American Truck Simulator News

Through rain and shine, there's been a driving force that has kept our team in top gear throughout our company's history of game development. From earlier game titles such as Hard Truck: 18 Wheels of Steel to our well-known titles of today, we've been lucky to have YOU, our #BestCommunityEver as our co-driver every mile of our journey so far.



From modders to content creators to virtual trucking companies, we are lucky to have what we believe is THE best community a game studio could ask for. For us, you are so much more than just an average fan base! You are a never-ending fountain of ideas, suggestions, research, feedback, constructive criticism and so much more. We also see daily examples of drivers helping each other on various social media platforms which in turn creates a better driving experience for everyone. You have become our driving force throughout the years and because of you, we have recently reached some amazing milestones! 



From 300,000 subscribers on our official YouTube channel, through nearly 180,000 followers on our Instagram profile, 120,000 followers on our Steam Developer Hub, more than 235,000 followers on the American Truck Simulator Facebook page, nearly 220,000 followers on our official and finally verified SCS Software Facebook Page, almost 110,000 followers on our Twitter profile, to the enormous 1 MILLION FOLLOWERS on our Euro Truck Simulator 2 Facebook page, we wanted to reward all our drivers with a special gift to recognize our trucking family. 



We couldn't think of a better gift than one that you can proudly adorn whenever you are on the road! So we've created a special #BestCommunityEver Truck + Trailer paint job for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 & American Truck Simulator; this can be earned by taking part in our World of Trucks micro-event! 



Rules:

Using External Contracts or External Market, with a World of Trucks-connected profile in Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator, deliver 1 external contract cargo (any cargo) with a minimum of a 500km distance. 

Players will be rewarded the #BestCommunityEver paint job in the game which they completed the delivery in (Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator)



Thank you for being our #BestCommunityEver! We really believe we have a wonderful family of ETS2 & ATS truckers and we appreciate all that you do to support us and the continued development of our trucking titles. We can't wait to spend many more miles on the road with you! 

With the demand for shipping higher than ever before, drivers on the road are not the only ones feeling the pressure when it comes to making on-time deliveries. Whilst the logistics of railroad operations is completely different to those of a trucker, neither party would be able to operate without the other. And as the railroad network often closely follows the roads, one could say trains are sometimes well-known company on a trucker's journey through the lands, hauling important cargo side by side.



In our upcoming Wyoming DLC for American Truck Simulator,  drivers will be able to contribute to the maintenance of the locomotives that serve the railways and deliver important rail parts from one of the biggest rail yards in the US! 



Located in Cheyenne, this Railyard Depot holds everything from spare parts to service bays for the hundreds of locomotives that ride on its rails every year. Cheyenne is also the home base for UP Big Boy 4014 from Pomona. "Big Boy," the largest steam locomotive in the world! 



Drivers will also be able to deliver to railroad construction sites where tracks are being built for future routes or being repaired.



So while it may seem a little frustrating to be held up at a railroad crossing, remember the train driver is much like us truck drivers! Always on the move and delivering essential goods, products, and more across the country. 



If you would like to help keep the hype train moving, then be sure to add Wyoming to your Steam Wishlist! 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

Located in the northwest corner of the U.S State of Wyoming, you'll find the town of Jackson, the gateway to the Grand Teton National Park. 



Framed by four elk-antler arches, the Town Square is the picturesque centerpiece of Jackson. It serves as a meeting place for shopping, dining or just somewhere to relax. Attracting more than 3 million visitors a year, Jackson boasts one of the best skiing locations in the state and is home to three ski resorts. 


Characterized by 19th-century log cabins and Western-style architecture, travelers visiting Jackson in our upcoming Wyoming DLC for American Truck Simulator, will surely enjoy all that the town and its surrounding areas have to offer.   


But not every visitor to Jackson is visiting for leisure. The town features a good variety of industries that support the local economy. From farms to local businesses, truckers will find no shortage of jobs delivering to and from this scenic area. 


Already making plans to visit Wyoming in American Truck Simulator? Then make sure to add Wyoming to your Steam Wishlist! It really helps supports us in the development and release of our upcoming content. We thank you for your support. 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

The simulated states of American Truck Simulator look nicer than ever today, thanks to the new lighting system added in a new patch. It's meant to better reflect real-world lighting, with consequences including fixing the issue of even bright days looking a bit dim, adding more drama, and generally looking lovely. I'm certainly keen to revisit some of my favourite trucking routes now, taking my sweet time to enjoy the scenery - penalties be damned.

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With lots of testing, feedback, fixing, and fine-tuning, we are excited to announce the highly anticipated arrival of update 1.40 for American Truck Simulator!



We'd like to thank all those who took part in the 1.40 Open Beta, made bug reports, and provided general feedback on this new version. We hope you can now begin to fully enjoy the various new features which are included within this update. So, what can you expect to find in the 1.40 update for ATS?

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Lets us give you a quick recap of the most significant changes.

New Visual Lighting System

One of the biggest changes you'll notice when you first hop into your truck cab is the implementation of our new visual lighting system.

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To prepare for this new lighting system, our teams had to make a lot of changes not only to our graphic renderer, its code, and other functionalities, but also to existing in-game world objects; including a majority of the in-game assets, textures, and materials to better work with the new physical model of the new light system. If you've missed our special and in-depth article on this topic, you can make yourself a big cup of tea/coffee and read it here.



We are very excited for you to be able to experience and immerse yourself in driving in the new light. The result is the culmination of a ton of hours by our programmers and visual effect artists and many other teams involved in the creation process of this new system. And even after this tremendous amount of work already spent in this area we are still not completely done. You can expect further changes and improvements to be done in the future. So while the open beta is done, we are still open and more than happy to get your feedback and opinions about this new graphics upgrade for our games.

Extended Chassis Update

Our vehicle team has worked hard to bring you a range of long and short chassis types, allowing you to customize your truck for the job at hand. This update will feature 4x2, 8x4, and 8x6 chassis types which are used for a range of different trailers. 

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4x2s, also known as single-axle trucks, are frequently used for local distribution deliveries by supermarkets and by logistic companies for hauling doubles. 8x4 and 8x6 chassis are the big guns of the heavy-haul industry and can handle just about any load you decide to take on. All of these new options bring more variety to you - the driver! We hope you enjoy this awesome addition to 1.40!



Here's a full list of all the new extended chassis options now available in 1.40:

• Freightliner Cascadia: Day cab 4x2
  
• Mack Anthem: Day cab 4x2
  
• International LoneStar: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4
  
• Peterbilt 389: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6
  
• Volvo VNL: Day cab 4x2, Day cab & Sleepers 8x4
  
• Peterbilt 579: Day cab 4x2
  
• Kenworth W900: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6
  
• Kenworth T680: Day cab 4x2
  
• Western Star 49X: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6
  

Western Star 49X Update

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The Western Star 49X has received 2 additional sleeper cabin options and a grand total of 36 chassis variants, comprising of different lengths and fuel tank options on 6x2, 6x4, 8x4, and 8x6 axle configurations. Also as a surprise bonus, this includes 5 lengths for both the Set-Back and Set-Forward axle configurations! So whether you are on a job long or small, you will have the option to customize your 49X perfectly for the task at hand. 



However, that isn't all! The Western Star 49X now also has an array of new parts to customize your truck including new bumpers, quarter fenders, mud flaps, hood mirrors, sun visors, grille guards, and different interior colors. We will also be bringing 3 new gearboxes in this update, the DT12-V (in direct-drive and overdrive configurations) and the DT12-VX. We hope this pleases drivers who prefer a more realistic option for their gearbox. 



New Mexico & Oregon DLC Viewpoints

Back in October last year, American Truck Simulator saw the arrival of viewpoints to the states of Washington, Colorado, and Utah after their popular debut in Idaho! Today we are happy to share with you that 1.40 sees the introduction of new viewpoints to the states of New Mexico & Oregon. 



For newer players of our titles, Viewpoints are certain spots found across the map, where drivers can activate a special in-game cutscene with a short showcase of a near location or place of interest. These can be found displayed as a grey question mark on your GPS, so be sure to stop and discover them on your journeys.



You also have the option to skip the viewpoint or replay it if you wish to watch it again. From populated cities to historic monuments, each viewpoint highlights a point of interest or industry, so make sure to discover them all! 

Changelog:

Visual:

• New visual lighting system
  

Map:

• New viewpoints in New Mexico & Oregon DLC's
  
• An overall update to road signage
  
• New service signs added to CO, ID, UT, and WA
  
• New fast food brands introduced to several other locations outside of CO
  

Vehicles:

• New 4x2, 8x4, and 8x6 chassis
  
• Western Star 49X update including sleeper variants, set-back configurations, and new customizations
  

UI

• Full-text city/company search in the job selection screen
  
• Improved vehicle adjustment menu (F4)