Here : http://www.lfsforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=66

I've made it invisible while I finish the work on a final incompatible version to be released next week. That will be tested over next weekend - the plan is to release the official version the following week (last few days of November).

The new test patch B12 will be incompatible with B11 because of some more cheat protection and a new joining system which makes the guest appear to join instantly, so avoiding the messages "Can't X - a player is connecting" and "Please wait - a guest is connecting" and making Join Out Of Sync (JOOS) a rare event.

Along with the other changes, it's a much better multiplayer experience and 0.6C will be a good release, while we continue with the physics updates and S3 content.

EDIT (22 November) :

Getting close to the B12 testing stage - hopefully on Friday so it gets a good test this weekend.
Here is the list of changes for anyone who is interested in that kind of thing.

Changes from 0.6B11 to 0.6B12 :

New "instant" join system using cached packets :

- Much faster connection to host
- Connection appears instant to other guests
- Safe to join while objects are added or removed
- You can pit, spectate, etc. while a player is joining

Player name conflict resolution :

Auto rename when you join a host with someone else's player name
You can always exit from player screen even if your name is used
Selected name not used in game if already used by another player
No two players (real or AI) can enter a race using the same name

LFS World statistics fixes :

Adding an AI driver changed real player's status to "in race"
Spectating from garage screen left player's status "in pits"

Multiplayer :

Added /player command to dedicated host setup.cfg file
Removed /carshost command from dedicated host setup.cfg

Misc :

Maximum autocross objects increased from 800 to 900
Maximum marshall circles increased from 96 to 120

Fixes :

Message "Max guest cars : X" now shown in the selected language
Wrong message "Did not receive track info" on joining full host
Cars intersected if players joined autocross at the same time
An unusual state in which LFS displayed only a blank screen

Changes from 0.6B to 0.6B11 :

Improved multiplayer system :

Game only needs host packets to continue processing
Quicker joining to host - no waiting for other players
No waiting for packets from players with slow connections
Leaving a host is instantaneous even if a guest is connecting
Longer timeouts avoid disconnection due to short interruptions

New TCP packet buffering and storage system :

Reduces the number of physical packets sent
Major improvement when many InSim buttons are sent
Fixes some ways to lose connection on a busy server

Multiplayer :

New hacker protection applied to multiplayer packets
Improved checks on validity of user names while connecting
User names now confirmed with master server after connection
Bars at bottom left to show packet delay for all connections
Ping time (or lag when lagging) shown in list of connections
OOS / CPW messages now show user name instead of player name
Removed message "Got master packet" from network debug output
No buffer overflows from hangs or operating system time changes
User name in brackets now shown at end of disconnection messages
New "Authorised" message on host links user name with ip address
Instead of "LAG (seconds)" now "username (seconds)" is displayed
Race setup screen /clear command can now only be used by admins
Ability of guests to vote or select tracks now enforced by host

Other changes :

Latvian training lessons now included
Two new translations : Indonesian and Romanian
Pit exit direction arrow now works in open configurations
SHIFT + N : sound on / off now works in multiplayer screens

InSim :

Added new leave reasons (CPW / OOS / JOOS / HACK) for IS_CNL
Change to in-game usage of IS_REO - only valid after SMALL_VTA

Fixes :

Custom view was not set to new car type on replay restart
Duplicate lines in scripts could cause unexpected results
Virtual speedo sometimes overlapped numbers (e.g. XRG km/h)
Circuit length is no longer displayed for open configurations
LFS could crash when displaying laps for fuel after short laps
Ready status in lobby is now checked when a player disconnects
Load WE1R on dedicated host - Checkpoint 1 path node not found
User's controller type was not shown after taking over a car
SHIFT+R near end of SPR could make cars swap between players
Two instances of LFS no longer write to the same MPR / SPR
Short MP Replays were sometimes extended to a time of 10:55.36
It was possible to make an AI driver join with a disallowed car
Leaving garage screen could cause problems with a car script

Excellent news Scawen, keep it up!

Keep it going scawen! Looking good!

Quote from Scawen :

Here : http://www.lfsforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=66

I've made it invisible while I finish the work on a final incompatible version to be released next week. That will be tested over next weekend - the plan is to release the official version the following week (last few days of November).

The new test patch B12 will be incompatible with B11 because of some more cheat protection and a new joining system, which make the guest appear to join instantly, so avoiding the "Can't X - a player is connecting" and so on.

Along with the other changes, it's a much better multiplayer experience and 0.6C will be a good release, while we continue with the physics updates and S3 content.

but still when you join when someone disconnecting , you get disconnect also or is this fixed also?

Excellent news and work. One might find these fixes "small", but the amount of work behind them is surely huge.

Also, here's a small wish to the devs: I'd be happy if you would include something special for christmas. Hint: content : P

Quote from Franky.S :

but still when you join when someone disconnecting , you get disconnect also or is this fixed also?

Connecting, disconnecting, timing out... all these things now have no effect on the responsiveness of LFS to other players.

How responsive LFS is, is all about your computer and the server and the quality of the connection to the server.

The bad connections of other players don't make the online experience bad for you any more, except for their lagging car...

brilliant

makes endu races more easy to join when alot people is disconnecting and joining at the same time, good job

That really is excellent. Many times when you try to join a busy server and by the time LFS finishes downloading some 10-20 1024x1024 skins, you get thrown back to the multiplayer lobby with some "did not receive guest info" error. Happy for that to be gone!

Multiple skin downloads at the same time would be nice aswell, if that would help speed up connecting to servers.

Quote from Matrixi :

That really is excellent. Many times when you try to join a busy server and by the time LFS finishes downloading some 10-20 1024x1024 skins, you get thrown back to the multiplayer lobby with some "did not receive guest info" error. Happy for that to be gone!

Multiple skin downloads at the same time would be nice aswell, if that would help speed up connecting to servers.

I think it would be better to download skins after you have joined server, in most cases I have to wait like 2+ minutes to join cargame... because of slow internet=slow skin download.
Also if I minimize LFS for couple of seconds during joining process, it will always fail to join.

Quote from DANIEL-CRO :

I think it would be better to download skins after you have joined server, in most cases I have to wait like 2+ minutes to join cargame... because of slow internet=slow skin download.
Also if I minimize LFS for couple of seconds during joining process, it will always fail to join.

Good idea. Scawen, see two of my messages in the mail.

I knew it was too good to be true: Scawen actually asking where the test patch forum went off to.

Excellent news Scawen!
Needless to say; keep up the good work!
We're all exited with LFS future prospects, especially since 2013 is looking good as far as virtual racing is concerned. All the best wishes for the extended physics developmet!

keep it up

Quote from DANIEL-CRO :

I think it would be better to download skins after you have joined server, in most cases I have to wait like 2+ minutes to join cargame... because of slow internet=slow skin download.
Also if I minimize LFS for couple of seconds during joining process, it will always fail to join.

Downloading skins after connecting would cause you to have a higher ping than usual, and potentially ruin your race (if you instantly join) or lag the host to the point where everyone lags.

Quote from xtraction :

...or lag the host to the point where everyone lags.

As Scawen said above, that shouldn't happen any more with the new patch.

Seemingly small update, but yet so important and crucial. Good work! 0.6C Patch, indeed will be great!

Scawen: Out of curiosity, what is your thoughts/view of increasing default skins to 1024x? We all know the technology today are much better, but what would it mean for you?
I hope you could provide a more deeply response about your thoughts, in a general aspect. * Forgive me if this has already been answered before *

I've added a list of changes to the first post, for consideration in advance of Test Patch 0.6B12.

Quote from NovaK :

Out of curiosity, what is your thoughts/view of increasing default skins to 1024x? We all know the technology today are much better, but what would it mean for you?

I assume you mean the skins that are downloaded free of charge, because the default skins that come with LFS are 1024x1024 already.

We don't really want to increase the size of the skins provided by the free download service because we do have to pay for bandwidth and larger skins would use more bandwidth. They would also make it slower for users to connect to hosts.

I think that we do provide the high resolution skins download service at a good price, 6000 skins for £3. People who use that service are covering the cost of the download and making a contribution to the purchase and maintenance of servers.

Instant join system which does not screw up piting, spectating etc...yummi!

Quote from Scawen :

You can pit, spectate, etc. while a player is joining
Maximum autocross objects increased from 800 to 900
Maximum marshall circles increased from 96 to 120
Cars intersected if players joined autocross at the same time

These are my favourite ones, thanks Scawen!

That sounds good

edit: Noticed one more thing, when host or insim spectates you, on LFSW you will still stay in race.

Quote from Scawen :

People who use that service are covering the cost of the download and making a contribution to the purchase and maintenance of servers.

Hmm I would like to see that turned around... I mean.. Bringing the costs of bandwidth and servers down. I'm almost sure too much is being paid right now. Bandwidth shouldn't be an issue at all in this age for LFS services. The CG server for example costs 25 pounds a month its a 8400 dual core and has 10 TB of bandwidth a month included and is fully manageable (of course). Years ago bandwidth was an issue, not now anymore.

Then there is that problem with slow connecting but that is the choice of the people themselves. Don't have to tick high res skins if your connection cant handle it, is it.

.

Quote from Scawen :

EDIT (22 November) :

Getting close to the B12 testing stage - hopefully on Friday so it gets a good test this weekend.
Here is the list of changes for anyone who is interested in that kind of thing.

Changes from 0.6B11 to 0.6B12 :

New "instant" join system using cached packets :

- Much faster connection to host
- Connection appears instant to other guests
- Safe to join while objects are added or removed
- You can pit, spectate, etc. while a player is joining

Misc :

Maximum autocross objects increased from 800 to 900
Maximum marshall circles increased from 96 to 120

Thank You! Great Work!

Quote from Scawen :

Cars intersected if players joined autocross at the same time

One question, is cars still intersected when one car leave PITS while other staying in his garage spawn place?

Looks like 0.6C will feature a very pertinent list of improvements together with a few out of the blue surprises (more Autocross Objects)


OFF-TOPIC
=========
• I can't help myself to ask the following (since you seem to have been working on Autocross Objects recently): are there any plans to add pitch (& roll) to the IS_AXM packet? Changing the angle of the slope of the "Ramp2" object for example would be awesome but I guess this would mean you would have to reduce the minimum step of objects (25cm) too.

• When starting a custom race (on an open config) using autocross checkpoints (without using /restart, drivers have to park on the custom made grid before the race starts) it seems not possible to clear the laps. As a result I put the finish line before the race grid and the split1 checkpoint after the race grid to be sure all racers cross split1 before the finish line to ensure that everyone is on the same lap. This is obviously not ideal, is there a way to clear the laps (without having to use /restart) ?
I noticed that when you type /restart as an admin you get the "Autocross : x checkpoints" message which confirms that the laps have been cleared for everyone. There doesn't seem to be an IS_TINY who clears the laps, is there something I overlooked?

Quote from Hector_UA :

One question, is cars still intersected when one car leave PITS while other staying in his garage spawn place?

Good point, there could be a kind of collision check if there is a car in the garage where the player is about to spawn. Who knows how difficult that could be, though.