About LFS

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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The GT Turbo in LFS v0.1 at an unpublished city track in Miami.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 physics 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 uninterruptible sub-updates inside that (tight loop on each car) so in one sense it's 2000 Hz physics.

History of LFS

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

Main article: Version History

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

For more details see Official LFS News.

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 25.06.2003 Master server IP change update, last checkpoint time differences are displayed on the position list
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:// protocol
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
0.7B 14.02.2022 Improvements to the Mods browser interface (with favourites system), AI for Vehicle Mods, built-in Skin Viewer and skin template / wireframe generation, regenerative braking for electric vehicles
0.7C 08.04.2022 Upcoming events on the entry screen, new text entry system (with better support for multiple input languages), wireframe view in Garage
0.7D 15.04.2022 Event list and mods screen improvements, fixes (for keyboard arrow steering, for two FFB axes wheels etc.)
0.7E 17.12.2023 Popup headlights, sidelights/low/high beams, fog lights, dashboard improvements, improved bike physics, better AI racing, HUD improvements, maximum connections increased to 79

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

LFSTimeline.png

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

Logos of LFS

  • An early logo

  • LFS logo from 2003, by Nicolas Grignon. The overall style is still the same to this day.

  • The most recent version of the LFS logo (2024), used on the website and in-game

  • Alternative logo supplied in the official logo pack (2024), with different coloring

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