I have been thinking about this since someone mentioned a small idea about it. This isn't an improvement for the game, but for the forums here.

Basically we are seeing more and more Demo racers coming in here and posting for S1 or S2 content skins, setups, and so on. This is just not the place to discuss or ask for this. Then we usually have to go and ask them why they are a demo user and asking for this content. We get the usual routine:

"Oh a friend let me borrow his license"
"Oh I have another account, but I decided to register a new one for the forum"

Before we had to deal with people that were licensed but had shown up as a demo user. I think Victor permanently fixed that. But now we get new users coming in here obviously with 'access' to the licensed content without even paying. Pretty strange some of them think it is ok to come on the official forum. Like said in other threads, it is a violation of the License Agreement if the account is shared.

So, like someone else mentioned once before, why not only allow Demo users to have access to certain sections? They could still be allowed to view all the forum sections, but not post in certain areas. This would mean that there would have to be a Demo and S1/S2 section of the forum, or else any average Demo user wouldn't be able to post a demo car setup or skin for example.

It is tough to think about how you could do this, but I think something needs to be thought of. It is getting annoying how often they are coming here and asking for this stuff. And yet they keep giving us some bogus excuses like the ones above.

Any ideas, or are we just going to keep letting them come in and get banned (I guess that is the only solution?)

Im all for it. Another reason for them to buy the license

Previously I've been strongly against disallowing all forum members access to content, but having seen an increase in the abovementioned actions I'm inclined to support this move.

This seems like a very sound idea. If it worked like this, then those people who did have a license would use it in the forums, and the demo people who say they've got a license would be a lot more conspicuous.

dont you think its beneficial for the devs to be able to gather ips of users with cracked copies ?

Which sections to make "S2 licensed only"? In many sections there are both S2 and demo content available, like setups and skins. And I thought the most of these "I really really am S2 licensed" people were posting on "General LFS discussion" section...

But, still if it's done well.

On the most part I'm for it, we just have to look at both kinds of demo users

1) The demo racers who ask about S2 content (and have their "license" from their friend, sister, pet, etc.)
2) The demo racers who have a serious question, mainly because they are new
3) The cheap bastards who race the demo for years and demand stuff all the time, sometimes belonging to group #1

I really really want to restrict forum access for group #1, but I also really really do not want to scare away group #2, or give them a hard time asking a serious question.

What definitely needs to stay open is technical assistance and the beginners forum. On the others, I don't know. Maybe add a own "Demo crap" section (well not exactly that name, though ) which is just like a General Discussion but for all kinds of demo stuff, including skins, sets etc.

Good idea Tweak.

My only fear would be that demo users would end up posting even more 'off-topic' theads in the General discussion section because they have a lack of anywhere else to post.

If you limit or restrict where they post, then they are more likely to load or spam other sections. Unless you created specific demo sections, but IMO this would just be like creating a whole other demo forum.

Good idea, but would need to be implemented correctly without splitting the community.

Quote from Shotglass :

dont you think its beneficial for the devs to be able to gather ips of users with cracked copies ?

No, if you're speculating about taking some kind of legal action towards these users, the only thing that would ever be worthwhile would be if anyone was actually selling cracked copies of lfs.

Quote from filur :

No, if you're speculating about taking some kind of legal action towards these users, the only thing that would ever be worthwhile would be if anyone was actually selling cracked copies of lfs.

Well, in my book, by not purchasing the S2 license they are effectively stealing the content.

I know some people take a light approach to cracking, and I for one certainly used to so that I could play without CDs from a mate's copy of a game or something, but in this case the devs have such a unique and small scale business approach that I think they deserve all the support they can get.

Quote from mrbogeyman :

Well, in my book, by not purchasing the S2 license they are effectively stealing the content.

Just saying there's no court in the world that would care about someone simply using a cracked game. Selling or in any way making money off pirate material is a very different matter.

well, if not posting is not-posting only i think it's ok.
But if you can't download a skin for the UF-R or whatever to change it to _XRG or _XRT or _XFG, then i don't think it's cool...
But, I do think it's pointless.
cause, if you see somebody (demo racer) posting there, and he says: I searched for that skin on my RU GT for years, then you know it's a cracker, so resulting in less people on the forum with cracked version.