In January 2024, I released KDEN 2.1, further expanding on the overhaul KDEN received in version 2.0. Since then, however, my development in X-Plane has been rather, quiet, due to devoting most of my time to the MSFS port of KDEN. In that time, I finished revamping all airport buildings, bring them in line with modern standards, I've developed new ground textures, improved the terminals, and further updated the airport layout as new information about the expansions has become available. And yet, KDEN for X-Plane, my flagship airport scenery, hasn't changed, and is still relying on some of the original 2018 models...
But, that is about to change! All the new developments I mentioned are not exclusive to MSFS, and will very soon be fully integrated into the X-Plane version! Today I am happy to officially announce the development of KDEN - Denver International Airport Version 2.2 for X-Plane 12! This update is huge and will dramatically improve your experience flying out of Denver International, so, here are some highlights!
Performance
I've heard from many of you a similar sentiment - "KDEN looks great, but can you improve the frame rate?". While KDEN will never be faster than default (on average), it can be faster than it was!
Using the built-in frame rate tester*, KDEN V2.2 on average performs 7% faster on the CPU, and nearly 21% faster on the GPU! And on the bottom 5% frame rates, the times your PC is really getting hit the hardest, KDEN V2.2 currently performs 30% faster on the CPU, and 55% faster on the GPU! These improvements are largely due to better LODs, and some reduction in complexity. While these numbers are subject to change, I expect them to be similar upon release.
Frame Rate isn't everything though, so I'm happy to report, that thanks to LR adding the ability to downscale textures for distant objects, VRAM usage is only marginally higher in the worst case in 2.2, and better in most cases (as much as 1Gb reduction on far runways, and more as you fly further away)!
*Tests conducted over 3 minutes, flying through cargo, GA, and terminal areas. Settings preset 5, C172, VFR partly cloudy, 1440p. Results will vary with situation, but should reflect similar trends.
Ground Textures
One of my favorites, and arguably most impactful improvements, in KDEN V2.2 is the ground textures! Some of the key changes are:
Brand new, much higher resolution and more realistic concrete
Realistic grooves on runway concrete
Most concrete color changes are aligned with concrete tile edges (as they really are)
Brand new markings that are reasonably compliant with FAA standards
Revamped hand painted grunge with 2x the resolution
Revamped alpha-modulating detail textures on tire wear marks
Accurate painted gate stop positions
For comparison, here are what the same locations look like in 2.1, and 2.2.
Signage
The most complex improvement for KDEN is custom taxi signs generated by a custom tool I developed! It works by reading default signs, then generating custom models that are of dramatically higher quality and are reasonably compliant with FAA standards! These will eventually be making their way into all my other sceneries as well! In addition, I will also be partnering with some other fantastic developers to bring customized taxisigns to their airport, so stay tuned ;).
Terminals
In addition to updates to the gate positions, the terminals have also improved various texture improvements, model improvements, and new boarding are details! One of the most impactful changes here however is the height. In prior versions, there was a short wall beneath the windows, when in reality the windows should have been floor to ceiling. By correcting this, the interior details are more readily visible from the aircraft, and overall the terminal proportions just look right!
Here are some side-by-side comparisons of 2.1 and 2.2:
Various Other Improvements
Lastly are also tons of other improvements throughout the airport. All the cargo buildings have been brought up to modern standards. New ultra-low poly baked models are used for distant LODs (which are visually superior to additive LODs, and perform *much* better). Many other models/textures have been improved/newly added. New details have been added, etc. So here are some final previews of some of those changes!
In Closing...
I'd like to thank all of you who have supported my scenery development, and the X-Plane platform! I'm incredibly excited about the future of X-Plane with the new features such as next gen scenery, and various graphics improvements that LR's has teased, and some of the fantastic new things we've gotten already (such as normal map decals, which have been a gamechanger for ground textures).
After KDEN, I have two new small, but beautiful airports nearly ready for release! In addition, updates to bring similar improvements to AEP, and other airports, are planned (and to some extent already in development). While I can't provide a release date for KDEN V2.2, I can tell you it's in the final stages of fixing/polishing so it won't be too long. I can't wait to release this free update for you all to enjoy!