In our latest 1.41 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, we introduced Convoy! Convoy is a new multiplayer game mode where players can set up and host their own private sessions (password optional) to drive with their friends or other fellow truckers. With synchronized AI traffic, time and weather, and the ability to take the same job as other players, lots of you have been enjoying trucking together.



However, we know that many of you still have questions about Convoy, which is why we are bringing this blog post with answers to the most frequently asked questions across our social media channels.

Will the maximum players limit be increased?

Eventually, yes. Convoy currently allows you to create and host an online session with up to 8 players. We expect to be able to raise the player limit in the future, however, we are keeping it small at this time due to its work-in-progress nature. There are important performance optimizations as well as better moderation tools under development that we would like to have in place first before increasing the limit.

Will there be MOD support in Convoy?

Eventually, yes. We are looking into supporting third-party modifications in Convoy multiplayer sessions. While it's not technically so difficult to connect players with an identical set of mods, there are many potential problems to handle when it comes to coming up with a safe and robust way to synchronize sessions of players joining in with different mods, and then back again when they wish to revert to the previous state to continue playing with their regular player profile.

How do I add someone to my friends that I enjoyed driving with?

You can add someone you played with recently on Convoy via the Steam client or overlay. Just click on the view tab (or view players in the Steam overlay), then on players. This will bring up a list of players you recently played with and a link to their profiles.

Another alternative way of adding them would be to ask for their Steam friend code, which allows you to add them with ease! Simply open your friends list and click on the 'Add Friend' located on the right-hand side of the top bar. This will take you to you a page that will show your unique Friend code and a space to enter another person's code, which will send them a friend request!

I can't see my friend's hosted session.

Make sure you are friends on Steam and that you both have the latest version of the game updated and that you are all set to online on your Steams friend list.

A possible reason you may not see a friend's hosted session is that you can only see sessions that are hosted in the same region as you. This means you may not be able to see a friend's hosted session if they live very far away from you. To join a distant friend's session, you may need to change your Steam download region to match theirs, which will allow you to view hosted sessions in that region. To do this, follow this handy guide!

If you know your friend's sessions name, you can search globally for the session by using the search bar found above the session list. This should bring up your friend's session no matter their region. Make sure to search for the session name exactly as it is written, including any symbols, numbers, punctuation, and abbreviations.

Additionally, you may not be able to see full sessions.

Dedicated servers, can we host them?

There is no option to host a dedicated server yet, however it is something we are looking into providing potentially in the future.

What about map DLCs, do all players need to own the same ones?!

No! Players do not need to own any DLC in order to join the Convoy multiplayer mode. However, just remember that you will not be able to see or drive in DLC map areas if you do not own them yourself.

Can I turn off the nametags of other players?

Yes! You can use the default hotkey of 'Z' to enable and disable nametags in Convoy! If you wish to change this hotkey, you can do so in the options found in your main menu. It even works when using the photo studio to take a group photo together!

Is there a speed limit in Convoy mode?

Convoy sessions have the option of setting a speed limit ON for the entire session by default. However, hosts have the option of turning this off, if they so wish to. In that case, the speed limiter will follow your local settings. Just remember that World of Trucks contracts enforce the speed limit on all jobs, regardless of the option set by the host.

Do I have to download the Convoy update if I am not planning on playing it?

Convoy is a game feature available since version 1.41, it is not a separate update line. Of course, it's totally up to you whether you use the feature or not.

There may be valid reasons for players to stay with an older version of the game, perhaps temporarily until a mod important to them catches up, and for this reason, we are providing branches of important previous updates of our games on Steam. By default, Steam updates the games automatically, so you may consider opting out of these automatic updates if this is a concern. However, please note that all further updates to both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator will contain the Convoy multiplayer feature. This means that if you do not plan on updating, you will not get any further updates, content, and fixes and that version 1.40 will be your final stop.

If you want to use and play on the Convoy multiplayer mode, you MUST be on the latest version of the game (1.41 or higher).

I am constantly having FPS problems in Convoy mode only.

The Convoy multiplayer mode is more demanding than single-player because it renders a higher number of player trucks. Because of this, it is normal to experience a lower frames per second (FPS). However, if your FPS numbers are suspiciously low, reach out to our support email at support@scssoft.com with a detailed description of your problem.

Our programmers are pursuing several lines of optimizations to improve performance overall and also in multiplayer-specific context, but it may take several more game updates until these code improvements are ready.

Does the session have to end if the hosting player leaves?

Yes, as soon as the host of the session leaves, the server will be closed and this will disconnect all players from the server. If this happens unexpectedly, do not panic, as you will be greeted with options to proceed with the progress you've made in the session, or to revert it if you so wish to (for reasons such as the loss of in-game currency, damage, or other progress reasons).

Note that if you accept the progress, you will remain wherever you were when the session ended, effectively finding yourself back in singleplayer mode. From there, you can once again create a new session and continue with either the same or a different group of people if you wish to do so.

How can I unban someone who I banned in the Convoy session?

If you wish to unban players, you need to go into your "profiles" folder in the respective ATS/ETS2 folders in documents, select the exact profile where the ban happened and find a text file called "banlist". Open the file with a text editor and remove the line with the banned user. You will have to restart the Convoy session afterward.

Is Convoy a form of peer-to-peer gaming?

While the Convoy sessions are hosted by the players themselves, one player always works as a server and therefore acts as a junction for other players. Everyone else communicates with this particular server in the end. More specifically it is the usual client-server communication layout with all clients having authority over specific objects.

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We hope this answers the majority of the most frequently asked questions by our community about Convoy! We love seeing you drive and deliver together and we hope to see more of your photos & video content shared with us on our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Happy Trucking!

It’s been almost a month since we announced the Idaho Spuds World of Trucks event. This unique event was a celebration of the 1st anniversary since our Idaho DLC release, where drivers had the opportunity to earn rewards by completing personal and community goals while having the chance to also drive the famous Big Idaho Potato truck and trailer - used to advertise Idaho potatoes throughout the United States.



Although the set goals were challenging, our #BestCommunityEver managed to not only meet their personal goals but nailed the community goal of 200,000 deliveries in no time at all! Fun fact, if every delivery was one potato, we would end up having over five million french fries. That’s a lot of fries!

Unfortunately, after so much driving, the event must come to end; so start the final drum roll and let us take a look at some of the more precise stats that you achieved whilst you were #HaulingSpuds.



Incredible work truckers! We cannot thank you enough for your support. It really does bring a lot of joy to our team to see how much you enjoy participating in these events. We hope you will ride with pride with your newly acquired Idaho-themed accessories which you have earned.





The reach of our community extends far beyond the borders of Idaho. You were also busy posting about your adventures with the hashtag #HaulingSpuds to our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages, while also creating amazing content on Youtube and Twitch. We absolutely enjoyed seeing your reactions to the "stylish" trailer and using it on your journeys.

We are grateful for your excitement and effort to take part in this event and hopefully, we’ll see you on the road with another World of Trucks event soon!

It seems that we may have underestimated the horsepower of the hype train. With tens of thousands of views in less than 24 hours after releasing the previous gameplay video and hundreds of positive opinions shared in the blog comments section and the video itself (we counted it), it would be a shame to not reward our #BestCommunityEver with a second gameplay video for this great reception. So once again, grab a bucket full of popcorn, relax and this time enjoy the ride from Kemmerer Point of Entry to an area close to the Alpine Truck Stop. Please keep in mind that while parts of this gameplay video routes through the States of Utah and Idaho, all content shown will be included in the Wyoming DLC.


In addition to the gameplay video, you can now take a look at the full map and plan your first trip through Wyoming once it becomes available. Do you already have the perfect route in your mind after taking a look at this map?



Once more, if you can’t wait to drive on the same road shown in the video yourself, add Wyoming DLC to your Steam Wishlist and you can be one of the first to try it out. We know you are all extremely excited for the hype train to pull into its final station and trust us, we will not be teasing you for much longer, because the long-awaited release date announcement is coming really soon!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

Hours upon hours of driving through vast and massive states tend to take their toll, and a trucker’s life is not simply pressing the pedal and moving forward. Whether you are longing for a small change of scenery or it’s that time of your travels to rest your weary head and take a break for some time, welcome areas and rest stops in the upcoming Wyoming DLC will allow for just that.



The Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center is a fairly aesthetically-pleasing complex consisting of the main building structure and adjacent rest area. This particular center tends to serve about two thousand people a day during the height of the tourism season; it’s no wonder that picnic tables, placards and other items of historical value are all present. Upon entering the parking zone you will be greeted by a prominent sign, and prior to that you will also be able to pass by the so called "The Greetings and the Gift" sculptures, which depict a meeting of a friendship offering between a Native American and a Mountain Man. This truly sounds like a unique welcome center, doesn’t it?


You will also be able to "cool your engine" in several Rest Stations found throughout Wyoming. These areas are a convenient feature especially for those who do not wish to be a part of the rush of usual gas stations, or perhaps for others who’d like to avoid a parking challenge with eyes already half closed, as these stations offer much more space for manouvering. And no matter if it is a bright and sunny day, or a gloomy and rainy late evening, stations so close to the natural environment are always a good choice to take a break for a while.

We know that resting is as necessary for a trucker’s story as driving on the road itself, so hopefully these areas will provide the comfort needed to continue your journey, which you will be able to fully experience in the upcoming Wyoming DLC. Make sure to add the map expansion to your Steam Wishlist and once you turn your engine back on, we’ll see you back on the road!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

With the recent release of the Convoy feature for ATS and ETS2, our social media channels have witnessed an avalanche of absolutely incredible photos and videos from your first multiplayer journeys, in which you and your friends were taking on the same jobs and delivering cargo together. It’s difficult to simply express with words how much we appreciate this kind of feedback, since in the end, whatever we do we are doing for the happiness of our #BestCommunityEver. 

What you will see here is just a small selection of videos we have laid our eyes on and there is much more here and here. Feel free to keep sending us pictures and videos on our social media - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and we’ll make sure to check them out as well!








In addition to screenshots and videos, quite often there are developers who are watching the ETS2 and ATS categories on Twitch, so the streamers certainly do not have to feel left out.

We also immensely value the amount of positive feedback we have received for the update in comment sections and on our forums. We know you have been waiting to drive together with your friends for a long time, so do not be afraid and start a Convoy session yourself or jump into an already created one and work together with your fellow truckers in this awesome new multiplayer experience!

Agriculture has been an integral part of every human society for thousands of years and it is truly exceptional how this practice of cultivating plants and livestock remains just as important to this very day. For Wyoming, modern farming is a key component in the overall economy of the state. Let’s take a closer look at the Cowboy State and examine why the previous statement is true and along the way show you multiple new screenshots from the upcoming map expansion as well!



In Wyoming, agriculture is one of the top three industries (along with minerals and tourism) and it contributes approximately $2 billion per year to the state’s economy. The local cattle industry dates back to the middle 1800­'s and in the following hundred years cattle ranching became one of the most noteworthy businesses with Cheyenne becoming a world trade center for cattle. It is due to the state’s vegetation in the grasslands and moutains that the livestock cultivation is able to thrive.


With more than eleven thousand farms producing commodities across the state and over thirty million acres of farmland, the importance of the industry is truly difficult to miss. Interestingly enough, land related to agriculture takes up about fifty-five percent of the total land in Wyoming, with wheat contributing the highest production value out of all other crops.


As always, don’t forget to add the map expansion to your Steam Wishlist and you’ll be able stay in touch with all the latest news regarding the upcoming Wyoming DLC.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

There are so many pieces in a trucker’s life that all fit together like a perfectly-built puzzle. From driving on the road to passing by various landmarks, there are certain aspects you simply cannot leave out. One of those elements are undoubtedly the weigh stations. Today we will take a look at some of these locations that will be featured in the upcoming Wyoming DLC.



While the function of weigh stations remains unchanged and they may even seem trivial to some, to others they have become well known and unique places. Echo Point of Entry may certainly be remembered for its rich history and unique design. Not only was this particular station constructed before the famous Interstate 80 was built, the support of commercial vehicles in this area dates back all the way to 1952. But the story with I-80 doesn’t end here, as you will also have a chance to stop by for an inspection at the Evanston I-80 Point of Entry!

There will be several more weigh stations situated throughout Wyoming, and while some of them may not draw their power from history or their architectural value, stopping at Alpine Point of Entry, for example, will leave you in awe purely due to the marvelous mountains nearby. On the contrary, Cheyenne I-25 Point of Entry will give you the opportunity to see far into the distance thanks to its surrounding prairies.

We hope you have enjoyed this peek at some of the weigh stations that will be arriving in Wyoming DLC. If you did, make sure to put some "weight" on the Steam Wishlist button and you’ll always be in touch with any news regarding the new map expansion.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1415692/American_Truck_Simulator__Wyoming/

We are celebrating the 1st anniversary since our Idaho DLC release, by highlighting its famous potato industry. So, we’re inviting our #BestCommunityEver to join us in hauling Idaho Spuds - our latest World of Trucks event! The community goal is to achieve 200,000 deliveries of either Potatoes or the The Big Idaho Potato; we’ve gone all out to faithfully reproduce this famous truck and trailer, used to advertise and praise Idaho potatoes throughout the state.



The goal here is simply to have fun #HaulingSpuds and maybe grab a few rewards on the way. We’re sure you’re gonna like what you find. And yes, you can even haul Potatoes cargo using your own trailer in the external market, The Big Idaho Potato, however, is in External contracts only.



Not only do we have the trailer but we've also added the genuine Kenworth T680 paint job to accompany The Big Idaho Potato cargo, available in the game, and we can’t wait to see your pics as you make your deliveries. Don't forget to tag our and The Big Idaho Potato social media profiles (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) too to let them know how much do you like hauling their pride around!

We're also giving 2 special rewards for completing your personal goal which will require 6 deliveries of Potatoes plus 1 more delivery of The Big Idaho Potato, from any of Idaho’s cities.

This event is a chance to be part of the Potato industry which means so very much to so many people, not only in Idaho and not only in the U.S. but all over the world. I mean, who on earth doesn't enjoy a beautifully roasted spud?! So have fun, Haul them Spuds, and see you on the road!

Rules:

Using External Contracts or External Market, with a World of Trucks-connected profile in American Truck Simulator, the community goal is to achieve 200,000 deliveries of either Potatoes cargo or the event-specific, The Big Idaho Potato cargo, from any city in Idaho.

When a player completes 6 deliveries of Potatoes cargo and 1 delivery of the event-specific The Big Idaho Potato cargo, from any city in Idaho, it will complete their personal goal.

Note:

• The Big Idaho Potato cargo is only available from External Contracts.
  
• Potatoes cargo is available from External Contracts or External Market.

All jobs for the event need to be 100 miles each (161 km) or more.

You can check if your recent deliveries met these conditions using your Log Book in your World of Trucks profile.

Rewards:

Personal goal: Individual player contributions of 6 deliveries of Potatoes cargo and 1 delivery of The Big Idaho Potato cargo, from any Idaho city, will gain that player a personal World of Trucks Achievement, and 2 Steam inventory items for their cabin. A yummy Wooden Bowl of fresh crisp potato chips, and an attractive, Idaho unique, Giant Salamander Sticker.




Community goal: When the community goal of achieving 200,000 deliveries of either Potatoes cargo or The Big Idaho Potato cargo, from any city in Idaho is met, and if the player has also achieved their personal goal then they will receive 2 Steam inventory items for their cabin. A specially designed Idaho Nights Air Freshener, and a cute Idaho Potato Sticker.




Note: In order to qualify for the community rewards, you must complete at least your personal goal in American Truck Simulator. Each reward will be a Steam inventory item for American Truck Simulator. Once completed, claim your reward in the Events page on your World of Trucks profile.

The event will be concluded on Sunday the 15th of August at 23:59 UTC.

With lots of testing, feedback, fixing, and fine-tuning, we are excited to announce the highly anticipated arrival of update 1.41 for American Truck Simulator.



We'd like to thank all those who took part in the 1.41 Open Beta, made bug reports, and provided general feedback on this new version. We hope you can now begin to fully enjoy the various new features which are included within this update. 

So, what can you find in the 1.41 update for ATS?  Let's take a closer look!

Convoy Multiplayer

Convoy is a new multiplayer game mode, where players can set up and host their own private sessions (password optional) to drive with their friends or other fellow truckers. There is currently support for synchronized AI traffic, time and weather, and the ability to take the same job as other players.



Convoy allows you to create and host an online session with up to 8 players. We plan to eventually raise the player limit in the future, however, we are keeping it small at this time due to its work-in-progress nature. Session hosts will automatically be made admins of these sessions, allowing them to ultimately control what kind of environment they want to have online, as well as having the ability to kick any trouble-makers from the session. 



You can also see, filter, browse and eventually join any of the available sessions that have already been created by your friends or other truckers.




So what options and features will players be able to use and experience in Convoy? 

• Any player can host and create their own private sessions for up to 8 people
• Ability to haul the same contracts/jobs together from the same company and to the same destination
• Synchronized AI traffic
• Synchronized time and weather
• Synchronized paint jobs, truck accessories, cabin accessories, cargoes, and more
• Ability to communicate with other drivers via CB radio broadcast (X key), quick replies (Q key), or text chat (Y key)

We know how many players are eager to try out this new feature; however, there are some things you will need to know before joining your friends on the road!
Notable issues / not yet implemented:

• Mods in Convoy mode are not supported in the initial release.
• AI vehicles might disappear when a player disconnects.
• Lifting bridges are not synchronized. They will be stationary for the initial release of Convoy.
• When using an owned trailer, there might be a company trailer spawned in the same location you are supposed to go to to load your cargo.
• Steam invites work only through the Steam overlay.
• CB radio broadcast (hotkey "X") interferes with the text input line.
• The on-screen map in Convoy "M" zooms out together with chat scrolling in the Route Advisor.

Worried about your profile progress? In case of trouble-makers or other circumstances out of your control, players will have the option to revert their savefile to one made previously before joining the session. From friends to VTC's, we are excited to see how you will enjoy Convoy and we look forward to hearing your constructive feedback on this new online feature.


California Reskin

During our special Christmas 2020 live stream, we announced that we would be revisiting California in American Truck Simulator to give our starting state a reskin! Today, we bring the first iteration of this reskin, carrying a major road layout rework, agriculture stations, and more!



One of the most noticeable changes drivers will experience when arriving in California are the new agriculture border control stations! All drivers hauling goods into the state will have to undergo special checks from the control station where vehicles are inspected for commodities that may be infested with invasive species, and for the correct documentation. In-game, we will mimic these scenarios with a new feature, which will work very similarly to the current weigh stations. Upon your arrival at the border, depending on what you are hauling, drivers will be notified to pull over for an inspection at one of the control stations before they are given the green light to enter the state. 


Our world design tools have been considerably improved during the years since ATS was released as well, and we plan to take advantage of the new power. For example, our map designers can now pay attention to details like the proper roll of the road surface in a curve. We are also trying to make sure we get our research right when it comes to unique road signage elements, proper road markings, or the use of cat's eyes. We hope to achieve a completely new look and feel when driving across the State. Read more here.


Photo Mode: Time & Weather options

We know how much our players love to take photos in-game and spend a lot of time creating that perfect shot, and for many, this also includes finding the right lighting conditions and weather. So to help create that perfect trucking memory, we have implemented a new feature that may save you quite a bit of time when it comes to using console commands! 



Introducing the new Time and Weather options! Players will now be able to choose the conditions of their liking, to create the perfect trucking snap just by simply adjusting a new slider to change the time, or clicking on two buttons to control the lighting/weather, all of which will appear in the updated in-game photo studio. We can't wait to see how drivers will use this new feature in the future and we look forward to seeing your snaps! 



Changelog:

Gameplay:

• Convoy Multiplayer 
• Time and weather adjustments in photo mode
• Quick Travel

Map 

• California Reskin part 1 including 7 Agricultural Stations and a road layout rework 

UI

• New icons in the map legend

An interesting couple of weeks full of testing is behind us and we have been making great improvements largely thanks to your feedback, our #BestCommunityEver. The time to switch gears and drive forward into the future is almost here and we believe now is the right time for another teaser!

In case you have missed our coverage of experimental and open betas and want to learn more about our upcoming Convoy gameplay mode, you can read more about it in the 1.41 Update Open Beta blog articles (ETS2, ATS). Apart from celebrating your fellow truckers on International Friendship Day, which is this month (how convenient, right?), you will also have a chance to join them on the road, taking the same job and delivering cargo together, navigating through synchronized traffic, braving the weather along the route and much more!

But before all this will come with the 1.41 release, let us put you in the right mood with this video:


The full release of the 1.41 update is coming soon, hopefully in a matter of days. So now is the best time to let your friends know what’s happening so everyone is ready for its arrival. We hope to see you doing some deliveries on the roads of ETS2 and ATS together!