Live for Speed - Impressive New Graphic Shader Previews

Paul Jeffrey · Sep 25, 2018

Live for Speed is a game that refuses to lay down and retire - the developers now showcasing some rather impressive graphical updates currently in the works...

One of the better sim racing games some 14 + years ago, Live for Speed should by all rights have been relegated to the back of the sim racer memory, something that would be of no surprise to those who followed the game back in the day as much of the development support around it from the three man team slowed to a crawl following stage 2 release in 2005.

However like a phoenix from the flames, recent years have seen something of a resurgence for the title, where a steady stream of rather impressive looking updates have been released and done much to breathe new life into the simulation. In the theme of pushing the current game engine to its maximum potential, the Live for Speed development team have a rather tasty looking shader update in the works... aimed at bringing a much improved graphical appearance to a title that continues to defy its grand old age.

In the latest blog posting from the team, we see a selection of images from the virtual rendition of the Rockingham Speedway in England - really showing off the excellent work that has been undertaken by the small group of dedicated developers.

Live for Speed is available exclusively to PC.

Check out the Live for Speed sub forum here at RaceDepartment for the latest Live for Speed news and discussions.

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Do you still play LFS? Do you like the look of the new shader update in the pipeline? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Amir Vodokotlic · Sep 25, 2018

Why this isn't on steam after all these years blows my mind....

Neilski · Sep 25, 2018

I confess I no longer play it, because the online racing died (the basic graphics never bothered me, despite really annoying some people) but I'll always love this sim.

Mark my words, one day that tyre physics model is gonna arrive, non-believers!!!

beef · Sep 25, 2018

have had this installed on my pc from when it first come out. and still love it now.
this looks great and its nice to know they're still working on it

Terry Rock · Sep 25, 2018

It's probably my least played sim. I bought S1 years ago and probably have less than five hours total time.
It isn't that it is a bad sim. I just forget about it until some story like this one reminds me that I still own it.
Glad to see it's still being developed.

Shaun Clarke · Sep 25, 2018

Don't get me wrong, back in "it's day" this was the sim of all sims, but with track builder came ramps and silly online races and nobody "raced" anymore, it lost it's edge. You can update the GFX / shaders everything you want, but it is miles behind now, which is such a shame, as like I said, it was right up there, and will always be one of my fondest memories, as I met (alot of RD community) there.

Glad to see Scawen, Eric and Victor ( have met Scawen and Victor and raced them in Karts IRL) they are some of the nicest people you will meet, still working on it, but I feel it's just really lagging behind now

Shaun

Eckhart von Glan · Sep 25, 2018

was my first real venture into online gaming after some dabbling in online with codemaster's race driver series. loved it and played a lot for a couple of months back in 2005 (?). Since it is extremely well written, it uses very little space on my harddrive and still sits there waiting for a day i have some more time on my hands and nothing better to do. the online was impeccable, all else is probably severely dated by now.

KaKeX · Sep 25, 2018

Wait this game still exists?

k_badam · Sep 25, 2018

Shame it's not tyre physics, still looks great though!

shadow118 · Sep 25, 2018

Neilski said:
Mark my words, one day that tyre physics model is gonna arrive, non-believers!!!

Along with the Scirocco?

k_badam · Sep 25, 2018

shadow118 said:
Along with the Scirocco?

The only reason they haven't released the Scirocco is the tyre physics, so I'd assume so.

Neilski · Sep 25, 2018

k_badam said:
The only reason they haven't released the Scirocco is the tyre physics, so I'd assume so.

Well yeah, but the fact that the car is no longer made might have an impact too

shadow118 · Sep 25, 2018

Neilski said:
Well yeah, but the fact that the car is no longer made might have an impact too

It's actually kinda impressive, if you think about it. They first announced the car in 2008, the same year the Scirocco started production, and now they've delayed for longer than the car has been in production. The unfulfilled promise of a car has outlived the actual car

shimon.ifraimov · Sep 25, 2018

still waiting

LoeVG · Sep 25, 2018

I love the game, but I get so annoyed it takes forever to finish the "new" physics. Everytime I see news about the game, I instantly think "here we go again". I love the physics for drifting especially and I've played it on and off since 2007. The open maps was a great addition to the game, but I really miss something fresh and new.. We were promised the Scirocco and new tire physics years ago. I've nearly lost my patience.

I even upgraded to S3 just to support the devs...

Neilski · Sep 25, 2018

Ah, I'm still not remotely sorry that I upgraded to S3.
Quite apart from showing support, it was no more than the price of a few beers and I've had way more fun at ROK than the beers would have been

I have more than had my money's worth from LFS!

CobraCat · Sep 25, 2018

I always thought their tracks were great looking, the low poly cars are showing their age for sure. The new shaders look amazing. I hope they can improve the car and tire models as well.

Rui Pinto · Sep 25, 2018

I haven't had nearly as much fun in any other sim as I've had while racing in LFS, whether it was by putting some serious hours into it (hi NDR) or just by taking part in a bit of light-hearted public multiclass server racing (I miss you, cargame.nl...and I haven't forgotten you either, CTRA).

I don't believe it will ever get as popular as it once was due to the sheer number of great content available nowadays, but Live For Speed is like that old friend you haven't seen in ages, but when you meet again it feels like it was only yesterday. (And there are so many other metaphors that could suit this sim to a tee)

St3fan · Sep 25, 2018

This really is good looking. Too bad I'm too busy playing other games that I only got the spare time to learn the blackwood circuit, and I am so slow!

dale223223 · Sep 26, 2018

I can't help but think this is part of the Need for Speed franchise every time I see it mentioned. I think I played it once back in the day when I was just getting into PC sims.