Illinois Discussion Thread

[flight50]

We don't have the Missouri, Iowa nor Louisiana's road map yet obviously, but mannnn my excitement for the Illinois road map is like super high. With the possible cities to the road network itself, outside of Texas and California, Illinois offers quite a few interstates that links to a lot of other cities pretty much all around it. When the other 4 Northern states are filled in, Chicago is going to be accessible in a lot of ways and that's not even considering East of it.

Illinois has enough shape going on in which hopefully means we can get roads/cities pushed to the edges of the map. Hopefully the Southeast isn't an issue and SCS can get it filled out there. I strongly suggest that US-50 continues Eastward. To justify it for Illinois, I have to agree with many others that Olney is a great option to get Southeastern filled out as it also extends US-50 and validates a marked city. I don't see any other marked city being able to have Olney be apart of its economy. Olney really needs to stand on its own. Its enough there to build upon. It even has something unique that so far isn't in ATS.

1) Walmart Distribution Center - This is a real site and is justified
2) Loves Truck Stop - no brainer here
3) Wise Equipment - truck repair shop (Service Center)
4) Consolidated Grain & Barge - Flavorfair
5) Pacific Cycle - Major bike manufacturer. This one is unique. Could even come as Outrider. Bikes can go to Walbert, Shop Town and if we ever get a Cabelas/Bass Pro/Dicks/Academy, they can go there as well as import/export and rail depots.
6) Fehrenbacher Truck and Trailer Repair - this one or number 3. We obviously don't need number 3. More space for Pacific Cycle if we got number 3 instead
7) Master Halco - Fencing company. This one could go as Buildmaster and present us with fencing stuff...both wood and metal.

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If we can get one sleeper city for Illinois, Olney would be the one to do.

[oldmanclippy]

On the topic of the Driftless Area, I might have found pic 13 from the Introduction blog: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3156904 ... FQAw%3D%3D Hard to say for certain since it's somewhat nondescript but it looks like a good candidate.

I suspect pic 14 is also on US-20, and while I'm not sure there is even an exact location to be found, there are places to be found nearby to 13's location with a curve in the road and distant hills with a straight road rolling over them, such as here https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3137753 ... FQAw%3D%3D

[flight50]

I sure hope pic 14 isn't correct. That is a 2+1 lane road which means there is decent enough grade change that should require that 2+1 road. The Idaho team already failed with White Bird hill which also is a 1+1 road but in real life, it 2+1 road.

[oldmanclippy]

I think it’s likely that 14 takes inspiration from multiple locations. It’s not a distinctive enough location to say that it for certain is supposed to represent just one spot.

But in general I do hope we get some nice grades in the whole Driftless Area which will span 4 different DLCs.

[mick111]

I would like a scenic view of Volvo Island near Ottawa in Illinois.

[Shiva]

Olney is nice, but quite close to Effingham.

[flight50]

Olney shouldn't be large at all. In order to keep city scales respectable....medium to small or tiny, Olney will be mire like an Alliance Nebraska or Marysville Kansas. We also don't know 100% if Effingham is marked. Good chance it is though. Effingham to Olney is 43 miles. DFW is like 32 and both are huge cities and they fit. Including the massive junction in which are the size of scenic cities themselves and they got a lot to fit. Boise to Nampa, Spokane to Coeur de Arlene, Billings to Laruel...all are 43 miles or less.

We really need US-50 to push onward on Olney is the perfect small to to fill that area out.

[Mooner_37]

Could be possible. Springdale to Fayetteville, Arkansas is only 8 miles from each other. That's apother example

[rbsanford]

I would like a scenic view of Volvo Island near Ottawa in Illinois.

What the...

That has Easter egg written all over it. It reminds me of the George Harrison Mural, the Griswold station wagon, and the Pink Elephant Antique Mall, except those are right by major highways. I'm hoping that as many of these kinds of quirky landmarks as possible are worked in, including Casey; they make things interesting and add to the character of the state.

I don't know about Olney being marked; it seems kind of arbitrary. I'd like to see as much of US 50 as possible too, but I think Vincennes would be a better marked city in that area. It's not on the 50, but I think Robinson would be a good alternative, since that has a big refinery and a chocolate factory; of course, because of the scale, the two towns would end up seeming much closer together in the game than in real life, so the Robinson refinery could be a remote depot to Olney, if that were to be marked in the first place.

[flight50]

Olney is a matter of opinion. Several here have advocated for it already. I am just resurfacing it. It feels like the better fit for some if us. Illinois actually has several candy factories though so they can have several if it's ever introduced.

Robinson is on a road that isn't necessary and SCS would have to go out thier way to bring it. Now I do hope we get IL-1 though but its not a given like US -50 could be. Getting something along US-50 allows SCS to keep it tight and compact along it and not bother with reaching beyond US-50. Vincennes is in Indiana. That doesn't help the Illinois dlc. But it can be an option later if no Onley. That just means we don't have a marked city with its own economy in Southeast Illinois. If SCS plays their cards right, the next column of states are bundles....IN+OH, KY+TN & MS+AL. In combos, there will be plenty of cities. So we can get cites away from IL, IA, AR or LA.