Hi, just a couple of quick questions, first of all, atm, I'm only racing in the demo, that means I'm pretty 'specialized' (or whatever you want to call it ) in using one car, and I know much of the track. So when you guys play s2, do you race any car at any circuit? Or do you just specialize on one car and one circuit to be really good at that specific circuit/car.

It really took some time to get good in the blackwood, and to learn to be competitive on all servers, now I'm thinking about s2. But actually the thing that keeps me from it, is the fact that I don't know if I have to learn every track and learn to race good in any car. I really want to aim high, but is it possible when racing different cars, oh I guess you should be able to race at any circuit, but with every car?

Also is there any circuit/car that is a clear favorite over all other, in that case which car is that?

Thx in advance!

/Bluestream

At the moment being in a FXO leauge I'm driving that car the most. I usually race a lot of car/track combos when playing public servers just to see what its like You'll never be bored with S2, so many car/track combos you can play.

Keiran

I guess you're right. But if we say I drive lots of cars/circuits, will I be able to compete with everyone? Since there must be alot of people that race the same car/circtuit most of the time, and they'll be alot better with that car then? Well maybe I'm thinking to much, at least I'm pretty sure I'll buy s2 in the near future

At first, it might overwhelm you, but after a while, you learn how to adapt to a new combo quickly... I mean, after all, it's driving (or drifting, if you want to) and the same rules apply to every combo... Only braking points and corner speeds vary...

I myself can adapt pretty quickly to a new combo I may have never driven (that means, I can keep up with the pack )... In fact, I tried some combos first online, and I haven't had a bad experience... Although it's probably not the best thing to do (of obvious reasons)...

Well unless you have a lot of time to spare, you cant really hope to be super competitive on all the combos, all the time.
But then you dont really need to. As long as you know the popular cars well and the popular tracks well, you'll be fine.

And to be honest, I think once you have a good base, its not that hard to get up to speed on a new combo if you need to for a race. If you want to spread out a bit I find its always good to stick with a car you know well and try some new circuits, or go to a circuit you know well and try some new cars. Inevitably if you think 'ooh lets have some variety' and try and drive RAC round kyoto long reversed it just gets frustrating.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Well you can specialise in a single car/circuit if you like, and you might win more races doing that, but will you be having more fun just because you're winning?

For me, LFS is the most fun when you're fighting with people who have similar abilities or experience. Whether that fight is in the middle of the pack or up the front doesn't really matter. If you concentrate on a single car and track, you'll probably end up with the majority of drivers unable to keep up with you, and you'll perhaps find one or two other drivers in each server who you can race with.

Ultimately, it's a recreational activity, so you should think more in terms of having fun. Whatever is fun for you, go ahead and do it. There's a lot of different fun things to do in S2

Well then I guess, the demo destroyed my mind , the only fun fights you could have in the demo was the ones about the lead, not because I really care about winning, but because the fights in the middle always resulted in that you got driven off the track . I guess I can learn a new car quite quickly though, wasn't to hard. You guys just gets me to want to buy s2 even more, my big problem is that I don't have a credit card though, that's why I don't have it yet, still only 17 si can't get one either - a shame you can only use UK maestro to pay with .

I have two modes of playing LFS:
1. An event is coming up or I'm on love with a car.
Then I go loooooong races with this car/track-combo. I think I did well over 1000 laps of Kyotot GP Long in the XRG (each lap ~ 3 minutes) just because I loved the combination. I also drive endless races over several hours when preparing for an event-race. I sometimes drive singleplayer races well over 3 hours. Then I'm usually starving and have to quit or the like.
2. I try to pick up some quick racing.
Then I drive everything that has 4 wheels and is not the FXO (sorry, but I don't like the car, it looks rice and drives strange). Preferably slow cars like XRT and the like because they offer very close racing. Then I will not finish a race to become first, it's more propably that I'll drop back so the second one can chew on my rear bumper and it's all about overtaking, blocking lines - racing.

In a nutshell: Either I'm racing just-for-fun or having fun with long and very constant lapping.

About purchasing:
In germany for example there is a site that sells LFS-licenses via paypal. Isn't that possible from Sweden?

Vain

Quote from Bluestream :

Well then I guess, the demo destroyed my mind , the only fun fights you could have in the demo was the ones about the lead, not because I really care about winning, but because the fights in the middle always resulted in that you got driven off the track . I guess I can learn a new car quite quickly though, wasn't to hard. You guys just gets me to want to buy s2 even more, my big problem is that I don't have a credit card though, that's why I don't have it yet, still only 17 si can't get one either - a shame you can only use UK maestro to pay with .

Quote from liveforspeed.net :

All prices are in UK Pounds. If you want to know the prices in your own currency, you can look it up at www.xe.com (a currency conversion website).
The payment methods we accept are credit card (VISA, Mastercard and UK debit cards), PayPal, Moneybookers, UK cheque and international Money Order.

Paypal could work for you - though I don't really know, if you have to be 18

Quote from Bluestream :

I guess you're right. But if we say I drive lots of cars/circuits, will I be able to compete with everyone? Since there must be alot of people that race the same car/circtuit most of the time, and they'll be alot better with that car then? Well maybe I'm thinking to much, at least I'm pretty sure I'll buy s2 in the near future

My advice is to drive with one car and on few tracks with that car if you want to be competitive. Those maniacs play with one car all time and they are masters with them. Remeber that in every server there at least one or two maniacs. I am driving FOX for two months straight as much as I can, and Im very good but still Im not in top three sometimes because there are those people. But anyway buy license. You wont be dissapointed. It is even so much fun to learn to drive those powerful monsters.

I suggest to rotate between vehicles. That way the physics get right into your blood. That way you just get a feeling for weight distribution, how the steering wheel feels when the rear outer load reaches a critical value, what forces apply to your wheel when you begin to get in an understeer-situation, how a too stiff stabilizer feels, etc. It is better to understand something than to repeat it until you can do it. My opinion.
Also, when you always stick with one car/track-combo you often sit at a specific pb and just can't improve. Only some time off will help you to improve. Then you'll notice that your line was just a bit wrong, you started to brake in the wrong place, you could have trailbraked here, you placed the apex slightly wrong. You won't notice these small things when you have done it the wrong way for the last 500 laps.

Vain

well in my opinion in S2 there are basically 3 types of racing:

1. leagues - you practice one track/car combo for the next event... usually there are more such people (practicing for the league), so you get to race the combo online... (not every evening, but pretty often (depends on league))

2. random public - you just pick a populated server and off you go... you race with someone practicing for another league or random people that have joined

3. everlast public - there are a few combos, that can be found I'd say every evening, server almost always populated... for example AS National - GTR class, KY Oval - FO8, Blackwood - FOX, SouthCity Classic - FOX, UF1...

My advice would be to join a league (once you have bought S2 first, of course). I found that there were some cars that I just wasn't interested in at all, for example the UF1000. I tried it and it bored me. Then I joined the Original LFS League, and one of the events used the UF1000 at Aston Cadet. I had to use it, and I am really glad I did. Now I really like the UF1000, and am willing to try all the other cars and tracks.

The last event of the season is in the LX4, which I can not control for toffee, but I have a goal now, I can practice and get better and then use the new skills to compete in an event to look forward to at the end of it.

Just my thoughts, hope they help!

Tim

Quote from herki :

Paypal could work for you - though I don't really know, if you have to be 18

First, thx for all replies guys, you've really been getting me to think, and to understand that there are so much more than just "racing to win", quite hard to see on the demo servers, well I sure have been having a couple of really nice races, but it sounds like it's alot more common, on the s2 servers. Thx for that .

And to the quote - Paypal would work, but I have to be 18, and then I probably will have a credit card anyway. It's sad with the paying methods, not that I know any better way, other than selling a game box in shops or maybe some kind of game card, but I guess that would mean alot of work and money from the game creators.

/Bluestream

This sure sounds more and more like I just have to find a way to pay . Well again, thx for all replies, maybe I'll buy it before I turn 18 so I can get a credit card, or maybe not anyway I will buy it. I hope to see you guys on the track sometimes in the future!

Paying by banktransfer should not take more then 2 to 3 weeks.
probably faster then waiting till u turn 18 and get that CC.

Don't get a credit card, noooooooooooooo!

I've always found that the best thing to do once you've earned you're wings as a demo driver, to move up to the XFR (GTi-GTR) and get used to slick tyres, it's also a nice and fast but relatively forgiving car to learn the tracks with. after that, the sky's you're limit, don't forget to have a stab at drag racing, great for learning how to get a really fast start, and fun.

just try 'em all out, pick you're favorite car (but don't go straight for the F08illepall) and start learning the tracks, try racing mainly on 1 per week, it gives you a good chance to learn from others (and get their setups).

Above all, HAVE FUN

Quote from Bluestream :

I hope to see you guys on the track sometimes in the future!

Neatly kind of ending the subject and the posts just keep coming!

Quote from Vain :

..I drive everything that has 4 wheels and is not the FXO

As you gain more experience you should be able to switch between cars and tracks pretty easily. There will always be certain cars, tracks or combinations of both that don't really suit you but that won't stop you from having competitive racing on them.
Re-iterating what some have already said I think specialising on one specific combo can do more harm than good in the long run. The XFG and the XRG might have very different handling but there are some things you can learn in either that will help your driving in the other, things you may not have learnt as soon if you'd stuck to just the one car.
For a start concentrating on one combo is beneficial but I'd advise anyone to start experimenting with other cars and tracks as soon as possible.

Beg, plead, blackmail someone who has a credit card, and pay them cash. I think all here will agree that it a safe to use a credit card, no problems.
They would buy you a voucher to redeem on your account, so you can continue to use your username.

Most of the people seem to be specializing themselves with the F08 & Oval.

Quote from deggis :

Most of the people seem to be specializing themselves with the F08 & Oval.

Seriously are you joking? I mean oval how fun does that sound? Weel I guess that's not my problem

Quote from Bluestream :

Seriously are you joking? I mean oval how fun does that sound? Weel I guess that's not my problem

well don't write it off that fast... I was also anti-oval, but after I tried, I was nicely surprised... But for me its only for fun... not for racing..

Quote from Bluestream :

Seriously are you joking? I mean oval how fun does that sound? Weel I guess that's not my problem

I can see you're a demo racer so you've never played Oval in LFS? Sticking spikes to my nose is more fun that driving Oval.

Quote from Bluestream :

Seriously are you joking? I mean oval how fun does that sound? Weel I guess that's not my problem

drafting past the pack, bumper to bumper at 190 mph+, is definately fun!

So far, 0,004% of my total laps in s2 are from the oval.