What do we make of this one? I saw to different versions of the skies. One seemed similar to TSW, while the other seems to be more realistic.
Well produced, except that the percussive sound track has little to do with the subject matter: I'd rather hear the trains. Given its 53 second length, hype dominates substance, but that's the intent: hype. The graphics look sharper, more detailed, and thus more realistic than TSW's, but for my taste the rolling stock looks much too clean and new; I'm not a fan of graffiti, but wear and tear would be appropriate. That's an impressive number of services and I hope that the number of switching jobs will be as high as promised in the earlier, static announcement. This is really the only TSW2 route that interests me, so I'm pleased to see it featured first. I'll now step aside and let the fault finders fight it out.
Im to curious to test how many benefit, in terms of driving experience, the new dynamic adhesion feature can add. 65 services looks good enough to add 2 or above trains-per-hours along the main route. My personal hype-needle is moving up. With clean weather, the skies looks a bit improved.
Honestly i never enjoyed CSX on release, and the lighting update pass they did in TSW was for me still not great with flat visuals and eye sore distance scenery. This would be what version 3 now ? regardless it does look like a decent update as far as lighting goes so maybe I might enjoy some CSX this time round assuming I pick it up.
Hmm it's true that the distant mountains/hills look much better in this video than it did in TSW2020. Which is a great improvement, as it was goddamn horrible previously.
Lighting looks slightly better but the clouds still look awful (see 00:16 in the trailer). It’s nice that we are now getting dynamic skies, but it would have been a lot nicer to have a complete new sky box with new cloud models. TS classic has better sky textures by default and 3rd party add ons make the sky look amazing. It’s just such a big disappointment for a game who’s big selling point is visuals, is let down by that horrific sky.
The distant trees were never an issue in CSX as they were all 3D and the demands of those were one of the reasons why, I believe, it was never ported to console. It was route 4 or 5 where that particular 2D tree mess was made. It looks like that has changed judging by the trailer and 3D has become 2D. They do look better but you’re still able to see trees that have turned side on to the view. That aside, it’s confined my fears regarding the skies. They are the same, which is a very bad thing. The game deserves much much better. The texturing in the cab is still incredibly poor quality and low res (9 seconds in, right hand side of the screen). Finally, honestly, it looks absolutely no different to the previous version.
I agree with most of the points you make but the skies do look a bit different. There are now what I would call cloud 'mists' on top of the normal 2d clouds see for example the bits at 13 and 16 seconds in. Those cloud mists were never there on TSW console (I can't comment for PC).
Maybe it's just me, but I find the ground textures quite lazy. Lots of repetitive textures are showing up as awkward patterns:
This repeating pattern texture already was the case in the original Sand Patch Grade route, so it's not new.
Standard glossy promo video that doesn't look any different to any of the previous videos released for TSW. Real gameplay footage is the only thing that will really show what or if anything has changed.
Some new screenshots have just been released and they’ve made my mind up for me. I know it won’t bother anyone (why should it) but I’m definitely out of TSW for the foreseeable future. I’d bought everything upto and including the shunter on Peninsula Corridor and have been active both here, on Steam and on Discord. Having bought that shunter I vowed not to buy anything else for this game until I saw some serious forward steps and significant improvements to the many many problems. There was nothing wrong with the shunter per se, but like most of TSW it’s just so very blah. In my opinion the game lacks any sort of atmosphere. It is neither a sim nor an arcade game and watching it ‘develop’ is like watching a rudderless ship floundering in choppy seas. In trying to please all of the people it is utterly directionless. I never thought TSW2 was going to be anything special, or a catch all solution to the issues but I had really hoped we might have seen it arrive with at least a bit of a bang. Something special to restore the faith. Everything I’ve seen so far has just reaffirmed that to me, it’s the same old same old. There is literally nothing new. So, without question I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’ve spent an obscene amount of money on a game the developers of which have consigned to the dustbin. (I might add I’ve spent more on TSW than every copy of GTA I’ve ever bought added together. And I’ve bought them all). Maybe I’ll get back into it at some point in the future if but I simply can’t get across how disappointed I am in something I had such high hopes for. Enjoy it if you buy it, I really hope it’s ticks some boxes for someone.
I actually quite liked the video... but then again I may be easily pleased, or had just a tad to much Jam Shed (again)...
Seriously improving the trees is a major eye candy win. The majority of vehicles are already well modelled. Most routes pass through the countryside and anything that improves the view is a big win. Only look at the Engadin Line and the green grassy mountains of Switzerland. That said the SPG video was a mess.
agreed, for me anyway locos have never been a downside visually they have all been lovingly modeled and textured. Where the game falls over visually has always been around lighting and environment details so any updates to trees , lighting ect is welcome. Just hope one day they correct the sun occlusion in cabs because I honestly cant stand when the sun shines through the roof of the train directly on to your speedo and you cant see anything. Its a visual issue that is for me at least effecting gameplay as I play without the hud.
Yeah that can be pretty annoying. Sometimes cab light also does this (in the F40PH for example I believe) and then you can't see your speed.