Steam, Smoke, Snow, and Simulation: Century of Steam Devlog

[@brillbusbootcamp2320]

My reaction to seeing the compressor push puffs of smoke higher: “Mark, I say this in the most affectionate way possible… NEEEERRRRRRRRD!”😝

[@Stooltoad5017]

I mean, we are following a train game about narrow gauge, so as far as the wider non train enthusiast public goes, I’d say we are all nerds.

[@Strasburgfan]

@@Stooltoad5017 that is so true mate.

[@gundamwarrior]

I also noticed water dripping from the pistons cylindercocks too early on in the video. A little detail that most probably won't notice at first. But the effort and coding going into all the details of this is astronomical.

[@nononat7579]

It scales by how “wet” the engine is and how long it’s been sitting at idle. So the more it sits the more condensation you’ll see leak from the cylinders

[@Streaky100001]

I spotted that too! I had to rewatch it, as my first thought was "Surely they didn't model that....." but no, no it was definitely dripping a bit.

[@Robostrike1]

This game is going to end up more realistic than real life

[@ostlandr]

I am SO looking forward to this. An accurate steam locomotive sim.

[@Ben31337l]

@@ostlandr There are diesels, I wonder what diesel configurations and customisations it will have.

[@humblepinecone]

Speechless. Absolutely incredible, from the smoke subtly kicking left and right based on the exhausting cylinder, to the steam chest sim. Even just the cylinder cocks on their own. And the responses to weather… You guys are nuts! This will be a dream to play. I might also mention the reflection of the passing scenery in the cab window when viewed at a glancing angle. Looks very nice and natural. I’m expecting that icicles will slowly form over time on the tender sill when it’s cold. To those not having seen these devlogs, the experience will be organic, but seeing all the effort to cognizantly put in all these insanely subtle and esoteric details, thank you. This will be an incredible experience.

[@lordwunglerbeckett]

Things like the steam going "chuff" when the reverser is moved are something one never really thinks about, but when it's pointed out, one's mind immediately goes "oh, right, it *would* do that, wouldn't it". And that's exactly the kind of thing I'm here for

[@GamingCraftTeam]

Well it's still running regardless so it should still go Chuff Chuff

[@UmoadoGaming]

Thank You for releasing this early! Merry Christmas! I love that green on the ten-wheeler, and those flying train numberboards. I love how the snow gradually gathers on the ground. 12:20 I love how pronounced that echo is. 12:55 Today I learned something new about Stevenson’s valve gear I always enjoy these videos!

[@FuelFire]

Considering the Class 125 used to be a locomotive that is "covered in steam" when it's cold out, I can't wait to see how it will look like in the game when it gets real cold.

[@trainsandstuff1021]

You know i wasn't that hyped up for railroader as it seems to focus more on operations rather than driving. But this in the other hand, exactly what i've wanted for years! I don't actually know how to operate a steam engine properly but i hope that this game teach me and others about how do you actually operate these things on a very rudimentary level. Operating a steam engine is a whole art of its own and i find that its often overlooked and hopefully this game can bring a bit more light to it.

[@Sweetw4ter]

I think on fully realistic settings the level of this wont be so rudimental after all :D

[@Stooltoad5017]

Impressive work. I am surprised it was possible to simulate the different stacks! The valve gear sounds fun as well. I’ll have to join the patreon at some point.

[@Bassalicious]

I love this so much. I'm not really much of a train guy myself but this simulation detail gets me really excited for the game!

[@connorjones6222]

Love the wind effects on the smoke. Looks incredible. Even if the wind direction is always the same, this just brings the engines to life

[@Hyce777]

The wind dynamically changes with weather and time. :)

[@connorjones6222]

@@Hyce777 I typed that at the beginning and saw it change. Looks awesome. Good luck with development and Merry Christmas

[@mostly-harmless]

this looks amazing, take my money

[@gearandalthefirst7027]

This game is already looking better than I think ANY animation on youtube or anywhere else. Terrified of the system requirements but I bet it'll look great even at .5 fps :P merry chrysler y'all!

[@michaelmoses8745]

Same. Threadripper with 5090ti and 256 gb ram as minimum. ;)

[@cyclicmusings2661]

I was waiting to upgrade almost everything in my PC prior to GTA VI coming out on PC (2026 maybe?), but Century of Steam might push up the upgrade.

[@ethanpicken6992]

Given that (from memory of what Hyce/Mark has said) it runs on Unreal engine 5 which is a very nice looking engine while not being too system heavy, I'm hopeful that it won't be too hard to run. It does look very nice, I agree.

[@CrippleX89]

This *has* to be the most realistic steam engine sim in existence for a game, it's absolutely bonkers!

[@Rclassprod]

I regularly work on Baldwin tank engines over here in Australia (Victorian Rallways NA class 2-6-2s to be exact) so I can really appreciate the level of detail in the driving physics you guys have implimented into CoS, and to have Mark, a qualified steam driver (Engineer in the States) explaining, particularly about linking up the reverser and how the chest and valve ports are modelled into the sound design, is stunning. Well done guys! The level of effort being showcased here is making this become the most anticipated sim for the future - Keep it up!

[@andycon1405]

Great job! Realy love how everything is coming together and im excited to see the end product. This just goes to show what can be done when you are truly enthusiastic about what you do and not willing to settle for seccond best. I know this might be too early to ask but please please please also make the game available for ps5

[@railwayjade]

Fantastic! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Studio 346!!

[@steveh1594]

You guys are hitting it right on the nail with the realism with the effects glad to see such detail :)

[@Pyrotrainthing]

I am so happy to see the smoke of the loco look like that. Some other railroad games don’t seem willing to put in the effort for something as important as the way the smoke exhausts. So I’m hyped to see a game that does, great work!

[@elliotcarpenter7343]

It looks amazing. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it is released.

[@ashleytaylor896]

love how the smoke blows in the wind.the sniffter's ? such a small but very fine detail that most over look i think. also love the fish plate's haven't seen that in a train game before. i think this game is going to win some sort of game award and or award's.

[@CaptainKerpa]

Man, that intro music reminds me so much of Railroad Tycoon 3 😅 Childhood memories :D

[@RexAnger.]

Mark, you had me at that first puff of smoke after opening the throttle. And then the CONDENSATE effects! Glorious! Rex wants a copy of this. *** Bad *** It seems like the only thing you're missing now, is flame and smoke backwashing through the firehole door a little bit when the blower is off... Well done to the Studio 346 team!

[@CristiNeagu]

Yeah. Mark. Sure, Mark. Whatever you say, Mark. That's totally what everyone knows you as.

[@davidwhiting1761]

Merry Christmas!

[@ayayaybamba3445]

I genuinely hope this game gets VR support.

[@katies6426]

You punks. This is absolutely brilliant… would love to see track-laying and industries sometime soon. Can’t wait.🙂

[@charseraph9175]

Absolutely gorgeous. I love the UI outline on controls inside the cab, and the weight and sound on the levers and doors. Your laughter and audible smile are contagious. I can both hear and see how much you love this project.

[@rjc0234]

10 years ago digital train sims seemed to be dying, or held on by a few monopolies not willing to do much development, and help up by passionate fans. It seems we are starting to get a huge variety of railroading games, likely due to the negligence of the 3 big players.

[@The_New_IKB]

Competition keeps the market fresh! Evolve or be replaced!

[@QuincyO5b]

i really enjoy the smoke going with the wind, and the big plumes too! merry christmas :]

[@idemanddonuts]

Would you guys be posting videos about how to run stuff like oil burners effectively like how many people in VTOL VR make tutorial videos about different aspects of the game

[@marktownend8065]

This is exquisite. Jaw officially on the floor!

[@seymoarsalvage]

Blind 1st driver? I remember Sierra #3 (no relation to this Baldwin other than wheel arrangement, for those that dont know) was originally built this way, but changed to a blind 2nd driver after her 1918 wreck

[@philtheairplanemechanic]

I am so unbelievably excited about this game, my goodness. Straight up poobing in my britches over this.

[@Rob1_5]

Man this kicks so much ass it deserves to have feet. well done on the progress made so far, this looks like it will be a great amount of fun.

[@SpaceyBrain]

I can't freaking wait for this to come out. So darn excited

[@InsanePacoTaco]

I am very impressed. Great job and keep up the fantastic work!

[@Mr.Funk92]

Game is looking good! I hope there will be an option for automatic fireman.

[@Hyce777]

You bet. Firing won't be mandatory.

[@Ricovandijk]

THANK.. YOU!! Finally after decades of disappointing trainsims some one who understands how a locomotive works ánd can make a sim. I’ve got my cash ready reserved for release date boys! Well done and thanks again!! This is going to be great!

[@ottodantaslemos5784]

Good job you did on this wonderful "Hyce" locomotive!!!!👌👍 And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to whoever is reading the comment!!!!!🎉

[@GLENBR0]

I fondly remember seeing a K-28 in the trailer so I think it would be cool to see one in a dev vlog to sort of reinforce the idea in one's head that we will be getting a K in a realistic train sim

[@Hyce777]

I desire to see the K finished up and rocking as well, don't you worry. It's got a lot of fiddly bits left to go before we can show it in game. The more modern engines have so many appliances and such that it adds for a lot of modeling and detail to get done.

[@GLENBR0]

Thx mark @@Hyce777

[@whatusernameis5295]

as a firefighter. wow I'm kinda surprised you did smoke color but good job

[@TrotFoxGreyfoot]

I am so looking forward to getting to play this game.

[@offensivebias1898]

This looks truly amazing. Fantastic job by you and the team. Cannot wait for early access. My only worry is that their is so much that is being simulated it will cost too much performance. I am sure optimization will be done but it will be surly a daunting task.

[@susanpcarter]

I'm paytron but I don't look at paytron for videos so I'm watching it now

[@krikcet-163]

This looks amazing. I can't wait.

[@norliasmith]

CoS: Lima 5 Chime ✓ Railroader: No Lima 5 Chime (Yet?) X

[@bobingabout]

"Hello, this is Mark." You sound like Hyce!

[@TrainMedia00]

11:55 This 4-6-0 and with the winter weather is perfect for every Christmas year i love it

[@TristanG10.000]

This is tickling my brain. I love it and want it

[@prrproductions5469]

Studio 346 because of the D&RGW 346?

Will this game be playable with friends?

[@austin.5947]

Yes.

@@austin.5947Thanks

[@independenza8924]

I like it, A LOT!

[@jonelyackett]

I lost it when i saw the water dripping off the engine.

[@phleetofph0gg]

The most hype I've ever been for any game, ever. Time to get a new computer lolol

[@J.M.Savage]

I can't get used to that voice saying "hi this is mark".... no sir you are hyce 😂😂

[@Hyce777]

Allegedly.... :P

[@Stooltoad5017]

What are you talking about? I know they sound similar but they are two distinct people.

[@awildjared1396]

no, they're identical twins, one just screams like a cockatoo

[@Northweasterner]

Gosh, I am at a loss for words. Just a wonderful job everyone!

[@dupdrewww]

Merry Christmas

[@cedarvalleyrail8419]

At this rate you ought to have a second title "locomotive effects manager"

[@BananenJaeger]

Are there any plans to visualize the steam simulation? To make the internals visible and explain what is happening to the layman? I really enjoy getting these things explained and learning about the intricacies. Maybe a glass/transparent engine or like the x-ray mode in Warthunder?

[@Bassalicious]

Man, hearing the whistle properly bend the different pitches with the shift in speed of sound in air vs steam is just glorious and totally justifies all the bickering about lacklustre whistles in other games. I love this.

[@BurnedBaconGaming]

Glad to see another update from ya'll. Been forgetting to check the patreon so was so happy to see this appear.

[@shrubsalot4356]

This looks amazing, already in my wishlist! Do you guys ever plan on adding larger locomotives like any of the experimentals, or UP's larger frieght haulers?

[@rockytopgaming6820]

This game is 3 foot north american narrow gauge only so if your referring to big boy then no

[@nononat7579]

Speaking of snow, I know that the plows are in the game.. but I would really like to see the D&RGW and RG flange cars to trail behind the engines.

[@creepei518]

This is so impressive and looks fantastic, beautiful! I just found this video and I'm so excited for this game

[@ostlandr]

OMG! You can't fool us- that's Nevada Northern #40 in disguise! EDIT: Saw a program on a British locomotive that had air-operated cylinder cocks. They default to open, and you need air to close them. Nice safety feature.

[@Bubbarain717]

I can’t wait to have to buy a new computer to run this game. Y’all have done an amazing job can’t wait to see what’s next in the making. Merry Christmas 🎁🎄

[@that_railroaderguy]

Goodness the views are epic. Get up the good work

[@The_New_IKB]

Hyce is my spirit animal!

[@SIMCFI]

If anyone is familiar with flight sim, this is becoming the A2A Simulations of train sim and I love it.

[@abyssminiaturestudios6103]

This game is looking to be so awesome, hope there may be a rotary plow or some geese on the horizon

[@patrickwellman4161]

Ohhh, please tell me the Slim Princess #18 will make an appearance too (Based on the background :) )

[@NewYorkNixDa]

Looks really awesome ♥♥♥ Btw is there a way to integrate joysticks and thrusters for controllings? Would be really nice if thats possible 🙂

[@Sifalie]

This looks like the most biutifull steam Simualtion that i know

[@jimyeetast9335]

I LOVE THAT Whistle soOOOOO much

[@arrivedknight7632]

When he said a month early for patreon and month later for everyone else, does that mean the game?

[@MickelyMC]

No, he means the Dev Vlogs are available early for Patreon members

[@arrivedknight7632]

@MickelyMC oh darn, ok thanks for clarification

[@michaelmoses8745]

I shudder at the system specs one will need to play this. That's fine, I needed an excuse to get a threadripper system with a 5090 anyways. Though I will say I'm a standard gauge fan myself.

[@catfish552]

So good! Reminds me of the video from last winter about railroading in the snow, and how majestic 491 looked in the cold weather. It's all the little things, like the trails of steam everywhere and how the smoke and steam drift away all realistic-like, which make the locomotives come alive. Best thing is, even to a player who doesn't know what every last thing on the locomotive is, all this detail being present and correct will make thing *feel* right.

[@wobblebee1242]

I can't wait to find out more about this game! I'm so curious about the gameplay loop

[@ostlandr]

Gameplay loop? We don' need no steenking gameplay loop! ;-)

[@statelyelms]

I have no idea about ANY of the mechanical stuff but it looks SICK. The way the engine changes and how the steam chest I think you said works is beyond my understanding but it's obvious there is so much love and detail put into the locomotives. One teeny feature I think would be very cool.. different winds. Seeing snowflakes speed past in the same direction as the chimney would be so cool, as well as smoke going from being buffeted intermitted by more gusty winds to straight sheered off the top by consistent high winds. Of course, on the backburner, but I just think it'd be neat!

[@Hyce777]

The wind changes with weather and time already my friend. :)

[@osageorangegaming5128]

Its a nice thing on how much the real locos/real ops is driving you guys to be as accurate as possible while still having fun! Been meaning to ask this for a bit now: once Century of Steam is released, will folks be able to feature the game in content creation (ie, livestreams/videos and other social media) ?

[@BringMayFlowers]

Two out of three videos Mark makes is him playing a game, so I would be surprised if you couldn't.

[@TheMostUt]

Dumbfounded and amazed by that steam sim you guys have come up with. Some questions: 1. I noticed the third person chuffs sound a bit 'cyclic' in audio production. One loud chuff, followed by three or four slightly quieter ones, with that cycle repeating a bit. Is that real, or was that just YT funniness? 2. The steam interaction with physical elements and wind is phenomenal......but...(we all know how the carrot and stick thing works) it looks like the steam ball (far away from the loco) is moving with the locomotive? Is that to do with world positioning and 'how do we detach the plume after it's carried away by wind' thing? I imagine having a particle effect generated by one object, interacting with another (wind), the original particle effect being removed, a new one in the EXACT same position redrawn, that somehow looks identical to the deleted one, just to have the plume acceleration look real real, is likely either resource expensive or math annoying?

[@Hyce777]

1. That's really how locomotives sound - it can be quite goofy! Locomotives each individually sound a bit different depending on which side of which piston is exhausting. All of our sounds were recorded off of real locomotives, and the chuffs are set up such that each piston is distinct each time - matching the real thing. Some locomotives are more blatant at this than others, both in real life in game. 2. I can't really get into much of the "inside baseball" about how the systems work, but know that the exhaust is not truly "attached" to the locomotive, and is set up to be as performant and good looking as we can muster.

[@TheMostUt]

@@Hyce777 Gotcha gotcha. I know that doing what you guys are doing while still keeping the code capable of being run on a normal persons' hardware is a big ask. I do love the passion and the attention to detail you guys are taking to make CoS something amazing.

[@genislebastard3491]

Was it snowing through the cab? Or just because the doors were open?

[@BrooksMoses]

Wow. That looks amazing! Once the snow started falling and the steam started condensing, I was getting downright chilly. That's the one effect that you've talked about that I feel like I'm missing: it's still hot in that cab, and I'm just not feeling it. Any thoughts on whether you can get a bit of red glow from the fire or something to help with that, or am I going to have to hook up a radiant heater on a USB switch?

[@ostlandr]

Well, if you really want to go there, yes. Set up a large electric heater with USB controls. Also going to need some kind of heated diffusers with steam cylinder oil, regular oil, etc. And some kind of heated retort/diffuser so you can get that burning coal smell also. ;-) Heck, might be less work to just buy a coal stove and put little pots of oils on it.

[@jfireman4970]

Will this be for controller?

[@VanessaFlyhight]

those mountains.... can i go there can i climb those mountains?

[@tylermcduck630]

you sound alot like hyce

[@Frisco1355]

Best Christmas present ever.

[@pootispiker2866]

Will physx or opencl smoke physics be used in this sim?

[@jamesbelcher8509]

Western Express "American Continental Coal Co." 4-6-0 Locomotive T328 4:23 [train whistle]

[@Streaky100001]

"Don't burn down your countryside" Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait............... is....... is that going to be a thing? I'm scared...

[@marvin95]

I am blown away by the details! Holy cow! Without your explanation I wouldn't even realize what I've seen 😅 Is it possible to make a video with a real locomotive to show all that effect in real life? (I understand it would be hard and time consuming)

[@ashleytaylor896]

i'm not sure us gamer's are ready for this level of realism it's almost god tier level or S rank

[@rapcreeperproductions3269]

What a Christmas gift

[@FirestormMk3]

This is impressive, and if it's realistically feasible to run your railroad entirely in single player this attention to detail will make me very interested. Speaking of sound design, even if it isn't entirely historical, if you have good enough recordings or ability to model it, it would be cool to include *your* whistle, now that it finally got to be mounted for a time on a real steam locomotive.

[@ErinHoneyBunny]

I believe his is actually in the game. I'm pretty sure he mentioned it in an earlier video on this game.

[@Element-84]

Merry Christmas!

[@carrera_johnson4659]

How does the cutoff on those old engines work? I’m somewhat familiar with the heusinger/walschaerts valve gear. But how does this right here work?

[@blendpinexus1416]

mark wanted the steam sim to be more accurate because the cylinder cocks were a little weird. ended up making a sim that has the nuances of the real thing. XD

[@trainnerd25]

can someone please give me a list of Dsp&p things that there have been displayed at this time. I'm not the most knowledgeable on Dsp&p things but I do like it.

[@xXrobloxpro123Xx]

whats next, you make an accurate realtime fluid simulation to simulate water in the boiler and the outside air and weather? actually i wouldnt be surprised if you didnt