Thinking of getting the AP Weather Enhancement pack. A couple of questions. Is it resource hungry, does it affect frame rates? Is it user friendly and easy to set up? Answers and other comments welcome. Many thanks in advance.
I noticed no frame rate hit. Yes, it's a .exe installer... just right click on the .exe and select Run as Administrator, and it installs. It's not QUITE as easy to get working with routes not on the supported list, but there are very good instructions in the manual, and it will work with every single route. I've got around 100 routes installed and I've got it to work with all of them. Using it in your own scenarios can be quite complex, especially extended weather patters, so again, following the manual is essential. Rain and fog are a MASSIVE improvement. Snow is more realistic. Shifts in sunlight due to time of day, and season are much better. Sun and moon are realistic sizes. Fork lightning is only available in AP created scenarios, but sheet lightning is available for anything. Highly recommended. It adds a whole new dimension to the simulator.
Oh... you sometimes have to re-install it after TS updates, route updates or fix patches... but being installer based, it's dead easy.
It's not perfect by any means, but still brilliant. The only thing that annoys me with it is that you still hear the thunder inside tunnels.. which in real life you obviously wouldn't. Also, on quieter trains such as the Pendolino at speed, thunder can be a bit too high in the mix, but you can adjust ambient sound settings in the main game menu to alter that easily enough. The transitions from sunny to stormy in extended weather programmed scenarios can be quite nice. Video demonstrating all of the above will be up in a few mins.
I’ve got it, and it looks good. Only thing is, your frame rate will take a hit on a lower spec PC. I’ve only tried it out on my laptop, will see what it’s like on the higher spec PC later. ETA: no noticeable impact at all.
Thanks Pookey, you obviously have a higher spec pc than me. Fog and rain takes a hit on my fps but an upgrade soon should should make it good,
have now installed it on my PC, and it is a lot better: the rain looks more like drops than streaks. And it’s not just the visuals, but the sounds, eg the patter of rain too!
One thing I notice since installation is that when you start off, the cab is filled for a moment with a ghostly white cloud (!), but this moves away in a few seconds. Here are some screenshots with the default and AP rain, The grabs of the rain don't really do the AP version justice, you have to see the falling rain and as mentioned, great sound effects too.
Not sure if it’s train specific (occurs on different routes), but I’ve only been driving a 205 recently to learn the controls. Will try another later.
The only If it's only for a second at the start, I wouldn't worry about it. As you said, may even be train specific.
inversnecky said: ↑ One thing I notice since installation is that when you start off, the cab is filled for a moment with a ghostly white cloud (!), but this moves away in a few seconds. It may be how the AP W&S initiates its weather selection - with a slight delay as it makes the transition from say a "default" pattern to the AP one. Why don't you drop Richard Armstrong an email and ask him about it? I don't see it either!
They just got a sale out of me from this comparison. Was frustrated with the weather I saw in a scenario yesterday so good timing
The 205 usually starts with a puff of smoke. nothing to do with the AP Weather EP and nothing to worry about.
The brilliant thing about this pack is it’s not just weather. It also improves the lighting beyond all recognition and provides correct day/night sunrise and sunset times depending where you are in the world. The sun and moon look and feel realistic. With a summers sunset on the Wherry Lines you can almost feel that warm summer air. I can’t recommended the pack enough. Is it perfect? Not 100%, but that is more to do with the engine itself than this pack. It’s one purchase you won’t regret.
I have it and it is a great improvement. The instructions for setting weather to occur within a scenario are very easy to follow. It is great driving along the NWC and the sky suddenly darkening, the rain starting then the rumble of distant thunder. It is very effective.
I will try to capture a video to share. When I put it into outside view, it was strange to see a small cloud of fog envelope just the cab end for a couple of seconds and disappear. think it was when set to rain or stormy.
Cheers, my commission is on its way When doing the comparison shots, one strange thing with the default snow is that in near darkness it turned a luminescent orange! I’ll edit in a screen grab later.
The only problem with the AP snow, is you can't use the "snow with fog" settings at night, or it looks a bit weird. I suppose there are limits to what the ancient DX9 engine can deliver. It is without doubt though, one of the best improvements to Train Simulator you can buy... apart from the AP rolling stock itself that is.
Thanks all for the feedback, I bought it anyway and am pleased with the results. My old coal fired pc does struggle a bit if I throw in a lot of AP assets into the mix but a new pc will soon change that. Have to agree that the lighting is vastly improved.
The ‘Sonic Boom’ rain cloud seems to affect only AP’s Class 205 that I’ve seen so far. It’s over in a second or two, but here’s a video so you can see what I’ve been talking about. The first clip is with Stormy Weather, the second with Rain, the third with a Class 24 for comparison.
I get the puff of smoke every time I start the 205, it's nothing to do with the AP Weather. Pooky, if you haven't got the 205 then you should. Though I must admit that I have a soft spot for the 205 Thumper. I live within earshot of them when they would power up the incline out of Hastings en route to Ashford. inversnecky a good route to run the 205 on is the 1066 line Tonbridge-Hastings from BackDatedTrainSim. https://backdatedtrainsim.weebly.com/the-1066-line.html
Thanks for that! Yes, Pooky would be much better off with an old reliable Thumper than that new fangled thing in his earlier video
I do love the Thumper. Did the 205's actually run the Tonbridge to Hasting route? I would be great to see the Hastings to Ashford line added to it. There aren't a great deal of prototypical routes built for the 205. I did find a photo of a class 207 on a Clapham Junction to Kensington Olympia shuttle so recreated that on the backdated NLL with the 205!
theorganist You are correct, there aren't many prototypical routes for the 205. They were used on the non-electrified routes between Portsmouth-Southampton-Salisbury and on the now closed lines in Sussex. Also on the Lymington-Brockenhurst branch*. The Hastings DEMUs were different as the had narrower, 9 foot bodies for loading gauge clearance in tunnels on the Hastings line. With a little artistic licence the 205 can be used on the 1066 Hastings line. *The SSS Southampton-Weymouth steam era route is a good playground for the 205 Thumper. https://steamsoundssupreme.com/page_fwrp01.html Scroll down the page.
I had forgotten they were used on the Brockenhurst branch. I do have that route, it is excellent. I remember the 80's drama Howards Way, the station scenes were filmed on a diesel line served by DEMU's. Would love somewhere authentic to run the blue and grey BR DEMU's.
This is the main reason I've not bought the Thumper yet; I just don't really know what to do with it apart from run it on the South London Network. Souther commuter trains, being a Northerner, are not something I'm familiar with.
I bought it because I have always liked them and it was nice to have a classic multiple unit to run. But since purchasing it I have hardly used it for that reason. There is only so much interest in running it along the Lymington branch. And, being a purist I want to run it where it ran realistically, particularly in BR days and there isn't really anywhere for it. It is a shame as it is an excellent model.
On UKTS there is a route network Branchlines to East Grinstead which for freeware is pretty good. It covers the Mid Sussex area, a regular haunt of the 205. https://members.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info.php?form_fileid=39559 They also ran from Victoria to the mid Sussex network branching off the Brighton main line at South Croydon. You could do a legit run there.
PH The only problem with the AP snow, is you can't use the "snow with fog" settings at night, or it looks a bit weird. I suppose there are limits to what the ancient DX9 engine can deliver. P19 of the manual - "should not be used at night"! Richard Armstrong probably found that out when testing the EP pack!
