BeamNG.drive

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BeamNG.drive
BeamNG.drive logo.svg
Developer(s)BeamNG GmbH
Publisher(s)BeamNG GmbH
Designer(s)Thomas Fischer
Composer(s)Gabe Fink, Mark Knight
EngineTorque 3D
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • WW: 29 May 2015 (Steam Early Access)
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation
Mode(s)

BeamNG.drive is a vehicle simulation video game developed and published by Bremen-based video game developer BeamNG GmbH. The game features soft-body physics, which simulates realistic handling and damage to vehicles.[1] The game was initially released as a tech demo on 3 August 2013,[2] and was made available on Steam Early Access for Microsoft Windows on 29 May 2015.

Development[]

In 2011, some Rigs of Rods developers gathered to improve upon the open-source software with a new product.[3]

On 28 May 2012, BeamNG released a YouTube video titled "Revolutionary soft-body physics in CryEngine3".[4] Originally, BeamNG.drive was to be based on CryEngine 3, but its use in a driving game uncovered numerous bugs, leading development to be rolled over to Torque 3D.[5]

BeamNG’s website, beamng.com, was opened on 8 May 2012 to deliver news of their development of the simulator.[6]

The game was placed on an open vote on Steam Greenlight on 12 February 2014[7] and was greenlit eight days later.[8]

On 29 May 2015, the game was released to Steam Early Access.[9]

On 15 June 2018, BeamNG announced a partnership with Camshaft Software, Developers of Automation, revealing the addition of an exporter feature that allows players to export vehicles made within Automation as fully driveable vehicles in BeamNG.drive.[10]

Gameplay[]

BeamNG.drive features various gameplay modes and scenarios such as campaigns and a time trial mode, aside from free mode. Campaigns are collections of small scenarios on specific themes (races, chases, stunts, etc...), whereas in time trials, the player selects a vehicle, a level, a route, and competes against their own best time. In free roam, players can explore and experiment with levels, allowing them to operate, place, and manipulate objects and vehicles within the level, but also change environmental properties such as gravity and wind. Players can utilize various objects ranging from road barriers to weapons like cannons, to inflict damage on their vehicles.

The game implements soft-body physics to control both vehicle dynamics and collisions between objects and vehicles.[11][12][13]

Physics[]

BeamNG.drive uses a real-time soft-body physics structure to simulate its vehicles. Algorithms have been written for the physics equations to be carried out.[14] It relies heavily on coding in Lua, and uses packets of local data using the Lua network system while the game is running. The game's engine constantly calculates physics equations and problems in real-time during gameplay.

Vehicles in the game consist of a soft-body node-beam structure similar to those in Rigs of Rods. The physics engine simulates a network of interconnected nodes and beams, which combine to form an invisible skeleton of a vehicle with realistic weights and masses. In terms of soft-body physics, vehicles realistically flex and deform as stresses to the skeleton, such as impacts from collisions, are applied.[15] Aside from body deformation, various other types of damage are simulated such as degraded engine, detached doors and shattered windows. If a vehicle is severely damaged, the engine may fail, rendering the vehicle unusable; additionally, the vehicle will also fail from overloading the driveshaft, clutch, and other important components that can result in catastrophic failure to the vehicle. Also, tires can be blown out and fuel tanks may explode after an excessive amount of collisions or a direct hit on the rear of the vehicle.

Reception[]

Jack Stewart of BBC mentioned that BeamNG.drive "has received interest from the film industry to model vehicle stunts so that they can be prototyped and tested exhaustively – but cheaply – before a stunt driver smashes up a car on set."[13] Polygon's Nick Robinson lauded the game's simulated physics and user-created content support, leading him to create a 38-episode video series for Polygon, "Car Boys", in which he and Griffin McElroy spotlighted new BeamNG.drive content each week.[16][17] Automobile magazine praised the game for its diverse selection of vehicles and its realistic crash physics, saying that "the IIHS has nothing on BeamNG.drive."[18]

References[]

  1. ^ "BeamNG.drive – BeamNG". Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Alpha Changelog - BeamNG".
  3. ^ https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/01/the-most-impressive-physics-engine-youve-never-seen, 'In October 2011 the Rigs of Rods team decided the potential for the sort of soft-body physics on show in their game was too great to ignore.', retrieved January 12, 2020,
  4. ^ Reilly, Luke (30 September 2012). "The Most Impressive Physics Engine You've Never Seen". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  5. ^ "BeamNG and Torque3D". BeamNG. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  6. ^ "new website". BeamNG. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. ^ Savage, Phil (13 February 2014). "BeamNG.drive crashes onto Steam Greenlight". PC Gamer. Future US. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  8. ^ "We have been greenlit!". BeamNG. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Steam Early Access release". BeamNG. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Announcing Automation & BeamNG.drive collaboration!". BeamNG. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  11. ^ Reilly, Luke (7 August 2013). "Finally, BeamNG's Soft-Body Physics Are Available to the Public". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  12. ^ Futter, Mike (5 August 2013). "BeamNG's Amazingly Realistic Car Crashes". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  13. ^ a b Stewart, Jack (3 July 2014). "Video-game wrecks get real". BBC. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  14. ^ Stamatogiannakis, Lefteris (12 June 2014). "A faster selection algorithm". BeamNG. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  15. ^ Fischer, Thomas (5 August 2013). "BeamNG DRIVE alpha release". GarageGames. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  16. ^ Feldman, Brian. "Car Boys, the Hilarious and Terrifying Car-Crash Series, Is the Best Show".
  17. ^ Orlove, Raphael. "There Is Only One YouTube Channel Worth Watching And It's Car Boys".
  18. ^ Gold, Aaron (26 June 2020). "BeamNG.drive: The Driving Simulator For the Rest of Us". Automobile. Retrieved 17 December 2020.

External links[]

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