As the work on the Isle of Ireland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 continues, we thought about taking you behind the scenes of our work and showing you more about what a job as a researcher in SCS Software looks like. So today, we bring you an interview with our colleague Adam, who will tell you more about his work on the Isle of Ireland!
Adam joined SCS in 2022, and since then, his primary focus has been on map DLCs for Euro Truck Simulator 2.
"I've conducted research for the West Balkans, Greece, Nordic Horizons, and the reworks of Switzerland and the Benelux. The UK rework and the Isle of Ireland are the first two projects I've been tasked with overseeing for the Research & Game Development department. The Isle of Ireland is special to me for personal reasons as well, since this is the first time I have the opportunity to collaborate with my brother, who is the map lead for this DLC."
Adam is responsible for ensuring that the department prepares high-quality materials for the Isle of Ireland DLC in a timely manner for the other departments. "These aren't just references for map designers; other specialized departments — such as the vehicle, vegetation, and road design teams — also rely on our work. But I don't do this alone. Our team has experts for all of these various areas. I work alongside many talented and enthusiastic people," Adam explains.
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So, how exactly does the process of research for map expansions look? The department's involvement begins long before any actual map building starts, laying the groundwork that shapes everything that follows.
"In the first phase, it was necessary to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the history, culture, natural environment, relevant laws, and traffic regulations. In collaboration with the map lead, we selected the cities we wanted to include in the DLC, and I proposed which highways and roads would connect them. An important part of our work is also figuring out the placement of depots across the map so that the economy works for us. We have a specialist on our team dedicated to this very issue. With her help, and in collaboration with the map lead, we also prepared completely new economy depots for the DLC. We then researched exactly how they work and designed the best way to implement them in our game," Adam says.
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Once the planning phase is complete, the team moves on to gathering detailed real-world references, capturing both the big picture and the subtle differences that make each location unique.
"The next step was collecting photographic data, during which our team "scanned" all the roads and towns, shot by shot, trying to capture what is typical for the island. We tried to capture the most important elements, but we also focused on the small details. I also emphasized that different parts of the island vary significantly, and it was necessary to take this into account. As an example, I can mention road markings, which are completely different between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland," he told us.
"The result of this phase of the project is a shortlist of the most important assets, which the asset department creates based on the source materials, so that map designers can subsequently use them to assemble the map. In the same way, and in collaboration with our vegetation specialist, specifications for the vegetation department are then developed," Adam explained to us.
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The work of the department goes far beyond general research - it often requires diving deep into highly specific and technical details to ensure authenticity.
"We also need to understand the local culture, customs, and context. As an example, I can mention directional signs, where it was necessary to study manuals, and together with the road department, figure out how to approach the fact that specific dimensions vary from sign to sign - requiring a solution that respects reality while remaining technically feasible. In reality, all dimensions are based on the size of the lowercase letter "x," and once this value is determined, we divide it by 4 to get the so-called "Stroke Width," and all other elements - spacing, arrow size, borders, and the size of the sign itself - are calculated as multiples of this unit. And the size of "x" itself is influenced by the permitted speed and the type of sign."
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But their work is far from over, and it won't be finished until the Isle of Ireland DLC is actually released. "We're continuing to prepare materials for the creation of new vehicles, assets, 3D character models, vegetation, and branding. We're also conducting quality checks directly in the editor and gathering all sorts of additional information," Adam told us.
The biggest challenge regarding research for the Isle of Ireland is that it is a vibrant and rapidly developing region, as new developments are constantly being built and the landscape is literally changing in front of your eyes.
"For example, the port of Rosslare underwent a major modernization last year, completely transforming its transportation layout. Waterford, meanwhile, is currently undergoing one of the largest urban transformations in its modern history. As for the architecture, perhaps the biggest challenge was to accurately capture the differences between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as to convey the character of the smaller, charming towns with their picturesque, colorful houses. It's satisfying when I manage to solve a problem and track down information or a reference that’s hard to find," he says.
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To bring all that research and planning to life, the map team will carefully translate Ireland's unique character into the in-game world, giving players a lot to explore as they uncover the map filled with plenty of landmarks to discover.
"The Irish island has a rich and complex history and a strong cultural identity, all of which will be reflected in the map's design. The entire island is a landmark in its own right, thanks to its unique scenery, but players can look forward to downtown Dublin on the banks of the River Liffey, the Samson & Goliath cranes in Belfast Harbor, the peat bogs in central Ireland, the wild landscapes of Connemara and the Killarney area, and much more," Adam hints.
And with that, Adam and the whole team would like to send a final message to our #BestCommunityEver as they continue to work hard on bringing you another quality map.
"I hope we'll be able to capture the magical atmosphere of this landscape with its cozy, colorful towns. I hope players will appreciate the attention to detail, discover all sorts of easter eggs, and that we'll be able to convey to them the enthusiasm with which we've approached the Isle of Ireland DLC from the very beginning. I myself am looking forward to getting behind the wheel and driving along the winding roads that twist through the green hills."
We look forward to sharing more news from the Isle of Ireland in the future, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog for upcoming updates. Don't forget to add the expansion to your Steam Wishlist and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Bluesky, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until then, happy hauling!
Windows Installer
Windows No Installer (zip)
macOS - Universal
Linux - deb, AppImage or rpm
Windows intel x32 releases are marked -ia32-
ChangeLog:
The Stable channel has been updated to 148.0.7778.56/.57 for Windows and Mac as part of our early stable release to a small percentage of users. A full list of changes in this build is available in the log.
You can find more details about early Stable releases here.
Interested in switching release channels? Find out how here. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.
Srinivas Sista
Google Chrome
We’re thrilled to welcome ubisys to Works with Home Assistant! This German company has been dedicated to smart home automation for more than 20 years, and offers a range of Zigbee devices designed to help you retrofit your home. If retrofitting is conjuring up images of avocado bathrooms 🥑 and artexed ceilings, fear not – it just means upgrading what you already have, rather than ripping it out and starting again. Better for your home, and the planet 🌍.
Founded in Düsseldorf in 2005, ubisys build devices that last. They back their hardware with a five-year warranty and software updates for the long term, meaning the device you buy today won’t end up obsolete in a few years’ time – in fact, they’re still shipping feature updates for hardware designed in 2010! That kind of longevity aligns closely with the Open Home Foundation’s own sustainability principle, and is just one reason why they’re such a great (retro)fit for the program! Zigbee is another…
If you’re scratching your head at the mention of Zigbee, allow me to explain: it’s a wireless standard that lets smart home devices communicate with each other, regardless of who made them. Unlike WiFi, it’s a mesh network, meaning Zigbee devices “talk” to each other, as well as to a central hub (like your Home Assistant setup), strengthening the connection across your whole home. It runs entirely locally, with no cloud dependency, and is optimized for long battery life.
For retrofit devices that need to just get on with their jobs in the background, these qualities really count, and explains why ubisys refer to Zigbee as the backbone of everything they build. And they don’t just use the standard, they help shape it: ubisys are active members of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (the organization responsible for maintaining and developing Zigbee), sitting on working groups and committees at the highest level – helping improve the standard for the benefit of the whole community. This commitment to open standards runs through everything ubisys do:
"We are convinced the future of smart homes lies in openness and robust interoperability. This partnership is a testament to that shared vision, and represents a significant step in deepening our integration with Home Assistant -- helping empower the most vibrant, tight-knit community in the smart home space. This community is the true engine of innovation. By achieving this certification, we're ensuring our devices integrate more seamlessly than ever into Home Assistant's robust ecosystem, providing the reliability and performance this community expects and deserves. We look forward to supporting the brilliant, custom solutions they will build."
- Dr.-Ing Arasch Honarbacht, Founder & Engineering LeadEvery device in the Works with Home Assistant program is put through its paces by our in-house team before it earns certification, so when you see the badge, you know it works. But that’s not all: every partner must also commit to providing long-term support and firmware updates, and engaging with our community – all things we’re confident ubisys will deliver, for the reasons outlined above! 👆
These are the first Works with Home Assistant-certified Zigbee devices designed to fit behind your existing wall fixtures. Together they cover switch and scene control, energy monitoring, and heating:
It’s important to note that the actuators and control unit involve mains electricity, so must be installed by a qualified electrician: check the ubisys website for guidance. The H1 is more straightforward, since it simply clips onto your existing radiator valve and runs on AA batteries.
To use these devices with Home Assistant, you need a Zigbee adapter (a USB dongle that allows everything to communicate), and to enable Home Assistant’s built-in Zigbee Home Automation (ZHA) integration, which takes care of the rest. ZHA is supported by the Open Home Foundation, with full-time developers dedicated to working on it and helping certify new Works with Home Assistant Zigbee devices.
If you’d like to support this work, a Home Assistant Cloud subscription helps fund ZHA and the wider Open Home Foundation mission – all while giving you secure, remote access to your smart home.
We hope ubisys’s inclusion in the program means more Home Assistant users can upgrade their smart homes without starting from scratch – and with our certified device list growing all the time, there’s never been more ways to build the way you want. We look forward to seeing what you get up to! 👀
If I have a device that is not listed under Works with Home Assistant, does this mean it’s not supported?
No! It just means that it hasn’t gone through a testing schedule with our team or doesn’t fit the requirements of the program. It might function perfectly well, but be added to the testing schedule later down the road, or it might work under a different connectivity type that we don’t currently test under the program.
OK, so what’s the point of the Works with program?
It highlights the devices we know work well with Home Assistant and the brands that make a long-term commitment to keeping support for these devices going. The certification agreement specifies that the devices must have the functionality you would expect within Home Assistant, operate locally without the need for cloud, and that they will continue to do so long-term.
How were these devices tested?
All devices in this list were tested using a standard Home Assistant Green as a hub with the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2, and with ZHA, our Zigbee integration. If you have another hub/antennae set-up/integration that’s not a problem, but we test against these as they are the most effective way for our team to certify within our ecosystem.
Will you be adding more ubisys devices to the program?
Why not! We’re thrilled to foster a close relationship with the team at ubisys to work together on any upcoming releases or add in further products that are not yet listed here.
Where can I see what other devices have been certified?
You can find every Works with Home Assistant device on our certified device list. All products included have been rigorously tested by our team, and are built with privacy and local control at their core by partners committed to long-term support. We also flag which regions they are available in, and any known limitations on the list so you can make a fully informed decision before you buy.
Changelog
Wana boot and install OS through network (PXE)? Welcome to my new project iVentoy.
About iVentoy https://www.iventoy.com/
iVentoy is an enhanced version of the PXE server.
Extremely easy to use
Many advanced features
x86 Legacy BIOS, IA32 UEFI, x86_64 UEFI and ARM64 UEFI mode supported
110+ common types of OS supported (Windows/WinPE/Linux/VMware)
Turn any PC, laptop, server, NAS, or Raspberry Pi into a PXE server instantly!
......
SHA-256
Log in
04620b546bcc5eeeb5971767595b3713ee3de71580a82449053c53a7cb32fcd9 ventoy-1.1.12-linux.tar.gz
c1345277c8f3a8fcc213945687bcad5ff1d680b1d6b7b7a1cdf85f7d4a368406 ventoy-1.1.12-livecd.iso
e70c505be08d99c55e506832f596c430a9c36f8d087f25542d3f6d332d9b6473 ventoy-1.1.12-windows.zip
You can download it from GitHub.
The highlights of this version are basic, minimal support for OpenFX plugins and hardware scaling for preview scaling with hwaccel decoding.
mlt_properties for better performance.mlt_pool.mlt_properties.getTime())hwaccel_scale filter with preview scaling (scale_vaapi, scale_vulkan, scale_d3d11, scale_vt (macOS)).MLT_AVFORMAT_HWACCEL_PPS to provide a
limiter to hwaccel because transfering uncompressed video between memory
CPU and GPU memory is heavy.
PPS = maximum pixels per second. Anything over it skips hwaccel.lut parameter to avformat producer.attached_pic property to avformat consumer.movit.overlay_blend video filter.compositing property to movit.overlay transition.mix audio transition.rect in kdenlivetitle.subtitle filter.text and qtext filters.qtext style property to support family named styles.qtblend.kdenlivetitle.QImage scaling when downscaling in qtblend.obscure and watermark filters.avformat no-validate mode.linearblend deinterlacer.movit linear color not matching CPU filters.multi consumer making extra linear color conversions.qtblend filter returning unexpectedly large frames.qtext outline encroaching on fill color.eof=loop in Glaxnimate.brightness filter on track below a clip with transparency.melt.STALWART_API_URL is deprecated, these actions go through the normal JMAP session.x: methods for Stalwart 0.16utcEnd on duration changeisMobile through calendar views and time-grid interactionscheckAuth on route change when already authenticatedmatchMedia synchronously on client to prevent layout flicker
The Stable channel has been updated to 147.0.7727.116/117 for Windows/Mac and 147.0.7727.116 for Linux, which will roll out over the coming days/weeks. A full list of changes in this build is available in the Log
Security Fixes and Rewards
Note: Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed.
This update includes 19 security fixes. Below, we highlight fixes that were contributed by external researchers. Please see the Chrome Security Page for more information.
[TBD][493652473] High CVE-2026-6919: Use after free in DevTools. Reported by c6eed09fc8b174b0f3eebedcceb1e792 on 2026-03-18
[TBD][499891888] High CVE-2026-6920: Out of bounds read in GPU. Reported by tatiwari of Microsoft on 2026-04-06
[TBD][493315759] Medium CVE-2026-6921: Race in GPU. Reported by soiax on 2026-03-17
We would also like to thank all security researchers that worked with us during the development cycle to prevent security bugs from ever reaching the stable channel.
As usual, our ongoing internal security work was responsible for a wide range of fixes:
[505764421]Various fixes from internal audits, fuzzing and other initiatives
Many of our security bugs are detected using AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, UndefinedBehaviorSanitizer, Control Flow Integrity, libFuzzer, or AFL.
Interested in switching release channels? Find out how here. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug. The community help forum is also a great place to reach out for help or learn about common issues.
Srinivas Sista
The Extended Stable channel has been updated to 146.0.7680.208 for Windows and Mac which will roll out over the coming days/weeks.
We’re excited to continue our journey across South Dakota, highlighting even more of the cities coming with this DLC for American Truck Simulator. Each one has its own unique history and charm, which has been captured and recreated by our talented teams. Ready to check them out? Let’s get rolling!
