WARNING : THIS IS A TEST

NOTE : THIS DOES NOT CONTAIN NEW TYRE PHYSICS OR ANY NEW CONTENT

PLEASE TEST BEFORE YOU POST


Hello Racers,

Here is a new TEST PATCH : 0.6Q9

This is only a minor update as I have mainly been working on the tyre physics.
There is an improvement in the car shadow system, which until now could cast shadows in the wrong direction.
Skid marks now remain remain when the race restarts and are visible on layout objects.
There is a new map view for open configurations and the track selection screen.
Please read the list of changes below for more information.

0.6Q9 is fully compatible with 0.6Q

- You can connect online with 0.6Q
- You can play replays from 0.6Q

You cannot upload hotlaps made with this test patch because it is only a test patch, not an official patch.

Please keep a backup of your LFS.exe from 0.6Q so you can easily go back if there are any problems.


Changes from 0.6Q7 to 0.6Q9 :

Small map opacity can now be set for light and dark map colours
Westhill paths adjusted and regenerated to avoid graphical holes
Autocross paths regenerated and physical hole fixed at skid pad


Changes from 0.6Q6 to 0.6Q7 :

Small map rotation enabled on new open configuration maps
Small map is now available on car park and autocross areas
Improvements on track selection screen using the area maps
Improved and cleaned up the Westhill, Rockingham, Kyoto maps


Changes from 0.6Q3 to 0.6Q6 :

New map view for open configurations and track selection screen
Skid marks now remain when race restarts (excluding replays)
Skid marks are now visible on unmovable layout objects

FIX : Missing part of shadows at rear of LX4 and LX6
FIX : Shadows seen from a distance were not affected by haze effect


Changes from 0.6Q to 0.6Q3 :

Shadows are no longer cast upwards or towards the light
Ambient (non-direct) shadow darkness now depends on distance
New text command /lang X to load language (data\language\X.txt)
Increased LOD distances of humans / drivers / marshalls

FIX : LFS could crash using /axload with a long layout name
FIX : Traffic lights did not work after texture resolution change


INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS :

A FULL version of LFS 0.6Q must already be installed

To install the PATCH using the SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE :

1) Move or save the patch into your main LFS folder
2) Double click the patch to extract it to that folder
3) When you see "Confirm File Replace" select "Yes to All"
4) Now you can start LFS in the normal way

NOTE : You can see if the patch is correctly installed when you run
the program (LFS.exe). At the bottom of the entry screen : 0.6Q9


DOWNLOADS :

PATCH 0.6Q TO 0.6Q9 (SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE) (if you already have 0.6Q) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6Q_TO_6Q9.exe (13 MB)

Last edited by Scawen, Mon 23 Jan 2017, 20:44.

Thanks, everyone.

My thoughts are to get the tyre physics done without delays, without looking for perfection, just to get something out there that feels good and has a physical basis. The current public version tyre physics system uses some made-up force curves that are somewhat like real ones, and tuned to give reasonable output values, but they are not produced from an actual physical theory. The lateral and longitudinal forces are combined in a way that also is not based on physics, and was simply constructed to give a reasonable feeling.

In the new tyre physics, the forces are produced from code that follows physical laws, instead of looking up the forces from a curve. Lateral and longitudinal forces are output naturally, rather than being 'combined' in an arbitrary way.

There are assumptions involved, but they are 'known' assumptions that are there for a reason and can be improved upon in the future.

Anyway, I hope to continue with the work pace I have been doing in recent times, and don't see why this can't be the case.

The cars were only one example. that's why I said "for example". For another example, the graphical systems need further updating before releasing public track editors. For example, I would prefer to have a new shadow system in place before releasing community editors that require community members to render their tracks using the outdated shadow rendering system. When the shadows are updated, tracks will need to be updated using the new shadow system.

Once again, it all comes back to the tyre physics, because after the tyre physics are completed, I can get back to the graphical updates.

There is no higher priority than the tyre physics. Remember, tyre physics... Scirocco... many years ago...

I guess you are joking but, to make it quite clear anyway, I have to go through all cars reworking them after the tyre physics change. Basically giving them more realistic settings and design considerations to suit the more realistic physics.

The point is that if community made cars are available, it would be extremely difficult to rework 10,000 cars to remove all the bodges they have included to get around the flaws in the old physics.

There are so many reasons not to release community editors for an unfinished piece of software, I hope I don't need to explain it any more!

That is apart from the fact that updating editors and providing download services, compatibility checking, approval systems and so on will be many months of work, and as I keep saying, I don't want any more delays to the tyre physics.

Quote from Nats-Dad :

Much though I like the upgrades, is there any chance of some new tracks that we can race on, or release a track maker/editor for people to create they're own tracks as an lfs community projects

We have always been interested in eventually releasing track and vehicle editors and we still hope to do so. But the idea has always beem to "finish" LFS first, and that means S3 license with some more default content and with updated tyre physics. For example, there is no point letting community members loose on developing cars, when the tyre physics would be changed significantly at some point.

Quote from nacim :

Thanks for the update Scawen. I was wondering, since you are refactoring the tyre physics simulation, it is possible to implement some multithreading, even in a basic form (physics in another thread)?

I am interested to do this and it would be possible after the tyre physics is released. It is particularly difficult to do at the moment while there are two entirely separate branches of Live for Speed. It's a big task and not something I'd like to do twice.

As mentioned before, completing the tyre physics will allow many more possibilities for the future of LFS.

Banned cargame.nl for a month.
His previous post goes too far.
Better to have a break from here.

Meanwhile, I'm working on the tyre physics. The VR support really needed the 3D mirrors and that's why I did it. It really is the icing on the cake for VR support. Actually as I stated before there is something pretty bad about 2D mirrors in VR!

Yeah, we all know I need to get back on the tyre physics. I've started looking into that today, reading a few things, thinking how to start tackling the problems, seeing where I'm at, coming up with a plan of attack.

I think it's a case of coming in from two directions. One, looking in the code, making some notes, removing any code which is based on false assumptions, then coming up with good models to replace it. Two, at the same time, reading up on the elements that need to be modelled better. Plenty of testing all the way and extracting data to compare with real world data, and making sure everything scales nicely...

I will not try to aim for perfection. Far from it, the aim is to produce something that feels better to drive than the old tyre model for the sake of online racing. It will be a closer match with the behaviour of real world tyres, and will be based on reasonable assumptions and approximations, that can be improved upon in the future.


About the 0.6Q update. 3D mirrors were on my list for a long time. 2D mirrors really look quite bad in VR, as if there were LCD screens where your mirrors should be. Totally wrong. One day it just came to me how to do them. A half day experiment proved to me that the concept would work. As usual I thought it would all be done in a few days, but in fact was more like six weeks, with all the complications that came up and trying not to lose too much frame rate. I'm really happy with the result and LFS graphics came on a small step for everyone.

GamerMuscle has made a video featuring the new mirrors in LFS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKBNfJFNkUY

Last edited by Scawen, Tue 6 Sep 2016, 16:56.

There are some complications with allowing virtual mirror at the same time as real mirrors in the new system. Mainly because it is no longer possible for them to use the same rendered image. The central mirror is narrower than a virtual mirror and its direction depends on the head position, so it is not compatible with the virtual mirror. A virtual mirror would have to be drawn as a separate image.

It's possible but not easy and I'm not really keen on doing it. I can't do it for this coming official version because I hope to release it very soon and get back to the tyre physics.

WARNING : THIS IS A TEST

NOTE : THIS DOES NOT CONTAIN NEW TYRE PHYSICS OR ANY NEW CONTENT

PLEASE TEST BEFORE YOU POST

PLEASE AVOID : OFF-TOPIC FEATURE REQUESTS / UNRELATED COMMENTS


Hello Racers,

Here is a new TEST PATCH : 0.6P9

- Realistic mirrors rendered from separate viewpoints
- Stereoscopic mirrors in VR and other 3D modes
- Controller improvements including a steering wheel turn limiter
- A new "walk" option for free view mode (SHIFT+U)
- Please read the change log below

0.6P9 is fully compatible with 0.6P

- You can connect online with 0.6P
- You can play replays from 0.6P

You cannot upload hotlaps made with this test patch because it is only a test patch, not an official patch.

Please keep a backup of your LFS.exe from 0.6P so you can easily go back if there are any problems.


Changes from 0.6P8 to 0.6P9 :

Mirrors :

Mirror offset sliders only shown if a car has an interior mirror

Graphics :

Improved detection of nearby objects that should be shadowed

Fixes :

Unassigned controls regained default key or button on restart


Changes from 0.6P7 to 0.6P8 :

Mirrors :

Increased resolution of mirror texture
Accurate view frustum for object culling in mirrors
Increased virtual mirror width from 0.3 to 0.333

Graphics :

Improved lighting on tyres and drivers - noticeable in dark places
Smoothed downward ambient lighting colour to avoid flickering

Misc :

New text command /horn X to set horn type (X = 1 to 5)

Fixes :

Your own car's shadow was not visible in the mirrors


Changes from 0.6P6 to 0.6P7 :

Mirrors :

Mirror adjustment and other view settings change with driver side
Reduced mirror up/down adjustment range to 20 degrees each way

Graphics :

Car shadow is now drawn when you are in an internal view

Fixes :

Mirror views could become corrupted when the car was damaged
Extreme adjustment of one mirror could corrupt other mirror views
Added checks to avoid a crash in LFS after a graphics driver error

Misc :

More translation updates - thank you translators


Changes from 0.6P5 to 0.6P6 :

Mirrors :

Increased vertical adjustment range for central mirror position
Added a "Default position" button to restore moved mirrors
Improved shape of interior mirror for XR road cars

Fixes :

Audio devices were sometimes displayed using the wrong code page

Misc :

Various translations updated - thank you translators


Changes from 0.6P4 to 0.6P5 :

Mirrors :

Adjustment values are now displayed and can be typed in
Additional translation strings for left and right mirrors

Fixes :

Objects could disappear with extreme up or down mirror adjustment


Changes from 0.6P3 to 0.6P4 :

Mirrors :

Mirror adjustment is now possible (in View Options)

Fixes :

Raceabout passenger seated positions were missing
Various steering animations included some unwanted leg movement
Internal mirror setting was overwritten by external setting on load
Helmet in mirror no longer moves with view when using a custom view


Changes from 0.6P2 to 0.6P3 :

Mirrors :

Mirrors are now realistic and include your own car in the image
A separate viewpoint is used to draw each mirror's view
Minor updates to some car models to improve visibility
Mirrors now use the same LOD setting as the main view
Virtual mirror is now available in follow view

VR :

Mirrors now use a full 3D view

Minor graphical updates :

Corrected downward ambient lighting colour (was too bright)
Slight reduction in near clipping plane distance

Multiplayer :

Increased UDP send buffer size from 12KB to 32KB


Changes from 0.6P to 0.6P2 :

Free view (SHIFT+U mode) :

Free view is now shown as an option in the Escape Menu
New walk mode which is good for wandering around in VR

Controllers :

Exit controller screen warning is not shown for real ESC key press
FF device is automatically assigned (if two or more are connected)
A single controller can now be selected (if two or more connected)
LFS tries to move force feedback wheel to centre when car is reset
Button and axis numbers now start at 1 (affects /button and /axis)
Assigned arrow keys work better (e.g. movement in free view mode)

Force feedback steering wheel turn limitation :

In your wheel settings use a large turn amount e.g. 900 degrees
In LFS Options - Controls set "Wheel turn" slider to match that
In LFS Options - Controls set "Wheel turn compensation" to 1.00
You should now find your wheel is correctly limited in all cars

VR :

Mouse look in free view mode in VR avoids pitch (stays horizontal)
Rift errors "display lost" and "HMD not present" shown as message

Misc :

You can now select a specific audio device in Audio Options screen
D3DCompiler_43.dll and D3DX9_43.dll are now supplied in dll folder
The card_cfg.txt file is no longer used - options moved to cfg.txt


INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS :

A FULL version of LFS 0.6P must already be installed

To install the PATCH using the SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE :

1) Move or save the patch into your main LFS folder
2) Double click the patch to extract it to that folder
3) When you see "Confirm File Replace" select "Yes to All"
4) Now you can start LFS in the normal way

NOTE : You can see if the patch is correctly installed when you run
the program (LFS.exe). At the bottom of the entry screen : 0.6P9


DOWNLOADS :

PATCH 0.6P TO 0.6P9 (SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE) (if you already have 0.6P) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6P_TO_6P9.exe (3.0 MB)

PATCH 0.6P TO 0.6P9 (ALTERNATIVE ZIP) (if you already have 0.6P) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6P_TO_6P9.zip (3.9 MB)


FOR HOSTING ONLY

DEDICATED HOST 0.6P9 (non-graphical version for hosting only) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_S3_DCON_6P9.zip (1.8 MB)

Last edited by Scawen, Sat 3 Sep 2016, 00:04. Reason : 0.6P9

Quote from Sobis :

Thank you for the report! It's always nice to see development regardless of the scale . Sorry for the useless post but I feel like encouraging you to write even these small reports.

No problem, sometimes I find a break is needed then getting back into work with a few useful features is a good start. As you know, I want to get some serious progress done on the tyre physics as it will allow a lot of possibilities for LFS in the future.

Quote from lfsrm :

It's true that a nearly dead community is a motivation killer for a dev.

But still am happy to see some new stuff even if it's irrelevant for the major part of users.

I don't see a "nearly dead" community. Obviously there is less activity than there was in the past, but death isn't the word that springs to mind if you actually look at what's going on. Looking at the lfsworld graphs there is still an *average* of around 150 *licensed* people online at any time and the number of licensed people online often goes above 250. Yeah, quite a few of these are drifting or cruising but there is racing going on every day, if you choose to join a server.

We are not lacking in motivation. Actually work has picked up a lot since those quiet years and I see a good future in LFS. I work at a more sustainable rate and also have a hobby and a family, so that's quite balanced really.

I believe that the things we add to LFS in the future will be good fun and there will be ups and downs in the online activity.

Yes, we announced it but did not release it because we didn't like the way the car had to be set up. It showed up flaws in the tyre physics. I went into a massive push to sort out the tyre physics but it turned out more difficult the more I found out about it as the months went by. That time was also at the end of a period of many years of very hard work. We also moved house to a different part of the country after our children were born and work ended up slowing, except for vital updates.

Eventually I got into cross country cycling and stopped smoking which is good because I am healthier and will hopefully live longer. The VR support was a boost for us and now I'm well beyond stage 1 of my cycling hobby. I'm able to work a lot and still do a few rides each week. I've been trying to get this stage of VR development sorted so I can get back to the tyre physics which will allow more types of vehicle to be simulated.

EDIT: Removed the final part, the explanation is above. We made some decisions that weren't the best but I believe we are getting back on track. The new tyre physics will really help, along with new content.

Last edited by Scawen, Sat 23 Apr 2016, 09:04.

Obviously I agree it is a pity there isn't more choice of licensed racing servers at the moment. We are working hard on things to improve the situation. We're beyond that slow period we went through a few years ago. I'm sure the new track and tyre physics will help, and some new types of vehicle, though these are still some months away. I've been trying to make sure LFS is the best VR sim racing experience to get some more people in that way.

One thing though, people could help by actually going online. I see a LOT of people saying, this would be fun if only there were people to race with. Well... guess who can do something about that? It's no good looking at the list of hosts then not joining. Instead, pick one and go there, even if it's empty. At least one person has to join or it obviously will be empty! The next person who comes along might just join you.

Quote from bobloblaw :

Xbox 360 controller: all axes are correct, but throttle/brake are reversed. It defaulted to throttle/brake invert 1, while invert 0 gives correct setup. (assuming we want throttle on right, brake on left)

Thank you for the test and feedback.

Quote from bobloblaw :

Did some laps without sound, its amazing how much immersion breaks when the car starts to slide (or, how important sound is in immersion). I'm sure you were already planning on it, but I think updating the tire sound process while you're in that rabbit hole will provide a huge boost to immersion, especially for new VR users that may not have a FFB wheel.

I was a bit confused at first but I think you mean when I get stuck into the tyre physics again?

Quote from T3charmy :

Since we're working on the controller, Would it be possible we could add something for the steering axis similar to what you can do with keyboard(steer rate/return rate) for those of us playing with handheld controllers such as PS4, Xbox controllers.

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll pass them through my mind but I don't really expect to dive deep into controller support at this time.

Quote from T3charmy :

Edit: Xbox one controller doesn't get the Accel/Brake settings correctly. Mine are reporting as combined, and the default setting is separate. Changing to combined causes the correct axis to be selected, but invert is set to 1 by default, which as bobloblaw is the opposite of what you'd expect. All other settings seem reasonable

I am not sure why your XBox one controller doesn't have separate axes. Mine (a wireless one that came with the Rift engineering sample) does have separate axes, just using the Microsoft auto-installed driver. I'm not sure how I can distinguish between the two. Does yours report only 5 axes? Mine reports 6.

Quote from Skytrill :

I can confirm what bobloblaw is saying about the throttle and brake being reversed (on a PS3 controller) after renaming the .con file and starting LFS again.

Thank you for this test. Actually I got that inverse setting from your original post (see below) also stated by K0Z3L_43V3R, though I think he was doing a copy / paste + edit of yours. I'll set invert to 0 for the next update.

Quote from Skytrill :

L-Trigger axe RY Axis +
R-Trigger axe RY Axis -

I guess you got the L and R the wrong way round. Anyway, LFS now reports the correct axis names and you should see those triggers with Z axis now, instead of RY (LFS displayed wrongly all these years).

No, I'm just doing a bit more on VR then back to the tyre physics. Meanwhile, Eric is working on a new track. No time estimates for these.


EDIT: but -> bit - thanks loopingz

Last edited by Scawen, Sun 3 Apr 2016, 08:01.

EDIT : Official Version 0.6P is now available!
https://www.lfs.net/patch-6p


WARNING : THIS IS A TEST

NOTE : THIS DOES NOT CONTAIN NEW TYRE PHYSICS OR ANY NEW CONTENT

PLEASE TEST BEFORE YOU POST

PLEASE AVOID : OFF-TOPIC FEATURE REQUESTS / UNRELATED COMMENTS


Hello Racers,

Here is a new TEST PATCH : 0.6N7

- Support for the new Oculus 1.3 software and Rift CV1
- OpenVR support updated to 0.9.19
- Various improvements to controller support (see below)

0.6N7 is fully compatible with 0.6N

- You can connect online with 0.6N
- You can play replays from 0.6N

You cannot upload hotlaps made with this test patch because it is only a test patch, not an official patch.

Please keep a backup of your LFS.exe from 0.6N so you can easily go back if there are any problems.


Changes from 0.6N6 to 0.6N7 :

Translations :

Many translations updated. Thank you translators!

VR :

Default HUD field of view is now 70 degrees / HUD distance 0.5m
Improved centralisation of one-eye monitor view on desktop window
Auto-updater is avoided in VR mode and helpful options are offered
Crosshairs are always visible when watching a training replay


Changes from 0.6N4 to 0.6N6 :

VR :

Fixed an error in calculation of Rift's vertical FOV
The intro replay is avoided if LFS is started in VR mode
LFS now pauses and hides crosshairs when Rift focus is lost
OpenVR support updated to 0.9.19

Controllers :

RGT wheel should now be identified as a Thrustmaster

Misc :

Added left and right arrows to the "Look function" option
Music in setup screens is no longer enabled by default


Changes from 0.6N3 to 0.6N4 :

Controllers :

Controllers with 5 axes now default to combined brake / throttle
Combined brake / throttle axis now defaults to correct direction
Automatically set Clutch setting to axis if wheel has clutch pedal
Automatic preset is now attempted on first of multiple controllers
Controller screen in game now shows correct pedals and steer gauge
New joystick look mode using two axes to control look direction
Arrow keys can now be assigned to wheel buttons (default D-pad)
Default 900 degrees turn for Logitech G25 / G27 / Driving Force
Attempted reasonable presets for Thrustmaster and DFGT wheels
A scroll bar appears if there are more than 16 available axes
Removed axis calibration system that had various problems
You can now type in the active range of an axis function
Typed range can exceed input range to reduce axis effect
Look Roll axis function now has a full 360 degree range


Changes from 0.6N2 to 0.6N3 :

VR :

Rift headphones are now used for sound output (default setting)
Rift remote can now be used for click / escape / virtual keyboard
Improved appearance of top row (ESC / F keys) of virtual keyboard

Controllers :

Controllers may now be plugged in and detected after LFS is started
Refresh button to detect controllers in Options - Controls screen
Controllers are now sorted (not dependent on order of connection)
Separate controller type setting for with / without controllers
Automatic controls assignment for various game controllers
Warning when you press ESC to exit controller setup screen
Button functions are now easier to see when in car

Fixes :

Axis names were previously displayed wrongly in Options - Controls
It was possible to enter a state where chat box could not be opened


Changes from 0.6N to 0.6N2 :

VR :

New LFSRiftVR DLL supports Oculus 1.3 software
IPD slider movement is now detected and message displayed
Now correctly handles CV1's different up and down FOV values
User can now cause LFS to exit through the Oculus software


INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS :

A FULL version of LFS 0.6N must already be installed

To install the PATCH using the SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE :

1) Move or save the patch into your main LFS folder
2) Double click the patch to extract it to that folder
3) When you see "Confirm File Replace" select "Yes to All"
4) Now you can start LFS in the normal way

NOTE : You can see if the patch is correctly installed when you run
the program (LFS.exe). At the bottom of the entry screen : 0.6N7


DOWNLOADS :


EDIT : Official Version 0.6P is now available!
https://www.lfs.net/patch-6p


PATCH 0.6N TO 0.6N7 (SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE) (if you already have 0.6N) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6N_TO_6N7.exe (1.3 MB)

PATCH 0.6N TO 0.6N7 (ALTERNATIVE ZIP) (if you already have 0.6N) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6N_TO_6N7.zip (1.6 MB)

Last edited by Scawen, Sat 16 Apr 2016, 14:38.

Yes, the best way to do that is have graphics and physics on two different threads, so more CPU power is available for each of them (assuming the CPU has more than 1 core). The physics system must then store interpolatable snapshots of completed physics steps, for the graphics thread to render whenever it is ready.

It's a good system but requires a large overhaul of the program, on the graphics and physics sides. That is fine but, as I keep saying, it's far too difficult to do while I still have two separate versions of LFS, the development version and the public version. This is one of the reasons why the tyre physics is my top priority (after getting past this important month or two for VR). When it is done, we go back to having a single version of LFS. Also it will allow new types of vehicle and so on.

It does actually but the problem is that the physics updates at 100 Hz.
So between some graphics updates you have 1 physics step and between others you have 2.

So I think, each second, you see 25 of these:
1, 1, 2

Your eyes / brain can see this irregularity which happens in a 25 Hz cycle. You can also see this on an ordinary monitor if you enable vertical sync and look sideways.

Ah, that is the old problem with the headset having 75 Hz frame rate, while LFS has a 100 Hz physics update rate. Nothing we can do about that in the near future (eventually I'd like to do physics and graphics on separate threads and that would be part of the solution). Unfortunately the Vive and Rift customer versions have 90 Hz frame rate, so this problem still exists. It would have been great if they could run at 100 Hz!

Quote from matze54564 :

The Upgrade to M7 works not. The exe and zip, both are damaged.

Thanks, I've fixed them now.

Quote from QATAR948 :

When are we able to get Arabic translate ?
Edit : we can help to translate

I am interested in this but can't do it now. The main complication is the reverse direction text and I still need to research and code for this. But I must keep it lower priority than the tyre physics.

Quote from yaper :

TIP on Polish keyboard.
Most national characters are typed by combining AltGr with Latin equivalent. The only one exception is źŹ (Z with apostrophe) it is made from AltGr+X beacuse AltGr+Z is occupied by żŻ (Z with dot above).

Does that work correctly in the LFS virtual keyboard? LFS calls Windows functions that should be handling all these character conversions.

Yeah, I don't know why they display a chaperone if the program asks for seated mode. And why it's offset in front and to the left, after setting it up at the actual seated position. Seems buggy to me.

Yes, I am working on VR features. As both Vive and Rift are shipping within a month, this has become the most important thing. Tyre physics can wait another month.

A good VR implementation with all the wrinkles ironed out will help bring in more users and that will be good for everyone. It's not possible to be in Steam, for reasons discussed before, but Valve have kindly supported us by sending Vives and we can be fully up to date with the software. On the Rift side, I have been in touch with Oculus and there is still a possibility of having LFS in the Oculus store. This is ongoing and I won't be able to say any more because if there was any more information, it would be under NDA. You'll just have to leave that to me, I'm working on it.

One requirement is that it must be possible to operate the game with a controller only. For the last two days I have worked on a system that draws a crosshair in the view centre and allows you to click buttons using the space bar. Obviously this "Click" function needs to be assignable to a controller button. At first I thought this task would be a few hours but the complexity is quite surprising. Various adaptations and improvements have become necessary. I think the only other buttons that are needed are "Escape" and "Show Virtual Keyboard". These will soon be available in a compatible test patch.

WARNING : THIS IS A TEST

NOTE : THIS DOES NOT CONTAIN NEW TYRE PHYSICS OR ANY NEW CONTENT

PLEASE TEST BEFORE YOU POST

PLEASE AVOID : OFF-TOPIC FEATURE REQUESTS / UNRELATED COMMENTS


Hello Racers,

Here is a new TEST PATCH : 0.6M9

- New siren sound and doppler effect on all car sounds
- A long requested feature, to filter out demo servers, has been added
- Virtual Keyboard (press backspace) so you don't need to use the keyboard
- Look and Click feature (for VR) so you don't need to use the mouse
- An improvement to the steering input of remote cars
- Input smoothing for multiplayer replays

This test patch is mainly compatible with 0.6M
- You can connect online with 0.6M
- You can play replays from 0.6M
- An M9 guest's horn or flash will not be seen on pre-M8 guests
- The host must be M8 or later to allow a guest to use a siren

You cannot upload hotlaps made with this test patch because it is only a test patch, not an official patch.

Please keep a backup of your LFS.exe from 0.6M so you can easily go back if there are any problems.


Changes from 0.6M8 to 0.6M9 :

More translation updates! Thank you translators!

Audio :

Reduced the minimum volume to play a sound (can hear further away)
Added doppler effect to all car sounds that didn't have it already
Removed doppler effect resulting from SHIFT+U mode camera velocity
Updated commands.txt with commands /cansiren /siren /ujoin /uai

Siren sound :

Command /cansiren now works on players that have not joined race
Command /cansiren username 0 now switches off username's siren

Fix :

Fixed a recently introduced bug in the /key and /button commands


Changes from 0.6M7 to 0.6M8 :

Multiplayer :

More accurate horn and flash with shorter transmission delay

Siren sound :

Text command /siren=off/fast/slow
Only allowed on cars with a horn and if allowed by host
Allow a multiplayer guest to use siren : /cansiren username 1

InSim :

New ISS state flags to notify if local PC is in dialog / text entry
New packet SMALL_LCS - set local car switches (lights, horn, siren)


Changes from 0.6M6 to 0.6M7 :

VR :

Crosshairs auto-hide in game when buttons visible (e.g. N or InSim)

Virtual keyboard :

Added Serbian / Croatian / Slovenian keyboard (QWERTZ)
Added Slovak, Turkish, Bulgarian and Romanian keyboards


Changes from 0.6M5 to 0.6M6 :

Multiplayer :

New Demo filter at bottom of List of Hosts screen

Virtual keyboard :

Czech and Hungarian keyboard layouts are now supported
Mouse button function (e.g. throttle) disabled if clicking keyboard

Look and click :

Crosshairs did not work with vertical scroll bar


Changes from 0.6M3 to 0.6M5 :

Virtual keyboard :

Can now operate assigned keys - Speed Limiter, Reset, etc.
Most Latin keyboards and Greek and Cyrillic are now supported
The key to toggle the keyboard is now backspace (or controller)
Virtual keyboard is now drawn in front of overlapping buttons
Shift and Alt Gr keys now affect the characters on keyboard
Dead keys (for diacritics / accents) are displayed in red
Virtual keyboard position moved above text entry dialog

VR :

Crosshairs can now go past the interface edge and fade out
Talk function (T key) can now be assigned to a wheel button

Fixes :

LFS could crash if interrupted while generating track
The Alt Gr key + a number could cause the text colour to change
Simultaneous Left + Right view keys were not working properly


Changes from 0.6M2 to 0.6M3 :

VR :

Look and click (with space or button) can be used instead of mouse
OpenVR SDK now 0.9.17 and supports live IPD adjustment (Vive Pre)
Removed interface aspect ratio 1:1 and added 14:9 (default)
New click and type buttons in place of some slider bars

Virtual keyboard :

Automatically displayed in VR mode below text entry dialog
Can be toggled by controller button or backslash key (VK_OEM_5)

Misc :

Input and sound are now enabled by default when LFS is not focussed
Mouse click on demo exit screen now exits LFS or opens www.lfs.net

Fixes :

Out-of-path start warning incorrectly showed local player name
Dedicated server did not search for path after out-of-path start
Non-dedicated server could crash if guest driver drove off track


Changes from 0.6M to 0.6M2 :

Multiplayer :

Reduced steering wobble each time a position packet is received
Smoothed steering / brake / throttle inputs in multiplayer replays
MPR smoothing is disabled by switching on network debug (SHIFT+F8)
Passwords hidden on Start New Host and Join Specific Host screens

Training lessons :

Previous and best times are shown during the lesson replay
SHIFT+R now restarts the lesson without returning to instructions
SHIFT+X exits from replay or lesson back to the instructions screen
Press 1 to watch or restart replay without finishing the lesson
ESC once starts the replay / another time to exit lesson

Lesson editor :

Reverse and open configurations may now be selected
Lesson image filename no longer needs to start with zzz_
Image does not need to be square (but is still shown in a square)
On entry to lesson editor the current track and config are selected
You can now select the lighting (weather) for a lesson

Misc :

Layout editor now allows unmovable objects to intersect

Fixes :

LFS could crash if a shadowed object near a paused car was deleted


INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS :

A FULL version of LFS 0.6M must already be installed

To install the PATCH using the SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE :

1) Move or save the patch into your main LFS folder
2) Double click the patch to extract it to that folder
3) When you see "Confirm File Replace" select "Yes to All"
4) Now you can start LFS in the normal way

NOTE : You can see if the patch is correctly installed when you run
the program (LFS.exe). At the bottom of the entry screen : 0.6M9


DOWNLOADS :

PATCH 0.6M TO 0.6M9 (SELF EXTRACTING ARCHIVE) (if you already have 0.6M) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6M_TO_6M9.exe (1.6 MB)

PATCH 0.6M TO 0.6M9 (ALTERNATIVE ZIP) (if you already have 0.6M) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_PATCH_6M_TO_6M9.zip (2.0 MB)


FOR HOSTING ONLY

DEDICATED HOST 0.6M9 (non-graphical version for hosting only) :
www.lfs.net/file_lfs.php?name=LFS_S3_DCON_6M9.zip (1.8 MB)

Last edited by Scawen, Wed 23 Mar 2016, 18:22.

Quote from vitaly_m :

Thanks for sharing the plans.

If Eric finishes a track sooner than tyre physics are ready, will the track be released sooner than tyres?

Yes, now that we made the decision to sell S3 licenses, there is no reason to hold back tracks because of tyre physics. The quicker we can get a track out there, the better, as the S3 license upgrade will look like twice as good value. But it will take a while as Eric is working to a high detail level as you can see in Westhill and Rockingham.

Originally the tyre physics delays held up some things, and still holds up the Scirocco. As most people know - and this has never changed - tyre physics was and still is the reason for the delay in the Scirocco.

The tyre physics update is the best thing that can happen to LFS on the code side. On the content side, new tracks are the best thing.

It will also allow us to simulate more different types of vehicles because the tyre model should scale correctly from small tyres to large tyres. There are so many possibilities from having a better tyre model, not only that it feels better and more fun to drive as you put the power on coming out of a bend and so on. A physics model based on real physical principles that produce the mathematical functions that produce the slip curves and the way of combining lateral and longitudinal forces (they aren't 'combined' as such, they just come out of the model naturally).

And no, I'm not going into details now. Right now I'm trying to get this quick update out of the way. And as I said then I'm working on functions for Eric and at last I'll be back on the tyre physics. If there's something interesting to say about it in a few months, then perhaps I will.

I noticed that my previous post could be misread, so I just want to make it clear there will be no tyre physics updates in the coming patch.

1) Test patch in a few days with crash fix, a few small lesson editor fixes, possibly an MPR smoothing.
2) Not going to get into a massive patching session. I've just come off one. Just release the full version with a few minor updates.
3) Do some editor functions that Eric has asked for.
4) Work on tyre physics.

Disclaimer: That's the plan, but plans change...

I didn't want to get into a new full version at this point, but a crash bug is enough to change my plans. We can't leave a crash bug out there in the official version. So I'd like to do a few small fixes and improvements to make it more worthwhile. I won't be getting into any monster graphical updates now, as that has far lower priority than the tyre physics which I must get back onto without delay, after doing some editor functions to help Eric with the track he is working on.