Rigs of Rods
Encyclopedia
Rigs of Rods is an open source
, freeware
, multi-simulation game which uses soft-body physics to simulate the motion and deformation of truck
s. The game is built using a specific soft-body physics
engine called Beam, which simulates a network of interconnected nodes (forming the chassis and the wheels) and gives the ability to simulate deformable objects. With this engine, vehicles and their loads flex and deform as stresses are applied. Crashing into walls or terrain can permanently deform a vehicle.
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 the appearance and handling 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 skeleton of nodes, much like the system in the game 1nsane. This system is known as Flexbody, and has been included since version .36.
The mapping system uses terrain data defined in a raw image file, such as that found in a 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 gameplay goal, but scripting support contributes to missions and game play interaction like the timing of checkpoints along a road or dragstrips. Previously, Lua was supported as the scripting engine, but it has now been replaced by AngelScript since version 0.38. Multiplayer support allows up to 16 users to simultaneously interact on a playing field.
The game has a developer-supported community which forms groups and plans multiplayer events. Popular activities include off-roading
, racing
, crashing
, monster truck rallies, roleplaying, and casual play.
format to save space yet maintain superb quality. An alternative to these can be .PNG or .JPG formats. A common problem users encounter when skinning (texturing) a vehicle is that a vehicle's 3D mesh is mirrored, so the texture gets mirrored in accordance to the model.
UK in the Christmas 2007 edition. French magazine MicroSim previewed Rigs of Rods in their June 2008 issue. Rigs of Rods author, Pierre-Michel Ricordel, was invited to talk about the game at the French convention, Libre Software Meeting
on July 10, 2009.
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, multi-simulation game which uses soft-body physics to simulate the motion and deformation of truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s. The game is built using a specific soft-body physics
Soft body dynamics
Soft body dynamics is a field of computer graphics that focuses on visually realistic physical simulations of the motion and properties of deformable objects . The applications are mostly in video games and film. Unlike in simulation of rigid bodies, the shape of soft bodies can change, meaning...
engine called Beam, which simulates a network of interconnected nodes (forming the chassis and the wheels) and gives the ability to simulate deformable objects. With this engine, vehicles and their loads flex and deform as stresses are applied. Crashing into walls or terrain can permanently deform a vehicle.
Gameplay
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
Vertex (geometry)
In geometry, a vertex is a special kind of point that describes the corners or intersections of geometric shapes.-Of an angle:...
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 the appearance and handling 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
Polygon mesh
A polygon mesh or unstructured grid is a collection of vertices, edges and faces that defines the shape of a polyhedral object in 3D computer graphics and solid modeling...
. Recent development has allowed for static meshes to be deformed according to a skeleton of nodes, much like the system in the game 1nsane. This system is known as Flexbody, and has been included since version .36.
The mapping system uses terrain data defined in a raw image file, such as that found in a digital elevation model
Digital elevation model
A digital elevation model is a digital model or 3-D representation of a terrain's surface — commonly for a planet , moon, or asteroid — created from terrain elevation data....
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
RAW image format
A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor...
. This also means that maps can be made from any image.
As a sandbox, Rigs of Rods has no fundamental gameplay goal, but scripting support contributes to missions and game play interaction like the timing of checkpoints along a road or dragstrips. Previously, Lua was supported as the scripting engine, but it has now been replaced by AngelScript since version 0.38. Multiplayer support allows up to 16 users to simultaneously interact on a playing field.
The game has a developer-supported community which forms groups and plans multiplayer events. Popular activities include off-roading
Off-roading
Off-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...
, racing
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
, crashing
Collision
A collision is an isolated event which two or more moving bodies exert forces on each other for a relatively short time.Although the most common colloquial use of the word "collision" refers to accidents in which two or more objects collide, the scientific use of the word "collision" implies...
, monster truck rallies, roleplaying, and casual play.
Modifications
One of Rigs of Rods' prominent features is the ability to be customized in various yet plentiful ways. Most common of these modifications include creating content from scratch, but can also mean modifying someone else's/your own work in order to augment/alternate it.Vehicles
Vehicles are one of the most popular types of add-ons. They are created using node/beam and can support 3D models/meshes added to them. The chassis' are text files with three basic extensions: .TRUCK (for land vehicles), .AIRPLANE, and .BOAT. Within these text files, many possibilities are at play. Engines, camera views, wheels, light sources, 3D meshes, and much more have their respective position in the file.Loads
Similar to Vehicles are loads. These are also text files, but with the extension .LOAD. These include trailers, containers, pallets, crates, and anything that isn't driveable/operatable in the real world (however, some of these loads have an option to be operated/driven for complicated reasons). These are generally more simple to make due to the nature of not having to deal with engine code, suspension/shocks for wheels, and camera views.Terrains
Without terrains, none of the above content would have an environment to be interacted with. Terrains are defined by RAW image formats (usually .RAW but .PNG images are sometimes used). The heightmaps for these terrains must be grayscale or else they will not function properly. You can use any program to create terrains as long as it exports heightmap images compatible with Rigs of Rods. Textures and water levels also come into play when making terrains.Objects
Objects are 3D mesh files (in OGRE mesh format) that are non-interactive and that can be placed onto a terrain. This would include buildings, roads, bridges, structures, scenery, and sometimes trees/vegetation.Vegetation
There are tools for creating vegetation for a terrain in accordance to a heightmap. This includes grass, trees, shrubs, and bushes.Mesh Terrains
Usually more system-intensive than normal RAW-powered terrains, mesh terrains are a possibility. However, these are considered "laggy" in contrast to traditional terrains.Texture Editing
Most vehicles, terrains, and content has a texture file(s) that are wrapped around the 3D mesh or node/beam structure. With any image-editing program you can alter these images to your own ability. A majority of the game's textures are in .DDSDirectDraw
DirectDraw is part of Microsoft's DirectX API. DirectDraw is used to render graphics in applications where top performance is important. DirectDraw also allows applications to run fullscreen or embedded in a window such as most other MS Windows applications. DirectDraw uses hardware acceleration if...
format to save space yet maintain superb quality. An alternative to these can be .PNG or .JPG formats. A common problem users encounter when skinning (texturing) a vehicle is that a vehicle's 3D mesh is mirrored, so the texture gets mirrored in accordance to the model.
Multiplayer
Rigs of Rods has a Multiplayer feature that has existed since version 0.33. It is accessed via the Configurator in-game, and gives you options to select a server, select a nickname, enter a user token, amongst other features. Rigs of Rods Multiplayer once had vehicle-to-vehicle collisions but it was later removed due to the instability of it. However, vehicles can still latch/hook onto each other and even pull themselves to a certain extent in Multiplayer. Multiplayer is subtly different from Singleplayer modes; for example, pre-spawned loads that would appear on a map in Singleplayer does not appear in Multiplayer. In an addition to that, other things like animations, and sometimes flexbodies, will not work in Multiplayer (these are subject to change, however). The Multiplayer mode is mostly used by users who like to operate vehicles together such as cruises, off-road fests, and what-not. Although, there are now races with leaderboards possible in Multiplayer. There are mixed views on whether Multiplayer is stable or not. Some experience smooth gameplay whilst others often run into connection problems.Forum
Rigs of Rods hosts a forum community of over 2,000 users. This forum is the first resort of all Rigs of Rods-related issues/topics, such as news, creations, communication, and development as well. The most perceptible use of the Rigs of Rods Forum is to distribute/share add-ons and modifications. There are many forum threads that have work in progress and released creations, made by third-party users for the most part. Users will also often share their content and footage in video/image form for others to see. The Rigs of Rods Forums are also used for releasing official versions and news for the simulation.Trivia
- This game has its own official repository of add-ons, modifications, and patches, which equal out to ~2,000 files.
- The first public version (0.11) was released on August 5, 2005.
- Rigs of Rods has a unique node/beam system that is unlike any other simulator.
- A majority of the add-ons and modifications are made by users non-affiliated with the development team.
- Modding tools and documentation is available to those who seek knowledge in contributing content to the game.
Critical reception
Physicist Brian Beckman described Rigs of Rods as "one of the best driving simulations I have ever seen." Rigs of Rods was featured in PC GamerPC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
UK in the Christmas 2007 edition. French magazine MicroSim previewed Rigs of Rods in their June 2008 issue. Rigs of Rods author, Pierre-Michel Ricordel, was invited to talk about the game at the French convention, Libre Software Meeting
Libre Software Meeting
The Libre Software Meeting is an annual free software event in France. The French name of this event is Rencontres mondiales du logiciel libre .- Summary :...
on July 10, 2009.