3D Weather - in case you did not realize yet...

[artimrj]

Open any scenario and changed the weather. You will find a few new ones that are prefixed with 3D. Choose one of them, save and run it. You will have the new clouds and stuff regardless of which route it is. Worked on the Lakeside, NERW, Lafayette, P&LE. It is all in the scenarios. If there is something route wise I do not know yet.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks, Bob.

Changing the weather from plain and static to 3D clouds with a Silver Lining allows you to gauge the impact it has on the performance of your system.
There are many new variables introduced, new .dll system extensions that interface with your video card's drivers, etc.
So far, the player's verdict is mixed, though the impact on performance is noted by almost everybody.
Inside the data\Silverlining you'll find the assets used, a few .tga files that seem to contain alfa channel masks of cirrus clouds, which indeed are whispy and mostly see-through, and some nice moon faces/phases.
I don't know if all cloud shapes are being used, and wether cumulus clouds actually bulge and grow in the sky above our scenarios.
There is a special directory of cumulonimbus clouds, the thunderstorm with the anvil on top, reaching up to the stratosphere.
I did find some lightning on first glance over the files. but no thunder or other audio. There are some feeble thunderstorm effects in a Sherman Hill scenario.
There seems to be no night sky definition with a public domain star atlas being used. (Run8 has a beautiful night sky in the desert, with the constellations etc. quite recognisable)

There is an annotated general config file, and a cloudatlas.tga graphic.
The effects seem to rely on the actual DX version used, which in the case of Railworks is DX9, right?/

Lots of stuff to play with, but wether realistic ground fog or those low clouds in mountain valleys can be created I don't know.
Here is the website of the proprietor of the Silver Lining system: http://www.sundog-soft.com/sds

[Bermúdez]

Changing the weather from plain and static to 3D clouds with a Silver Lining allows you to gauge the impact it has on the performance of your system.

The impact on system performance is negligible, if not nil.

[artimrj]

Changing the weather from plain and static to 3D clouds with a Silver Lining allows you to gauge the impact it has on the performance of your system.

The impact on system performance is negligible, if not nil.

Same here, I even turned on light bloom now. I now have everything maxed out except that depth of view that blurs distant scenery.

[jwtheiv]

I wasn't sure if it was due to the new engine or a recently acquired video card, but I turned bloom on as well and it's significantly better than in the past.

[Ericmopar]

I run 2X2 SSAA and the performance hit of the 3D weather is not nil in my case.
I've also run into a new and interesting problem. Some of my older engines that had headlights that made almost no impact when turned on, are now draining my GPU resources when the lights are on.
I'm fine with the 3D weather turned off, or changing to one of the older sky domes.

I noticed my gauges looked blurry after the update, so I went and checked the graphics settings. The update had turned my "Scenery Quality" setting way down. When I turned it up so my in cab gauges looked like I was used to, the FPS dropped like the proverbial rock.
I've actually wondered why the Scenery Quality setting effects the sharpness of the gauges and some labeling, but not all round graphics in the cab of engines.

Another peculiarity, was that I had to up my pre-rendered frames to 4, to smooth things back out to what I am used to in game.

I wonder why some people don't seem to have much impact to their system, while others like me have a very noticeable impact.

[buzz456]

Gosh my settings were unchanged and if anything it seems to be crisper and runs smoother.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

It is difficult to compare settings and their influence on performance as no two personal computers are alike.

I think it also greatly depends on your videocard's power, and how many separate graphic threads "pipelines" it can keep up simultaneously.
The 3D clouds are just moving sprites, demanding little GPU power I think. But like projecting headlights, crepuscular rays and other sunlight phenomena where simulated light is being emitted take up more GPU power, especially when casting natural shadows.

So depending on actual 3D weather settings there could be a performance drop. Least in bright and clear desert weather, most in spring skies with those fast moving broken cloud covers and sheets of rain alternating with shafts of sunlight moving over the surface.

We'll see how it all works out as we play more with our new toys.

Your mileage will vary ....

[Ericmopar]

Just for kicks, I dropped my AA settings to FXAA+8XMSAA. My GPU (GTX 780) can idle along going no higher than 40% GPU usage, with all sliders full right. I can't stand the aliasing though...
The new 3D weather isn't much impact at all, when using "normal" AA settings. It's when a person tries to use SSAA settings that things can rapidly go downhill.

[artimrj]

I am on 3x3 with a 760. I run 24 to 36 FPS depending on the route. Only time there is a pause of any kind is loading new scenery and that does not happen much. Going from plains to high population city it gets sluggish for a few seconds. Then back to smooth. I also use long trains when I am playing around. 80 + cars.

[Ericmopar]

I am on 3x3 with a 760. I run 24 to 36 FPS depending on the route. Only time there is a pause of any kind is loading new scenery and that does not happen much. Going from plains to high population city it gets sluggish for a few seconds. Then back to smooth. I also use long trains when I am playing around. 80 + cars.

I can do that but with higher fps, but I can't maintain V-Sync. I hate aliasing and screen tearing.
I wish the monitor manufacturers would get their butts in gear and come out with the new framerate syncing monitors, whether it be G-Sync, Free Sync, or Vesa Display Port standard.
Then I could run a silky smooth operation at 30fps and lock the game there to save the GPU from heat and wear and tear.

[artimrj]

I am on 3x3 with a 760. I run 24 to 36 FPS depending on the route. Only time there is a pause of any kind is loading new scenery and that does not happen much. Going from plains to high population city it gets sluggish for a few seconds. Then back to smooth. I also use long trains when I am playing around. 80 + cars.

I can do that but with higher fps, but I can't maintain V-Sync. I hate aliasing and screen tearing.
I wish the monitor manufacturers would get their butts in gear and come out with the new framerate syncing monitors, whether it be G-Sync, Free Sync, or Vesa Display Port standard.
Then I could run a silky smooth operation at 30fps and lock the game there to save the GPU from heat and wear and tear.

Can you get a screenshot of screen tearing, I don't even know what that looks like. By aliasing do you mean the flashing z buffer stuff. I get some of that on old models or models not made correctly, but not much. With my 550ti I got quite a bit of it. It has just about disappeared on switches, you can see it a little at certain angles. I have a 22" Samsung monitor @ 2 NS refresh rate. it is only 1680 x 1050.

[NYWhiskey]

Hear is a pic of screen tearing and aliasing is the jaggies.

[artimrj]

I have never seen screen tearing! That sucks!

No problem with jaggies, only the little flashing things on old models. I do not use vertical sync either.

[NYWhiskey]

I get the screen tearing with really high frame rates and looking around too quick.