Software:XCar: Experimental Racing

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Xatax
Xcar Cover art.jpg
Cover art
Developer(s)MediaTech West[1]
Publisher(s)Bethesda Softworks
Programmer(s)Brent Erickson[2]
EngineXnGine[3][4]
Platform(s)DOS[5]
Release
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player

XCar: Experimental Racing is a video game developed by MediaTech West and published by Bethesda Softworks for DOS on August 22, 1997.

Development

Development on the game started as early as 1995.[7][8] The game was originally set to release in January 1997[9] but the release date was pushed to mid August 1997.[10] The game's director of development was Brent Erickson.[11] The development took 8 full time team members.[7]

The game used SciTech Software's Display Doctor Technology.[12]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSP3/5 stars[14]
CGW4/5 stars[15]
GameRevolutionB[16]
GameSpot6.2/10[17]
GameStar60%[18]
Next Generation3/5 stars[1]
PC Gamer (US)68%[20]
PC PowerPlay61%[21]
Chicago Tribune3/5 stars[22]

The game received average reviews. Next Generation said, "There are an awful lot of racing titles out there, nearly all aimed at enthusiasts of one particular circuit or class of car. XCar has no license to speak of, throwing out any sort of endorsement in favor of raw performance and[,] above all, speed. For players who just want to go fast, it delivers."[1]

Dennis Lynda of Chicago Tribune said, "If you're a would-be mechanic you will love this complex and intricately detailed game, but others will find their heads spinning long after the tires stop."[22] Bad Hare of GamePro said, "XCar requires a driver's precision and a mechanic's sensibility – in other words, it's perfect for serious fans of Papyrus' ultra-real racing sims. If you don't enjoy the details, steer clear – this one ain't for casual Sunday drivers."[23][lower-alpha 1]

Notes

  1. GamePro gave the game a perfect 5/5 for graphics, and three 4/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "X-Car: Experimental Racing". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (35): 208. November 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_35/page/n209/mode/2up. Retrieved November 10, 2021. 
  2. "XCar". October 1996. p. 112. https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-022/page/n113/mode/2up. Retrieved August 4, 2022. 
  3. "XCar: Experimental Racing Features". Archived from the original on April 25, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010425011108/http://xcar.bethsoft.com:80/showcase/features.html. Retrieved February 25, 2023. 
  4. Gerschwiler, Richard (1997). "XCar Experimental Racing Review". Gamezilla, Inc.. http://www.gamezilla.com/reviews/x/xcar.asp. 
  5. "The Future of Racing". November 4, 1997. p. 446. https://books.google.com/books?id=hoP9dkY0guAC&pg=bethesdasoftworks446. Retrieved March 22, 2022. 
  6. Smith, Erica (August 22, 1997). "On the Shelves This Week". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-1073,00.html. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 "XCar: Experimental Racing The Making Of". 1997. Archived from the original on April 25, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010425144229/http://xcar.bethsoft.com:80/bscenes/design.html. Retrieved March 22, 2022. 
  8. "Special Feature". March 1996. p. 72,73. https://archive.org/details/game-pro-uk-07/page/72/mode/2up. Retrieved March 1, 2022. 
  9. Air Hendrix (January 1997). "XCar: Experimental Racing (Preview)". IDG. p. 67. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_100_Volume_09_Number_01_1997-01_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n67/mode/2up. 
  10. GameSpot staff (May 12, 1997). "X-Car Slowed". Archived from the original on March 11, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000311094937/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/12_xcarr/index.html. Retrieved March 22, 2022. 
  11. "XCar: Experimental Racing is a Sim Dream!". June 16, 1997. Archived from the original on April 25, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010425203533/http://xcar.bethsoft.com/press/pr.html. Retrieved March 23, 2022. 
  12. "SciTech Technology Licensed by Bethesda Softworks". August 29, 1997. Archived from the original on October 26, 1997. https://web.archive.org/web/19971026000404/http://www.scitechsoft.com/in_press9.html. Retrieved September 25, 2022. 
  13. Mahood, Andy (September 4, 1997). "XCar: Experimental Racing". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-1097,00.html. 
  14. Bauman, Steve (1997). "X-Car [sic"]. Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/004/081/xcar_review.html. 
  15. Goble, Gordon (December 1997). "Xtraordinary, Yet Xasperating (XCar: Experimental Racing Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (161): 338–39. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_161/page/n341. Retrieved July 20, 2021. 
  16. Hubble, Calvin (August 1997). "XCar Experimental Racing Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33016-xcar-experimental-racing-review. 
  17. Poole, Stephen (September 8, 1997). "XCar: Experimental Racing Review [date mislabeled as "May 2, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/xcar-experimental-racing-review/1900-2531916/. 
  18. "XCar: Experimental Racing" (in de). GameStar (Webedia). November 1997. 
  19. "X-Car : Experimental Racing [sic"] (in fr). Génération 4 (102): 210. September 1997. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero102/Page%20210.jpg. Retrieved November 11, 2021. 
  20. Vaughn, Todd (November 1997). "XCar: Experimental Racing". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 4 (11): 211. http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/1195.html. Retrieved November 10, 2021. 
  21. Wildgoose, David (January 1998). "X-Car [sic"]. PC PowerPlay (Next Media Pty Ltd) (20): 80–81. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-020-1998-01/page/n79/mode/2up. Retrieved November 11, 2021. 
  22. 22.0 22.1 Lynda, Dennis (January 1, 1998). "There's plenty of competition among the auto racing games". Chicago Tribune (Tribune Publishing): p. 61. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84995002/x-car/. 
  23. Bad Hare (November 1997). "XCar [Experimental Racing"]. GamePro (IDG) (110): 107. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_110_Volume_09_Number_11_1997-11_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n107/mode/2up. Retrieved November 10, 2021. 

External links