I've noticed after upgrading to patch Z that there is another folder named "dds" under the existing "dds" folder. There appears to be quite a few files in both folders with the same name.

I'm assuming one folder is actually the patch Y dds files and the other is the patch Z files. Is that correct? if so which is which and which files can safely be deleted?

which brings me to the question. Is it ever the intention to make LFS a full windows installation package, (ie use an installer and register files in the registry etc), rather than a simple unzip ? Would be good if "updates" could remove redundant files in future versions .

I rather it stays simple given the so frequent updates.

btw it shouldn't be that way, the files should merge?

Quote from gezmoor :

which brings me to the question. Is it ever the intention to make LFS a full windows installation package, (ie use an installer and register files in the registry etc), rather than a simple unzip ? Would be good if "updates" could remove redundant files in future versions .

Regarding the size of default LFS install (previoysly 150 MB or something, not much more now?), I don't think the useless textures are a HD space issue. You know, "even" Windows has lots of useless files...

Installer with small screenshots (like usually in game installers) would give a very professional look, but the current extracter is as simple as it can be. Altough automatically created start menu / desktop shortcut would be nice for many people.

Quote from gezmoor :

Is it ever the intention to make LFS a full windows installation package, (ie use an installer and register files in the registry etc), rather than a simple unzip ?

I hope not. I don't see the point, tbh.

i dont have that folder... sound like something went wrong or you accidentally copied your dds folder into itself
either way comparing my y to my z dds folder the difference is less than 10mb... if thats an issue for you youve got more serious hdd space problems than lfs

Not all the files are duplicated, and I haven't done anything with any of the folders under LFS except install the new update. I haven't even looked in any of them until today, which I only did to look at some of the new interior dds files.

Why should i need to have hdd disc space issues to care about good housekeeping??

Also, I really don't understand the negative reaction to using an installer. It gives the advantage of being able to do file management whilst implementing updates to software. I don't see anything but advantages personally.

Plus an installer is a lot more noob-friendly than a ZIP. And, there's less of a chance of cocking about with files, unless you know what you're doing. I'm 200x more likely to fiddle with the files in a ZIP'd game, than with the files in a game that's been installed correctly

Quote from gezmoor :

Also, I really don't understand the negative reaction to using an installer. It gives the advantage of being able to do file management whilst implementing updates to software. I don't see anything but advantages personally.

I just don't like them. I know how to use a computer, I don't need idiot-proof software. I prefer the manual method. Installers are always annoying to me, especially for updates/patches/mods/etc.

Quote from dougie-lampkin :

Plus an installer is a lot more noob-friendly than a ZIP. And, there's less of a chance of cocking about with files, unless you know what you're doing. I'm 200x more likely to fiddle with the files in a ZIP'd game, than with the files in a game that's been installed correctly

Having something with an automated installed won't keep people from screwing up their files. It never has.

Quote from dougie-lampkin :

I'm 200x more likely to fiddle with the files in a ZIP'd game, than with the files in a game that's been installed correctly

Really? Texture updates etc. are just as easy to play with if installed
as unzipped - there is no difference.

If someone is to release a texture pack, are you less likely to use it if you ran an .exe as opposed to a .zip?

I think that the LFS process is refreshingly simple.

Quote from gezmoor :

I've noticed after upgrading to patch Z that there is another folder named "dds" under the existing "dds" folder. There appears to be quite a few files in both folders with the same name.

That's an error on your side, the patch Z upgrade does not create such a file/folder structure.

Why don't the devs make an obsolete file cleaner built into the LFS.exe?

Why should they? And who would deal with all the "waah, LFS deleted some files that I still wanted for reason x" complaints?

It would be nice to at least have a list of deprecated files for each official patch. There have been a lot of texture changes in the last few patches, and even some complete directory changes (screenshots, for instance). Having such a list would make it easier for people to keep their LFS directories clean and organized and would allow mod makers to keep their documentation and files current and correct. I would imagine that the changes are going to be even more significant as we continue to move towards a Beta, especially since many of the textures have "test" file names, or are shared between multiple cars/tracks.

wouldnt it be easier to download the full version and copy the setups misc and skins folders from your old one?

Quote from Shotglass :

wouldnt it be easier to download the full version and copy the setups misc and skins folders from your old one?

No. Not only would you wind up missing some stuff (scripts, AI color files, AI knowledge files), but any custom textures that you've installed wouldn't be copied over.