Quote from harjun :

he needs to take photos of people's teeth, and zoom onto them clearly, where a macro lense should do

You still don't sound like you have a clue what you're talking about, and are just trying to justify more expensive kit without actually knowing how to benefit from it, although at least you've now admitted it.

For the record, most macro lenses (at least those with true close-focus capability) don't zoom. And they start at £300-400. The depth of field is so small with 1:1 ~ 1:2 reproduction that you need a tiny aperture to render anything more than a fraction of the image in focus, which therefore requires massively more light to avoid slower shutter speeds and the motion blur. But of course, you know all that because you understand photography enough to benefit from an SLR.

So what's your brother going to do, shove a flashgun in their mouth too?

(EDIT) XCNuse, you're taking a very complicated approach to sensor sizes and focal length multipliers.

Quote from harjun :

i wont be zooming miles into something, so something sensible with over 10X zoom would be alright.

lol

Only "10x" (whatever that means) or more is a sensible zoom range? Why do you want an SLR when you clearly haven't the faintest clue about lenses?

If "10x" or more is the only sensible range, what does that make prime (i.e. fixed focal length, i.e. no zoom) lenses? Unsensible?

You don't need an SLR, you need a high-end super-zoom point and shoot that looks like a mini SLR.

But if you did want a system with interchangeable lenses, I think I know of a lens just right for you.

Happy New Year to all LFSers! *hic*

I was about to make a new topic about the contrast of experiences I, err, experienced today on CTRA, but instead I'll post it here.

As much as I posted yesterday about how good the UFBR server is, it very much depends on who is on it. Yesterday, it was fun. Today, it was a nightmare.

Maybe it was the tracks. SO6 was good - a bit argy bargy in places which is to be expected with such slow, grippy cars and a closely matched field; but generally good races to be had. However a full field of 32 cars around FE1R on a server open to all licence holders is just asking for trouble - and that is exactly what it was. A few familiar names and some team guys on the server were trying to keep to a good standard, but for everyone else the rules seemed to have gone out the window. Honestly, if I or anyone else tried to report the offences, you wouldn't even know where to begin. Drivers failing to look, leave space, or brake in sensible time. Drivers deliberately nudging, nerfing and bashing whoever they wanted - in one case ramming a well known (and quick & respected!) team racer off the track just because the guy was on a pb lap! It was just chaos, and imho made a mockery of the organised, clean racing that I thought the CTRA was supposed to provide. In addition, there was so much aggro and frustration on the server that the atmosphere felt terse and very much an "every man for himself" flavour, with setups not being shared and drivers just looking to capitalise on carnage wherever possible.

So I left, and my, what a difference on Race2 and Race3 servers. I tried Race2 this afternoon and although I struggled with the combo, it was so clean and safe in comparison to the UFBR server that you actually dared drive within 5m of another car. And the same on Race3 tonight, a totally different atmosphere from that of UFBR this afternoon, with great racing and a friendly atmosphere.

As a result - how about restricting the UFBR server to Bronze and higher? Then Bronze drivers still have the fun of the UFBR whilst progressing to silver and beyond, but it removes the complete newbies and n00bs (Copper drivers) who imho would be better restricted to the STD cars with a limited grid size (i.e. the Race1 server). Then at least everyone has had to learn some basic racecraft, speed, and CTRA rules before progressing to any better tin tops at all.

Quote from JO53PHS :

So how long is the G25's warranty... 1 or 2 years?

And i've heard that Logitech are quite good with the warranty and will most likely replace something if it breaks...

Officially in the UK, it's a 1 year warranty. It's 2 years in the rest of Europe.

However my last DFP developed an intermittent fault relating to supplying power to the ffb motor just after it was one year old. Logitech just replaced the entire thing at their expense, which is great service. Whatever flaws there may be with their products, Logitech's support and service appears to be unmatched.

Quote from JTbo :

with DFP I did use that even I had button for clutch, which I used at starts and pit stops.

Same here - I use a DFP (so only 2 pedals) and keep auto clutch turned on, but I also have a wheel button mapped to the clutch for use during starts, pitstops, and recovering from spins (to kick the back end of the car around if I'm pointing the wrong way).

Just tried it out tonight for the first time - cracking good fun. Dunno where the last couple of hours went.

Quote from Koopa :

I think these would be ok to use... Whadda you guys think???

I think it's not ok at all; they're too big and too unnecessary. You can say whatever you need to say in your sig with just text, and we already have a graphical avatar which allows just the right amount of customisation/sprucing up of each post, imo.

Quote from Travis Rowe01 :

the reason why most of us dont have S2 despite playing the demo for months and years is because we're a bunch of freeloaders who expect something for nothing and haven't got the initiative or intent to find a way of paying for it.

Not necessarily aimed at you personally, but I've fixed it for you.

Quote from Electric Eye :

It's easy to say for grown ups - uh it's not much only 24 quid! Buy it!WHat if the person hasn't got money or even if has a credit card how is he going to pay for it?

Well it's not the most difficult concept in the world. You earn or save money, and do without until you can pay for it, same as you would for any other non-essential luxury product.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

Many still use them. Though not for much longer.

[edit: well I say many, I know of 5 forces for sure who still use them, not sure about the rest of the country.]

I'd be staggered if they did. Given the intergalatic mileage that police cars clock up, and the fact that the Omega hasn't been produced since 2003 (leaving any current cars in use at nearly five years old), the cost of maintaining them would be prohibitive. And 5 out of 52 forces is hardly "many".

Quote from shotglass :

today i had a fun run in with some guy in a largeish audi
completely left him standing without even trying (short shifting in a 60 hp fiat is not a good idea if you want to be fast off the line) just by reacting fast
i hadnt even realised that i left someone standing at the previous redlight until i heard his engine rev up and saw him take off with his wheels spinning at the next one
couldnt stop laughing for the next 5 minutes

There's a set of lights on my way to work that everyone seems so slow to react to. Unfortunately when I go that way in the mornings, I've only driven 500m from my flat so the engine is still stone cold and I don't want to cane it just to beat the dozy bastards who don't even let the handbrake off until the green light has shown for a second or two.

Quote from claveriel :

ok,
it works in road car, but no in racing cars

Yep, that's correct. You can't look behind with your head when you're strapped into a racing seat with a full racing harness.

Quote from deggis :

Am I the only one who is kind of in a perverse way enjoying all this whining?

Not at all. It's quite entertaining.

Quote from Shotglass :

you cant compare an opel especially an omega to any other car in terms of how people react to it
everybody who sees one naturally assumes that youre 95 years old more or less blind and completely oblivious to anything happening around you ... of course theyll make plenty of room for you

Or it could be that the 3.0 V6 Omega was for a few years the regular car of choice for traffic police in the UK, although they've all long since gone from police fleets.

Quote from RatzMilk :

In real life, you can look over your shoulder and see out the back, heck, when doing a drivers license test, if you didn't do that, you would fail. How else do you check the blinds spots?

In a real car on the track, you're strapped in with a racing harness. You can't twist your shoulders around like you can in your road car. The current view limitations reflect that accurately, imho.

There was a problem in the earlier test patches which prevented certain controllers from using the necessary view controls, but since that was resolved I think the 90° limit with variable angle option and the more limited "look back" options are an excellent refinement to the view system.

Can we get a sticky on this?

Quote from Monte Busa :

So I got a little excited

"Excited"?

In that case, please do forewarn us of how you'll express yourself should you get mildly annoyed or slightly nonplussed.

Quote from Monte Busa :

Brit humor - it's either funny or it's NOT

I think you'll find it's spelled humour.

I've always used the same numberplate.

And the Top Originality award goes to...

Quote from Scawen :

increased base camber on some racing cars.

Can I ask, is this definitely just selected racing cars, or is it an effect that is apparent in every car? I've just upgraded my main LFS installation to patch Y, and my old XRT sets seem to be cooking the insides of the tyres a lot more.

I recall it being mentioned in the test patch forum but that's gone now.

Of course, it could also just be that I'm driving hamfistedly and sliding too much.

Quote from Monte Busa :

Why did you guys do this....I'm so p***sed I feel like never playing again....AAGHGHHGHGHGHGHG

With such a charming attitude, what a loss that would be.

Quote from jayhawk :

Now for the love of all things holy, please release patch Y on Friday, turn off the computer for four days, and enjoy the holidays with your family and friends.

You deserve it.

I think he said he was looking forward to a month off after several months of solid coding to do patch Y, not four days.

And it's well deserved imho as Patch Y is shaping up to be pretty damn great.

Quote from ajp71 :

Whilst generally I like the concept of putting the racing cars on realistic dashes couldn't a conventional old fashioned racing cockpit be considered for the UFR? I very much doubt many Minis race with digital dashes and it would be nice to keep the feel of an older car.

I tend to agree. UFR would look a bit odd with a high-tech digital dash and telemetry-style functions like the big GTRs should have. When I think UFR, I think a stripped out interior with just the necessary analogue gauges either retrofitted to where the binnacle would be (on top of the steering column), or attached to the bulkhead around/above the gear lever area. Dunno why, it's just a vision.

(EDIT) Now X39 is out, seems like I'm not the only one working at 1am. :rolleyes:

Last edited by STROBE, Fri 21 Dec 2007, 01:00.

Quote from Bob Smith :

In the UK, that would be Newcastle for sure. Although they've only recently started doing International flights, and then only to places that drunk Geordies would ever go.

Lmao, since when? Tommorow's arrivals board for Newcastle airport includes flights arriving from Prague, Krakow, Sharm El Sheikh, Dublin, Stavanger, Dusseldorf, Belfast, Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, Dubai, and some place called "London".

Although yes, there are a helluva lot of flights to and from Tenerife, Alicante, Palma, Malaga, Lanzarote and so on.

Quote from Bawbag :

This started happening everytime I disconnect from a server, the lag bar just raises up, getting rather annoying now, having to wait 20 seconds to leave...

This just started in the test patches btw.

I occasionally get that on X/X10, so I'd be surprised if it's something specific to the test patches.

Not wanting to rock the boat here, but...


...it's all just metal, components, and fastenings. Yes, they are (or were) beautiful cars and it's a shame to see them in such a state. But with enough money or skill, it can all be replaced or recreated. It's not worth getting sad over.

Unlike human flesh, blood, and brains. That's what's really irreplaceable.