Atomic Systems

I know there is another thread for this product but I wanted to keep this separate so that it doesn't get lost among other issues

I have written to the developer, but wondered if anyone else identifies with my problem, as I have seen no mention from anyone else

I was impressed with the earlier free Beta version of the product, and saw many comments that the payware product was even better. So I recently bought RW Enhancer (now at v1.06). But now I find that all my rolling stock shines with a high-level gloss. Even those that had a nice "smooth sheen" before, are now far too glossy, and previous glossy models are ultra high-gloss almostlike mirrors. I have tank wagons that look like glass tubes!

I have tried all settings, including turning off ALL custom options (so that just the base files are installed) - and it makes no difference. I have also tried different TS2019 graphic settings, but all without success. So the problem seems to lie in the basic RW Enhancer files, not the custom options that can be selected, nor the TS graphic settings.

If I try to undo RW Enhancer and revert to the original TS2019 Shaders (files still dated 2017), it makes no difference – still the over-glossy problem. But fortunately I kept a copy of the old Beta files, and when I revert to them, normality is returned and I have rolling stock with the correct level of sheen, not high gloss. How can it be that I can now not return to a fault-free status with original TS2019 files, yet the earlier Beta files fix the problem??

As I have seen no one else mention this, I am wondering if it is just me? But I have nothing unusual about my set-up - NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, running 64-bit, all TS2019 maxed out (but have tried other settings including medium and low), running TS2019 off an SSD. Everything else about TS2019 running smoothly. BTW, NOT using the AP weather enhancement at this stage.

Again, I have just written to the developer (so too early to expect a response yet), but I am interested in others' thoughts and experience

Chris

Hi Chris,

I was not very happy with RWE at first as it was causing some microstutter for me but since that time things have settled a bit and I've realised it's not that bad.

I don't seem to encounter the problem you're describing. Of course what is too shiny for one, can be ok for another so what we can do is that we agree on some well-known stock that's causing the biggest issues for you and let's post here pictures of it, both of us, and we can compare. Any proposal? BMG's black 5?

Isn't it strange, that you had initially some stuttering issues, which I didn't, while I have this glossiness issue which you dont!

I agree that the perception of glossiness is in the eye of the beholder, but I am talking about an INCREASE in glossiness, regardless of how "acceptable" the original is!

I don't think pictures will necessarily show the differences well, rather than viewing the moving object in-game, and I'm also not sure the Bossman Black 5 is a good example as black absorbs more light and reflects less anyway. But I'll give it a go, along with a selection of other locos/wagons/coaches with "before and after" pics, and post later

BTW regarding the inability to unwind the RWE installation, I've discovered that it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, but rebooting the computer always works! So let's put that aside as a non-issue!

Perhaps your OS is buffering the shader files in memory and not using the ones on the drive? Never seen this, it should never be the case, but this is the only explanation I can come up with if a reboot helps here.

In any case you should be good if you make a backup of your railworks/dev/shaders folder prior to running RWE and put it back if you want to rollback the changes (that's what RWE is doing anyway).

Yes like I say, the uninstalling isn't an issue, it's the glossiness. I've tried some pics but honestly, they just don't show it up like seeing the in-game image does. And actually the Bossman Black 5 is barely affected (though the black color helps there), as are some other models such as the LNER Class 91 reskins.

I believe it is something to do with the way the Alpha channel is handled, and maybe the way the Alpha channel is constructed on different models, or maybe even whether the textures have been sourced from DXT5 .dds files or, say, DXT3 (as was more common in the past). That's all outside my wheelhouse so I'm clutching at straws, but there's definitly something wrong.

For what it's worth here are a couple of comparisons (click on them to enlarge), you may think they are not significant but in-game the visible difference is quite significant (note also the blown-out roof on the class 59)

Hmmm... if anything, it seems brighter to me rather than glossier - you could try turning your brightness down a tad and see if you like the results.

Ash

The backgrounds look to be similar in colour whilst the locos are visibly different. Maybe the original shaders are a little darker (it is hard to tell but do look a tad darker) than the enhanced ones so turning the brightness down is likely to darken the background too much?
I am on a low spec computer and haven't found a setting yet which doesn't impact on performance one way or another so maybe not best qualified to comment?

Tom5305

ashgray wrote:Hmmm... if anything, it seems brighter to me rather than glossier - you could try turning your brightness down a tad and see if you like the results.

Ash, as I said, the pictures don't really reflect what you see in-game on the screen, and there is no doubt that rolling stock is glossier. The textures certainly seem come in a bit lighter, but then as Tom says, the background (in fact the surrounding universe in general including track, ground etc) is definitely NOT lighter. Lightening everything would also do the same to the surroundings (also, the brightness setting in-game only applies to full screen mode, not to windowed mode)

Bearing in mind the light grey roof of the class 59 gets blown out bright white, that supports (I think!) my hypotheisis that it's something to do with treatment of the Alpha Channels, bearing in mind that white represents shine in the Alpha Channel.

I have also noticed that where a Railvehicle's texture is matte (or flat as it is termed in the US), RWE does NOT change that . . . another pointer to the treatment of the Alpha Channel being the focus.

In general I think the changes are good but I too am getting white on rolling stock bleached out. Even the screenshots on their webpage show it.
Robin

I too am undecided about the shiny settings, Chris you say it doesn't affect matt surfaces but it sure does on the roofs of AP's 205, I have disabled it in RWE so a quick check after a restart is in order.

Version 1.06 has improved things in this area. And you can reduce the bloom to 25% too.

My class 86. RWE v1.06, default settings with the exception of bloom intensity that is lowered to 25%. (I don't have the class 59 I am afraid.)

Perhaps the roof is still a bit too glossy, but certainly nothing that would catch my attention...

Crrispy wrote:Version 1.06 has improved things in this area. And you can reduce the bloom to 25% too.

No, this is all done WITH v1.06 (released Jan 4th). Tried all settings for adaptive bloom, made no difference to the issues I have mentioned.

jstange wrote:My class 86. RWE v1.06, default settings with the exception of bloom intensity that is lowered to 25%. (I don't have the class 59 I am afraid.)

Perhaps the roof is still a bit too glossy, but certainly nothing that would catch my attention...

Well you're not very fussy then, LOL! That's exactly what annoys me! But not just the roofs (though they stand out as they are so visible from above).

It simply shouldn't be like that, and I don't want it! Reverting to the earlier Beta version does away with the problem, while still making some improvements to overall imagery in general surroundings. But I didn't need to pay nearly $12 for that!

I have received a response from the dev, asking for some pics. I have sent these same pics but expanded on my hunch about treatment of Alpha Channels, I'll report back what he says.

Well, looking at it again I do agree it is too glossy. Perhaps the thing is that I have not been playing TS much recently as I finally after all those years purchased TSW so this is what keeps me busy now. There's of course a difference between looking at the roof of a class 86 for 5 seconds and watching the model (and other with the same issue) from all angles during real gameplay.

If the original beta version didn't have this, I believe a solution should exist. Please keep me posted what the dev replies. If you want me to support it I will shoot an email too.