Base Map Rebuild (CA, NV, AZ) General Discussion Thread

[flight50]

^Great point on Wyoming. It's the best arid state imo. Utah was the first to introduce the rock formations we have today and is solid. SCS hired geologist at that time. Fast forward to today now that the base map is being rebuilt, all that new technology and experience should play off. If Nevada is like Wyoming followed by Arizona, we will have some really really good looking maps. The base map would get a much needed face-lift in today's next gen console era. Add in PRT and the base map alone is enough to attract more newcomers.

[raskol]

Friends, I'm looking forward to the Route 66 New Mexico blog about SCS Software's Route 66 renovation project. The scenery will be excellent if the Lupton rock formations in the New Mexico map DLC are rendered with higher quality and accuracy

[Sovereign 89]

Nevada is terrible, I have been avoiding it mostly for quite some time now. Hopefully it is in pipeline for at least 2026. Until then I'll keep avoiding it as much as possible and only drive through it in that Sierra Nevada map mod.
Arizona is slightly better though and I do pass through it occasionally, but not nearly as much as I do through northern parts of map that avoid both Nevada and Arizona. It would be best case scenario if we got whole of Nevada and Arizona in 2026. But somehow I doubt it will be the case.
And as for NM, it needs rework for sure, but there are certain parts of it which still look very nice. Especially that one mountain road going to Artesia. For a long time it was my favorite part of map to drive thru, and I still occasionally pass through it.

Now Oregon and Utah on the other hand could use few upgrades in scenery and roads as well (especially southern part of Utah).

[flight50]

Yeah having whole Nevada and Arizona for 2026 for consoles would be ideal. The best we can hope for is partials for both in 2026. That is doable....that's a compromise. Its a sacrifice for Route 66 rework. If we can get I-80 and I-40 up to par with newer mapping, that is definitely a solid comprise in my book. Not ideal but a compromise. Its now October and we do have something from the reworks team. Buttt there is word that there are multiple reworks in place. Makes since if ETS2 has multiple reworks in place. They are not so secretive about ETS2 though.

If we don't get any more reveals before the Xmas stream this year, I'd imagine more reworks makes the Xmas stream for ATS.

[Brendan0620]

Would've liked to hear what that second rework project was some time ago, but I'm starting to think that it (along with Route 66 Rework Project) are for 2026 as well.

I've been avoiding Nevada like the plague too, I really do want to cross I-80 cross country to get to Sacramento then San Francisco on my build-up profile but I just cannot do it.

[flight50]

The last time I used I-80 to get from Utah to Sacramento was probably Phase 2 California. I couldn't cross I-80 anymore at that point. Once Northern California got updated, it made Nevada that much worse.

[Shiva]

Drive at night, so you will see less

[Onagerlinn]

I'm just glad we've had Idaho now for 5 years. I don't miss the days of being forced to take I-80 across Nevada anytime I wanted to go up to OR/WA.

I haven't been past Elko on I-80 in a while.

[flight50]

Drive at night, so you will see less

Its not about seeing. Its the road itself when some curves are sharper than they should be, there was no banking back then. The on/off ramps are nothing like what we get now and in need of replacement. With the moon now, we can see a lot more with ambient lighting so you still see pretty decently. Just knowing that the silhouette mountains along the road not looking organic gives me the creeps lol. The base map has one layer of mountains that feel like a 2d animated cartoon. Now we have layers of mountains in the background that feel organic and 3d like it should be. The texturing is better now. I constantly get the California Hills2 model in my head when I think base map mountains and that model needs to go. There are others to but that particular one I remember the most.

Its a physiological things for me as well though. Just knowing what it could be but ain't is rough.

[Tristman]

Drive at night, so you will see less

Even worse, you will fly out of those corners that are unrealistically sharp