Is There A Way To Fix The Blue Glow Around Mountains And Objects In Foggy Or Bad Ap Weather?

Is there a way to fix the blue glow around mountains and objects like overhead wires in foggy or bad AP weather? I put some pictures below of what it looks like on a Japanese route in winter weather but I have the same issue on other mountainous routes in similar weather (rain, fog, snowfall). I have no idea what is causing this or whether there is patch to fix this or even an update from Armstrong Powerhouse.

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

Are you using the Vulkan API ?

 

No, I have no idea what Vulkan API is.

 

Kind of off topic question, but which route is that?

 

It's a rural route in Japan.

 

The Vulkan API is a Direct3D12 upscaler that can either be used directly or via RWEnhancer2, it is known to cause issues with the fog shader though, that's why I asked.

It still looks like a shader issue so you may need to rebuild your shader cache. Thing is I can't remember off hand how to do that in TSC, wait for Peter (Spikee1975) or Gary (Gary Padley) to come along they have better knowledge than I (or at least better memory).

 

Ok thanks, I will wait

 

Is AP weather designed for Japan routes?

 

As Japan is much closer to the equator, it's not (they don't have long summer evenings and short winter daylight time as we "Northerners".) Japan covers the same latitude as the US, not Europe. Latitude determines daylight length.

But you can use it nevertheless, and if you care for closer to reality daylight times, modify the TimeOfDay blueprints according to this thread I've made:

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/guide-apswep-for-different-regions.79299/#post-803992

Note: Don't confuse AP weather (FairCloud, HighCloud, etc) with AP skydome (TimeOfDay)

AP weather should only be used on a route that has AP Sky enabled via these TimeOfDay files. On my game, all routes are fitted with AP skies, using three different sets of TimeOfDay files (Europe, US/Asia and South Africa / AUS / NZ (sun moves leftwards)

 

I simply copy-pasted AP skydome (TimeofDay) files to UnionWorkshop (the assets using Japanese routes). I don't know what else I need to do, this blue glow is an issue on ALL my routes, not just this specific Japanese route.

 

That will sort it. The blue glow is a result of a) the predefined fog distance (which can be overriden by a weather blueprint) and b) the upper sky colour (which is deep blue in UW's blueprints) in the used TimeOfDay files, something which only AP managed to overcome by using very clever trickery setting up their 2.0 skydome model. (All previous AP light enhancements and the first APSWEP couldn't do that - 2.0 is a work of art and skill, especially in combination with the Clouds pack. Try it once, never without again.)

By default engine limitation, the distance fog will always be tinted like the upper sky colour (sky has two colours, upper and lower, and for different times of day the separating gradient radians can be specified. In some old blueprints, they don't even match the sun's path, resulting in a dark sky with the sun still up. This must be synced manually in the TOD files, they do have a fastforward timescale debug parameter which you can use to test your TOD file quickly, simulating a day within seconds.

A good TOD season file is probably the hardest blueprint to set up yourself, as you must define a palette of 320 colours that are defining how the sky looks, how clouds are tinted, how the sun looks and glares at different times, how direct and indirect shadows are tinted and so on. Transitions must be smooth also.

I consider the APSWEP to be the single most important addon for TSC, completely changing and vastly improving its looks. Everything is about the lighting, a game can have so much high res textures or high fidelity models, in the end it all stands or falls with the lighting for me.

 

So what else do I need to do? I'm confused.

 

Nevermind. The issue you are having is not related to all this. I have confused threads.

 

I have a theory.

1. Which version of the AP Sky & Weather EP do you have?
2. Did you have a Steam verification lately? If yes, reinstalling the APSWEP is mandatory.
3. Please go into scenario editor and make a screenshot so the scenario properties flyout is visible.

I suspect you have a modified shader that shouldn't be there.

 

I have the AP Sky & Weather EP from February 2023. Yes I know there's been at least one update since BUT I didn't like the way the sun looked in that one so I went back to the previous one.

I did a Steam verification a few months ago and of course reinstalled the APSWEP.

Ok sure, I can do that. Where exactly is the scenario properties flyout?

Yes I may have a modified shader which is strange because I don't use RWEnhancer which is based on shaders.

 

I think I'll pass here. It seems there's something messed up which I can't reproduce. Try to find out what you did just before that effect started to show up.

 

I didn't do anything, it's been there for a while now.

 

If you have no idea what's gone wrong, verify the game and reinstall your addons.

 

I already that did, it didn't change anything. I think it might have something to do with shaders perhaps but I have no idea how to fix that. I've asked AP directly but they refuse to help unless the problem happens on a UK route and I have no UK routes so I would have to install one and check.

 

It's not an issue AP can solve, their product works for the routes it is made for, and also for every other route if you install it properly.

Still, we don't know what weather blueprint exactly you are using, if it happens with 3D clouds too, if you have changed some gfx driver settings, we simply don't have enough information from you and nobody except for you knows what exactly you have installed.

Completely reinstall the game (delete the RailWorks folder or move it to a backup location), and check if it happens there too.

 

I can post my RouteProperties here, I never edited any of them. The issue only happens in fog, rainy and snowy weather. It doesn't happen with 3D clouds or when it's overcast or when there are no clouds at all.

I already completely reinstalled the game, it didn't help.

 

There is many weather blueprints that are snowy or raining. Exact details must be provided. You were asked about what route this is and didn't bother to answer with a route name but "a rural route"....

 

I will provide all the exact details no problem, just please let me know what you need and I'll take the screenshots for you.

I said it happens on all my routes which it does, it's a general problem not specific to one route.

 

Here are a few examples in fog and heavy rain on the Settle-Carlisle route proving that this is a general issue, not a route issue. This route, by the way, is one of those mentioned by AP as being AP weather compatible.

 

Again, you have failed to provide details. Which scenario is that and what weather blueprint is used... nobody can help you if we can't see what you are seeing.

It's an issue on your end, and if you are not able to repair it, you must let Steam do it. I have no idea why your screenshots look so brownish. Something's wrong, but we're going in circles. Make a fresh installation. Update your graphics drivers, reset everything to default.

 

One question:

Could it be you do not have Dynamic Lighting enabled? You MUST enable this. This is an old RailSimulator compatibility option, and you might need that if you're running the game on a year 2004 PC.

 

I have Dynamic Lighting enabled of course. However Dynamic Clouds is disabled as is Adaptive Bloom but Procedural Flora is enabled.

The picture on the Settle-Carlisle route is taken from the route editor in the Build section of the game, it's not taken from a scenario. As for the weather blueprint, I don't know where to find that.

I have already made a fresh installation, updated my graphics drivers and reset everything to default, it didn't help...

 

Weather is defined here (the AP SWEP manual also explains that.)

 

I know this but I want AP weather (or at least no weird blue glow in the mountains) in QD scenarios first and foremost. I don't have access to these settings that you're showing in QD scenarios.

 

AP automatically installs the correct weather for QuickDrive. You don't have to do anything in that case. Just make sure the AP Sky & Weather Enhancement pack is installed correctly. If in doubt, just reinstall the pack. That is necessary after a verification, as Steam will restore the old RailSimulatorCore weather blueprints that QD is using.

These AP weather blueprints for QD are set up in a way that they work with all routes. Even if they are not using AP sky TimeOfDay.

 

Yep that's why I don't understand what is causing this blue glow in the distance in fog, rain and snow only. Seems to be a deeper issue probably not connected to AP but I have no idea what it is.

 

Well, as no one else seems to have this issue, it must be your system.

 

Provide us with info

CPU
GPU
RAM
Which version of TS are you running? 32bit, 64bit, DX12 Experimental?

 

I've just found something on rail-sim.de in the RWE2 thread. The issue you are having was appearing in RWE2 in conjunction with Vulkan, and fixed in 2022.

So if you are saying you have made a fresh installation, you are not using Vulkan and still the issue is there, I guess there's no help as it's something on your end we cannot see.

As I previously said, your screenshots look completely off, not only the edge but the whole brown colour tint. No way is this a clean installation mate.



I'm out of this, as I think all hints have been given. Good luck nevertheless.

 

I am using TS since 2014 so it's been automatically updated every year since. I always play in 64 bit, AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core Processor.

 

Thanks, I will check this on the rail-sim.de forum.

I don't see what's so bad about my screenshots but whatever, it's a matter of graphics maybe, I bought my gaming PC in 2020.

 

You shouldn't be using the 32-bit version. It won't fix the issue you're having, but it will improve performance throughout the game.

A scenario is always loaded when you go to edit a route. if there is no scenario to open, it'll create a new one. When you load into the route editor, press the scenario editor button (the fourth option on the row of icons in the top left panel) and it'll tell you what weather pattern is being used.

Beyond that there isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said. Update your drivers, reinstall the game and then the AP Weather pack, make sure no external software is running, and make sure the settings you're using are those specified in the AP Weather EP manual.

 

My bad, I totally meant to write 64 bit, I don't use 32 bit so I will amend.

As for the rest of your comment, the fourth option in the row of icons aka the scenario editor button just tells you the weather you are using in the scenario editor by default (and which you can of course modify), it doesn't show anything really relevant to fixing my issue.

 

Is it possible your AP Weather pack is not correctly installed?
Set up a scenario with the same settings as Spikes post #28 and see if anything is different

 

Ok I can try to do that, sure. I contacted AP and they seemed to suggest this problem was caused by RWEnhancer but I never had RWEnhancer (or at least I don't think I have, I looked and couldn't find anything from RWEnhancer).

 

Spikee1975
A few months ago there was a similar thread and it resulted in pinpointing that API if I recall correctly.

My contribution to that thread was noting that I have observed a similar effect just once as a kind of outlining / anti-aliasing issue.
In my case some winter tree was glowing against a medium (darker) background (sky). Soldier Summit or Donner Pass.
That thread was convincingly outlining against a blue sky, with gray clouds.
Theoretically the issue is not weather specific as in good old Kuju Cloudy has the same dissonance (white distant clouds in front of blue skies). It is possible that there is a complicated scenario such as it does antialias against the sky, but a specific layer. I recall an explanation that cloud layers are quite universal (to support transitions and complex views) and I can imagine that there was a practical habit that the big cloud layer is the bottommost and basically AA goes against that.
River color is ultra suspicious, too. I also noted that 2D sun-moon generally ignores clouds. Main difference, 3D blocks it.

 

What do you think I should do, change my settings?

 

So what happened when you tried to replicate what Spike had done?
Or did you not bother?

 

That's because many default weather blueprints are simply rubbish (they were not adapted for TSX in 2012 and are in fact made for the old non-cloud-bands Kuju skydome which had three spherical rotating layers but no horizontal cloud bands). Use "2. Cloudy" and look up to see this high cloud layer of sheep clouds move at a ridiculous speed. Cloud (=layer) opacity is also defined in the weather blueprint you are using - that defines if the moon shines through or not. You will find a lot of strange visuals in snow or fog with the default and route specific blueprints. Don't use them But that's not the issue here. The OP's installation is messed up in some way as a clean installation + AP weather QD in fog will not look like this. It will look like my SC screenshot.

AP sky & weather has fixed all that using the same game engine

 

Why do you think I would not bother? I did try to replicate what Spike has done in that post, no AP weather options like AP FairHigh Cloud or whatever is showing up. But I do have the AP clouds and skydome, clearly not the default Kuju sun and clouds. I am reinstalling AP now and checking.

 

The AP weather pack must not be installed correctly - the different weather options should be visible when you try to select.
Remember it is not just installing the AP Weather pack if the route is not supported.
Copying the TOD Files and renaming if required is important.

 

That was already done right from the get-go.

 

So why can you not select the Weather patterns if it is installed correctly?

 

I don't know, if I knew I wouldn't be here. Now I am deleting and reinstalling the whole game.

 

My car headlight bulb does not work - I think I should remove the engine and rebuild it.

Maybe it is not the Game that is a problem but the AP Weather?