American Truck Simulator’s v1.58 open beta is available to sample now, and it adds a chunky selection of improvements to SCS Software’s driving sim.
According to an earlier blog, the Czech studio is pitching v1.58 as a steppingstone towards implementing more varied content to its pair of trucking titles in future, with ATS’s Road Trip mode adding a selection of cars and pickups, while Euro Truck Simulator 2 will see the addition of Coaches.
Check out all the other improvements in v1.58 below.
Driving Academy: new missions
SCS has added an interesting new module to the Driving Academy in both ETS 2 and ATS, allowing players to master double-trailer manoeuvres.
In ATS, players will use a B-Double trailer pulled by a big rig, with ETS 2 players wielding a Euro Combi.
In terms of rewards, completing all 12 challenges will gain you a plushie dog toy to adorn your cockpit and a ‘Double Trouble’ achievement.
New Truck Garages
Players’ home garages have been given a spruce-up in the new update, with all three receiving internal and external upgrades. They now appear far more modern, offering plenty of space to store your favourite trucks, which is ripe for upgrading.
Physics
Physics is the main thrust of v1.58, with improvements designed to address the varying needs of short-wheelbase cars and mammoth-sized buses.
The game’s throttle model has also been completely reworked, with vehicles now building up torque and coasting more realistically.
Keyboard-using players have also had their experience improved, with a double-tap of the throttle key now providing immediate full power. Simply holding the same key, however, will make it easier to coast along the highway.
Collision physics updates also make road-holding much more stable, with vehicle suspension improvements adding further realism.
Map updates
ATS’s Route 66 Rework project continues apace, as New Mexico and Arizona-based sections of the historic road are updated.
Lake Havasu City and Winslow have been added to the game, while the cities of Kingman, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon Village, Page, Kayenta, Camp Verde and Show Low have been brought up to SCS’s modern visual standards.
Landmarks, such as the Hoover Dam, have also been given a bit of polish, with the entire project set to be completed by the release of the Illinois DLC.
User interface
The game’s tutorial will now feature a series of contextualised hints to ease newbies into the world of virtual trucking, with a new widget-based route adviser system introduced to help tidy up the main game UI.
The Truck Configurator has also been simplified to aid both gamepad and mouse users, as the Management Screen receives several quality-of-life updates.
How to download American Truck Simulator’s latest open beta
To sample ATS’s v1.58 Open Beta, right-click on the game icon in your Steam Library, select ‘Properties’, then ‘Betas’, and pick the ‘Public Beta 1.58’ option
American Truck Simulator v1.58 open beta changelog
Gameplay
- Driving Academy – Double Trailer Handling
Vehicles
- Vehicle Behaviour, Physics & Collisions Update
Map
- Route 66 Rework Project
- Map Changes In Preparations for Road Trip
- New Truck Garages
UI
- Tutorial Redesign & Contextual Hints
- Route Advisor Redesign
- Quick Info Feature
- Truck Configurator Improvements
- Management Screen Improvements
Source: SCS Software
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