Maybe there could be sections of the forum where demo users cant post? Just an idea.

I agree in a way, but there can be many pros and cons to all of it.

So I propose something like this:

Demo Users:
-Allowed to view all the forums
-Not allowed to download attachments in certain sections (ie licensed skins)
-Posting limited to certain sections
-Demo users should have their own section, as they are usually left out with licensed users hampering them. And licensed users shouldn't be allowed to post in their forum maybe?

My list could go on, but I think this presents some good points and bad points. First off, the way it is right now, the forum is hugely dominated by "I am LICENSED!" users. Demo users come on here for the most part and make mention of needing a skin or file which they would not normally require when being a demo user. Having these users only allowed to post in certain sections is what I think could work, but it has to be done properly... and I imagine it wouldn't be easy to do.

As long as Demo users can view the entire forum, they get that desire to actually buy the game by seeing all the benefits from making a purchase. But no matter where a Demo user posts on this forum, there is no escaping the fact that they will seen as a noob, cracker, or someone that doesn't want to buy the game and religiously plays Demo mode; and they will ultimately become a public example of stupidity.

If something IS done, I don't think it should be super-strict. At least give them a Demo section, and maybe they can peacefully hang out in there. But as you all know, Demo users are no happy campers and all it will be filled with is reports of wreckers, complaining, and probably requests for people to join their cool DrAg SeRvEr.

I just wish there was a better way to entice Demo users to buy the game! and we wouldn't be in this situation.

Come on hummer, as a demo racer you posted all over the place without restriction on all sorts of topics, and now you wanna lock 'em all out? Dude seriously! If restrictions were in place before you got licensed we wouldn't have heard from you at all j/k

I don't know if restricted forum use is the way to go but maybe there's something in your suggestion...perhaps slight restrictions on forum functions, carefully implemented, could work as Tweak suggested. The idea about limited posting/downloading privileges could have some merit, after all it's license fees that pay for this forum and its maintenance...This is a popular forum with a lot of members (10912 as I write this) so there's a lot of bandwidth being used here. Plus with only 3 cars and one track-set available to demo users, there's only so much other stuff you could want. If something about LFS was held back, besides game content, some people may re-consider staying on demo for years on end

But then, any restriciton, no matter how small, could be viewed as grossly unfair by demo racers and could cause friction here. On the other hand if you haven't paid for something, perhaps you shouldn't be entitled to full forum privileges I'm honestly undecided! Both sides of the coin have some merit here - this is definitely a topic that deserves further consideration and discussion

There is nothing wrong with what we have now so why change?

Quote from Hankstar :

If restrictions were in place before you got licensed we wouldn't have heard from you at all j/k

C'mon now, everyones a demo user at some point!

Exactly my point. Thanks

Some very mild restrictions could be good but it would be easy to over-react.

Guys, I happen to a BIG fan of our favourite racing sim and I must sincerely disagree with this idea of needless exclusivity.

One of LFS's chief strengths is its accesibility, which goes a LONG way to explain why it has such a large long term following despite of its unfinished state and LONG development. I couldn't care less if you're a demo or fully licnesed racer. As long as one has something useful to say, one should not be barred by any artificial restrictions.

Besides, this gives the demo racers an excellent idea of what they're missing from the lack of a full license. Last thing we need is to lose potential LFS licnese sales due to inaccessibility of game information.

This openness of the LFS forum is an example for all other developers wishing to become the ultimate PC racing sim title that LFS aims to achieve. Last thing we need is to lose our chief strength against those monolithic corporate glorifications of mediocrity (NFS:U being the prime example).

No, we do not have a need for speed. We LIVE FOR SPEED.

-1

Demo Racers are human beings to !

Jamex makes a good point :up: LFS could be a benchmark in gaming, business development and in the realm of consumer involvement/support

As much as I dislike 'being nice to everyone because it's nice' fashion, I think the demo racers should have the ability to post and join in everywhere on this forum.

Certain, small sections could do with tweaks, like not allowing posting in certain skin threads perhaps, but there is no point hiding material or preventing most posts because they will just find a way around it - RSC, or BHMS.

-1

Wheel4Hummer: Everyone is a demo racer at one time or another, and you still would be if it wasn't for me, which might be worth taking into account when limiting demo racer forum access.

What about J.B for example? He's listed as a Demo User, but he has S2, he just uses an other forum account - wouldn't be nice to restrict a fellow S2 user, would it?

-1 no need for something like that. this is just a forum!

Quote from Tweaker :

I agree in a way, but there can be many pros and cons to all of it.

So I propose something like this:

Demo Users:
-Allowed to view all the forums
-Not allowed to download attachments in certain sections (ie licensed skins)
-Posting limited to certain sections
-Demo users should have their own section, as they are usually left out with licensed users hampering them. And licensed users shouldn't be allowed to post in their forum maybe?

My list could go on, but I think this presents some good points and bad points. First off, the way it is right now, the forum is hugely dominated by "I am LICENSED!" users. Demo users come on here for the most part and make mention of needing a skin or file which they would not normally require when being a demo user. Having these users only allowed to post in certain sections is what I think could work, but it has to be done properly... and I imagine it wouldn't be easy to do.

As long as Demo users can view the entire forum, they get that desire to actually buy the game by seeing all the benefits from making a purchase. But no matter where a Demo user posts on this forum, there is no escaping the fact that they will seen as a noob, cracker, or someone that doesn't want to buy the game and religiously plays Demo mode; and they will ultimately become a public example of stupidity.

If something IS done, I don't think it should be super-strict. At least give them a Demo section, and maybe they can peacefully hang out in there. But as you all know, Demo users are no happy campers and all it will be filled with is reports of wreckers, complaining, and probably requests for people to join their cool DrAg SeRvEr.

I just wish there was a better way to entice Demo users to buy the game! and we wouldn't be in this situation.

I strongly agree - wheel4hummer has made a great point because if a S2 player has put lots of work into something, for example a skin then they may not want some unlicensed demo user to spread it about so maybe we could take this further... +1!

Maybe we could get the P.O.V. of a demo user?

Anybody know anyone who would have a point on this who is demo??

Quote from tristancliffe :

As much as I dislike 'being nice to everyone because it's nice' fashion, I think the demo racers should have the ability to post and join in everywhere on this forum.

Certain, small sections could do with tweaks, like not allowing posting in certain skin threads perhaps, but there is no point hiding material or preventing most posts because they will just find a way around it - RSC, or BHMS.

-1

Wheel4Hummer: Everyone is a demo racer at one time or another, and you still would be if it wasn't for me, which might be worth taking into account when limiting demo racer forum access.

Yes, all of us were demo but nobody mentioned stopping "full" access to the forums... Maybe there should be an option tick box when submitting skins or dds files etc which says only allow licensed users to dl...

What do you think??

There should be only one section - Licensed talk, which would be only for licensed users, so no demo users could access it. What goes to skins, ALL skins should be avalaible for everyone. Demo users can view skins in viewer.

Quote from Lible :

Demo users can view skins in viewer.

Good point, I always forget about that part :doh:

And there are lots of good skins available at masterskinnerz...

-1 also.

+1 for the thought atleast

i still agree that there should be an S2 licensee section of the forum for certain things.. i dont know what those certain things would be, but... we have enough minds here to come up with something

+0.5. I wouldn't really care since there aren't too many posting demo users. Though, a license forum would be nice for something special.

Quote from KingSpammer :

Every one is a demo racer at one time or another

Not everyone.

I dont think it's a good idea to seperate those who have license and those who dont. I know some people that wouldve never got a license if not for a forum such as this where they can come and ask questions and read old threads to find out the most they can about the game before they buy it.


-1

yeah, sure, then separate who is blonde, who has blue eyes, who is catholic, etc...

-99999

just make all lyt files and other S2 only stuff (not skins tho) so that only S2 can download them, the demo racers will just have to drool over the pics! i think the demoers really do need to see ALL the community though!