UT2 does make it extremely simple to substitute any of their weaker looking models/paints for others already installed in your simobjects folder. I was so glad I kept my WOAI paints even when I installed UT2, because of that feature. UT2's heavy jets are supplied by the mainstream professional AI authors (Aardvark, The Fruit Stand, DJC) and their paints look incredible. The props and regional jets are another story!Basically, I kept all the UT2 models for the heavies, only substituting with WOAI or newer paints if the paint scheme had been updated or the engine model was incorrect (UT2 assigns one engine per a/c, whereas the freeware models account for the differences between A320 IAE/CFM, Boeing RR/GE/PW....) All of my regional AI are from repaints from the likes of Avsim users or Alpha India or AI Malcontent. UT2 has great features to improve FPS as mentioned above, and the best thing to do if FPS come to a crawl at approach is to just hit a keystroke and have UT2 temporarily zap AI. I have 100% AI from UT2, and 100% FSX AI for the bgl traffic files I use for cargo, charter, bizjet, military; and ground a/c spawn at 50 miles, and hidden when above 18000 ft.

Sounds like we have it set up almost the same way.

I was so glad I kept my WOAI paints even when I installed UT2, because of that feature.

I did the same, in fact, minus all 350 or so of the WOAI traffic bgl's, I kept all the models and paints installed + the cargo bgls that UT2 doesn't cover. It really came in handy having all that WOAI stuff installed for swaping out models and assigning paints for things that UT2 was missing.

UT2 has great features to improve FPS as mentioned above, and the best thing to do if FPS come to a crawl at approach is to just hit a keystroke and have UT2 temporarily zap AI.

Same thing I do if the situation warrents it. I assigned the "T" key for my kill traffic function. Fortunately the models are optimimed enough that killing all the traffic isn't required all that often since it seems like even 100% UT2 AI doesn't cause that much of an FPS hit, but it comes in handy to be able to make it disappear and then reappear with a single key stroke.

and ground a/c spawn at 50 miles, and hidden when above 18000 ft.

I've never tried using a spawn as far as 50 miles. Do you notice any benefit of having it at 50 miles as opposed to 25 miles? I usually keep mine at 25 miles and hidden ground AI at 10,000' to avoid any hit at lower transition altitudes. It's pretty cool that you can adjust these variables so easily.

Yep, I'm on a quest to install traffic via the traditional bgl method for all the obscure, bizjet, charter, military etc AI not covered by UT2. For airlines I like the UT2 method of having them fly real world routings, so I go the extra step of importing those bgls into UT2 powerpack. Its alot of work, so I only do that for major airlines with significant traffic.....cargo airlines I keep it simple and will just stick with bgls (they tend to fly at odd times anyways so no big deal if they fly direct great circle, and it would take years to make a Powerpack file for the GA bizjets, so those stay bgl)Regarding the 50 mile spawn, I do that so I can have a/c lined up for departure at the destination airports. There may be a fps hit, but I don't notice it. Since I have a high end system, and mipped all the daytime AI textures, I can't really complain about 100% AI, but there are those few instances at heavy traffic hubs (i.e. the NY area) where I will have reduce UT2 traffic density, or worst case scenario, zap completely. I love the zap approach traffic feature, even though I have AI smooth, I have run into some conflicts on final approach. See below screenshot, Westjet 737 sliced through me at the OM at CYYZ.

Regarding the 50 mile spawn, I do that so I can have a/c lined up for departure at the destination airports. There may be a fps hit, but I don't notice it. Since I have a high end system, and mipped all the daytime AI textures, I can't really complain about 100% AI, but there are those few instances at heavy traffic hubs (i.e. the NY area) where I will have reduce UT2 traffic density, or worst case scenario, zap completely.

I just tried a quick 100 mile flight to KMIA with the 50 mile spawn to see if it made any difference on my system. Like you mentioned I did notice more AI in que to depart than I did with the 25 mile spawn and fortunately I didn't notice any dip in FPS either. I was a little concerned since my rigs not as up to date as yours and not as fast as well, but frankly it didn't seem to make a difference in FPS versus the 25 mile spawn I was set at.I mipped all my AI as well, lol. That's usually the first thing I do when I install new AI. Its a beating doing a whole bunch like when I first installed UT2, even using a batch conversion it still takes a bit of time, but well worth it in my opinion. I remember prior to UT2 comming out I spent about a day downloading all the WOAI packages which at that time was about 200 plus packages, then installing all of them, then converting the bgls, then mipping all the textures. Man it was a total beating and like I said between all the steps, bgl conversions and mipping, it took me the better part of the day to do.

I highly recommend the 50 mile radius, its great for the takeoff queue traffic on approach. I believe UT2 was asked to incorporate that because users were complaining of AI ground traffic spawning at airports after they arrived, this just adds a touch more realism to busy airports, and the performance hit (if any) is negiligble. I haven't tested to see if the cutoff altitude for ground traffic has any impact on my system, but I'm sure it does have some impact. Like you said, when you are in cruise in a jet, you aren't seeing that traffic anyways (although I do like to go to AI view and marvel at the AI around me in the boring cruise phase of flight and do miss seeing the airports I pass over populated, it is a necessary tradeoff to manage fps.Mipmapping is like the best kept secret to achieving higher FPS with high density AI traffic, as well as removing unwanted shimmering. I was so happy I tried it out earlier this year after discovering a batch tool to convert all UT2 repaints, and wished I had done it sooner. But without a batch process, I don't believe I would have ever tried it.

...But without a batch process, I don't believe I would have ever tried it.

Yeah me neither, lol. Can you imagine trying to mip literally thousands of textures one at a time using DXTBmp. If that were the case, I think I would just go without AI all together, than spend days if not months individually mipping AI textures.I actually mip some of my user a/c as well and sceneries that don't come with mip maps, like much of the stuff from Aerosoft. Makes a big difference in sceneries as well.

I actually mip some of my user a/c as well and sceneries that don't come with mip maps, like much of the stuff from Aerosoft. Makes a big difference in sceneries as well.

Good point, once I became accustomed to seeing shimmer free AI, the shimmers in my addon airports became a nuisance, so I applied the same technique to those as well. For the sceneries I didn't downgrade from DXT3 or 32bit to DXT1, I left those as they were but with mips added.Funny, now I see details in the sim that I used to ignore, like the shimmering of my user a/c liveries , the VCs, and anything scenery related that stands vertically (i.e. light poles) If I could figure out how to mip those I probably would try it, but for the most part the liveries and sceneries are .dds files and I have no idea how to mip them (I guess I could convert them to dxt and mip, but I am afraid of messing things up)

767 fan,I wrote a guide to mipmapping for Windows XP a couple of years ago, now outdated but still useful, which you can download from here.Unfortunately DDS converter doesn't work under Windows 7 so you will need some different tools unless you have Photoshop.If you have Photoshop, download the Nvidia DDS plugin and use that to open DDS files and save them, with mipmaps, in DXT1 (no alpha) or DXT5 (alpha) format. You can even create an Action in Photoshop to mipmap your textures with one click.Photoshop won't open mipmapped BMP's. You will need to convert them to PSD or Extended BMP first.If you don't have photoshop, you will need to use DXTBMP and/ or Imagetool (FSX SDK) and homemade batch commands to add mipmaps to your textures.Always backup your textures before messing with them.Good luck,Toby

If I could figure out how to mip those I probably would try it, but for the most part the liveries and sceneries are .dds files and I have no idea how to mip them (I guess I could convert them to dxt and mip, but I am afraid of messing things up)

I mip .dds files all the time and its super easy and you can even do it in a batch.All you need to do is download the free DDS Converter 2. Here a link http://www.filefront.com/3577988/DDS-Converter-2-1.0/ or do a google search of DDS Converter 2 and you will get a lot of links.Once installed just make a temp folder on your desktop and drag the .dds files you want to mip to that folder. Open DDS Converter and navigate it to the temp folder you just made. Then you will be able to actually open the .dds files once at a time and view them in the little window of the top right of the UI. It will also tell you if and/or how many mip maps the file already has and the compression ie. 32bit, DXT5, DXT3, etc.Then you can either convert them one at a time from 32bit to a DXT of your choice and have it add mips along the way. Or if they are already in the compression you want you just convert them to the same compression again but have it add mips, ie DXT3 to DXT3 w/mips. You can click to do one or highlight all the files and then do it as a batch.There is also an option in the options section to add 0(zero) in the build or add mips section which will let the program decide how many mips to add to each texture automatically or you can type 1 to 10 in the box and it will add the number of mips you specify. Generally, I find it best to leave it set at 0(zero) and let the program decide the best number of mips to add.Make sure to leave the box with a tick mark in it to save the alpha channels or any thing you mip or convert compressions will probably get the alpha channel stripped out of it.As usual, make a back up of the .dds textures your going to work with before you do it in case you mess up or want to revert to the orginals.I've been using this tool sucessfully for a few years now to mip a/c and scenery .dds files and it works really great. If you need any help or me to post any screen shots explaining the settings let me know and I will post some shots for you to look at.RegardsPOST EDIT: I didn't know Toby was responding as well while I was writing this and wasn't aware that DDS Converter doesn't work under Win7.POST EDIT 2: I forgot to mention that you can mip .dds textures also in DXTBmp which may or may not work in Win7. The only thing is I am not sure if you can do a batch style in DXTBmp. I usually do them one at a time if using that tool.

Toby,Did you ever try adjusting any of the JS41 config options I mentioned in one of my earlier replies to you? I was interested to see if you tried and picked up any FPS by making those adjustments?

Thanks for the advice, I have bookmarked this thread for the future.

cmpbellsjc, do you have a real name? :)I tried those options but in the end, lowering the scenery complexity is what worked best for me.Thanks for your help,Toby

cmpbellsjc, do you have a real name? :)

Depends on which forum I am posting in, lol :-) You can call me Sebastian.

I tried those options but in the end, lowering the scenery complexity is what worked best for me.Thanks for your help,Toby

Yeah, that's usually the single biggest adjustment I have found that can really effect FPS, either good or bad depending on the direction you move it, is the scenery complexity slider.

Depends on which forum I am posting in, lol :-) You can call me Sebastian.

:( :( :(

:( :( :(

B)