Texas Discussion Thread

[flight50]

I agree with those of you whom said start in the West first. Texas would have been a great starting place no doubt, but the quality was not there back then. Not to mention the terrain of the West is more attractive. The biggest reason why I am glad Texas did not start is because we only had 1 map team. Had we started with enough for 2-3 map teams, the spread from Texas would have been better. But with one map team and using Texas as the experiment, that would have severally lacked with industries and companies imo. With the current research team in place, it would work but back then, no.

Unfortunately they had to start somewhere and California it was. As long as they update it now, all is good. On the West coast, once filled in, there is only one direction to go and that's East. So I have grown to agree with SCS's choices.

@Voltaire1971 I'll be here, lol. If SCS makes DFW similar to the option 2 I posted several pages back, then it could be a maze of roads to find me. But once learned, its just like anything else, second nature. I don't think DFW is over complex, its just that there are tons of interchanges to deal with. I posted 26 interchanges both active and none active that have a 90% chance to make the game imo. That's a lot and more than likely the highest amount that ATS will ever have. The wait for Texas will be worth it as long as it comes 2022 or 2023. I seriously don't see it coming later than Winter 2022 though. I am just a bit nervous about it coming 2021 (next year). Texas would definitely be the only state we get next year. At the least, we need Wyoming after Colorado. Since Texas would be the only state that would come 2021, what's the point with the map being so small still. Why not knock out the last two Western states that are less demanding and much simpler than Texas. Then its focusing all on the Central Plains.

Although I will be happy when Texas gets the call regardless, I just don't think they have the manpower still for Texas and still generate 2 maps a year for 2021. I think its taking a step backwards if ATS doesn't see 2 or more states a year moving forward. Why bring us two states for 2019 and 2020 and then take a step back. I understand Texas is huge and worth two states but working it in the background another year along with both Wyoming and Montana allows that much more work to be done for Texas. Enough that the following year (2022) it and a smaller state like Oklahoma, can get releases. This keep ATS on track for 2 states. Wyoming and Texas works as well but that pushes Texas to 2021 and it will be rushed imo. So to me, push Texas to 2022 and bring in the rest of the West. Get it done and box her up.

If my home (Garland, Tx) is in the game, you'd pass it in the blink of an eye in, lol. The closet SCS can get to my home though is placing the highlighted establishments in the pic below. I consider these good enough. My home is just off the screen Northwest of the BT furniture place. If they don't make Rockwall Texas, Garland, Tx could be the furthest East of DFW. Rockwall is across Lake Ray Hubbard and imo, is more critical that my part of Garland. But the lake needs to be in ATS to some degree. It doesn't have to be very big though but its needed. The view coming into Dallas is a must have approaching Dallas from the East. On a clear sunny day, you could see the Dallas skyline at the 1:07 mark in the video below. Its a long trip from Texarkana and when you see the Dallas skyline, you feel accomplished to see one of the US's top 10 largest cities.

Lake Ray Hubbard's view to Dallas coming Westbound I-30 isn't that massive of a hill so it should be something that SCS is capable of doing. But the lake is two wide to completely miss. Its about a 3.7 mile (5.9km) road over the lake. If Garland doesn't show up, Rockwall definitely has truck delivers to make. Aldi, Kroger, Lowe's, Target, Academy, Home Depot, Walmart, Kohl's/Ross/TJ. Maxx/JcPenney ( all 4 are huge pluses with cotton industry in Texas). Then there is Hobby Lobby, Costco, Ford dealership, Honda dealership, Nissan dealership and the Toyota dealership. Last, the Loves Truck stop. I'd be perfectly fine with getting Rockwall in vs Garland. It offers a lot more off of I-30. Garland off 635 is a different story. I posted that industrial area several pages back as well.

Imo SCS shouldn't miss the bodies of water in DFW. They are along main Interstates that will be in the game and they are not exactly small. Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Lewisville. Both have water craft delivery options. I-35 has American Watercraft Rentals and I-30 has Bass Pro Shop retail. Another cargo that helps DFW with cargo diversity. Both locations would be a great additions to ATS for North Texas with boats and all types of outdoor product.




This video is 5 years old so it is outdated but it still gives you an idea of DFW along I-30 from East to West DFW.

[gandalf7472000]

@Larry71490 I Had to google that show wait your turn when Virginia comes.

@flight50 I will petition SCS to put a garage at your house coordinates, so you can use it as your home base

[flight50]

Lol. You'll be the only one signing it. Unfortunately, my house could only accommodate a new profile garage in ATS, lol. I'd much rather have a centralized garage for DFW though. I think the best spot to place a garage is Arlington Texas. Its the mid way point between both cities. Right next to General Motors perhaps. Whether both Dallas and Ft.Worth are both mapped or not I'd place the DFW garage right where the Penske is. That gives us the access to GM for parts and supplies and to the rail depot to ship car from the facility. I am hoping for upwards of 15-20 deliverable company prefabs in all of ATS. That includes existing companies we already have and new ones like Texas Instruments, Dr. Pepper Snapple, Kimberly Clark and Bell Helicopter. There are many many more but I will just keep it there.

[interstate trav]

The one cool thing if Texas was the Basemap then California would be a New DLC.

[gandalf7472000]

@flight50 DFW as a major city will definitely have a garage.
I hope for new companies as well, as many times you pointed out we need more companies to deliver.
TexaS instruments is a company I really like to see in the game. At the company I work half of the older equipment we use is from Texas Instruments. Not match used this days as is old and analog but still working.
Bell helicopters to, my profile pics says it all

[flight50]

Yeah, I forgot Bell Helicopter was here actually. I know there is Lockheed Martin but we don't have military in the game. Bell on the other hand.......we can use that one. Make 2-3 helicopter for transport. That ST chopper can now have a home to come from I suppose. All over Texas, there are plenty of new companies that can come. With all of Texas in consideration, we could get at least 25 new companies imo. Oregon got 11 new companies and that was the most ever for ATS paid dlc. That way to low for Texas. Beyond the Balitcs got 31 new companies and Texas is a much larger and denser dlc. 25 new companies should be fairly easy to pull off for Texas. Italy got 21 and Black Sea got 24. Texas is larger than all those dlc's. I'd be quite disappointed if Texas doesn't hit those type of numbers. With the price Texas will cost, I'd like a very comparable dlc as ETS2.

Considering Texas has 6 of the largest US cities in the top 25, I'd really like to feel that. Texas should come with 30 mapped cities at least and top 10,000 miles of roads. The challenge will be on the devs to make a very reward yet highly rated dlc.

I jumped into ETS2 today to look around in Black Sea and Baltics and I don't see a single repeating company the latest dlc's. I really hope ATS gets a lot of these repeating companies replaced at some point. I'd really like to think as ATS grows, that many of the redundant companies get replaced with brand new companies with new prefabs. Not a copied rebranded one. I challenge the asset team to bring more life to ATS. Give it justice please. Where are all the cool companies trailer skins. I love the company diversity in ETS2 prefabs but ATS, there just doesn't seem to be a lot of creativity in them. I do like what I have seen in Idaho and Colorado though. I hope the tide is changing but we will see.

Remember that North America uses conventional trucks and small prefabs don't fit the bill anymore. With longer wheel based trucks and longer trailer combination, we need a bit more space. Some challenges are fine but when you can't get a RMD, triples or HH out of a facility, that prefab generated a load not suitable to get on the road for the casual gamer.

[Knightrider]

Im expecting to see oil storage, drilling sites and refineries everywhere in this dlc. Lots of Gallon Oil prefabs and as flight50 said, a new oil company would be nice to have for the sake of variety.

A Peterbilt 389 hauling a tanker should be the cover imo.

[Sametbey2]

@flight50, we also need new coastle mining prefabs and car cemetery prefabs.

[fra_ba]

A Peterbilt 389 hauling a tanker should be the cover imo.

love that!
Also new intermodal terminals, tire factory, ports and some airport prefabs would be good

[flight50]

@Knightrider. I generally agree with ya. With a few tweaks. Unfortunately I don't think Texas will or should get the newest truck that will release around the time Texas launches. It should indeed be the 389. Especialllllly if we get the Peterbilt factory in Denton, Tx. I'd like to see it in the oil fields though. In regards to:
-oil storage - most every is fine. Both active and in active. But they can't go crazy with it. There are really only certain areas where storage is so pronounced around the state. But along the coast along with all the refineries is where they should be heaviest.

-drilling sites - mostly in West Texas is where this stuff is. A little in the South but overall, keep this stuff West of I-35. The other place is offshore oil. The coast should get lots of these awesome structures. I am expecting Texas's coastline, well actually the entire Gulf to show numerous off shore rigs because.....well just because they can. We can't use that space for anything. So I expect the Gulf to be booming with activity.

-Gallon Oil.....this is where I some what agree. Texas is too critical for oil to not bring in all the rest of the players in the game. Texas is where most if not all oil company's reside. We need Exxon, Shell, Valero and Conoco/Philips 66. So just Gallon.....doesn't work for me. Getting that many repeat companies is not doing Texas justice and a serious cheat. It can't be that hard to make new companies. ETS2 is flooded with them. We need stuff off the coast and stuff inland. Between Baytown (Houston probably absorbs), Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Houston, Port Arthur (Beaumont probably absorbs) and Texas City (Galveston probably absorb), there probably needs to be a strong presence on the coast. Going inland, there is Amarillo area, San Antonio, El Paso.....and these are pretty much just oil facilities in mind. What about natural gas? Texas could be the perfect time for a Oil/Gas cargo dlc. Texas is probably the money maker state. Its price should be much higher than 12 bucks and add in a possible new cargo dlc. Please advertise it though so people can prepare for it. $18 US/EU plus another $5 USD/EU for the cargo pack is not something all can afford.

@Sametbey2. I will definitely encourage new mining companies. I'd do 2-3 min. There are quarries everywhere here. Cities are build with these. They can be remote to the city or in town. Considering Texas has 6 of the largest cities, we need at least 6 quarries. At least half should be new name companies. In all of ATS, it honestly think it can support at least 6-8 quarries in the entire game by the time the US is completed. We need sand, limestone, cement industries to be more a part of the game as we push east to more dense cities. I am surprised the game doesn't already have at least 2 of these. We shouldn't have to wait until Texas though. Tons of remote places these can go without affecting scale.

Salvage yards/Junkyard...........YESSSSSS! I have mentioned them before. Texas has a ton of these. I think its time to properly get them in the game. The current places scrap prefabs are missing a step. We need the Salvage yards. They are the ones that crush the cars. Then they can go to recycling. I honestly don't see why in the remote locations of the largest cities, Texas can't have these. We need at least 5-6 in Texas. (2) in DFW, (2) in Houston, (1) for San Antonio/Austin and (1) in El Paso. Not only that, but double back to previous states and add them. Colorado for example, right across from Vetas, there is a Copart and its huge. Salvage yards are another piece of the puzzle to the auto industry. That ETS2 blog for the car industry was a nice sight to see. If ATS gets that, salvage yards would be a perfect piece to that puzzle as well as the GM plant in DFW. We need from getting all the parts to make a new car, to the end of days of that car. Everything in between should be part of this industry imo in ATS. There is at least a dozen different companies that can be in place for all this. Between manufactures of the cars, car part manufacturers, dealerships/rental fleets and salvage, it could be a much much better industry in ATS. Add in better car haul trailers and its alive in ATS. Now I don't know if the devs can go as far as dedicated car haul trailers in ATS but they sure can get us longer/better trailers. The current one is way too short. 5 cars isn't going to work. We need ATS to have some of this imo.

@fra_ba agreed. Dallas has one of the largest Intermodal facilities in the South. Its near I-45 going heading out of the dfw area. This should be in the game. Its a major player train/truck cargo. By the time Texas comes we should have a new rail depot company. A more spacious one than the base map one. I know there are a few larger ones finally in ATS. Rebrand one and make it UP related. BSNF is primarily in the Western US. Union Pacific is more Central. Having another train depot company would be more realistic until we get to the East coast when the last major freight hauler comes to play in CSX.

Tire factories, are part of the industry under car parts. So where they exist here in Texas, sure. I am only aware of Cooper in Texarkana though. Airports...... it would be awesome to get 2-3 in Texas. The main two is DFW Airport and Houston's George Bush. Hobby lobby and Lovefield are primarily passenger airports. We need freight movers. The iffy one could be way over in El Paso. Denver and Phoenix will be our closet airport in that area so getting in El Paso, spreads out the air freight nicely for Texas and the rest of ATS.