Building view distance

[KellyB]

Here's a simple question (hah)

What determines when buildings on an airfield pop into view? I have a scenery for which it seems that they should be visible sooner than they are on approach. Is this an adjustable feature, or is it hard coded into some inaccessible niche in the file(s)?

Thanks for listening.

[Mick]

I have several sceneries (all by the same developer) with that same annoying issue. I'd be sliding down short final and buildings would still be popping into existence. I asked the same question in this forum a few years ago and I was told that it's hard-coded and can't be changed. I was told that it has to do with multiple levels of detail, as with many AI aircraft models. Multiple LODs save computer resources by not making the system draw detailed models when the objects are too far away from the eyepoint for the details to be visible. The trouble is that while the various LODs might display at certain distances that work well and look right on the developer's system, they might display at different distances that don't look right on other people's systems.

[Bjoern]

Yes, it's hardcoded.


The distance at which objects pop into view is determined by their size on the screen, measured in pixels. An object without any level of detail submodels pops into view when it's 1 pixel in size. The developer can also assign a treshhold value of, say, 200 pixel to said object, so it will pop into view when it's 200 pixels in size. This also applies to any level of detail submodels.

Lowering screen resolution can avoid the "far away" popping into view of models, but who in their right mind wants to do that?

[KellyB]

Well, that answers it. Not what I wanted to hear, but at least I know.

Thanks for the info.