Recently we had a long endu race test : 6 hours on AS4, and at least 3 people per team/car (no max limit), and we had two major issues.

First : in long endu races, it's impossible to perfectly plan the pit stops. A crash can happen, a driver may have excessive tyre wear or fuel consumption, and so on.
The only way to obtain a complete strategy versatility is to allow permanently 2 teammates per car on the game server, because these incindents can't be anticipated and sometimes we have to relay sooner than it was originally planned. Imagine a crash in the last chicane on AS4, 2 laps before the planned relay. Of course you would want to change your strategy, immediately return to the pits, refuel, change tyres and switch driver .

We've also considered the internet disconnection risk (absolutely unpredictable), and we've established the rule that the team had to restart their race from scratch. However, a driver is needed for that. So two drivers per car had to be on the server at all times.
For this reason, we've restricted the grid to ten cars (obviously ^^ : 20/2). But this leads to too few cars on a track like AS4, wich is around 8 km long. After a short time, all drivers are really far from each other, and it's not that much fun anymore.

Second : in an endu race, it's better to have a coach to change the race strategy in real time, I think it's very important. And sometinmes he can't be one of the two drivers logged on the game server. In this case, allowing the coach to join the game server is a pure waste of game slots : 2 drivers + 1 spectator, 3 slots per car. We have a 6 or 7 car grid. Imagine.

Now my ideas :
For the first problem, changing the max connections to 33, but keeping only a maximum of 20 racing cars could be a good solution : 15 cars on track, 15 substitues, and 2 or 3 judges. It could be better , but I don't know if it's possible (i.e. mpr restrictions).

For the second one, the best solution would be an LFS Broadcaster, connecting on the game server as a client, accepting LFS client connection, and broadcasting game server packets to all its clients. With this system, all the coaches could watch the race using their LFS client (including tyre and damage screens, camera control, and so on), but with just one slot usage on the game server. Of course this broadcaster doesn't need to be on the game server computer, nor sharing its internet connection. And Broadcasters could be cascaded, allowing 100 clients (or more) spectating.

I know the LFS brodcasting was already mentioned (on RSC, and recently on this forum), but never from this point of view (coaching a team) AFAIK

i'd also like to see an increase of maximum connections without increasing the number of drivers on track

look at the rules of lfs-endu - you're allowed to come on to the server for a drivers change only in the last sector of the track - good idea because it probably saves you from having too many teams attempting driver changes at the same time. this way, there won't be many substitute drivers sitting in the pits waiting for the change and blocking the few spectator spots

but then again, what happens if you blow a tire directly before the pit entrance and head in a lap early? or what happens if the teammate has problems logging onto the race server - he doesn't have much time to do it, after he gets the teamspeak command of the driving teammate - especially in 'changed strategy' situations like accidents/blown tires just before the pit entrance

so either way you try to tackle the cockpit change problem, you will run into problems or have to decrease the number of cars racing.

the LFS-TV application could help as well, because you'll at least be able to watch your teammates while waiting for the change and could act as a 'spotter' telling him about upcoming traffic, slow cars, accidents and other things that could change a race strategy

I got to agree
20 cars on track and 40 connections allowed (41 with admin). Don't know how it would effect online play, but still, it would be worth a try

Quote from X-Ter :

I got to agree
20 cars on track and 40 connections allowed (41 with admin). Don't know how it would effect online play, but still, it would be worth a try

39 would be enough - since endu races (if taken seriously) have a rolling start, so you need at least 1 safety car and 19 racecars. if the admin drives the safety-car, that would leave 19x2=38 players on track/in pit lane for driver changes

Hehe, we have done manual pacelaps in SCORE leagues and series for a long time with no pacecar. All it takes is some disciplined (spelling?) drivers and some comon sence

The idea of an LFS broadcaster is GREAT! This would be a relatively easy way to allow a LOT of people to spectate a race without bogging down the server.

I also would like to see additional spectator slots added. That way if I can't race, at least I can watch without using up a slot that could be used by a driver. Heck, this would allow me to watch races all day at work!

Quote from Andreas Grauel :

mosquito25, it is an very good point you could there. Do not forget about all the people that does not have LFS. The clanmates or even sponsors could watch your race and the game would get much more popular because every is able to see the races.

Yes, but they'll need an unlocked LFS client : with this system, an LFS client is needed to connect on the LFS broadcaster, and unlocked to the same license level.

To allow real liveTV, the broadcater would have to stream video, but the system I've proposed juste relays LFS netcode.

If we have 40 racers sitting in non-league server... then most of them are clicking join button all the time. I think it is good idea, but it wil cause alot problems

Quote from mosquito25 :

Yes, but they'll need an unlocked LFS client : with this system, an LFS client is needed to connect on the LFS broadcaster, and unlocked to the same license level.

To allow real liveTV, the broadcater would have to stream video, but the system I've proposed juste relays LFS netcode.

You fool, they need to buy a ticket illepall

Maybe the title is'nt explicit enough : the purpose of my suggestion is to accept permanently 2 drivers per car on the game server, and to allow team's coach spectating, for the long endurance races only, nothing else.

In my mind, the netcode broadcaster is very easier to code than an actual LiveTV. Of course, this broadcaster requires an LFS client. And I think devs have to pay attention to potential security issues.
If you really want an actual liveTV on LFS, that's not what I'm asking for, so you're starting to be OT, and you'd better start a new thread.

Quote from Lible :

If we have 40 racers sitting in non-league server... then most of them are clicking join button all the time. I think it is good idea, but it wil cause alot problems

Open only 20 or 23 slots, as today illepall. Maybe you didn't read my suggestions (see the 1st post) : at first, this is to allow driver switching in long endurance races with more than 10 cars, second, I've just asked for 33 slots, not 40 (but I think it would be great : imagine 20 cars racing the 12h of Aston Historic ).

Quote from Lible :

You fool, they need to buy a ticket illepall

Of course, mates and coach already own a license, cause they're playing LFS. I don't care about liveTV for sponsors or LFS on CNN and NTV, this is only to allow coach spectating.

Still, if there would be possiplity to put max to 40, there wil always be some server, what have 40 slots.

Like i sayd, it`s great idea.
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Also my English is very bad, maybe i don`t understand some point of your story.