With American Truck Simulator slowly growing to contain more and more of the USA with each expansion, more and more players are getting on board. Like most popular simulator games, it has a dedicated fanbase that will look to enhance the simulation experience as much as it can. Thankfully, the developers of American Truck Simulator have made this very easy for players, allowing full Steam Workshop support of the game, and the community has created a whole bunch of enhancements.
With a fully modded game, all the rough edges are sanded over, and fun additions are there too. There's a reason why PC gamers love the act of modding their games to kingdom come, allowing players to optimize the game as per their own likes and dislikes to make for something truly special. American Truck Simulator has a dedicated player base that has spent hundreds of hours in this game, and mods that make things easier to fathom will definitely be appreciated by the masses.
Updated on September 4, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: American Truck Simulator is a great game that fans of unique simulator games should definitely check out. Unlike other titles that promote breakneck action and fast-paced racing, most people love American Truck Simulator for being a rather laid-back experience that players can boot up to just chill out and enjoy a good time. Fans of this game who love the idea of driving a virtual truck will definitely be pleased with the many mods that they can download for this game.
13 Motorcycle Traffic Pack
- Created By: Jazzycat
A huge part of what makes American Truck Simulator so engaging to play is the amazing realism. Players will genuinely get immersed as they drive a truck around realistic and fleshed-out landscapes, trying to drive as carefully as possible without getting into any accidents. This makes it important to be smart in traffic, especially since a single lapse in judgment can lead to a horrendous accident.
The variety of the traffic may be decent in the game, but there are times when players want something different after playing for hours on end. This is especially true when it comes to the dearth of two-wheelers in the game. The Motorcycle Traffic Pack allows players to add a bunch of real-life brands into the game that makes for some great eye candy while players are stuck in traffic.
12 Montana Expansion
- Created By: xRECONLOBSTERx
The idea of driving in and around various iconic landscapes in America makes for a great time, and players would obviously want a greater number of maps and locations to roam around. The variety in this game may already be impressive, but fans who have invested a ton of hours into this title will always love a change of scenery.
Thankfully, many modders have released unique maps that players can download in the game to great effect. The Montana Expansion is just one example. It allows players to explore this mountain state and roam around the map to great effect, enabling players to have a fresh and engaging time with this title yet again.
11 Realistic Rain
- Created By: Darkcaptain
The visuals of American Truck Simulator are impressive, and go a long way in ensuring that players can get immersed in the simple yet engaging gameplay. While many people argue that visual fidelity isn't as important as engaging gameplay, titles like American Truck Simulator need realistic graphics, since that is essentially what this game requires to enrapture the masses.
A simple weather effect can take the player out of the game if the visual fidelity of this change in weather isn't communicated properly. Thankfully, with the Realistic Rain mod, anyone who felt like a downpour didn't really elicit the feeling of what rain actually looks like in real life need not be worried about this issue anymore. It may seem like a simple mod, but fans of ultra-realistic visuals will love what it brings to the table.
10 Realistic Graphics Mod v4.0
- Created By: Frkn64 Modding
Since American Truck Simulatorwears its realism on its sleeve, it's only a given for players to want this focus on each and every part of the gameplay experience. This includes the graphics as well, which receive a massive overhaul courtesy of this mod.
There's no denying that the graphics of American Truck Simulator are already great. However, some people just want these games to look as good as possible, and mods are the best way to accomplish the same and satisfy each player's personal interest.
9 Rescued 1977 Peterbilt 359
- Created By: Trucker_71
The 1977 Peterbilt 359 is a classic truck that many aficionados still remember to this day. With the use of mods, this truck can be faithfully brought over to a simulator that can do justice to the legacy of this vehicle.
It's a simple mod, but fans of American Truck Simulator would want such mods that help them experience such legendary vehicles for themselves. In this regard, this mod is easily one of the better ones that are worth trying out.
8 Enhanced Vegetation
- Created By:Slavsan93
When creating a map as big as American Truck Simulator's needs to be to provide a realistic trucking experience, some corners are going to have to be cut. In order to save on budget and development time, the assets for much of the game's vegetation and a tad sub-par in places.
This is understandable, as players are going to be moving past them at high speeds, so they don't need to be very detailed to look acceptable. It's not like a farming simulator, where it needs to be perfect. That said, players who like everything to be perfect have taken it upon themselves to make the world look a bit prettier. It's the perfect kind of mod, as it showcases the community doing a job the development team didn't have the time for.
7 Longer Yellow Lights
- Created By: Ogg Vorbis
Those unfamiliar with driving trucks in the real world may fail to realize just how different from other vehicles they can be. One of the major differences is how slowly they pull off from a full stop, or the slow rate at which they decelerate. The consequences are that players pass a traffic light on yellow, but it turns red before they fully cross, leading to a fine.
To relieve some of this frustration, modders have extended the time for which lights remain yellow. Increasing it from 2 seconds to 4.5 seconds. This gives players a little extra leeway with traffic lights and will lead to a lot less unnecessary expenditure in the form of fines.
6 Realistic Vehicle Lights
- Created By:Frkn64
Much like the vegetation in the game, the lighting engine in American Truck Simulator is just as good as it needs to be. With so many other parts of the game requiring greater attention, it would be a waste of time and resources for the development team to create a top-of-the-line lighting engine.
The vehicle lights in the game are fit for purpose, but in certain situations, they can be hard to see properly. It makes for awkward times when the law requires a vehicle's lights to be on in rain, even though they make no noticeable difference to visibility. This mod changes that, massively increasing the quality of vehicle lights, and improving overall visibility at night.
5 Real Companies, Gas Stations & Billboards
- Created By:MLH82 & 4of25
For legal reasons, the developers of American Truck Simulator can't use any real brands for most of their world. They pay for the licenses to real truck brands, as they are the most important part of the game, but for things like haulage companies, gas stations, and in-game adverts, they created fake companies instead.
However, fan-made content gets around this, as the developers aren't liable for what the fans create. This means that those who want to haul loads with real-world branding and supplies in them can do so with the use of this mod, which changes all the logos on the game to be real-world ones.
4 SiSL's Trailer Pack USA
- Created By:SiSL
It's clear that those who dedicate themselves to a game like American Truck Simulator are looking for the most realistic experience possible, so it's no wonder that they want as many real-world elements in there are possible. Adding them to the world is one thing, but editing all the hundreds of trailers in the game is quite the feat.
Nevertheless, it's what SiSL has done, creating bespoke trailers to feature just about every major brand that is seen on the roads today in the USA. There are trailer packs for a few other regions too, and a version for this game's sister game, Euro Truck Simulator 2.
3 Smarty's Wheel Pack
- Created By:Smarty
The game offers a great number of customization options for players' trucks that change performance. However, for the most invested players, there can always be more to offer, which is why mods exist that are dedicated to expanding the available pool of just one type of upgrade.
In this case, loads of different tires have been added that drive differently under all sorts of conditions. Whether players want tires that offer more maneuverability in the rain or tires designed for great freeway performance, they can have their pick of the litter with this mod.
2 Sound Fixes
- Created By:YouDriveSafely
Immersion is always the name of the game when it comes to simulators, and one of the best ways to be absorbed into the world is near-perfect sound design. The default sound design in American Truck Simulator is great, but like any game, those who really know their stuff will see all the little ways in which it could be improved.
This mod looks to try and implement many of those improvements for even the smallest sound effects in the game. Things like the sound of the truck's suspension adjusting, or the sound of refueling. It even adds a seatbelt sound effect when the player first starts up their truck. It's the tiny details that turn a great experience into an unforgettable one.
1 SiSL's Mega Pack
- Created By: SiSL
Full-time truckers are known to have personalized vehicles. Given that it's where they will be spending most of their day, it can be healthy to make it feel as much like home as possible. There are really no limits on this front.
The game's default options are good, but it's nothing like what players would see in real life. This is where the modding community comes in once again, allowing players to add just about anything to their truck. It adds things on the dashboard, around the cabinet, and even lets players put other people or pets inside the truck to travel with the player. Then there are the add-ons, which change the traffic around the truck and add fun things like Star Wars vehicles and passengers.
American Truck Simulator is available now on PC.