X-Moto

Infobox VG
title = X-Moto


caption =
developer = Nicolas Adenis-Lamarre (Rasmus Teislev Neckelmann)
publisher =
distributor =
designer =
license = GNU General Public License
series =
engine =
version = 0.4.2
released = 18 March 2008
genre = Platform
modes =
ratings =
platforms = Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows
media =
requirements =
input =

X-Moto is a free and open source 2D motocross platform game developed for Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, where physics play an all important role in the gameplay. The basic gameplay clones that of "Elasto Mania", but the simulated physics are subtly different. The project was started in 2005. [According to [http://sourceforge.net/projects/xmoto the SourceForge project page] 2005-05-26 16:57]

Gameplay

The player starts in a level, and is then required to collect all strawberries in the level. When this is done the player should touch the flower to complete the level. Obstacles to this goal are challenging terrain features and "wrecker" objects which should not be touched; in most levels there are no moving objects (only scripted levels may have them). The driver is not harmed directly by falling, only by hitting his head on rock or hitting his head or wheels on a wrecker object. If this happens the level is lost.

Differences from "Elasto Mania"

Notable differences from "Elasto Mania" are the free software license, with the resulting portability, and extensibility, such as the possibility for scripted levels. In addition, the ongoing development has resulted in more features. The physics and menu system are also quite different, even though the basics are the same.

Physics

	X-Moto	Elasto Mania
Engine power	Strong. Realistic for an offroad motorcycle.	Weak. About as weak as gravity, which is a weak force in both games.
Brakes	Weak. The brakes slip like realistic brakes do when braking gently.	Infinitly strong, but very elastic with damping. Like realistic brakes are when braking hard, just more elastic.
Rotation	Smooth. No supervolt or a-volt possible.	Quick impulses. Supervolt and the difficult a-volt are done by holding both left and right arrow keys.
Suspension	Hard and bumpy. The front wheel also brakes under load.	Very elastic, but otherwise realistic.

Due to different physics, different driving styles are used in the two games. In X-Moto, it is important to keep the front wheel up and the rear wheel down. This is to avoid the front wheel braking and maintain ground contact to make the most use of the engine. In Elasto Mania, the elasticity of suspension and brakes combined with quick impulse rotation, gives more opportunity to use the terrain to gain speed, and the weak engine necessitates it more. Unlike X-Moto, driving through narrow pipes is a common activity in Elasto Mania. Complex technique and more difficult handling makes for a big difference between beginners and skilled Elasto Mania players.

Graphics and sound

Graphics are simple. The game is completely 2D, although 3D acceleration is used for a faster rendering. Sound is sparse. The game features only engine sounds, level lost/won sounds, and a strawberry pickup sound, while the main menu features a single soundtrack. Levels can feature their own music.

Features

* High resolution 2D graphics, using 3D hardware acceleration (OpenGL) for faster rendering.
* Extensible with custom levels, external levels can be automatically downloaded.
* Levels are created using Inkscape with the Inksmoto extension. [ [http://wiki.xmoto.tuxfamily.org/index.php?title=How_to_create_smooth_levels_using_Inkscape X-Moto Wiki: How to create smooth levels using Inkscape] ]
* Uses the Open Dynamics Engine for physical simulation.
* Levels scriptable with the Lua programming language, allowing for moving objects, variable gravity and adding additional player controls.
* Replays
* Online high scores (world record and private rooms), including replays of the level's top run
* Skinnable
* Ghost driver — showing a previous replay in parallel to gameplay.

Appraisals

References

External links

* [http://xmoto.tuxfamily.org/ Project home page]
* [http://www.zatune.es/windows/juegos/xmoto041.php More about X-Moto (spanish)]
* [http://xmotolevels.webs.com/ Collection of original X-Moto levels]
* [http://directory.fsf.org/project/xmoto/ Free Software Directory - X-Moto]