SubwaySim 2 News

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.

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!

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.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is here, and we’ve prepared a little, mysterious teaser for you. Take a look at the image – something seems to be hiding under a ghostly sheet. But what could it be?

Now it’s over to you: share your guesses in the comments and let us know what you think might be lurking beneath. In the mean time: Happy Halloween!

Introducing DAISY: Berlin's Platform Displays

Today, we’d like to focus on a particularly important feature of the Underground that is indispensable both in real life as in the game: we’re talking about the DAISY displays in the stations.

[h2]DAISY - Real-time Information for Passengers[/h2]

Anyone who regularly uses the Berlin's metro network will know them well: the DAISY displays, which provide information about upcoming trains and their arrival times. DAISY stands for "Dynamische Auskunfts- und Informationssystem" which translates to "Dynamic Information and Display System" in English. These displays are an integral part of the Berlin metro system, offering passengers orientation and clarity.

In SubwaySim 2, we have recreated these displays in detail to give you the most authentic metro experience. They show the arrival times of trains in real-time along with their respective directions - just as you’d expect from the real DAISY system. This makes each station come alive and provides you with an overview of the current AI-driven traffic on the line. Information for passengers with mobility impairments, such as which vehicles are accessible with a wheelchar, is also particularly important.

[h2]Different Variants, Passionately Recreated[/h2]

If you look closely, you’ll quickly notice that we didn’t just replicate one type of display, but rather several versions with different display configurations. And, of course, each display variant is fitted with lovingly hand-drawn pixel fonts.