Research Trip to the Isle of Ireland

There is truly no better way to understand the heart and soul of Ireland than by hitting the open road. Back in June, our Euro Truck Simulator 2 map development team packed their cameras and embarked on an extensive research expedition across the Emerald Isle. Their mission? To gather precise references and inspiration for our upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC.

Traversing thousands of kilometres, the crew explored a striking mix of bustling urban centers, charming rural villages, rugged coastlines, and awe-inspiring landscapes. Here is a closer look at some of the unforgettable highlights from their expedition.

Five dedicated members of the SCS Software crew made the journey: Ivan, our World Map Design QA Lead; Josef from the Road Department; map designers Kristian and Libor; and Honza, who serves as the Project Lead for the Isle of Ireland expansion.

To capture the experience and provide a behind-the-scenes look for our community, they were accompanied by Alex, one of our Community Managers, and Cenda, our talented videographer. Stay tuned, because we will be sharing an exclusive feature on this adventure in an upcoming episode of SCS On The Road!

The journey kicked off in Dublin, serving as the launchpad for an ambitious itinerary that spanned the length and breadth of the island. The route wound gracefully from the capital down to Rosslare Harbour, continuing through Waterford, Cork, Killarney, Limerick, Galway, Westport, Sligo, Benbulbin, Londonderry, Bushmills, the Giant’s Causeway, and Belfast, before finally looping back to Dublin. As you can imagine, the team managed to take in an incredible amount of scenery along the way!

This expedition wouldn’t have been possible without the generous assistance of our friends at Škoda Ireland. A massive thank you goes out to Raymond Leddy and his team for supplying two Škoda Octavias, which effortlessly carried our crew across thousands of kilometres of winding Irish roads.

We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to JUDr. Pavel Vošalík and the team at the Czech Embassy in Ireland. They helped coordinate several exclusive visits, including a comprehensive tour of a cement plant in Limerick. This firsthand look at daily industrial operations gave us invaluable insight into the facility’s logistics and the essential role that professional truck drivers play in hauling freight every single day.

To truly understand what the crew experienced, we sat down with individual team members to discuss their standout memories, the locations that left a lasting impression, and how these reference materials will translate into the virtual world of Euro Truck Simulator 2.

Honza

“Heading out on this research trip was an extraordinary experience. Seeing a location in person carries an entirely different weight compared to studying digital reference photos on a screen. No amount of online street imagery can fully capture the intangible atmosphere of a place. Having driven and walked through these real-world landscapes, I now have a much sharper vision for the final map, its layout, and above all, its overall mood.

We already knew that lush vegetation would demand careful attention, but being there confirmed just how vital it is to get it right. And yes—Irish grass really is that striking shade of brilliant green. It’s a signature feature that simply must translate into the game engine.

We also noticed countless subtle details that easily escape digital mapping. For instance, you quickly realize how much public art is woven into the environment—from vibrant wall murals to utility boxes painted as local canvases. These nuances inject immense character and make the virtual world feel genuinely alive.

As for personal favorites, the rugged West Coast, the Caha Mountains, Killarney National Park, and Connemara were absolute standouts. The Antrim coast was equally breathtaking, and among the urban areas, Galway captured my heart.”

Kristián

“This is the first map DLC I’ve had the privilege of working on, and I am deeply grateful to have witnessed the terrain firsthand to absorb its unique atmosphere. I visited nearly every road and region assigned to my design queue, stretching from Waterford to Rosslare Harbour. Many of these routes have undergone significant infrastructure upgrades over the past couple of years—updates that haven’t even made it to standard online mapping services yet. I also toured the custom depot at the Belfast film studio.

Experiencing these areas in person completely shifted my perception of spatial details and local ambiance. The contrast with static maps is staggering, and this journey will undoubtedly elevate the realism of our design work, creating a deeply immersive environment for virtual truckers. The reference database we compiled will allow our whole team to build a remarkably authentic Ireland, capturing locations that Street View overlooks entirely.”

Libor

“I fell in love with Ireland the moment we began researching the DLC through reference imagery, so getting the chance to visit in the flesh was a dream come true. My main objective was to study the N71 as it winds through Killarney National Park and its surrounding valleys. The photographic archives we had initially relied upon were captured under overcast, rainy skies; however, a map designer needs to observe the landscape in bright sunlight to understand the true palette of colours.

Fortunately, we caught fantastic weather, allowing me to secure ideal visual references. Beyond the color grading, the trip gave me a true sense of topographical scale, mountain elevations, and botanical variety—elements that flat photographs simply cannot convey. Being there also sharpened my eye for subtle traffic nuances and road network design.

These fine details are what our team strives for. Ireland boasts an astonishingly diverse landscape packed with iconic landmarks, and we are working tirelessly to deliver the ultimate Irish driving experience.”

Josef

“I joined the expedition representing our road engineering department. At SCS, my primary responsibility involves constructing right-hand-drive prefabs for both the Isle of Ireland DLC and upcoming UK rework projects. Essentially, these are functional 3D models of every road junction, ranging from simple crossroads to intricate multi-lane roundabouts.

Both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom incorporate distinctive road architecture unseen across mainland Europe. Features like traditional road studs (cats’ eyes) and boxed junctions originated here, and roundabouts—frequently regulated by traffic signals—are ubiquitous. And, of course, motorists drive on the left side of the road! There are plenty of other subtle nuances, though I won’t list every single one.

That is why taking this road trip across both regions was invaluable as I finalize our upcoming road network implementation. The reference material we gathered will make this task immensely easier.

My daily work requires me to look closely at road surfaces and intersection layouts. However, in Ireland, it was difficult to keep my eyes downward when surrounded by such breathtaking vistas—interrupted only by the occasional distant bleat of a sheep, adding to the absolute peace of the countryside. That tranquility is what I love most about the country.

Furthermore, in my four years at SCS, this was my first opportunity to visit a complex intersection I had personally designed, rather than just viewing it through a monitor. Stepping onto a physical site and immediately recognizing its layout from memory was a wonderfully surreal case of déjà vu.”

Ivan

“Visiting Ireland in person proved immensely beneficial for my role in QA. While our daily routine involves pouring over reference photos, video streams, and Street View data, seeing the country with my own eyes was a game-changer. Honestly, the island won me over instantly with its distinct atmosphere, sweeping landscape variations, and regional charm.

Covering such a vast territory—from bustling metropolitan streets to solitary rural lanes where you rarely encounter another vehicle—gave us a true sense of scale. The architecture, roadway layouts, and native foliage hold countless details that online tools simply fail to convey. Experiencing these realities firsthand has vastly improved my understanding of what makes Ireland distinct, and it is already directly benefiting my day-to-day workflow.

When reviewing map segments now, I can mentally tie locations to real memories—the town where we rested, the exact bends we drove, or the spots where we stopped for a quick bite. That personal familiarity makes it much easier to evaluate whether an in-game environment feels authentic and helps catch minor inaccuracies that might otherwise slip past. I am confident these field impressions will allow us to polish the Ireland DLC into an exceptionally immersive experience for our players.”

We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at our team’s research expedition across Ireland. If you are looking forward to the release of the Isle of Ireland DLC, be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist! Don’t forget to subscribe to our official YouTube channel so you don’t miss the upcoming SCS On The Road: Isle of Ireland Research Trip episode, where we dive even deeper into our adventure. Until next time, keep on truckin’!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3851260/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Isle_of_Ireland/

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