It was 1997 when Bethesda Softworks and Media Technology Limited came along with the PC racing game XCAR Experimental Racing. It was a game where you could literally create and race your own car across a number of included tracks. My only experience with this game is by playing the demo to it many moons ago. This is not a review or anything. This blog post is basically a look at XCAR Experimental Racing for all of you racing game fans. Time to begin a new post... welcome to "John's Race Space!"
NOTE: Do not expect this to be a review. I simply am bringing this game to the forefront primarily to discuss it.
XCAR Experimental Racing
Step into the realm of XCAR Experimental Racing. This blog post will fill you in on this old PC game.
^ from: Amazon - XCAR Experimental Racing features conceptual racing cars in unique circuit racing action.
XCAR Experimental Racing has you racing these fictional and experimental racing machines around a number of tracks. While the game seems futuristic in these respects, the courses you race on are realistic. You are not driving on unrealistic tracks with loops or stunts. You are instead doing circuit racing on realistic permanent and temporary courses with these conceptual cars. Even with the experimental aspect, you are not even working with any sort of foreign or alien technology. This is really one of the more unique simulation-type racing games.
I first learned of XCAR Experimental Racing when I had a demo disc from an edition of PC Gamer Magazine. The demo contained two courses- Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and a fictional figure eight course called Infinity Loop. It also included a unique PC Gamer car to race. So when I got to play this game finally, I got to see just how the game plays.
Cars.
There are 16 cars to choose from in XCAR Experimental Racing. Each of which, can be customized vastly for you to race. The cars are named for the primary sponsor on each car, and these are real companies and sponsors such as Monroe, DuPont, Armor-All, and more. You can take the existing liveries or come up with your own with the in-game Paint Shop. Each car can have various internal settings changed for a most unique setting. You almost are basically able to build your own racing machine through a variety of different specifications. These experimental cars are part of a fine simulation.• Engine - choose a type of engine. Each engine affects size, fuel consumption, stroke, and weight.
• Gears - adjust the gear ratio of the car, including the final gear.
• Brakes - choose brake configuration and adjust the brake bias. Each configuration impacts braking power and durability.
• Suspension - adjust the rate of the suspensions and the dampers, also adjust the rollbars.
• Fuel - choose the kind of fuel for your car and how much fuel is in the car.
• Steering - adjust the steering ratio, the lock, and the scale of the steering.
• Aerodynamics - adjust the front wing and rear wing aerodynamics as well as the underbody aerodynamics.
• Tires - choose a kind of tire for each part of the car and adjust the stagger. Also adjust the pressure, camber, and toe of each tire.
You will be able to test out your adjustments by going around some test tracks, so you can test out the configuration of your cars.
Tracks.
The lineup of this game's 11 courses take you across a variety of courses ranging from ovals to various road courses and temporary street courses. The selection of courses is not exactly any kind of world tour. In fact, the majority of courses (even fictional ones) are primarily within North America.Here is a look at each of the courses you will be racing on in this game. The first two courses are in the demo version of this game, and the remaining are all in the full version:
• Mid-Ohio (MEDIUM): The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a well-balanced 2.25-mile (3.62 kilometers) race track situated in Moon Township, Ohio, USA. It has an even balance of technical corners along with some speedy sections. This is a very fun track. A full race around here lasts 79 laps.
• Infinity Loop (EASY): This is a fictional figure-8 (or "figure-of-8") race track complete with a crossover. This is where you can enjoy some speed while still being kept honest with its figure-8 layout. Infinity Loop's full race distance lasts 178 laps on this 1.2-mile (1.93-kilometer) course.
And now the full version tracks:
• Lime Rock (EASY): Lime Rock Park is a short, yet competitive road course situated in Lakeville, Connecticut, USA. For a track like this, do your racing damage quickly because laps will click by rather quickly on this 1.53-mile (2.46-kilometer) course. A full race here lasts 129 laps.
• Grattan Raceway (HARD): Grattan Raceway is a 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) course situated in Belding, Michigan, USA. While not entirely difficult, be alert for the quick pace of turns that outline this course. They come at you almost as quick as a rally course. The full race lap distance here is 89 laps.
• Thunderhill Park (MEDIUM): Thunderhill Park is a 1.9-mile (3.06-kilometer) race track in Willows, California, USA; and it is best known for hosting the 25 Hours of Thunderhill by NASA (the racing league, not the aerospace agency). While 25 hours is not possible at this track in this game, you can race it for the maximum distance of 111 laps. The track has a few tricky corners along with some equally tricky elevation changes. Keep these things in mind once you challenge this track.
• Putnam Park (MEDIUM): Putnam Park is a race track in Brownsburg, Indiana, USA that is 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) in length. It has a fairly simple layout, but your car will be sent spinning if you are not careful. The max lap distance on this track is 111 laps.
• Red Rock (EASY): This is a fictional intermediate oval at 1.5 miles (2.41 kilometers) length. It has kind of a trapezoid layout. You can pull some incredible speed here. Just make sure you find the best line around this oval to consistently deliver quick lap times here. The full race here lasts 137 laps.
• Seattle (HARD): At 5.7 miles (9.17 kilometers) in length, the Seattle Grand Prix course is a challenging fictional city street course in the "Emerald City" of Seattle, Washington, USA. It is the only fictional race course in this game in a real-life location. Be careful dealing with the concrete barriers and a lot of the open sections where it is too easy to crash your vehicle. This track is not like the Seattle in Gran Turismo games or Tourist Trophy- this one is much more difficult. If you are brave enough to challenge Seattle, get ready for a maximum race distance of 34 laps here.
• Mayan (HARD): The Mayan Concourse is a fictional 4-mile (6.44 kilometer) track is tricky and technical. Making mistakes here happens too often. You will be trying to stay on the narrow road along with dodging the ancient ruins of this track. If you want to avoid becoming ancient history, you had better hone your racing and driving skills. Can you last the full 50 laps here?
• Timberland Pass (MEDIUM): As its name suggests, this is a beautiful 3.3-mile (5.31 kilometer) track full of forestry, elevation changes, and tunnels. You will be in the mountains while also negotiating a handful of tough corners. A maximum of 61 laps await you on this tricky course.
• Meridian Coast (EASY): Meridian Coast is a fictional course that features public roads around a coastal city and even includes some coastline drives and tunnels through hills. A lot of rock formations and some windmills also make up this course. Treat it like a coastal paradise, but keep sightseeing to a minimum. The majority of the course should not be overly technical. Fifty laps is the full race distance for this track.
Glory awaits. Good luck taking on these courses and this competition!
Final Thoughts.
Most games will probably offer some incredibly unrealistic experience in regards to experimental racing machines. Maybe even offer something purely unrealistic in terms of the environment and such. "XCAR Experimental Racing" is completely different. This is a simulation-type racing game that does not feel like an arcade game in the least sense. Even if you pick up a demo of this game, get to enjoy the feel of this game. While it is devoid of any serious character, it is still very much worth a try should you be able to get this game.Video Preview.
Get yourself a look at this game here with this video:^ "DOS Game: XCar - Experimental Racing"
There you have it- XCAR Experimental Racing. Want to try this game out yourself? You may have luck finding it on eBay. So if you want to search eBay for this game, follow this link: eBay.
This has been another blog post on "John's Race Space," the blog founded as "John's Gran Turismo Space" that is now a general racing game blog. I hope you liked this post and want more. Be sure to stay with JRS to check out the latest posts when they become available. Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Support me further by connecting with me on social media; and if you are inclined, feel free to donate to me (donations are voluntary but would be appreciated). Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.
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