Tsw 3 - Sehs Update Changelog Thread

This thread is solely to discuss all the changes and upgrades we currently know of for the upcoming South Eastern High Speed route, for TSW 3. This thread will be update accordingly as more information becomes available over the next couple of weeks. Feel free to add your comments of any information you may have regarding this route.

Changes and features we know of so far:
- Route expansion to Ashford and Dartford
- Brand new timetable for both high speed and regional services
- New signalling (including new approach control)
- New overhead line equipment (OLE)
- Relayed track
- Improved scenery
- New weather visuals and effects

Some screenshots of the updated route:

 

Nice to see some 'Coalfish' wagons, something to liven up Hoo Junction from the usual bland JNAs.

Rather interested to see how much has been scenically changed in areas as I still regard SEHS as being one of the poorest looking TSW routes so far.

Ashford Depot is also nice to see, finally a proper depot for the 395s to stable at!

 

I'm just querying this, but if this is 2019, surely those Class 66's would be freightliner and DB?

 

So happy that SEHS is getting the upgrade it needs, nice to have approach signals finally and plenty of ai at each main section, hoo junction is so better now with plenty of wagons in the yard, bring on the 25th to watch the stream. I'm really excited to play this one.

 

Several 66s are still in the EWS livery to this day, although it would be nice to see a mix, including DB, Freightliner and GBRf.

 

Totally agree and be more fun having more than one livery for freight included

 

That 3rd screenshot down…new lighting?! That looks as bad as it ever has!

That’s way worse than I feared it was going to be. Blummin heck

 

Yeah it does look really bad. It’s way too bright. I’m hoping it’s an early development/lighting hasn’t been properly set up kinda thing.

 

I know this is slightly off topic of the thread but I’ve just posted this in the lighting thread. I cannot believe that is a ‘new’ lighting system.

Everything is way too bright and over saturated. It is not naturally lit and there are no shadows cast by anything. Look at the colour of the 395 & the 2 66’s in the distance. The 66 in the foreground looks about right for the scene, everything else looks like our friendly thermo-nuke has gone off just out of sight of the camera. The locos and wagons just don’t fit in with the scenery around them. Look at the trees closest to the track, then look at the locos next to them. The trees are dark, the locos are blinding…It is just all so wrong. I’m sorry but it is utter rubbish.

You can also see conclusive proof that the shadow draw distance (and by extension the correct lighting) of the image has not changed one bit. Look at the trees in the distance on the right of the image compared to the ones closer to the track. You can literally see where the change takes place.

I was watching a couple of TSC vids on YouTube earlier today for the first time in literally forever and there is no question that the lighting in thatDX9 game is in a different league to TSW.

The only possible defence is that this is a screen shot taken of that particular yard with the old lighting system in use. So it’s one of two things;

a) The new lighting is absolute rubbish or,
b) They need to be more careful with picking their promotional screenshots.

 

Not saying you're completely wrong... but routes also typically need what is known as a lighting bake. So it could be we're seeing stupid remenants of TSW2 that won't go untill near launch.

The photometric direct lighting itself... is good. I would expect/campaign for additional improvements such as better SSAO (or places where it's non existant), bringing back shadow bakes for stations, slightly improved SSR and reflective surfaces, shadow umbra and intensity etc.

 

Still very quiet on the 375 front.

Is this unit still a PoS, or has it been brought upto LC standards?

 

I think you’re being far too generous. It is absolute mince.

Look at the last screenshot and at the two trees directly above the Mark 1 carriages. Absolute proof that it is every bit as bad as the lighting in TSW2, and everything that came before it. Those trees are just there…there is no environmental lighting acting on them whatsoever.

I just can’t hide how disappointed I am.

 

Exactly, because they may not have had a TSW3 bake yet. It's like a layer over objects that tell it how responsive it should be to lighting (simplified explanation). But I'm not being generous, I agree with you... and I hope that's sorted out for release. I had a post yesterday pointing out how bad some of their lighting was.

 

I’m also not too convinced on any improvements to lighting. Some of the screenshots shown look just as bad as TSW 2.

There’s also the fact that DTG have a habit of seriously overdoing their ‘makeover’ on promotional trailers & screenshots (seriously have you seen how blue the 395 is on some of the images they’ve released the last 2 days), I think we’re going to be waiting a few weeks until we see it ingame and can truly judge it.

 

For example, as to how flat station lighting looks.

 

My biggest disappoint is the lack of Eurostar services. Given that we are getting what is ultimately an upcycled route, the least DTG could have done for the UK market would be to include a new trainset.

 

The problem is though that it’s already been confirmed that they haven’t touched the draw distance at all, and it’s always the draw distance that has always been the biggest issue.

As CK95 said, I think we’ve had some typical DTG promotional shots that have been photoshopped to within in an inch of their life. I think the ones we’re seeing here are the very sad reality of what TSW3 will look like.

 

Unfortunately, Eurostar do not like being represented.

There is also no real service they could provide on SEHS.

 

You often see ews, dB an freightliner there in rl. There was a black one there a week ago, can't remember what company it was now.

 

The eurostars run from St Pancras to Ashford. So on the high speed run it would be nice to see them. I. Sure someone will come up with a few liveries for the 395.

 

Pretty sure they stopped their Ebbsfleet & Ashford services in 2019, I suppose you may just get away with it depending on the exact date. Still no hope of a license though.

But yeah the ICE 3 or TGV in a livery will get you somewhere close to a Eurostar.

 

No improvement in the lighting it seems from the third screenshot. Hopefully these are just early renders and we will actually see improvement when it comes out but I'm not holding my breath

I also don't get why they haven't improved the draw distance

 

Regarding Hoo Jn, here is a really good video of how it should look.

I really do not want to see if having perfect and pristine continuous welded rail with zero ground scenery and/or foliage.

For reference, here is how bad it looks now. You can very clearly see the edge of the map, along with zero distant scenery.



This is how is should look. Don’t disappoint us DTG…

 

Is it overly dramatic to say that I find those screenshots painful to look at?

I can’t believe I’ve paid money for this rubbish.

 

I thought eurostar and southeastern share the line between ebbsfleet ?

Should see some nice re livered ice or tgv's then.

 

It does need a nice overgrown look to it in tsw.

 

DTG please just refer to your 2014 reference of Hoo yard. Much more clutter, gantries, buildings, bushes trees, rust, even some of the sidings are at raised levels.

 

When I saw the screenshots I wasn't that impressed with the the lighting. The last 2 in particular seem pretty bad imo. I know it's still a WIP but I don't think it'll get any better. The lack of night time screenshots so far gives me the impression that hasn't changed much either and DTG probably don't want to upset us too early on... It's probably just the weather and the way it interacts with the environment that is most noticeable so far. But I'll watch the streams in the coming weeks and come to my own conclusion.

 

Things I would like to see when the SEHS expansion releases:
- A more detailed Hoo junction
- Weathered old Rochester platforms to give them a run down appearance
- More accurate fences on the high speed section
- Different ballast coulour for High speed section compared to the Kent lines

 

Well the ballast colour should change as they've said they have re-laid the track

 

From the last screenshot further up I can see it's PIS has been updated to match the LC 377. Here's hoping the sounds have too.

 

I did notice the side PIS, I was also looking to confirm the front but obviously cannot. Hopefully we get a LC rebuild here.

 

Where has it been confirmed draw distance hasn’t been touched? Official source?

 

* copied & pasted from a previous forum thread *

As always, thanks londonmidland !

SEHS issues that need to be looked at:
(if they haven’t already ofc)

• Tunnel lighting needs fixing (I remember Matt said on preview day / day 1 release stream that this would be looked into)
• Scenery needs looking into / upgraded around entire route.
• 375 PIS way to big - needs updating to BML spec.
• Rush Hour passengers ?
• St Pancras looks to bare, station looks great but is empty other than SE 395's.
• PIS at the stations doesn't list all calling at stations... eg: Dover Priory trains: On the PIS at stations is says calling at, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International and Dover Priory? (Should be Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Folkestone West, Folkestone Central and Dover Priory) Not sure on the other routes ?
• Dartford Crossing way to small and looks too far away? (Might just be me)
• What happened outside Stood Station? I get its not in view when driving a train but cmon - little tidy up would be nice. At least finish the roads and footpaths.
• Same for Rainham station, car park appears to be just mud / soil.
• Same for Sittingbourne station, car park not finished, surrounding road next to the roundabout not finished and cars are floating. (I know this is not within the station but its just outside the station - kills the atmosphere / immersion)
  
• Platform number signs directly Infront of PIS screens at stations... surely not like that in the real world.
• Incorrect walls used on the HS1 section (fixed by mods for PC) but would be nice for console players.

 

I wonder why they have relaid all the track?

 

All of DTG's screenshots say "Work in progress". We've had DLC preview streams in the past that were followed by much better-looking release streams only a week later. They've still got a month to work on this.

 

In simple terms, because it was inaccurate and poor looking as it was before.

 

Nope, because they need to pass the console QA from Sony and Microsoft before release. They got like a couple weeks more with luck.

 

Sadly yes…

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...ghting-issues-finally-be-fixed-in-tsw3.57071/

I can’t how to link a specific post but on page - JD replied to my question(s)…

This isn’t a lighting update. They’ve fiddled a bit with time of day etc, brightness (supposedly) and the eye adaptation. The stuff that really needed changing hasn’t been touched. We’ve yet to see, but it doesn’t look like occlusions have been touched either, so I reckon you can still expect to have the sun shining through the physical structure of your cab.

 

Looking forward to driving this with the updated signalling.
I hope the speed sign fonts have been changed to the real life fonts.. something that all the UK modern routes suffer from in the sim. A small but needed detail

 

I am seeing a lot of posts comparing a photo to a screenshot. Yes it would be nice to have true realistic looking environments and lighting similar to what we have seen in UE5 demos, however it will never happen soon. Too many people cried prior to this announcement that Gen8 (PS4) should be still supported. Here's hoping TSW4 next year or the year after will only be next gen where it can look as good as a photo.

 

Afternoon guys.

Some fresh images just released of the remastered South Eastern High Speed route.
A comparison I made below shows a complete overhaul of the overhead line equipment (OLE) in the London St. Pancras area. Gone is the horrible international high speed stuff and replaced with a variety of new and accurate models, as seen in real life.

Other changes include:
- Brand new Class 66 sounds and wagons sounds, provided by Armstrong Powerhouse
- Class 375 now uses the BML Class 377 sounds
- Improvements made to the Class 395 sounds
- New weather and lighting visuals

 

Are those leaf covered trees with snow on them? I thought that was a thing of the past…

 

They were stopped due to COVID; the timetable of the new version of the route is set in 2019 directly before the pandemic (back when the UK railway network actually had a functioning level of service) so Eurostar services could be done. However the main issue is getting licenses for it as I am pretty sure Eurostar aren't known to hand them out. I've heard about the Class 373 design being unavailable for licensing but I'm not certain about that. The Eurostar brand is much more likely to be the offending article here, so unless DTG want to make up a brand name like on IoW 2022 we won't have Eurostar. The Atlantic High Speed Class 373 being unbranded does back the Eurostar license issue theory up, although admittedly not even the GNER livery is branded, which I don't get considering I am not aware of anyone owning the trademark for it.

 

I am fairly certain all the trademarks of defunct TOCs are held by somebody - IIRC the DfT?
But in any case, I don't think there would be any legal barriers to DTG releasing an unbranded 373 or 374 - they did it with the 2022 Island Line...

 

Some brands are held by the DFT, such as the Golden Arrow, InterCity and South West Trains. GNER isn't one of them. Interestingly this particular version of the Eurostar logo is a dead trademark so if DTG wanted to push a bit into risky territory they could go old school and have the Class 373 in its original livery and the Class 374 in its mock-up livery.

 

This is very good news.

 

The snow is nice but the leafed trees stole my attention. That's embarrassing to still have.

Cheers

 

Exciting stuff

 

For me this route is the biggest improvement in entire tsw history. I like we get 2 long routes (german & us), but that dtg is going the path of making extensions is just fantastic news for me.

I dont take a microscope now to investigate the screenshots, also southeastern high speed was always one of my favourite routes. Nice ambiente when the last freight left hoo junction with the jna built in stoke. But thats just my opinion.