VDrift

• Title — VDrift • Developer — Joe Venzon Chris Guirl Dick Maurer Matthew Nicholson • Platform — Linux, FreeBSD, OS X, Microsoft Windows • Programming Language — Unknown rendering engine, with Vamos physics engine • Latest Release Version — vdrift-2012-07-22 • Genre — Single-player racing simulator • License — GPLv3 (originally GPLv2) • Website — https: vdrift.net/ • Repo — https: github.com/VDrift/ • Illustration — Screenshot of Vdrift (version from 2015) • Illustration — Screenshot of Stunt Rally, a derivative of Vdrift

The goals of the VDrift project are: • To be a high-quality, open source racing simulation featuring enjoyable and challenging gameplay. • To take advantage of modern computing hardware to accurately simulate vehicle physics in rich and immersive racing environments. • To provide a platform for creative experimentation to a community of developers and artists.

VDrift was created by Joe Venzon in early 2005. A fan of Gran Turismo, Joe had a lot of fun trying to drift in Gran Turismo 4, though he was disappointed with GT4s physics after loss of traction. Looking around online, the open source Vamos Automotive Simulator performed much better, although the graphics and features were minimal. Building around Vamos, using code adapted from his earlier 3D engine experiments, Joe created the first version of VDrift. So far, every release has been a testing/development quality release. For this and other reasons, dates are used instead of version numbers. The driving physics engine was later re-written from scratch but was inspired by and owes much to the Vamos physics engine. Originally developed on a SourceForge repository, the project seems to have shifted around 2011 to a GitHub one.

This game is in the early stages of development but is already playable. Currently the game features: • 45 tracks based on famous real-world tracks • 39 cars based on real-world vehicles • Realistic, simulation-grade driving physics • Mouse/joystick/gamepad/wheel/keyboard support • Fully modeled tracks, scenery and terrain • Several different camera modes • Basic replay system with Skip Forward/Skip Backward • Fully customizable controls • Joystick, mouse and keyboard input filtering • Brake and reverse lights • Driver aids: automatic shifting, traction control, anti-lock braking • Experimental force feedback • Race against up to 3 AI with variable difficulty • Engine and road sounds

Due to the free and open source license of Vdrift forks and derivatives are possible and encouraged. Stunt Rally is an example which is based on VDrift and uses OGRE.