South Dakota: Custom Depots

Excited to get truckin' in The Coyote State? This post is for you! Today, we're happy to share a look at some of the Custom Depots you'll be delivering cargo to and from in our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. Let's hit the road!

Unlike standard prefabs, these depots have been carefully assembled by our map designers using a variety of assets, giving each one a distinct look and feel. Many of them are based on real-world locations, which perhaps some of you might recognise if you live locally or visit South Dakota often.

On your travels, you’ll quickly see just how central farming is to South Dakota’s identity. As the 13th largest agricultural exporting state, there’s certainly no shortage of work to be done! Our talented map and asset teams have recreated farms found across the state to represent this important industry in-game.

One thing we couldn’t miss adding alongside these custom farm depots was the Great Plains Shelterbelt. This large-scale windbreak project began in the 1930s in response to the Dust Bowl, when millions of trees were planted in long belts across the Plains to reduce wind speeds and combat soil erosion.

For farms, the Shelterbelt play an important role, in helping to protect exposed agricultural soils, shielding buildings and livestock from harsh prairie winds, and even improving growing conditions by reducing moisture loss. With only around 4% of South Dakota covered in forest, these purposeful lines of trees stand out across the open landscape, becoming both a practical tool for farmers and an iconic part of the region’s rural scenery. 

Farming ain't the only big business in town, though! In the Black Hills, you’ll discover a region rich in history and natural beauty. Best known for its Gold Rush era, natural hot springs and historic railway, this area offers a completely different feel compared to the open plains. It’s also home to carefully managed timber operations that form another part of South Dakota’s working landscape, and one which is represented by our custom depots! 

While timber harvesting does take place in the Black Hills, much of the area is protected as National Forest, meaning forestry work is highly regulated and carried out on a smaller scale. Rather than focusing on one specific real world site, our timber depot captures the spirit of these operations, representing the industry as it exists within this unique and historic region.

It's not just what's above ground, but also below! This upcoming DLC will also feature a Quarry in Sioux Falls which is uniquely located within the city, and surrounded by highways and the suburbs. Here, they extract hard metamorphic rock and pink quartzite used in construction, one which has helped shape much of Sioux Falls’ architecture.

Across South Dakota, you'll also spot a familiar sight, Grain Elevators! These specialized agricultural facilities store and handle large quantities of harvested crops. Standing tall as iconic landmarks across the prairie, you won’t travel far without seeing one, and we’re sure you’ll make quite a few deliveries to and from them as well!

Liked what you read today? There's more to come! We look forward to sharing even more from this upcoming DLC for American Truck Simulator in the future, right here on our blog. If you're excited to be haulin' in the Mount Rushmore State, be sure to add South Dakota to your Steam Wishlist, your support means a lot to us. Until next time, happy haulin’!