Then it comes down to the old adage, if you think you can do better, go do it better. I don't know how professional these guys are or whether they take a stipend or salary from this magazine. I for one don't hugely rate reviews. I like entertaining reads, I like PCZone for that reason. I think I can generally cut through the crap to get to the game but even then my perception will still be completly different from the reviewers. Thats human nature. The only person who can decide whether a game is any good or not is me. And I can only go and do that if I go out and buy it. But then I'm not particularily a games whore. I like what I likes and I get what I likes. If the game doesn't end up being all that then so be it. Such is life.

I don't think it's a bad idea to set up an LFS mag. But you need someone dedicated and reliable to keep it going and to pester contributers and to keep it lively, up to speed and interesting. I don't see LFS providing that month in month out. Other content would be needed. Prehaps an expansion into the community. There must be so many differenet lives out there. But you still need a figure head, a man in charge. Someone to shout and make it happen. anyone?

Alot of the sense of speed that you get from travelling in a real car comes from all the stimuli that a computer just can't offer you. Those little jiggles as you cross the white lines, that intimate connection you have with your buttocks as they tighten when you realise the front is sliding rather than griping. Those small incidental sounds, doppler effects, 3D stereo, the sound of your Rocker cover smashing as the piston makes a bid for freedom. That feeling of impending doom that if you get anything wrong (Or more scary I find is mechanical failure or something equally that you have no control over. Did anyone see Top Gear this week?) it's your life on the line. That alone tends to highten sensations and the 'sense of speed'. A computer can't deliver that. It's getting there. With motion rigs, stereo viewing, 3D sounds and the like but your bog standard issue PCWorld special offer ain't gunna give you all that. You can't expect it too. But when you've been driving a while you realise where LFS does get it right and it's all the better for those little things rather than a generic 'feel' of speed.

I do have a solution for you though. Set up your PC in your car. Get your mate to drive and shout out what you are doing at any given moment. Eveytime you shout 'Brake!' He brakes. Everytime you turn left he turns left. That should give a fairly good simulation of 'speed' for you. Plus a fairly hefty insurance bill too.

Now that. Is a good reply.

I might even take him up on his offer. How about "Notes from a Laptop racer" Although I would be hideously biased towards LFS because it's the only thing that will run on an ageing laptop and a half inched wireless connection.

He laid down the gaunlet gents. I think it's only fair that we step up and show him just how organized, witty, clever, eloquent, and savvy us LFS'ers are.

*Edit* Bum. Not Gunns reply. Although quite good and has it's value in it's own way, I meant from matey boy above Gunn. That was a good reply. Sigh.

Dewd . . I mean Sir! Surparsed even my wildest expectations. Thankyou very much. My soul, my babies, muchos kudos and name checks galore . . . .Thanks again. Stunning job.

I don't think Cute and Fluffy are the adjectives I would use . . . Hence why I'm trying to give them away . . .

If it is too headachy don't worry mate. Like I said, It's only because I can't do it. I was just trying the cheek factor and seeing where it got me. Thanks again though. The FZR looks great.

Aw mate. Spot on. Here have my soul. Sir.

Can't wait to get that on line. And yea, I got my gold licence and it's the XRT that I race. Do that and you can have my babies too . . .

I didn't neccesarily begrudge the FXO for being faster, what I did have a problem with was the bully boy tactics of the drivers who can get away with barging and arse nerfing because of the FWD. Watching the STCC Round 5 today really iompressed me in that the FXO drivers where repectful of thier fellow racers. Sure everyone knows that the FXO is faster but if they can't get past then they can't get past.

I did notice that the last time I was on the FXO was definatly in the minority.

Cheers kid. If you could do an XRT for the old STCC Licence thingy I would be eternally grateful.

With you there. XRT is the only thing for me.

It's taken me ages to figure out the setup process for it and how to drive it but I won't race the FXO out of principle (Raced the XRG till I had my gold.) And the RB4 just doesn't float my boat.

I'm not sure why people are getting thier knickers in such a twist over this system. It's clear, concise and well admined. You don't pay for the privalage and it's not like anyone else has put in the hard craft to set up a rival system.

I don't feel I'm in a position to critsize if a: I havn't paid for it and B: I'm not willing to put in the work to give any moral standpoint. If I don't like it, I go do something else and absolutly nobody will miss me.

I certainly appreaciate the work you and your cronies put in Becky in al;l things LFS. Keep it up.

Good work again. Good viewing. That shot of Eau Rouge really shows of the physics and just looked brilliant. Your camera angles where impecable again. You really know how to cover the angles and the action.

All you need is a few picnic tables don't you Becs. Laughed out loud when you said that.


Strange start though. I didn't listen to the Qualy 'cast'. But you just seemed to jump straight into it. I almost felt that the highlights at the end could have gone at the start just for a little introduction. Maybe a similar upbeat, fast 2 minute qualy action surmise could have segued into the race. Don't get me wrong, you are doing far more than I could ever do, but as a viewer it just felt a bit like 'oh right, we're off then.'

And as a 'technical' viewer I like hearing about the cars and how you get best out of them. You starting talking about the cars and the way you drive them but you kinda drifted off. I mean, like, why the RB4 was particularily effective on this track or why the XRT could never be competative. Having raced in your Licence system I kinda look to these broadcasts to learn how to improve my own racing and setups. What are the chances of getting more technical in your runup or general commentary. It was good to hear from a league racerabout the inns and outs of racing but he didn't say enough!!

but great work kids. Roll on round 6.

Haha . . Thankyou. Didnt' think of going there. I was going all around LFSWorld and all sorts. But not there. Cool.

Ta.

Ok. It's a team of one. Me. And me can't work out how to skin, cause I is thick and don't have the time to try and work it out. But I know some of you damn sexy, fine body of men and women out there can bash these things out in seconds and actually take some enjoyment from doing so . . . So good people step forward. Funnybear would like some skin sets if he could be so bold as to ask. As the saying goes, if you don't ask you don't gets.

They would be really simple (But if you like go complicated. So long as it's pretty. I was only going for simple for simplicity's sake) Purple base with my User Logo as the team badge either blazened across the bonnet or some such thing.

I do actually think it's slightly cheeky for me to ask other people to do this for me. But I just can't get my head around photoshop and the like. Just not up my ally. But if anyone is up for it, let me know. I would like a fairly comprehensive set for all cars, but that surely is a lot of work. I only really drive a few of the cars in all honesty.

Well. Cheers anyway. I'll hear from yer if I hear from yer . . .

I'm like the proverbial Deaf elderly relative here. You know, that grandad that everyone has who starts laughing at the joke that was told three converstations ago and then won't stop. Thats me that is. Anyway, a few questions. And an Exlamation.

'When was it again?'

'Whats going on?'

'Who are you?'

'I know you!'

Ignore that last one. And as for the others I can find out I know. Just being slow.

Ummm. what was I going to say. Oh yes, Back on topic.

I couldn't give a monkeys about the timetable. You guys seem more than in control. I will just turn up and go where I'm put. Or qualify. Which will be somehwere towards the rear . . .Should be getting a new car this week so if anyone is Oxford based or A34 corridor let me know and we can come to some arrangement . . .

As per usual I come late to the fray but my offerings are always worthy . . . of discarding as utter drivel . . .

I have never, ever, played GPL, GFL, GPS or whatever it is. Not meaning that I don't want to play it, I think anything rigged up to a mover and shaker and linked to other nutters within shouting distance is gunna be a bit of a larf. I voted for no preference. I'm still up for it but if I'm called in to work I will have too pull out so Bobby boy, put me down but you can't rely on me. I can firm up closer to the time, I can tell you whether I can make it too. Get it, see what I did there . . Firm up and telll you. No? Hmmm. My humour chip must be malfunctioning again. Theres only so much overclocking you can do.

But I digress. I would prefer LFS because I know it and would love to see how it behaves on linked up rigs but it would a great day out whatever you decided to run with.

Cheers.

Da Beer. . . Bear. Sorry.

*Edit* And could someone please tell how to get rid of that damn welsh flag from my Username. Unless someone moved Oxford when I wasn't looking I need the Ingerland standard. But for the life of me I can't find out where to do it. Probs just being very dense again. Which will come as no surprise to any of you.

Last edited by Funnybear, Tue 30 Jan 2007, 15:04.

True . . . Can also be refered as the Dutch city for the amount of bloody bikes . . .

No odss really, I'm either working or I ain't . . . .

Who's bringing the cheese?

You got me buddy. If I can get my car going. (Should do by then. If I can't then my life skills are really shit!). Hell, even if I can't get my car going Southhampton is but a mere hour by train.

Keep me posted.

Edit - Oxford?

Thats my stomp. I'll buddy up with yer . . .

Ands it only an hour . . and a bit on a bad day., I know 'cause I've just finished some training down there. Well I say an hour. It's an hour omce on the A34 and I wasn't going right into Southhampton but around to Melwood instead. But's defianatly less than a couple of hours, unless you factor in finding the place and fellow travellers then it might run into a few hours. Hell, it could even up the ante to three . . . jeez, I'll be talking myself out of coming soon . . .

Last edited by Funnybear, Mon 8 Jan 2007, 18:12.

You get three a month I think . . . . And for anyone to give you one is a touch dodgy to say the least . . . .

But you should have more than enough Unlocks to sort yourself out again.

LFS is time consuming. You might just fancy a quick blast here and there but you will find and you will probable get frustrated with the fact that you will be slow, whatever car you choose.

I'm fairly standard with my approach, I drive the FZR. I've learnt it, I know it's limitations and how it should be driven. With that I have developed a setup that takes into account the handling characturisitcs and my own driving approach. I might dip into something else every once in a while but I always return to the FZR. I can drive the beast.

So, I dunno what you should do. Just pick a car, drive it for a while. Think you like it? Then carry on driving and start getting your laptimes down. Don't like it? then try a different flavour.

Funnybear. Means a Bear that is Funny.

The meaning slightly changes when my full name is used . . .

Funnylookingteddybear.

Which means the teddy Bear is slightly Funny looking in a very self depricating kinda way. With conetations of cuddlyness with the usage of 'Teddybear'. But it can also be used with overtones of ferociousness with the 'Bear'. I like ambiguity. Means I don't have to rely on my own personality, I can just rely on what other people think I am . . . Much more interesting.

If the community wants it . . . thats what the community wants. And anyway, although extremely well done, the site isn't exactly official is it. One thing though, prehaps the list of names could be a bit longer, just seeing the top five doesn't leave much scope for a quick vote.

You sound like you've got your heart in exactly the right place for online racing Convict my Across Pond cousin. But you have to remember that at the end of the day it's not always going to be your fault. You obviously understand that your not the fastest and that you don't have all the answers, unfortuantly a number of folks out there think they do when really they don't. Thats just racing. Experiance will be able to give you more of an ability to watch for those people and understand (By car placement, agressiveness, general 'feeling'and historical context) who you can race well against and who needs to be watched and possible given a wide berth.

Just keep up the practice, try out some other car\track combo's, learn how to do some basic setup procedures and you'll soon develop some racing savvy.

You will get Tossers wherever you race but if you enjoy LFS for what it can give you then you will always find those golden moments that make the odd Tossership worth it.

Just keep racing and loving. You won't go too wrong.

Untill you qualified that statement MrRogers I was getting really worried that you where being serious . . . . Damn, forgot these again ---> [Sarcasm][\Sarcasm]

Quote from Blackout :

Where have you been funnybear, haven't seen you post here in long time!

No internet access, no computer, no LFS'ing. Still not on too a regular thing but it's getting there. So I'm poking my nose around and seeing whats up.

So . . .


Wassup?