I think this is a bug: in the Options menus, the option to choose between Auto and Manual gears appears in both the Driver section and the Controls section.

Quote from AjRose :

Why do you do this though?(...)

I don't drive fast nor recklessly. Most of my driving is at 80 km/h (about 50 mph). After reading racing theory, I just started trying it out in my car. Nowadays I'm so used to it I can't drive like most people do, even if I try to.

I obsess with losing the least speed through a bend. Among other little things.

I think other people find my driving unpleasant because it so different from theirs that they can't anticipate the car's motion.

Racing theory and simulators, in a way, have made me a worse driver.

Racing techniques don't belong in the road. My driving is very aggressive and nervous, braking late and using the accelerator early to exit turns and roundabouts. I shouldn't turn as fast and hard as I do and I use the road shoulder to smoothe my line in right hand corners.

To sum up, I make my passengers sick. Must be scary for them too.

I guess this question extends to all sequencial gearbox cars, not just the FBM.

I have a dillema when driving the FBM.

If I downshift without blipping the throttle I can brake faster, but this can lock up the rear wheels sometimes, resulting in an immediate spinout. Since this is unpredictable, it is an unacceptable risk.

If I blip the throttle with every downshift, the problem of locking the rear wheels is avoided, but, as the gearbox is loaded between shifts, I can't downshift as fast and braking is slower.

So, how do you guys downshift in the FBM? I'd like to understand how it should be done.

I've recently upgraded my computer, so I'll share my experience.

I was running an AMD Sempron 3000 (1.6 GHz, 64 bit) and Nvidia 6150 onboard graphics. My system has 1 Gb of DDR2 533 MHz. At a resolution of 1360x768, this system ran at 25-30 fps at South City when racing alone. It was unplayable with a full grid.

First I replaced the CPU with an AMD Athlon X2 4400 (2.3 GHz, 65 nm). This got me a 10 fps increase in the same situation, running now at 35-40 fps.

Two days later I bought a medium graphics card, an Ati 3650HD. With this card and the new CPU, LFS runs at 160 fps in the same situation.

I'm not sure I would have got such a boost in performance should I had not upgraded the CPU, though. My guess is the CPU isn't that important when it comes to gaming.


EDIT: When online with a full grid, I got 10-12 fps at start (graphics toned down) with the old system, now I get 40-50 fps (full detail), which is enough.

Last edited by danielMG, Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:51.

Although I voted for proper damage, what I'd really like to be done first is much more simple.

I'd like the new GTR interiors and engine overheating adressed first.

Although I am S2 licensed for a while now, I have only dedicated myself to LFS recently.

I learn the tracks by memorizing which the gear I need to have engaged at each corner. Usually I keep track of which gear is engaged but when I have to get through a lot of action on the track, I forget which gear I am using.

The problem is that when I need to look at the selected gear indicator on the dashboard to get a reminder, I can't see it! It's hidden by the steering wheel in most cars! I've been racing in the XRG and I find this most annoying. Not knowing whether I am in 2nd or 3rd gear makes me even slower.

I'm afraid turning off the steering wheel is not a solution. I need it to see how much I've turned since my controller's wheel doesn't turn as much as the car's.

This is a problem in the following cars: UF1, XRG, RB4, XRT, UFR, FXR, XRR, FZR.

Perhaps the selected gear indicator can be moved to somewhere more visible on the dashboard, such as the space just above between the tachometer and speedometer.

I am using the default in-car view settings, except for the FOV, which is 95º. The resolution is 1360x768. See the attached image (downsized).