Update 1.49 for American Truck Simulator came out and is now available on Steam. This update contains errors, changes and new content.

HDR Skyboxes, Moon and new weather effects

First of all, by numerous requests, the developers added the moon to the night sky! This is a thin, but wonderful touch that adds an additional level of realism and surprise to your virtual adventures on trucks. Curious, but what may seem like a simple addition – the moon – for some time created serious problems. The integration of the Moon into the night sky demanded, among other things, drawing, rendering and calculating lunar light, controlling reflection in reservoirs, working with wet roads and eliminating mirror effects.

In addition to this, the night sky was also rethought, adding dynamic stars that gently flicker, increasing the general reliability of night impressions.

Skyboxes now have an extended dynamic range (HDR), which means that the colors of the sky will be more saturated and bright, and the visual effects of the weather are also updated. Thunderstorms now include visible zipper, which provides more exciting experience. And be sure to follow the night sky in certain regions: you can be pleasantly surprised by what you notice.

Technical Center Pakkar

You will find a realistic reconstruction of the Paccar technical center, hidden among the endless landscape of Washington.

Now drivers have the opportunity to personally get acquainted with the technical center Paccar. Recreated in the game 1: 1, it will allow you to look into the world of truck development. For many years, the Paccar Technical Center has been an epicenter of innovation and developments for well -known manufacturers of Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks.

This object played an important role in testing trucks, transmissions, technologies and much more and it is here that the giants of the cargo industry move the boundaries of the possible, creating the next generation of cult trucks.

Despite the fact that this area will not be visible on the game map and in the user interface, it will wait for curious players to open many interesting places to study. The developers also added an additional incentive: a small Easter egg will be parked in the Paccar technical center itself.

Dealers of used trucks

Dot trucks will be available immediately in the main menu, where you can choose trucks that are cheaper compared to completely new cars. However, these former use trucks have a certain mileage and wear, which is indicated by their rating and a separate window, which contains detailed information about damage to various parts.

One of the most significant changes associated with this function is the improved system of damage and repair. Previously, individual details accumulated damage, expressed as a percentage and they could be repaired. However, with update 1.49 parts are divided into three types of damage:

• Damage: this type of damage can be eliminated with standard repairs, as before.
• Details of details: components with signs of wear, it is necessary to replace.
• Constant wear: Parts with constant wear can be restored only by completely restoration of the entire car. This is a more expensive procedure, but this is the only way to return the truck and trailer to the pristine state.

The advanced damage system provides improved control over car maintenance. Now you can make a conscious choice regarding which parts should be repaired or replaced based on your judgment. In addition, you have the opportunity to seek professional advice on choosing the best strategy for repairing your truck or trailer.

Mountain processing – DLC Utah

Four years ago, DLC Utah was released for American Truck Simulator. At that time, the developers still learned a lot about the tools and methods of development, especially when the case concerned the creation of the mountains. The gained experience made it possible to improve the creation of mountains in the game, especially when it comes to scale and detail.

In update 1.49 presented a small processing of a number of mountains located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

You will find that in most cases the mountains were completely processed from scratch, replacing the old models that once stood there. Developers hope that players will see the difference from this alteration! In the future, the processing of some aspects of the DLC will continue, since
tools and opportunities continue to develop over time.

Modifiers of key combinations

Another very popular function that appeared in version 1.49 – these are modifiers of key bindings! Previously, when creating a new binding in the menu, only one key could be assigned for action. With update 1.49 now you have the opportunity to use the combination of the key and modifiers to bind action. For example, now you can assign Shift + L to turn on the light if you want!

This opens up for you a completely new world of key combinations, providing more attachments, but this is not all! Now you will also have the opportunity to tie a short and long clip press. Keeping the key will be recognized as a long press, and the usual pressing of the button will be perceived as a short press.

Keyboard is not the only peripheral device using this change. Controllers will also be able to use this new function!

DLC Special Transport update

In update 1.49 added two new cargoes – you can tow the blades of a wind turbine 39 meters long (more than 129 feet) and a massive articulated dump truck.

For the cargo, the windbreak blades of the windbreak have laid two new routes leading from Pueblo, Colorado, where these blades are produced. You can also find these two new cargoes on the selected routes of special transport, which are already represented in the game passing through some of the previously issued cards extensions, as well as located in some states that have been released with the initial release of the PBX.

Automatic headlights

Another new function in this update is the option of automatic turning on the headlights. This is a relatively simple function: the headlights are turned on when the surrounding light around the truck falls below a certain threshold.

If this option is enabled, the position of the light light switch for parking lights is replaced by automatic lighting, so you can still turn off the headlights or forcibly turn on the headlights using other positions of the switches.

Also added automatic high light. This function will temporarily turn off the highlight when you have a vehicle (both in your lane and on the oncoming lane) and again turn it on when the vehicle is far enough.

This automatic high light is turned on if you click the highlight by the highlight by the automatic headlights or you turned on the headlights manually (if the range of automatic turning on the headlights is disconnected, the high light works only when the headlights are enabled manually).