Jorge, sorry if I came across as uncommunicative on the server but my typing skills are pathetic. I'm never going to be quick (racing or typing) but if I'm around I'm willing to make up the numbers if required. I've got a homemade buttonbox somewhere with preset phrases to help with communication - must try and find it . LFS has had to take a backseat because of other commitments but it would be nice to do a bit of racing.

Nigel.

Anyone got a set I can try please?

Bloody typical. I used clutch and shifter for years, not bothered that it wasn't competitive. Now after a year away have come back to find this thread but my G25 H shifters curled up its toes. Anyway good luck with the server. I'm off to see if G27s have come down in price.

Mini 7 / Miglia fan.

RiseAgainstMe! , I thought your constitution said you could hold arms as long as you didn't have a standing army? I might be wrong.

Nigel.

Have a guess which version of 7 I've got and which one doesn't get XP Mode support? Thanks for the suggestion.


Nigel.

Thanks for the replies. Two thirds of the way there. G25 and BRD pedals now up and running using Windows 7 calibration. Button controller still not working but looking at Leo Bodnor's web site that might have to be a problem tackled in the future. Must remember to walk away from bloody computers when not in the mood/ tired/ p***ed off. I should be grateful, 400+ FPS seen momentarily today driving solo at Westhill.

Nigel.

Without going into too much boring detail, here's my problem. I've had to swap my 'XP' computer for a 'Windows 7' one. My son can now play all his older games without compatibility problems but I'm stuck with a new computer and I'm fighting (losing) to get my controllers working.
Speed 7 pedals - nothing
G25 wheel - useless
Button box (Leo Bodnor USB interface) - nothing
I can't open the Logitech profiler - the menu bar is there but nothing opens and Windows 7 built in calibration is hopeless (can't even save any changes anyway).
I'm thinking my best route out of my problem is partitioning my hard drive and install XP on it.
Seeing as this is new ground for me, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Questions:
1. Partition software (what to use, what to avoid - anything free?)
2. I've obviously got an XP OS disk, but can I get it running on a second computer?
3. Anything else I should know/do? Pointers in the right direction would be really useful.

If its useful to know the new computer has got a 1TB ATA2 hard drive.

Thanks in advance to anyone who might reply.

Nigel

Here's my go.

Gravenhurst - Fires in Distant Buildings

Gravenhurst - The Western Lands

Radiohead - Kid A

LCD Soundsystem - Debut

Nightmares on Wax - Car Boot Soul

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Lyre of Orpheus / Abattoir Blues

Grinderman - Grinderman

Joanna Newsom - Ys

50 Foot Wave - Golden Ocean

(If anyone's interested there's a great video on youtube. 50 Foot Wave - Clara Bow.)

"The pantomime comes early this year. While the focus is on this malarky the UK is getting robbed hand over fist by financial institutions and the politicians that support them.
Quick, put the villain on the stage front and center before anyone starts asking some difficult questions.
The country and people are utterly ****ed beyond belief".


Direct quote from someone on CiF today.

On Thursday's Today program they had someone from the think tank Reform on, talking about cutting middle class benefits (child allowance etc). Their threshold for becoming middle class was earning over £15,000 a year. Feet in a bucket and head under the handle time.

But it was great watching people dive in without the facts you have so diligently explained.

As long as Red string/Blue string stays at the top of the agenda, that's OK.

Crossed lines somewhere, my fault. Bullets/Afghanistan/Iraq////hobbies/sports/pastimes doesn't sit easily.
Out of context might sum it up.

Sam, Becky And Kamrock.

Quick word just to say thanks for the detailed and insightful posts. I would have replied earlier but got sidetracked by Becky's "Nick Griffin" debate and the even more important "red string/blue string" topic (jaw dropping).

Just a leaving thought to Sam. I do wonder if inane is the wrong (too harsh a) word to describe computer gaming. Many sports, hobbies, and pastimes could be considered inane, but we leave people alone with what they enjoy. (One exception being darts on TV).



One final quick point. From an early age we start collating data and devising competitions and games. Our lad started school not long ago and from the off they're in a house team and collecting points or "stars". I think this stays with us throughout our lives, it's in our psyche, and can be (is) a more powerful force than boredom pushing the other way. From grassroots to professional sport and games, collecting points/stats is not seen as peculiar.There's no reason it should be in racing games either. Imagine TMS without the stats. I really think LFS is missing a trick in this department. I,m sorry if this last paragraph comes across as bo***cks, I'll get me coat and disappear now, thanks, Nigel.

"Most accidents go unreported and undealt with and that's fine, it was never about dealing with the accidents. It's about keeping people happy and providing a place for experienced and skilled racers to do pickup racing without the "gamers".

Succinctly written. This is what I'm missing in LFS since the demise of the CTRA system. I don't think in all the time spent racing FOX and FO8 servers there was ever a need to raise a report. Clean and considerate racing was the norm. This is why I wondered whether an automated system coupled to higher rank servers could cut down admin time. I glance over at iracing and wonder if that's where I should be, but like other people I'm not willing to rent a game and the LFS ethos still attracts. Outside of leagues is the problem with LFS the fact that people love the physics but don't really want a sim? Another thing I did notice on CTRA servers was that if admin turned up, suddenly racing became a lot cleaner (if you could bottle up that fear and automate it your halfway there).

Nigel.

Thanks for the replies. I feel a bit out of my depth on the subject but it's nice to get a more informed opinion. An arbitrary auto system is the last thing required when more skilled people are racing, but I was thinking more towards entry level servers.

I understand why CTRA is no more (big shame) so I'm hoping you don't mind some more hypothetical questions.

Do you think unskilled drivers would enter a server with onerous conditions as I set out earlier in order to progress (fully knowing what their letting themselves in for)? Understanding that some things mentioned are not desirable/doable.

Could it improve driving standards? Becky mentioned some correlation between yellow flags and driving standards.

Nigel.

No automatic system can work perfectly, but does anyone think a system that monitors certain parameters that a driver must stay within could work? If you could obtain percentages for the following could they be used as a pre-filter on the way to moderated higher tier servers.


% races started to finished
% yellow flags
% time spent on racing line (can InSim use the green line)
% lap time
% time spent pressing "restart" after race is under way (after spectating)
% time spent chatting during race (after spectating)
% time spent off tarmac


Would like to know what iracers think of their safety rating system.


Nigel (thinking out loud)(also sick of "restart!").

Quote from J@tko :

Where do you live?

N. Luffenham. You?

Quote from J@tko :

[immature child mode]I LIVE CLOSER!!!!11!11![/child]

Also in Rutland. I can see the tops of Corby power station chimneys from my bedroom window, about seven miles away.

Sam, what about opening up the CTRA servers for a week (or two) every month or so? Forget the reporting system for the lowest rank servers - intimidating admin and auto-kick for a yellow flag ratio over 40% to keep things in order. Raise the points threshold for the mid-ranked servers to keep them clean (max. yellow flag ratio ?) and see how it goes.
CTRA open for two weeks over the Christmas holidays would be nice.


Nigel.

Sorry. I'll get me coat.

On the UFBR side of things - I've just looked at a track listing and I'm sure it shows AS North, FE Gold, and KO2r. I might be completely wrong but I'm sure these circuits haven't been on the track rotation. Can anyone enlighten me as I'm missing AS North quite badly.


Thanks, Nigel.

I'll make this my last post and crawl back into my hole until next Christmas. I don't know if I'm making more of this than there is, but yesterday, the UFBR server went from low numbers/good racing to high numbers/midfield chaos again. I love racing on the CTRA servers and think they are a great addition to LFS, so to see bigger fields equal poorer racing standards is a shame.


Saying this might be out of bounds, apologies if it is, but in my opinion one driver last night should not get the grace to continue racing on CTRA servers until a pending report reaches the top of the pile. (UFBR DEC 27 race ending 2100).



All that said, keep up the good work Sam and team and good luck for the New Year


Nigel.

Last edited by NigelY, Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:51.

I'm not questioning that your not a clean driver, but please can you explain a yellow flag ratio of 60% to me? I'm not a fast driver and spend a lot of time racing mid-field and strive to race as cleanly/realistically as possible (I'd prefer to stay behind a slightly slower driver than make a do or die lunge to gain a place and spoil the racing) and have a lowish yellow flag ratio. A few nights ago it was bloody mayhem on the UFBR server (a lot better now ) and thought that a 20%ish yellow flag ratio was easily attainable by a reasonable driver and made a light-hearted suggestion. Personally speaking I still think you could have a yellow flag system that penalizes poor driving at any rank of driver and make racers more responsible for their actions (faults in yellow flag system permitting).


Nigel

How on earth does a clean racer get a yellow flag ratio of 38%?

CTRA average is 25.75%. That'll do nicely.

Could we restrict/ban access to the server for people with a yellow flag ratio above 15%/20%? For the last 3 nights you could probably set a limit of above 90% and reduce the number of racers by half.

Problem is it's getting hard to smile about the situation.

Nigel.