Montana Discussion Thread

[Vinnie Terranova]

It doesn't really matter if a city is not exactly located as it should compared to real life. You only will notice this if you take a look at the world map. But when you play the game, you probably are using cabin view or outside view 99% of the time, and using the world map less than 1%.

[angrybirdseller]

Also, remember state highways like WI-29 in Wisconsin is freeway. There is roads in Minnesota like MN-60 connect to US-169 in Mankato are four lane highways. Roads should be direct and connect most important cities in the region. US highways do not always connect important regions. Highway type and industry along with cities should matter. Also, parallel or near by highway should factor in as well. Illinios I-88 parallel I-80 don't need both routes, but I-39 that bypass Chicago and connect to I-74 very nice option to have.

[Optional Features]

It doesn't really matter if a city is not exactly located as it should compared to real life. You only will notice this if you take a look at the world map. But when you play the game, you probably are using cabin view or outside view 99% of the time, and using the world map less than 1%.

Location is far less important than feel. If they get the feel right, it'll stand out. If they only get the location right, it'll be noticeable, but for the opposite reason.

[LadiesLagan]

Montana is required for Idaho. I would like to see it sooner than later.

I also consider Montana necessary to go to Idaho without going around many other states. It will be perfect.

[oldmanclippy]

Yep MN-60 is a good example. If I want to get to Sioux City from the Twin Cities, I would get take US-169 to MN-60 to IA-60 to US-75. And I would not have to make a single turn. Straight shot the entire way. In fact I can then keep going straight onto US-20 which routes onto NE-71 in Crawford, Nebraska. That goes straight to a county road in ~25 miles which eventually hits a T. On the north side, the routing of US-169 continues straight onto MN-47, which eventually hits a T at MN-23.

767 miles on 8 numbered roads with no blinker required. One example of many.

https://goo.gl/maps/G6B4FtSmiBc3uZ8n8

I'm a big proponent of direct connections between marked cities when possible. When the plains states come, a lot of times the US routes will pass by major towns instead of going through them. I'd rather get state highways that connect marked cities directly, if forced to pick. This will be particularly relevant with Oklahoma. The US routes that will be important in Nebraska and the ones that were important in Texas aren't the same as the ones important in Oklahoma, and sometimes the likely marked cities just aren't connected well by US routes.

I think it would be a fun project to map routings (I don't know what else to call them) like that that follow multiple different routes/highways but are in fact the most direct path of travel between cities.

[TheAmir259]

I just checked now how WY map looks like on 1.45 open beta, make no sense for me why they push Cody and US-14 too far north near the border, with that, they literally squeezed the chance for the US-212 Beartooth pass be on the game. US-20, US 89 and also US-212, if not going to be there on release, they should think about it on an future update.

It's called 1:20 scaling, there are more issues than meets the eye, it's definitely also one of the reasons why Cody and US-14 didn't make it into Wyoming's initial release to begin with, have you not wondered about it? Obviously now that they've introduced it, they've been willing to compromise on space, but as you can see, we are now having to concern ourselves with if US-212 and Beartooth is gonna make it or not as the consequences, but personally i'd say that Cody & US-14 is a big win, its more major/important, like how others have highlighted.

[wolfedg]

As much as I love Beartooth pass and having family in Joliet MT, I understand this portion of US 212 not being included in a trucking game. A gorgeous route yes, but also a trucker's worst nightmare IRL.

[Vinnie Terranova]

I like challenging roads. We haven't much of them, so the US-212 would be a really interesting road to drive. Looking at Google Maps it should be possible to include the US-212. If Cody is moved a little bit to the north, then US-212 also can be moved a little bit to the north.

[harishw8r]

A gorgeous route yes, but also a trucker's worst nightmare IRL.

That’s exactly why I think Beartooth needs to be included in game. We don’t have a lot of such challenging roads, save the Million Dollar highway. Nightmare or not, it’s still a road where trucking is permitted, unlike the stretch between YS and Cody.

[flight50]

Only way I see Beartooth getting in is if its pretty much pushed into Montana. There is plenty of space South of I-90. It won't look right viewing the map but when driving in the game, it won't make a difference. Its a Montana bound road either way. US-14 had to come with Wyoming.