Rigs of Rods
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rigs of Rods | |
|---|---|
 DAF TurboTwin in Rigs of Rods |
|
| Design by | Pierre-Michel Ricordel |
| Latest release | 0.35 / March 23, 2008 |
| OS | Cross-platform |
| Genre | Simulation |
| Website | http://www.rigsofrods.com/ |
Rigs of Rods ("RoR") is a freeware multi-simulation game which uses soft-body physics.
Rigs of Rods is based on a specific soft-body physics engine called Beam. Beam simulates a network of interconnected nodes (forming the chassis and the wheels) and gives the ability to simulate deformable objects. With this engine, trucks flex and deform as you ride the terrain, which can be based on real terrain elevation data. Crashing into walls or terrain can permanently deform a vehicle in a very realistic manner.
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[edit] Concept
Rigs of Rods was initially created as an off-road truck simulator, but has developed into a versatile physics sandbox.
Prior to version 0.28, the game was limited to typical land vehicles with wheels, but plane and boat engines have been added since. All engines allow for a wide range of customization, leaving virtually no boundaries. Vehicles are built using vertices connected by beams. Vertices (or "nodes") are influenced by the stress on the beams that connect them. If a beam is too stressed, it will deform, thus altering the associated nodes position which ultimately alters either the appearance, handling, or both of a vehicle. It is possible to build an entire vehicle in Notepad. Simple 2D skins can be made to wrap the vehicle, and can be supplemented with static mesh objects. Recent development has allowed for static meshes to be deformed according to a nodes/beam skeleton, much like the system in the game 1nsane.
Vehicles ride along terrains that are defined in a raw image file, such as the data found in digital elevation model which can be used to form a realistic surface. Terrains can be made using a registered version of Terragen, ImageMagick, Blender, Earthsculptor, L3DT, and any other program that can generate a black and White RAW image format. This also means that maps can be made from any image, including the family portrait.
As a sandbox, Rigs of Rods has no fundamental game play goal but newly added Lua support contributes to missions and game play interaction. Recent multiplayer support has allowed up to 16 simultaneous users to interact on a playing field. Common activities include off-roading, racing, and casual playing. Many activities can be had on land, sea, or sky.
[edit] Recommended System Requirements
| Windows (XP/Vista) | Linux | Mac (Leopard) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Pentium 4/Athlon XP at 2 GHz or better | x86-based | |
| Supports HyperThreading and dual-core technology | |||
| Memory | 512 megabytes of RAM recommended | ||
| Video | Video card with at least 128mb of VRAM | ||
| Graphics | DirectX 9c | GLX | OpenGL |
| Sound | 3D sound effects with multichannel sound cards | ||
| Inputs | Keyboard/mouse, joysticks, wheels | Keyboard/mouse | |
| Multiplayer | Broadband Internet connection | ||
[edit] Restrictions
- RoR does not natively support 64-bit operating systems
[edit] Recognition
- Brian Beckman gave an interview on physics in games, in which, among other topics, he talks about Rigs of Rods. Dr. Beckman is a physicist that worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, then at Microsoft research labs, where, among other things, he contributed to the physics of the racing game Forza Motorsport.[1] He is the author of one of the most comprehensive racing car physics studies online, The Physics of Racing. Dr. Beckman describes Rigs of Rods as, "one of the best driving simulations I have ever seen."[2] The full interview is also available.
- Rigs of Rods was featured in PC Gamer UK in the Christmas 2007 edition. Author Tim Stone considered Rigs of Rods a cross between Armadillo Run, Big Mutha Truckers, Garry's Mod, and Motocross Madness.[3]
[edit] External links
- Official Rigs of Rods Website
- Official Rigs of Rods File Repository
- Official Rigs of Rods Forums
- Official Rigs of Rods Blog
- Rigs of Rods Server
[edit] References
- ^ Brian Beckman (2006-03-15). Who, me?.
- ^ Dr. Brian Beckman. Dr. Beckman discusses physics in Rigs of Rods [YouTube].
- ^ Stone, Tim. "Keep on truckin'", PC Gamer UK, December 2007, pp. 106.
