I do really care for the way the cars and car classes are currently represented in LFS or in the number and granularity of the setup options each car has available to it. I would love to see this part of LFS change and present a different feel for this racing simulator.

Cars & Classes

S2 introduced a new concept in LFS which allow the different cars of the same type to share a common base model with different additional parts and performance specs based on the specific model of any given type. For example the XRG, XRT & XRR are all just XRs with different body panels, wheels, wings and other bits. It’s the same for the LX4 & LX6, the UF1 & UFR, the XFG & XFR, the FXO & FXR as well as the FZ5 and FZR. Now only one street one car comes in three variations and two only have a single variation while the majority of them have just two. I would love to see each of these cars come in three or four variations. It would be nice to have each of the street cars available in a Base trim, Performance trim, Race Prepped trim and Competition trim.

This would change the car groupings a little but not too much and I see it looking something like this:

Showroom Stock:
Group A: UF-B
Group B: XF-B, XR-B, FX-B, RB-B (Non-Turbo versions of the FXO and RB4)
Group C: RA-B, FZ-B, LX-B (LX4)

Improved Touring:
Group A: UF-P, XF-P, XR-P, FX-P, RB-P (Turbo versions of All)
Group B: RA-P, FZ-P, LX-P (LX6)

Grand Touring:
Group A: UF-R, XF-R, XR-R, FX-R, RB-R, RA-R, FZ-R, LX-R

Super Touring:
Group A: UF-C, XF-C, XR-C, FX-C, RB-C, RA-C, FZ-C, LX-C

This allows for more choice in a given class and for more levels of competition.

Class Based Setup Options:

Now in addition to the restructuring of the cars and their classes I would like to see the setup options on the cars also be restructured to reflect more realistic levels. The basic idea is to allow more adjustability as the classes advance. This them makes the slower cars less complex to setup and more accessible to newer players when also allowing more flexibility to more experienced players.

Waaaay too many cars and classes. Half of the current ones don't get driven. All I ask for is class balancing.

i think he suggesting a similar way to rFactor, were theses 3 types of fully tuned variations of the same car.

The basic idea is to take the street cars and have each one avalable in 4 versions.

A Basic Trim
A Sport Trim
A Race Prepped Trim
A Factory Built Race Car

As it is now there are 5 Street classes:
UF1 - XFG/XRG - XRT/FXO/RB4 - LX4 - LX6/RAC/FZ5
And two Race classes:
XFR/UFR - XRR/FXR/FZR

My model also has 5 street classes and two race classes. The only differences is we would get more cars in each class as we would have more variants of each car. It also then paves the way to limit setup complexity based on the class of the car. Imagine having a no downforce version of the XR, FZ and RAC in the same class and equal to the XFR and UFR.

Gimpster, it's a good idea, but it's a bit early for it..

Like Davo said, what we most need, first of all, are balanced classes.

My suggestion is to create "cup" variants of the XRG (similar to a Spec Miata, but with a roof), XFG (to make it like a Clio Cup) and maybe even the FZ5. These would be called, you've guessed it, XRC, XFC and FZC.

And also some rallycross variants, FXX and RBX like WRC cars, and UFX and XFX like super 1600s.

Then remove a lot of setup options (a lot of suspension ones, individual gear ratios, differential types) on the road cars. Maybe allow 3 different sets of ratios on the LRF cars.

Quote from Gimpster :

I do really care for the way the cars and car classes are currently represented in LFS or in the number and granularity of the setup options each car has available to it. I would love to see this part of LFS change and present a different feel for this racing simulator.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Cars & Classes

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It would be nice to have each of the street cars available in a Base trim, Performance trim, Race Prepped trim and Competition trim.

I disagree here. Imho, just adding different versions with minimal differences would just add a lot of unused cars. It would also be a burden for Eric to make the modelling and texturing differences plus the different specs and balancing to make the classes usable.

Even if you look at the current car lists you can see some strange cars. Like the XR; you have XR GT, the turbo and the GTR version. In all honesty who manufacturer would make a 500hp GTR car out of a 140hp basic sporty hairdresser car ()? It is like Toyota would enter the FIA GT with GTR version of MR2. Basically the same with FXR. The FZ50 is right though and you can certainly feel it too in speed

How would a "Super Touring" UF1 work on that basis? It wouldn't . I'm sorry to say but it doesn't make sense at all to make x number of versions out of every car in LFS to get more cars per class. People want new cars, totally new cars, not just another XR GT turbos with slightly smaller mirrors and 2 more hp or UFRs with double the power.

I am not saying that the fwd GTR class shouldn't get an rwd competitor, I am saying that it doesn't need to be XR make. Imho, there is room for maybe one more FZ car and a race tuned LX car. But car makes like XR and XF already have their cars in the game .

Quote from Gimpster :

Class Based Setup Options:

Now in addition to the restructuring of the cars and their classes I would like to see the setup options on the cars also be restructured to reflect more realistic levels. The basic idea is to allow more adjustability as the classes advance. This them makes the slower cars less complex to setup and more accessible to newer players when also allowing more flexibility to more experienced players.

Quote from Gimpster :

The basic idea is to take the street cars and have each one avalable in 4 versions.

A Basic Trim
A Sport Trim
A Race Prepped Trim
A Factory Built Race Car

Disagreed and agreed. Imhowhat the devs should do is to decide what kind of cars the current cars are. In which class the TBO cars should be? Imho, the term sport trim would fit quite to them. And the available setup options should reflect this. Maybe few different gearboxes, springs and etc.. But not the kind of precision we have now.

All in all, I personally don't see your idea as one which would work and be worth the effort to implement. Others may disagree Imho the car classes should be kept sensible with as little new different car classes and as much cars in the current and new car classes as possible. A proper GTR cars with real power, prototypes and hi performance supercars are what I have in my mind. And some cars, like the DP1, that are totally different than anything else and need a class of their own. With carefully thought out purpose, looks, specs and setup options in mind.

We have limited amount of racers which directly means that you can't add every new car class just because it is a cool car class. There are not enough people to race those classes. 2 or three GTR car classes could work on public servers, at the same time on track, but not without new features, like multiple class race results. It doesn't make sense to drive the LX4 on LX6 server because you are not driving for the victory in the LX4. With this multi-class race result system we could at least run different classes on one track on public servers and give the chance of winning in every class, not just in the fastest class; you could easily have more than 1 class on the track and still have good races

Ugh. Me has speaked!

Hyperactive, Toyota races the MR2 in a 300 or 500hp class (or both, I forgot), and I think the Amemiya (or something like that) base car is also just a tiny wheezer.

I do agree though, that we don't have enough players to add so many classes yet. In fact, I would say we need balanced classes with more cars in those classes.
Balancing them is the challenge... but unless you're a player that's out of touch with the design process of the game (that same gameplay dilemna - cant make too many classes), you will know that it's fair enough if each of those cars are better and worse on this or that track. If the average is equal.

edit- "you" as in anyone, not you specificaly.

Looks like an SCCA roster!

I agree with the basic premise. Balancing would be great. Many times I've thought of putting the XFG with something else, but it doesn't really have a good opponent in the other cars.

I think the idea for setup classes is a very good idea. Either that, or a basic and advanced setup option. Easy one for people who are learning it, and advanced for those who allready get setting up a car.