Hardcore mode SHOULD NOT force 3 pedals and H pattern. If Auto clutch and gear change speed is sorted then why not allow 2 pedal and sequental.
The rest of the bits is needed though.
- No join mid race
- No jump to pits, just retire from race.
- No F9 or F10
- No reset car
- Restricted view options
Agreed. The G25 is the start of the 3-pedal system becoming 'the norm' but until then even I wouldn't want to penalise people without them. Hardcore mode should be irrespective of controller really. However, when ALL (bar the very cheapest) wheels come with three pedals then is the time to consider enforcing it, but not until then!
All of Woz's points are 100000000% brilliant, and I will pay for S10 if they were added!
Hardcore mode should be a set of options, not a blanket of inflexible changes. That way people with shifters and 3-pedals can race each other fairly by selecting those server side options. Being able to customise hardcore options would allow various hardcore configurations that suit a wider range of players and cater to different types of racing. If we just have one static hardcore setup with no options, the whinging will never cease.
With optional settings you could set up a server that applies several HC options but still caters for all views etc. Or you may choose just to switch off telepitting and resets and leave other things in their default state. Maybe you just want to force a single setup for all racers or something like that?
Again that no-mid race join... I think it is much better to join a server to drive few laps to get to know the car&track before the actual start. Instead of forcing drivers to start the race directly from the start grid. The few laps before the actual race can be critical to get feeling for the car before the actual race.
My idea is how we have now a "newbie" "ok" and "pro" sort of skill levels in settings, why not add "hardcore" mode to it so then we can have all these features as an options.
To include a (setupable) Hardcore Mode in LFS would not penalise anybody.
Quite the Opposite, Sim Racers who always drive with the cockpit view and 3 pedals are penalised now.
A Hardcore Mode would not penalise left foot braker or bird-view drivers - it would only give the drivers who prefer to drive with more Simulation type Options a Starting Grid where they can compete against other Sim Racers with the same views and settings.
If you drive in the bird view or roof cam view thats just fine, there would only be a few Servers running the Hardcore Mode which you couldnt join, the Majority of Servers would surely stay with all Options open.
It works just fine in NASCAR Racing 2003. When you Race Online there you can get a 43 car starting grid, but you dont have a problem finding a Server without forced Cockpit View at the same time.
A (setupable) Hardcore Mode would not penalise anyone, it would add something to the Simulation.
I agree with Gunn on the Hardcore Mode, it should be setupable
Something like this, of course the Host should be able to choose between whats forced and whats not.
Forced Cockpit View
No driving aids
No Reset of Car during Race
Clutch is an Axis
H Pattern Shifter (if that particular car is supposed to be driven like that)
I was once on a server with FEL and filur and they were trying something like this, but most of the people just left when the practise started. Some also left when the quali started so there wasn't many left for the actual race. Maybe 6 out of 12 who stayed.
And I'm not too interested in having a quali between every race, simply because the speed levels are much greater than in leagues racing so it ends up just to the point that only the 2 or 3 quickest have chance of winning. And that is because they easily get the first places on the grid. The others are just too slow to fight against them. With random grids the pack is mixed so no one has the benefit of better starting position all the time.
And after all people want close racing, not some tight schedule
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And I think that making the HC mode so that it has some options to tick off/on won't work. There are some issues to be though out first:
People with more than one monitor are probably using custom view
How about setting some border wher you can place the "camera" inside the car instead of one fixed point that may be useless for people with 2 monitors? At least the height of the camera position should have a limit because the higher the camera is the better you see around. imho.
No F9 or F10
These should be removed all together and replaced (where necessary and realistic) with proper indicators. But with current physics where slight overheating willl cause the tires to lose most of the grip they can be useful. But still unrealistic. Imho, this should not be part of the HC mode, because it is feature that should be always available (where necessary and realistic = to be in BF1 but not in UF1)
No reset car.
Just add time penalty and I'm fine with it. Also disabling this is more disadvantegous (spelling ) to some cars than to some others. Look at the GTRs, the XRR is the only one that gets stuck while the FZR is sometimes even better offroader than the FXR. So getting stuck is not always the driver's fault, it may be the car too. (of course you should keep away from the sandy places but that is not the point) To me the resetting of the car could simulate the tow car.
I simply agree to have something like that. And too, to allow only hotlaps done with this hardcore mode. So much boring to see all those people changing their driver's position without having any changes in what they see while driving...illepall completly unrealistic... Now, if you drive with in-car view, you just have to be owned illepall , yeah! And it is even more flagrant during races where you have to save your tires ...Let's have a simulation fair for every one.
) to some cars than to some others. Look at the GTRs, the XRR is the only one that gets stuck while the FZR is sometimes even better offroader than the FXR. So getting stuck is not always the driver's fault, it may be the car too. (of course you should keep away from the sandy places but that is not the point) To me the resetting of the car could simulate the tow car.
I simply agree to have something like that. And too, to allow only hotlaps done with this hardcore mode. So much boring to see all those 
people changing their driver's position without having any changes in what they see while driving...
...Let's have a simulation fair for every one.