The Dakotas (North and South) Discussion Thread

[AlexxxF1]

Whell, we can buy whole 5 map DLC for first 5 years of ATS for $3.59 each (NM, OR, WA,ID, UT) or 1 new map DLC so big like Texas for the same money $17.99.
With the release of any new map DLC, I noticed that there is always a sale. And in general, sales at ATS ETS2 happen every month if I'm not mistaken. 10 months out of 12 for sure.

Yes, it's great when there is a set, but this is works only for beginners I think.

Pacific Northwest bundle (CA,NV, AZ, OR, WA, ID + Forest Machinery + Classic Paint job) coast $15,15 when sale.
when one base ATS (CA,NV, AZ) on a ordinary day is sold for $11.99.
this is a very advantageous offer for someone who just wants to start playing ATS.

It seems to me at the start or over time we will receive a new bundle - CA,NV, AZ, NM, TX.

for those who do not like the north, but prefer the south more.
or we already have- American Truck Simulator Enchanted Bundle (CA,NV, AZ, NM +Heavy Cargo +Steering +Wheel Tuning) $8,3 when sale.

By combining new states into a set, SCS will already lose money, than by selling them separately. And on discounts later, a year or two, the loss from the set will be even greater.
so I would advocate a separate release, one earlier, one later. they pay off. after, they can be combined into a set.
So it seems to me that the SCS also enters ETS2, releasing a huge map, and then adding it to the general set - Euro Truck Simulator 2 Map Booster. where we have all maps except the last one(GE, S, VlF, IT, BtBS, RttBS) .

Anyway, those who offer a set offer it a long wait than a separate release, when one comes out before the other.
they may not buy for example South Dakota on the start, but wait for North Dakota and buy it in a set with South, after 4 months or half a year as ND DLC will be ready after SD DLC release.

[Trucker Nik]

It definitely has to come in one DLC

[Quasimoto7]

For all this talk, I don't think anyone has actually discussed what cities would potentially make it into this DLC (or DLC's).

This to me is both simple and complicated; simple in that most major cities in either state are located on the major interstates. Complicated for the questions as to what other roads would actually be included in either state. So I'll start it off to put some ideas out there, given what little I know about both states.

For ND, the three almost guaranteed routes are US-2, I-29 and I-94. With that in mind, I think it is almost assured we get at least 8 marked cities.

Bismarck
Devils Lake
Dickinson
Fargo
Grand Forks
Jamestown
Minot
Williston

(and maybe Pembina/Drayton, probably Bowman on US-12)

That I feel is a fairly solid balance to the criticism of I-80 in Wyoming. Allows for good spacing with little need for movement in any particular direction. I would like to predict more, but I don't know what other roads would be in ND, and that's pretty much all the large ones in that state.

For SD, I think it's a lot more variable. We have a few more options. For the routes, I think it's fair to guess that we get US-12, US-14, US-18, along with I-80 and I-29. Probably US-212 as well. And as for the cities, probably

Aberdeen
Chamberlain
Deadwood
Hot Springs
Huron
Mitchell
Pierre
Rapid City
Sioux Falls
Spearfish
Wall

(because of how crowded the Southwest corner is, I think Sturgis, if it is included at all, is only a scenery town). South Dakota is similar to Wyoming in that the bulk of its cities are located on the interstate, but is even more sparsely populated outside of it.

This is probably a really, really bad list, especially for South Dakota. But I think it was right to start so we can get a better gauge of what we could expect.

[flight50]

A better guage on what to expect (as a guideline) is here viewtopic.php?p=1187772#p1187772. Its what our fellow member ads678 created some time ago. His maps have been about 80% or better for the most part.

[Quasimoto7]

That's about in line with what I have. But I do have to imagine we get a city at the very north end of I-29 in North Dakota. And in South Dakota, I think we get maybe 1 more city (whether that's Chamberlain or something else) in between Mitchell and Rapid City.

I included Wall as well because that's where US-14 splits from I-80.

For whatever reason the map in both of the Dakotas in ads678's map just looks so bare. Maybe that's just me, and no offense of course

[flight50]

To be honest, its better to look bare than to get disappointed. Too many times we the community get hyped about roads and they don't come with the dlc. That is the good thing about his maps is that it doesn't over do it. Its the bare minimum on what to expect. SCS typically does a tad more density which is why I mentioned his map is a good guideline.

[angrybirdseller]

South Dakota-Chamberlain don't see much industry there to make it marked city.
Chamberlain will definitely appear in the map dlc along with bridges across the Missouri.

Think Mitchell to Rapid City on I-90 be without marked cities.

I-90 will be treeless and adulating hills with some bad lands looking south closer to Wall.


Just set farms along the roads and places to drop off crop scraps and other items.
It's why I like route SD-248 parallel to I-90 in some spots can add farms and small settlements.


Along I-29 Sioux Falls, Brookings, Watertown more industry to justify having them marked.

Spearfish may make it, but I could Strguris as unmarked city with delivery depot for retail store or drop off motorcycles.

North Dakota end along I-94 with Fargo, Bismarck, Dickerson as Mandan is going to be unmarked and Jamestown may be possibility. I-29 Fargo, Grand Forks, and US-2 Grand Forks, Minot, Williston.

In the end, have same amount of cities as Montana actually.

Both Dakotas they will need to learn how to make marshlands and setting up large lake vs ponds.



There far less going on in Dakotas than even Nebraska and definitely less than Iowa.

[ads678]

For whatever reason the map in both of the Dakotas in ads678's map just looks so bare. Maybe that's just me, and no offense of course

Utah, Idaho and Wyoming (kinda) looked even worse than I expected. I don't think Dakotas will have many roads and marked cities. These 2 states are in the top 6 least populated states in the US.
Releasing them as a single DLC would be a better option IMO.

[flight50]

+1 for Sturgis. We have car dealerships and we should have a boat dealership, mobile home and RV at some point down the road. I think a splash of cool would be nice if SCS made 1-2 motorcycle dealerships. Maybe one dealership per every 2-3 states or for like the most populated states do 1-2 dealership in those states. Like California, Texas, Florida....each could have 2 dealerships somewhere. The more outside the box depots we can get for cargo, the deeper the logistics system. We can use Voltison for parts still, a tire company if they come, Texas is bring glass.........use all your resources to support all industries.

Sturgis is good for a scenic depot but getting a load of bikes there is about as good as doing a national park. Sturgis and Mt. Rushmore are must have places. I'm not a biker by any means but even I know how huge Sturgis is.

Bikes can go in vans and flatbeds. Obviously people would love open deck cargo more but both can exist. Vans, sliding tarps and curtain siders all use the 2d cargo while we need maybe 3-4 versions of different bikes for 3d cargo in wooden crates or cages. Both would be nice. I'd do a slingshot and trikes as well for this.

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[Bedavd]

Given the lone exit for US 12 in Miles City, I think we're absolutely at least getting US 12 through ND and into SD. I'd love for there to be another city, probably Bowman, down in that corner of ND but we'll have to wait and see.