The online racing simulator
#1 - Chaos
Disallow "show racing line" when online
I think this option should be only for offline, for people to learn where to drive... using it online could give people some advantage in races and on the other hand could make them more dangerous while not driving on the line (during overtaking)...

i know FCV disables it, but i don't see why should we force someone to use cockpit view...
Quote from Chaos :I think this option should be only for offline, for people to learn where to drive... using it online could give people some advantage in races and on the other hand could make them more dangerous while not driving on the line (during overtaking)...

i know FCV disables it, but i don't see why should we force someone to use cockpit view...

I doubt it's going to give any real advantage, except for the newbs to learn a new track faster which is a good thing. For it being dangerous - it's everyone's own business what they want to have on the screen and how, but doing something wrong in the race can't be excused by using improper views or this magic line.

But yes, I'd vote for disallowing it, just like forcing cockpit view, locking driver side to car or account, disabling virtual mirrors, track map and virtual dash (even though i use this atm because the my wheel covers the real ones) and reducing accuracy of F9 & F10 indicators.
I think the line should stay - people who are unfamiliar with a track at least have a fairly safe suggestion on which way to steer and where to brake. I don't think anyone will be setting any WRs with the line but its use might be saving us some pile-ups in T1.
I used the racing line when offline and recorded my fastest time from that session, then restarted my session with the line off. I was quicker by 2 secs without the line, and it was'nt because I learned that track in the first session as I'm pretty decent on Blackwood GP.

As it does'nt really over any advantage for Novice drivers and beyond, I'll vote to keep it. It's a great tool for the newbies to learn the general layout of the track quicker.
No real advantage, and it's banned if you set FCV (other than single seaters = not good) on.
What is 'burf'?
Quote from tristancliffe :What is 'burf'?

Burf:
An after dinner surprise in which you expect a nice burp but end up with a little barf making its way up your esophagus thus leaving you with that horrible burning sensation. (Burp + Barf = Burf)
Mr. Teedot: Gee whiz Mrs Teedot, that was a fine souffle you made!!
Mrs Teedot: Well thank you Mr Teedot
Mr. teedot: Buuuuurppppblecccchhhh!! Oh Christ my thraot is burning....I just BURFED!!!
Mrs Teedot: Oh dear mr. teedot!!
#8 - garph
LMAO!

Nice explanation! I can't wait for the time to come when I can use "burfed" in a conversation

I also like explanation 5! http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=BURF

...I don't think the racing line thingy does any harm. I don't use it so I don't really care either way to be honest.
-1 for forced cockpit. I have bloody 15" tft, and can't see a thing if I use cockpit. I'll have to neel forward to see the mirrors for example. Instead, I use virtual mirrors and indicators and use "that other view (without visible wheels)".

However, +1 for disabling external cameras while not in spectator mode.
#10 - Woz
If someone needs the line to race they will be a nightmare online. As pointed out by others they will not have a clue when they are off the line and it will cause a pileup.

I find it strange that blip and cut were removed yet this aid is allowed online.
it does not give any advantage, as EVERYBODY can switch on the racing line. so where is the advantage...
for a league race i dont want to have the racing line visible and don't want to force cockpit view...
Quote from Woz :I find it strange that blip and cut were removed yet this aid is allowed online.

Exactly..
We learned the tracks the hard and proper way all these years, and now kids can just press 4 and voila.. It shouldn't be there, really, especially online.. it's redicolous..
Quote from Boris Lozac :Exactly..
We learned the tracks the hard and proper way all these years, and now kids can just press 4 and voila.. It shouldn't be there, really, especially online.. it's redicolous..

Do I need to follow you around and smash into you over and over under braking to prove my point?

If you guys just think about it...it makes for far better, and less frustrating racing.

Also, the racing line won't make them faster, or even as fast as you...so its not that big of a deal
Remove the green racing line for online play I would say. For sinlgle player practise it is a great tool. For online it does nothing to help a new players racecraft learning as all he will do is try and follow the line, probably paying less attention to cars around him etc.

Just my point of view anyway
Quote from spanks :Do I need to follow you around and smash into you over and over under braking to prove my point?

If you guys just think about it...it makes for far better, and less frustrating racing.

Also, the racing line won't make them faster, or even as fast as you...so its not that big of a deal

Agreed 100%.
Quote from spanks :Do I need to follow you around and smash into you over and over under braking to prove my point?

If you guys just think about it...it makes for far better, and less frustrating racing.

Also, the racing line won't make them faster, or even as fast as you...so its not that big of a deal

Meh, everyone could do it all these years, why shoudn't you..
As i said, it's great for offline practice while totaly unrealistic, but online should be more serious and while we lost the not so unrealistic driving aids such as throttle cut and blip, we got this Uber realistic racing line to follow..
i highly doubt the "ideal racing line" would give any real advantage to anyone since the "ideal racing line" isnt the fastest line which i believes most players racing in league wouldnt even have it on during races. Plus the racing line can let newbie have an idea where should they place their car so it could be safer for other players.
#19 - Woz
Quote from spanks :Do I need to follow you around and smash into you over and over under braking to prove my point?

If you guys just think about it...it makes for far better, and less frustrating racing.

Also, the racing line won't make them faster, or even as fast as you...so its not that big of a deal

Not really. If you need the line to tell you how and when to brake and what line to follow it means once you are off you "ideal" line you will have no idea what you are doing etc.

Racing is not about the line. Its about how you react to whats about you, how you carry yourself when forced off the line in traffic.

Learning a parrot fashion line will make you even more of a liability on the track in a race IMHO.

It is great to learn a track with and your brake points etc. But TBH, you should not be in a race unless you KNOW your brake points etc.
First I didn't wanted to use race line online, I remembered my braking point by using terrain (For example "I start to brake when the kerb starts" or "I start accelerating when I pass that last white line painted to the road"), however later I learned that I can use race line just like terrain. However, I didn't obey racing lines suggestion when to brake and when to accelerate. I use it like "I start to brake when I have passed suggested braking point x ms". Works in places where there aren't significant terrain objects (Like kerbs and such).

I hope everyone understood what I was trying to say. I have drinked british ale all evening.
If you are okay with the line offline then you should be okay with it for online. People racing that line have nothing on you; they won't be challenging your PBs. The line is bitter sweet; it's easy to start ignoring terrain and very hard to think about a late-apex with that line staring you in the face. Users have to ween themselves off of it. But people don't learn a track alone in the real world. I've never raced the AI and don't plan to. In the real world self preservation on both sides make accidents rare even for people new to the track. We've got standing starts and people desperately searching for tenths of a second. There's no room for someone to be a little cautious around an only vaguely familiar turn like there is in real life. People brake a little early and accidents happen. The racing line makes racing less frustrating for everyone involved and helps get people out onto the servers so we have more people to race with faster!

Why should new people get to learn with it when you didn't have the luxary? That's life. No one said it's always fair. In a community this small you don't want to turn off drivers for any reason; This helps the new people have fun - and the old-salts enjoy the track at the same time.
#22 - Woz
Quote from GobLox :Why should new people get to learn with it when you didn't have the luxary?

Has nothing to do with that TBH

My point is that when people NEED the line to be able to drive a track it means that just don't know the track well enough to race in the first place. It only takes a couple of laps to learn a track enough to be safe, just start your braking early and then get later as you learn the corners better.

The last place I would like to see someone that NEEDS the line in is a race with me. They WILL cause a pile up sooner or later.

If you are watching the line on approach then you WILL miss the brake lights of the car ahead coming on early, you will miss that puff of smoke when the person ahead locks up etc.

T1 is the prime example. Lots of traffic and what you will be able to see of your precious line will be limited. So if you need it you will be toast as there will just be too much to deal with.
Quote from Woz :Not really. If you need the line to tell you how and when to brake and what line to follow it means once you are off you "ideal" line you will have no idea what you are doing etc.

Racing is not about the line. Its about how you react to whats about you, how you carry yourself when forced off the line in traffic.

Learning a parrot fashion line will make you even more of a liability on the track in a race IMHO.

It is great to learn a track with and your brake points etc. But TBH, you should not be in a race unless you KNOW your brake points etc.

sounds like you want to force offline mode or something then, because as it is now...my 7 year old cousin could hop online and play for the first time on any track, any car...and nothing would be there to stop him from doing so.

I completely agree with what you are saying...people who are unable to race with other people, or know the track at all should not be racing online because of the hazard they cause...HOWEVER, the racing line helps lessen the problem, or frequency of the problems.

Being able to race in groups of people only comes from experience...this game takes some time to learn the little quirks like the lag and collision detection.
#24 - Woz
Quote from spanks :sounds like you want to force offline mode or something then, because as it is now...my 7 year old cousin could hop online and play for the first time on any track, any car...and nothing would be there to stop him from doing so.

I completely agree with what you are saying...people who are unable to race with other people, or know the track at all should not be racing online because of the hazard they cause...HOWEVER, the racing line helps lessen the problem, or frequency of the problems.

Being able to race in groups of people only comes from experience...this game takes some time to learn the little quirks like the lag and collision detection.

The best solution I can think of is the driving tests TBH.

Back in the early days of LFS you had to win enough races to earn the credits to unlock the bigger cars. This should come back but you should have to pass the tests for the car to use online. Or at least have a server option that when enabled will block people that have not passed the tests.

The tests require you to do a lap and beat at least 1 AI without contact so that is good enough to filter out your 7 year old cousin

Might be this is what is really required here

FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG