Western Star Trucks Discussion Thread

[55sixxx]

I'm 100% (Well, 99.9%) sure that the next WS on ATS will be the 5700XE... I just have a feeling that it will be it since it is still in production and is also a popular truck. (The chances of the 4900 coming instead are very slim)

[harishw8r]

Or... Wyoming! LOL

That’s exactly my point when I mentioned 1.41

[flight50]

^I wouldn't call it a discontinuation of the 5700xe rather a facelift/redesign

Agreed. Wrong choice of words on my part. I should have said a generation change. The 5700 onto the market in 2018 iirc. Its has enough appear imo if the movie Transformers went to it vs the original Optimus Prime.

In regards to freeing up time, I wouldn't include Wyoming into this equation though. That is more or less asset and mapping related. Where as in this case, its vehicle department related. Let say Michelin dlc, licenced trailer dlc, industry related cargo dlc, truck, or tuning pack. With GY out, that person or person can move to the next vehicle related task.

Considering we got 3 ATS trucks last year, I'd really like to think there are at least (2) truck team working ATS. That is a total of at least 5-6 people specifically working ATS trucks. There are a lot more on the team than 5-6 so its possible there are 2 teams trying to catch ATS trucks up.

[Andras112]

I'm 100% (Well, 99.9%) sure that the next WS on ATS will be the 5700XE... I just have a feeling that it will be it since it is still in production and is also a popular truck. (The chances of the 4900 coming instead are very slim)

It doesn't matter how slim the chances of the 4900 being the next WS in the game, I'll keep praying it's the next one. I'm hoping SCS will take the same approach as the 49X and give us both the SFA and SBA variant, especially with how different the 2 variants look, and their general use. The FA is more of a highway truck imo from pics i've seen, and the SA / SB variant is used more for vocational or heavy-haul purposes, which I believe is more than enough reason to include both hood variants. Plus, I'd say the 4900 would look just right on the cover art for Texas with a tanker or cattle trailer

[harishw8r]

Considering we got 3 ATS trucks last year, I'd really like to think there are at least (2) truck team working ATS. That is a total of at least 5-6 people specifically working ATS trucks. There are a lot more on the team than 5-6 so its possible there are 2 teams trying to catch ATS trucks up.

There could be more teams actually, considering the number of potential trucks that could come. Also given that SCS has opened up new positions for the vehicle department, there seem to be a lot of demand for the same which could mean only one thing - more things are coming. Not just the usual ones but even Licensed Trailers/Rigids could be a possibility.

The entire vehicle department is a mystery. All we know about the team is 3 people per truck. Some trucks are in works for years and some are added in a matter of months. Do the teams juggle between the trucks or they work on one project at a time no matter how long it takes? I wish the licensing blog had materialised, or someone from SCS could answer our queries regarding the same within the permissible limits.

[flight50]

There is really no need for the SBA 4900. If the 4900 comes to ATS, it will be the OTR variant to go along with the W900 and the 389 as the only other 2 classics. The 4900 is not a new truck that just made it to the market. If the SBA came for the 4900 (and it more than likely won't because its such an old truck), then people will scream for every truck to come in that configuration. SBA and SFA should perhaps only come for vocational trucks. Trucks that come to SCS as heavy duty can get both but ATS is really more of a OTR truck atmosphere. The 49x only came because the manufacturer approached SCS. I am sure SCS would have skipped it and went with the 4900 and the 5700 only. The only ones I can see coming to ATS that can come with SBA options are the HX, 122SD and the T880.

@harishw8r Agreed. But that is why I said at least 2. If I put 3 or more, people will get offended and start saying....what about ETS2. So I was being modest and only said, at least. But I think the teams juggle thru trucks to be honest. There can be snags in the process. Times when more info is needed. While they wait, they jump to another truck. At least that is what I'd do. Or lets say the exterior guy is finished with the 5700 but the interior guy is still working. That exterior guy could slide over to do the 4900 to keep it Western star or he could have slid over to polish up the new VNL that they started a year ago. Now that sounds are polished (to the best the sound guy can get it), the final tweaks can be made for the VNL....go to testing and then released. This is just and example though. So take these words with a grain of salt. I have no idea what is going on with the 5700 nor the new VNL. What I do know though is that both should come to ATS sooner than later.

[Andras112]

@flight50 I'm not convinced that there is no room for the SB/SA variant. Why can't the 4900 come as a heavy-duty truck, and not just another OTR rig so we can get both variants as you mentioned? Plus, the setback variant would greatly help in the major lack of heavy-duty oriented trucks, while still being viable for OTR applications with the more aerodynamic sloped hood, and the factory options of sleeper cabs. SCS has given us ownable lowboys and log trailers, heavy/special transport, forestry cargo dlc, and delivery sites well away from paved roads, but we're going to be stuck with a roster of trucks built for highway running and the odd farm delivery? The age of this truck shouldn't have an effect on the options we receive in game. I'd still call it "new" (as in "available on the market brand new") as these are still being actively manufactured , and WS is not planning on replacing the 4900 series with the 49X. I'm happy to welcome SBA variants of yet-to-be-announced/confirmed trucks, as what they require in the modelling process is an adjusted hood and chassis/front axle placement. What has ATS to lose by welcoming SBA trucks (apart from time spent negotiating licensing)? Even with the whole licensing process, it could arrive later down the track in a future game update; the same as what happened with the 49X (albeit the SBA would have already been negotiated before the truck was even announced for ATS). It wouldn't take nearly as much time as modelling sleeper cab variants, and such a small detail could add a big difference to immersion. It could even become that sort of "breath of fresh air" to the current gameplay and roster of trucks if SCS does it right.

However, I definitely do understand why the 5700XE would definitely be the next truck from WS, I'm just worried it could turn out quite underwhelming.

[pigbrother]

For some reasons I think the 4900 we will get (if we will get it) will be the EX version, which is available only as SFA. Choosing the short hood versions will be a pretty bad move because people will also ask for Extended Hood (I would) so now they will have 3 variants and I'm afraid to count how many chassis.

[flight50]

@Andras112 Calm down my friend, lol. Its just an opinion. I am speculating just like everyone else. I can only go with what my intuition tells me and I don't see a SBA with a 4900 is all I'm saying. I am not saying more SBA can't come. I am speaking of my feeling toward the 4900 only. I gave a list above of the trucks that I think could come as SBA that fit ATS. The 4900 imho does not fit as a SBA vocational truck. Remove the 49x and no one is even talking about SBA trucks like we are now. ATS is more or less an OTR heavy game. At 1:20 scale it makes sense. To get a sense of distance, you have to travel far. If the game was 1:1 or 1:10, perhaps more regional and local brings in more vocational trucking opportunities. The 49x was a very very unique situation for SCS and for WS. The 4900 is a flagship truck that in the real world, it goes both ways. When most of us see it, the truck is typically a 5th wheel OTR truck for O/O or a vocational heavy duty, dumper or non 5th wheel working truck. I've seen lots of 4900 car haulers as well but that too doesn't have a 5th wheel. Its a dedicated car hauler.

This is also assuming that we'd ever get the 4900. We missed on the 9900i too and it fits in the W900, 389 and 4900 classic style of trucks. Fleets don't really go with these trucks anymore as they are more about fuel savings and that is where aero trucks come into play. If the 4900 does come, I wouldn't expect it to come as heavily configured like the 49x. If another trucks comes with those kind of options, its going to be something like the HX or 122SD in my opinion.

[dkasper00]

Honestly the more I think about it, the more I doubt the 4900 makes it. As for the 5700 they may be a "chance" we see the current one. The chance of it being the future redesign is there as well. We will only know when that time comes around.