Tux Racer

Tux Racer ( dt [ ˌ tʊks ʁɛɪ̯sɐ ], Engl. [ ˌ tʌks ɹeɪ̯sə ˞ ] ) is a 3D racing game in which the main character, the Linux mascot Tux, to be controlled by a snowy icy landscape.

The free software ( under the GNU General Public License ) is based on SDL, OpenGL and Tcl and is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

Gameplay

You control the character on her slip on a slope with snow, ice or rock substrates that affect each of the different speed and maneuverability. It pegs must be collected and obstacles are circumvented. The goal is both within a specified time to reach the target range, as well as collect a certain minimum number of pegs.

Is controlled with the keyboard the direction ( right, left), brakes and fins fronds, which can be at low speeds causes an acceleration or used for expansion of jumps. There is also a power button, which can be used by holding and releasing suitable for initiating or boosting of jumps.

At ThinkPad notebooks equipped with the APS (Active Protection System) said motion sensor for the hard drive, will not the game Tux Racer, just like the game Neverball, alternatively controlled by movements of the entire notebook.

The game is easy to extend with new cards that are simply described by three raster graphics (for height model, texture, and object distribution).

History

The history of the program is rather unusual. First it started in 1999 as a free software written as a university project by Jasmin Patry. In 2001 Patry founded the company Sunspire Studios, which should promote an advanced but non-free version of the game. This actually happened, which the company later disappeared little out of the picture. As a free software, the game was known especially among free operating systems such as Linux or BSD.

Spin-offs

In parallel with the non-free version was created under the name Racer Open a free spin-off, but also fell asleep pretty soon. The same thing happened the next attempt Planet Penguin Racer. 2007 under the name of Extreme Tux Racer turn a new spin-off created, which has set itself the goal to create a free version with the functionality of the unfree.