What is the actual status of improvement of loco lights

[adam3544]

With great interest I try to follow up the activity concerning improvement of locomotive lights.
This is one of the weakest features in RW, fact rather surprising because all other train simulations have good front light illumination, especially Kuju developed MS Train Simulator.
I don't accept the explanation that in reality, the BR motive power is equipped with rather weak lights. Today, most of railways around the world have strong lights to some extend.
So,I'd like to ask or remind the developers, that this issue should be (in my opinion) high on their improvement list.

Adam

[OrpheusRocker]

Well said, that man!

[bremen]

Hi.

have good front light illumination

Not only... we need something that can be used in all the situation where light is involved.

We need this...


What is it?
"Point light is like a light bulb, it all emanates from a single point equally in all directions."
"a point light lights an object depending on the position of the object relative to the light. Also, a point light only illuminates objects that are close to it. The further the object is, the less illuminated it becomes."

...and this. "A spot light is like an oriented floodlight or a flashlight. "


A pair of shaders capable of doing real point/spot light will be the best to recreate real lights in a stations, houses, inside of coach, generic illumination of the terrain... etc.

The source of the images and quotations.
http://digitseven.com/diffuse.aspx


p.s. The addatex shader is no way near the power of the two shader above.

[phill70]

I don't accept the explanation that in reality, the BR motive power is equipped with rather weak lights

Whilst not wanting the light situation to fire up again
I am afraid that in the UK that they are not that strong, do a forum search, and you will find that is the case.
A few real (or ex BR drivers) have commented on this, me included.

[RSderek]

Hi,
Every member of the RS.com team know about lights, how they work and the goodness it would bring to RWs.
I can also say that every person on this and other forums has their 'this should be at the top of the list' feature.
This is good.
Some features may seem hard but in fact are easy to implement, others seem easy but in fact are hard.
When we have more to say on lighting we will annouce it.

Regards

Derek

[StefanSchmidt]

If you are searching for lightshines, there are some: http://www.rail-sim.de/railsim/index.ph ... fo/id,204/
Stefan

[miglietto]

If you are searching for lightshines, there are some: http://www.rail-sim.de/railsim/index.ph ... fo/id,204/
Stefan

I'm afraid but I think those objects are pretty useless for illuminating the tracks ahead of the loco.
I don't want to discuss how weak are BR locos spots but in RW the cab view nighttime driving experience is as exciting as driving the car in countryside roads with the beams off

[phat2003uk]

I don't accept the explanation that in reality, the BR motive power is equipped with rather weak lights

Whilst not wanting the light situation to fire up again
I am afraid that in the UK that they are not that strong, do a forum search, and you will find that is the case.
A few real (or ex BR drivers) have commented on this, me included.

Whilst I suspect this was true pre high-intensity lights but these days, many UK trains are fitted with bright lights which illuminate the track ahead to a significant enough degree to be considered implementable in RailWorks. Check out this video here to see what I mean!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoLQWQGOsXE A photo of which type of lights are fitted to that power car is here http://www.richard-armstrong.fotopic.net/p47367114.html. Whilst this isn't particularly the most pressing of issues, it would still be nice to see.

[phill70]

Hi Richard
I am aware of that.
All I was saying is that UK stuff is not as bright as the European or US stuff.

[TheTazman]

I am going to keep this short as I think i may have asked about this a long time ago. If a train passes under a light would it be illumiated?

[adam3544]

Hi,

Some features may seem hard but in fact are easy to implement, others seem easy but in fact are hard.
When we have more to say on lighting we will annouce it.

Regards

Derek

My desire is to know if this feature is at least feasible or technically possible within RailWorks structure. Is any real "light at the end of the tunnel" or illumination is beyond the scope of the available graphic engine. Is any hope that the developers overcome this obstacle.
I apologize if I repeat myself.

Regards,

Adam

[OrpheusRocker]

If anyone thinks the lights on UK locos aren't bright, I challenge them to try and look at the light on the front of Tornado - even in sunlight. I tried last summer and it hurt.

[Ryosuke]

With great interest I try to follow up the activity concerning improvement of locomotive lights.
This is one of the weakest features in RW, fact rather surprising because all other train simulations have good front light illumination, especially Kuju developed MS Train Simulator.
I don't accept the explanation that in reality, the BR motive power is equipped with rather weak lights. Today, most of railways around the world have strong lights to some extend.
So,I'd like to ask or remind the developers, that this issue should be (in my opinion) high on their improvement list.

Adam

i think the illumination effects of other sims are pretty poor. so poor in fact that i am happy that railworks does not have such effects.
not only train sims but also other games suffor from this issue.

as long as such effects can't be realized in such a manner that they appear realistic they should be left out or at least offer the option to switch them off and customize the effect per engine.

[bremen]

[OT]

I can also say that every person on this and other forums has their 'this should be at the top of the list' feature.

I have a list with only one row and says Distant Mountains
[/OT]

not only train sims but also other games suffor from this issue.

Well this isn't the case... a dark night in Pripiat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J13Xo7fi6xw

[Ryosuke]

[OT]

I can also say that every person on this and other forums has their 'this should be at the top of the list' feature.

I have a list with only one row and says Distant Mountains
[/OT]

not only train sims but also other games suffor from this issue.

Well this isn't the case... a dark night in Pripiat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J13Xo7fi6xw

i thought about excluding certain shooters from my statement.

however, i fear that train sims which simulate whole rail networks and vehicle dynamics don't leave ernough processing power to achieve lighting effects like these shooters.

i very much look forward to the fourth generation of train sims together with such effects though.