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American Truck Simulator gets a release date: February 3rd, 2016
- Thread starter Mengy
- Start date
state_vector_collapse
Member
Can't wait for this! I just hope they implement more traditional graphics settings than the weird system they have in ETS2.
Graphics Horse
Member
Will there be tornadoes like in Sega's 18 wheeler?
Zepp Twofist
Member
I'm bumping this since I missed the thread first time around, but this is my most anticipated game for next year.
I think it's different for a lot of people. For me it's a game I play while watching tv, youtube, streams or listening to podcasts/audio books. It doesn't steal focus from those activities and also provides somewhat of a challenge (if you use mods anyway) and something to keep me busy while doing inherently passive things. I can't really explain what it is about trucking specifically, because other simulator games doesn't really do much for me. Might be because I generally enjoy driving in real life, but this is at least a more environmentally friendly way to do that (and a safe way to do so while drinking).
I think it's different for a lot of people. For me it's a game I play while watching tv, youtube, streams or listening to podcasts/audio books. It doesn't steal focus from those activities and also provides somewhat of a challenge (if you use mods anyway) and something to keep me busy while doing inherently passive things. I can't really explain what it is about trucking specifically, because other simulator games doesn't really do much for me. Might be because I generally enjoy driving in real life, but this is at least a more environmentally friendly way to do that (and a safe way to do so while drinking).
indigo-cyclops
Member
Holy fuck this will be good. Old Art Bell shows while driving through the night in the desert.
Nice. I've been wondering if anyone would be doing an OT.
educator
Member
I'm a huge fan of ETS2 but I have to be real here, ATS doesn't look too hot. Did they really have to build the game on the same engine as ETS2? The menus, job market and everything looks identical to ETS2. Am I in the wrong here or it there no changes besides new trucks, obvious bug fixes to the engine and new environments?
Zepp Twofist
Member
That is more or less the gist of it. There are some improvements to the graphics engine, and few new systems (weight stations, parking difficulty).
But SCS are still developing Euro Truck 2, and the game they released in 2012 has received patches ever since, so right out of the gate American Truck simulator hasn't that much to offer because ETS2 has had four years of post release development - and they are still committed to continue that development years to come in parallel with ATS.
Basically they have switched from a release and forget model to a "game as service" model. The consequence is that the initial offering of ATS doesn't seem all that hot, since almost every advancement ATS gets also gets implemented in ETS2. I consider them more like sister-titles than one being a sequel to the other.
educator
Member
Right, and I completely understand why they would do something like this. In fact I have nothing against it, I think it's great that they'll continue supporting ETS2 for coming years and I understand that it'll be easier for them to update both games parallel. I just feel slightly disappointed that they didn't cram more juice into ATS now that ETS2 is getting older. I still, without a doubt, enjoy and think ETS2 is beautiful in many ways, but it would have been really awesome if ATS served more as a completely new game with upgraded graphics, new functions, new UI, dev-made multiplayer and so forth. I'm still buying it day one, but perhaps you know what I mean. Not here to bash SCS.
educator
Member
They're apparently making turns much harder in ATS compared to ETS2. Longer trucks also makes it harder to navigate. But yes, longer stretches of straight roads (which America has much of) means less steering. Environments looks cool though so I bet it'll be really fun anyhow.
chrominance
Member
Can you elaborate on this? I'm imagining Scania Truck Simulator-level obstacle courses and I'm a little afraid.
educator
Member
Don't worry, I haven't heard anything close to resembling obstacle courses. From what I've heard (I'll see if I can find the source), they want to make it more of a challenge navigating in cities and such. I don't know if they're actually adjusting any gameplay, it could just be that it'll be more difficult considering the trailers are going to be much longer than in ETS2. Imagine taking a corner in ETS2 with a trailer twice as long. Could potentially make it really challenging, especially if traffic is dense.
Zepp Twofist
Member
Yeah, I understand what you mean. I think a lot of people will be a bit cold on the initial release because of that aspect. Personally I expect to spend most of my time in ETS2 after a while just because there is so much more content available with stuff like Promods. I do hope the official DLC maps for ATS comes out a fair bit quicker than they have for ETS2 though. They have a lot of geography to cover.
Trailers are longer, american style trucks are generally harder to navigate in tights spaces than European ones (though there are fewer tight spaces in the US) and when parking you can chose between autopark, ets2-style parking and a more challenging mode. That's at least the stuff I've read about difficulty.
Rhomega Beta
Member
ETS2 is my most played Steam game, and I've been looking forward to this for over a year. Hope they add my home state of Arizona soon. The trailer already shows Monument Valley.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Yep that's pretty much the gist of it, both ETS2 and ATS are going to be developed side by side enigne wise, even though content for ETS2 will trickle in from now on. Actually they already have been developed side by side for quite some time, all of the improvements to the ETS2 engine over the past year were due to them working on ATS, since they share basically the same engine they've been rolling the advancements straight into ETS2 as well.
The big gain for ATS (other than some new game mechanics) will be the map itself. SCS has clearly gotten MUCH better at map design since ETS2 came out. This can clearly be seen by simply driving from the original map into either a Going East or Scandinavia city, the old map can seem mundane by comparison. ATS is launching with a more detailed and fleshed out world than ETS2 did at first, and it's going to grow by quite a bit fairly quickly into some very varied environments. California itself has a wide variety of environments, I've been out there myself a few times and it's always surprising just how a few hours of driving can take you from a desert to a mountain range to rolling fields of golden grass to lush forests and to then the shore. It's certainly the best state to start the game's map in the USA.
The big gain for ATS (other than some new game mechanics) will be the map itself. SCS has clearly gotten MUCH better at map design since ETS2 came out. This can clearly be seen by simply driving from the original map into either a Going East or Scandinavia city, the old map can seem mundane by comparison. ATS is launching with a more detailed and fleshed out world than ETS2 did at first, and it's going to grow by quite a bit fairly quickly into some very varied environments. California itself has a wide variety of environments, I've been out there myself a few times and it's always surprising just how a few hours of driving can take you from a desert to a mountain range to rolling fields of golden grass to lush forests and to then the shore. It's certainly the best state to start the game's map in the USA.
Zepp Twofist
Member
Arizona is slated to be one of the first DLCs after release. I think Nevada is first, then Arizona. Not sure it it's free or not.
Yeah, ATS is a promise that eventually there's a big, high quality map with all the big brands of trucks in it
Yeah, Nevada has at least the basic framework down if a leaked video has anything to say. Dunno what's next, but some more mountain states seem like the next logicial destination
Rhomega Beta
Member
Threat title suggestion: American Truck Simulator |OT| Everybody's Gone Truckin', Truckin' USA!
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Good point, I hadn't even given the OT title a thought yet. Lookin for ideas!
American Truck Simulator |OT| Everybody's Gone Truckin', Truckin' USA!
American Truck Simulator |OT| Eastbound and Down, California bound!
American Truck Simulator |OT| It's like Euro Truck but with more America!
American Truck Simulator |OT| The Peterbuilt Awakens!
American Truck Simulator |OT| CB Radio Sold Separately
(Someone more creative needs to pull from the CB lingo)
I've never played these games and I'm not sure why but I am interested in them. I'll keep an eye out for the OT!
(Someone more creative needs to pull from the CB lingo)
I've never played these games and I'm not sure why but I am interested in them. I'll keep an eye out for the OT!
American Truck Simulator |OT| This one's actually good
American Truck Simulator |OT| The real trucking experience
American Truck Simulator |OT| We got ourselves a convoy
American Truck Simulator |OT| American Soul, European Heart
American Truck Simulator |OT| Duck Simulator 2016
American Truck Simulator |OT| Like EVE, but not in space
American Truck Simulator |OT| The real trucking experience
American Truck Simulator |OT| We got ourselves a convoy
American Truck Simulator |OT| American Soul, European Heart
American Truck Simulator |OT| Duck Simulator 2016
American Truck Simulator |OT| Like EVE, but not in space
I like this one because it's the honest truth
Zepp Twofist
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| Lot lizards not included
Rhomega Beta
Member
I like this one.
Mr. Pointy
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| We got a rollin' convoy 'cross the USA! Convoy!
American Truck Simulator |OT| Don't get a bear on your back door
American Truck Simulator |OT| Truck stop hummers not available until v1.03
American Truck Simulator |OT| Don't get a bear on your back door
American Truck Simulator |OT| Truck stop hummers not available until v1.03
Can't lose an opportunity for a Big Trouble in Little China OT quote:
|OT| Yessir, the cheque is in the mail
|OT| Honey, I never drive faster than I can see. Besides that, it's all in the reflexes.
|OT| May the wings of liberty never lose a feather.
|OT| I'm gonna tell you about an accident, and I don't wanna hear "Act of God"!
|OT| Yessir, the cheque is in the mail
|OT| Honey, I never drive faster than I can see. Besides that, it's all in the reflexes.
|OT| May the wings of liberty never lose a feather.
|OT| I'm gonna tell you about an accident, and I don't wanna hear "Act of God"!
hobblygobbly
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| Big Mutha Truckers
Anyone else remember those games? The first one was great lol.
Anyone else remember those games? The first one was great lol.
djplaeskool
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| Dreaming of Stuckey's Pecan Logs
LordAmused
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| A Polish version of American Trucking.
GearDraxon
Member
American Truck Simulator |OT| All This Freedom Gave Me A Semi
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
LOL, I like that one! I think that's my favorite so far.
Zepp Twofist
Member
New blog post from SCS
Nevada will be day 1 free DLC, while Arizona will come out later and also be free. New states after that will most likely all cost money. Price for the game will be around $20 or region equivalent. That seems fair to me for the amount of content they launch with.
Nevada will be day 1 free DLC, while Arizona will come out later and also be free. New states after that will most likely all cost money. Price for the game will be around $20 or region equivalent. That seems fair to me for the amount of content they launch with.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Yeah, that price sounds about right for an American version of ETS2 with California, Nevada, and Arizona included. I'm totally fine paying $20 for that! I'm honestly surprised they are launching at such a low cost, but man it's going to sell a LOT at that pricepoint. I'm sure they know that though. 
GearDraxon
Member
$20, with Oculus support promised? SO SO IN.
Rhomega Beta
Member
That will take years and years. Heck, they're hoping to go into Canada, Mexico, Central, and South America.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Yep, they are going to be developing for ATS for years, I mean they literally have a multi-year plan of development. Any GotY Edition will be many years away. A better plan would be to get it now (Feb 2nd) for $20 and then just wait for Steam sales to buy any DLC down the road. As for myself, I think the world of SCS, they are one of the better developers out there today IMHO, so I'll be most likely buying everything day one just to support them. It's always been worth it so far with ETS2 and I expect no less down the road with ATS.
Beating Euro Truck is becoming one with the truck, and playing the game for the sheer enjoyment of driving rather than loading up on in game cash
Rhomega Beta
Member
Indeed. I'm worth over £95,000,000, and I have nothing to spend it on, considering I've bought and upgraded all garages, plus hired every possible employee and given them trucks.