Hello Racers,
Today we have an important privacy and security update.
Until now, LFS racers had a separate WEB password and GAME password. The idea was that these should be different, so your Live for Speed account would be safe even if someone obtained your GAME password. Near the end of July we learned about a leak from at least one unauthorised website where hundreds of licensed racers and thousands of demo racers had entered their LFS user name and password in past times (although that is clearly against our rules). Later, the details were obtained by someone else who provided them to some other people who proceeded to use the information to steal LFS accounts and sell them on as cheap licenses.
We were able to track down most of the stolen accounts and restore them to their original owners. Also we were fortunate to be provided with the leaked list of user names and passwords. This enabled us to track down the affected accounts and automatically change their passwords, in cases where the leaked password matched the real password. We sent an email to every affected user. Note: We follow industry standards and do not store plain text passwords. We have also deleted the list of user names and passwords that we received.
We have now implemented various security improvements to make sure this doesn't happen again.
- You now get a notification email if anyone logs in using your account.
- You only have one password (previously known as WEB password). This is only for the website.
- The old GAME password has been replaced by a new "unlock code" that you receive in an email.
- Your password can only be changed via an email (like the "Forgot your password" system).
Please note that you do need to have a valid email address in your account in order to change your password, receive an unlock code, or change your email address instantly. If you have lost access to your registered email address, there is a simple automated process to set a new one that involves waiting 7 days. This has been implemented to prevent anyone stealing an account instantly by logging in.
If you do not have access to your registered email address:
Visit your details page and click the link "send email to set new address" (although you know you won't receive the email). An email is sent to the existing registered email address, so the owner has a chance to prevent an attempted license theft. Now you can see the time, 7 days ahead, when you will be able to set a new email address without the instant confirmation. This time remains visible on your details page throughout the week.
How to get an unlock code to unlock LFS, download mods or join online hosts:
1) Log in to our website and visit your details page
2) Click: send email with a new unlock code
3) Enter the unlocking screen in Live for Speed
4) Copy and paste the code from the email into "Unlock code"
5) Click: unlock
The new version of Live for Speed has support for the new unlock code and other improvements. Please read the list of changes below.
Four ways to get version 0.7G:
1) AUTO UPDATER - If you already have version 0.5V or later:
- Click on "Multiplayer" then "List of Hosts" in LFS and choose a download mirror.
2) MANUAL PATCH 1 (2 MB) - If you already have version 0.7E or later:
- Click HERE and save the patch installer.
- You can run the patch installer from its download location or from your LFS folder.
3) MANUAL PATCH 2 (35 MB) - If you already have version 0.6R or later:
- Click HERE and save the patch installer.
- You can run the patch installer from its download location or from your LFS folder.
4) FULL VERSION (521 MB) - If you are new to LFS or making a fresh installation:
- Click HERE to visit the download page and get the full version installer.
Changes from 0.7F to 0.7G:
Security update:
Support for the new "unlock code" (replacement for old GAME password)
Updates on the "Unlock Live for Speed" screen
- Informative message if your unlock code is not 20 characters
- Clickable links to account details page in unlock error messages
- Automatic exit from unlock screen after successful unlock message
- Error messages if there is any problem getting text from the clipboard
More informative if unlock code needs to be set or is wrong
More helpful if license has been upgraded since the last unlock
- Info about license level and unlock code detected on entry screen
- Flashes the "Unlock" or "Licensed" button if attention is required
- An appropriate message and link is displayed on the unlock screen
- For license upgrade (when code is correct) the unlock button flashes
Privacy update:
Warning if you are joining a host that will log your IP address
- Your decision to trust that host is remembered, to avoid asking you again
- You can remove the "trusted" status by clicking the "trusted" button
- List of Hosts has a new IP column to indicate hosts that log your IP address
Stops on "Join Specific Host" after you click a join link on calendar or website
- You will need to click the "GO" button as if you had clicked in List of Hosts
Interface:
List of Hosts now has 30 lines and does not show the obsolete status text
Search button in mods screen allows search by Skin ID or the 4-character name
Hover text with description when the mouse cursor is above a blob in the IP column
Graphics:
Improved vehicle view radius calculation (bounding sphere)
- LFS can more accurately detect if a vehicle is currently visible
LOD distance refers to distance from bounding sphere instead of object centre
- previous version did not work well for large objects, e.g. "track mods"
Forces view mode is no longer applied to object mods (e.g. track mods)
Force feedback:
Some steering wheels have a driver bug that reports them as "First person controller" device
Then LFS does not know it is a steering wheel, so it does not enable the steering bump stops
There is a new option, in "Axes / FF" section to manually enable steering wheel bump stops
Do not use this if your controller is not a steering wheel
VR:
Some VR headsets can have a FOV aspect ratio that is different from their pixel aspect ratio
Until now LFS did not deal with that case correctly, as seen with the HTC Vive Pro 2
LFS now uses the left, right, up, down FOV values more directly to avoid the problem
InSim:
System to allow AI drivers to be directly controlled by a local InSim program
AI drivers:
AI can now spawn in a config with an AI path even if knw has not been generated
FIX: AI now spawn in game with full fuel load if there is no path (or no knw)
FIX: Rare crash in AI code after another car spawned outside path
- LFS Developers
Today we have an important privacy and security update.
Until now, LFS racers had a separate WEB password and GAME password. The idea was that these should be different, so your Live for Speed account would be safe even if someone obtained your GAME password. Near the end of July we learned about a leak from at least one unauthorised website where hundreds of licensed racers and thousands of demo racers had entered their LFS user name and password in past times (although that is clearly against our rules). Later, the details were obtained by someone else who provided them to some other people who proceeded to use the information to steal LFS accounts and sell them on as cheap licenses.
We were able to track down most of the stolen accounts and restore them to their original owners. Also we were fortunate to be provided with the leaked list of user names and passwords. This enabled us to track down the affected accounts and automatically change their passwords, in cases where the leaked password matched the real password. We sent an email to every affected user. Note: We follow industry standards and do not store plain text passwords. We have also deleted the list of user names and passwords that we received.
We have now implemented various security improvements to make sure this doesn't happen again.
- You now get a notification email if anyone logs in using your account.
- You only have one password (previously known as WEB password). This is only for the website.
- The old GAME password has been replaced by a new "unlock code" that you receive in an email.
- Your password can only be changed via an email (like the "Forgot your password" system).
Please note that you do need to have a valid email address in your account in order to change your password, receive an unlock code, or change your email address instantly. If you have lost access to your registered email address, there is a simple automated process to set a new one that involves waiting 7 days. This has been implemented to prevent anyone stealing an account instantly by logging in.
If you do not have access to your registered email address:
Visit your details page and click the link "send email to set new address" (although you know you won't receive the email). An email is sent to the existing registered email address, so the owner has a chance to prevent an attempted license theft. Now you can see the time, 7 days ahead, when you will be able to set a new email address without the instant confirmation. This time remains visible on your details page throughout the week.
How to get an unlock code to unlock LFS, download mods or join online hosts:
1) Log in to our website and visit your details page
2) Click: send email with a new unlock code
3) Enter the unlocking screen in Live for Speed
4) Copy and paste the code from the email into "Unlock code"
5) Click: unlock
The new version of Live for Speed has support for the new unlock code and other improvements. Please read the list of changes below.
Four ways to get version 0.7G:
1) AUTO UPDATER - If you already have version 0.5V or later:
- Click on "Multiplayer" then "List of Hosts" in LFS and choose a download mirror.
2) MANUAL PATCH 1 (2 MB) - If you already have version 0.7E or later:
- Click HERE and save the patch installer.
- You can run the patch installer from its download location or from your LFS folder.
3) MANUAL PATCH 2 (35 MB) - If you already have version 0.6R or later:
- Click HERE and save the patch installer.
- You can run the patch installer from its download location or from your LFS folder.
4) FULL VERSION (521 MB) - If you are new to LFS or making a fresh installation:
- Click HERE to visit the download page and get the full version installer.
Changes from 0.7F to 0.7G:
Security update:
Support for the new "unlock code" (replacement for old GAME password)
Updates on the "Unlock Live for Speed" screen
- Informative message if your unlock code is not 20 characters
- Clickable links to account details page in unlock error messages
- Automatic exit from unlock screen after successful unlock message
- Error messages if there is any problem getting text from the clipboard
More informative if unlock code needs to be set or is wrong
More helpful if license has been upgraded since the last unlock
- Info about license level and unlock code detected on entry screen
- Flashes the "Unlock" or "Licensed" button if attention is required
- An appropriate message and link is displayed on the unlock screen
- For license upgrade (when code is correct) the unlock button flashes
Privacy update:
Warning if you are joining a host that will log your IP address
- Your decision to trust that host is remembered, to avoid asking you again
- You can remove the "trusted" status by clicking the "trusted" button
- List of Hosts has a new IP column to indicate hosts that log your IP address
Stops on "Join Specific Host" after you click a join link on calendar or website
- You will need to click the "GO" button as if you had clicked in List of Hosts
Interface:
List of Hosts now has 30 lines and does not show the obsolete status text
Search button in mods screen allows search by Skin ID or the 4-character name
Hover text with description when the mouse cursor is above a blob in the IP column
Graphics:
Improved vehicle view radius calculation (bounding sphere)
- LFS can more accurately detect if a vehicle is currently visible
LOD distance refers to distance from bounding sphere instead of object centre
- previous version did not work well for large objects, e.g. "track mods"
Forces view mode is no longer applied to object mods (e.g. track mods)
Force feedback:
Some steering wheels have a driver bug that reports them as "First person controller" device
Then LFS does not know it is a steering wheel, so it does not enable the steering bump stops
There is a new option, in "Axes / FF" section to manually enable steering wheel bump stops
Do not use this if your controller is not a steering wheel
VR:
Some VR headsets can have a FOV aspect ratio that is different from their pixel aspect ratio
Until now LFS did not deal with that case correctly, as seen with the HTC Vive Pro 2
LFS now uses the left, right, up, down FOV values more directly to avoid the problem
InSim:
System to allow AI drivers to be directly controlled by a local InSim program
AI drivers:
AI can now spawn in a config with an AI path even if knw has not been generated
FIX: AI now spawn in game with full fuel load if there is no path (or no knw)
FIX: Rare crash in AI code after another car spawned outside path
- LFS Developers