American Truck Simulator

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Fri Dec 15, 2023 1:45 pm

While I doubt that I'd ever play a game like this, just not my jam, I do appreciate the pictures. Very pretty.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Dec 15, 2023 1:51 pm

It's not my type of game at all, but I've had a surprising amount of fun with it. The driving is meditative (it's like driving a car can be - you sit back and turn on music or a podcast, and just go.) But at the same time, it's a business sim, with you running your own company, buying trucks, upgrading, hiring drivers, etc.

Not that it's your thing - I'm not saying you're wrong. It's just a very different experience from what I expected when I sat down to try it the first time.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:09 pm

For the holidays ATS has changed the background image of my current truck, looks nice.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:34 pm

If you have the game, this is a great time to play a bit. They are doing a Winter Wonderland event. If you pick up a cargo of Christmas cookies and deliver it to a portal, you and your truck will be transported to the Winter Wonderland:

And it is really winter, with tricky snow to drive on:

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Dec 23, 2023 12:03 am

Delivering mail from the Winter Wonderland Northstar post office.

Note, to find these events, you have to go to the External Contracts link

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:47 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:34 pm And it is really winter, with tricky snow to drive on:

That seems like it should be a bigger deal.

Is that the entire game's country map, in snow, or is that a special smaller 'snow map' ? It's gotta just be a special snow map, right? I can't imagine they added snow to the entire map and then hid it like that.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:17 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:47 am
jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:34 pm And it is really winter, with tricky snow to drive on:

That seems like it should be a bigger deal.

Is that the entire game's country map, in snow, or is that a special smaller 'snow map' ? It's gotta just be a special snow map, right? I can't imagine they added snow to the entire map and then hid it like that.

It's just a small holiday map which you reach by going through portals.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:39 pm

Ah, thanks... I wasn't sure if the portal just 'flashed' snow onto the existing map turning it into a winter wonderland, or if one's truck was poofed over to a magical Winter Wonderland.
Upon re-reading, I think I blew past your comment about deliveries from the Northstar PO.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:48 pm

Yeah, it's a small map they created for their event, that both ATS and ETS2 use. It's interesting because I think it opens up a possible opportunity for crossover between the games if they re-use the concept in the future. Could you imagine picking up or dropping off cargo that could then be either delivered or dropped off via the different games from a hub that could be accessed by both games?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 7:30 pm

Huh, I wish I actually had that set up right now (It's been six or eight months - I'd need to get everything set up and configured again.)

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:45 pm

Announcement from SCS this morning, the next state, apparently after Kansas and Arkansas, is Missouri... Introducing Missouri:

Without further ado, it's time we reveal our next U.S. State for American Truck Simulator! From Iconic Landmark Gateways to the Ozark Highlands and the beauties of the Mark Twain National Forest, today we are excited to announce that our team are hard at working creating...

Missouri for American Truck Simulator

It's the first time I can think of that the game has had three states in Wishlist status. And it will be the first state in the game to border on the Mississippi River

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:52 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:45 pm Announcement from SCS this morning, the next state, apparently after Kansas and Arkansas, is Missouri... Introducing Missouri:

Route 66...

And once they open up St.Louis, there is just no way you don't make the marketing decision to push up to the Chicago audience. I would think.

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:11 pm

Can I run bootleg beer from Texarkana to Atlanta yet?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 4:44 pm

Punisher wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:11 pm Can I run bootleg beer from Texarkana to Atlanta yet?

Not yet

I finished the Winter Wonderland event. Not bad, but I think they could have cut down the numbers of cargoes I needed to deliver to and from the Wonderland as it felt like a bit of a grind at the end. But otherwise cool.

So right now I'm heading east from Amarillo on I-40 and those who are the cognoscenti of the American road know that this is where you find the Cadillac Ranch. And it is indeed here in ATS, but it seems that a couple of visitors have had a dust up. Police and a fire engine have arrived. And as always, remember that the Cadillac Ranch "...is not a National Park. Please pick up your trash".

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:14 pm

Maybe you can explain the backstory behind the graffiti on the road? Is it like that in real life? Never seen anything like it.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:32 pm

Rumpy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 8:14 pm Is it like that in real life?

Given that the shot is taken almost exactly here, I'd say yes.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:41 pm

Is the plan to offer all fifty states as DLC?

Is that something the current engine will support? It seems like they have favored wide-open Western states so far, although I've never tried their treatment of Los Angeles or San Francisco.

I'd be delighted to invest in the East Coast and the Southern states, but I'd prefer not to pay for all the flyovers. (Ducks and runs.)

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:41 pm

Interesting. I'd vaguely heard of the place, but that is wild.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:56 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 9:41 pm Is the plan to offer all fifty states as DLC?

Is that something the current engine will support? It seems like they have favored wide-open Western states so far, although I've never tried their treatment of Los Angeles or San Francisco.

My understanding is that they will be doing all the states. There shouldn't be a problem with the game engine, as you note they've already done some big cities. I suspect that the sales of the ATS DLC outpace that of the ETS2 DLC and so they are putting in more effort on the US states. I think this is why SCS is now working on three US states in parallel.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:16 pm

I'll confess that I've already bought many of the west-coast and southwestern states down through Texas, but I can't see paying (what, more than $250?) for the whole country.

As much as I love the Midwest, I'll hold out until I can follow I-20 from Dallas to Atlanta and then I-85/I-95 up to New York.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:21 pm

Beyond what they've already put in (or announced), I'm mostly looking forward to Indiana and Illinois. I've made the drive from California/Nevada to Indiana and back probably twenty times in real life. I look forward to being able to follow the same (approximate) route that I used to know so well.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Sun Dec 31, 2023 12:33 am

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 10:21 pm Beyond what they've already put in (or announced), I'm mostly looking forward to Indiana and Illinois. I've made the drive from California/Nevada to Indiana and back probably twenty times in real life. I look forward to being able to follow the same (approximate) route that I used to know so well.

This is me as well, but I'm going to need Iowa in place to take my route.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Dec 31, 2023 12:38 am

My trailer is stuck! I try to rescue it, but fail.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:18 pm

Someone try to take an ill-advised shortcut?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:45 pm

TheMix wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:18 pm Someone try to take an ill-advised shortcut?

Yes

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Wed Jan 03, 2024 11:10 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:45 pm
TheMix wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:18 pm Someone try to take an ill-advised shortcut?
Yes

And right in front of the client.

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:02 pm

Re-installed this again Friday night. I've been having a blast just hauling a load or two each night while listening to internet radio. I haven't had much luck finding radio stations with the in-game UI so I just find one using my web browser and leave it up and running while I play the game.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:04 pm

I either use Spotify, or, if I'm in the mood, Radio Garden (which lets me listen in on local radio stations as I go.)

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:57 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 4:04 pm Radio Garden (which lets me listen in on local radio stations as I go.)

I love this idea.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:39 pm

I have Beatles Radio set up on the in-game radio.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Jan 17, 2024 12:14 am

Sunrise in Kansas:

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Feb 19, 2024 5:40 pm

Besides the three states that are currently in work, SCS has been reworking previously released states. California has seen a number of updates and here's an article about something else they are doing there: California Rework - Yosemite National Park

The U.S State of California has a long history when it comes to the conservation efforts of preserving its natural heritage, so much so that it boasts having nine National Parks, more than any other state! In today's blog, we will be focusing on one such National Park you'll have the chance to re-visit as part of our California Rework project for American Truck Simulator.

Nestled within the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains of California,the Yosemite National Park features awe-inspiring granite peaks, majestic waterfalls, and pristine wilderness. Whilst this is not normally an area where trucks are allowed to travel through, we couldn't go without reworking this area from the ground up to bring it up to our current quality standards.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Feb 20, 2024 12:32 am

I finally finished visiting all the cities in Kansas, too late for the "Crusin' Kansas" event however. Oh well. While I've hit every city on the map, there are still a lot of roads I haven't driven.

In case anyone was wondering, here is a list of the upcoming states along with the dates when they were officially introduced. At some point during the eight years since it was released, I did try to track the time span between the announcement of a new state and its release, but I suspect that data may no longer be valid since they are now working on multiple states at once.

Aug 11, 2023 Introducing Nebraska
Sep 14, 2023 Introducing Arkansas
Dec 29, 2023 Introducing Missouri

By the way, I bought the game on release day, 2016.02.02, so I can pretty much confirm that this is the game I've played over the longest period of time.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Wed Feb 21, 2024 1:24 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 12:38 am My trailer is stuck! I try to rescue it, but fail.

Swifty?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 12:48 am

I did it again, I managed to get a cargo stuck. At least I did it at a good place, Grand Coulee Dam. I got the last of the three semi tractors I was pulling stuck on a guard rail. The video shows my many efforts to dislodge it, then finally my driving away, past all the stuck traffic!

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:14 am

Not the video you send to your insurance company.

That poor woman.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:27 am

Okay, so how is this guy doing this?

I didn't know there were map mods.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:13 pm

Map mods. He has multiple active at the same time, as it simply wouldn't be possible in the base map, even with DLCs. So he likely has: Carribean map, Promods Canada, Alaska Map and the Ice Road map.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:19 pm

If you look in the description, he makes the mods himself. I think.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:27 pm

I can tell you with some authority that the Indiana portion of his route (US 24) isn't even remotely close to reality. If you told me it was some part of northern California, I'd have believed you.