I dislike the track changes very much. Especially for the reversed direction which has always been one of my favourite tracks. I saw no need at all to change the track the way it has been changed. It doesn't flow any more like it once did. The chicane is now an annoyance rather than a challenge to get the timing and weight shifting correct and the area near the straight has become somewhat processional where it used to offer a better chance to overtake, it now seems to be much easier for a slow car to defend its position against a fast opponent.
I've given the new layout a good try and for me it is now quite ordinary. I'm really quite disappointed in the change. "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" fits this situation perfectly IMO. Sad.

Quote from Gunn :

I've given the new layout a good try and for me it is now quite ordinary.

Which car were you using? I find that the experience varies widely from car to car due to the apexes not being as clear as they used to be and some cars can take a much different approach.

Quote from xaotik :

Which car were you using? I find that the experience varies widely from car to car due to the apexes not being as clear as they used to be and some cars can take a much different approach.

All cars.

Quote from Gunn :

All cars.

Wow. You're a better man - or have more spare time - than I, mister. Admittedly I've only done enough laps to call it anywhere close to having an understanding of the track on the LX4, XRG and FBM so far.

Quote from xaotik :

Wow. You're a better man - or have more spare time - than I, mister. Admittedly I've only done enough laps to call it anywhere close to having an understanding of the track on the LX4, XRG and FBM so far.

Old layout was fantastic in the FO8, FZR, XRR, FOX and XRT and LX's at least. I must admit, I don't drive the FWD cars hardly ever, perhaps the new layout is challenging in those cars but I'll probably never find out.

Quote from Gunn :

Old layout was fantastic in the FO8, FZR, XRR, FOX and XRT and LX's at least. I must admit, I don't drive the FWD cars hardly ever, perhaps the new layout is challenging in those cars but I'll probably never find out.

Yeah I wouldn't know about the FWDs as I don't enjoy them much either and I've abandoned any attempt to reconcile this some time now. I've yet to take any of the fast cars you mention for a spin on it but I have a suspicion that the track is now a claustrophobic experience for those - the FBM which is close to the FOX was pretty satisfying after getting into a groove though, especially on the reversed layout. Ah well, different kicks.

Quote from Gunn :

"If it ain't broken, don't fix it" fits this situation perfectly IMO. Sad.

But how many tracks are there were the (non-tarmac) run off area has to be driven to be fast, I far rather the new kerbs. As for the track it doesn't really bother me, I think I like it more in the lower power cars yet and I can't understand why it'll be bad in the faster cars, what's this obsession about having as fast a track as possible?

Quote from ajp71 :

...what's this obsession about having as fast a track as possible?

Whose obsession is that? I can't recall ever having it.

I'm glad to see the run off reduced, but I'd prefer to see that particular section widened instead. The run-off was always a bit odd anyway but the corners flowed very nicely. They don't now and I'm not pleased with it. That's just the way I feel about it.

Quote from Gunn :

Whose obsession is that? I can't recall ever having it.

Not yours

All the people moaning because the corner is lower and they can't beat their old times (but are naturally opposed to hotlaps being wiped). :doh:

Quote from ajp71 :

Not yours

All the people moaning because the corner is lower and they can't beat their old times (but are naturally opposed to hotlaps being wiped). :doh:

I don't give a rat's about old PBs , I just really enjoyed the way that part of the track flowed and the way you had to really nail it to gain the extra tenth or two. The character of that section is destroyed for me, replaced by a poorly-designed section. It probably doesn't matter so much in the normal direction, but in the reversed direction it's a real let down.

Quote from ajp71 :

I can't understand why it'll be bad in the faster cars, what's this obsession about having as fast a track as possible?

the problem is it has the makings of a very high speed track with its extremely long back straight and now at least in the fo8 sector 2 feels painfully slow
ill say that the new track is amazing in the fbm and having tried the car on the old layout (huge thanks to scawen for not needlessly changing the track file format btw) its not quite as brilliant so the video was correct as far as the fbm is concerned

but having done that (s1 tracks dont work btw) i have to restate my oppinion that bl is _the_ lfs track that everybody associates with the game so imho every time the layout changes to a considerable degree the old version should be kept available inside the game

I finally got to try it out for about 50+ laps with a FWD car since a friend I LFS with has a thing going for him with the XFR. As much as I loath the driving characteristics of the FWD cars I must say it wasn't half-bad. There was definitely a flow to be found in BL1 - we didn't try out BL1R - as long as one sets the car up for a little kerb-bound abuse, atleast I resorted to much more of that than I do with RWDs on BL1. I have a feeling the line I was following would surely result in lumbago IRL.

The only point of reference I have for comparing the experience with an XFR on preY BL1 to the new one are the comments from my pal who was frequently on his roof for the first part of the session due to not finding the run-off space he was used to - needless to say he swore alot.

My oppinion:

The new bl isnt bad but its no better than it was, if not a bit worse in terms of people braking too late at the end of the streight and taking you out because its tighter.

But i think there should be more combos/circuts rather than changing somthing wich had no problems with it in the first place, if its not broken dont fix it.
Alltho the curbs in the chicane was broke, and the fixes are great, but the turn at the end of the streight was not broke so it didnt need changing.

my oppinion ^

The trees should be brought back into the chicane IMO

Strange, I didn't even notice the bigger changes before I read about them here. Which means that I also haven't had any problems with the new track. Which is nice.

Edit: Why isn't there a :P smiley?
Edit: Yay, found it!

I don't play LFS that much, but I did try out the updated BL1 track, and liked it better, but mostly because I didn't like the idea of going beyond the curbing for a good lap time. I don't know what the real world rules are, but for most racing sims, it's at least two wheels on the track / curbing, and fast laps on the old track was more like two carlengths away from the curbing.

So count me as one who prefers the new layout.

Quote from JeffR :

....and fast laps on the old track was more like two carlengths away from the curbing.

Fast laps were not possible two car lengths off the circuit. Maybe your definition of "circuit" and understanding of "car lengths" are inaccurate? If you were even one car length off the circuit you'd be on the grass or in the gravel trap. The track hasn't changed that much either.

Today I was playing with some guys and, for no reason, some BF1 was getting closer and closer. After I got involved in an accident, I started watching him run and discovered why he was getting his great times: he just cheated on the 1st chicane... Check the pic.

Now you tell me guys... is this part of the track any different from patch X or am I just paranoid?

Quote from Gunn :

Fast laps were not possible two car lengths off the circuit. Maybe your definition of "circuit" and understanding of "car lengths" are inaccurate?

I was exaggerating, and I've since updated my post. The cars do go completely beyond the curbing at quite a few spots at Blackwood. A video of the BF1 at Blackwood, driven by MacEST.

lfsblf1.wmv

Quote from xaotik :

Indeed! Tests we did in the lab here provided further insight.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAHAHA

While I don't really hate anything in the new patch, the bl1 changes are the only changes I really like. (Mostly just indifferent.) The changes mean that bl gp now has a few more corners compared to normal considering in the old layout a lot of the corners just duplicated eachother.

To me the change of the right hander after long straight means 1 great passing area less.. Its more dangerous now, on the old one ive done many many passes going 2 car wide to the turn, safely.. but now it wont allow as much room.. not a biggie though.. still think its the most boring track in the game

I believe its a much more realistic and interesting track now than pre-y. The extreme width in some areas, excessive track-out areas, and unrealistic curbs just do not fit with the atmosphere of the track on a natural layout.

The circuit should be as good for racing as before. I agree with the comment of the apexes being slightly more engaging to find/hit correctly which should mix up the racing a little.

Quote from fporto_br :

Today I was playing with some guys and, for no reason, some BF1 was getting closer and closer. After I got involved in an accident, I started watching him run and discovered why he was getting his great times: he just cheated on the 1st chicane... Check the pic.

Now you tell me guys... is this part of the track any different from patch X or am I just paranoid?

I noticed this last night, though in demo. 2 cars from last positions (~6-7 car grid) on start moved from last at T1 to first and 2nd after the chicane by driving through there.

This area is a definite problem.

Quote from fporto_br :

Today I was playing with some guys and, for no reason, some BF1 was getting closer and closer. After I got involved in an accident, I started watching him run and discovered why he was getting his great times: he just cheated on the 1st chicane...

Hopefully Scawen will fix it so that if your car is detected going through that gap, LFS immediately bans you from all servers for 9 years. And if possible, then sets fire to your computer.

I saw a post about why not make old BL versions available.
tbh, I would love to see the final pre S1 demo BL drivable in S2
The thrill of coming trough the 1st chicane with enjoyable cutting and danger of hitting the wall on exit onto a long straight , mmm
And then the uncuttable kerbs on the rest of the track asking for a perfectly fine tuned driving line trough the track