After year of silence, OpenC1 project (previously known as OpenCarmageddon) – fan-made remake of classic Carmageddon racing game -  returns in a form of new and stable version 1.4.

OpenC1 utilizes XNA for graphics and PhysX SDK as physics engine. It implements almost all features of the original game (vehicles, tracks, vehicle damage and car deformations, pedestrians, AI and opponents, checkpoints, UI, etc) and can use data files (car models, levels, textures, sounds) from Carmageddon title and Splatpack add-on.

In comparison to 1.3.1 version, usability has been improved greatly – OpenC1 can now automatically download free content from Camageddon and Splatpack demos, it also includes data management functionality and is far more stable.

All you need is to download archive with 1.4 version from OpenC1 project page, extract it, install latest PhysX System Software, XNA Framework 3.0 and run the OpenC1.exe file.

You may remember OpenC1 project (previously known as OpenCamageddon, but renamed due to copyright issues) -  fan-made remake of Carmageddon by Stainless Software, based on XNA and PhysX SDK wrapper for .NET.

Update: Version 1.4 is available

Since recently released version 1.3.1 is actually the first one that was able to run on our system without problems, we decided to give it a closer look.

OpenC1 leaves a nice impression – car physics still needs tweaking, some bugs are popping up, but overall feeling is close to good old Carmageddon. And since project is now open source, it has great possibilities for modders and user made content.

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If you’re watching over Carmageddon remake, powered by XNA and PhysX.NET wrapper, we’ve got a surprise for you – first public beta version of OpenC1 project (that’s how it is called now, due to copyright issues) was released today.

Update: v1.1 available, should fix some of the crashes.

Update #2: version 1.3.1 available

Basically, OpenC1 is a accurate remake of classic Carmageddon by Stainless Software (original data files are used, but underlaying code is completely new). Currently, all basic systems (car physics, opponents  AI, carcase deformation, pedestrians, sound, user interface, race logic, etc) are already implemented.

Installation instructions:

- Install XNA Framework 3.0

- Install latest PhysX System Software.

- Download OpenC1 v1.1 Beta from original post. Extract the OpenC1 files, check out the readme.txt, then run OpenCarmageddon.exe.

Remember that this is still early beta, and stable work is not garanteed. Please report found bugs and errors here.

Indie developers community can always bring nice surprises.

Update: OpenCarmageddon early beta released

In this particular case,  Jeff Harris is making remake of classic Carmageddon 1 using XNA and PhysX SDK – alone, and has reached pretty remarkable results, as you may see from following video:

Core features like deformation and repair systems, opponent’s AI, paticle effects, nice tuned car physics are already implemented.

You can watch over Carmageddon XNA remake development process on Jeff’s blog – 1am  Studios.

Mafia II – Developer Diary Episode 2 by GamerSpawn

New developer diary for highly anticipated Mafia II title. Interesteng detail – judging by in-game scenes (like 1:03-1:09), clothing simulation won’t be GPU PhysX exclusive.

Land Of Ozis by ccPaolo

Blitz 3D and PhysX SDK based arcade indie game, posed by it’s author as sequel to “World of Goo” title. Available for download from here.

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Group of enthusiasts is working on interesting project – classic Unreal 1 engine enhancement with real-time physics, based on PhysX SDK. Current version supports only primitives like boxes and spheres, convex meshes and several joint types, but result is already impressive:

Future plans include vehicles integration, soft bodies and possible ragdoll support. You can download beta version of PhysX mod for Unreal v. 227 here

Hope this project will be more successful than this abandoned PhysX integration into Half Life 1 engine.

Attack of the 50ft Robot!, developed by students at DigiPen Institute of Technology, is great example of well-formed indie title. Game takes place in 1950s B-movies style setting, spiced with black-and-white old projector postfilter. Chased by tanks, helicopter und ufos, Giant Robot, controlled by player, grinds whole city in return.

Fast every building can be smash to pieces, and massive-scale rigid body dynamics is handled by PhysX SDK.

Gameplay trailer

You can download Attack of the 50ft Robot! here (158 mb)