Short definition: TLOD and OLOD are graphics settings in flight simulators that control how far away terrain and objects are drawn in higher detail before lower-detail versions are used.
Detailed explanation: TLOD stands for Terrain Level of Detail, and OLOD stands for Object Level of Detail. TLOD affects the clarity and detail of ground features such as terrain shapes, textures and photogrammetry at distance. OLOD affects buildings, trees, airport objects and other 3D items. Higher values usually improve visual quality and reduce visible pop-in, especially on approach or when looking towards complex scenery. However, higher settings also increase the load on the CPU, GPU and memory, which can reduce frame rate and smoothness. These settings are often adjusted to balance image quality with stable performance, particularly at busy airports or in dense urban areas.
Key considerations:
- Very high TLOD or OLOD settings can cause poor performance on weaker systems.
- A common mistake is raising both settings to maximum without checking frame time or system bottlenecks.
- In practice, these settings can affect how smooth final approach, taxi and camera panning feel in demanding scenery.
