Isle of Ireland: Research Trip

What's the best way to capture the spirit of Ireland? Hit the road, of course! In June, members of our Euro Truck Simulator 2 map team travelled across the Emerald Isle on a research trip for our upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC. With cameras in hand and thousands of kilometres ahead, they explored everything from lively cities and picturesque villages to rugged coastlines and breathtaking scenery, collecting the references that will help shape this exciting expansion. Here are some of their highlights from their journey.

Five members of the SCS Software team took part on this trip, including Ivan, our World Map Design QA Lead, Josef from the Road Department, Kristian and Libor, Map Designers, and Honza, the Project Lead for the Isle of Ireland DLC. 

However, that isn't all, as Alex, one of our Community Managers, and Cenda, one of our talented Videomakers, also joined the research trip to document the journey and give you a closer look behind the scenes. We can't wait to share more from this incredible adventure in a special future episode of SCS On The Road.

Their journey began in Dublin, where the team came together before setting off on an ambitious road trip around much of Ireland. Their route took them from Dublin to Rosslare Harbour, Waterford, Cork, Killarney, Limerick, Galway, Westport, Sligo, Benbulbin, Londonderry, Bushmills, Giants Causway, Belfast, before finally returning to Dublin. So as you can imagine, the team got to see quite a lot!

This trip wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic support of our friends at Škoda Ireland. A huge thank you to Raymond Leddy and the team for supplying us with two Škoda Octavias, which comfortably carried our crew across thousands of kilometres of Ireland's roads and became the perfect companions for this unforgettable research trip.

We'd also like to extend our sincere thanks to JUDr. Pavel Vošalík and his team of the Czech Embassy in Ireland for helping arrange several special visits for our team, including a tour of a cement plant in Limerick. This provided invaluable first-hand insight into the industry's day-to-day operations, helping our team better understand how the facility functions and the vital role truck drivers play in loading, unloading, and transporting materials every day.

So what did the team get up to during their trip? We spoke with several members of the team to hear about their favourite moments, the places that left the biggest impression, and the valuable references they have gathered to help bring Ireland to life in ETS2. 

Honza:

"We recently went on our research trip to Ireland, and I have to say for me personally, it was a great experience. It always feels different to actually be at a place rather than to see it through references on your computer. No amount of photos or Street View can fully replicate the feeling of being there. Having walked and driven through the real landscape, I now have a much clearer picture of what the outcome should be, what the map should look like and, more importantly, what the general vibe should feel like.

One thing we already knew going in was that vegetation would need special attention, but being there made us absolutely sure we need to give it great importance. And yes grass really is very green in Ireland. It's striking, and it has to come through in the map.

We also discovered there are a lot of details we might have missed before. For example, once you're on the ground, you realise just how much art is on public display everywhere murals on walls, electrical boxes used as canvases for local artwork. These small touches add a lot of character and are exactly the kind of details that can make the map feel alive and authentic.

As for personal highlights my favourite places were on the West Coast, the Caha Mountains, Killarney National Park, and Connemara. The Antrim coast was equally stunning. And from the cities, I really liked Galway."

Kristián: 

"Ireland is the first DLC I am working on. I am so grateful to have been a part of this journey, to see everything with my own eyes and really soak up the atmosphere. I have visited almost all the places and roads I am working on designing from Waterford to Rosslare Harbour. They have undergone extensive renovations over the past two years, so I am happy to see their latest appearance, which you will not find even on Google Maps. I also visited the Custom Depot of the film studio in Belfast.

This journey helped me to perceive important details and the specific atmospheres of the places there. My personal experience showed me huge differences compared to static online maps. I believe that this will help us take the realism of the environment to a higher level and create a truly immersive world for players. I managed to collect a lot of reference material, of which our entire team can then use to build a virtual Ireland in a much more believable way and depict even places that are completely missing from Street View."

Libor: 

"I fell in love with Ireland right from the start of our work on the DLC, when I began exploring it through photos. So when I got the chance to visit Ireland in person, I was thrilled and started looking forward to it. My main goal for the trip was to explore the N71 running through Killarney National Park and its surroundings. The photos we had available before the trip were taken in overcast, rainy weather, but for a map designer’s work, it’s important to see the landscape in sunny weather to capture the correct colours.

Fortunately, the weather turned out perfect, and I was able to gather the right references for my work. In addition to the colors, my visit helped me greatly in grasping the character of the landscape, the scale of the mountains, and the variety of vegetation. All of this is difficult to capture from photographs alone. Being in Ireland in person helped me a great deal not only in mapping the landscape and landmarks, but also in noting the small details regarding road traffic and the road network. 

These are the aspects that we pay close attention to at our company. Ireland is rich in diverse landscapes and numerous landmarks, and we’re working hard to deliver the best possible Irish experience."

Josef: 

"I joined this trip as a representative of the road department. At SCS, I’m responsible for all right-hand drive prefabs for the Isle of Ireland DLC and the UK rework. These are essentially functional 3D models of all road intersections from simple crossroads to complex roundabouts.

Both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom have unique features in their road networks compared to the rest of Europe. Cats’ eyes (road studs) and box junctions were originally designed in the UK. Roundabouts are more common, sometimes even with traffic lights, of which there are plenty. And in case you didn’t know, people drive on the left side of the road. There are other specifics, but I won’t bore you with them.

That’s why I’m glad I had the opportunity to travel around Ireland and see the road networks of both countries, because I’m now tasked with finalizing and implementing these features into our road network. We’ve gathered a lot of references that will help us greatly with this.

Since my work involves roads and intersections, I’m used to looking down at them. But that was a bit harder in Ireland, where there were breathtaking views and beautiful nature. And just when you’re admiring the view, you suddenly hear a sheep. It’s that feeling of perfection and peace. That’s what I love about Ireland.

At the same time, during my four years at SCS, I had the opportunity for the first time to visit the landmark intersection I’d been working on, rather than just seeing it on a screen. It’s a strange feeling when you arrive at a place and, after a moment, realise that you actually know it a little bit there. Classic déjà vu."

Ivan: 

"Getting to visit Ireland in person was hugely valuable for me. In QA, we work with reference photos, videos and Street View all day, but actually seeing the country with my own eyes was a different thing entirely. Honestly, the island won me over on day one. The atmosphere, how varied the landscapes are, the way each region has its own character. 

We covered a big part of Ireland on the trip, from busy cities to countryside roads where you barely meet another car. That's when the real scale of things sinks in. The road network, the vegetation, the architecture, all the small details you just can't pick up from online references. Some places felt nothing like they look on a static map, and experiencing that first-hand taught me a lot about what makes Ireland special. The trip is already paying off in my daily work.

When I'm reviewing parts of the map now, I recognise places we visited, and they come with actual memories attached, the town we stayed in, a road we drove, the spot where we stopped for food. That kind of familiarity makes it much easier to judge whether the environment feels authentic and to catch details that would otherwise slip by. I really believe these impressions will help us fine-tune the Ireland DLC and make it a more immersive, believable experience for our players."

We hope you enjoyed reading this insight of our team's research trip across Ireland. If you're excited about the upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC, don't forget to add it to your Steam Wishlist! You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss our upcoming SCS On The Road: Isle of Ireland Research Trip episode, where we'll take you even deeper into the journey. Until next time, keep on truckin'!

Road Trip: Atlas

In today's blog, we are excited to show you a new gameplay feature that will come to American Truck Simulator with the arrival of Road Trip. Let's take a closer look at Atlas!

We know many of you have been wondering what new gameplay experiences Road Trip will bring, and today we're excited to introduce Atlas. Designed around exploration, Atlas encourages players to discover, visit, and learn about selected locations across the world of American Truck Simulator. Along the way, you may come across famous landmarks or hidden gems you may have overlooked before - and even learn something about them!

You can access the Atlas interface from your in-game desktop under the Navigation tab. At the heart of this feature are Tourist Boards scattered across the map. By selecting a Tourist Board in the Atlas interface, you'll be directed to the board via your GPS. Once you arrive, several exploration locations will be revealed. These locations are typically spread throughout the surrounding region and showcase some of its most notable highlights. 

Your objective will be to visit every exploration location associated with the Tourist Board. These include Points of Interest, Viewpoints, and Photo Trophies.

Points of Interest are a new type of discoverable location. Unlike Viewpoints or Photo Trophies, there's no need to stop or activate a trigger - simply driving through the designated area is enough to mark it as explored. The game also lets you revisit each explored Point of Interest through the Atlas or Gallery, where you can view a live camera feed of the location. If your vehicle is parked there, you'll see it in the live view.

Whenever you've explored a new location, you'll be notified by a new on-screen widget, which can be enabled or disabled in the widget settings. A short celebratory sound effect will play, and the location will be marked as explored. You'll also unlock a brief description with interesting information about the place, which you can revisit at any time through the Atlas interface.

Once you've explored every location connected to a Tourist Board, the board itself will be marked as completed. As a reward, you'll receive a postcard with a unique design inspired by the region you've just explored, which you can display on your vehicle's dashboard. You can also return to the Atlas interface at any time to review the locations you've discovered, read their descriptions, or replay any unlocked cutscenes.

This feature will become available to players owning any Road Trip DLC, so either the Ford Car Pack or the RAM & Dodge Car Pack. However, Atlas is not limited to only cars, as you will also be able to enjoy this feature behind the wheel of a truck!

With the introduction of Atlas, you will be able to find Tourist Boards in California, and in the Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota DLCs. We will then be gradually adding them to all the other states as well.

We hope you are excited about this new gameplay feature! If you are, make sure to add the Ford Car Pack and the RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam wishlist.

Don't forget to stay tuned for more news from Road Trip by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Drive safe!

British Columbia: Tunnels and Snow Sheds

Today, we're excited to showcase some of the remarkable tunnels and snow sheds that await you in our upcoming British Columbia DLC for American Truck Simulator. Whether you're traveling through rugged mountain passes or navigating busy highways near Vancouver, these unique structures are an essential part of the province's transportation network.

One of the most recognizable structures you'll drive through is the Great Bear Snow Shed on the famous Coquihalla Highway. Built to protect motorists from avalanches and falling snow, this impressive concrete structure has become an iconic feature of one of British Columbia's most challenging mountain routes. As you make your way through the surrounding peaks, this landmark is sure to stand out during your journey.

Further east, along the Trans-Canada Highway (TC-1) in Glacier National Park, you'll come across several more snow sheds that shelter the roadway from heavy snowfall and avalanche hazards. Nestled among towering mountains and dense forests, these structures are an essential part of traveling through one of Canada's most spectacular alpine regions, adding another layer of authenticity to the mountain trucking experience.

The winding section of the Trans-Canada Highway near the town of Hope is also home to a remarkable collection of tunnels carved directly through the surrounding mountainsides. As you travel this scenic corridor, you'll pass through several recreated tunnels, including the Yale Tunnel, Alexandra Tunnel, Hell's Gate Tunnel, Ferrabee Tunnel, and China Bar Tunnel. Together, they create one of the most memorable stretches of highway in British Columbia, with dramatic canyon views waiting between each passage.

Our journey doesn't stop there. Drivers exploring the Vancouver area will also encounter the Cassiar Tunnel, an important urban tunnel that carries traffic beneath one of the city's major corridors. Meanwhile, another engineering highlight awaits beneath the mighty Fraser River, where you'll drive through a tunnel connecting key parts of the Metro Vancouver region. These additions showcase not only British Columbia's stunning natural landscapes, but also the impressive infrastructure that keeps the province moving every day.

From towering mountain passes to modern urban highways, British Columbia offers a wide variety of unforgettable driving experiences. We hope you're looking forward to exploring these tunnels and snow sheds as much as we enjoyed recreating them!

If you're excited to hit the roads of Canada's westernmost mainland province, don't forget to add the British Columbia DLC to your Steam Wishlist! Also, be sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss any future updates. Until next time, keep on truckin'!