Quote from axus :

Road Normals still do stick. What's your issue with them? You can go and get Keygets' slickmod that will allow you to use Road Super on these cars and you'll find very little difference (you can't use it online on most servers though).

Quote from Bob Smith :

if all cars can use at least Road Supers, why bother putting Road Normals into the game?

Let me get this straight, Normals are hard to tell apart from Supers, and nobody would drive Normals anyway if they had a choice for Supers. Right? So why does the choice exist on the TBO group? Why not just say "Street, Dirt, Hybrid" for all rollcage-less cars? Why emphasize the fact that tires are restricted to (slightly?) inferior choices on certain cars?

Quote from Bob Smith :

The dampers are still two-way dampers, only the bump setting is forced to half of the rebound setting. Same thing with clutch pack diffs.

So why not have a "beginner's setup mode" that allows the beginners to set up all their cars with similar "learning aids"? You're saying that new players _REALLY_ perfect their driving and setup skills on the GTI/GT and don't go straight to the "FO8", especially when people are saying "FO8 is worth the price of admission alone tho(sic)"

Look at it another way-- Say I find a guy who autocrosses his VW hatchback. I tell him about this game, and he checks it out. He goes into the game sees the GTI.. looks similar, specs are in the right ballpark, so he thinks "GREAT! They've got my car!" Then he goes into the setup screen and goes to try to mimic his setup. "Oops.. can't setup the LSD right. Oops can't set up the shocks right! Hmm... pretty limited 'Simulation'! What's this?? --all the high horsepower cars have the ability to tune these things? Well, I guess Mr. Hooty-tooty-high-falooty doesn't want to spend his time looking down his nose at me. I'll go elsewhere. What's that you say? You USED to be able to tune more on the light cars and they TOOK IT OUT? Sheesh.. I know when I'm not wanted."

By the way, Bob, you are talking about Single Adjustable, Double Acting shocks, which are out there. But there are also quite reasonable priced Single Adjustable Single Acting shocks (e.g. Koni Sports adjust rebound only), and of course the still quite easily available Double Adjustable, Double Acting shocks. It's when you start going into the 4-way adjustable shocks that you really start getting into the rarefied air.

Quote from Shotglass :

same argument goes for the (on road cars) somewhat more realistic one way dampers

That arguement would be a lot more persuasive if it made sense or fit with the facts... Or are you not considering the "TBO cars to be road cars? Perhaps you were not aware that the capabilities in question are (still) available on those cars? Have you found a source for a kit to easily adjust "parallel steer" on your car? How about an infinitely variable transmission set?

"Beginner's Setup Mode" being available for all cars provides that lower barrier to entry for new players if the establishment thinks it's needed, but it doesn't alienate enthusiasts who have real-world budgets and real-world competition driving and setup-tuning experiences.

edit: punctuation

Quote from Mogar :

The idea behind it is to let begginers to learn how to setup a car, so giving them less variables to change make their life easier.

I guess I don't really buy that, and here are several reasons why...
How does the prohibition against "Road Super" tires help a beginner set up?
If you want to restrict choices to ease things for beginners, why not put in a "beginner mode" for setup parameters for all cars?
Does someone buying LFS for the F1 car really sit around driving the GTI/GT to get the hang of setting up the suspension?
It seems inconsistent to eliminate double adjustable shocks because it's too complicated for beginners, but leave in options for "Parallel Steer" and asymetric tire pressures... (?)

Judging by comments I had read in the previous RSC forums, and online stretching clear back to the demo days, I find the "prejudice against low horsepower cars" arguement more consistent with the evidence. Perhaps you guys could dispel this for me, though... Does the UF have the option for double adjustable shocks and "Road Super" tires (the normal UF, not the UF GTR)?

By the way, I want to comment that upon re-reading my earlier post, I think I come across as more ... aggressive (?) than I wanted to. Didn't mean to pass judgement on other people's decisions to pay money. Merely meant to comment based on my own needs/criteria.

I checked around the recent threads and couldn't find anything about LFS's development forecast. I know the devs are probably quite gunshy about putting out any sort of dates for people to get excited about, but any hints on whether S2 will go at least Beta before 2007?

Thanks...

edit: clarification/word choice

I've been away from LFS for over a year, I think (?).. I left right around S2 Alpha came out. I thought I'd come back to see what's happening with a game I used to really like.

First impressions after a few days back...
Still ALPHA?!?!??!
RWD cars are much more drivable...
What's up with the prejudice against the GTI/GT? Don't tell the real world that "Road Super" level tires and double adjustable shocks can't be bought for cars with less than 200 horsepower.

I was just starting to play with tuning settings...

Call me a weenie, but I have a soft spot for the GTI/GT. The treatment as "inferior cars" makes me feel a like LFS and I don't have the same understanding of sporting cars.

Well, anyway, since S2 still isn't out, maybe I'll go back into hibernation for another year and see if there's anything worth paying for then. I kinda missed LFS, though.

edit: grammar