dashed line, with any unexplored part ahead of you shown in grey. 



On one hand, this will ensure that you will immediately be aware of the fact that you have found something interesting, and on the other hand, if you ever decide to re-visit a hidden zone you will know where to go.



Map explorers, do not panic! These unmarked roads do not contribute to your map discovery percentage, but they do add a nice addition to your GPS if you do come across them. You can read more about this new feature here. 

[h3]Force Feedback Upgrade[/h3]
This update also includes a few new upgrades to the force feedback experience when playing ATS or ETS2. These changes have been made to represent a more realistic driving experience, which includes:

• New gearbox grind effect simulating vibration of missed gear when using manual shifting.
  
• New understeer slip effect simulating tyre slip when vehicle is understeering
  
• Revisited power steering curves and pressure gain of self centering effect to improve steering feel.
  
• Revisited internal friction force giving better feedback depending on the speed of steering.
  

Since self centering and internal friction were updated, we highly recommend that you reset the FFB settings to their defaults again.

[h3]Smart Sequential Shifting[/h3]
Smart Sequential Shifting is now available to truckers, if they wish to enable it via the options. So what does it do? In simple terms, when you shift up or down sequentially, it will automatically shift by more gears at once based on the current torque or speed.



For this to work, drivers will still need to trigger the shifting process, but once working, should require less input from the driver. 

[h3]Interior Camera Horizontal Lock[/h3]
This new option allows truckers driving in the first person view (in the cabin) to lock the camera view to the horizon, so that it moves more independently from the position of the cabin.



With the introduction of this new feature, players can find a slider in the options that defines the locking factor; with the slider being to the left disabling the locking and to the right, being the strongest locking option. 

[h3]Adjustable Suspension Height[/h3]
Sometimes, when you are driving a big rig, trailer pick ups can be a bit tricky. Adjustable suspension height should help drivers eliminate the problem of hooking upto sometimes problematic trailers or in difficult pick up/delivery area. 



Drivers now can lower the suspension of their truck to get the correct height for hooking up their trailer, without damaging it. Players will be able to find the inputs for this new adjustable suspension in the options. Its inputs are front up/down and rear up/down. 



We have also included a new UI prompt which appears when the drivers are having trouble hooking up their trailers after a few attempts. We hope this makes picking up deliveries of any size easier in the future!

[h3]Ownable Drop Deck Trailers[/h3]
In this update, we are happy to introduce a brand new ownable trailer type as well - the drop deck trailer! What makes this trailer special is the fact that it has a lower center of gravity, and it combines the advantages of flatbed and lowboy, which results in a flat surface and a high weight-bearing capacity.



It is perfect for hauling items and materials such as aircraft engines, backhoe loaders, forklifts and so much more. Also, because drop decks are low, we had to design new small tires, rims, nuts, and hubs, specifically for this trailer type.



In addition to having 3 customizable body types (wood floor, aluminum floor, sliding tarp) and 2 different chassis lengths (48ft or 53ft) with a choice of two, three, or four axles, here is a detailed list of everything you will be able to customize:

• Front walls
  
• Wind deflector
  
• Warning flags
  
• Aluminum boxes
  
• Chrome boxes
  
• Side markers
  
• Rear banners (long load, oversize load, wide load)
  
• Rear bumpers
  
• Mudflaps
  

We hope you enjoy trucking with this sturdy, reliable, and practical trailer type in the 1.44 update. 

[h3]Cascadia MY2022 Interior Options[/h3]
Among other changes arriving in American Truck Simulator in the 1.44 update, there will also be a rather small addition, that is technically actually bigger than it might seem. We are excited to let you know that we are bringing new interior options for Freightliner Cascadia trucks!



In total, there will be 3 new interior trims added for the Freightliner Cascadia in order to line-up with what they are now offering in real-life. The all-new trim designs will be available in all 4 cabin types. But we have also taken a step further with the 72" cabin versions because these trims will include a table with seats in the back as well!



We hope you enjoy trucking with these new interior options for the Cascadia. You can read more about the arrival of these new customizations at a previous dedicated blogpost here. 

[h3]New Special Transport Routes[/h3]
From oversized cargo to challenging routes, the Special Transport DLC offers players a unique trucking experience; and today we are happy to share that 8 new routes will be arriving to the roads American Truck Simulator in this update. 



Much like our previous addition of new Special Transport routes to Euro Truck Simulator 2, our team wanted to bring new additional content for our drivers in ATS too! You can find these new contracts between:

Lewiston to Sandpoint
Burlington to Lamar
Salina to Cedar City
Omak to Yakima
Dalles to Salem
Santa Fe to Socorro
Cheyenne to Rock Springs
Winnemucca to Carson City



Think you can take on the challenge? Share with us your oversized trucking adventure on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

[h3]Changelog[/h3]

[h3]Map[/h3]

• 2nd Phase of California Rework
  
• Border connections for several cities in New Mexico refreshed
  
• Some New Mexico cities received road network reworks
  
• Unmarked Road Exploration
  
• General Map Bug Fixes
  

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Mod Refund Feature
  
• Licensed vs Aftermarket UI in browsers
  
• Force Feedback Upgrade
  
• Adjustable Suspension Height
  
• Interior Camera Horizontal Lock
  
• Smart Sequential Shifting
  
• New Special Transport Routes
  

[h3]Vehicles[/h3]

• New Freightliner Cascadia 2022 Interior Options
  
• Ownable Drop Deck Trailers
  

With every new map expansion, we are edging closer to realizing complete production chains in the game’s economy. While we are not quite there yet, but important pieces fall into place bit by bit. In the upcoming Montana DLC for ATS, apart from being able to admire the wonderful local scenery, you will also be able to haul to and from several key points that are part of the forestry process!



With Montana’s forests covering approximately 26 million acres, it is quite clear why this production cycle deserves to be represented in the economy of the state. Especially since the need for truckers is constantly increasing due to the rapid improvement in technology and productivity.



It all begins with the felling of the trees at Timber Harvest, which is probably an area most difficult to reach, as it is often located fairly deep into the woods and only gruesome, dirt roads lead to them. To make matters more challenging, you will have to haul the material through these paths again and head to the Sawmill, a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Afterward, a brand new depot called Landscape Supply comes into play. This area is technically a garden center, that will offer various seeds to be hauled back to Timber Harvest - a step that will make everything come full circle.



We hope you have enjoyed the look at the Forestry of Montana DLC, and we wish you a safe journey hauling between all of these areas, knock on wood. The Treasure State still has a lot of topics to be covered, so if you want to show us your excitement for the next one, make sure to add the map expansion to your Steam Wishlist! Also, to never miss out on anything important, you can also check out our social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and give them a follow, or subscribe to our newsletter.