Nearly a year after launching one of its most ambitious projects for Microsoft Flight Simulator, Inibuilds has released a new substantial update for its ultra-detailed KJFK airport scenery. This update, version 1.2.0, introduces a host of improvements aimed at enhancing performance and user experience, especially for those on lower-end systems.
Inibuilds’ rendition of KJFK is a notoriously demanding scenery that pushes users’ systems to the limit. It recreates one of the busiest international airports in the world in one of the most sprawling urban landscapes. This complexity not only challenges the simulation in pure aviation terms but also demands a lot from the hardware. Inibuilds previously addressed these challenges with version 1.1.0, launched in October, and now seeks to further refine the experience with the new version 1.2.0.
In this update, the development studio has tackled several performance issues reported by users, introducing options within the iniManager’s scenery config panel for significant performance optimization. A key feature of this update is the option to completely disable detailed interiors, replacing them with parallax windows. This adjustment has been shown to greatly improve performance during initial tests, providing a smoother experience for users.
Additionally, the update includes further LOD optimizations, alongside optimized textures, 3D modeling, and other changes dedicated almost entirely to improving the scenery’s performance.
The full changelog is available below. As for the update, it is now available for MSFS via the iniBuilds Manager.
KJFK v1.2.0 Release Notes:
T4, T8 & Satellite, Tower and TWA hotel:
- Models split into smaller sections
- LOD values adjusted as necessary
- Overall material resolution and count reduction
- Further implementation of instancing
- Added option for parallax when detailed interiors not in use
- Fixed multiple model issues (stretched UVs, gaps in mesh, missing objects)
- Added emissive boost to floodlights
- Implemented smaller LOD radius
Interiors:
- Reduced amount of people models by approximately 50%
- Separated mesh to ensure none have greater than 65,000 vertices, improving portability on low end devices.
- Reduced material count and replaced materials with vertex colour
- Use of instancing on seats and gates
- Adjusted LOD values
Other:
- All jetways now have LODs
- Some default assets removed (superfluous)
- Several duplicate elements removed
- Removed hidden interior details from AA Cargo
- ILS freqs now visible on VFR map
- LODs added to all major buildings within the airport boundary
