Today, American Truck Simulator developer SCS Software launched the traditional open beta before the official launch of the next update, version 1.56.
It’s worth mentioning that the developers are working on a new internal update cycle. The console version of the sim has been announced at Gamescom, and this new cycle will help the team coordinate better across platforms, as console releases require locking in content earlier.
The first new feature focuses on graphics, and it’s the implementation of Height Blend, a technique that enables more realistic and visually appealing transitions between different types of terrains or surfaces. You can see the difference between pre-patch and post-patch in the first four images in the gallery below.
Dynamic cargo is getting an improvement, with logger and chipvan trailers getting loading sequences to make the process more immersive. This affects the loading of large tubes, logs, utility poles, and metal scrap in selected depots across the US.
Players will be able to switch the interior zoom function between requiring holding the key as it has always been, or making it a toggle.
A new DLC browser has been implemented, including clear sections like Featured, Bundles, Map, Cargo, Trailer, Accessories, and Paint Jobs. The main layout has also been updated.
The game also got a new profile creation menu that lets you create and select your profiles in a more streamlined and modern way.
A new Truck Preference screen has been added between the selection of your headquarters and the opening cutscene, letting you preview available trucks and rotate them. You can also toggle the randomization of the order in which they are displayed.
More improvements have been made to the company management UI, including a redesigned seven-day profit graph. A small but nice quality-of-life improvement lets you relocate drivers and their trucks to the same garage slots in one go.
The Garage Manager and Driver Manager are also unlocked from the start of the game. Speaking of the Driver Manager, it has been polished with a clearer layout. Now it even includes an XP bar to better track a driver’s progress.
You can see the new features in the screenshots below.
Here’s the changelog so far.
Gameplay
- Dynamic Cargo Improvements
- Camera Zoom – Hold/Toggle
Visual
- Height Blend
UI
- New Profile Creation and Start-up Flow
- Management UI/UX Improvements
Other
- DLC Browser
American Truck Simulator is available exclusively for PC, and it’s the sister game to Euro Truck Simulator 2. It has recently been updated to patch 1.55.
SCS World should soon release an Illinois DLC, and you can already see its truck stops, the city of Marion, Rockford, Quincy, and even more truck stops.
A Louisiana DLC is also coming, and you can already check out its truck stops, welcome centers, buildings, some cities, more settlements, its forests and wetlands, more cities, and the bridges.
The latest state DLC announced by the developer was South Dakota, while a rework has been revealed for the areas around the famous Route 66.
Another big project is the Road Trip feature, spearheaded by the Ford Car Pack, which will expand the simulator’s experience from trucks to cars and pickup trucks, including pure exploration and the delivery of smaller packages.
