Train Sim World 4 – What You Need To Know

We’ve compiled a list of important information for you all going into Early Access and Launch of Train Sim World 4. We hope you’re all as excited as we are!

We do recommend, if you haven’t already, to check out our comprehensive TSW4 FAQs list, which covers all manner of questions.

Early Access and Launch Times
Train Sim World 4 early access begins on Thursday, 21st September at the following times:

• Xbox, PlayStation: 15:00 UTC
• Steam, Epic: 17:00 UTC

Train Sim World 4 will officially launch on Tuesday, 26th September at the following times:

• Xbox, PlayStation: 15:00 UTC
• Steam, Epic: 17:00 UTC

You can check what time that is wherever you are in the world using this online world clock.

All Train Sim World Compatible content will be available from Launch Day (at the times above) to download for Train Sim World 4.


Downloading Train Sim World 4 on Different Platforms
We all know you’re excited to play TSW4, whether it be for Early Access or launch day. We’ve put together some guides on how to download TSW4 on different platforms, so you can get stuck into the action straight away!

• Steam
• Xbox PC
• Xbox Console

A guide for PlayStation players will come in due course.


Estimated Download Sizes
Here are the download sizes on different platforms:
PC:

• Standard Edition: 29.3GB
• Deluxe Edition: 36.3GB
• Special Edition: 57.9GB

Xbox:

• Standard Edition: 35.6GB
• Deluxe Edition: 43.7GB
• Special Edition: 68.1GB

PlayStation:

• Standard Edition: 30.7GB
• Deluxe Edition: 37.4GB
• Special Edition: To Be Confirmed

Please note these are the core game, plus the Add-ons that come with your selected bundle. Any further Add-ons you own and download will require additional space.

At the moment, we are working with Sony to resolve an issue whereby players aren’t able to pre-load TSW4 routes and locomotives on PS5. We will update you on this thread and on this post (where there are some troubleshooting tips) when we know more.


Performance
We have found that Train Sim World 4 performs similarly to TSW3 on a route-by-route basis, but please let us know if you experience any issues.

View our Recommended Train Sim World 4 Specs
(Direct link: https://dovetailgames.freshdesk.com...-PC-system-requirements-for-Train-Sim-World-4)


Micro-stutters
Train Sim World 4 runs on Unreal Engine 4, and issues related to stuttering are fairly common on games which use this technology, due to the way the way it loads shaders. Essentially, when a game loads a shader for the first time, GPU drivers begin compilation, causing ‘hitches’, which you might see as ‘micro-stutters’ on your game when you play it.

We’ve been experimenting internally, and have identified a 70-80% reduction in micro-stutters once a route has been run for the first time (i.e. after the shaders have finished compiling). For those who have watched our preview streams, Vorarlberg was being played for the first time, whereas all content since has been played beforehand so you can see the difference in the experience in the VODs.

Below is a graph from our internal testing that compares the difference in micro-stuttering between an initial run and a second run of the same route for both DirectX 11 and DirectX12.



We recommend that, when playing a route for the first time, you bear this in mind, as there is a very high likelihood that both your FPS will increase, and % of micro-stutters will reduce upon future runs. Updates and new GPU drivers can sometimes require the recompiling of shaders, so this is something to potentially expect on more than one occasion.

Unrelated to micro-stutters, as we’ve tested performance, particularly on older consoles, there are a couple of differences in gameplay between 8th-gen and 9th-gen experiences, detailed below.


Differences Between 8th-Gen and 9th-Gen Experiences
We have endeavoured to keep players’ experiences consistent across platforms, but due to the memory limitations on 8th-generation consoles (Xbox One, PS4), we have made some small adjustments to improve performance. These can be found below:

• For 9th-generation products, Volumetric Fog is toggleable – it is disabled for 8th-generation products
• 9th-gen products will receive the full East Coast Main Line: Doncaster-Peterborough selection of layers, whereas 8th-gen will have reduced layers
  • More information on the layers will be available on launch
• NEC New York – Trenton updated timetable (see list in ‘Day 1 Update’ section).

Day 1 Update (Compatible Content)
Train Sim World Compatible content will be available on all platforms from Launch Day (Tuesday 26th September). As part of this release, there will be a series of improvements to some of this content, which we have summarised below.
A full update list will be available from launch day.

• Nahverkehr-Dresden upgrade to TSW4 feature set (new lighting, new skies, improved OHLE rendering, new Scenario Planner functionality (chained paths, AI portals),
• Southeastern High Speed – added Thameslink signage, alongside multiple other scenery improvements
• NEC: New York-Trenton timetable improvements*
• Fixes to introductions to BR423 (Munich-Augsburg), BR143 (Nahverkehr Dresden), BR442 (Köln-Aachen) and instances where it was impossible to move Doppelstock Wagons in Rapid Transit
• Midland Main Line improvements – (TPWS improvements), visual and textures, PIS improvements, PS5 crashes, and more.
• Peninsula Corridor will now show Baby Bullet MP36 services
• Boston Sprinter’s ‘Cold as Ice’ Scenario should now be completed
• Edinburgh-Glasgow – various visual improvements, including adding missing wires
• Peak Forest post-release patch, including the swapping of some AI services to become playable services
• Improved audio for BR 187
• Improved OHLE rendering for LGV Mediterrannée
• NS Heritage post-release patch

As well as various updates to Hamburg-Lübeck, Rhein-Ruhr Osten, Linke Rheinstrecke, Bremen-Oldenburg, Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr, BR101, Arosalinie, Boston Sprinter, Horseshoe Curve, Kassel-Würzburg, Northern Trans-Pennine, Great Western Express, Isle of Wight, West Somerset Railway, Long Island Rail Road, Harlem Line, Cane Creek, Glossop Line, Bakerloo Line, London Sprinter, Birmingham Cross-City, Holiday Express, Spirit of Steam – full patch notes will be available on launch day.

*During testing, we’ve identified crashes related to the updated timetable’s impact on different hardware – so, in order to allow players to enjoy the content, we’ve had to adjust the timetable from what we’ve previously mentioned in Roadmap articles. We will offer ‘standard’ and ‘light’ timetable options, which are recommended for 9th-gen and 8th-gen consoles respectively.


Progress Transfer
Players will be able to transfer their progress between older versions of Train Sim World (TSW2 or TSW3), and Train Sim World 4 – this will be done through importing your old profile on your first log-in.

Please make sure you don’t uninstall your existing Train Sim World game (TSW2 or TSW3) until you have imported the profile. You can uninstall when this process has completed.

Based on feedback from Train Sim World 3, the experience with achievements and collectibles should be smoother.

• Achievements requiring distance driven should unlock soon after you start driving that locomotive for a short period of time
• Tutorials and scenario-based achievements should unlock upon replaying that scenario
• Collectables progress should be in the same state as they were in your previous game (so, if you’d collected 21/25 on an existing route, the 4 remaining collectibles will be the only ones left to collect). If you've already collected all collectibles for a route, the achievement will unlock the first time you open a route.

The PC Editor (Beta)
We’re currently going through the final checks with Epic Games on the PC Editor (beta) before it is uploaded and made available for Train Sim World 4 players.

Alongside Epic, we’re working as hard as we can to make it available for players on launch day, as was our original plan, but there’s a chance it might take a little extra time to go through the process of becoming publicly available. We will make sure that, if it does slip, we let you know as soon as we do.


Known Issues List
We are aware of some small issues which will be fixed in a post-release update.

• Azuma 801 volume levels are being looked at by the team and a fix for AWS being too quiet, as well as the alerter volume being low, is already with our beta team.
  
• It is currently impossible to achieve a Platinum Medal on Antelope Line. This is due to the way the Safety System works on the F125, and is fixed ready for a post-release patch.
• Some texturing issues at Union Station on 8th-Gen consoles (Antelope Line) – we are investigating
• Southeastern High Speed - 'Hoo Dares’ scenario currently incompletable on PS5 due to train being stuck – fix submitted, ready for testing
• Glossop Line – Steam Achievement ‘Sit Down’ not unlocking – fix submitted, ready for testing
• Nahverkehr Dresden – 07:06 service ‘Freight Dresden-Roderau‘ service incompletable – currently being investigated.

Train Sim World 4 Manual
The Train Sim World 4 manual (currently sitting at 130+ pages!) will be available shortly after launch on the 26th of September.


Boxed Editions of Train Sim World 4
We’re in the process of confirming the release date for the physical release of Train Sim World 4, and the platforms it will be available on – all the latest information is available on our FAQs.


Game Pass Players
Train Sim World 3 left Game Pass on September 17th, and Train Sim World 4 isn’t on Game Pass.

If you have previously owned Train Sim World 3: Standard Edition, you will not be able to play its Core routes (Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel-Würzburg, Southeastern High Speed, Cajon Pass) in Train Sim World 4. They will require a separate purchase.

Any other content you have purchased for Train Sim World outside of Game Pass is yours to download for Train Sim World 4 from launch day.


Feedback and Troubleshooting
Please use the new dedicated feedback forums to provide your feedback during Early Access and launch. (Direct link: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/forums/player-feedback/)

If you could make sure you check the 'How to Report an Issue' thread, and the 'How to Leave Feedback' thread, it will provide us the information we need to better identify, reproduce, and fix any issues you might have.

We're really excited to see how you enjoy Train Sim World 4's new features and routes. Roll on the 21st (and 26th!)