Vector Racer: an online pen and paper racing game

[FrogMan]

I saw a review for an iOS game called Dash Race this morning and I was intrigued by it. They said it's based on a pen and paper racing game called Racetrack so I followed the link to wikipedia and came upon an online version of it called Vector Racer.

I'll copy/paste the "how to play" section of the game here to give you an idea but it's fairly easy, yet very interesting, or at least I think so.

Vector Racer is a turn-based racing game, which simulates a car race on a squared sheet of paper. You move from one grid point to another and have to try to get to the finish in the least amount of turns.
speed control

Each turn you can speed up (accelerate), slow down (decelerate) or maintain the same speed. Acceleration and deceleration is shown in the image below. When you accelerate from the starting point (the gray cross on the left), you start by moving 1 square. The next turn you move 2 squares, then 3 squares, and so on. So when accelerating you increase the number of squares by 1 each turn.
When decelerating you do the opposite, you decrease the number of squares by 1 each turn. So when you move 5 squares, the next turn you move 4 squares, then 3, and so on, until you come to a stop. You can also choose to maintain the same speed by moving the same number of squares as on the previous turn.

race around the track

The speed control does not only apply to left and right but also to up and down. This allows you to negotiate curves and race around the track. Each turn you can select from nine points to move to (one to maintain your speed, four to accelerate up, down, left, right, and another four to accelerate up-left, up-right, down-left, down-right). The nine points are indicated by 9 circles, as shown in the image below.
The image below shows the different track surfaces and three players racing. To finish the race you first have to pass every checkpoint in the correct order. The checkpoints are indicated by colorful areas (green, red, purple, orange); the finish is black. The track also has curbs, gravel traps and walls. When your current position is on a curb or in the gravel, you'll have limited selection options. On a curb you can only maintain your speed and when in the gravel you can only select points that slow you down to a crawl. Small gray circles indicate the points that can not be selected (see the red and purple player in the image). If you hit the wall, you'll crash. Keep in mind that you have to avoid the wall for the entire length of a move.

For some gameplay as simple as that, it's interesting to see that the racing lines do make a lot of sense. Takes some thinking ahead if you don't want to end your course off the track as I've done numerous times.

Only sad thing is that they don't have an asynchronous kind of game server going on...

I'm finding it to be a fun timewaster, hope some of you do too.

FM

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

While a bit more expensive, the basic concept is very similar to Formula De'. I have a copy of the board game. It's a fantastic strategy game for those interested in racing. It's definitely not a kids game, but a lot of fun.

[Marc Vaughan]

Sounds very similar to Vector Rally:

Vector Rally for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

Sounds very similar to Vector Rally:

Vector Rally for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

HA! Exactly the same thing! Thanks for the pointer. Will get this one for my iPhone

FM

[Yellow5]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

While a bit more expensive, the basic concept is very similar to Formula De'. I have a copy of the board game. It's a fantastic strategy game for those interested in racing. It's definitely not a kids game, but a lot of fun.

Speaking of Formula De' ... have you played the free PC version of that?

ONYX Formula PC

Old but still runs and it's fun.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Yellow5

Speaking of Formula De' ... have you played the free PC version of that?

ONYX Formula PC

Old but still runs and it's fun.

Have not played that. I'll have to give it a whirl.