Eligibility
General information
Our system
Racing rules
Points system
Penalties
Connection

Eligibility
You must have a Live for Speed S2 License to participate in *The Original LFS League (abbreviated hereafter to 'OLFSL'), because OLFSL uses tracks and cars that are only available in the full version of Live for Speed S2. If you are not already S2 licensed, a S2 License can be purchased on the official Live for Speed website: www.liveforspeed.net Clean and friendly racers of any skill level are allowed to participate in OLFSL. Being able to understand English is a requirement, because race Hosts and other racers may not understand other languages used. You must have joined OLFSL (using the web form on the OLFSL website www.lfs-league.com) and have subscribed to the current OLFSL Season to be able to participate in races. Joining is possible at any point in time; subscribing to an OLFSL Season is open when a Season is about to start or Season is in progress. If you subscribe during an ongoing OLFSL season, you start with 0 points. If you join after qualifying for a specific race has started, you will have to wait until the next race to be entitled to participate.
General information
All OLFSL races are held on SUNDAYS sometime between 16:00 and 22:00 GMT, and have a duration of about 1 hour (exceptionally, shorter or longer races may be organized). The upcoming races are published in the OLFSL Race Calendar containing the race dates, as well as the track and car combos. A new Race Calendar is announced ahead of the start of each OLFSL Season. Given the large number of participants, racers will typically be divided into Pools. This enables the grouping of drivers with similar lap times together in order to make OLFSL fun and competitive for everyone, irrespective of whether racers are very fast or a bit slower. Each Pool will start racing at a scheduled time (to be determined and pre-announced, but always on Sundays between 16:00 and 22:00 GMT). In order to establish the Pools and grids for each Pool, the OLFSL races are preceded by a mandatory qualifying procedure. At this time, OLFSL uses a qualifying procedure involving a specific qualifying server, which will be open for several days (further details in “Our system” below). Weather/Wind: If nothing specific is mentioned about weather/wind, it's Day with No Wind. All qualifying is held in Day with No Wind conditions. If other weather/wind conditions apply for the race, this is announced in advance in the website news. The OLFSL Staff reserves the right to announce the exact weather/wind details only after qualifying has been completed, to reflect real-world conditions. Any changes/exceptions/additions etc. to the above will be announced in advance.
Our system
Qualifying You must join the OLFSL qualifying server (which will be open for several days ahead of each scheduled race) and complete at least one lap (outlap is not counted) before 18:00 GMT on the THURSDAY preceding the scheduled race day. The OLFSL qualifying server automatically records lap times, and is used to: (i) determine the list of eligible race participants, (ii) categorise participants into Pools based on similar qualifying times, and (iii) determine the Grid for each Pool. Failure to complete a qualifying lap will mean that you are not allowed to participate in the scheduled race. You have 12 laps available to achieve your best qualifying time (any exceptions to this number of laps will be announced in advance). A lap is counted when you cross the first split, so make good use of your laps. You are, of course, allowed to practice offline or on other online servers as much as you wish but the qualifying lap must be done online on a predefined OLFSL qualifying server. It is your responsibility to set your qualifying time within the available timeframe. We strongly suggest that you don't leave your qualifying to the final day or hour to avoid the possibility that the server or your Internet connection is down and to avoid crowding the OLFSL qualifying server. Pools, grids and passwords On Friday evenings (GMT) preceding the scheduled race day, the OLFSL website www.lfs-league.com will be updated with information about the outcome of qualifying, and details of the races on Sunday. This information will include the Pool you will be driving in, the grid for that race, the server name, the race time, and the password. You must be logged-in on the OLFSL website to see your race password. Race preparations and laglap All OLFSL race servers will be online and configured for your race at least 15 minutes before the official race start time. The latest you may join the server is 10 minutes before the scheduled race start time. 5 minutes before the scheduled race start time the server password will be changed and no further connections will be allowed. When you join the OLFSL race server, you can start to practice for the race immediately if you wish, with an unlimited number of laps allowed. You may pit, spectate, chat or disconnect while free practice is ongoing. Free practice will end 1 minute before the official start time, at which time the official grid will be set. This is to ensure that all races start on (or as near as possible to) the scheduled time. After the Host ends free practice, the Host will re-order the grid into the correct starting order based on the laptimes achieved in online qualifying. This will happen by the Host calling every racer onto the grid by name or by using an application called Race Control - the Host will guide you through this. In case Race Control fails, the Host will call every racer onty the grid by name. The race will then be ready to start. Before the actual race start, but with the grid ordered, a Laglap will be initiated (fake start), to ensure that the grid order is correct, graphics are loaded for everyone, lag issues are under control, etc. If issues are detected, the Host may decide to postpone the actual start (e.g. to correct the grid order manually), extend the laglap, etc. In case of lag endangering the race, the Host may ask a lagging racer to leave the race, or exclude that racer before the actual race. Pitstops Pitting is allowed. You may refuel, change tyres and alter your setup. However, you may only pit by driving into the pits in the direction of the track. Pitting by other means - Esc+Pits, Shift+S or pushing/bumping - will result in a 'DSQ' result (see “Points system” below). If there is a mandatory pitstop rule for the race, this will be announced in advance in the Race Calendar. You must then complete a minimum number of pitstops as specified. The mandatory pitstops (if any are mandatory) can be made at any time except on the first lap or on the last lap of the race. The lap number is determined at the point you stop in the pit box itself. If the lap counter at this point reads ‘1’ or the total number of laps in the race (for example, ‘30’ in a 30 lap race) you will be disqualified and will receive 0.0 points. The first lap is lap ‘1’ as seen from your own perspective. If you are on lap ‘1’ (for example after a crash) and the race leaders are on lap 3, for example, and you pit, you are not classed as fulfilling your mandatory pitstop. The last lap is the one as seen from the perspective of the number of laps in the race. For example, in a 30 lap race, stopping on lap ‘30’ will not fulfill your mandatory pitstop required if you have not pitted before (subject to compliance with the first lap rule). However, if you are one lap down on the leaders and you stop on lap ‘29’, you are OK as this is allowed. Remember that on some tracks, in some directions, the pit box is after the start finish line. In these cases it may be that stopping at the end of the first lap is actually valid. It also may be that stopping at the end of, for example, lap ‘29’ is invalid as the lap counter may have moved to 30 by the time your car stops in the pit box. Failure to comply with the mandatory pitstop will result in a 'DSQ' result (see “Points system” below). Race OLFSL events usually consist of a single race, but occasionally they consist of 1+1 races. In the (distant) past, OLFSL has organized the second race using a (full or partial) reversed grid. Any multi-race events will be announced in advance in the Race Calendar. Server crash / massive lagout OLFSL currently uses third-party provided servers. If a race server crashes when over 50% of the full race distance is completed by the race leader, results are taken as they were when the server crashed. If a race server crashes and less than half of the race distance is completed, that pool will be rescheduled. The OLFSL staff reserves full discretion in determining the rescheduling, depending on the circumstances. The same applies if more than 50% of the field gets simultaneously/rapidly disconnected. In both situations, www.lfs-league.com is the first page to check for further instructions. If for some reason the site is out at the same moment, LFS Forum/OLFSL subforum is the secondary option.
Racing rules
We don't have a lot of rules; it's mostly common sense and fair play. The rules set out below form the basis for any Appeals Arbiter decisions (see also “Penalties” below). In general Take care to race clean/fair, i.e. do not hit other cars or obstacles, do not force other racers off the track, and do not ignore flags or instructions from the Host. The driving line must be taken as laid out by the track. With this in mind, you must try to keep at least 2 wheels on the track at all times and not hit any of the cones, tires, barrels or walls. You'll find that this is the same as the HLCV system which exists in LFS hotlapping. Repeated track cutting or punching through obstacles will be penalised. Flags • Yellow Flag: The Yellow Flag denotes a hazard on or near the track (e.g. a car that spun or went off, be it on the same lap or on another lap). Under Yellow Flag conditions, the following rules apply: (a) racers must slow down to have good visibility of conditions and to avoid compounding the incident, (b) overtaking the car(s) that led to the Yellow Flag warning is permitted, with due caution, (c) racers that are not in the incident must not misuse the Yellow Flag conditions to overtake one-another; this would constitute unsportsmanlike behaviour (see “Penalties” below). Failing to follow these rules, and causing and accident because of that, will most likely result in a penalty. • Blue Flag: Drivers that are a lap down or otherwise receive a Blue Flag warning from the LFS software or from the Host must let the faster car(s) pass as soon as sensibly possible without disrupting the race, i.e. slow down and move off the racing line at a sensible location on the track to let the cars that are a lap ahead get past. Blue Flag does not mean that the slower car must move off the track. Drivers that are catching up on a lapped car (e.g. because they are much faster, after a pitstop or race incident) must take particular care, giving a chance to the lapped driver to move aside in a safe location. Lapped drivers are allowed to try to un-lap themselves but must take particular care not to disrupt the race for the other cars. Damage and crashing If your vehicle should become inoperable due to flipping onto its roof, getting stuck in sand, being highsided on a guardrail, etc., you must spectate (SHIFT+S). Driving a damaged car to the pits for repairs is allowed, but limping to the pits with a heavily damaged car causing disruption of the race for other racers will be considered unsportsmanlike behaviour (see “Penalties” below). Also, OLFSL Hosts are entitled to force a racer to spectate if he/she refuses to do so himself/herself. As LFS is becoming more realistic, so must our rules. Chatting Chatting must be limited to absolute minimum during race(s). The same applies for honking the horn. Please ensure that you wait until all racers have finished before chatting at the end of the race. RaceSIM Rules of Racing In addition to the rules set out above, OLFSL applies and enforces the RaceSIM Rules of Racing (formerly Clean Racers Club rules), which have been edited in part by the OLFSL Staff. Please familiarise yourself fully with these rules. With regard to RaceSIM rule O-1, OLFSL has adopted the following interpretation: “overlap” = the overtakers' car comes up alongside the ahead car, by half a car length or more. With regard to RaceSIM rule P.2, OLFSL allows cars entering or exiting the pits to cross the pit line, insofar as it is safe to do so. Causing an incident or disrupting another racer’s line by crossing the pit line will be penalized. Disconnections If you get disconnected for any reason, you are not allowed to rejoin the server.
Points system
We are using a "Points system" for ranking our members. Basically, your race results are compared against the other people in your Pool. The basic idea of our Points system is illustrated in the table to the right. If we have one race per event, the points are simply drawn from the table. For example, if you finish 3rd in Pool 2, you will receive 322,0 points. If we have two races per event, then the points for each race are halved. For example, if you finish 3rd in Pool 2 for Race 1 and 10th in Pool 2 for Race 2, you will get 161,0 + 147,0 = 308,0 points from that event. In addition to points scored based on race results, you can gain an additional 25,0 points by completing the fastest lap in your pool. This 25,0 points bonus is conditional upon also completing the race. The amount of points for completing the fastest lap is same in every pool (25,0); if there are 2 starts in the event, the fastest lap across those two starts will count. The fastest lap bonus is fully subject to driving in accordance with the Racing rules. For the avoidance of doubt, aiming for the fastest lap creates no rights to unduly interfere in the race (e.g. race direction, pitstops, two wheels on track, overtaking, flag rules, contact, etc.) and is not intended to see racers to adopt an approach to the race whereby they ‘throw the race’ (e.g. after a crash) and switch to solely aiming for the fastest lap. If you end up on your roof, get stuck on sand or damage your car so that you can't make it to the pits (or if there is no pit entry on the track in question), you will receive DNF points and you MUST spectate (ESC => spectate or SHIFT+S => Spectate) before you leave the server. However, if your connection drops, or you are disconnected from the server for any other reason you will again get the DNF points and additionally points/laps you have finished when the disconnection occurs. DSC points = DNFpoints+(DNFpoints*(finished laps/total laps)) You can skip/miss 20% of the events per season without affecting your season total points. For example if there are 10 events in total, you can miss 2; if there are 6 events in total you can miss 1. Points (even zero points) will then be removed from your total points. However, DNSH points cannot be removed.	DNF = Did Not Finish DSC = DiSConnected DNS = Did Not Start DNSH = Did Not SHow up
Penalties
For the enjoyment of all drivers, we have included a penalty system. We believe that it is fair and very clear. Whenever you consider that something that is not in accordance with the Racing Rules (including RaceSIM Rules of Racing (formerly Clean Racers Club rules)) has happened during a race, keep racing until the end. If you do not finish, it will hurt your race result! If you believe (after carefully reviewing the replay) that a penalty is called for, you may file a complaint with the Appeals Arbiter using the Appeal Form which is accessible for logged-in users under User CP. Note that you have 48 hours to file your complaint. Your complaint should specify which Pool, which Lap, and which racer(s) is/are concerned, and state which rule you allege has been breached. The Appeals Arbiter will examine complaints and will inform the complainant as soon as is practicable. The OLFSL website (Penalties section) will indicate registered complaints, showing the racer(s) under investigation. Racers under investigation may file their own comments (including guilty pleas). In addition, the OLFSL Hosts and staff supervise races. Ex-officio Appeals Arbiter decisions may be taken based on OLFSL Staff/Appeals Arbiter observations, even where no complaint has been made by any racer. The Appeals Arbiter will aim to reach and publish final decisions before the next OLFSL race, but the OLFSL staff explicity reserves the right to delay the issuance of an Appeals Arbiter decision, and also to review older replays if new information or new issues come up. If the Appeals Arbiter or OLFSL staff issue a penalty, the race results will be changed accordingly. Penalties apply for the following: • Breaking the Racing rules (including the RaceSIM Rules of Racing (formerly Clean Racers Club rules)) defined above. • Any other form of unsportsmanlike behaviour, as determined by the Appeals Arbiter or OLFSL Staff. If the above occurs, then the driver will be subject to the following penalties: • Placing under supervision: If, following a complaint, or on an ex-officio basis, your behaviour is deemed inappropriate, but not warranting a penalty, you will be placed under supervision. In case of repeat behaviour, penalties will apply. • First warning: You will receive a time penalty, an enforced change in final race position, or the equivalent of a 'DNF' (applied in principle to the past race, which may change the results of the past race, unless this is not an effective penalty, and a forward-looking penalty needs to be applied). You will be placed under specific supervision. • Second warning: You will receive a time penalty, a change in final race position, or the equivalent of a 'DNF' (applied in principle to the past race, which may change the results of the past race, unless this is not an effective penalty, and a forward-looking penalty needs to be applied) + a one event race ban. You will be placed under specific supervision. • Third and final penalty: Repeat offenders will be removed from *The Original LFS League and no further participation will be allowed for the ongoing season, and, if needed, for life. The warnings stay with you for the duration of the Season. After the Season ends, the warnings are dropped. If you offend on a regular basis, then we may take the decision to extend the warnings across seasons or exclude you from OLFSL. We will of course notify all drivers of any decision to this effect. Keep in mind that if the Host issues warnings during the event/race and you ignore them, they have the right to force spectate, kick or ban you immediately from the event/race, and will report this to the OLFSL Staff including the Appeals Arbiter. We therefore advise that you pay attention to any messages from the Host regarding your behaviour.
Connection
When you join your race, we kindly ask you to take extra care not to run any other applications or programs in the background. It is known that instant messaging, voice chat and e-mail clients, peer-to-peer file sharing programs, music players etc. are using many of the resources of the computer including your Internet connection, thus they can destroy your and your fellows' race. Before you launch LFS, close all the unnecessary programs.
*The Original LFS League Staff would like to thank all of the members and wish them enjoyable, fair and successful racing. Remember, your main goal while participating in the League is to HAVE FUN!!! :) If you have any questions or suggestions relating to these rules, please contact the Rules Administrator.