Hey...
Yer back!

"Live and learn"... If I didn't think my signature line at the bottem of my posts wasn't so damb funny.... I'd change it to "Live and learn"!

Anyways... I'm thinkin yer on the right track at not only fixing your frame rate, but also improving it along with reducing upload and download time...
That's a big deal! With my humungous terrains, frame rate is everything to me...
I think once you get yer project done... You will have a great frame rate... but if and when you update to A8*... your frame rate will sky-rocket!

A couple of other notes...

Have you created a "Starter" screen for the project?
(If not... I can help you with that...)

Have you considered adding a Trailer/movie clip between the starter screen and the level load?
If not... I can help you with that too.)

I'll be glad to help you as much as I am able to !
I wish that I knew more... coding is not my strong point !
Or modeling... or animation... It's Terrain and Level Design...

Anyways... write when ya want...