Rigs of Rods

Infobox_Software
name = Rigs of Rods


caption = DAF TurboTwin in Rigs of Rods
author = Pierre-Michel Ricordel
latest_release_version = 0.35
latest_release_date = release date and age|2008|3|23
operating_system = 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.

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. Vehicle configurations are stored in plain text. 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 any other program that can generate a black and White RAW image format. This also means that maps can be made from any image.

As a sandbox, Rigs of Rods has no fundamental game play goal but newly added Lua support contributes to missions and game play interaction like the timing of checkpoints along a road or dragstrips. 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.

Recommended System Requirements

Restrictions

*RoR does not natively support 64-bit operating systems

Recognition

* [http://weblogs.asp.net/brianbec/articles/440296.aspx 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. [cite web | author=Brian Beckman | url=http://weblogs.asp.net/brianbec/articles/440296.aspx | title=Who, me? | date=2006-03-15] He is the author of one of the most comprehensive racing car physics studies online, [http://phors.locost7.info/contents.htm The Physics of Racing] . Dr. Beckman describes Rigs of Rods as, "one of the best driving simulations I have ever seen." [cite video | people = Dr. Brian Beckman | title = Dr. Beckman discusses physics in Rigs of Rods | medium = YouTube | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI926O4qOiw | date = 2007-08-31] The [http://channel9.msdn.com/showpost.aspx?postid=314874 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. [cite news | last = Stone | first = Tim | title = Keep on truckin' | pages = 106 | publisher = PC Gamer UK | date = December 2007 | url = http://rigsofrods.blogspot.com/2007/12/stop-press.html]
*French magazine MicroSim previewed Rigs of Rods in their June 2008 issue. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Rigs of Rids Control of heavy lorries
work =
publisher = MicroSim
date = June 2008
url = http://rigsofrods.blogspot.com/2008/07/in-press-again.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-07-11]

External links

* [http://www.rigsofrods.com Official Rigs of Rods Website]
* [http://repository.rigsofrods.com Official Rigs of Rods File Repository]
* [http://forum.rigsofrods.com Official Rigs of Rods Forums]
* [http://rigsofrods.blogspot.com Official Rigs of Rods Blog]
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/rorserver/ Rigs of Rods Server]

References