Nordic Horizons - Meet the Team

With the development of the Nordic Horizons DLC in full swing, we would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the hardworking team involved in the creation of this upcoming DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2.

We hope you enjoy reading each of their messages, all of which have been written just for you, #BestCommunityEver!

Dominik - Producer

"My journey with SCS games started long before I joined the company. I worked on map mods for 18 WoS: Haulin' and Euro Truck Simulator 1. After high school, I was deciding if I wanted to try to start a career in game development with SCS and I’m glad I did! My first tasks were on DLC Italia and it was a pleasure to learn from more experienced colleagues. My current role is as a producer, so my responsibility is to deliver the DLC with the highest quality possible, but also as quickly as possible. That’s not an easy task, if you consider how big an area we are trying to cover. We have a great team of talented developers, so I’m confident that we won’t disappoint you. I can’t wait to see your reactions and reviews after the release."

Petr - Map DLC Lead

"Hi. My name is Peter and I recently celebrated my 5 year anniversary at SCS Software! I started as a junior map designer, helping to complete the Road to the Black Sea DLC. Then I worked my way up and was presented with the opportunity to be one of two leads for this huge new project, the Nordic Horizons DLC. My biggest enjoyment comes from communicating with my super talented team and with other departments to solve various issues and challenges. We hope to create beautiful and vast sceneries that the northern countries have to offer but also provide fun driving challenges for players all around the world."

Ivo - Map DLC Lead

"When I became part of the SCS Map team back in 2018, it was a dream come true for me. As I rose through the ranks and as the giant scope of the Nordic Horizons project became apparent, the opportunity presented itself for me to become one of the leads on the project, which I gladly took. This allowed me to be with the project from the preproduction phase, visiting the northernmost parts of Europe in-person, helping to shape it and balancing our urges to include every charming piece of landscape (which are innumerable) within our scale, consistency and production limitations. Our wonderful team is doing its best to capture the stunning beauty and vastness of the region. From the deep forests to the magnificent fjords, we aim to give our players the feeling of driving long distances through sparsely populated areas and thus adding a different spin to their virtual trucking experience. Mark my words: It's gonna be huge!"

Andrea - Map Designer

"I joined SCS in 2022 and since then I have gained a lot of skills, which are further enhanced with each new task. So far, I've been working mostly on Finland and after exploring reference images for my tasks, I want to visit this country in real life. Especially Lapland, where I had a lot of fun creating its beautiful landscapes, which I hope players will like. I'm so glad I can be a part of this team, knowing this DLC will be epic while admiring the creations of my talented colleagues."

Ashley - Map Designer

"At the end of 2022, I moved from my home city and joined SCS, which was one of the best decisions of my life. Back then, I was stuck in a difficult place in life and SCS gave me a chance to lift myself back up. I have always loved video games and to be able to work on one is a dream come true. All my colleagues are really cool and talented people who I enjoy working with. My job as a map designer is to create scaled-down parts of the world for a player to explore. I always try my best to make every area fun to drive through, and the environment exciting to see. So far I mostly worked on Finland which I find to be very beautiful. I wish I could write more about everything I have worked on so far, but unfortunately, that is going to have to stay a secret for now. I am looking forward to seeing everyone's reactions to the DLC when it's finished since I know how much passion everyone is putting into making it."

Michael - Map Designer

"I was a player and big fan of ETS2 long before I joined SCS Software. Now, being here for almost a year and a half, I can really say that this is a dream come true. I’ve been part of the Nordic Horizons DLC since the early beginning and the countries I work on are Sweden and Norway. One of my many tasks in Sweden is to build the city Kiruna, which is known for its iron ore mine and also for the fact that parts of the city are being moved east, because the city is overmined and is slowly sinking to the ground. It’s challenging city, but I’m sure players will love it. This DLC is so far turning out great, I can't wait until we show you more!"

Adam - Map Designer

"I never thought I would be working on games, but here I am, four years later. Previously I worked in a sweet shop serving coffee, so this is an interesting change. I am currently working on some of the road network in Sweden, I hope I will do them justice, as the scenery is gorgeous. I also spent a few weeks learning the creation of Special Transport routes last year, so I’m looking forward to working on them for Nordic Horizons DLC too."

Lucie - Map Designer

"I wanted to work on games long before I finished my education and while I haven't played many games in the simulator genre, I am incredibly happy to be a part of the SCS map designer team. After assisting with the finalization of the West Balkans DLC, namely in the south of Podgorica and north of Banja Luka, I am excited to be able to work mostly on the countries of Sweden and Norway. The infinite views over valleys and fjords are challenging in a good way and the serpentine roads of mountains are a joy to create. I am really excited to share our work with our players and I hope we'll do these countries justice."

We hope you enjoyed meeting the team members behind the Nordic Horizons DLC, who are working very hard to deliver a great map expansion. We can't wait to share more of their ongoing work with you in the future. If you are excited about this upcoming DLC, be sure to add it your Steam Wishlist! Until next time, keep on truckin'. 

Nebraska - Agriculture

Nicknamed the “Cornhusker State”, Nebraska is renowned for agriculture. Today we're happy to share with you some of the Depots you'll be able to visit, as well as some of the crops and produce you'll be able to deliver in our upcoming DLC for American Truck Simulator. Plus we're excited to give you a first look at a new loading/unloading feature! Let's take a closer look shall we?

Nebraska is no stranger when it comes to agriculture, in fact it's one of the top states in the U.S. when it comes to agricultural production. Some of the most popular produce you'll find grown in the region includes Corn, Soybeans, and other grains which you'll be able to deliver in-game. Another popular produce grown in Nebraska is Sugar Beet! On your travels through Nebraska, drivers will be able discover the Sugar Beet Factory located in Scottsbluff, with its iconic tall storage silos.

Whilst driving in Nebraska, you may also notice there is quite a lot of cows! In fact, there are so many that there are more cattle than people living in this part of the US, resulting in a ratio of 3.31 cattle per person. Because of this, harvesting grass in fields and even along the side of the road is commonplace, as fresh grass remains in high demand due to the amount of livestock. You may also notice plenty of hay around too, especially on farms!

Speaking of farms, we are proud to share that each one of our farms created in our Nebraska DLC has been handcrafted and do not use a generic prefab. This means you'll experience a unique depot, that vary in looks, size and delivery points! From these farms, you'll be able to haul a range of different produce, including livestock and even farm equipment to and from different farms and industries across the State and beyond. 

We are also excited to announce that Nebraska will be the first DLC to feature a brand-new dynamic loading and unloading feature, which you will be able to experience at select agriculture depots across the State. Please keep in mind that this feature is still in its first phase. We hope to continue to develop and build upon this first iteration in the future. 

Drivers using an ownable Grain Hopper trailer, delivering Corn, Soybean, Grain, Sugar Beet, Pelleted Animal Food, Potatoes or Cotton Seed will be able to experience loading or unloading their produce through the load/dump shed.

Upon arrival for loading, the tarp from your trailer will be removed and the location of the hopper or silo will be marked on your GPS. After you arrive at the designated area and you pull your trailer into the correct position, your trailer will begin to fill up with the product that you are hauling. Drivers using trailers with multiple compartments will need to fill both of them evenly. For example if you have two compartments, the first will become full once it reaches 50 %, then after repositioning your trailer to fill the second container, the loading will continue until it is fully loaded at 100 %.

After you have completed loading, your trailer will be re-covered with a tarp and your GPS will be updated to your destination. After arriving at the depot, select the 'Where do you need it?' option and head to the unloading point, where your trailer will be emptied!

Want to see this new feature in action? Then head on over to our Social Media Channels (Twitter/X, Instagram or Facebook) to see an exclusive video showcasing some of the Agriculture depots and this new loading/unloading process. Can't wait to get trucking in Nebraska? Then be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist! We look forward to sharing more development news in the future until then, keep on truckin'! 

Greece - New Assets to Build the World With

We have another sneak peek of what the upcoming Greece DLC will look like! This time, we would like to share with you some of the new assets and building models you will encounter in this map expansion.

Keep in mind that these models showcased here are not the only new assets our map designers have been working on, and that this DLC is still a work in progress. Now without further ado, let's take a look at them!

Our dedicated team of researchers, mappers, and asset designers have created over 150 brand-new Greek buildings, each one a unique gem in its own right. From cosy village cottages to bustling town shops and warehouses, the array of structures adds a splash of life and colour to the surroundings. What's more, most of these assets boast added variability, offering an array of different variations and colours.

But it doesn't end there! Alongside these architectural wonders, they've sprinkled in smaller new models like fences, walls, and delightful details such as benches, baskets, stalls, and twinkling lamps, ensuring that every corner is bursting with character and charm.

Just a friendly reminder: this DLC is still a work in progress, so there may be some changes to these models before the final release. If you are excited about the Greece DLC, make sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist! Stay tuned for more updates by following us on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

International LT & International LoneStar Update

Today, we bring you another preview of what is to come in the 1.50 update for American Truck Simulator. In cooperation with our friends from International Trucks, we are excited to reveal that we will bring new interior and exterior options for the International LT and a refreshed interior for the LoneStar!

Excited? Let's take a look at the exterior of the International LT which will now get a major update! Not only did we add new features and customizable options to selected parts of the truck, but we also adjusted and polished some of the existing parts and reworked the base geometry of the truck. The biggest upgrade coming is the addition of the S13 Integrated Powertrain which includes a new engine, the T14 transmission, and new accessories.

These new accessories include more options for chassis fairing extenders and more bumper and grille options. We also added FlowBelow fairings, an APU, blindspot detectors, and a completely new shorter day cab chassis. But it doesn't end here! If you look closer, you will surely spot some smaller details that have been adjusted as well.

The interiors of both the International LT and International LoneStar have undergone a complete overhaul. Truckers can look forward to new models, updated textures, and interior materials. We also added a entirely new feature in the form of customizable interior cabinets. Last but not least, both trucks now have functioning cabin physics, which is a highly requested feature by our #BestCommunityEver!

We hope you are excited for this update to come as much as we are. Remember to follow us on our social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) so you won't miss out on any news from the world of American Truck Simulator. Also don't forget to follow our friends at International Trucks on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Until then, we'll see you on the road!