American Truck Simulator: 1.56 Update Release
First and foremost, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Open Beta and provided valuable feedback on the forums. Your input has been instrumental in polishing this update to ensure it’s ready for the open road.
Height Blend for Stunning Visuals
One of the standout features of the 1.56 Update is the introduction of the Height Blend effect. This technique elevates the game’s visual fidelity by creating smoother, more realistic transitions between different terrain types, such as grass, dirt, or stone. Using a height map texture—a grayscale image representing surface elevation—the Height Blend effect ensures textures blend naturally based on terrain height and slope. Say goodbye to harsh, unnatural edges where a grassy hill meets a rocky cliff!
For map designers, this feature is a game-changer, eliminating the need for excessive decals to achieve a polished look, saving both time and effort. SCS Software’s team has meticulously converted and tested over 1,300 materials from their library to ensure seamless integration. The best part? Testing shows no significant performance hit, with only a slight increase in memory usage due to the new textures.
Dynamic Cargo Improvements
The 1.56 Update expands the dynamic loading and unloading feature to include more cargo types, making your trucking adventures even more immersive. If you’re hauling with your own logger or chipvan trailers, you’ll now see a material handler dynamically managing loads like large tubes, logs, utility poles, and metal scrap at select depots across the USA. This addition brings a new level of realism to your cargo-handling experience.
Camera Zoom: Hold or Toggle
Accessibility and convenience take a step forward with the new Camera Zoom feature. Players can now choose between holding the zoom key (the default) or switching to a toggle mode for a closer look at their truck’s interior, mirrors, and surroundings. This small but impactful change, found in Options → Gameplay and Options → Accessibility, makes it easier for everyone to enjoy the finer details of their cab.
Redesigned DLC Browser
Exploring additional content for American Truck Simulator just got better with the revamped DLC Browser. The new design features improved categorization, with sections like Featured, Bundles, Map, Cargo, Trailer, Accessories, and Paint Jobs. The layout now displays four items per row (up from three) for a cleaner, more modern look. SCS Software sees this as just the beginning, with plans to evolve the browser based on player feedback, potentially allowing you to explore all DLCs without leaving the game.
Career Creation and Start-up Flow
The 1.56 Update brings a major overhaul to the career system, making it more intuitive and visually appealing. The old table-style career list has been replaced with card-like slots, with your active career pinned at the top and others sorted by recent playtime. Starting a new career is as simple as selecting the dedicated first slot, and switching between careers is now faster with a double-click.
The career creation process has been streamlined to focus on key options, ensuring a smoother start for both new and veteran players. A new Truck Preference screen lets you preview trucks in a rotating 3D view, with options to cycle through brands, models, or even hit a “random” button for a surprise. This screen provides a detailed look at each truck’s specifications, enhancing the decision-making process.
The Edit Career screen has also been simplified, focusing on essential details, while a new Driver Details screen lets you view career stats and change your avatar directly from the desktop top bar. These changes make career management smoother and more modern, with room for further refinements based on player feedback.
Management UI/UX Improvements
The Company tab on the Desktop has been upgraded with a redesigned subscreen showcasing your company’s name, logo, key statistics, a seven-day profit graph, and highlights of your most profitable assets. A new economy summary pop-up offers a quick performance overview, and a company properties option lets you edit your company’s name and logo.
Relocating drivers and trucks is now more convenient with a checkbox to move both to the same garage slot in one step. Additionally, the Garage Manager and Driver Manager are now unlocked from the start of the game, improving accessibility for new players. The Driver Manager subscreen features a clearer layout, a new XP bar for tracking NPC driver progress, and a simplified job and skills overview with a collective training policy option for new hires. SCS Software plans to continue refining these features based on community input.
Changelog Summary
Here’s a quick recap of the 1.56 Update’s key additions:
Gameplay: Expanded dynamic cargo loading/unloading and camera zoom hold/toggle option.
Visual: Height Blend effect for realistic terrain transitions.
UI: Redesigned career creation, start-up flow, and management screens.
Other: Revamped DLC Browser for easier content discovery.
Stay Connected
The 1.56 Update is a significant step forward for American Truck Simulator, bringing visual enhancements, gameplay improvements, and a more user-friendly interface. Stay tuned for more updates by following SCS Software on their social media channels or us for the latest news.
Safe travels, truckers, and enjoy the open road with the 1.56 Update!
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