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We got so interested in RoR that we decided to have a little chat with the creator Pricorde , and here is some interesting reading
1. What made you start developing RoR and why a truck simulator ??
Well, from time to time I check driving game demos, and lately I was frustrated by the very low quality of the physics of the latest titles. Why Indy500 (1990), Carmageddon (1997) or 1nsane (2001) have a better physic than most of today's games? Because the gaming industry is a cash machine, where marketing is more important than R&D, and 9/10 games are sequels or franchises.
So I thought about making my own driving game, as a challenge, in august 2005. I enjoyed a lot a small bridge building game called Pontifex, because of its simple, yet realistic physics, based on interconnected beams. So why not using this physics model to build chassis and wheels instead of bridges? This was the start of Rigs of Rods.
Another reason was that I had just bought a new PC and I was depressed to see such a powerful processor sitting idle all the time... I wanted to exploit all its juice in a crazy physics model.
Oh, and also it's always better to pass time being creative than to watch TV and doing nothing...
Why trucks? Because I wanted to do something different. Fast and expensive cars are over-represented in driving simulation, so why not something big and heavy?
Note that I know nothing about trucks and have never set foot in a real truck myself.
2. What program/programs are you using when you create RoR ??
I use an old MSVC6 to compile RoR. I use Ogre ( http://www.ogre3d.org/ ) as the 3D engine. Ogre is really a fabulous tool to create a game. From the start it allowed me to give a professional look to the game. For the sound I used Audiere, and now I switched to OpenAL for 3D sound.
I model trucks by the hand, with plans on drawing paper. Other objects were made initially with Blender, but I switched to AC3D that is simpler.
I use the Gimp for textures. ("struggle with" would be a better description than "use")
Terrains are made with the help of terragen. The elevation maps comes from actual topography, but at a reduced scale.
Everything is made in a very artisanal way.
3. We know that you are working with a big boat, can we expect other new vehicles in the future ?
I added boats to the scenery to make credible shipping missions. Maybe one of these days I will put a landing strip and cargo planes...
But all this is just scenery, I don't plan to make them drivable for the moment.
4. Do you have any plans for American trucks in the game ??
Well, I live in France, and here american trucks are really exotic! I am not a hardcore truck fan, I just want to simulate what I see everyday (I ride the same articulated bus as in the game everyday to go to work!). So I am more oriented to do bland, european trucks.
But the best way to have an american truck in RoR is to give me some info's. To make a truck I need:
-A plan with measurements of the main dimensions
-A ready-to-use texture, or face, profile and back photos suitable for texturing (straight views from afar, uniform lighting).
5. Is there going to be little small towns made where you can drive from one to another ??
I hope so. The problem is that I do not enjoy a lot modeling building (that explains the weird robot character). I prefer to code. So it lacks a bit on this side. If someone is willing to contribute some buildings, he will be welcome (serious, good looking and original works only please).
6. Are you going to make warehouses where you can deliver crates from one to another or other objects
Yes, I plan to ultimately "finish" the game by adding a mission/reward system, with various missions like (timed) delivery, search and rescue, races, inspections in hard-to-reach places, unstable explosives delivery, and so on.
7. Can users make own mods to RoR and if so where can they find info about that ??
Of course! Right now there is an (incomplete) wiki documenting file formats ( http://www.editthis.info/Rigs_of_Rods ).
But the best is to come: RoR has also a great potential as a building game! When you build a truck, you assemble rods to build the structural features of the chassis. Then you skin the structural frame to make the body. When you drive, the behaviour of the truck comes directly from the structural characteristics of what you just build. You can re-inforce places that have too much flex, move nodes to adjust wheel camber, and so on. Fun! Anything can be build like that, and not only trucks.
So I plan to add a complete truck editor in the game. This is a lot of work, but it's worth it.
I also hope people will contribute vehicles (e.g. american fans doing american trucks
8. The future plans for RoR what are they ??
I don't know. I do this as a hobby on my free time. I have no team, no deadlines, no obligations. I have already a good job, so I have no serious commercial plans for RoR yet. I add features depending on my inspiration and mood (I added water after a friend showed me water effects in Half Life 2). There are so many different aspects in the game: physics, 3D programming, optimization, sound effects, truck design, modeling, texturing... and playing it too It's a good passtime.
Recently I had an idea on how to simulate dirt, so if it works, maybe there will be backhoes... who knows...
Right now I am on a 3D thingypit.
I would like also to add some form of good-looking vegetation... And a night mode...
In the long term, the big features that lacks (read: boring to develop) to make it a "real" game are the truck editor and the mission system, plus an in-game GUI to easily configure the game.
The conclusion is: be creative!
Pricorde
PS: I am searching for good recordings of truck sounds (engine and other noises). Again, original content, please, don't plunder other games.
I am also interested in comments from real truckers, about missing or incorrect features commonly found in trucks.