## Introduction

XRacer is a clone of the Psygnosis game WipeOut.

Start by downloading the latest source distribution, unpack it, and read the instructions in the file `doc/README.txt`.

## News

Mon Mar 20 21:07:47 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.9: Lens flare effect working.

Sun Mar 19 23:47:02 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.8: Fixed use of xrCalculateView to be more efficient. Added support for luminance textures. Added a cute lens flare effect (based on this code) which doesn't work yet. It's late. I'll fix it tomorrow ...

Sun Mar 19 14:47:36 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.7: Added internationalization support (using GNU gettext). I've given up fixing texture / modelling problems until I've been to visit the Blender authors. It looks like Linux could soon have a very cool open source modelling program - much needed, I can't wait.

Sun Mar 12 12:59:25 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.6: Fixed keyboard handling bugs. Changed track shape and played extensively with game physics - things are a lot better, but by no means perfect. You can change physical constants on the fly using keys Q, A, W, S, E, D, R, F, T, G (all in caps) and dump out the settings with X. Helps a lot when fine-tuning things. Texture maps are completely broken and will remain so - I'm visiting the authors of Blender to play with their new releases and talk to them about what game authors will require from free Blender, so don't expect textures to be fixed for a while.

Sun Mar 5 18:13:23 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.5: Fiddling with Blender and texture support ...

Sun Mar 5 12:49:43 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.4: Fixed enterplanes. Added more scenery. Played a lot of Tux Racer.

Sun Feb 27 18:42:14 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.3: Lots of debug added to track down problems with the physics model.

Sun Feb 27 14:07:05 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.2: Slightly smoother track. (Still not playable).

Sun Feb 27 12:20:14 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.1: More physics tweaks. Still nowhere near a playable game.

Fri Feb 25 22:27:36 GMT 2000

XRacer status

I've had a few people write to me complaining that XRacer has regressed considerably over the past few months, and yes, that is indeed true. I've been very busy changing the interface between the modeller and the game, and the releases themselves haven't been playable. In fact, since 0.96.0, I've decided to tweak the Blender import code yet again. I'm currently using up most of my spare time on this.

But there is a reason for this: it's vitally important to build XRacer on a sound basis. Blender is an excellent modeller (and will be even better in summer this year when it becomes truly freeware). But providing a simple way to design tracks in Blender and export them to XRacer, while preserving a really good feel, is a difficult problem. And one that it's worth getting right now, once and for all, rather than having to revisit this again at some later point.

I want to make sure that before I ask anyone to think about drawing tracks, that the interface from modeller to game is the best it possibly can be.

It's also fair to say that I'm in no particular hurry. XRacer has been in development for 8 months, has been rewritten once, and as an open source project with no deadlines I don't mind if it takes another 6 or 12 months to complete.

So bare with me and things will make sense, in the end :-)

Rich.

Sun Feb 20 13:19:33 GMT 2000

Version 0.96.0: This version is extremely broken. It's the first version where you can draw an entire track in Blender, export it (if you have a C-key), and import it as a complete track (including scenery and textures). The track shape is described as a single mesh, and the import tools generate an efficient BSP which maps from the pilot's position to the correct point in that mesh. Tracks are no longer constructed from ``segments'' and are no longer limited in shape. A track could now be an arbitrary shape: a wide open area or a track which divides into several alternative routes are both possibilities.

Sun Feb 6 23:15:55 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.31: Fixed the BSP bug.

Sun Feb 6 16:50:02 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.30: After about 12 hours work, fixed two painfully small bugs in blender2track (the BSP tool). It still doesn't work ...

Sat Feb 5 11:40:35 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.29: Substantial MPEG library cleanups. Some problems remain with static variables, but this is now basically turned into a standalone library. We get about 45 fps.

Mon Jan 31 23:10:11 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.28: The new BSP code still isn't working. However, I imported the MPEG Software Simulation Group's MPEG-2 decoder, so now XRacer can play MPEG-2 files in the intro sequence. Try compiling this version and copying a random MPEG-2 file to `$PREFIX/share/xracer/video/intro.mpeg` after installing XRacer. If the MPEG is in a suitable format, then XRacer will play it until you press a key. Frame rates are not so good at the moment -- I get between 18 and 20 fps. However, the code isn't even slightly optimized yet, and I think getting 50 fps shouldn't be a problem once I remove some of the more gratuitous copying. Obviously what I'm missing now is an actual MPEG to play. If anyone is interested in submitting an intro video, I'll put them up on the site and hold a small vote for which one goes in the game. Before starting to design an intro video, please contact me so that I can tell you some of the more technical requirements.

Sun Jan 30 08:30:02 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.27: Small mouse patch. In case people think I'm sitting around doing nothing, take a look in the tracks/simple2 directory and the tools/blender2track directory. Scary code to build BSPs (non-working :-).

Sun Jan 23 17:07:14 GMT 2000

Version 0.95.26: Wrote a Python program which exports Blender tracks in a certain format. Nothing useful yet - I have to now modify all the Perl scripts to be able to read this export file and generate tracks as before. Read the important announcement below.

Blender Announcement

Ton Roosendaal, author of Blender has generously sponsored a Blender C-key. The Blender C-key enables various critical extra features in Blender, namely Python scripting, which will help greatly in exporting Blender tracks into XRacer.

Blender C-key features migrate to the free version of Blender about 6 months after they have been added. In addition, a fully freeware (GPLed) release of Blender is planned for the summer this year.

You don't need a C-key in order to compile or run Blender. If you are designing tracks, then a C-key is not required, but highly recommended, until the free release of Blender appears.

Old news ...

## Screenshots

(Click for a larger image)

## Download

All source code, graphics and sounds are distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. By downloading, you agree to the terms of this license.

XRacer changes very frequently. If the links below are broken, then hit [Shift] and [Reload] to get the latest version of this page.

Latest version: 0.96.9

- xracer-0.96.9.tar.gz

Old versions ...

Patch to latest version:

- patch-0.96.9.gz

Note about patches: Patches are sometimes missing, and can be incomplete, particularly if the latest version has additional binary files.

Old patches ...

Binary RPM for Red Hat Linux 6.1:

- xracer-0.96.9-1.i686.rpm

Note about binary RPMs: The binary RPMs are all compiled to require Mesa 3.1 and libglide2x. ie. You need a Voodoo 2 card and all libraries installed. If in any doubt, download the source instead. RPMs are experimental.

Old versions ...

Source RPM for Red Hat Linux 6.1:

- xracer-0.96.9-1.src.rpm

Old versions ...

## Frequently Asked Questions

The latest FAQ can be found here:

- FAQ (HTML format)
- FAQ (plain text format)

## Requirements

- Linux 2.2, FreeBSD, Solaris, SGI, Windows (requires Cygwin, and Bart Jaszcz's wrapper libraries). Uses GLUT library, so it can probably be ported to other platforms with little effort.
- Mesa 3.0 or 3.1 from http://www.mesa3d.org/.
- GLUT 3.7 library. This is part of the MesaDemos package, available on the Mesa site.
- JPEG library.
- Supported 3D accelerator card, or a fast computer (for example, a Pentium II).
- Analogue joystick is highly recommended, although keyboard and mouse now work.

## Mailing List

To subscribe to the XRacer mailing list, send a mail to xracer-request@annexia.org with an empty subject and a single line in the body of the message:

subscribe xracer

## Links

Game sites

- The Linux Game Tome
- Freshmeat
- Linux Games

Tools, tips and resources

- 3D resources for Linux
- GLX drivers for Linux
- Cygwin
- Mesa (a free GL replacement)
- Mark J. Kilgard's OpenGL tips

Recommended games

- Pingus
- GRacer
- Tux The Penguin
- Ssytem solar system simulator. One of the best GL games/toys available for Linux. Totally recommended.
- Tux Racer

Artwork

- Alan Levy's skiing trip photographs provided us with valuable material for backgrounds and texture maps.

Last modified: Mon Mar 20 21:08:05 GMT 2000