Why is ATS so quite compared to ETS

[Chance The Pup]

ATS Was One Of My Favors Of The Two Games Just Cause I Live In The U.S However Sadly Due To Low Staff Activeness To The Game The Community Is Pretty Toxic The Only Time I Would Mostly Likely Go Back Is Only If I was A Staff User Only Cause The Players Are Super Rude And Very Toxic. 

[DoktorBlazin]

Well, think about it this way. It depends on the time of day, where you are and how many people are going to be on that route. Usually the I-5 up and about is packed with people. Phoenix is a big place where you can meet lots of cool people. Some of them not so cool. You can also find lots of people hanging out in Elko Nevada. There is a good amount of people in Seattle as well.

 

 

[SafetyMoose]

I have never played ETS so I can't compare how busy it feels with ATS, but for the couple weeks I've played ATS its never really felt empty, even when the server population is relatively low compared to peak times. The only time it feels empty is when i'm taking routes down the smaller back roads, but that just adds to the isolated feel of that sort of back country. People seem to be rather chatty in cities and i'm still surprised how often I run in to groups of people in some of the less popular cities. 

[DECTRUCKING]

I think ATS is more quiet is because a lot more people own ETS2.  For the people who own both, like me, I prefer driving ETS2MP because there are so many people on that... whereas on ATS, there is very few people and single player mode is more difficult than multiplayer.  This is my personal opinion.  

[isaacdelbarrio]

The reason why ATS is much calmer than its brother ETS2 is because the first one is much newer and it is still in a great phase of expansion and adaptation to the new that is coming, in addition to that in ETS2 there is a wide variety of trucks and brands available unlike what happens in ATS that despite already having 6 different trucks with their repetitive modifications are very similar; in addition to having a smaller amount of DLC and the basemap itself is much smaller than in ETS2.

[[Viva] Dr. Pyronator]

I mean could you imagine if ATS had 2000+ people in it. I think it would cause congestion at every point of intersection, look at the map size compared to ETS maps. Much much much smaller, however in the years or months to come I feel like more people will adapt and become more fond of playing both. for the different aspects of the game.

[CoffeeEdition']

The variety in ATS is minimal, and at the same time, many people do not like trucks. ATS USA, Ets 2 Europe

[linrlink]

Why is ATS better than texture? I will answer you now. America is a rich super capitalist country. SCS Contracts with an American truck manufacturer. America pays good money to advertise its trucks. That's why the textures are better.  Who pays more has a better truck. To update the old Iveco textures, you need to pay SCS. IVECO will not pay for a truck that is discontinued, because iveco stralis is doomed to live forever with the old textures

[Skinner]

I feel like there is more attraction to ETS2 maybe because it is older then ATS meaning it has been developed more. Also i find there is a lot more to do and more land to explore from traveling on the ferrys to driving from country to country. I do like to go on ATS from time to time, but more of an ETS2 player.

[OldShrek]

On 3/12/2020 at 4:04 PM, DJ_Sukoi said:

Muricans that only use one truck, the 389 because thats all they like and are completely rude if you ask otherwise. Also, i get called a girl, pussy and other names for driving a VOLVO in ATS ffs.
Go to phoenix city in Arizona, they aways just hang around there and talk complete crap about nothing. The ats community is full of rude, un appreciated IRL people that feel the need to take there anger out on the player, just for being different. 
I love ATS but the community is toxic.

 

I disagree a little here.. I'm American, and I think the first truck I started with was a Kenworth.. fine truck.. Probably should have kept it.. I've noticed on the American trucks, that after you upgrade them to the best engine, gearbox and chassis you can get for what you want to do (for me it's heavy long-hauls, precious cargo and Haz-mat), the trucks more or less behave the same.  The only real difference I see is the cockpit itself because I drive in first person mode all the time.  All of the interiors are very well done and accurate more or less to the real thing.  The Peterbilt 389 is a very popular truck, because of it's classic look (for American trucks).  It is the same rig used in the Smokey and the bandit Movies of american fame, as well as most other 'trucking' movies (see Steven King's 'Maximum Overdrive')  and is also one of the later model stylings for Optimus Prime of Transformers fame.  As a matter of fact, I saw one just yesterday while I was on my way to Tractor Supply.. Hauling a low-boy equipment trailer much like the ones I pick up for my loads.. I had to smile quietly to myself about that.   I think my favorite truck so far, however, is the International 400 series, I believe.. the mid-level truck.  I love the interior.. It sounds really cool.  There are lots of customization options, it's powerful and gets excellent fuel mileage.  The only reason I picked a 389 is because you can put the 625 HP  Caterpillar engine in it (biggest engine available and can only be installed into a Kenworth or a Peterbilt) but also seems to have the best average maneuverability and acceleration of the available trucks in this configuration.  

 

You are definitely right about one thing.. Phoenix.  I totally know what you're talking about, as I have experienced a lot of griefing going through there.. by one single particular player : tdog1072.  He's a serial griefer.  Causes mayhem and makes the CB blow up with angry chatter.. I wound up getting banned because this person is a master at swooping in, making you crash him and then reporting you for ramming.  I avoid (or will, once punishment is lifted or expires, it's been 3 days) Phoenix at all costs now.  I don't even go there.. or won't anyway.  Which sux because Phoenix is an awesome hub for picking up jobs.. but after being hassled for two IRL days by the same player and then getting banned, I guess I have to sacrifice that city to the evil gods and play around it.

 

On 5/7/2020 at 10:51 AM, TFMSkinner said:

I feel like there is more attraction to ETS2 maybe because it is older then ATS meaning it has been developed more. Also i find there is a lot more to do and more land to explore from traveling on the ferrys to driving from country to country. I do like to go on ATS from time to time, but more of an ETS2 player.

That actually sounds pretty cool!  Getting on a ferry and riding it across a body of water.. I didn't even think about all of that you have going in Europe.. I don't have a copy of ETS2, so can't even check that out.. but I dislike the design of Euro trucks.. being american they just look kind of 'weird' to me.  I'm sure you feel the same way about our hulking beast of non-space-friendly road-hogs of rigs... but I still love the way they look.  Cabover designs have never appealed to me... even the ones we have here.  Are there any conventional rigs in ETS2 or are they all of cab-over design?

[OldShrek]

On 4/9/2020 at 12:30 PM, SafetyMoose said:

I have never played ETS so I can't compare how busy it feels with ATS, but for the couple weeks I've played ATS its never really felt empty, even when the server population is relatively low compared to peak times. The only time it feels empty is when i'm taking routes down the smaller back roads, but that just adds to the isolated feel of that sort of back country. People seem to be rather chatty in cities and i'm still surprised how often I run in to groups of people in some of the less popular cities. 

Yes, agreed.. That was the first thing I thought of when I started playing.. other than all the car traffic, which is similar to what you get in SP, the trucks have a very similar feel.  Just as you start to think 'this is getting boring' as you're on the backest back road you think you'll ever go down, a truck goes by... TOO TOOOOOOOOOoooooooo.........    *sweet*

 

[OldShrek]

On 4/4/2020 at 11:18 AM, KW_Driver said:

I started driving trucks in March of 1998, and retired in October last year.. so 21 years behind the wheel.. Ran 49 of the 50 states and parts of Canada. only state I never drove a truck in was Hawaii.

Sick.. what rig(s) did you drive?  What do you think of how the trucks are rendered in game?  Overall, how 'real' does this seem to you from your real-life experience?  I'm 50 and never been a truck driver, but I ride motorcycles and do lots of traveling by car, so for me, I think it's a beautiful simulation (shortening the mindless miles of nothing between cities especially, lol) of the countryside here... especially if it's being done by people that have never been here and/or are simply going off of Google Earth streetside views... phenomenal work.

[MadCowTransport]

I think part of it is also because for some reason they chose to start on the West Coast.... which is the second most boring part of America to drive in (the Plains is still more boring.... I'm looking at you KANSAS!)

If they had started on the East Coast I bet you there would be at least twice as many people playing. Another issue I have is that the road density seems very lackluster in the states we do have. Not enough back-roads in-between main routes. Not enough smaller towns and cities between, either.

Furthermore, we went a long time with only 2 types of trucks to choose from. But the blame for that can't be placed on the developers really. I can speak from personal experience helping out with the development of another driving game that American companies are GREEEEEEDY and will nickel and dime you to represent every little part of their vehicles in a game. Not that it matters in this game.... but oh hey you want to add a realistic damage model? Companies like GM/Ford will charge you millions to see their precious cyber-bodies crinkled. Or even.... just a scratch on the windshield.... that'll cost your developers as well. As I said, not a factor in the trucking sims but it really helps demonstrate the greed these companies have when represented in a video game.

Another issue I think is the styling of American trucks.... and their vehicles in general. Pretty much America is the only place that likes their cars to look the way they do. Granted, our home-manufactured vehicles are generally outdated in nearly every way, including body style.

Then we come to the self-feedback issues. A perceived low-population leads to lower population. The only way to reverse that is SUSTAINED increase in the population. This means the ATS devs will need to greatly increase the speed at which they develop the game, regardless of how many people are working on it. "We're a small team" only goes so far as justification. We have 6 states.... together which don't feel as if they add up to ETS2 vanilla in size or complexity. And yes, I've been around long enough to have played ETS2 vanilla.... in fact I remember ETS 2 Vanilla before the up-scaling.... albeit I don't remember it enough to go as far as to say the full ATS map isn't bigger than pre-upscaled ETS2 vanilla... but it might actually be. We have very few cosmetic choices to pimp out our trucks with.... and we still do lack variety in trucks to choose from, even though that has gotten a bit better in the past year.

What I will say is ATS seems to have better graphics to work with.... so I think (and hope) that once we get out of the desert states (granted, Oregon and Washington are less boring so far) and into the more interesting areas like the Rockies... and once we get another 2 or 3 truck brands.... things will really start to kick off in a big way. Unfortunately we still do have some more boring states to go once we get to the Plains, and some of the Midwest.... but at least by then we'll have some cooler stuff to drive through. 

My rule of thumb is.... if I want to play ATS the MP server needs to have at least 250 people playing or else I'm going single player. I'd rather deal with AI traffic than empty roads.... especially since I stream both ATS and ETS quite often and viewers will get even more bored than I with empty roads. 

Now... the OP's question was why the servers are so empty (anything under 500 is empty IMO).... and these are my answers. This all being said, I do see a very bright future in ATS. It could even grow to be better than ETS2 some day. But there will be challenges. American Culture isn't all big into car culture anymore, in part because we no longer produce the coolest cars whether it be race cars or passenger cars... I think that will become the biggest thing going against bringing in a casual base. So IMO it is likely that ATS will be more a game for people who already have an interest in trucking, as opposed to ETS2 which has a vast casual base. So it is possible that for ATS the promotional strategies may have to be different. 

I do think we will see the day when ATS servers get full enough to actually have to have more servers, just like ETS2 did. But I think ATS will have a few more challenges to get there. Basically.... my outlook on the game is bright, but I don't have expectations of the same pace of explosive popularity that ETS2 experienced..... short of the development team quadrupling in size, and at some point putting all the states we have now in the base game w/o DLCs (because people will expect the base game to have as big of a map as ETS2 does).... once we have a few more states to drive around in.

[3601]

I think it is because ETS2 has more accessories than ATS.

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