Skunks-5.1.1 - Car simulation with software 3D rendering (no 3D acceleration
               required)

Copyright 2010-2024 Matei Petrescu


All files here, except for "SDL.dll", "COPYING.txt" and those found in the
directory "ODE" are available under the GNU GPL license, version 3 (see the
file "COPYING.txt" for details). The program uses the "SDL 1.2" or "SDL 2"
library, available at www.libsdl.org, and "Open Dynamics Engine" ("ODE"),
available at www.ode.org, which are also free software. More details about ODE
and its licenses can be found in the directory "ODE". It's included in this
package, so it doesn't have to be downloaded separately.

The recommendations below are for GNU/Linux. Some executable files are already
available: skunks.exe, skunkslargepx.exe and viewtrack.exe (Window$), skunks32
(GNU/Linux, 32 bits), skunks64 and viewtrack (GNU/Linux, 64 bits).

     1. INSTALLATION
     2. RUNNING
     3. MAKING NEW TRACKS OR CARS


1. INSTALLATION

SDL 1.2 or SDL 2 library is required. Make sure you have it installed. You
should install it from the sources available at www.libsdl.org or, at least,
get a "sdl-devel" package for your distribution. Then open a terminal/console
window and change the current directory to "skunks-5.1.1", using the command
"cd".

ODE must be installed first; version 0.14 (which I used) is in the
directory "ODE". To install it, type:

./inst-ode

ODE will be installed in "ODE/local". Then type:

./comp-graph

This compiles the graphical functions, for which you have to use the desired
options shown on the screen, and then:

./comp skunks

To change optins you can modify "graphics/genconf.c" at lines 22-24. If you
have an old processor (Pentium 2), remove "-mfpmath=sse" and replace the
current CPU with "pentium2". Other changes can be made after line 140. There-s
also a program for viewing tracks:

./comp viewtrack

2. RUNNING

Window$: click on skunks.exe, skunkslargepx.exe, or press MSDOS.bat and write:

viewtrack tracks/track2

GNU/Linux: First, open a terminal/console window and change the current
directory to "skunks-5.1.1", using the command "cd". After compilation, you
can start the game by typing:

./skunks

For viewing tracks:

./viewtrack tracks/track3

To change the resolution, modify file "config". The car and the track can be
selected from the menu. The parameters of the cars can easily be modified.
Below are a few details about the 10 cars:

car1: front wheel drive
car2, car3 and car4: rear wheel drive
car5: 4 wheel drive
car6: bus
car7: truck with trailer
car8: rear wheel drive
car9: 4 wheel drive
car10: rear wheel drive

All cars are electric and therefore don't need gearboxes.

The buttons which control the game are:

Q or UP - accelerate
A or DOWN - brake
O or LEFT - left
P or RIGHT - right
R reverse
C change camera
N and M - rotate camera
ESCAPE - exit

3. MAKING NEW TRACKS OR CARS

Look in the file "README" from directory "other/newtrax" for details about
making new tracks.

The files which define the parameters of the cars ("cars/car*") can also be
edited. After "objects n", the numbers on each of the next n lines have the
following significances:

1st: object type, from the list above;

2nd: object function (1 - body of vehicle, 2 - trailer, 3 - motor wheel,
     4 - steering wheel, 5 - motor and steering wheel, 6 - wheel,
     7 - wheel attached to the trailer);

3rd, 4th and 5th: coordinates on X, Y and Z.

Axes X, Y and Z are like this (not like in OpenGL):

^ X   __
|     /| Z
|    /
|   /
|  /
| /      Y
|-------->
