Suly Posted January 16 Posted January 16 Dear Developers, First of all, I would like to thank you and congratulate you on the latest update (Beta). A huge amount of work is visible, and the direction the game is taking is excellent. I play SimRail on the maximum possible graphical settings in 4K resolution, and I would like to share some observations and suggestions that could push the visual side and atmosphere of the game to perfection. Here are my points for discussion: 1. Vegetation and Terrain The new vegetation, specifically the trees and the new grass, looks perfect and has given the game a fresh breath of life. However, I noticed an issue with fields and sparse vegetation areas. Density/Blending: When driving past a field, I often see isolated "tufts" of vegetation on a bare, flat ground texture. It looks artificial and breaks realism. Would it be possible to increase the coverage density or adjust the underlying ground texture so the transitions aren't so sharp? 2. Sky and Clouds The sky is a dominant part of the view, but the current clouds look too blurry and lack depth. Contours: The clouds lack clear outlines and structure. Currently, they resemble a uniform fog or "smog" rather than real clouds. Greater sharpness and better definition of the clouds would significantly help the overall visual experience. 3. Ballast Material (Gravel) I see significant room for improvement here, as we look at the tracks 100% of the time. Reflections (Material Properties): The ballast currently shines unnaturally. It gives the impression of wet asphalt, even when the weather is sunny. It is necessary to adjust the material properties (increase roughness) so the stones appear matte and "dusty" as in reality. Depth/Plasticity: I would also strongly suggest implementing 3D textures (Parallax Occlusion Mapping) for the ballast. Flat stone textures really stand out negatively in 4K resolution. The combination of a matte surface and optical depth would take the game to the next level. 4. Sleeper Rendering (LOD) Many of us in the community have very powerful hardware, and the current settings limit us. Draw Distance: The sleepers (3D models) render only about 50 meters in front of the locomotive. At 4K resolution, it is very distracting to see them "popping in" right in front of the train. Please consider adding an "Ultra" draw distance option in the settings so we can see sharp sleepers at least 100–200 meters ahead. 5. World Liveliness (Immersion) The world of SimRail is beautiful, but sometimes it feels a bit "sterile." To increase immersion, I would suggest: Fauna: Adding birds (flocks over fields, birds sitting on overhead wires). People: More passengers, not just on platforms, but also visibly inside the AI trains. Railway Life: It would be great to occasionally see maintenance workers in vests along the track or shunters in stations. I believe these adjustments would make SimRail a visually unrivaled simulator. Fingers crossed for further development! Best regards, Suly 4
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