Would it be possible/feasible to add a virtual pit crew which appears to the driver (and no one else) when he enters the pitlane? I sometimes have a hard time picking a pit box because I don't have any way of differentiating them from one another. Since I can only see a mess of yellow lines over there, I just pick a random point to turn in and hope for the best. On a few occasions I've come in right between two pit boxes, so I have a choice: try to brake harder and grab the earlier box, or let off the brakes and coast into the later one. So I either miss the pit box entirely or waste time coasting to another one.

Perhaps give the player the ability to choose which box number 'his' pit crew appears in. Knowing I'm always box #8, for example, would be nice.

If I had something to 'aim' it would definitely help. Plus there should be an advantage to coming into one's pit box smoothly and accurately rather than sliding wildly in, barely making it inside the lines.

Well if you always have one box set what happens if someone else is in your box? Until we have proper animated pitcrew, which really are a waste of space until everyone has plenty of free graphics capability I think the current system is best, it's the same for everyone and no harder than stopping a car in a parking space, which surely anybody who has a driving license should be able to do?

Quote from ajp71 :

Well if you always have one box set what happens if someone else is in your box?

Pretty unlikely, considering how long most pit stops take. In the rare event such should happen, nothing would be preventing one from taking an alternate box.

Quote from ajp71 :

no harder than stopping a car in a parking space, which surely anybody who has a driving license should be able to do?

I don't know about you, but I normally don't approach parking spaces at 80kph.

I'd just like something to aim at. Even just the lollipop man would suffice.

i think FPS will be low, very low

FPS won't take very much, if any, hit from adding in a virtual pitcrew only the player can see. I'd like a defined pitbox, too.

+1 for this or similar idea.

+1 for some sort of pit box help.

I too find it maddening to come to a stop and wait for the stop to "begin" just to realize I'm outside of the box by a centimeter. Perhaps the overhead view is the best bet

Everyone gets their own starting garage, so why not a marker of some sort highlighting to you only which garage/pit box is yours?

Makes sense to me. In the real world of motor sport (LFS is meant to simulate motor sport, right?) you don't see a Ferrari pit at a random pit box... that would be interesting to watch though. hehehe.

While I'm sure Scawen's said that each racer is assigned a particular pitbox to spawn in, and I agree it would be neat to have to return back to your individual spot for pit-work, I don't see pit crews happening any time soon.

Maybe an easier alternative would be some kind of highly visible signs
or something with each person's racernames on them so you know where to pull in to. And and and it could be skinnable to match your own car skins and such!

Ok I'm going to bed =-/

Im in big favour for this idea...but not only should it be an animated crew... you should be assigned a box based on ur lfs stats relalative to rest of ppl in race... fastest lap time gets best box... last.. it also adds a new elemement... opening n closing pits, will mean pits will actually be hectic and u'd have to get in n out without hitting the ppl in frnt, behind... or those entering or leaving... much more interesting/realistic.. and no hit at all on frame rate.. all the box choice stuff is assigned by insim at start of race... we all just get told wot box is ours if pits are active... got help u if u miss it lol...

+2 for that idea

V

I was thinking what if until 3D animated pit crews are in LFS. That you see a pit sign, that only you could see assigned to a certain pit stall you spawned from. The sign could be as simple as saying your in game Name. So I pull in to the pits see my name hovering infront of my stall, now when I pull in and have the name just at the top of my screen I am on the right spot of the pit stop. So it could simulate the lollipop too.

I also think something like this is really needed. It would make pit stops more authentic.

Scawen mentioned, in the past, customizable driver suits. I think it would be a good idea to have the driver suit and the pit banner use the same graphic file. That would help conserve bandwidth and would make it easy for everyone to customize their pit space. Add in a lollipop man in front of your stall and you're set. Not the perfect solution, but should be relatively easy to implement (versus an entire 3D pit crew) and just as informative.

Of course, I would love to see a GTR2-like 3D pit crew, as well as more general activity around the pits...but, baby steps...baby steps.

Quote from Rotary :

Everyone gets their own starting garage, so why not a marker of some sort highlighting to you only which garage/pit box is yours?

Maybe the same marking-system as rfactor ?
All the pitlanes with yellow lines and your pitlane marked with red lines...

Why not just make your pitbox glow or something?

Not very realistic, but I bet it'd work out just fine.

and why don't make a regular pit crew visible to all other racers? U would recive a penalty if u hit a crew guy. Just like with the marshals.

Quote from Lato :

and why don't make a regular pit crew visible to all other racers? U would recive a penalty if u hit a crew guy. Just like with the marshals.

Because that would involve rendering 3-D models of all pit crew members for each driver. That's a lot of drawing and probably a lot of slowdown. I suggested basic 2-D sprites, or just a simple pit board, to minimize the performance hit.

Quote from Lateralus :

Because that would involve rendering 3-D models of all pit crew members for each driver. That's a lot of drawing and probably a lot of slowdown. I suggested basic 2-D sprites, or just a simple pit board, to minimize the performance hit.

Belive me, in year 2007 +4000 polys for 8 crew members, and +40000 polys if 10 players would pit equal time, isnt a big deal to render realtime (speciealy with LOD options) - 2d sprites were good for duke nukem. Simply look at F1 challange from 2000 and the virtual pit crew... today we have GF8800 cards (and LOD options for those who havent got a g80) so it is really no big deal.

3D PIT STOP CREW FOR LFS PLZ !

GTR2 manages to give us 3D crews, with a low speed machine option of seeing only our own pit box. It would really add to LFS, but there's one thing in GTR2 I would not want to see, in GTR2 you dont drive the pits, only your throttle / brake. If LFS continued to be player driven in the pits then would we loose this aspect in order to prevent the new type of lawnmower wrecking that would follow? (heck, even I might be tempted, can we have gore and blood too please !)

very easy - spectate or other penalty for hitting a crew member

Quote from Becky Rose :

GTR2 manages to give us 3D crews, with a low speed machine option of seeing only our own pit box. It would really add to LFS, but there's one thing in GTR2 I would not want to see, in GTR2 you dont drive the pits, only your throttle / brake.

That's an option that can be disabled.

Quote from Lato :

Belive me, in year 2007 +4000 polys for 8 crew members, and +40000 polys if 10 players would pit equal time, isnt a big deal to render realtime (speciealy with LOD options) - 2d sprites were good for duke nukem. Simply look at F1 challange from 2000 and the virtual pit crew... today we have GF8800 cards (and LOD options for those who havent got a g80) so it is really no big deal.

I have to agree, here. Animated, fully polygonal pit crew shouldn't be a problem as far as 3D card performance is concerned, as it hasn't been for quite a long time now. For reference, here is a shot from F1 challenge (2000), a game that came out SEVEN YEARS AGO:



And here's a shot from Grand Prix 4, circa 2002:
http://www.simracingworld.com/screenshots/1/?n=54


Let's not forget that F1 Challenge also had wings and tires that could fly off in an accident, as well. Computers have the power to do all this stuff (and have for quite a while now), we just need more hours in the day for Scawen to program it all.

+1 for animated pit crew + defined pit boxes for each racer.

would make the game much more realistic.

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