X-Moto
Encyclopedia
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
.
The game is extensible with over 2500 user-created custom levels that can be automatically downloaded. These are created using Inkscape
with the Inksmoto extension.
, but uses 3D
hardware acceleration
(OpenGL
) for 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.
The game uses the Open Dynamics Engine
for physical simulation. Moving objects, variable gravity and other features can be provided by scripting the levels using the Lua programming language
. As of version 0.5.0, integration with the Chipmunk physics engine
enables levels with multi-body dynamics.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
and open source 2D motocross platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
developed for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, FreeBSD
FreeBSD
FreeBSD is a free Unix-like operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via BSD UNIX. Although for legal reasons FreeBSD cannot be called “UNIX”, as the direct descendant of BSD UNIX , FreeBSD’s internals and system APIs are UNIX-compliant...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, where physics play an all important role in the gameplay. The basic gameplay clones that of Elasto Mania
Elasto Mania
Elasto Mania is a physics simulation game released in 2000. Elasto Mania claims to be "based on a real physical model". It explores the notion of elastic motorcycles. The goal of each level is to collect every apple spread throughout it, and then to touch the flower...
, but the simulated physics are subtly different. The project was started in 2005
2005 in video gaming
-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
.
Gameplay
In X-Moto, a player selects a level and tries to collect the strawberries. Strawberries are required to complete a level, along with touching a flower. 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 or physics levels may have them). Also, these can be changed in some levels. The driver is not harmed directly by falling, only by hitting his head on rock or hitting any part of his body or the bike on a wrecker object. If this happens the level is lost (as of version 0.5.3 levels can feature check points). It is possible to save a replay, and to show a previous replay ("ghost driver") in parallel to gameplay.The game is extensible with over 2500 user-created custom levels that can be automatically downloaded. These are created using Inkscape
Inkscape
Inkscape is a free software vector graphics editor, licensed under the GNU General Public License. Its goal is to implement full support for the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.1 standard....
with the Inksmoto extension.
Graphics, sound and physics simulation
Graphics are simple. The game is completely 2D2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
, but uses 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
hardware acceleration
Hardware acceleration
In computing, Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on the general-purpose CPU...
(OpenGL
OpenGL
OpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
) for 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.
The game uses the Open Dynamics Engine
Open Dynamics Engine
The Open Dynamics Engine is a physics engine in C/C++. Its two main components are a rigid body dynamics simulation engine and a collision detection engine...
for physical simulation. Moving objects, variable gravity and other features can be provided by scripting the levels using the Lua programming language
Lua programming language
Lua is a lightweight multi-paradigm programming language designed as a scripting language with extensible semantics as a primary goal. Lua has a relatively simple C API compared to other scripting languages.- History :...
. As of version 0.5.0, integration with the Chipmunk physics engine
Chipmunk physics engine
The Chipmunk SDK is a portable open-source 2D physics engine written in C99 by Scott Lembcke and published under the MIT license. Middleware physics engines like Chipmunk allow game developers to avoid writing their own code to handle the complex physics interactions possible in modern games...
enables levels with multi-body dynamics.