With the newest LFS Patch, 0.7G has brought a system which allows AI drivers to be controlled by a local InSim program. This got me thinking, sometimes it may make sense to have only AI drivers on track and prevent real players from joining (these type of scenarios includes AI only races, testing with AI etc.). And also often, it makes sense to make it clear that only real players are allowed to join the track.
Now, you can use different InSims to do this. For example, Airio has an option to block AI drivers, and there is also a PIE (PHP; InSim; Easy) script called JustBots, which you can use to forcefully spectate and prevent real players to join onto the track, allowing only AI drivers on there.
Now, while you can do it via InSims and scripts, I'm suggesting there should be a server option or at least a command, which you could use to block human players or AI drivers joining the track.
For example, when launching a new server, there could be a selectable option: "Allow real / AI drivers on track?" with options [Allow both], [Allow only real players] and [Allow only AI drivers]. The first one should be the default option. I did think about option [none], but I remember there is an option "Max (real + AI) per guest pc", where you can set the minimum setting to 0, which means that guests can watch, but not join the race.
And, even if you set the max real + AI in race setting to 1, which is usually used in servers, it doesn't actually prevent anyone from joining as an AI while all other drivers are human players. Trust me, I've watched AI drivers racing with humans, and it has been carnage! Only way to actually prevent that player with AI from joining is either banning them, or spectating them in case midrace joining is disallowed.
Also, same goes vice-versa. In case there is a situation, where every player must use 1 AI driver on track (for example, to test that InSim-controlling with them), nothing prevents a human player joining the track as a real player and ruining the fun/experiment.
Finally, I'm aware doing this would possibly require making an incompatible patch from developers, but at the moment, it doesn't really matter as the developers are already making a incompatible patch with those new tracks and dynamic light system. This could be added into that patch as one of the updates.
Now, you can use different InSims to do this. For example, Airio has an option to block AI drivers, and there is also a PIE (PHP; InSim; Easy) script called JustBots, which you can use to forcefully spectate and prevent real players to join onto the track, allowing only AI drivers on there.
Now, while you can do it via InSims and scripts, I'm suggesting there should be a server option or at least a command, which you could use to block human players or AI drivers joining the track.
For example, when launching a new server, there could be a selectable option: "Allow real / AI drivers on track?" with options [Allow both], [Allow only real players] and [Allow only AI drivers]. The first one should be the default option. I did think about option [none], but I remember there is an option "Max (real + AI) per guest pc", where you can set the minimum setting to 0, which means that guests can watch, but not join the race.
And, even if you set the max real + AI in race setting to 1, which is usually used in servers, it doesn't actually prevent anyone from joining as an AI while all other drivers are human players. Trust me, I've watched AI drivers racing with humans, and it has been carnage! Only way to actually prevent that player with AI from joining is either banning them, or spectating them in case midrace joining is disallowed.
Also, same goes vice-versa. In case there is a situation, where every player must use 1 AI driver on track (for example, to test that InSim-controlling with them), nothing prevents a human player joining the track as a real player and ruining the fun/experiment.
Finally, I'm aware doing this would possibly require making an incompatible patch from developers, but at the moment, it doesn't really matter as the developers are already making a incompatible patch with those new tracks and dynamic light system. This could be added into that patch as one of the updates.