SCS Software has shared a behind-the-scenes look at how its UI/UX QA teams test Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. The studio explained how menus, buttons, and new features are reviewed long before they reach players in a July 11 Steam development post.
The work covers both games across traditional PC, Steam Deck, VR, PlayStation, and Xbox Series X/S. The teams also test projects such as Driving Academy, Coaches, and Road Trip.
Testing starts before a feature is playable
Petr, SCS Software’s Console & UI/UX QA Lead, said his role includes planning tests, reviewing results, and working with game designers to find bugs and user experience problems early. He also takes part in testing alongside his team, which gives him a direct view of the issues they encounter.
Senior UI/UX Tester Jan described the process as a collaboration between QA and the Game Design department. When the team works on a new feature or redesign, it first examines what already works, what needs attention, and what the final experience should communicate.
Before a programmer builds the feature, testers review design documents and ask practical questions. Is the function clear? Does the control look like a button? Will the text remain readable on a smaller screen? Does the design account for accessibility?
Once a playable prototype exists, the testers look at it from several perspectives. That includes someone completely new to games, an experienced player who has never tried a trucking simulator, and a real-life trucker playing on a handheld during a rest stop. SCS wants the interface to make sense across that wide range of players.
Playtests use observation, questionnaires, and eye tracking
After the early design and prototype reviews, SCS brings employees from different parts of the company into its internal Playtest Lab. These participants ideally have not seen the design documents and do not already know how the feature is supposed to work.
The QA team prepares scenarios around specific questions, such as whether a screen is easy to understand, whether a control handles accessories properly, or whether a new addition creates unnecessary friction. Testers watch how participants behave, record their reactions, and ask follow-up questions. Eye tracking also shows which elements attract attention first and which ones go unnoticed.
Participants complete a questionnaire after the session. The team then sorts their comments and observed behavior into categories, looks for recurring themes, and counts how often certain issues appear. The final report summarizes the findings and suggests possible fixes.
Major problems can send a feature back to the design stage for another round of testing. SCS gave the redesigned Skip Time / Rest feature as an example. The team discovered that separating Fatigue from Mandatory Break made the system confusing, so the design was rebuilt before another evaluation.
Smaller problems receive polish from the Game Design team. After that, final QA checks whether the feature works as intended before it is merged into the main branch. Integration QA then checks that the merge did not damage the feature or affect other parts of the game.
Player feedback remains part of the process
Petr said the team tries to view each interface from both experienced truckers and players who are just starting out. Jan added that the work combines technical testing with an effort to understand how people interpret what they see on screen.
One of Jan’s projects was a new representation for the Graphics Settings screenshots. The goal was to help players see how visual changes affect the game while adjusting their settings.
SCS also said player comments and suggestions are reviewed across the studio. Not every request can be added because of engine limits, available resources, technical restrictions, or licensing agreements, but the team described community feedback as a continuing source of ideas for both truck simulators.
What do you think of SCS Software’s approach to testing menus and new features? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Developed by SCS Software
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a vehicle simulation game and a direct sequel to the 2008 game Euro Truck Simulator. Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and many more, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits. If you’ve got what it takes to be part of an elite trucking force, get behind the wheel and prove it!
- Genre: Racing, Simulator
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2012-10-19
- Publisher: SCS Software
-
Age Rating:
ACB G / GRAC ALL / PEGI 3 / USK 0
- IGDB Rating: 78.9/100
