Railworks 3 (Train Simulator 2012) - Graphics Settings

dlknight

dlknight

dlknight

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Picked this up in the Steam Christmas sale.... I'm hooked - I never thought driving the Intercity 125 from Paddington to Reading would be so interesting but looks like I've awakened the child inside me that wanted to play with trains all day long :)

Anyway my system spec is in my signature, I'm not running the game with TSX enabled at the moment as it crucifies my frame rate which drops to around 20fps with MSAA x 4 and ingame settings on high except for shadows which are on medium.

Anyone else running the game with a Radeon card care to share their wisdom (and settings)? I will add more detailed results and my settings this evening.

*edited@18:45 on 16/01/2012 - Well after much playing around, reading forums and googling for answers I found out what kills the frame rate in Railworks 3 (Train Simulator 2012) - it seems on my system at least that when TSX is turned on the Shadow Quality setting can kill performance! I did numerous benchmarks which are included below - I can flesh them out with more detail if requested (I haven't run all tests at all MSAA levels etc). Most of the advanced graphics settings (accessed ingame) only contribute to frame loss in single figures however the Shadow Quality setting can reduce frame rate by double figures and appears to have a castrophic effect on minimum frame rate. Looks like it requires a fix from the software vendor, lets keep our fingers crossed...

All benchmarks/testing was performed with the following software/hardware:
AMD Catalyst 11.12
Fraps Version 3.2.3 Build 11797
Windows 7 x64 Home Edition
i5-2300 @ 3.3GHz (multiplier @ x33)
Sapphire ATI Radeon 5850 1Gb - Reference Architecture
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD4-B3
4GB (2x2GB) OCZ PC3-12800 Low Voltage Edition
Railworks 3 (Train Simulator 2012)

The scenario chosen was Autumn Leaves from the Oxford-Paddington FGW line. The test was started from the sidings and finished in the station after the FGW InterCity 125 had arrived at the platform with various different cameras and angles being used throughout. Lights and wipers were also switched on (to display TSX features).

Default Graphics Levels
The following graph was produced by utilising the default/basic graphic levels from within the ingame menu (instead of using custom level), this is probably where the problems could have been reduced if the vendor had set the shadow quality setting based on the actual performance hit. I also used these benchmarks to compare performance between TSX=Off and TSX=On.



Custom Graphics Levels
After deciding that I needed TSX on the following benchmarks have it selected. After having an idea what the problem could be with a low frame rate when TSX is enabled (Shadow Quality), I set about trying different custom graphics levels to see if I could increase framerate!



I then decided to turn bloom and depth of field back on to add to the immersion and find out what hit they had on performance. You can clearly see the performance hit from enabling even low shadowing here.



Now I just need to decide if I want bloom/depth of field or high quality shadows...... to remain with a nice minimum frame rate.

Cheers
 
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I not getting anymore expansions Ohio Steel 2 Expansion Pack is £20 already spent around £35 total got this game in the sale with a few extras their prices of extras are way to pricy.
Running this game on ati 5850 with intel quad at 3.2 not had a chance to play this game yet bought so many games in the sale.
Looks good have all the settings on high like the american amtrak train.
 
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If you were to buy all the expansions it works out at just under a grand or so!

My brother plays this and it runs at a decent fps. Just drop the aa etc because it's not going to make your train any curvier. Great game though!
 
yep.

and railworks runs really badly for what it is, graphicaly.
think my dad runs at about 40fps with a 4.5ghz i7 and 6970

nvidia cards might run better, as they actully tested with those only, or so i heard :|
 
spike2011 said:
Running this game on ati 5850 with intel quad at 3.2 not had a chance to play this game yet bought so many games in the sale.
Looks good have all the settings on high like the american amtrak train.
Click to expand...
pingu666 said:
and railworks runs really badly for what it is, graphicaly.
think my dad runs at about 40fps with a 4.5ghz i7 and 6970
nvidia cards might run better, as they actully tested with those only, or so i heard :|
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.... see my update above it might get you some extra frames :) especially on the 6970 - drool :P

!bluetonic! said:
Loved the MS Train Sim. Don't spend all the money on the software, get the train controller.

http://www.raildriver.com/products/raildriver.php

(Not that I have, but I think it's awesome)
Click to expand...

When I get a minute will take a look at that - played 15 hours of Railworks already !!!!! must be an age thing...... well at least I'm not up in the attic cutting my fingers whilst sticking bits of "00" gauge track together :D

I've updated the first post with some benchmarks too....
 
Nice post dlknight, Ms Train simulator originally brought out the rail fan in me too, i also have Rail simulator 2012.

There is something strangely appealing about hurtling towards Paddington in a 1500 ton express, wondering if you have had too much to drink, and whether i should have read the manual for this loco. :D

From reading around, the Sim and community seems to be suffering from some performance issues at the moment, I think it's worth persevering with for now until it's fixed (been plenty of ninja patches in the past with another apparently inbound).

If your rig can handle it with TSX on, there is some really impressive real time dynamic lighting going on in this sim. Every item in the game world seems to cast its own shadow, The dawn and dusk effects can be quite impressive with long shadows stretching across the scenery and into your cab. The weather effects and sounds effects are very good too.

I'm running a i52500K @4.5ghz with a HD6870 and use the 30fps lock with all in game settings on high. (Texture,shadows,water etc on high not highest)
Most of the time my frames are 29fps with minimums of 17fps in densely built areas)
I find that the shadows have the most impact on performance followed by Anti-aliasing from the launcher.
I am Using 4xMSAA from the launcher for best results.

From the DLC available for this sim, if you stick to the route addons that imo represent the best value eg, WCML north, Glasgow-Edinburgh, Bristol-Exeter. You will get a new route plus some activities and new loco's and stock. Plenty of hours exploring.
There is no need to spend big money to greatly expand the sim if your into it.
The port road route expansion is free and is very good.
you can get some free scenario packs for it too from UKTrainsim.

Some of the more specific DLC like wagons and loco's are a mixed bag imo, there are some gems mixed in (like the 56xx, class 50, class150/2).
With some other DLC's being a little disappointing for example, some come with no scenarios and bare minimum cab/passenger views or lack of support for the new effects etc.

There is absolutely shed loads of free stuff available though. :p
 
Digikill said:
Nice post dlknight, Ms Train simulator originally brought out the rail fan in me too, i also have Rail simulator 2012.

I'm running a i52500K @4.5ghz with a HD6870 and use the 30fps lock with all in game settings on high. (Texture,shadows,water etc on high not highest)
Most of the time my frames are 29fps with minimums of 17fps in densely built areas)
I find that the shadows have the most impact on performance followed by Anti-aliasing from the launcher.
I am Using 4xMSAA from the launcher for best results.

From the DLC available for this sim, if you stick to the route addons that imo represent the best value eg, WCML north, Glasgow-Edinburgh, Bristol-Exeter. You will get a new route plus some activities and new loco's and stock. Plenty of hours exploring.
There is no need to spend big money to greatly expand the sim if your into it.
The port road route expansion is free and is very good.
you can get some free scenario packs for it too from UKTrainsim.
Click to expand...

I had a look around for MS Train Simulator - is it still anygood - comparable with Railworks 3?

Take a look at my benchmarks above, I found that moving from high settings ingame to highest had hardly any effect on framerate. The only options I found that reduced framerate were in order of magnitude (Shadow Quality, Adaptive Bloom and Depth of Field).

I was looking at getting the WCML North add-on next and the other two as well. Mainly because I would like to get hold of the Virgin pendolino train :)

I was trying to find out if there is any add-on which adds any areas in the midlands? e.g. extending the Oxford-Paddington line to Worcester or Great Malvern/Hereford. I have seen some screenshots from some forum members on Railworks specific forums - but they all appear to be works in progress (Worcester Foregate Street and Malvern Link).
 
Thanks dlknight for all your info should help get better fps out of old rig have a new shuttle xpc with i5 2500k cpu which I have been to busy to build yet should run better but cant overclock the cpu though.
Interesting that train cab controller if i really get into trains might be worth getting but wish they were selling it at half that price.
 
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I had a look around for MS Train Simulator - is it still anygood - comparable with Railworks 3?
Click to expand...

It's good, just not as visually up to date when compaired to RS2012. I think MS train sim struggles with wide screen too. but loads of content available for it, you may find more choice for the midlands atm.

Take a look at my benchmarks above, I found that moving from high settings ingame to highest had hardly any effect on framerate. The only options I found that reduced framerate were in order of magnitude (Shadow Quality, Adaptive Bloom and Depth of Field).
Click to expand...

Yeah I don't use bloom or Depth of field, forgot to mention that, sorry. your right on the shadows too, switching from high to low has little impact, it's on or off, that has the most impact, which is what i meant to say.
I would also add that it's the routes themselves that have a big impact on performance imo.

North east corridor route for example simply has so many assets placed around the New York and Philadelphia areas.
Some users are actually toying with removing assets in the editor, buildings that can't be seen from the cab view anyway, to try and recover some frames.

WCML N is very asset rich too. but runs better than NE corridor. it is very demanding though.

Edinburgh-Glasgow route runs great and looks great too, i think they just modelled the the trackside scenery, not entire towns.

Brisol-Exeter probably sits between the two for performance, nice route though for longer runs.

I was looking at getting the WCML North add-on next and the other two as well. Mainly because I would like to get hold of the Virgin pendolino train
Click to expand...

Not sure about the Pendolino(need to check if it's updated for 2012), WCML N is pretty impressive though. (the Class 325 is a good(bit basic but not bad) addon for WCML'n some nice scenarios(night time post being one).
 
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Got a middling rig with a amd 6870.

Using the high preset, tsx and 4x aa and I don't get great fps, about 30 average but I find its a slowpaced game so I don't really notice it.

Its only when I move the camera that it lags slightly, just watching the train though is smooth which I'm happy with.

Also loving this game, don't know why but I like playing the scenarios and feeling the pressure of being a real train driver!

I find using the track switches a bit more difficult than it should be, and the map view definetely needs improving, should be way more detailed when you zoom out.

My latest dlc purchase is Isle of Wight, and its a lovely thing with oodles of detail. I don't know if its actually a fantastic depiction but the amount of buildings, trees etc makes me think it is haha. On the Isle of Wight they use london underground trains, I love how they sound...just like the real thing.
 
Great Thanks!!

I signed up just to thank you for your thorough post regarding frame rates for Railworks 3. I have a core I7 2600, 8 gigs of ram with a Nvidia 570 and I was getting 10 fps!!! UGH! That's worse than FSX. :eek:

Now I'm getting great frames because of your information and I can enjoy the game the way its supposed to be played. Thanks a million!! :p

 
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