Aaah i misunderstood a bit there! i thought you wanted this system for LFS just like it was in CODMW2... but i do hope it doesnt get to popular since it would just be almost the same thing just in a smaller scale. Like instead of one button for all servers you get like 50 buttons where every button is for like 5 servers. Could be useful if you could filter it out though

Yeah i do agree that the concept is good, i mean sometimes it´s fun to just click a button... end up on a random map and then adopt to the situation... IMO the system is exellent when you play alone. But still there are bugs that gets you thrown around sometimes 5-10 lobbies before you actually get to start a game. This tends to be happening when there are parties joining and to balance the people out the server throws out a dude or 2.

Also splitting up parties is a pain in the ass, its bad enough with 2-3 people... but when you are as many as 4-5 its really annoying and sometimes you tend to give up before actually joining a game.

These are as you say indeed bugs, but if they where simple to fix im sure it would be done already. And for something a couple of hobbie programmers use as a tool i dont see how it can be used better.

Its an interesting subject though.

Quote from Torben :

Instead have some kind of relay-server, to which you connect, which forwards you to one of the servers behind it. This way instead of having one server with 38 people on it and total mayhem happening, you would have two with roughly 19 people on them each, providing still a big grid, but maybe less mayhem.

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As I said before you would want to keep the ability to join the server with your buddies on, which could be an automated routine depending on an yet to be implemented buddy-list-feature.

I think easier solution is: smaller grid

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Considering the proposed Division-wise joining policy, you would even end up with two servers having drivers with closer driving abilities (e.g. measured in personal best time).
Of course you would have to administer two servers instead of one, which will lead into the same situation why CTRA closed down. So that's one point you gotta find a solution for.

Long time ago I was promoting this idea but there are big concerns on splitting the community.

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AndRand, I back you up on the extended "meeting-room". That thing definately could need some improvement. I almost never use it, since there is never someone in there (and I am on the FM-TS3-Server anyhow when I go racing).

My idea comes from assumption that many more ppl see the list of servers, the combos, and its occupation and they don't join. Seeing others with similar interest would make them ready to race.

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One way to "improve" it, is by simply removing it. Instead have like a Contact List of buddies, where you can see where your buddies are racing and join them by simply clicking on their name.

Well, good racing is with ppl you know or with ppl of similar skill (no matter you know them). List of buddies and Similar PBs holders meeting room would provide that.

What's the maximum number of cars allowed on track in LFS?

12 in demo and 32 on licensed servers.

and that is sufficient.

Main problem is that LFS just don't have enough players. 1400 on peak time and then mainly European based. Only 100 during European night.

Live for speed is pretty much unknown in the online gaming community and that is the real problem.

Quote from AcesHigh :

These are as you say indeed bugs, but if they where simple to fix im sure it would be done already.

Usually the actual programming is the easiest part of bug fixing. Much harder part is to get green flag from higher level, so you can start doing it. Byrocracy ruins lot's of good projects.

If fixing the bug isn't worth it, measured in $$$, then it's usually not going to happen. And it highly depends on company and bosses how much value they give to features like that and their reputation among certain group of players.

If you are talking about large packs of friends, it simply may be hard to find room for them. Again, if the ladder system is the only way to go it's very stupid, are you serious that there is no team servers, no clan wars, no stuff like that? I dunno, haven't played MW2 online, single player campaign was great entertainment, good movie.

Quote from AcesHigh :

And for something a couple of hobbie programmers use as a tool i dont see how it can be used better.

Err.. who said anything about hobbie programmers? I've been on sw industry over 10years as a designer/programmer/specialist, and for example implemented clustered MMO gaming server system from scratch. Among other things. Believe me, it's really not a big deal to implement working laddering system. Quite simple math and logic involved.

Problem here is, we just can't rev engineer the lfs network protocol and connect our proxy to master server, it's against the law..

And large gaming companies usually hire youngsters directly from school, as they are highly motivated and can do 12h/day with minimum salary.

Quote from mdmx :

Usually the actual programming is the easiest part of bug fixing. Much harder part is to get green flag from higher level, so you can start doing it. Byrocracy ruins lot's of good projects.

If fixing the bug isn't worth it, measured in $$$, then it's usually not going to happen. And it highly depends on company and bosses how much value they give to features like that and their reputation among certain group of players.

MW2 that is a pretty awesome game, looses a bit online experience due to this system. And its more the fact that its pretty buggy that bothers me... also the fact that they use steam makes it fall a bit further on my list aswell.

Quote from mdmx :

Again, if the ladder system is the only way to go it's very stupid, are you serious that there is no team servers, no clan wars, no stuff like that? I dunno, haven't played MW2 online, single player campaign was great entertainment, good movie.

Ofcourse there is clans, and an ability to host your own "private match" but that means you have to invite the players manually, so for a clan battle to happen you need to find each other on a third party like IRC or a forum. Then manually invite the clan to your match.

There is no ability to just choose a server from a list to find a match on a specific team server. A match with only 4 people is kinda lame anyways so you dont wanna go private with less than 4-5 people per team. That means you are stuck with the ridicilous system where it just puts you in a random server.

Also it´s using a system where the player with the best connection gets to host the game, so if the hosting player leaves the game pauses and chooses a new host(the best of the remaining players). This is quite annoying when it happens several times during a match, and sometimes it cant find a host fast enough so the match closes instead.

Quote from mdmx :

Err.. who said anything about hobbie programmers? I've been on sw industry over 10years as a designer/programmer/specialist, and for example implemented clustered MMO gaming server system from scratch. Among other things. Believe me, it's really not a big deal to implement working laddering system. Quite simple math and logic involved.

Problem here is, we just can't rev engineer the lfs network protocol and connect our proxy to master server, it's against the law..

And large gaming companies usually hire youngsters directly from school, as they are highly motivated and can do 12h/day with minimum salary.

Well i guess i didnt take into fact that there are some amazing people in the community... to me programming seems redicilously hard, especially after trying it out back in school.