Lost In Translation/Race Drivin'

Race Drivin'
Manufacturer	Atari Games
Released	1990
Control; Method	Analog joystick; Paddle; Pedal
Main CPU	68010 (@ 8.000 MHz); TMS34010 (@ 6.000 MHz); DSP32C (@ 40.000 MHz); (2x) TMS32010 (@ 5.000 MHz); 68000 (@ 8.000 MHz)
Sound CPU	Mono; DAC
Video; Details	Raster (Horizontal); 508 x 384 pixels; 59.95 Hz; 1,024 Palette colours
Screens	1
ROM Info	30 ROMs; 1,843,200 bytes (1.76 MiB)
MAME ID	racedriv · racedcb4 · racedcg4 · racedrb1 · racedrb4 · racedrc1 · racedrc2 · racedrc4 · racedrcb · racedrcg · racedrg1 · racedrg4 · racedrv1 · racedrv2 · racedrv3 · racedrv4 · racedrvb · racedrvc · racedrvg

This page is a stub for arcade games that are part of the Lost In Translation series using information based on MAME (version 0.113u2).
For an example of preferred content and layout please refer to Out Run or The Ninja Warriors.

About The Game

Race Drivin' is a 3-D driving arcade video game.

Race Drivin' includes all of the innovative game features that made "Hard Drivin'" the industry's first true driving simulation game, plus many more new features :

Improved Handling - Faster microprocessor and more efficient software code provides a now imperceptible lag time between control input and screen graphic response. Race Drivin' feels even more like a real car!

New Tracks - The Super Stunt track will challenge even the best Hard Drivin' stunt racers. New tests of skill include a corkscrew loop, a jump loop, and a full pipe.

The autocross track with a built-in pace car provides feedback to hone competitive driving skills. The vector-drawn pace car is actually a recorded view of the player's best lap.

Buddy Race - 2-player sequential race in which the computer records the performance of player one, and player 2 races head-to-head against the first player and the clock.

Linked Race - Install a simple cable between two simulator cabinets, adjust game options, and the buddy race becomes a true head-to-head competition.

Select a Car - Players can select from several different sports cars to suit the race track chosen. The Race Drivin' cars are modelled after the performance features of several well-known sports cars. Each car has its own handling characteristics of off-the-line quickness, top speed, and cornering.

Additional Technical Information

Players : 2

Control : Steering wheel with gear-shift

Pedals : Accelerator, Brake

There also was a Race Drivin' Panorama version that utilized 3 to 5 Monitors to give you a 180 Degree View.

Trivia

Also released as "Race Drivin' [Compact model]", there were 19 officially released versions, counting 11 cockpit and 8 compact versions, including various British and German versions.

There is a warning in the attract mode : 'Be Careful though, many of the stunts and manoeuvres in this game would be dangerous or fatal if tried in a real car!!!!!!!'.

Updates

On the British and Japanese versions, you are in a right-hand drive car.

Cockpit Versions

Revision 1

World and British releases.

Revision 2

World and German releases.
Software version : 2.1.

Revision 3

World release.
Software version : 2.2.

Revision 4

World, British and German releases.
Software version : 2.3.

Revision 5

World, British and German releases.
Software version : 2.4.

Compact Versions

Revision 1

World release.
Software version : 1.6.

Revision 2

World release.
Software version : 1.7.

Revision 4

World, British and German release.
Software version : 1.8.

Revision 5

World, British and German release.
Software version : 1.9.

Tips and tricks

Whenever possible use the outside-in strategy. Start on the outside of a turn then cut inside, making sure that you keep giving the vehicle gas. If you don't you may spin out and loose control (depending on the car type). This strategy is hard to use in the qualifying laps because of the oncoming traffic, but if timed correctly you can pass the oncoming traffic on their right side. When coming out of the turn take care in how you straighten the wheels (slowly) or you can spin out as well.

It helps to take into consideration where a car is in-countered because after running a track several times, and you get closer to the 'maximum' speed for a stretch of road the car scenarios stay the same. For example : the first turn after the start on the original speed track (the one with a house on it and the very long right turn) should not have a car coming in the way of an outside-in tactic but a truck should be on the way. And if the speed of the car stays around 120 all the way around the track there should be a car at the turn.

Most turns from the original speed track can be taken (while using the previous hint) at about 120 mph.

On the super stunt track on the road up the hill and then a left turn, a driver may drive off the road to the left (cutting the turn) and to an exaggerated outside-in manoeuvre.

The differences in the cars are as follows...
Speedster : Excellent acceleration, and top speed is around 140mph, but handling is very loose and it tends to spin out on turns if pushed too far.

Roadster : Slightly faster acceleration than the Speedster, top speed is only around 120mph, but handling is tight and takes turns much easier.

Original : Same as Speedster.

Original Automatic : Same as Speedster but with slightly slower acceleration.

Note : Handling manifests itself in the sensitivity of the steering wheel to move.

Series

Hard Drivin' (1988)
Race Drivin' [Cockpit model] (1990)
Race Drivin' [Compact model] (1990)
Hard Drivin' II - Drive Harder (1991, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga)
Hard Drivin's Airborne (1993)
Street Drivin' (1993)

Staff

Main

Project Leader, Game Designer, Sound System, Mech Designer, Force Shifter & Analog Hardware: Rick Moncrief
Techician, Mech, Designer, Sound Recording, Dashboard Shift & Game Designer: Erik Durfey
Software Designer, Game Designer, Car Model, Force Feedback Steering & Software Tools: Max Behensky
Hardware Designer, Self Test, Instant Replay, Integer 3-D Algorithms & Game Designer: Jed Margolin
Game Programming, Display Software, Championship Lap & Game Designer: Stephanie Mott

Others

Cabinet Designers: Mike Jang; Ken Hata
Graphic Designers: Sam Comstock; Kris Moser; Deborah Short; Will Noble; Alan Murphy
Display Math Software: Jim Morris
Additional Programmers: Gary Stark; Mike Albaugh; Ed Rotberg
Additional Hardware: Don Paauw
Marketing: Linda Benzler; Mary Fujihara
Sales: Shane Breaks
Mechanical Designers: Jacques Acknin; Milt Loper
Yellow/Flame Concept: Mark Hoendervoogt; Howard Owen
Test Drivers: Doug Milliken; Dave Shepperd
Music: Don Diekneite
Management: Rich Moore; Dan Van Elderen; Lyle Rains; Bob Stewart; Dennis Wood; Hide Nakajima

Cabinet and Artwork

Race Drivin' arcade cabinet.
Inside of the Race Drivin' flyer.
Inside of the Race Drivin' flyer.
Alternate Race Drivin' flyer.

Ports

Box art for the DoMark port of Race Drivin'.

Consoles: Nintendo Super Famicom (1992); Sega Mega Drive (1993); Sega Saturn (1995); Nintendo Game Boy; Sony PlayStation 2 (2005, "Midway Arcade Treasures 3"); Microsoft XBOX (2005, "Midway Arcade Treasures 3"); Nintendo GameCube (2005, "Midway Arcade Treasures 3")

Computers: Commodore Amiga ("Race Drivin'", 1991, DoMark); Atari ST (1991); PC [MS Windows, CD-ROM] (2006, "Midway Arcade Treasures Deluxe Edition")

Soundtrack Releases

Album Name	Catalogue No.	Released	Publisher	Comments
That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1-	PCCB-00066^[1]	1991-07-21	Pony Canyon/Scitron	CD version.
That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1-	SCDC-00313^[2]	2003-12-03	Scitron Digital Content Inc.	CD version.

References

↑ That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1- (CD) at the VGMdb
↑ That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1- (CD) at the VGMdb

The contents of this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
The sources used include MAME (version 0.113u2) and history.dat (revision 1.28 - 2008-10-18).
Please see http://www.arcade-history.com for credits.

[1] That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1- (CD) at the VGMdb

[2] That's Atari Music -G.S.M. ATARI GAMES 1- (CD) at the VGMdb

[1]

[2]