In a recent interview, Aerosoft‘s developers Jo and Lucas, alongside their community manager Rafi, discussed the development process for Mega Airport Frankfurt in Microsoft Flight Simulator. They highlighted their visit to the airport last year, which provided valuable insights into the real-world environment they were aiming to replicate. A key challenge they addressed was optimizing performance for such a large and complex airport, especially given its proximity to the dense urban area of Frankfurt. They achieved this by carefully balancing the 3D model complexity and optimizing level of detail (LOD) management to ensure that the airport remains detailed yet performance-friendly.
The developers also emphasized the terrain work involved, particularly with the airport’s unique elevation profiles. They crafted a mix of terraforming techniques and 3D modeling to accurately depict challenging areas, such as the runway crossing bridge over the highway. Additionally, although Terminal 3 at Frankfurt Airport is not yet operational in real life, they hinted at the possibility of a future update that might include it once it becomes active.
Night lighting and terminal interiors were designed with the flight crew’s perspective in mind, prioritizing the view from the cockpit rather than achieving 100% accuracy in every detail. This approach was chosen to maintain a balance between visual depth and performance, avoiding unnecessary resource strain while still creating an immersive experience. They also included new details like the new apron in the south, a new general aviation apron, and a detailed fire station, along with animated trains to bring the airport environment to life.
The interview concluded with actual footage from their airside visit to Frankfurt Airport, further enhancing the accuracy of their work. The developers announced the release date of Mega Airport Frankfurt for MSFS as September 5th 2024, and they also highlighted their partnership with the VATSIM Crowded Skies event, which will bring even more realism and traffic to the virtual airport environment. Available soon after at SIMMARKET.com !
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