Live For Speed version 0.6K released

  

Live For Speed version 0.6K released

The Live for Speed development team has released V0.6K of their LFS simulator platform.

This new update comes with the long awaited laser scanned version of the British Rockingham race track. Back in 2008, the LFS team announced that the Rockingham track would be making its appearance in the LFS racing simulator software and that they hired APR Services to laser scan the real track. It has been a long wait since, but the result is nothing less than stunning.

The new Version 0.6K patch also features some important graphical improvements such as the new reflections and new dynamic environment maps. Furthermore, the update also contains a revised AI system.

Back in 2006 Live For Speed was considered to be one of the more hardcore racing simulators on the market. The LFS users were used to getting regular updates and new features.  From 2008 on, the development cycle seemed to slow down, and it almost looked as if the small development team started to lose interest.

Then, with the introduction of the Oculus Rift Development Kit, Live for Speed was one of the first and better titles to implement VR support. It became immediately clear that LFS was very suited to become one of the better performing VR racing platforms. This uprise of Virtual Reality hardware might just be the boost a small title such as LFS needs, and it might invoke the motivation needed to further develop the product.

In addition to the already implemented Oculus Rift support, the new update now also integrates support for the HTC Vive VR headset. The VR friendly LFS environment might just bring the simulator back to the status it deserves.

Keep in mind that in order to unlock the new Rockingham track, you will need to own or purchase an S3 LFS license. (If you already have S1 or S2, the price of your existing license will be deducted from the full price of S3.)

The LFS development team announced that they are working on more S3 content as we speak. However, in famed LFS fashion, they also state that cannot provide a guarantee that more S3 content will actually be released. Therefore, the dev team encourages you to only purchase an S3 license upgrade if you feel the Rockingham track addon is worth it.

All in all, here at Bsimracing, we are hoping that the LFS development will get back on track. After all these years of enjoying sim racing titles, Live For Speed is still one of the most enjoyable Racing titles ever to hit our PC system. It literally laid down the path for products we are now so accustomed to.

 

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Changelog from 0.6J to 0.6K :

New Track :

• Rockingham race track is now included – S3 license required

AI :

• Now avoid ramming other cars when in the pit lane or lap of honour
• Max drivers in single player increased to 24 (online max still 40)

Graphics :

• New reflections system and shaders for cars and buildings
• Nearby objects are visible in new dynamic reflections on cars
• Option to set number of dynamic reflections in main view and mirror
• Misc option to enable a programmable post-processing shader

Misc :

• New command /rsh to reload shaders (e.g. after editing externally)
• Maximum number of controllers increased to 10 (was previously 8)

VR :

• HTC Vive headset is now supported through OpenVR
• Oculus Rift support now requires runtime 0.7 or later
• Improved dialog sequence after any error entering VR mode

Training lesson editor :

SHIFT+T on main entry screen to access lesson editor or list editor
Layouts for lessons must be copied from layout to training folder
SHIFT+T on training screen to view and test newly added lessons

Fixes :

• Improved validity check when loading car colour settings
• Alpha sorting issue on bricks at base of a South City building
• AI could go wrong when entering BL pit lane for a pit stop
• AI driver names can no longer be blank

TIPS on using Live for Speed with a VR headset :

NOTE : For Oculus, Runtime 0.7 (or later) is required

1) How to enter VR mode in LFS :
– Start LFS and click 3D on the View Options Screen
– Select VR headset and click OK

2) To reset your seating position, the text command /rift reset is assigned by default to the F8 key.
– When a new driver takes over, ask them to look straight ahead then press F8
– Key assignments can be edited in Options – Game – F1 to F8

3) Accessing your desktop while LFS is in VR mode.
– You will find that your mouse cursor is confined to the LFS window
– Press CTRL+C to free the mouse and now the mouse can go onto the desktop

 

Official Webpage – www.lfs.net