Yes, this *is* purely a cosmetic thing, and I would like better tyre physics, damage model, proper aerodynamics etc first. But it's not been suggested before so thought I'd add it.
For those that don't know, frensel reflections mimic more closely how real reflections work, but increasing the amount of reflection depending on the angle of incidence against the surface, so if you look side on at a car, the top of the roof (where the there is a very low angle of incidence) will reflect a lot, and the door (which is head-on to you) won't reflect much at all.
You can see it in this picture: http://www.supercars.dk/images ... porsche-911-carrera-1.jpg - around the edges of the car where there is a very high angle of incidence, you get an almost 'glowing' effect where the car is reflecting almost 100% of the sky and background.
Currently in LFS, a surface will reflect a constant amount regardless of the angle you are looking at the surface.
As I said, purely cosmetic but it would make things look a lot more real and with games like GRiD, GT5 and Forza hogging the limelight (which do have this kind of effect, hence their pretty much photoreal cars), LFS could do with a bit of a graphical overhaul sometime in the not too distant future.
For those that don't know, frensel reflections mimic more closely how real reflections work, but increasing the amount of reflection depending on the angle of incidence against the surface, so if you look side on at a car, the top of the roof (where the there is a very low angle of incidence) will reflect a lot, and the door (which is head-on to you) won't reflect much at all.
You can see it in this picture: http://www.supercars.dk/images ... porsche-911-carrera-1.jpg - around the edges of the car where there is a very high angle of incidence, you get an almost 'glowing' effect where the car is reflecting almost 100% of the sky and background.
Currently in LFS, a surface will reflect a constant amount regardless of the angle you are looking at the surface.
As I said, purely cosmetic but it would make things look a lot more real and with games like GRiD, GT5 and Forza hogging the limelight (which do have this kind of effect, hence their pretty much photoreal cars), LFS could do with a bit of a graphical overhaul sometime in the not too distant future.