Software:Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars

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Short description: 2000 racing video game
Dirt Track Racing:Sprint Cars (DTRSC)
File:Dtrsc2.jpg
Cover art featuring Mark Kinser (front) and Tyler Walker (back)
Developer(s)Ratbag Games
Publisher(s)WizardWorks
Designer(s)David Hewitt
Platform(s)Windows
Release
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars is a sprint car racing video game by the now defunct Ratbag Games. It is the second game of the dirt track racing series by Ratbag, which includes Dirt Track Racing (DTR), Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars, and Dirt Track Racing 2 (DTR2).

Background

Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars, or DTRSC for short, was one of the first authentic sprint car, dirt track racing simulations in the video game market.

Game modes

Single-player

Career

In the Career Mode, players race through their careers, earning money to upgrade their cars. Success brings more money, and sponsors, which help pay the bills. Unlike in most other racing games, players can enter any division of racing they choose. The higher the series, the stronger the competition, so a player in the first or second season usually will not advance beyond the B-Main in the top flight of Sprint Car Racing. The only restrictions are that only one race can be entered per weekend, and the track selected being within an unlocked distance from a racer's garage.

Quick Action

In the Quick Action Mode, players race against computer artificial intelligence (AI) players in regular races consisting of heats and features in short mode, or full racing programs consisting of hot laps, qualifying, heats, semi-features (B-, C-, D-Mains), and features (A-Mains).

Multiplayer

In Multiplayer Mode, players could race other players from all over the world via GameSpy Client-Servers, which have since been shut down.

Movie maker

Software included in Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars allows for the exporting of video clips of game action in AVI format. This is the first game in the Ratbag DTR franchise that allows movies to be exported from the game.

Unsupported features

One of the most used unsupported features is the ability for users to create skins, cars, and tracks easily with outside software. Some players have even found software that allows them to change the .DE2 files to create entirely new cars and tracks, instead of just renaming existing cars.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic78/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGSPStarStarStarStarHalf star[4]
CGWStarStarStarHalf star[5]
GameSpot7.2/10[6]
GameZone10/10[7]
IGN7.4/10[8]
PC Gamer (US)85%[9]
PC Zone52%[10]

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "2000 Releases". http://www.eurogamer.net/release-dates.php. 
  2. ↑ "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". http://www.gamezone.com/gamesell/p15350.htm. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars for PC Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/dirt-track-racing-sprint-cars/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved February 11, 2020. 
  4. ↑ Berger, Brett (November 7, 2000). "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030418223830/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/030/121/sprint_review.html. Retrieved February 11, 2020. 
  5. ↑ Todd, Brett (April 2001). "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". Ziff Davis. p. 104. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_201.pdf. Retrieved February 12, 2020. 
  6. ↑ Ajami, Amer (November 16, 2000). "Dirt Track Racing" Sprint Cars Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dirt-track-racing-sprint-cars-review/1900-2655071/. Retrieved February 11, 2020. 
  7. ↑ Courtney, Rita (November 15, 2000). "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars Review". Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080928044745/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15350.htm. Retrieved February 12, 2020. 
  8. ↑ Humphries, Scott (December 18, 2000). "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/12/19/dirt-track-racing-sprint-cars. 
  9. ↑ Mahood, Andy (April 2001). "Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 8 (4): 73. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060315131813/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/dirt_track_raci_1.html. Retrieved February 12, 2020. 
  10. ↑ "PC Review: Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars". PC Zone (Future plc). 2001. 
  • Ratbag Games: Last version of Ratbag Games official website reproduced by Australian video game website Sumea for archives purposes.
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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