Redline: Virtual Racing w/Fast Cars
In this episode, allow me to introduce you to an enjoyable game/simulation that won’t do anything to improve your productivity, sex life, or looks, but is inexpensive, fun, and worth trying. It’s called Redline and it’s Ambrosia Software‘s excellent new race car simulation/game.
I’m a sucker for fast cars. I wish I could afford one and/or that my wife would allow me to drive one. But neither of those things seems likely in the foreseeable future, so Ambrosia’s Redline car racing simulation/game is the next best thing.
I’m not a big gamer, but I do love to check out new games that pique my interest, so when I heard that Ambrosia had a new fast car game out I downloaded the (184MB) demo immediately and gave it a try.? Before I type another word, here’s one (a word) for the wise: DO NOT download this demo if you have a deadline looming. Even though I don’t usually waste a lot of time on games, I found myself wasting a LOT of time with Redline. I would quit and go back to work, but before long would find myself on the track again, trying to shave a few seconds off my lap times.
You can play Redline in three different variations — simulation, arcade, and turbo arcade. In simulation, your car performs as realistically as possible, which is extremely realistic due to a superior physics engine. You can really feel the difference between a Mini Cooper and a Corvette when you choose simulation. Alas, I’m clumsy and lead-footed, so simulation is mostly too challenging for me. Arcade, on the other hand, is much easier to play and master, so it’s more my speed (pun intended). The car responds reasonably realistically, but isn’t nearly as twitchy as in simulation. Finally, turbo arcade is arcade on steroids, and much, much faster.?
Redline offers four different racing scenarios: Quick Race, Time Trial, Multiplayer, and Challenges. In Quick Race, you drive against one or more computer-generated opponents. In Figure 1, which shows Quick Race mode, I’m driving the blue Mini Cooper (which happens to be the car I drive in real life, by the way), racing against a single computer-controlled opponent in a red VW Golf.
Figure 1: I’m trailing the red Golf, but only by 7/10 of a second
(Click the thumbnail for a larger image)