Montana Discussion Thread

[oldmanclippy]

For northwest Montana, I don't expect anything other than US-2, US-93, US-12, and I-90. Anything more is superfluous IMO. MAYBE US-287 or US-89 near the front range but I doubt it. I-15 is pretty close.

For southeast Montana, I agree it doesn't make sense to do US-212 to connect with Wyoming. That's a South Dakota road. I think it is likely we will get it between I-90 and MT-59 but that'd be it until South Dakota. That and enough south of Billings to get us to US-310 if we get that connecting road to Wyoming hopefully. I remain extremely skeptical about the Beartooth Pass segment of US-212 coming to the game. It doesn't make sense to me.

I think the map could look like this. This is my ideal road density for Montana, although I'd like to see them add at least Shelby as another marked town. I only used the cities that were in the usa.dds file but as we well know that file is not the end-all-be-all. But it is all we have to go off of at the moment.

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US-89 and US-191 would have to be spread out much further in-game than they are IRL because the mountains surrounding them will take up a lot of space. It's possible US-287 will be used in that area instead of US-191 but I'm hoping for US-191 as it's very scenic and challenging.

Central Montana might not be that dense in-game but I think they could pull it off. US-12 is a road I'd like to see as complete as possible, and Sidney's inclusion on the list of cities in usa.dds makes me think that MT-200 is more likely than previously thought. The cool thing about Montana is that unlike some previous states, it will probably be fairly complete and filled out upon release due to the important cities and roads near the ND and SD borders. There's not a lot for those states to do to finish out Montana when they come. Texas will be this way too I think which is exciting.

No telling. I don't think SCS should be in a rush for the Dakotas unless they did a combo pack. That would be a more attractive sale vs one at a time. I'd push more East and get more into the MidWest before the Dakota's. I'd like to see OK/LA/AR/KS/MO,NB and IA at the least before the Dakota's.

Dakota's as a combo boost both Montana and Wyoming. We get more of I-90 and I-94. That much closer to the Great Lakes. That's a region I know nothing about but we have a few fellow members here that would be great resources for that region. rbsanford, Bedavd and oldmanclippy to be more precise. We have good representation for that area. I'm sure there are others but those three are very active here and I see them daily for the most part.

And @angrybirdseller too. We have a surprising number of Minnesotans here lol. Between us and Bedavd we've almost got the whole Northwoods region covered. We just need a Sconnie to complete the package. We also just need to resolve ourselves to the fact that our states are potentially quite a long ways away (2028-2030 by my prediction if stair-stepping happens). That's why I get so giddy when I see stuff like signs to Rapid City and Omaha in Wyoming. It makes the notion that one day my home state could be in this wonderful video game feel that much more real as we inch closer and closer. I-35 in Texas and I-94 in Montana will also be really cool as I drive those roads in Minnesota on a regular basis. I-90, not as much. I think I've been on I-90 in Minnesota twice in my life and crossed over it one other time while in Minnesota. I've been on it far more in Wisconsin and Illinois than I have in Minnesota. I didn't even go to Iowa for the first time until just a few months ago and I'm a full-grown adult But I hope to change that. Ideally I'll take a road trip to Texas next year before or after the DLC arrives. I did it with Wyoming so I figure I might want to consider keeping the tradition alive.

[supersobes]

I would prefer it if they ended I-15 at Sweet Grass rather than US-2. It would be nice to have the full length of that Interstate in the game. Even if Sweet Grass isn't a marked city, they could at least add the rest area exit 397.

[rbsanford]

@oldmanclippy We definitely need US 191 between West Yellowstone and Bozeman. But what's great about the 191 and the 89 is that, for the most part, they run through narrow passages: US 89 has Yankee Jim Canyon, and US 191 has the majestic Gallatin Canyon. I can see this being achieved in the game by essentially having one mountain ridge between the highways. It would just get tricky near the northern ends of these segments, where the roads enter more open valleys (I suppose artistic liberties could be taken with the valley of the Yellowstone, where the Gallatins, the mountains to the west, could come close to the road; the Gallatin Valley will need to be more broad). One of the biggest challenges I can see with this area, though, is how to include the 89, 191, Bozeman, Livingston, and a convincing Bozeman Pass. It'll be tight.

The 287 between Helena and I-90 would be very handy, as would MT 19 between US 87 and 191, and I'm hoping to see US 89 brought up to Great Falls. Otherwise, that's a pretty solid concept.

[Frayner]

I would prefer it if they ended I-15 at Sweet Grass rather than US-2. It would be nice to have the full length of that Interstate in the game. Even if Sweet Grass isn't a marked city, they could at least add the rest area exit 397.

I’m sure sweet grass would show up in an future dlc for Alberta when they finally do start to implement Canadian provinces into the game.

[The Torgo]

@oldmanclippy citywise i agree in 95%

the only change in my predition is Sydney out - West Yellowstone in

[supersobes]

I’m sure sweet grass would show up in an future dlc for Alberta when they finally do start to implement Canadian provinces into the game.

Well, that's the thing. If SCS decides to finish the continental United States before making ATS international, Canada is still a long way off. Which means we'd be missing the last 40 or so miles of I-15 for quite a long time.

[Marcello Julio]

Pavel on stream with Alex and Nemiro:
"We are working on stuff.
The Wyoming team is already mostly reallocated around.
They have been through some pre-production, even early production of some new stuff."

"Obviously the Wyoming team is on to something next and you guys will be actually the ones revealing it in due time"

Trakaplex, that youtube link you posted, it is contains condensed version of SCS's stream.
By A. P. 101 Gaming. I rather prefer the original, uncut SCS streams.
I did not find "next DLC after Texas" anywhere.

Before Pavel, Davido (Wyoming DLC Leader) said had started to work on the DLC after Texas. Obviously he didn't say what the state was, but he said the community is smart to discovery what that state was and that he is always quoted in the chats on SCS streams by the people.

[oldmanclippy]

I would prefer it if they ended I-15 at Sweet Grass rather than US-2. It would be nice to have the full length of that Interstate in the game. Even if Sweet Grass isn't a marked city, they could at least add the rest area exit 397.

I agree, Sweet Grass would be awesome and then we could get all of I-15 as well. I'm not holding my breath on it though. SCS hasn't gotten that close to the Canadian border yet, although Bellingham was sort of close.

@oldmanclippy We definitely need US 191 between West Yellowstone and Bozeman. But what's great about the 191 and the 89 is that, for the most part, they run through narrow passages: US 89 has Yankee Jim Canyon, and US 191 has the majestic Gallatin Canyon. I can see this being achieved in the game by essentially having one mountain ridge between the highways. It would just get tricky near the northern ends of these segments, where the roads enter more open valleys (I suppose artistic liberties could be taken with the valley of the Yellowstone, where the Gallatins, the mountains to the west, could come close to the road; the Gallatin Valley will need to be more broad). One of the biggest challenges I can see with this area, though, is how to include the 89, 191, Bozeman, Livingston, and a convincing Bozeman Pass. It'll be tight.

The 287 between Helena and I-90 would be very handy, as would MT 19 between US 87 and 191, and I'm hoping to see US 89 brought up to Great Falls. Otherwise, that's a pretty solid concept.

The good thing about Bozeman Pass is that it feels like it goes very quick IRL, so scaling issues shouldn't be too bad with it. Technically we don't know for sure that US-89 will go all the way to Livingston, it could just go to Mammoth and stop. I would be fine with that but I bet they're just gonna continue it through. US-287 from I-90 to Helena would be useful and not too much more work if they do US-12 anyways.

@oldmanclippy citywise i agree in 95%

the only change in my predition is Sydney out - West Yellowstone in

Read the spoiler text in my original post if you dare and you will know why I added Sidney. WYS doesn't have enough room to be a full blown marked city IMO, plus there's just no industry there. It's a tourist stop on the way in and out of the park. Scenic, for sure. Marked, I doubt it.

[flight50]

@oldmanclippy I like that map. I agree on Shelby is at least scenic for sure. Its right off I-15. We'll need the truck stop that is there. Not a ton going on but I see a couple of livestock places and a pretty big seed place. If we got it, its a 3-4 depot type town. One road I'm hoping makes the Montana dlc is MT-43. That's a very nice link from Great Falls, Bozeman, Billings, Butte or Helena to Salmon. Heck anywhere North of I-90/I-94 and along I-15 North of I-90 can access Salmon much better.

Between Sydney and WYS, I'd go Sydney hands down. WYS has no industry. Sydney is mostly scenic imo but it offers a tad more. The sugar plants would be a must have at the least. A few smaller contractor type companies and farms could make it marked. But the biggest benefit is pushing further East with the Montana dlc and giving us access to US-2 which means it too can push further East than Glasgow.

And @angrybirdseller too. We have a surprising number of Minnesotans here lol. Between us and Bedavd we've almost got the whole Northwoods region covered.

Crap. I knew I was forgetting someone. Apologies angrybirdseller. I've actually interacted with angrybirdseller on here much longer than all 3 of you that I mentioned, lol. Angrybirdseller and I go back to 2017 when I first got involved on here, lol. I remember having debates about multiple map teams coming soon and angrybirdseller didn't see it, lol. Man have times changed since then.

[TheAmir259]

If scaling is going to be an issue, Sweet Grass could be an unmarked town and a depot (farm maybe) can be placed down there, with them all being tied to Shelby instead, given that Shelby is a marked town (or city) that is