SubwaySim 2 News

Back to Berlin: Warschauer Straße Station

After last week's posting on Hamburg, we're switching back to Berlin. Today, we'll have a look at the station Warschauer Straße, a key transport hub in the capital city. Here, the metro, light rail (S-Bahn) and tram services intersect. A special highlight are the adjacent siding tracks, which we'll delve into shortly.

[h2]Warschauer Straße: A Key Transportation Hub[/h2]

Warschauer Straße station is much more than just a regular metro station. On the one hand, it's the terminus for the U1 and U3 lines. On the other, it's right in the middle of the action, directly connecting to the adjacent S-Bahn station of the same name. That part of the station links to some of the city's most iconic destinations, including Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, and Zoologischer Garten. To capture the bustling activity in-game, we've recreated the authentic surroundings of this lively location in great detail.

[h2]The Depot[/h2]

Being a terminus station, Warschauer Straße plays a key operational role. The station accomodates 13 sidings, including eight in the large storage hall and four in the smaller one, making it the largest depot facility along the U1 and U3 lines. Thanks to its detailed recreation, the depot will have an active role in the game: AI trains will systematically park here, and we're also planning some direct gameplay features involving the depot.

[h2]The S-Bahn-Station[/h2]

As mentioned, Warschauer Straße is a vital interchange between the metro and light rail (S-Bahn) systems. For this reason, we've also recreated the nearby S-Bahn station in detail. While you won't be able to walk through the light rail station itself, there will actually be AI-operated light rail trains to bring life to the tracks.

All aboard - join us to gain deeper insights into the world of SubwaySim 2 over the next few weeks and months!

[h2]About SubwaySim 2[/h2]

SubwaySim 2 has been announced in August 2024 and is currently in development. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be giving you insights into the game, its development process, and the new features. Feel free to share your feedback in the Steam Discussions, join our Discord server, and follow us on Instagram. Be sure to add SubwaySim 2 to your Steam wishlist so you don’t miss any updates!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2707070/SubwaySim_2/

Note: This is a work-in-progress version of the game. All screenshots and videos shown are for preview purposes only and are not representative of the final product. Please feel free to share your feedback in the Steam Discussions if you like what you see or notice any specific issues!

Another Glance at Hamburg

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that alongside Berlin’s U-Bahn, Hamburg’s U3 line will also be part of SubwaySim 2. Since then, a lot has happened, and today we’re excited to show you how the updates from Berlin are making their mark in Hamburg.

[h2]The New Lighting and Weather System[/h2]

Thanks to revamped weather, lighting, and atmospheric effects, Hamburg now has a completely new ambiance. Whether it’s bright sunshine or the city’s famously rainy "Schietwetter," the visuals are stunning, with detailed environments and immersive lighting effects. In the second image, you’ll also notice the entirely updated AI traffic on the streets – adding even more life to the scene!

[h2]Completely Redesigned Tracks – With Updated Stations[/h2]

Hamburg’s infrastructure has received a significant upgrade! For SubwaySim 2, we’ve completely redeveloped our track system. With accurate curve radii, transition curves, and superelevation values, you’ll experience an even more realistic ride. In fact, every single track segment in Hamburg has been replaced. In addition, all stations have received a facelift, including different platform heights for persons with reduced mobility - at least for those stations that are accessible in reality.

[h2]Numerous Improvements – and New Passengers[/h2]

Some of you previously recognized that the St. Pauli station in SubwaySim Hamburg wasn’t accurately depicted. We’ve addressed this issue as part of the recent updates. Apart from that, there are plenty of additional improvements to look forward to in Hamburg, which we’ll be showcasing over the coming weeks and months.

Last but not least, Hamburg now features our upgraded NPCs, the Metahumans. Whether it’s passengers or AI train operators, these new characters add variety and vibrancy to Hamburg’s U-Bahn network!

New Impressions from Berlin!

Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared a few glimpses of the game, from Berlin's landmarks to the first stations. Today, we’re giving you another sneak peek into what you can discover in SubwaySim 2 in Berlin.

[h2]Scenic Route Sections Through the City's Heart[/h2]

Approximately half of Berlin’s nearly 21 km-long route lies above ground. The section from Warschauer Straße to Gleisdreieck, served by the U1 and U3 lines, offers many picturesque views. The image above shows an A3L92 train set about to cross the bridge over the Landwehr Canal, not far from the German Museum of Technology.

There’s also plenty to discover off the tracks. Close to the previous photo’s location, you’ll find the Vestas rotor blade exhibit outside the Technology Museum.

[h2]Distinctive Details in the Stations[/h2]

The same attention to detail applies to the stations, where there’s plenty for you to explore. For example, at Wittenbergplatz station, where the U3 diverges from the U1. With five platforms in total, we’ve also recreated the reception hall to allow switching between platforms – topped off with its iconic clock in the middle, as shown in the image.

[h2]Variety in the Tunnels[/h2]

We’ve also ensured plenty of variety in the tunnel sections. This means breaking up the uniformity of the tunnel profiles with features like underground siding tracks, which will also play a role in the game. And of course, graffiti is a must! There’s so much to discover.

Hello, MetaHumans: Our new Passengers!

Many of you have asked us to improve our passengers. This week, we can finally reveal big news about this topic: Say hello to our virtual Berliners, who will now bring SubwaySim 2 to life!

[h2]Hello, MetaHumans![/h2]

As you know, we’re using Unreal Engine 5 for SubwaySim 2. One of the greatest strengths of UE5 are so-called MetaHumans. This refers to a system that allows us to create a wide variety of photorealistic characters. And it’s these virtual people who will now populate SubwaySim 2.

Thanks to this new system, our new passengers also offer much more variety in terms of appearance. Different clothing, age groups, and even hairstyles provide more diversity within the game.

[h2]Technical Challenges[/h2]

As always, a particularly important aspect when it comes to passengers is that performance remains stable. This is particularly crucial when dozens of passengers are gathered on the platform. After all, we want the game to run smoothly on both PlayStation and Xbox too. That’s why we’ve made various optimisations to the characters, ensuring performance is improved without noticeably affecting their appearance.

[h2]What about the drivers?[/h2]

The strengths of the new character system don’t just benefit the passengers: We can now also implement the drivers in much higher quality than before. And to be honest, that alone makes screenshots from exterior perspective a lot more fun!

A Behind-the-Scenes Look: HK In the Making!

Many of you correctly recognized what was hiding under the sheet in last week’s post: it’s the next Berlin U-Bahn train of the HK type, which, like the A3L92, will be available as a playable vehicle in SubwaySim 2. Today, we’d like to give you a little insight into what goes on behind the scenes before a vehicle arrives to the game.

[h2]3D Modelling and Texturing[/h2]

Once all preparations are complete and there are enough references, the real development work begins: using hundreds of images, a 3D model is created step-by-step, with steadily increasing levels of detail. For this, we use the program Blender.

To match the vehicle's characteristic appearance, its surfaces need material properties and colours, also known as textures. For that process, we rely on Adobe Substance 3D Painter. Using PBR (physically based rendering), the vehicle surfaces achieve a look as realistic as possible.

[h2]No Functionality Without Rigging[/h2]

Although the HK model shown above looks largely complete from a visual perspective, some essential steps are still missing. This includes rigging, which involves defining a hierarchy for the vehicle so that individual components and assemblies will be functional in the game. Numerous animations are created in this process as well. At this stage, our model is divided into three main components: the exterior, the interior, and the cab. This helps optimise performance in the game.

[h2]Challenges with the HK[/h2]

The HK is a four-part multiple unit train, made up of coaches A, B, C, and D. At the ends, coaches A and D each contain a driver’s cab, from which the vehicle can be controlled. However, these coaches A and D are not identical but rather mirrored, ensuring that the front doors align correctly when the HK is operated in a double configuration.

In car A, the front door is located on the left, with the driver’s cab to the right of it. In car D, it’s the other way around. Naturally, we have also depicted this detail in SubwaySim 2, even though it meant having to fundamentally modify car D separately from car A. Only this way can we capture the unique recognisability of Berlin's metro.

Next up, we’d be moving on to the in-gaming process - but we’ll get back to that another time.