.gif)
Stunts (video game)
Encyclopedia
Stunts is an early 3D
racing
video game developed
by Distinctive Software, Inc.
. The game places emphasis on racing on stunt tracks and features a track editor, it is clearly influenced by the earlier arcade game
Hard Drivin'
and has many similar elements to the game Stunt Driver
which was released around the same time.
The cars can drive on paved roads, gravel roads, icy/snow roads, and grass if driving off the track — which all offer different levels of grip. The game has a relatively advanced pseudo-physics engine for its time which can simulate oversteer and understeer, grip is also proportional to the banking of a curve. The game features a 3D engine with flat shading and no textures, it uses polygonal graphics for most objects, including trees and road signs, there are few sprites. The resolution is 320×200 with 256 colors. There is an option to select high and low detail. The game is written for MS-DOS and executes in real mode
.
Stunts includes a form of copy protection
. Each time after running the program, players must complete a specific phrase found in the game manual before being allowed to race. If the player fails to complete the phrase three times, the next race will still load. However, approximately four seconds into the race, the player is informed that he or she did not deactivate the car's security system, the car crashes, and the player is returned to the main menu.
and then ported for Amiga
, FM Towns
and NEC PC-9801.
Stunts version 1.0 was published
by Brøderbund
in October 1990 for the United States. A year later the version 1.1 was developed, which fixed some bugs. This version was again released by Brøderbund for the United States, and was also published by Mindscape for the European market.
The Mindscape release had the title changed to 4D Sports Driving, to make the game a part of their 4D Sports brand (the other games of the line were 4D Sports Boxing and 4D Sports Tennis
). Some minor game engine differences exists between Stunts 1.1 version and 4D Sports Driving 1.1 version, like driving through tunnel roofs in Mindscape version, while you crash on the roof in Brøderbund version
The Amiga version was published in 1992 by Mindscape under the name 4D Sports Driving (version 1.2). Music is improved compared to PC versions.
The PC-9801 version was titled 4D Driving (version 1.0) and was published by Electronic Arts Victor
in 1993. Due to PC-9801 limitations, this version had the music synthetized and title and menu graphics changed from the previous platform's releases, although the gameplay remained mainly the same.
FM Towns version is also named 4D Driving (version 1.0) and was also published by Electronic Arts Victor
in 1993. Due to FM Towns capacities, music has been changed and improved, and new songs added. Title page and menu graphics are also modified, close to PC-9801 version but with better graphics. In FM Towns version, the opponent's pictures has been replaced by real photos, and Bernie Rubber character is replaced by Masahiko, a Japanese guy. His dedicated track remains the same as Bernie's track.
The player may choose one of them for himself and also for the computer opponent.
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
racing
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
video game developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Distinctive Software, Inc.
Distinctive Software
Distinctive Software, Inc. was a Canadian software house established in Burnaby, British Columbia, by Don Mattrick and Jeff Sember. It is the predecessor to EA Canada....
. The game places emphasis on racing on stunt tracks and features a track editor, it is clearly influenced by the earlier arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
Hard Drivin'
Hard Drivin'
Hard Drivin is an arcade game that invites players to test drive a high-powered sports car on stunt and speed courses. The game featured the first 3D polygon driving environment via a simulator cabinet, rendered with a custom architecture...
and has many similar elements to the game Stunt Driver
Stunt Driver
Stunt Driver is a racing game released in 1990. It allowed the user to create a racetrack from components such as draw-bridges, banked curves, oil slicks, water hazards, and loops, then race on them alone, against computer-controlled opponents, or against another user via a modem or null-modem...
which was released around the same time.
Description
In Stunts, players race a lap around the circuit, with the aim of completing the lap as quickly as possible without crashing. However, these laps often feature special track areas such as loops, jumps (including over tall buildings), slalom roads and corkscrews. The game area is restricted by a large fixed size square area defined and surrounded by a fence which the player can not leave. Players can either race against the clock or choose between six different opponents; there is no support for real-time multiplayer. Stunts features 11 different drivable cars, with either automatic or manual transmission. Replays of races can be saved and reviewed. There are four camera views available during replay and actual driving, and the dashboard is an optional overlay on all views. Another major feature of the game is the built-in track and terrain editor which allows the user to design arbitrary new tracks or modifications of existing tracks.Real mode
Real mode, also called real address mode, is an operating mode of 80286 and later x86-compatible CPUs. Real mode is characterized by a 20 bit segmented memory address space and unlimited direct software access to all memory, I/O addresses and peripheral hardware...
.
Stunts includes a form of copy protection
Copy protection
Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
. Each time after running the program, players must complete a specific phrase found in the game manual before being allowed to race. If the player fails to complete the phrase three times, the next race will still load. However, approximately four seconds into the race, the player is informed that he or she did not deactivate the car's security system, the car crashes, and the player is returned to the main menu.
Release
The game was originally made for the PCIBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
and then ported for Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, FM Towns
FM Towns
The FM Towns system is a Japanese PC variant, built by Fujitsu from February 1989 to the summer of 1997. It started as a proprietary PC variant intended for multimedia applications and PC games, but later became more compatible with regular PCs...
and NEC PC-9801.
Stunts version 1.0 was published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Brøderbund
Brøderbund
Brøderbund Software, Inc. was an American maker of computer games, educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools. It was best known as the original creator and publisher of the popular Carmen Sandiego games. The company was founded in Eugene, Oregon, but moved to San Rafael,...
in October 1990 for the United States. A year later the version 1.1 was developed, which fixed some bugs. This version was again released by Brøderbund for the United States, and was also published by Mindscape for the European market.
The Mindscape release had the title changed to 4D Sports Driving, to make the game a part of their 4D Sports brand (the other games of the line were 4D Sports Boxing and 4D Sports Tennis
4D Sports Tennis
4D Sports Tennis is a 3D Tennis computer game with motion capture animation of the 4D Sports series. The game is based on simple, untextured 3D polygon graphics....
). Some minor game engine differences exists between Stunts 1.1 version and 4D Sports Driving 1.1 version, like driving through tunnel roofs in Mindscape version, while you crash on the roof in Brøderbund version
The PC-9801 version was titled 4D Driving (version 1.0) and was published by Electronic Arts Victor
Electronic Arts Victor
Electronic Arts Victor is the Japanese-only branch of Electronic Arts. They have made sports games for the Family Computer, Super Famicom, and the Sega Mega Drive. This brand name is unknown outside of Japan and the emulation community. Some concepts include J-League soccer, football, and NHL hockey...
in 1993. Due to PC-9801 limitations, this version had the music synthetized and title and menu graphics changed from the previous platform's releases, although the gameplay remained mainly the same.
FM Towns version is also named 4D Driving (version 1.0) and was also published by Electronic Arts Victor
Electronic Arts Victor
Electronic Arts Victor is the Japanese-only branch of Electronic Arts. They have made sports games for the Family Computer, Super Famicom, and the Sega Mega Drive. This brand name is unknown outside of Japan and the emulation community. Some concepts include J-League soccer, football, and NHL hockey...
in 1993. Due to FM Towns capacities, music has been changed and improved, and new songs added. Title page and menu graphics are also modified, close to PC-9801 version but with better graphics. In FM Towns version, the opponent's pictures has been replaced by real photos, and Bernie Rubber character is replaced by Masahiko, a Japanese guy. His dedicated track remains the same as Bernie's track.
Vehicles
There are 11 vehicles available in the game:- Acura NSX
- Audi QuattroAudi QuattroThe Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, now part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.The word quattro is derived from the Italian word for "four"...
Sport - Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (1990 model)
- Ferrari 288 GTOFerrari 288 GTOThe Ferrari GTO is an exotic homologation of the Ferrari 308 GTB produced from 1984 through 1986, designated GT for Gran Turismo and O for Omologato .- Background :...
- Jaguar XJR-9Jaguar XJR-9The Jaguar XJR-9 is a sports-prototype race car built by Jaguar for both Group C and IMSA Camel GTP, debuting in at the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona....
IMSAInternational Motor Sports AssociationThe International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
race car - 25th Anniversary Lamborghini Countach
- Lamborghini LM002Lamborghini LM002The Lamborghini LM002 is an SUV that was built by the Lamborghini automobile company between 1986 and 1993. The LM002 was an unusual departure for Lamborghini which, at the time, was primarily known for high-performance grand tourers and sports cars...
- Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v
- Porsche 962Porsche 962The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
IMSA race car - Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (the 964 version)Porsche 964The Porsche 964 is the company's internal name for the version of the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1989 and 1994. It featured significant styling revisions over previous versions of the 911, most prominently the more integrated bumpers , although it was still obviously a 911...
- Porsche March IndyCar
The player may choose one of them for himself and also for the computer opponent.