Poll: Choose (3) States you would like to see next

[oldmanclippy]

@Double M North and South Dakota are the states I'm most looking forward to in that Oklahoma to North Dakota column, partly because I know them from IRL and partly because I really think they will surprise people. North Dakota has a ton of oil, gas, cattle, canola, etc to take advantage of as well as some really beautiful scenery (rolling wide open grasslands in the west with some badlands in the far west, and flat but surprisingly lake-filled farmlands in the east, as well as great cities in Fargo and Bismarck). South Dakota has great geographic diversity between the Black Hills, the Badlands, the grasslands in the west, and the farmlands in the east. Their road networks are very simple by and large besides southwest South Dakota, but like I said I think they will pleasantly surprise people. No offense to Kansas and Nebraska, but I think those states will have to lean on Wichita and Omaha for their appeal more heavily in comparison to the Dakotas which can stand on their own with their scenery a bit more, IMO.

All that being said, I'd be shocked if we get them before 2024. I think 2025 is also a possibility given Pavel's comments. While I wouldn't mind them doing the whole Oklahoma to North Dakota column all in a row, I think that's a bad idea for marketing to the general public when they have states like Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana to sprinkle in between for diversity.

It really just depends on how quickly they move and which states they prioritize. Even if AR and MO come first it's not completely out of the question that the Dakotas could come in 2024. Combined they're probably a similar amount of work to Montana. And that was finished by 15 mappers in less than a year. So while I think it's asking a bit much, it's not completely impossible that 2024 could see the release of 4 states, AR, MO, ND, and SD. On the condition that OK/KS/NE all come in 2023, which is also not a guarantee by any means. 2025 could very well be the year for the Dakotas. Given Pavel's comments, I don't see them slipping farther than that. But of course we will have to wait and see.

[Sovereign 89]

Can exclude Caribbean Area and Central American do not see those areas being covered in ATS. Canada will take ~5 years go build out and Mexico will be same amount. The full map will likely be USA, Canada, Mexico as have land mass to make it worth while. The research will be sketchy for El Salvador and Guatemala. Further south the map will go is Mexico and Guatemala border.

I don't see why not. Central US is still well connected to the Mexico (unlike South America) and Panama canal brings many opportunities for trucking. On the other hand, Caribbean islands have some very nice scenery, and those bigger ones could easily make it into game. As for the research I'm sure situation could improve with that once SCS starts with Central American states.
You're right though about Canada and Mexico taking around 5 years. Even my prediction map shows that.

^I actually like this thought process better. The 6 in the center in back to back years works and supports what Pavel mentioned. The Dakotas is the question mark. I don't think the Dakotas should come before Missouri and Iowa though because of I-29. The Dakotas needs I-29 which runs thru both Missouri and Iowa before getting to the Dakotas. Therefore I support a Dakota bundle. Single state release works too but bundle has power weight behind selling it.

That's not bad of an order too, but for 2026 map looks a bit messy though. Dakota bundle should definitely be a thing.

Think after the rebuild is done for the base map they will likely have four teams to speed up the process. They could finish lower 48 by the end of 2029 if 4th team joins in late 2026 into 2027. Bundles will arrive toward the finishing of the ATS map and east coast will be last region and former rebuild team becomes maintenance team to fix and upgrade the old parts of the map. With ATS and ETS2 world completed upgrade the world slowly build it into interactive dynamic world first add crops that grow and harvest then look into slow process adding seasons, them wind, rain, snow, fog.

Think Midwest will be done first, then the South, and finally Northeast region.
Think from 2026 and Later you will see far more bundled region states primarily for the southern and east coast states.

I see some problems with your predictions here. Firstly with 2024 where next 3 states stick out of the map a bit too much. Sure you fix that with 2025, but still driving from northeastern or southeastern most part of maps towards Illinois will be like it was with Idaho all over again, only on bigger scale. So in this case I believe my order is better.
And as for year 2027 onwards, I believe you have too many states for just one year. Yes, some of them are smaller, but 7 states (even with bundles) is still too much work for such a short time. I don't think we'll see 5+ states coming out before 2028. I may be wrong though, and I'd be glad if it will become possible. Despite that though, I do believe we can have lower 48 by 2030.

[angrybirdseller]

There is not distance for OTR trucking in Caribbean and your not going to ferry into USA or Mexico to transport goods makes no sense not ETS2. Central America same reasons and your trucking limted to El Salivdor as Mexico very likely going to ban these trucks entering especially if they make deliveries to the interior.

Even Mexican trucks was banned for years trucking beyond 50 miles of the US border that has been changed in the last 10 years.

2024 You need I-29 in Missouri and Iowa to do Dakotas. Finally, Illinios with Chicago creates long drives from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Also, Illinois makes sense as scs had to visit Chicagoland quite few times to get truck licenses and resreach needed to make environment is there from taking photos.

Chicago is one of most important city for trucking industry logistics and manufacturing plants are there to build trucks.

SCS going into Iowa and Missouri then it obvious Illinois it's main target then finish up with rest of midwest.

Pavel said corn and more corn -Illinois grows tons, Iowa the same, Missouri same with Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska. Winter wheat grows in Kansas and Western Nebraska while summer wheat in North Dakota.

[flight50]

That's not bad of an order too, but for 2026 map looks a bit messy though. Dakota bundle should definitely be a thing.

Yeah I have to agree that 2026 is a bit boogered up. I was only focusing on the 6 in the center though. I think North Dakota should go bundled with South Dakota for 2025. I actually agree with angrybirdseller's map a lot more on how its not scattered out. Its nicely grouped and easy bundles can be made. I only wish for Arkansas to squeeze in with 2024 though on his map. I don't see Iowa and Arkansas being as time consuming at Missouri and probably Illinois.

But regionally, his is organized well until 2027. If Arkansas can go 2024, I'd switch Georgia to 2027 so that it can come with Florida.

I see some problems with your predictions here. Firstly with 2024 where next 3 states stick out of the map a bit too much.

Not really. His map prediction is doing exactly what Pavel said on the Montana stream. I'm not sure if you got a chance to watch it. 3 things he mentioned. Follow Route 66. Corn, Corn and Corn......Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa more than likely was that reference. And then he said Great Lakes. So his 2024 prediction falls in line with Pavel's words.

What that then does is actually make things central. They can build north, East or South of that. If they decide to get to the Great Lakes and then go multiple directions, they are set for that kinda like an ETS2 map. Or they may want to make states in groups similar to what angrybirdseller as done.

[Double M]

@Double M North and South Dakota are the states I'm most looking forward to in that Oklahoma to North Dakota column, partly because I know them from IRL and partly because I really think they will surprise people. North Dakota has a ton of oil, gas, cattle, canola, etc to take advantage of as well as some really beautiful scenery (rolling wide open grasslands in the west with some badlands in the far west, and flat but surprisingly lake-filled farmlands in the east, as well as great cities in Fargo and Bismarck). South Dakota has great geographic diversity between the Black Hills, the Badlands, the grasslands in the west, and the farmlands in the east. Their road networks are very simple by and large besides southwest South Dakota, but like I said I think they will pleasantly surprise people. No offense to Kansas and Nebraska, but I think those states will have to lean on Wichita and Omaha for their appeal more heavily in comparison to the Dakotas which can stand on their own with their scenery a bit more, IMO.

Thank you very much for the summary you have made. Now I am even more looking forward to visiting North Dakota and South Dakota. I have been looking for information about them on the internet and have discovered that the manufacturer of Bobcat construction machines was founded and is based in North Dakota. I was surprised, I thought it was from Illinois like John Deere and Caterpillar.

By the way in Nebraska or Kansas, there is nothing major related to the railroad. I can't remember what it is, but it reminds me of seeing it in the past in some documentary about the railway.

[oldmanclippy]

Union Pacific (in-game as American Lines) is headquartered in Omaha, NE. Council Bluffs (a suburb of Omaha on the Iowa side) was the beginning of the original Union Pacific Railroad that met the Central Pacific Railroad near Ogden, Utah (famously with a golden spike as the finishing touch!), which combined made up the First Transcontinental Railroad to connect Sacramento, CA with the rest of the US railway system east of Omaha.

Kansas is a big rail state as well, historically used for transporting cattle (along railroads that would eventually become part of the modern day BNSF) driven on the Chisholm Trail from Texas to Kansas. But all roads lead back to Omaha: BNSF is owned by a company which is owned by an Omaha-based company, Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway.

[AlexxxF1]

That's not bad of an order too, but for 2026 map looks a bit messy though. Dakota bundle should definitely be a thing.

actually the map is not entirely confusing, what i suggested.
I simply proceeded from the fact that each new DLC is easier and more profitable to add to the previous DLC, which has already been on sale for a year or more.
that is, there will already be a 30-50% discount on old DLC.
it will be easier for a beginner to purchase a new DLC(which has just been released) with the previous one, which is at a discount.

SD-2025 ND- 2026 MN- 2027
LA-2025 MS- 2026 AL- 2027
IL -2025 IN,OH-2026 KY,TN-2027

and moving in different directions it is easier to make bundles - North, Central, South.
And for someone who lives on the east coast, wherever he lives, it will be easier to get a way to his house for less money.
for example :
North bundle ( Pacific Northwest bundle (ATS+ OR + WA+ ID) + WY + SD ) +ND(2026) +MN(2027)
South bundle (ATS + NM + TX + LA ) +MS(2026) +AL(2027)
Central bundle (ATS + UT + CO + KS + MO ) + IL(2025) +IN, OH(2026) +KY, TN (2027)

by the end of 2027, before 2028, the map will be in cool shape, the base map rework could be finished and the free people could move to Mexico or Canada.
for me it would be the perfect outcome. Or perhaps SCS can recruit a couple more people and speed it all up. that would be great.

at the end of 2025 we get a map in excellent shape. plus the icing on the cake is Chicago.
at the end of 2026 I agree, the shape of the map will be strange, because of Ohio. and Kentucky and Tennessee would have been better. But I assumed that small Ohio and Mississippi would free up more people to rework the base map. complete the redesign of all base map in full by the 10th anniversary of the ATS. In addition, small Ohio surpasses Kentucky+Tennessee in terms of population.
at the end of 2027 we get a good shape map again.
and finally to 2028 we have the opportunity to get Florida, Wisconsin and the capital of USA - Washington.

for 2025 it would be really so great to get such a map and Chicago.
But by 2027 it would be great if SCS could recruit more people and maybe start releasing DLC ​​states by merging with neighboring ones.
having recruited SCS new people, it would be great to get Florida and the capital Washington as quickly as possible.

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[Llewelyn]

Well I voted Oklahoma 'cos it gits nicely alongside Texas and Louisiana 'cos I feel the whole Dakotas Nebraska Kansas bit might be a bit "samey" to drive through. Could be wrong though, as I've never been there to look

I'd kinda like them to head along the gulf coast to Florida before filling in the middle, but until now the progress has been broadly west-to-east, so if they continue that general plan, we'll likely see Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas before continuing towards the Mississippi

[Sovereign 89]

Not really. His map prediction is doing exactly what Pavel said on the Montana stream. I'm not sure if you got a chance to watch it. 3 things he mentioned. Follow Route 66. Corn, Corn and Corn......Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa more than likely was that reference. And then he said Great Lakes. So his 2024 prediction falls in line with Pavel's words.

What that then does is actually make things central. They can build north, East or South of that. If they decide to get to the Great Lakes and then go multiple directions, they are set for that kinda like an ETS2 map. Or they may want to make states in groups similar to what angrybirdseller as done.

Yes I watched the stream and I know what he said, but he also said previously their goal is to get to Florida ASAP, and now we see that isn't case anymore. So plans could still change.
My map accounts for this, while also keeping it as boxed as possible, and it would still get us to Great Lakes area in 2025, as well as cover Route 66. At the same time unlike other speculation maps here it gives us a different biome with Louisiana and pushes map south towards Florida. It also covers central and northern areas of map almost simultaneously. Such balanced approached IMHO is the best for both players and SCS as company.

[angrybirdseller]

The end of 2024 into early having I-80 from San Francisco to Chicago is ~2100 miles and Los Angeles to Chicago is around ~2000 miles. Create triangle shape for the longest routes and build off from there.

Los Angeles you have five options to Chicago

First, I-10 to I-15 then use I-70 to reach I-76 in Denver to reach I-80 in Nebraska and drive thru Iowa into Illinois to reach Chicago

Second I-10 to I-15 then use I-70 drive thru Kansas City into Missouri use part of I-35 get into Kansas City then head east along US-36 drive to Hannibal MO then it becomes I-72 across the Illinois state line use I-55 the rest of the way to Chicago

Third I-10 to I-15 then use I-70 drive thru Kansas into Missouri use I-70 to reach St Louis and use I-55 into Chicago.

Four I-10 to I-40 in Barstow and you take this all the way to Oklahoma City and I-35 for small segment use I-44 into Missouri to reach I-55 into Chicago.

Fifth I-10 to I-15 to I-80 in Salt Lake all the way to Chicago.

There is five ways already to Chicago.

Think Great Lakes Goal was picked for flexibility and reduces corridor fatigue.

Seattle to Chicago

Pick I-90 with Montana
Start to add Dakotas and Minnesota there still gap with I-90 without Wisconsin, but you still have options drive to I-90 in Austin Minnesota use US-218 head to Waterloo Iowa then US-20 to I-380 then drive till I-80 in Iowa City then onto Chicago

Pick I-94 with Montana.
Take I-94 just use into Twin Cities to connect with US-52 in St.Paul use the route till Rochester MN then find US-63 ahead to Waterloo Iowa use US-20 to connect to I-380 then drive till I-80 in Iowa City then onto Chicago.

If US-52 not added with Minnesota just use I-35 to I-90 and use US-218 in Austin MN.

SCS probably wanted to avoid Florida and corridor it as would of lead to frustration with limited route options.

After OK-KS-NE then likely MO-IA-IL then SD-ND-MN makes then finally WI-MI-OH-IN.