Today, we are happy to share with you that the 1.49 Open Beta branch for American Truck Simulator is now available to try and test out. If you plan on participating in this Open Beta, we ask that you please help us by reporting any bugs you may encounter in the appropriate section(s) of our official forums.
Your feedback and reports are extremely valuable to our team and we thank you in advance for taking the time to help us out. So, without further ado, let's take a look at what the 1.49 Open Beta has in store.
HDR Skyboxes, Moon and New Weather Effects
First and foremost, after many requests, we've added the Moon (back) to our night sky! It's a subtle but remarkable touch that adds an extra layer of realism and wonder to your virtual trucking adventures. Curiously, it's worth mentioning that what might appear as a simple addition – the Moon – has posed some significant challenges for some time. Integrating the Moon into the night sky has required casting, rendering, and calculating lunar light, managing reflections in water bodies, dealing with wet roads, and addressing mirror effects, among other things.
In addition to that, we've also reimagined the night sky, introducing dynamic stars that gently twinkle, enhancing the overall authenticity of the night-time experience.
We are also happy to share that skyboxes will now be High Dynamic Range (HDR), which means that there will be richer, more vibrant colors in the skies and our weather visual effects have also received an upgrade. Thunderstorms now include visible lightning, offering a more immersive experience. And make sure to keep an eye on the night sky in certain regions, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you will notice.
To sum it all up, we’ve also prepared a special video for you showcasing all of these changes. It’s definitely worth checking it out along with the dedicated blog post we published previously!
PACCAR Technical Centre
Hidden within the vast landscape of Washington, a realistic recreation of the PACCAR Technical Center awaits your discovery.
Drivers will now have the opportunity to experience the PACCAR Technical Center firsthand. This realistic 1:1 recreation will offer a glimpse into the world of truck development. For years, the PACCAR Technical Center has been the epicenter of innovation and development for renowned truck manufacturers, Kenworth and Peterbilt.
This facility has been instrumental in testing trucks, powertrains, technologies, and more, and it's where the giants of the trucking industry push the boundaries of what's possible, creating the next generation of iconic trucks.
Even though the area won't be readily visible on the in-game map and UI, it will be waiting for curious players to discover with plenty of interesting bits to explore. We’ve also added an extra layer of excitement, a small Easter egg will be parked within the PACCAR Technical Center itself. We challenge you to keep your eyes peeled and see if you can spot this surprise.
We hope you enjoy checking out this new and unique addition in American Truck Simulator!
Used Truck Dealers
We're also happy to introduce another highly requested feature. Used Trucks will be now available immediately in the main menu taking you to a selection of trucks that are more budget-friendly compared to brand new vehicles. However, these used trucks come with some mileage and wear, which is indicated by their star rating and a separate window that provides a detailed breakdown of the damage to various parts.
One of the most significant changes coming along with this feature is the enhanced damage and repair system. In the past, our approach was very simplistic - individual parts would accumulate damage, represented as a percentage, and you could repair them, resetting the percentage to zero. However, with the 1.49 update, parts will accumulate three types of damage
- Damage: This type of damage can be fixed by standard repairs, just as before.
- Parts Wear: When components accumulate significant wear and tear, you'll want to replace them.
- Permanent Wear: The permanent wear represents systemic aging and wear across the whole vehicle. It can only be nullified by Total Restoration of the entire vehicle. This is a more expensive procedure, but it's the only way to bring your truck and trailer back to pristine condition.
With the improved damage system comes enhanced control over vehicle maintenance. You can now make informed choices about which parts to repair or replace based on your judgment. Alternatively, you have the option to seek professional advice for the best repair strategy for your truck or trailer.
We'd love to hear your feedback about this new addition on our official forums. Happy (used) trucking!
Keybind Modifiers
Another highly requested feature coming with 1.49 is the introduction of Keybind Modifiers! When previously creating a new bind in the menu, you could only assign a single key for an action. With the 1.49 update, you will now have the option to use a combination of the key and modifiers to bind an action. For example, you can now assign Shift + L to turn your lights if you so wish!
This opens up a whole new world of key bind combinations for you to use, allowing for more binding options, but that's not all! You will also now have the options to bind short press and long press key. Holding the key down will be recognised as a long press, and pressing a button as normal will be seen as a short press.
Keyboards isn't the only peripheral taking advantage of this change. Controllers will also be able use this new feature! We look forward to hearing your feedback on this new change!
Changelog
Map
- PACCAR Technical Centre added to Washington State
Visual
- HDR Skyboxes, Moon and New Weather Effects
Other
- Used Truck Dealers
- Keybind Modifiers
So enjoy all the new additions, but please remember: It's only an open beta, not a stable public version - so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes. It's completely okay if you want to wait for the final release. But if you're interested in helping us to get there faster, we'll appreciate all of your feedback on our forum and your bug reports in this section.
Please check our modding wiki to get details pertaining to mods for the game.
If you wish to participate in the open beta, you can find this version in the public_beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on American Truck Simulator → Properties → Betas tab → public_beta → 1.49. No password is required. Sometimes you have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.