Seeing that we really lack some rally madness lately, I decided to create a layout to satisfy my offroad needs and put those knobbly tyres to some use. As a victim for my "layout skills" I chose Fern Bay Black, because a puny two minute layout would've been boring, wouldn't it?

This layout is intended as a single stage course which takes about 5 minutes to complete and is mostly driven offroad, but has a few tarmac sections inbetween. Actually I created two versions, the first is fixed to one lap and the trackside objects give penalties on touching, while the second uses the normal start positions, allowing for more aggressive driving (no penalties) and a customizable amount of laps. In retrospect, the second version is my preferred one, because penalties don't really add anything to the driving experience.

Struggling with the object limit of only 512 objs, I couldn't make the track totally cut-proof, but the flow should be clearly understandable everywhere, and those who cut only cheat on themselves anyways

My current best time is a whooping 4:45.94 (I'm improving), car of choice was the RB4, obviously, the replay is attached somewhere down this thread.


If you have any suggestions about layout changes, please post them as I'd greatly appreciate any hints on how to make the layout even more fun Also, take it slow the first time round, the LFS object collision physics are very unforgiving

Update
Changed a few things, made some sections easier, etc. See update post for screenshots of the biggest changes.

More pics

And the last few

looks fun

Good Idea Android

Was thinking of doing the same at Westhill for a multiplayer race, but, never had the time to build it, then promptly forgot illepall

Might have a go tonight, after the footie

Yes, Westhill looks like it's made for a rally-stage.
And, I had a go on your stage. I forgot so safe my first try, a 6:1* something. But I saved my second try. See attachment. Perhaos you want to see where I had problems and didn't expect things or so. Look at it as a type of feedback.
Three things:
1. Great stage!
2. At last I can put my left-foot-braking to some use in LFS and keep the turbo running while balancing the car's weight. Great fun!
3. Where's my fricken copilot??!? (..."Dude, where's my copilot?")

Vain

Heh, glad you like it, seems like you forgot the attachment, though
Hmm, didn't think of Westhill gotta have a look at it...

Just had a quick look at some of the tracks.

Westhill would be quite a quick flowing track, relatively flat, but nice and wide for the most part, so i'm guessing it would be great for race's, and theres a great off camber left hander just after the bridge.

Aston's Cadet and Club, and Kyoto National have possibilities, Cadet especially, some nice gradients there, but you'd have to drive through the sand traps to make full use of them. Although, the UF1 and RB4 seem to take them ok with default rallycross set, however, it's really fun with normal road tyres

Just drove Westhill a bit and indeed it has some long flowing grass strips, but it seems that the RB4 lacks a bit of power to make full use of all the space. Also yes, it's very flat... but as you said, it's probably well suited for online races.

Indeed I forgot the replay. I was in a hurry... I edited the post above to include the replay.
On Westhill you'd need to keep the driver busy with something while he's on the straight. I'm sure you can think of some nice turns you can create. To make it easier you could aim for a mixed dirt/tarmac-stage. That way you can use more tarmac and thus have more room.
Some more words on the replay: It isn't beautiful driving or anything. It's just my second attempt on the stage. I missed some turns and nearly had to come to a complete halt on some corners. It's just a kind of feedback so you can see where I didn't expect the track to run this way and where I could easily find my way and what techniques I used to take specific turns. Best view it from cockpit-view. That way you can see my confusion best.

Vain

Okay, I see, some of the more narrow parts are a bit hard to navigate through. But then again, I didn't really try to make the track obvious and easily drivable for the first try, I just wanted to make it relatively clear what belongs to the track and what not, so you don't ever get confused if you should take the left or right side of the barriers . It's still necessary to learn the track because there *are* quite a few surprises.

Personally, after reviewing and driving it for some time these are the parts that are still bugging me:

1. The first corner. Those tyres would be gone if I could remove them - the only thing they do is make it boringly slow, forcing you to go through T1 extremely cautious not to get a penalty. Maybe I'll redo that corner so it goes around the tyres, with them being at the inside.
   
2. The track width on some parts. For example the last corner before you get to the bridge/rail-tracks, where you have to drive half on that steep hill/ledge. You cannot really do anything here besides hoping to get through unscratched. I'll either widen the track here so you have more room to play, or move the track to the opposite side alltogether.
   Another candidate is the righthander after the little jump. It's quite drivable now, but a little bit more space won't hurt.
   
3. On pit exit, the last barrier before you continue on the grass strip goes too far into the track. Even now I bump it almost all the time.
   
4. The exit of the "tyre chicane" is extremely tight, might open that up a little.
   
5. The slow / twisty / 180° turn parts mostly go over steep kerbstones making you bump all over the place destroying any chance to go through there controlled.
   

Just done a very quick and very very rough layout for Westhill while i was waiting for the footie to start.
This is the kind of idea i was thinking of

(did i say it was a very rough version)

The game's just started so i'll finish it later

I've updated the layout now, changing the track flow here and there, making some sections broader, etc. The biggest change is that the track after the chicane now stays on the left side, providing some nice long sweepers. Overall I think it got a bit faster on driving, but a few seconds slower overall. Getting below 5 minutes is now harder, or I'm already too tired, who knows :tired:

Screenshots from the biggest changes are here, updated layout and replay in topic post.

Thanks for layout, not bad. Got 5:25.7 with XRT on 4th try.

Im still pretty new to LFS, most I've done so far is mess with skins, but THIS!...This is sick, as a rally guy this makes me very happy and I'ma have to see what I can soon come up with!

Whee, after some slight setup alterations I finally managed a clean drive, resulting in my new PB of 4:55.25

It would be really cool if we had like 3-4 rallye stages for each track location, that way we could pull off a real WRC run. Each session would consist of all stages of a certain location, and between each stage everybody has 30 mins of repair. A visibly damaged body would cost 5 minutes, 10 minutes per broken suspension arm, 7 mins per spring/damper, etc. Anything that goes over that results in a time penalty. At the end all times are added together and points are handed out accordingly before continuing to the next location *sigh* :melting:

At last some more food for my rallying-desire. RBR is getting boring.
Feed me hairpins and medium-speed left-right-combinations ("... 70 - light left - medium right - 50 - hairpin left - 150 ..."). Those ae my favorite sections.
(Now LFS needs customizable terrain surface. Those roman streets with the off-camber sides made rallying really challanging and fun in RBR.)

Vain

Quote from AndroidXP :

Whee, after some slight setup alterations I finally managed a clean drive, resulting in my new PB of 4:55.25

Watch & Learn :haha: 4.53.30 pirate:

Not perfect lap though.. I bet Flotch can take _at least_ second or two off from that still

Really nicely done layout, best rally layout for awhile.. soo much fun to drive :drink:


EDIT: *cough* forgot to upload spr

Ooh, will try the update, was just annoying in places before (although still a good idea, it got me RBRing again - man that game is annoying too ).

Quote from (FIN)Eza :

Watch & Learn :haha: 4.53.30 pirate:

Done with the updated or with the old layout? E: oh I see, the new one, but the penalty-less version.

@Bob: Oh yeah, rallying can be annoying and frustrating sometimes. Screwing up on a rallye stage means you're pretty much out unless you got lucky. While in RBR you fold around a tree, my stage simulates this pretty well by getting lodged into space by a barrier

Quote from AndroidXP :

Done with the updated or with the old layout?

Updated

PS. uploaded spr

Hehe, yeah I saw it, nice run. You would've gotten a 2 sec penalty, though
The second version also has a bit of a starting advantage because you launch on tarmac, but I guess it's more stress free not to fear penalties. Again, very nice run!

4:52.19 rb4
Had 1:39.42 split, and I've done 1:38.48....
Lap overall was quite scrappy, but got good time

Very good track .. and fun too

4:50.38
Aiming for under 50s now

spr:
vMaxRob_FE4_RB4_FINISHED_3.spr