I would be curious to know what is so different in Level 2 jetways that that would impact FPS more than the "other" SODE jetways.
I think I already explained in several other threads it's NOT "just" an fps problem. Fps will be just one of the possible problems and it can be explained by simply looking at our jetways and compare them with "other" SODE jetways.
Not only they are far more detailed but, your ability to easily change different models, means their impact on fps can be higher, just because of their variety. For example, if you use different models with different textures ( like Thyssen+JBT ) at the same airport and you even use different colors, all these 4K textures will have to be loaded at the same time.
The same if you enable accessories (ground, gpu, air, number) on all of them, or if you enable bridges on all of them: they are separate objects, so they are not as optimized as they could be if we just modeled an inflexible jetway, as we might have done if we had to do "just" a scenery. I know you all hate those developers that made jetways embedded in the terminal, making it hard to replace them but, it must be said this is MORE optimized than modeling them as separate objects.
The flexibility to change jetways on your own and combine them in infinite variations, comes with *some* fps cost, which we keep under control, because we draw only ONE animated jetway at the time. As usual, there's no free lunch with software and, usually, what you win in flexibility, you lose in performances.
But fps is just HALF of the problem.
The other half is that, in addition to draw lots of animated jetways instead of one ( the static model is likely 10x faster than the dynamic one) we would have to continuously monitor AI airplanes, exchanging lots of additional data through Simconnect, which would risk disrupting other addons.
Yes, of course, someone might say "why you don't do that for the closer AI only ?". Well, of course we would but, in order to know if they are close, you must still check all the AI in the airport. And, at a certain point, jetways will "snap" from static to dynamic and vice-versa while you change your position (while taxiing, for example), and this switch WILL create STUTTERS, because the simulator is not very efficient in creating objects in multi-threading.
When you activate a jetway in GSX, which triggers switching from a static to a dynamic, there IS a small pause, but you don't care because you are parked. And, in order to prevent visual glitches, we create the dynamic jetway *underground*, then we WAIT like a second or two (to allow enough time to finish loading it), then we move it at the correct height. Now, imagine taxiing on a complex airport, with AI jetways constantly switching from static to dynamic
because you are getting closer, with a second of stuttering in between.
Please, don't think for a moment we haven't thought of this. The LAST thing we need to hear, is someone with 250 parked AI saying "I installed GSX Level 2, and it killed my fps and transformed the simulator in a stutter fest"
