About LFS

An internet multiplayer race in S2 with the Formula XR

The amazing tyre flex physics in Live for Speed S2

Choose between various setup settings

An old LFS logo

An early development version of LFS

The GT Turbo in LFS v0.1 at an unpublished city track in Miami.

Live for Speed is an online racing simulator developed by Scawen Roberts (game engine), Eric Bailey (tracks & cars) and Victor van Vlaardingen (music, website, sales). Its main features are the realistic physic engine and internet multiplayer with up to 40 players. The game is only sold at the official website http://www.lfs.net. You won't find it in any shops as the developers want to stay independent from any publisher, so they can include exactly the features they want to have in the game and do not have to change the game according to some manager's opinion. Starting as a demo in August 2002 more and more people tried the game and joined the internet community. With a lot of development progress the first stage (S1) of the game was published in July 2003. Two years later (2005) the S2 Alpha version was released and was under development with fresh new updates every 6 months to a year, not including test patches. Now the S3 license is available with Rockingham, a new laser scanned track (more content scheduled for the S3 license). VW Scirocco and a completely re-written tyre physics engine are planned for the future. The three developers have a close connection to the community and they frequently visit the official forum to get ideas of what the players want to see in the game. All the new updates to the game are accessible by the auto updater from within LFS.

Physics engine

The outer loop of the physics and environment checks run at 100 Hz, but with 20 uninterruptable sub-updates inside that (tight loop on each car) so in one sense it's 2000 Hz physics.

History of LFS

• Sometime in 1999: Working on Lionhead's Black & White, Scawen starts to write a small stunt simulator with mouse steering in his free time
• Spring 2001: After the release of Black & White, Scawen and Eric leave Lionhead to work fulltime on LFS
• 18.08.2002: A user of the West Racing forum finds the demo test 0.04k on the internet and spreads the word about LFS: http://www.west-racing.com/forum/index.php?topic=958.0
• 19.09.2002: The official LFS forum starts at Race Sim Central: http://forum.rscnet.org/forumdisplay.php?f=205
• 17.07.2003: Release of Live for Speed S1, the first full LFS release
• 29.07.2003: The LFSWorld website goes online http://www.lfsworld.net/
• 25.06.2005: Release of the Live for Speed S2 Alpha
• 10.08.2005: The new official LFS forum goes online: http://www.lfsforum.net
• 28.05.2007: LFS Merchandise website: http://www.lfsshop.net
• 05.09.2014: LFS website is revamped: http://www.lfs.net
• 19.12.2015: S3 License available

Major LFS releases

• 18.08.2002: 0.04k - The first public LFS version ever
• 06.09.2002: 0.1B - Demo test with added reversed track configs
• 22.03.2003: 0.2A - Demo test, similar to S1 but without the new cars & tracks
• 17.07.2003: 0.3A - S1
• 05.04.2005: 0.5K - S2 Demo Alpha, features work-in-progress S2 physics but with only demo content
• 25.06.2005: 0.5P - S2 Alpha, physics improved since 0.5K but still in development, full S2 content available
• 19.12.2015: 0.6K - The S3 License is available
• 16.12.2021: 0.7A - Vehicle Mods support, LFS Editor (vehicle editor and modelling tool) also released

Complete list of LFS releases

Note that this list excludes the numerous test patches that have been released.

To see a complete history of LFS releases with all changelogs, see Version History or Version History (complete) (including all test patches).

Version	Date	Changes
Demo test era
0.04k	18.08.2002	The first ever public version of Live for Speed
0.04Q	31.08.2002	Unknown
0.1B	06.09.2002	Major update, lots of bug fixes and surprises
0.1C	11.09.2002	Unknown
0.1E	15.09.2002	Greatly improved controller support
0.1F	11.10.2002	Replays controls, more options and improvements
0.1H2	27.10.2002	Added multiplayer replays, other small improvements and bug fixes
0.1J	09.11.2002	Small improvements and bug fixes
0.1N	13.12.2002	Small improvements and bug fixes
0.1P	30.01.2003	Small improvements and bug fixes
0.1Q	05.02.2003	Small improvements and bug fixes
0.1T	19.02.2003	Small improvements and bug fixes
0.1W	04.03.2003	Bug fixes
0.2A	22.03.2003	Demo test, similar to S1 but without the new cars & tracks
0.2B	02.04.2003	Uses UDP packets for car position updates, various minor fixes
0.2C	02.04.2003	0.2B had a bug and was replaced by 0.2C the same day
0.2D	07.05.2003	Adds skins_x directory for other drivers' skins
0.2E	01.06.2003	New SPR replay format (was GST format), added bump stops, gear ratios individually adjustable
0.2F	07.05.2003	Master server IP change update
S1 era
0.3A	17.07.2003	First release with paid content
0.3B	25.09.2003	Adds translations, fixes many bugs
0.3C	30.10.2003	Allows up to 16 players to race online at once (previously 12), adds remote administration
0.3D	31.10.2003	Small bug fixes
0.3E	15.12.2003	Adds a new car (MRT5)
0.3F	02.03.2004	Adds HVS support, in-game LFS World integration and makes changes to keyboard steering system (less assists)
0.3G	08.04.2004	Reduces multiplayer warping, faster server browser, adds option to block chat messages
0.3H	08.10.2004	Adds skid marks and improved online stability
S2 era
0.5A	14.08.2004	Pre-alpha tested at the Games Convention in Leipzig, included MRT6 and LX8 GTR
0.5D	15.01.2005	S2 CMX viewer released so work on S2 skins could begin
0.5F	11.02.2005	Early alpha build leaked across the net at some point in March, S2 content included but only S1 content could be unlocked
0.5K	05.04.2005	Demo content only with numerous WIP improvements from v0.3
0.5L	30.04.2005	Updated demo with the addition of clutch pack differentials and improved tyre heating
0.5N	17.06.2005	Updated CMX viewer released only
0.5P	25.06.2005	First official release with full S2 content, up to 20 cars per server
0.5Q	27.11.2005	Improved international support
0.5S	18.04.2006	Updated CMX viewer released only
0.5T	21.04.2006	Improved tyre & aero physics, a new car (BMW Sauber F1.06), two new configurations for Aston and much more
0.5U	29.04.2006	Adds OutGauge system, server welcome messages, also fixes many small bugs
0.5V	22.12.2006	New engine sound system, improved multiplayer, auto-patcher system and many small GUI and usability improvements
0.5W	31.03.2007	Improved car sounds, various graphical updates, many small other improvements
0.5X	08.06.2007	Improved multiplayer (up to 32 cars per server), pre-load added to clutch pack diffs, handicaps system, high-res skin downloading
0.5X10	08.07.2007	Adds force cockpit view option, lots of smaller usability improvements
0.5Y	21.12.2007	Improved physics, updated tracks (South City and Blackwood), a new car (Formula BMW FB02), engine stall, clutch wear, AI improvement
0.5Z	02.07.2008	New interiors for some cars, physics parameter updates, replay controls, demo licencing, and more language translations
0.5Z25	28.10.2009	Improved car shadows, new wheel drawing system, improved road car dashboards, ABS brakes on some road cars, improved and much faster List of Hosts, powerful and flexible multiple screen support
0.5Z28	25.11.2009	Installer, storage of multiple host passwords, added support for lfs://
0.6B	17.06.2011	Open track configurations, autocross and object improvements, collision reporting system and other InSim changes, adjustable tyre warmers for hot lapping
0.6E	30.11.2012	Multiplayer improvements: New "instant" join system for fast and reliable connection, new packet buffering and storage system, new hacking protection and cheat detection systems
0.6F	21.06.2014	Support for 3D devices (3D TVs, Oculus Rift), DirectX 9 graphics engine
0.6G	27.09.2014	Oculus Rift DK2 support, graphical improvements
0.6H	02.04.2015	Rebuilt and extended version of the Westhill racing environment with additional configurations, full support for open configurations, improvements to the layout editor
0.6J	15.08.2015	High performance update
S3 era
0.6K	19.12.2015	S3 license is now available with Rockingham, graphical improvements including new reflections and dynamic environment maps, AI improvements, support for HTC Vive
0.6M	13.02.2016	Rockingham update, borderless window system and other fixes
0.6N	24.03.2016	Updates in VR ("look and click" system, virtual keyboard) and audio
0.6P	16.04.2016	Updates in VR and controller support
0.6Q	03.09.2016	New system to simulate the mirrors realistically, full stereoscopic 3D mirrors in VR modes
0.6R	28.01.2017	Rebuilt and extended version of the Blackwood racing environment (plus an industrial estate open area), minor improvements (shadows, track maps)
0.6T	07.07.2018	More robust multiplayer system, massive layout editor changes
0.6U	13.03.2019	View (lock to horizon), VR, AI changes
0.6V	28.02.2021	Multiplayer improvements, /pps 12, "Alternate" config for GTR cars (adjustable tyre sizes, wider steering lock, new tyre choices), adjustable handbrake strength, F12 and pitstop changes, FFB options, Live multiplayer replay support, VR, InSim / OutSim updates
0.7A	16.12.2021	Vehicle Mods support, new RB4 GT and updated MRT5, new environment (Layout Square), LFS Editor (vehicle editor and modelling tool), major hosting changes

Missing versions in the list were only released to the beta team for testing

For more details see http://www.liveforspeed.net/?page=oldernews

The development Team

• 

  fltr.: Eric, Victor, Scawen

• 

  Scawen Roberts (and Leo)

• 

  Eric Bailey

• 

  Victor van Vlaardingen

• 

  The dev team presenting the S2 Alpha in Denmark 2004

Interviews

• Dec 1994: Victor, demonews, section 2b
  • Archived (Sep 11, 2003)
• Feb 2001: Scawen, planetb&w
  • Archived (Jul 20, 2001)
• Nov 2002: All, BHM
  • Introduction, Archived (Aug 11, 2003)
  • Miscellaneous, Archived (Jul 1, 2003)
  • Cars and Tracks, Archived (Aug 22, 2003)
  • Multiplayer, Archived (Aug 22, 2003)
  • Gameplay, Archived (Feb 24, 2004)
  • Hardware, Archived (Oct 19, 2004)
  • Graphics and Sound, Archived (Oct 19, 2004)
• Apr 2003: All, doupe.cz
  • Archived (Jan 28, 2021)
• Dec 2003: Eric, Boomtown
  • Archived (Jun 3, 2004)
• Jul 2004: Victor, ZockerTempel
• Sept 2004: All, teamnic
  • Page 1, Archived (Aug 26, 2007)
  • Pages 2, 3, 4 are missing unfortunately.
• Mar 2005: Victor, planet3dgames
  • Archived (Aug 28, 2005)
• Mar 2005: All, simracingportugal
• Mar 2006: Victor, lfs.dk
  • Archived (Nov 23, 2007)
• May 2006: Victor & Scawen, Autosimsport, p25
• Sep 2006: All, lfs.no