Screamer 4x4
Encyclopedia
Screamer 4x4 is a 4x4 off-road game, designed by Hungarian-based Clever's Interactive. It is still considered by many to be the most realistic off-road trials driving simulator
despite showing its age. The game makes use of graphics
hardware acceleration
, allowing to choose between Glide
, Direct3D
and OpenGL
renderers.
Unlike nearly all other off-roading games, the emphasis is not on racing but on passing through checkpoints laid out at specific points in such a way that the player is forced to navigate difficult terrain. Other modes are available as well, such as Pathfinder, which gives only a handful of checkpoints spread out over the terrain and leaves it up to the player to decide how to reach each one (although each must still be passed in a predetermined order). Penalties are given in all modes for hitting checkpoint markers and for using the recovery service to flip an overturned vehicle, and you are immediately disqualified for hitting any bystanders.
The game contains details such as car damage due to accidents & rough driving, varying weather conditions and unlockable upgrades to your vehicle in the form of engines, tires and differentials. There are a few different areas to drive on, although all but the first two must be unlocked through the career mode. Unfortunately the only variations in the maps are from the geography and the textures used, as there is no difference in handling from one surface to another.
Vehicle simulation game
Vehicle simulation games are a genre of video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles. This includes automobiles, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, military vehicles, and a variety of other vehicles...
despite showing its age. The game makes use of graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
hardware acceleration
Hardware acceleration
In computing, Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware to perform some function faster than is possible in software running on the general-purpose CPU...
, allowing to choose between Glide
Glide API
Glide is a 3D graphics API developed by 3dfx Interactive for their Voodoo Graphics 3D accelerator cards. Although it originally started as a proprietary API, it was later open sourced by 3dfx. It was dedicated to gaming performance, supporting geometry and texture mapping primarily, in data...
, Direct3D
Direct3D
Direct3D is part of Microsoft's DirectX application programming interface . Direct3D is available for Microsoft Windows operating systems , and for other platforms through the open source software Wine. It is the base for the graphics API on the Xbox and Xbox 360 console systems...
and OpenGL
OpenGL
OpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
renderers.
Unlike nearly all other off-roading games, the emphasis is not on racing but on passing through checkpoints laid out at specific points in such a way that the player is forced to navigate difficult terrain. Other modes are available as well, such as Pathfinder, which gives only a handful of checkpoints spread out over the terrain and leaves it up to the player to decide how to reach each one (although each must still be passed in a predetermined order). Penalties are given in all modes for hitting checkpoint markers and for using the recovery service to flip an overturned vehicle, and you are immediately disqualified for hitting any bystanders.
The game contains details such as car damage due to accidents & rough driving, varying weather conditions and unlockable upgrades to your vehicle in the form of engines, tires and differentials. There are a few different areas to drive on, although all but the first two must be unlocked through the career mode. Unfortunately the only variations in the maps are from the geography and the textures used, as there is no difference in handling from one surface to another.
Featured cars (in order of unlocking)
- Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
Defender - JeepJeepJeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
CJ7 - Toyota LandCruiserToyota Land CruiserThe is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. It is not related to the Studebaker Land Cruiser car produced in the US from 1934-1954....
- JeepJeepJeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
CherokeeJeep Cherokee (XJ)The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this... - MercedesMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
GMercedes-Benz G-ClassThe original 460-series Geländewagen went on sale for civilian buyers in 1979, after having debuted in February of that year. It was offered with two wheelbases, a short wheelbase of 2,400 mm and a long one of 2,850 mm. One could choose between three body styles: A two-door short... - JeepJeepJeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
WranglerJeep WranglerThe Jeep Wrangler is a subcompact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian... - MitsubishiMitsubishiThe Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
Pajero/ShogunMitsubishi PajeroThe Mitsubishi Pajero is a sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. It was named after Leopardus pajeros, the Pampas Cat which is native to the Patagonia plateau region of southern Argentina. However, since pajero is an offensive term for "wanker" in Spanish, alternative names have... - MercedesMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
UnimogUnimogUnimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device... - Toyota Hilux PickupToyota HiluxThe Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck...
(monster truckMonster truckA monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
) - RABARaba (automobile)The Raba was a Hungarian automobile manufactured from 1912 to 1914. A product of the Hungarian Machine Factory in the city of Györ, then known as Raab. The engine of the car was the 4.2-liter 58 hp Praga "Grand". The car was built in limited numbers, under the Praga license. Raba also...
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