Hello, railroad enthusiasts!
We are pleased to bring you the latest news from the development front of Train Mechanic Simulator 2024.
Driveable steam locomotives
The locomotives you will be repairing have just come alive. You will have complete freedom to drive it seamlessly from workshop onto yard, test track or simply use it instead of shunting locomotive if you wish. And it doesn’t just drive – you will be able to use a set of cinematic cameras to look at wheels, rods, suspension, brakes and all other moving parts in action. You will hear and see steam coming out of smoke pipe, cylinder valves, whistle and other steam-powered subsystems – everything in sync with motion of rods, reverser setting and internal simulation.
Effects and graphics
Our sky has also come alive. Instead of a clear blue one, we now have a sky with full 3D clouds that evolve over time, creating a dance of light and shadows above you. They leverage our new in-house technology that allows rendering volumetric clouds with a bit of extra detail, without sacrificing performance, so everyone can enjoy this new cool feature.
We have added more dynamism to reflections to better represent various materials and light occlusion. Materials will shine differently outdoors, indoors, or while watching from under a locomotive. You will see reflections of surrounding objects in windows, and the whole picture will generally feel more consistent.
The game now supports dynamic exposure, which will help you see better in dark areas, while also letting the vision adapt to bright areas when necessary. Aside from practical value, this new feature also enhances the sense of light intensity and contrast between indoor and outdoor locations.
In addition, we have added imperfections to railways, which are no longer ideally straight or curved. You will be able to feel all these bumps while driving and see suspension at work.
Environment sounds
This month has brought even more life to the game with the addition of environmental sounds. You will hear wind, birds, stream or trains passing by on the mainline. Everywhere you go there’s something going on, and the world is no longer a lifeless static scene but an environment that surrounds you. Some areas will of course feel different from others and the sounds can also change in different situations so you don’t always hear the same things.
Dynamic sounds linked to physics
Background sounds are just one piece of the puzzle. Moving things now also make sounds, but these sounds aren’t just played back – they’re linked to the physics engine. You can hear valves turning, buttons clicking, doors and gates creaking as you move them, but sound reacts to what is happening. The harder you slam the door, the louder sound they will make, the faster you move a rail switch lever, the louder it will creak. You will hear electric motors working when operating a forklift or crane, and of course you will hear the engine and collisions.
More work on 3D models
We have completed work on the warehouse model and made some improvements to roundhouse. There is also a new office area inside roundhouse. Some of the smaller models in the yard have been updated and look significantly better now, bringing us one step closer to completion of the yard area.
There are also a lot of new details on the steam locomotive, including steam, air and water pipes for injectors and brake system. The first version of the tender has also been added with physics and while work continues on more details, the locomotive has now received a working whistle and lights.
As always, your feedback has been instrumental in making Train Mechanic Simulator 2024. We appreciate your support. Your input is invaluable, so keep those suggestions coming on!
If you like our work, jump on the hype train and add Train Mechanic Simulator 2024 to your wishlist!
