Another thing you could possibly do is add a checkbox in Racer details (My hotlaps) to make setup available in database, as well as ask on new hotlap upload. Each setup should have uploaders name, upload time, lap time, track, ... associated.
Yeah, a brilliant idea. As you said, Setupgrid is outdated now (no Rockingham and still old Westhill setups, IIRC), but at least it's available. It would be awesome to make a database owned by LFS, so we don't have to rely on 3rd party sites when we need fast and good setups. A searchable database in-game would be the best (so you can search for and download the setups in the pits), but I would be happy to use a database on for example LFSWorld.
I've always thought it best for things to be hosted on the LFS-network rather than 3rd party sites. All my skins are also posted on the forum somewhere, just in case of some sort of failure at my end.
It does make sense for there to be an official LFS setup resource.
Just not sure where to place the browser. I don't really want to add things to lfsworld as it feels cramped and its code base is old. But not sure there's a place for it on this site either. Maybe in a break out window ..
yeah, have not figured that out yet. But it's clear what features it should have and I've basically prepared for that so far.
It has two sides. I kinda like how some stuff in lfs can be community-run. But stumbling on old 404 links is also annoying.
Just for extra inspiration a few things I noticed from other setup sites:
1) Sometimes setups work for multiple tracks.
A way to indicate that would be nice, instead of just posting the same set on different track.
2) Setups are often iterations of other setups.
("This is set XY with more downforce" or "Same as XY but R2 tires.")
Some better way to link such relations?
3) Possible to show some setup info on website?
I must have downloaded countless GTR sets that were for GT2 (restricted)
4) Comments/rating is very important.
It matters by whom they are. ("Good setup 5/5" does not mean much if it comes from new player or so.)
5) Possibility of importing the old setups from other sites?
(setupfield zip: https://www.lfs.net/forum/post/1885751#post1885751)
Possible setupgrid.net too.
Could be marked as "automatic imported" or so.
Not sure if would be seen as stealing or such I doubt it would be problem when the site is not maintained anymore.
Realistically at start people will upload the most popular setups anyway, maybe better to import it in orderly way instead of having many double uploads etc.
Talking setups, some better way to sort setups in LFS itself is sorely missed too! Just the ability to create folders for different tracks or different events would already make the mess I have in my setup list a whole lot less cluttered.
One thought I had was to add a new 'Files' section. The first category in there could be setups. The second could be layouts for example. And could add more after that. A bit like the good old LFS Database / LFS Files sites.
Yep. The ability to browse locally stored setups, in a categorised fashion and in the same way browse setups stored online. Either from your own collection or setups that have been made publically available (or from team mates, depending on the access rights (public / team / private)).
Agreed! It would be a shame if there was a new setup datbase without updating the current, very basic setup file handling system within LFS itself. For me atm it's just a confusing, endles row of collected setups...
And, if there was an improved setup file handling/folder structure in any way later in LFS maybe , I think there really should be an option to connect to the external database to maybe import e.g. recommended/hotlap/endurance/you_name_it setups? Just my two cents...
We need every setup to have a hash, and link that with some basic information (author, date, LFS version...).
Scawen should change a thing: when someone shares his setup in the game, the name should default to be the original in the hashed set, though you can change it if you want.
This way we are more likely to avoid duplicating setups and 'stealing' others work.
Not sure how I missed this thread but I'm glad it's happening. I was working on a replacement already for CityDriving and considered building a new one for LFS as a whole. Guess I can strike that off of my list!
Maybe someone can rename the thread to avoid confusion?