I've had this S2 license for some years now. I loved the LFS demo and went and got the full game. But I never play LFS and here is why....

It's intimidating. It seems like those who play LFS are hardcore. So, I get a car and start practicing on some tracks. Then I go online and fine no one is racing that car/track combo at the moment. So I take a look at what they are racing...then I go and practice for a few days and try to get my lap times down to something respectable.

Then next time I check back in they're playing some other car/track combo.

And it's not just tracks but various configurations and even in reverse. *sigh*

Right now I'm enjoying games like Dirt 2, Shift or GT5 P because they're not intimidating. I can just jump in and race and learn as I go. And these games have single player that actually prepares you for online racing.

So where do I start with LFS?

Grow some balls.


Seriously, it's not that hard to find some good races even if you are slow. Just join a server running a car or track that you prefer, and run a few warm up laps to get a feel for the track. You really only have to run about 10 to 15 laps before you're ready to start a pick up race. Once in race, stay well within your limits to prevent yourself from crashing.

Don't feel intimidated if you are slow, just be a cautious driver/hold a steady line and watch everyone around you.

I think the way to enjoy LFS is to adapt whatever is run online.

There isn't a huge difference in how you should drive between cars (except between saloons and single seaters I suppose), so if you get up to speed in one, you should do fairly well in another, of course you might still be near the end of the pack because everyone else has done so many laps on that combo, but try to maintain your own pace and finish races, gradually you will be able to hang with people and when they make mistakes, you can take them.

No game's single playe mode can prepare you for real online racing imo, real human being just react so differently, it's one area you have to learn by actually going online - spectate a bit, see who is quick, who is rough, who doesn't use their rear view mirror and who says "sorry" alot (you better avoid him!), and most importantly don't panic, just be calm and don't do anything illogical, accidents may happen but that's everyday life.

Start with the slower cars, they can be mega fun on fern bay and south city etc, the thing is to learn the tires and the physics, track learning isn't really difficult in comparison.

Well, why would you get intimidated in the first place?

It's not like you _need_ to get into the top ten or anything like that (or else...), right? Once you join a server, you'll most likely find people who are at your level, and also people who will push you, so you can...well get quicker & stuff. Either way, enjoy the ride because nothing else really matters, on public servers though. Anything else, such as progress, is a side effect and shouldn't be taken too serious.

Quote from somasleep :

It's intimidating. It seems like those who play LFS are hardcore.

I had this problem too. Finally I stocked up courage and went to CTRA. Well, not so intimidating I thought...

Now when CTRA is down I don't know where to go. The problem is that there are too many track-car combinations, I can't learn 'em all (And I suck anyway). And which servers are "hardcore", which are "we just mess around", and which are "lets race, but don't be too serious about winning".

I find that, in racing games in general, it's really just "seat time". The tracks will come naturally, and you'll be able to reasonably extrapolate a good line and braking points/throttle points depending on how much driving you've done. Once you get really familiar, it only takes 1 lap to learn that stuff.

It's probably best to find a car you really like, drive that one on every track and get some good times going, then try new cars. Learning a new car is 3 times easier when you already know the track well, and vice versa. For instance I really like the FOX, so I just drove that mostly to learn the tracks, threw in some AI "traffic" cars to learn the passing corners, then started using new cars. For instance I went from the FOX to the FO8.

To me it sounds like you might like iRacing's way of doing things, with the "combo of the week" system.

This is a difficult question to answer due to it being different for everyone. However, the advice above is good advice. The way I built up to it was I took all the cars on blackwood in singeplayer. This way you are taking unknown cars but on a known track. Once I had a reasonable understanding of the basics of the car (e.g. fxr: 4wd easy to drive, Fo8: fun car, fast but careful on the throttle, Lx6: omg it wants to kill me) which took a few laps. Go online with a car you like on a track you don't know, if you want do a few laps out of the pack learning the track. Then race at the back of the field and you will notice you are racing people, overtaking and battling for position.

I think the best advice is don't worry about it. In the end it is a game and if you make a mistake you make a mistake. As long as you are not wrecking people, if you crash accidently just apologise and carry on. There are ofcourse those select few who will have a rant at you for an accident but just ignore them lol.

Try the Ready2Roll TBO Racing server and R2R's GT350 server (if your up for that :P). Usually got a qualifying sessions between track changes or if your just gonna hop into a race, hand to the back of the pack till you get a feel for the track/car combo.

Good luck! (:

first of all don't be intimidated, I am not, never

I do race from time to time only, most of the time with my well known friends, but when I go on public server I just drive and learn my speed... a good idea, like some said before is to choose a car you drive most, FOX is a good choice as quite a lot of people drive it on-line, and once you are comfortable with the car learning the tracks is much easier

unless you are expecting wins only, in this case LFS is indeed very, very intimidating, and that's the best thing about it

Don't feel left out

In my case, I like drive on [AMG] GTR MotorSport server. I'm not a fast racer on there.
One day, a gentleman said "Try my setup" and sent me his setup. I'd tried his setup and got 1 sec faster laptime than last race!
If I was racing at single player race, I can't achieve that.
Driving with other racers, you can get faster with some chance.

Good luck!

Quote from somasleep :

Right now I'm enjoying games like Dirt 2, Shift or GT5 P because they're not intimidating. I can just jump in and race and learn as I go.

You can do that with LfS too... You even don't have to race right away (although it's possible if you don't mind not winning), just watch the others racing... You'll learn much quicker observing others than to figure it all out on your own - at least I do...

when the race restart counter starts, go to spec. Join the race after the grid has been placed and just follow the pack. You're not in anyone's way, so you should be able to get the basics of whatever track you're on. Maybe focus on a specific car in the beginning. I don't know what intimidates you, but for me it's ruining the race for people. So I start out at the back a lot, so I can't possibly take anyone out, even if it's not my fault. In time, you'll learn the track and car and then you'll move on to overtaking and everything else other people do

Quote from CasseBent :

I don't know what intimidates you, but for me it's ruining the race for people. So I start out at the back a lot, so I can't possibly take anyone out, even if it's not my fault. In time, you'll learn the track and car and then you'll move on to overtaking and everything else other people do

Yeah, that's it. I don't want to ruin the race for others and get kicked. I find that if you're slow people will crash into you and if you miss your braking point you'll crash into people who are faster than you.

I think I'll just join and follow behind the pack.

Quote from somasleep :

Yeah, that's it. I don't want to ruin the race for others and get kicked. I find that if you're slow people will crash into you and if you miss your braking point you'll crash into people who are faster than you.

I think I'll just join and follow behind the pack.

Just race your own race.. If your slow, the driver behind you should atleast have some proffesion of knowing where to overtake.

If you brake early for a corner and the guy behind you hits you.

Just say your learning.


I Was like you, I Used to pull to the side at the start of the race to let everyone through.

But now i notice there are fast and slow people.. so i just attempt to blend in.

Quote from somasleep :

Yeah, that's it. I don't want to ruin the race for others and get kicked. I find that if you're slow people will crash into you and if you miss your braking point you'll crash into people who are faster than you.

I think I'll just join and follow behind the pack.

This is the core of race craft imo, the will to keep it safe and incident free yet still be competitive. It will push you to become a better racer. Imagine how you would feel in a real kart race for example!
Allow yourself to enjoy it, it's a great adrenaline rush for just a 'game'.

Just drive and enjoy.

If you are slow it does not matter as long as you are clean in your driving.

- If you are lapped yield as required.
- If its a fight for position hold your line, you dont have to yield unless the car trying to pass is level with your A pillar as you commit for the turn.

The learning curve for LFS is big and people are hardcore. But if you are a clean driver the hardcore will respect you, no matter how "fast" you are or are not!

There are idiots in LFS as there are with any other game/sim out there. These are the people to avoid.

Quote from somasleep :

I find that if you're slow people will crash into you and if you miss your braking point you'll crash into people who are faster than you.

You're getting the idea; It's worth bearing in mind that anyone who crashes into your rear is always driving beyond their capacity to brake adequately, let them worry over that one! Try not to let it annoy you if they do though, as plenty don't know about that aspect of being in control of their vehicle. They just probably never got around to thinking about it.

Im DEMO, and I always joinppls room that are filled of good skilled players, my best time is 1.15 , 1.17 avarage, and ppl are alwaysfaster them me, other think is the crashers, they never let u pass, u need to wait behind and wait them to fail at some corner, anyways Im enjoying it much,cause its rly hard and intimidating, and thats why I think it is a nice game, the others U said are too arcade-like, and Im done with it! Lets practice, if U can't find ppl to race, go Blackwood FBM, there is always ppl racing

oh my g0d

Travelled distance: 282 Km
Fuel burnt: 48 Ltr
Laps: 75
Hosts joined: 8
Races won: 0
Second: 0
Third: 4
Finished: 18
Qualifications: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Drags / Wins: 0 / 0

those stats are prob better then mine

I take rarely used cars (Much like the RAC) and drive them around tracks I'm not used to.

It's a lot of fun, honestly!

The title ... tbh this is the most stupid question ive ever seen. The game is enjoyable by itself, isnt it?

Quote from hazaky :

The title ... tbh this is the most stupid question ive ever seen. The game is enjoyable by itself, isnt it?

Try harder.

On-topic:
The best bet is to keep starting from the back until you're confident, provided you're not spinning off on every lap. You get to drive online, get setups and helpful information, and can easily compare how well you're progressing. It also means you get experience driving close to other cars, even if it's not at wr pace it helps a lot, and by nature you're probably battling with someone who's about as fast or "good" as yourself. Also, you don't have to race aggressively, you can just drive fast behind someone, and capitalise frm their errors without going balls-to-the-wall trying to make passes happen.