SuperTuxKart

SuperTuxKart is a racing game featuring various Free Software mascots (see ). It is an enhanced fork of TuxKart. It is written in the C++ programming language. It uses Antarctica (a heavily modified version of Irrlicht engine) for graphics and OpenAL for sounds.

SuperTuxKart was worked on by the GotM team through July to December 2004.

Characters
Current roster (does not include add-ons):


 * Adiumy - Adium IM client
 * Amanda - Windowmaker (NeXtStEp)
 * Beastie - FreeBSD OS
 * Emule - Emule filesharing client for the eDonkey2000 network
 * Gavroche - MediaGoblin media server
 * Gnu - GNU Project
 * Hexley - Darwin kernel
 * Kiki - Krita paint software
 * Konqi - KDE desktop environment
 * Nolok - original character (villain)
 * Pepper - Pepper&Carrot webcomic and games
 * Pidgin - Pidgin IM client
 * Puffy - OpenBSD OS
 * Sara - OpenGameArt repository
 * Suzanne - Blender 3D design software
 * Tux - Linux kernel (title character)
 * Wilber - the GIMP image editor
 * Xue - Xfce desktop environment

formerly:


 * elePHPant - PHP programming language

Gameplay
SuperTuxKart can be played in single player mode, including a single player campaign, split screen multiplayer on a single computer, or online multiplayer. In story mode the player unlocks new characters and races by points scored from achieving a given ranking in a race at a given difficulty setting. Completing all races unlocks the door to a boss race against Nolok.

The player chooses a Free Software mascot to play as. Each character has a mass, max speed, max acceleration, and nitro efficiiency stat.

There are several different types of race. In normal races the characters can collect powerups such as the parachute (which slows down enemy racers) or nitro boosts as well as there being random negative status effects from picking up banana peels. In a time trial there are no powerups. In a grand prix, the player must try to score the most points over several race tracks. Several more types of race exist.

Development
The first official version of the game was released in September 2006 as version 0.2.

They have a milestone page planning several versions ahead, and a forum on FreeGameDev.net to coordinate development effort.

The game switched to the Irrlicht graphics engine in version 0.7.

From version 0.8.2 the game uses a custom Antarctica engine, based on Irrlicht.

History
Charles Goodwin proposed the project for GoTM.

The GOTM project was started with the original developer of TuxKart on board, Steve Baker. However, the project goes nowhere Steve Bakers argue with other developers about the direction of the project. Eventually in December 2004, the project was considered dead by Ingo Ruhnke and the work forked off.

According to Steve Baker, the GoTM development team didn't know anything about 3D graphics at all and refused to take his advice. They broke the game, leaving it in an unrunnable and unplayable state.

Eventually the project was picked up by somebody else and was developed to the status it is today.

Contributors
The development team for SuperTuxKart currently consists of three core members :


 * Marianne "Auria" Gagnon, Main Developer;
 * Jean-Manuel "samuncle" Clemençon, Lead Artist;
 * and Typhon306, Artist.

There were formerly 4 core members :


 * Joerg "Hiker" Henrichs;
 * Marianne and Jean-Manuel as above;
 * and Stephen Just (add-ons website).

Version history
A physical version of the game on disc has been released by ADVPlans.