View source for Software:Speed Dreams

{{short description|2010 racing video game}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Speed Dreams
| logo = [[File:Speed Dreams Icon.svg|96px]]
| screenshot = [[File:Speed Dreams 2.0 official splash screen.png|300px]]
| developer = {{nowrap|{{URL|http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/ThePeopleBehind|The Speed Dreams Team}}}}
| released = {{Start date and age|2010|03|27|df=yes}}
| latest release version = 2.3.0
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2023|03|16|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/files/2.3.0/|title=Browse 2.3.0|date=March 16, 2023|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>
| programming language = [[C++]], [[C (programming language)|C]], [[XML]]
| operating system = [[Software:Linux|Linux]], [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]], [[Software:AmigaOS 4|AmigaOS 4]], AROS, [[Software:MorphOS|MorphOS]], [[Software:Haiku (operating system)|Haiku]]
| size = {{Nowrap|966.1 [[Megabyte|MB]]}}
| language = English
| genre = Racing simulation
| license = [[Software:GNU General Public License|GNU General Public License]] (code), [[Software:Free Art License|Free Art License]] (artwork)
| website = {{nowrap|{{URL|https://www.speed-dreams.net}}}}
}}
'''''Speed Dreams''''', often shortened to {{strong|SD}} and formerly known as {{strong|Torcs-NG}}, is a free and open source [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[Software:Racing video game|racing video game]] for [[Software:Linux|Linux]], [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]], [[Software:AmigaOS 4|AmigaOS 4]], AROS, [[Software:MorphOS|MorphOS]] and [[Software:Haiku (operating system)|Haiku]]. Started in 2008 as a [[Software:Fork (software development)|fork]] of the racing car simulator [[Software:TORCS|TORCS]],<ref name="AboutSD">{{cite web |title=Speed Dreams official website - About Speed Dreams |url=https://www.speed-dreams.net/en/about-speed-dreams/}}</ref> it is mainly written in [[C++]] and released under [[Software:GNU General Public License#Version 2|GPL v2+]] and [[Software:Free Art License|Free Art License]], the most recent release being version 2.3.0 of March 2023.

The development of an accurate driving behaviour, with different physics engines available, sets the project among the few open source [[Software:Sim racing|racing simulation]] [[Codebase|codebase]]s.<ref group=lower-alpha>Considering that:
* {{em|Speed Dreams}} was forked from TORCS, which in turn was based on [[Software:RARS|RARS]],
* arcade racing is a different genre from sim racing (''see also [[Software:Sim racing|Sim racing]]''),
the only other actively developed open source codebases are those of [[Software:VDrift|VDrift]] and of Trigger, the latter being limited to rally racing.</ref>

{{em|Speed Dreams}} can be played with a variety of input devices, including keyboards, mouses, joypads, joysticks, racing wheels and pedals.<ref>{{cite web|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe|title=Speed Dreams: an Open Motorsport Sim|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/|access-date=18 April 2012|date=2008–2012}}</ref>

==Gameplay==

===Racing modes===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} features several different racing modes; while some offer greater customization than others, most generally try to reproduce real types of races.<ref name=WikiRacingModes>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/RacingModes|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - Racing modes|date=12 February 2011 – 3 May 2012|access-date=3 May 2012|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Kelder|first2=Mart|last3=Mattea|first3=Enrico}}</ref> Complex events, such as various categories of championships or endurance races, are also available. Because racing modes are defined by plain-text configuration files, custom ones can be freely created. 
In this context the most relevant change since TORCS − introduced in {{em|Speed Dreams}} 2.0 − is the "Career" mode: here the player can compete with different car classes, during multiple seasons, on randomly selected tracks and against balanced random opponents, earning points in championship rankings.
Within practice mode, since version 1.4.0, it is possible to run robot races in the "results-only" mode, that is, ignoring the graphics display of the race; this allows the simulation to be run at a speed limited only by the computing power available, and is mostly used by robot developers.<ref name=WikiRacingModes /> For the same purpose version 2.0 provides also a text-only mode: the race is run without graphics − no hardware acceleration being required − and the results are displayed through a [[Command-line interface|command-line interface]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/ticket/308|title=Speed Dreams Trac system ticket #308 "Run a race with no graphics"|date=3 January 2011 – 22 January 2012|access-date=3 May 2012|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Kmetyko|first2=Gábor}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
! colspan="12"|Synopsis of racing modes that are officially released in version 2.0
|-
! Name
! Cars range
! Tracks range
! Drivers range
! Race length
! Qualification session
! Multiple race sessions
! Time of day
! Sky conditions
! Rainfall<ref group=lower-roman>In all modes, if a race is attended by robots which don't support rainfall, this feature is disabled.</ref>
! Results-only mode
! Results menu
|-
! Practice
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All}}
| {{partial|All, only one at a time}}
| {{yes|Any}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Yes (robot drivers only)}}
| {{yes|Complete lap-by-lap information}}
|-
! Quick race
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All, up to 40 at a time}}
| {{yes|Any}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Single event - Endurance
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All, up to 50 at a time}}
| {{no|Fixed: 500 km}}
| {{yes|Yes, customizable length}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Single event - Challenge
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All}}
| {{yes|All, up to 50 at a time}}
| {{no|Fixed: 50 km (sprint), 180 km (main race)}}
| {{yes|Yes, customizable length}}
| {{yes|Two races: sprint and main race}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Single event - Category-specific challenge
| {{partial|All cars within the given category (MP5, 36 GP or LS-GT1)}}
| {{yes|All}}
| {{partial|All drivers within the given car category}}
| {{yes|Any}}
| {{yes|Yes, customizable length}}
| {{partial|Depending on category chosen}}
| {{no|Fixed}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Championship - All classes
| {{yes|All}}
| {{no|Fixed}}
| {{yes|All, up to 50 at a time}}
| {{no|Fixed}}
| {{partial|Yes, fixed length (3 laps)}}
| {{yes|Yes, multiple race days on different tracks}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Championship - category-specific
| {{partial|All cars within the given category (Supercars, TRB1, MP5, 36GP, LS-GT1)}}
| {{no|Fixed}}
| {{partial|All drivers within the given car category}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Yes, customizable length}}
| {{yes|Yes, multiple race days on different tracks}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{no}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
! Career
| {{no|Automatic choice}}
| {{no|Automatic choice}}
| {{partial|Automatic choice of robots driving all cars from the same category as player's}}
| {{no|Fixed}}
| {{partial|Yes, fixed length (3 laps)}}
| {{yes|Yes, multiple race days on different tracks and with different car categories}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{yes|Custom}}
| {{partial|Possibility to skip practice sessions; forced results-only mode for AI robots' qualifications}}
| {{partial|Driver-by-driver information}}
|-
| colspan="12"|{{Reflist|group=lower-roman}}
|}

===Weather===
{{em|Speed Dreams 2.0}} introduced the simulation of a real sky dome, along with customizable weather conditions: the user can choose the time of day, the cloud cover and the intensity of rainfall to have during the race. The sky dome can be set up as dynamic, namely simulating the succession of day and night and the movement of celestial bodies. Weather simulation affects both physics, with proper corrections to the cars' adherence, and graphics, with animated cloud layers, and if necessary a [[2D computer graphics|2D]] overlay of rain particles.

{{Wide image|Speed Dreams dynamic sky and weather montage.png|1920px|From left to right: cloudy dawn, cloudy morning, clear morning, clear noon, partly cloudy dusk, clear night, clear night with headlamps, rainy afternoon.|alt=A horizontal montage of eight pictures showing, from the same point of view, the front of a car with different atmospheric conditions and time settings.}}

===Physics===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} can load different [[Software:Physics engine#Game engines|physics engines]] to use during races. Written in C++, they are software modules executed at every simulation [[Frame rate#Computing|frame]] to compute the cars' parameters such as [[Position (vector)|position]], [[Physics:Speed|speed]], damage, collisions, [[Engineering:Suspension (vehicle)|suspensions]]. The user is able to select the physics engine before every race; currently available are:[[File:Speed Dreams car rolling.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A racing car rolling in the air on an asphalt road.|Driving at excessive speed on [[Physics:Banked turn|banked]] chicanes may result in car rolling under SimuV3.]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Description
|-
| SimuV2 || The original TORCS pseudo-3D physics<ref group=lower-alpha>A "Pseudo-3D" engine projects the car's physics on a plane:
* Cars have a limited banking/pitch angle
* Physics are more precise for low values of banking and pitch</ref> with some [[Backporting|backports]] from SimuV2.1 and SimuV3.<ref name=StackoverflowStructure>{{cite web|url=https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1755035/3d-engine-for-driving-simulation/1784813#1784813|title=3D Engine for Driving Simulation|date=23 November 2009|access-date=23 January 2012}}</ref>
|-
| SimuV2.1 || New version of SimuV2 with some improvements; it is the official physics engine for {{em|Speed Dreams 2.0}}, upon which cars parameters are set up.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/ticket/150|title=Speed Dreams Trac system ticket #150 "Simu V2.1"|access-date=24 December 2011|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Kály-Kullai|first2=Kristóf|last3=Kmetyko|first3=Gábor}}</ref><ref name=ManualOptions>{{cite web|last=Mungewell|first=Simon|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - SD 2.0 Manual - Options|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/SD2.0ManualOptions|access-date=1 February 2012|date=27 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=27898965|title=Location Information|date=4 August 2011|access-date=1 February 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-users|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref>
|-
| SimuV3 || 3D physics engine.<ref name="DimitrakPhysics">{{cite web|url=http://www.idiap.ch/~dimitrak/torcs/simuv3.html |title=Simu V3 |access-date=23 January 2012 |last=Dimitrakakis |first=Christos |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630053445/http://www.idiap.ch/~dimitrak/torcs/simuv3.html |archive-date=June 30, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="JabberMay2010">{{cite web|url=http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/speed-dreams-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2010-05-30.txt|date=30 May 2010|title=Speed Dreams Jabber IRC meetings log - 30 May 2010}}</ref><ref name="MeetingLogMay2010">{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/MeetingMay2010b|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - summary of 30 May 2010 IRC meeting|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|access-date=31 December 2011}}</ref>
|-
| SimuV4 || New in release 2.1.<ref name="sourceforge.net">{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/p/speed-dreams/news/2014/07/speed-dreams-21---green-green-green/|title=Speed Dreams 2.1 - Green, Green, GREEN.|access-date=10 February 2015|last1=Wood|first1=Simon}}</ref>
|}

All {{em|Speed Dreams}} physics engines feature real-time car [[Software:Physics engine#Collision detection|collisions]] based on the SOLID library.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Sommer|first=Torsten|others=Advisors: Thomas Bräunl, Philipp Harms|title=Physics for a 3D Driving Simulator|chapter-url=http://robotics.ee.uwa.edu.au/theses/2008-AutomotiveSimulator-Sommer.pdf|degree=Bachelor|date=1 March 2008|page=23|chapter=2.3.2 TORCS|access-date=1 February 2012|publisher=Technische Universität München}}</ref><ref name=StackoverflowStructure /> Each car model defines a [[Minimum bounding box|bounding box]] according to which the physics engine detects side and bottom collisions; these produce car damages, computed on a [[Interval (mathematics)|scale]] ranging from 0 to 10000; damages affect only cars' [[Physics:Torque|performances]], without producing any graphical output. A car with more than 10000 damage points is excluded from the race.<ref name="RobotTutorial-8.1">{{cite web|last=Wymann|first=Bernhard|title=TORCS Robot Tutorial - 8.1 Introduction into pit stops|url=http://berniw.org/torcs/robot/ch8/introduction.html|access-date=28 April 2012}}</ref>

===Sound===
Sound management is achieved through OpenAL or, optionally, PLIB. Audible sounds include collision and tire screeching noise, in addition to the engine's; there are simulated also complex effects such as [[Physics:Attenuation|attenuation]] and [[Physics:Doppler effect|Doppler shift]].
In 2011, the professional sound production company audioberlin reworked the default {{em|Speed Dreams}} sounds; the improved versions are included in release 2.0.0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/speed_dreams/statuses/133554402068930560|title=Twitter - @speed_dreams|access-date=27 April 2012|date=7 November 2011|last=Jäger|first=Eckhard M.}}</ref>

[[File:Speed Dreams 2.0 interface.png|thumb|right|alt=The cockpit of a racing car, with various 2D dynamic instruments displaying speed, rpm, fuel left, damage, G-Forces, clutch situation, a mini-map, the number of frames per second, a rear mirror, lap times and driver information.|The racing interface with default layout and modes. Clockwise from top left corner: driver board, rear mirror, [[Frame rate|FPS]] counter, mini-map, clutch conditions graph, G-forces graph, damage bar, fuel bar, speedometer, tachometer, leaders board.]]

===Racing interfaces===
While racing, the player is offered a customizable 2D cockpit displaying various gauges, lap times information and a dynamic mini-map. Every instrument features several modes, among which the player can choose while racing in order to change the appearance, or even completely hide the interface. A rear mirror is also available, although quite expensive in terms of consumed computing power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/ticket/589|title=Speed Dreams Trac system ticket #589 "New rear mirror"|date=26 January 2012|access-date=27 April 2012|last1=Kmetyko|first1=Gábor|last2=Mungewell|first2=Simon}}</ref> An "arcade" mode, legacy of TORCS, is still maintained as of version 2.0; according to the authors of the Italian manual for TORCS, it is more suitable for the novice player of {{em|Speed Dreams}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://berniw.org/trb/download/manual-it.pdf|title=TORCS - Guida rapida di riferimento|page=6|quote=0 seleziona la modalità di visualizzazione arcade (utile nelle fasi iniziali)|language=it|year=2007|access-date=27 April 2012|author=www.nontipago.it}}</ref> New addition to {{em|Speed Dreams}} is the Formula One-style timer with an accuracy of a millisecond (ten times more precise than TORCS' one).

===AI===
TORCS was born with focus set more on AI racing than on human driving. {{em|Speed Dreams}}, according to the project's description, shifted the balance towards a more user-oriented racing experience.<ref name=AboutSD /> Nonetheless, unlike the fate of the other legacy content, reworked but mostly maintained, in late 2009 all the robot engines inherited from TORCS were removed and replaced by new, more advanced ones.

====General description====
{{em|Speed Dreams}} features computer-controlled opponents to race against, commonly called "robots". These are software modules, written in C++, which control the behaviour of cars during any kind of practice, qualification or race session.<ref name="WikiRobotsMain">{{cite web|last=Kmetyko|first=Gábor|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - Robots - Main|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/RobotsMain|access-date=26 January 2012|date=28 December 2009}}</ref>  A module can virtually handle any number of single robot drivers; these share the source code but may have custom car setups and liveries, and even drive different cars.
Robots may be programmed with any kind of [[Subroutine|function]] in order to compute racing variables: throttle, brake, steer, gearbox and clutch.<ref>{{cite web|last=Curtis|first=Keith|title=TORCS robot driving - How to drive a torcs car with a robot|url=http://keithcu.com/wiki/index.php/TORCS_robot_driving#How_to_drive_a_torcs_car_with_a_robot|access-date=26 January 2012}}</ref>  These values are sent to the race engine by an open interface of {{em|Speed Dreams}}.
Human players are treated just like any other robot:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/torcs-ng-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2009-10-06.txt|title=Speed Dreams Jabber IRC meetings log - 6 October 2009|date=6 October 2009|access-date=9 May 2012|last1=Say|first1=Haruna|last2=Bertaux|first2=Xavier|last3=Kelder|first3=Mart|quote=The human driver is just another robot}}</ref> their variables are controlled by user-defined [[Input device|input device]]s and can be influenced by automated driving aids such as [[Engineering:Anti-lock braking system|ABS]], [[Engineering:Traction control system|TCS]] or speed limiter for pit-stops.

====Available robots====
{{em|Speed Dreams 2.0}} features 3 official robot engines, for a grand total of about 150 drivers competing in all the official car categories:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Description !! Author
|-
| Simplix || Described as "cautious and not too aggressive", Simplix robots won the 2008 and 2009 seasons of the TORCS world endurance championship. As of 2.0.0 release, it's the only robot engine able to drive on different weather conditions.<ref name="WikiListOfRobots">{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/ListOfRobots|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - List of Robots|last1=Kmetyko|first1=Gábor|last2=Say|first2=Haruna|date=28 December 2009 – 5 January 2011|access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref> || Wolf-Dieter Beelitz
|-
| USR || Based on K1999 racing line computation algorithm, USR robots won the 2007 season of the TORCS world endurance championship. USR driving style is described as "aggressive and very entertaining" by the {{em|Speed Dreams}} development team.<ref name="WikiListOfRobots" /> || Andrew Sumner
|-
| kilo2008 || Based on a heavily modified version of the "Locus" robot tutorial by Andrew Sumner, kilo2008 attended the 2008 and 2009 seasons of the TORCS world endurance championship.<ref name="WikiListOfRobots" /> || Gábor Kmetyko
|}
Robots from the 1936 GP car series are named after real drivers of that period; the names of most other robots are fictitious, although many names of {{em|Speed Dreams}} developers and contributors appear, mostly in the Torcs Racing Board 1 category.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/ListOfAINames|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - List of AI names|access-date=31 December 2011|last1=Say|first1=Haruna|last2=Beelitz|first2=Wolf-Dieter|last3=Kmetyko|first3=Gábor}}</ref>

====Common robot functions====
Robots shipped within {{em|Speed Dreams}} share some kinds of behavioural functions in order to achieve realism in the driving simulation.
While being loaded, robots compute a [[Engineering:Racing line|racing line]], which depends on the track's XML description. Initial fuel amount, conforming to a fuel and pit-stop strategy, is also estimated and requested to the race engine. During the race robots aim at following the racing line; however their behaviour can be influenced by the parameters received by the race engine; these include the position and the speed of other cars, which is taken into account by collision-avoidance and overtaking [[Algorithm|algorithm]]s.<ref name=WikiRobotsMain /> Robots also have learning capability: they can improve their lap times basing on previously driven laps. A function to regain the track after accidents is also implemented in all official robot engines.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wymann|first=Bernhard|title=TORCS Robot Tutorial - 2.1 Basic Getting Unstuck|url=http://www.berniw.org/torcs/robot/ch2/unstuck1.html|access-date=27 January 2012}}</ref> 
{{em|Speed Dreams}} robots can handle a so-called "skilling" parameter, defined by the player: this way the user can alter the robots' performance and therefore their lap times.<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=22138125|title=Difficulty levels, assists, etc. propositions|date=19 April 2009|access-date=27 January 2012|mailing-list=torcs-ng-devel|last=Beelitz|first=Wolf-Dieter}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=22155428|title=Simple robot and human driver skilling|date=21 April 2009|access-date=27 January 2012|mailing-list=torcs-ng-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=24220329|title=User / robots skilling|date=19 December 2009|access-date=27 January 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref><ref name=ManualOptions />

===Pit stops===
As of release 2.0, the pit stop simulation system remains unchanged from TORCS. When racing on tracks equipped with a pit lane, drivers are assigned a pit stop emplacement according to their position on the starting grid. Since most tracks don't provide enough emplacements for all the race competitors, robot drivers support pit stop sharing. To trigger pit stops, robots have to drive near their emplacement at sufficiently slow speed, then make the stop request to the race engine, which captures the car and keeps it still and unresponsive until the end of the process.<ref name="RobotTutorial-8.5">{{cite web|last=Wymann|first=Bernhard|title=TORCS Robot Tutorial - 8.5 Pit strategy functions|url=http://berniw.org/torcs/robot/ch8/strategy.html|access-date=28 April 2012}}</ref> The human robot automatically sends the request as soon as the other conditions are satisfied;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/speed-dreams-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2009-11-04.txt|date=4 November 2009|title=Speed Dreams Jabber IRC meetings log - 4 November 2009|last1=Kmetyko|first1=Gábor|last2=Kelder|first2=Mart|last3=Bertaux|first3=Xavier|quote=The human robot function calls the pit menu there}}</ref> the simulation is then paused, while the player is offered a menu where he can choose the parameters of the stop.<ref name="JabberNov2009">{{cite web|url=http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/speed-dreams-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2009-11-04.txt|date=4 November 2009|title=Speed Dreams Jabber IRC meetings log - 4 November 2009|last1=Kmetyko|first1=Gábor|last2=Kelder|first2=Mart|last3=Bertaux|first3=Xavier}}</ref> Services offered during pit stops are repairing damage, refuelling and serving penalties;<ref name="RobotTutorial-8.1" /> the stop's duration is automatically defined and depends on the amount of damage and of fuel to deal with. During pit stops no graphical animation is displayed.

[[File:Speed Dreams splitscreen feature.png|thumb|right|alt=A screenshot divided into four regions, showing different views of the start of a race.|The split-screen feature at work with four regions and default layout. The green square near the centre of the picture identifies the selected region, whose interface, camera mode and focused driver can be currently shifted.]]

===Multiplayer===
The "split-screen" feature allows to split the display − on the same monitor − into up to four regions which act independently: these can show the perspective of different cameras, with different interface settings and following different drivers. During the race the regions can be dynamically created, deleted and arranged in several different layouts. On the human racer's side this system allows up to four players to simultaneously compete in the same race using the same PC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/p/speed-dreams/wiki/SD2.0ManualInGame/|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - SD 2.0 Manual - In-game|date=27–28 December 2012|access-date=21 June 2020|last=florian.schueller|first=Simon}}</ref>

An on-line multiplayer mode was developed for version 2.0, but wasn't included in the official release because it was not yet fully stable.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lffl.org/2012/04/speed-dreams-20-rilasciato-ecco-come.html|title=Speed Dreams 2.0 rilasciato, ecco come installarlo su Ubuntu|date=26 April 2012|access-date=27 April 2012|language=it|last=Ferramosca|first=Roberto}}</ref>

===Penalties===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} has inherited from TORCS a per-driver penalty system. Penalties are triggered by violations to pit lane rules: breaking the speed limit in the pit lane (90 [[Kilometres per hour|km/h]]) results in a drive-through penalty, while crossing the pit lane border produces a stop-and-go penalty.
Penalties have to be cleared within five laps since the notification; disobeying drivers are automatically excluded from the race.<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=2873467|title=Races rules added|date=2003-11-23|access-date=22 December 2011|mailing-list=torcs-devel|last=Espié|first=Eric}}</ref>

===Cameras===
Several different [[Software:Virtual camera system|camera]] modes are available, covering different cockpit and outside views. The "TV director" camera mode makes use of segment-by-segment cameras defined by each track, automatically focusing on interesting events of a race. Each camera mode can be independently zoomed in and out. No free camera is available as of version 2.0.

===Time warping===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} inherited from TORCS the possibility to accelerate and slow down the simulation; release 2.0 of the project extended this feature so that, while keeping constant the actual duration of the simulated frame, the rendered simulation speed could range from 64 times slower to 16 times faster than default, with increment steps of powers of 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://speed-dreams.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/speed-dreams?view=revision&revision=3657|title=Speed Dreams SVN repository logs - Revision 3657|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe|date=3 June 2011|access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref> To achieve such acceleration, more frames have to be rendered within the same actual time:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://speed-dreams.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/speed-dreams/trunk/src/modules/userinterface/legacymenu/racescreens/racerunningmenus.cpp?revision=4590&view=markup|title=Speed Dreams SVN - racerunningmenus.cpp|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Mungewell|first2=Simon|date=11 March 2011 – 18 March 2012|access-date=9 May 2012|quote=Accelerate time means reduce the simulation time step}}</ref> hence the accordingly higher computing power required by this feature.

==Content==
The whole artwork shipped since version 1.4.0 is licensed under the [[Software:Free Art License|Free Art License]].

===File formats===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} makes an extensive use of plain-text files throughout its content. Used to define settings for cars (about 200 customizable values), tracks, in-game menus, game options and robot engines, XML markup accounts for about 40% of the whole project's code.
As for 3D models, there was maintained the .acc format, TORCS evolution of the equally plain-text [[Software:AC3D#3D files|.ac]] format from [[Software:AC3D|AC3D]] allowing [[Smoothing|smoothing]] and [[Shadow mapping|shadow mapping]] on the model.
Although changes to the file formats introduced new features, [[Backward compatibility|backward compatibility]] was preserved: {{em|Speed Dreams}} can load cars, tracks and robots designed for TORCS. The opposite is only partially true, as TORCS can't handle the unknown parameters from {{em|Speed Dreams}}.

===Cars===

====Car features====
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Speed Dreams vs TORCS - reflections.png
| alt1              = Front view of a racing car split by a bright line; the right part shows more vivid reflections.
| caption1          = Comparison of the reflections system of TORCS 1.3.3 (left) and Speed Dreams 2.0 (right).
| image2            = Speed Dreams Archer-R9 Uguu preview.jpg
| alt2              = A racing car inside a garage.
| caption2          = Official preview of the Archer R9 car model with the "Uguu" livery (Speed Dreams 2.0).
}}
{{em|Speed Dreams}} inherited from TORCS the handling of some graphics features such as custom 3D wheels, working [[Engineering:Headlamp|lights]] (front, rear, brake and reverse) and glowing [[Engineering:Disc brake|brake disks]];<ref>{{cite thesis|type=Project Thesis for requirement of the award of Master of Engineering in Information and Communication Technology|chapter=2.1 "Existing Open Source Simulators"|page=11|title=Physics Simulation for an Automotive Simulator|chapter-url=http://csse.uwa.edu.au/cig08/Proceedings/papers/8065.pdf|last=Dike|first=Neha|publisher=University of Western Australia|date=31 October 2008|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref>
new features introduce support for animated drivers and [[Engineering:Steering wheel|steering wheel]]s, first used on the 1936 Grand Prix class cars, and improved [[Reflection mapping|environment mapping]] for more realistic reflections.
As there isn't support for dynamic shading, each car defines a shadow image that is projected under the car's model. Several [[Level of detail (computer graphics)|levels of detail]] are supported for each car model in order to improve simulation performance, although − for size reasons − the official release ships only one.
Since version 2.0 the user is enabled to choose among different liveries for each car, which affect the car's exterior paint, wheels and interior appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/ticket/138|title=Speed Dreams Trac system ticket #138 "Task D29 : Car preview and selectable livery"|date=20 July 2010 – 21 August 2011|access-date=28 April 2012|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Say|first2=Haruna}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/CustomCarLiveries|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - Custom car liveries|date=17 October 2010 – 21 August 2011|access-date=28 April 2012|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> About 250 liveries, between player and robots skins, are shipped with the 2.0.0 release. A static [[Preview (computing)|preview]] of the car's appearance is displayed during the car's selection: a special "garage" track was created with the purpose of shooting preview images.<ref>{{cite mailing list |url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=27679829 |title=Preview images (ls1-zentek-z7r) |date=20 June 2011 |access-date=23 January 2012 |mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel |last=Vives Piqueres |first=Jaime}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list |url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=27739489 |title=SD showroom/garage track |date=2 July 2011 |access-date=23 January 2012 |mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel |last=Vives Piqueres |first=Jaime}}</ref>

====Available cars====
Available cars are grouped into categories, usually containing 6 to 8 models of comparable performances and size.
Release 2.0 features 44 official cars spread among 6 categories:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Category name !! Description
|-
| 1936 Grand Prix || Cars from the pre-World War II era of Grand-Prix racing
|-
| TORCS Racing Board 1 || Highly modified version of the original TRB1 car set from TORCS
|-
| Supercars || A set of six sports cars in their production state, meant to introduce novice drivers into {{em|Speed Dreams}}
|-
| Long Day Series GT1 || Top-end sports cars modified for endurance racing, modeled after the real-world GT1 class
|-
| Long Day Series GT2 || Other sport cars with less engine power
|-
| Monoposto 5 || Loosely based on the British Formula Ford specifications
|-
| World Rally Series || Offroad/Rally cars still under development
|}
There are 26 more cars under development inside {{em|Speed Dreams}}' SVN repository, covering various classes of open wheel racing.

Some models available in {{em|Speed Dreams}}, and especially the content inherited from TORCS, are inspired from the design of existing racing cars; in order to avoid possible legal issues, the names of manufacturers, of brands and of models were replaced by fictional ones before release 1.4.0.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - Naming rules|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/NamingRules|access-date=30 April 2012|date=20 December 2009 – 3 August 2010|last1=Meuret|first1=Jean-Philippe|last2=Bertaux|first2=Xavier}}</ref>

[[File:SD-TCSE.png|thumb|right|alt=Screenshot showing the rear of a racing car and - on the right - a menu for customizing options.|The 3D viewer of TCSE.]]

====External tools====
The Torcs Car Setup Editor, generally shortened to TCSE, is a cross-platform program written in C++ by Vicente Martí Centelles; it allows to set up all the car's XML parameters from a graphical interface; it can automatically compute many values, draw different charts of the car's performance and display a 3D dynamic preview of the car's appearance.<ref>{{cite web|last=Martí Centelles|first=Vicente|title=Torcs Car Setup Editor v0.11|url=http://usuarios.multimania.es/f1torcs/tcse/torcs_car_setup_editor.html|access-date=30 April 2012|year=2008}}</ref>

===Tracks===
[[Image:Speed Dreams Track Subsegments-Sections animation.gif|alt=An asphalt road seen from top, with a progressive overlay.|Sections and subsegments in a turn: general layout (<span style="color:#00ffff;">light blue</span>), main track (black), borders (<span style="color:#ff3700;">red</span>), sides (<span style="color:#63bd0a;">green</span>) and barriers (<span style="color:magenta;">purple</span>)|thumb|right|300px]]

====Track system description====
A {{em|Speed Dreams}} track is defined as a list of segments: straights and left/right turns.<ref name=ArchiveTrackDesc>{{cite web|url=http://torcs.free.fr/manual/track.html |title=TORCS manual - track definition |access-date=21 January 2012 |last1=Espié |first1=Eric |last2=Guionneau |first2=Christophe |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020223235124/http://torcs.free.fr/manual/track.html |archive-date=February 23, 2002 }}</ref><ref name=RobotTutorial-1.3>{{cite web|url=http://www.berniw.org/torcs/robot/ch1/basic-drive-1.html|title=TORCS Robot Tutorial - 1.3 Make the Robot Drive|access-date=21 January 2012|last=Wymann|first=Bernhard}}</ref> Every segment is divided into four sections: main track, sides, borders and [[Engineering:Traffic barrier|barriers]]. These sections are customizable in terms of width, graphics, physics behaviour, etc.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kmetyko|first=Gábor|title=Borders, sides, barriers|url=http://dev-kilo.blogspot.com/2012/02/borders-sides-barriers.html|access-date=3 March 2012|date=28 February 2012}}</ref>  Track segments are split into more sub-segments in order to get a smoother result on the graphics and on the physics side through [[Interpolation|interpolation]].<ref name=ArchiveTrackDesc /><ref name=RobotTutorial-1.3 /> As a result of this segment-based structure, tracks are limited by left and right boundaries: the physics engine restricts the area where cars can be driven so that no car can actually cross the boundaries, except while being excluded from the race, when it is no more subject to physics. As of release 2.0.0-rc1, {{em|Speed Dreams}} supports only a fixed width value for the "main track" section; variable width is simulated by property tweaks to borders and sides, which instead offer customizable width.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sumner|first1=Andrew|last2=Meuret|first2=Jean-Philippe|title=Speed Dreams Trac system - ticket #479 "Variable width track segments"|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/ticket/479|access-date=27 January 2012|date=26 October 2011}}</ref>

====Available track categories====
Traditionally, TORCS tracks had been divided in 3 categories: road, dirt and oval; the Grand Prix Circuits category was newly introduced in {{em|Speed Dreams}} to gather the available race tracks. 
Release 2.0 of {{em|Speed Dreams}} offers 44 official tracks spread among 4 categories:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Category name !! Description
|-
| Road tracks || Tracks laid out on fictional public roads, in a wide variety of environments
|-
| Speedways || Oval tracks with an asphalt surface
|-
| Grand Prix Circuits || Race tracks, both fictional and designed after real tracks layouts, with a rich 3D environment.
|-
| Dirt tracks || Short and [[Engineering:Speed bump|bumpy]] tracks with dirt or ice surfaces
|}

[[Image:SD-TrackEditor v0.62c.png|alt=Screenshot of a GUI program, displaying a track outline and - on the left - a "Properties" window.|The main window of the track editor by Charalampos Alexandropoulos. On the left, the "General" tab of the "Properties" window, useful for customizing the track's name, path, author and description.|thumb|left]]

====External tools====
Text files describing the track's structure and 3D model are often too intricate to be edited as plain text; hence the need of external tools developed to help with track creation.
The most popular [[Graphical user interface|graphical]] track editor, originally developed for TORCS in [[Java (programming language)|Java]] by Charalampos Alexandropoulos, features [[Slider (computing)|slider widgets]] to edit most parameters and a real-time 2D preview of the track's [[Wire-frame model|wireframe]] appearance; as a downside, it doesn't support parameters newly introduced in {{em|Speed Dreams}}, such as the ones related to the dynamic sky dome.
A new track editor, by Mart Kelder of the {{em|Speed Dreams}} team, is under development inside the SVN repository of the main project.
The track's 3D description is a plain text AC/ACC file usually generated by a [[Command-line interface|command-line]] script named trackgen. This tool supports the use of [[Heightmap|heightmap]]s and object maps to enhance the quality of the final result. Official tracks of the {{em|Speed Dreams 2.0}} release feature baked (static) [[Shadow mapping|shadow mapping]], achieved using trackgen in conjunction with external [[Software:3D computer graphics software|3D computer graphics software]]. While the .AC format is natively handled by the [[Software:AC3D|AC3D]] software, an ACC importing/exporting script makes [[Software:Blender|Blender]] a common choice among designers for providing tracks with complex objects.
An application for automated track generation, named "Interactive Track Generator for TORCS and Speed Dreams", was developed at the Dipartimento di Elettronica e Informazione ([[Engineering:Information and communications technology|ICT]]) of the Italian Politecnico di Milano university. The project aims at applying evolutionary computing, through the use of [[Genetic programming|genetic programming]], for a procedural generation of TORCS/Speed Dreams tracks. The generator was tuned with the help of human interaction and produces a continuous on-line stream of new track outlines, each with a set of different scenarios available.

==Development==
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===Requirements===
As of version 2.0, {{em|Speed Dreams}} still relies on OpenGL 1.3 for rendering. Due to the new graphical and physical features, computing power required has risen compared to TORCS. Yet, the use of PLIB, which doesn't need support for [[Software:OpenGL#OpenGL 2.0|OpenGL 2]], still lets {{em|Speed Dreams}} run on old - back to 2001 - video cards.
In order to increase the performance of the simulation, dual threading was introduced in version 1.4.0: dividing the simulation work between a physics and a graphics thread allows the program to take advantage from [[Multi-core processor|multi-core CPUs]].

===Underlying software===
The core architecture, which is still quite the same of TORCS, features a flexible structure that loads as separated modules the components of the simulation, such as the physics, graphics and robot engines. The graphics engine, PLIB's SimpleSceneGraph, offers high-level access to OpenGL functions; PLIB is also a possible choice to deal with sound, the other one − selectable by the user − being [[Software:OpenAL|OpenAL]]. Another legacy from TORCS was the need of freeglut, which was removed after version 1.4.0. An SDL-port of the code, in order to get rid of the need of freeglut, was active from October 2008 to February 2010, when it was merged with the main project's trunk; however, in some distributions freeglut still figures as a dependency for the {{em|Speed Dreams}} packages. The ENet library was used during the development of network play; while this feature was not released in version 2.0.0, it remained as a dependency in most packages. In the first months since the project's birth, the build system was moved from make to the more advanced CMake.

==The project==
According to the community leaders, the project was born as a reaction to the slow development pace and the lack of willingness to integrate some new features, like Force Feedback, into TORCS code. At start the team was composed by only two developers, both from France; by the end of 2008 it had been joined by 5 more members, mostly old TORCS contributors who shared the above frustration. Accessions didn't cease during the following years, and release 2.0 was issued by an international development team numbering 12 people from 8 countries and 3 continents.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speed Dreams Wiki - The people behind|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/wiki/ThePeopleBehind?version=18|access-date=18 April 2012|date=19 February 2011|last1=Kmetyko|first1=Gábor|last2=Say|first2=Haruna|last3=Bertaux|first3=Xavier|last4=Meuret|first4=Jean-Philippe|last5=Mattea|first5=Enrico}}</ref>

[[Image:Torcs-NG-pylon2.png|thumb|right|alt=A dark-backgrounded image with the text "The Open Racing Car Simulator NG"|The Torcs-NG logo as it appeared in 2009 on a pylon texture]]

===History===
The content of the r1-3-1 branch of the TORCS CVS repository was forked into a new SVN repository on 14 September 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speed Dreams SVN repository logs - Revision 1|url=http://speed-dreams.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/speed-dreams?view=revision&revision=1|access-date=17 February 2012|date=14 September 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=20675139|title=simuv2 version|date=30 October 2008|access-date=8 March 2012|mailing-list=torcs-ng-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> At first the name chosen for the project was "Torcs-NG" (Next Generation). After a year of development, in August 2009 the development team decided to sever ties with the parent project: there followed a long discussion about a new name to adopt, in which "{{em|Speed Dreams}}" was selected by means of a developer community vote.<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=23253416|title=Breaking away from TORCS?|date=5 August 2009|access-date=17 February 2012|mailing-list=torcs-ng-devel|last=Say|first=Haruna}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Torcs-ng-dev Jabber chat room log - 8 August 2009|url=http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/torcs-ng-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2009-08-08.txt|access-date=17 February 2012|date=8 August 2009|last1=Kelder|first1=Mart|last2=Bertaux|first2=Xavier|last3=Gavin|first3=Brian|last4=Beelitz|first4=Wolf-Dieter|last5=Meuret|first5=Jean-Philippe|archive-date=19 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719035027/http://chat.jabberfr.org/logs/torcs-ng-dev@chat.jabberfr.org/2009-08-08.txt|url-status=dead}}</ref> The "non-free" content inherited from TORCS was also moved to an unmaintained "legacy" branch and replaced with new cars, tracks and robot engines.<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=4AA27761.2020704%40free.fr&forum_name=speed-dreams-devel|title=Cleanup trunk from non delivered cars and robots|date=5 September 2009|access-date=17 February 2012|mailing-list=torcs-ng-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> The first public release was then issued on March 27, 2010 as "{{em|Speed Dreams}} 1.4.0", preserving the old versioning system of TORCS.<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=24872077|title=Final 1.4.0 available on SF.net|date=27 March 2010|access-date=17 February 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lindner|first=Mirko|title=Speed Dreams 1.4.0 freigegeben|url=http://www.pro-linux.de/news/1/15564/speed-dreams-140-freigegeben.html|access-date=17 February 2012|date=18 April 2010|language=de}}</ref> However, for some reason, the release wasn't publicly advertised until April 14;<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=900430959.14016991271242420950.JavaMail.root%40zimbra16-e3.priv.proxad.net&forum_name=speed-dreams-devel|title=Advertising time for 1.4.0|date=14 April 2010|access-date=6 May 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> five days later, the number of daily downloads reached 4,120. The development of the next version was started immediately after the release, and four months later the first alpha of {{em|Speed Dreams 2.0}} was issued. According to the release plan, the final release should have been delivered by the end of 2010;<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626073323/http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/roadmap|title=Speed Dreams Trac system - Roadmap|archive-date=26 June 2010|access-date=6 May 2012|url=http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/speed-dreams/roadmap}}</ref> however, development progressed more slowly than expected, and only after 18 months, 5 [[Software release life cycle#Stages of development|development releases]] and more than 2,000 code changes a release candidate of version 2.0 was issued (January 15, 2012).<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=20120115201917.Horde.w_JkSaGZi1VPEya1No9Wq7A%40www.premium-webmail.de&forum_name=speed-dreams-devel|title=2.0.0 RC1|date=15 January 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> The final version was finally released on April 8, 2012,<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=29098927|title=WIP final packaging work for 2.0.0|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|date=7 April 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|last=Meuret|first=Jean-Philippe}}</ref> the most prominent improvements being reworked reflections and menus, and the introduction of Career mode, dynamic weather, SimuV2.1 and dual-threading.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ubuntuvibes.com/2012/04/speed-dreams-20-released-with-new-cars.html|title=Speed Dreams 2.0 Released with New Cars, Career Mode and More|date=29 April 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|author=Nitesh|publisher=Ubuntu Vibes}}</ref> Again, the official announcement came with a delay of some weeks;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/speed_dreams/status/195128518198312960|title=Twitter - @speed_dreams|date=25 April 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|last=Jäger|first=Eckhard M.}}</ref> download figures started rising only after advertising began (25 April 2012)<ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=4FA12CCD.60906%40virgilio.it&forum_name=speed-dreams-devel|title=Did we announce SD 2.0 now?|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|date=25 April – 2 May 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|last1=Mungewell|first1=Simon|last2=Kmetyko|first2=Gábor|last3=Heni|first3=Sebastian|last4=Mattea|first4=Enrico}}</ref> and reached about 500/day.

===Community===
Among the declared aims of the project, since its start, was a particular care to the players community, namely taking more into account the feedback and suggestions of the end-users;<ref name=AboutSD /> for this reason, a number of new communication channels were opened. First were the user and developer [[Electronic mailing list|mailing lists]] on SourceForge.net: created along with the main project, they remain by far the most used channel, the speed-dreams-devel list having reached a milestone of 10,000 messages on March 16, 2012;<ref group=lower-alpha>The 10,000th message was, for a peculiar circumstance, an announcement related to this Wikipedia article; it can be found [http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=4F637DC2.4030403%40virgilio.it&forum_name=speed-dreams-devel here].</ref> there followed public forums on SourceForge.net, which, however, were never widely used; an official [[Company:Twitter|Twitter]] account was created two weeks before the release of version 1.4.0: as of May 2012, it is followed by 147 subscribers and has sent 124 tweets. In the end of 2011, the project created official pages on the popular [[Social:Social network|social network]]s [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]] and [[Social:Google+|Google+]].

===Distribution and packaging===
Official releases include a source code package and a Windows installer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/files/2.0.0|title=Speed Dreams: an Open Motorsport Sim - Browse /2.0.0|publisher=SourceForge.net|date=8–9 April 2012|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref> However, Linux users aren't forced to compile the source code: binary packages are available, either provided within a [[Software:Linux distribution|distribution]] or through external repositories. The first package made available was an Ubuntu .deb of version 1.4.0, created by PlayDeb.net. As it didn't get updated for development releases of version 2.0, the {{em|Speed Dreams}} team created an official PPA on [[Software:Launchpad (website)|Launchpad]]; as of May 2012, {{em|Speed Dreams}} is packaged for the following distributions:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Distribution name!! Notes
|-
| [[Software:Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]] || Xtradeb.net<ref>{{cite web|title=XtraDeb.net - information for Speed Dreams|url=https://xtradeb.net/play/speed-dreams/|access-date=13 September 2021}}</ref> 
|-
| [[Software:Debian|Debian]] || User-built package on SourceForge.net (1.4.0)<ref>{{cite web|title=Forziere di Morg4n|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/forzieremorg4n/files/Speed%20Dreams%20per%20Debian%20Lenny%20a%2064%20bit/|date=26–29 April 2010|access-date=13 March 2012}}</ref>
|-
| [[Software:Arch Linux|Arch Linux]] || "Community" repository (2.0.0 i686 and x86_64) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archlinux.org/packages/community/i686/speed-dreams|title=Arch Linux - speed-dreams 2.0.0-1|date=27–28 April 2012|access-date=5 May 2012|last=Haase|first=Sven-Hendrik}}</ref>
|-
| [[Software:Mageia|Mageia]] || Provided with Mageia's development release Cauldron (2.0.0)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rpmfind.net/linux/RPM/mageia/cauldron/i586/media/core/release/speed-dreams-2.0.0-1.mga2.i586.html|title=speed-dreams-2.0.0-1.mga2 RPM for i586|date=9 April 2012|access-date=5 May 2012|last=Bertaux|first=Xavier}}</ref>
|-
| [[Software:Fedora (operating system)|Fedora]] || Official 1.4.0 packages for Mandriva have been reported to work fine;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://linuxsoftwareblog.com/?p=600|title=Installing Speed Dreams in Fedora|date=3 September 2010|access-date=5 May 2012|last=Stewart|first=Rob}}</ref> An [[Software:RPM Package Manager|RPM]] source package of version 2.0.0 is also available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dev.speed-dreams.org/Martin|title=Building Speed Dreams 2.0 binaries for Fedora 16/17/18|access-date=23 June 2012|last=Gansser|first=Martin|archive-date=24 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624184614/http://dev.speed-dreams.org/Martin/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[Software:Slackware|Slackware]] || Packages provided by SlackBuilds.org (2.0.0-rc1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slackbuilds.org/repository/13.37/games/speed-dreams|title=SlackBuilds.org - Speed Dreams|author=powtrix|access-date=8 May 2012}}</ref>
|-
| Frugalware || Build files − allowing to compile the source code − provided since version 1.6 (1.4.0)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftp.free.org/pub/frugalware/frugalware-1.6/source/games-extra/speed-dreams|title=Index of /pub/frugalware/frugalware-1.6/source/games-extra/speed-dreams|date=4 August 2010|access-date=7 May 2012}}</ref>
|-
| Gentoo || [[Software:Ebuild|ebuild]] provided within Gentoo repository (1.4.0)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sources.gentoo.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/gentoo-x86/games-sports/speed-dreams|title=Index of /games-sports/speed-dreams|date=16 March 2012|access-date=6 May 2012|last=Tupone|first=Alfredo}}</ref>
|-
| [[Organization:OpenSUSE|openSUSE]] || Packages provided by the openSUSE build service (2.0.0)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://build.opensuse.org/package/binaries?package=speed-dreams&project=games&repository=openSUSE_Factory|title=Repository state of speed-dreams|date=5 May 2012|access-date=8 May 2012}}</ref>
|-
| live.linuX-gamers.net || Provided on the live DVD of the gaming distribution linuX-gamers.net (1.4.0)<ref>{{cite web|title=lglive git - games/speed-dreams/info|url=https://github.com/svenstaro/lglive/blob/0.9.7/games/speed-dreams/info|date=27 April 2011|access-date=13 March 2012|last=Haase|first=Sven-Hendrik|website=[[GitHub]] }}</ref>
|-
|[[AppImage]]
|Official package located on [[Software:SourceForge|Sourceforge]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Speed Dreams : an Open Motorsport Sim - Browse Files at SourceForge.net|url=https://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/files/|access-date=2021-12-09|website=sourceforge.net}}</ref> Mirror in AppImageHub<ref>{{Cite web|title=Speed Dreams|url=https://www.appimagehub.com/p/1666010/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=www.appimagehub.com|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Software:Flatpak|Flatpak]]
|Package provided by Flathub repository <ref>{{Cite web|title=Flathub—An app store and build service for Linux|url=https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.speed_dreams.SpeedDreams|access-date=2021-12-09|website=flathub.org}}</ref>
|}
A port of version 1.4.0 for the [[Software:Haiku (operating system)|Haiku]] operating system was reported in August 2010 and was made available on Haikuware.com in April 2011; according to the packager, only minor changes to the code were needed to get {{em|Speed Dreams}} running.<ref>{{cite web|title=PLIB libraries & examples|url=http://haikuware.com/directory/view-details/development/class-libraries/plib-libraries-examples#comment-6323|date=7 August 2010|access-date=13 March 2012|last=de Oliveira|first=Michael Vinícius}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Speed Dreams|url=http://haikuware.com/directory/view-details/games/3d/speed-dreams|date=25 April 2011|access-date=13 March 2012|last=de Oliveira|first=Michael Vinícius|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708164722/http://haikuware.com/directory/view-details/games/3d/speed-dreams|archive-date=8 July 2012}}</ref>

{{em|Speed Dreams}} was made available also on the digital distribution platform [[Software:Desura|Desura]] in March 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desura.com/games/speed-dreams/news/speed-dreams-released-on-desura|title=Speed Dreams released on Desura|date=18 March 2012|access-date=5 May 2012|last=Jung|first=Tim}}</ref> This platform was the first to publish the Windows binary packages for version 2.0, just two days after they were officially released. As of 10 May 2012, the project is ranked 276 out of 6,558 projects.<ref name="DesuraMain">{{cite web|url=http://www.desura.com/games/speed-dreams|title=Speed Dreams|last=Mungewell|first=Simon}}</ref>

====Commercial redistribution====
In April 2012 the development team was made aware of a commercial derivative of {{em|Speed Dreams}}. Initially believed to be a clone of TORCS, the product - published by the German company jalada GmbH - had been [[Social:Rebranding|rebranded]] as ''jalada Ultimate Racing'' and sold for 12.09 € since August 2011.<ref>{{cite web|last=jaladaGmbH|title=Twitter - @jaladaGmbH|url=https://twitter.com/jaladaGmbH/status/98864845348290560|access-date=13 April 2012|date=3 August 2011|quote=Start your engine and immerse yourself with care racing game "jalada Ultimate Racing".}}</ref> The publisher claimed features such as force feedback support, and a Mac OS X port available at the same price. Although the GNU General Public License allows reselling of free software, this commercial redistribution doesn't comply with the requirement of express attribution to the original authors which is stated by the Free Art License, applied to the whole artwork of {{em|Speed Dreams}}.

===Critical reception===
{{em|Speed Dreams}} has received a wide variety of reviews, on technology websites, distribution platforms and open source software websites.
Immediately after the release of version 1.4.0, {{em|Speed Dreams}} reached the first place in the "les plus populaires" ("the most popular") user ranking on the French free gaming portal JeuxLibres.net;<ref>{{cite web|title=JeuxLibres.net - classement - les plus populaires|year=2010|access-date=16 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404082418/http://jeuxlibres.net/topgame/votes.html|archive-date=4 April 2010|url=http://jeuxlibres.net/topgame/votes.html}}</ref>  as of April 2012, the project still maintains the second place.
Published in the November 7, 2011 issue of the German computer magazine ''c't'', a review of {{em|Speed Dreams}} 2.0-beta1 pointed out the quality of cars' physics and race balancing.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Schmitz|first=Reinhard|title=Springer, Schwinger und Strategen|journal=C't|date=7 November 2011|volume=2011 |issue=24|pages=133|language=de|issn=0724-8679|url=http://www.heise.de/artikel-archiv/ct/2011/24/124_Software-Kollektion-Spiele-fuer-jeden-Geschmack|quote=Allerdings haben die Speed-Dreams-Entwickler besonderes Augenmerk auf die Fahrphysik und auf die Rennbalance gelegt.}}</ref><ref>{{cite mailing list|url=http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=28214813|title=SD for c't computer magazine|date=11 November 2011|access-date=11 February 2012|mailing-list=speed-dreams-devel|last=Kmetyko|first=Gábor}}</ref>
In 2011, {{em|Speed Dreams}} was among the 23 candidates for the "Mejor juego libre" ("Best free game") prize by PortalProgramas, achieving the 13th place.<ref>{{cite web|title=Premios PortalProgramas 2010 al software libre|url=http://www.portalprogramas.com/software-libre/premios/mejor-juego-libre|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110103173207/http://www.portalprogramas.com/software-libre/premios/mejor-juego-libre|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2011|access-date=4 February 2012|year=2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Speed Dreams nominado a los Premios PortalProgramas 2010 como Mejor juego libre|access-date=4 February 2012|year=2010|url=http://www.portalprogramas.com/software-libre/premios/proyecto/72|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110103194842/http://www.portalprogramas.com/software-libre/premios/proyecto/72|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2011}}</ref>
As of May 2012, the project's files have been downloaded 595,000 times from the SF.net portal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Download Statistics: All Files|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/files/stats/timeline?dates=2008-03-29+to+2012-05-03|date=29 March 2008 – 3 May 2012|access-date=3 May 2012}}</ref> This figure, though, is disputable because of the [[Software:SourceForge#Attacks on SourceForge.net|January 2011 attacks on SourceForge.net]].{{#tag:ref|On 25 and 26 January 2011, download figures reached respectively 17,340 and 11,366: up to 20 times the number of average daily downloads of the previous week, without any new file release from the project.<ref>{{cite web|title=Download Statistics: All Files|url=http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/files/stats/timeline?dates=2011-01-22+to+2011-01-29|access-date=3 March 2012|date=22–29 January 2011}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} More relevant are then the average periodic data, reaching about 1600 weekly downloads − or 230 per day − in the first months of 2012.
As of May 2012, the project has received an average user rating of 88% out of 95 reviews on SourceForge.net portal. On the [[Software:Linux gaming|Linux gaming]] portal Penguspy, at the same date, {{em|Speed Dreams}} had received a mark of 9.49/10 out of 65 votes, which earned the project the first place within the "Racing" category, and the 18th place overall (8th considering only the open source games). On [[Software:Desura|Desura]], in the same period, the project's score was of 6/10 out of 90 reviews; the discrepancy can be interpreted as a result of the coexistence − on this platform − of both open source and proprietary video games.

==See also==
* [[Software:TORCS|TORCS]], the parent project of {{em|Speed Dreams}}
* [[Software:RARS|RARS]], the parent project of TORCS
* [[Software:VDrift|VDrift]], another open source racing simulation
* [[Software:Sim racing|Sim racing]]
* [[Software:List of open-source video games|List of open-source video games]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{Details|topic=the core architecture, data formats and structures, car setups, track parameters and research projects based on TORCS/Speed Dreams codebase|TORCS#Further reading}}
*{{cite web|url=https://sourceforge.net/p/speed-dreams/wiki/Home/|title=Speed Dreams Wiki|date=2009–2016|author=The Speed Dreams team}}
*{{cite journal|last=Tanitimi|first=Oyun|date=June 2011|title=Speed Dreams|journal=GNU Pardus-Linux.org E-magazine|issue=32|publisher=www.pardus-linux.org|pages=32–40|url=http://www.pardus-linux.org/dosyalar/dergi_dosyalar/Pardus-Linux.Org_eDergi_32.pdf|language=tr|access-date=8 May 2012}}
*{{cite journal|last=Schmitz|first=Reinhard|title=Springer, Schwinger und Strategen|journal=C't|date=7 November 2011|volume=2011 |issue=24|pages=133|language=de|issn=0724-8679|url=http://www.heise.de/artikel-archiv/ct/2011/24/124_Software-Kollektion-Spiele-fuer-jeden-Geschmack}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.linux-community.de/Internal/Artikel/Online-Artikel/Das-Spiel-zum-Wochenende-Speed-Dreams-2.0|title=The game of the weekend: Speed Dreams 2.0|last=Schürmann|first=Tim|language=de|date=28 April 2012|access-date=8 May 2012}}

==External links==
;General
*[https://www.speed-dreams.net/en/ Speed Dreams] official website
*[http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams Speed Dreams : an Open Motorsport Sim] project page on SourceForge.net
*[http://www.happypenguin.org/show?Speed%20Dreams Speed Dreams] on the Linux Game Tome
*[http://www.penguspy.com/speed-dreams Speed Dreams] on PenguSpy
*[http://jeuxlibres.net/showgame/speed_dreams.html Speed Dreams] on JeuxLibres.net

;Official communication channels
*[https://twitter.com/speed_dreams Speed Dreams] on Twitter
*[https://plus.google.com/109227279283636251866/posts Speed Dreams] on Google+
*[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Speed-Dreams/132990223468917 Speed Dreams] on Facebook
*[http://community.speed-dreams.org Speed Dreams community] forums index page
*[http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=239111 Speed Dreams] mailing lists
*[http://sourceforge.net/projects/speed-dreams/forums Speed Dreams] forums on SourceForge.net

;Distribution and packaging
*[https://launchpad.net/~speed-dreams/+archive/ppa Speed-Dreams PPA: "Speed Dreams" team] on Launchpad
*[http://www.playdeb.net/software/Speed%20Dreams Speed Dreams] on PlayDeb.net
*[http://www.desura.com/games/speed-dreams Speed Dreams] on Desura
*[https://archive.today/20120708164722/http://haikuware.com/directory/view-details/games/3d/speed-dreams Speed Dreams] on haikuware.com

[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:AROS software]]
[[Category:Racing video games]]
[[Category:Racing simulators]]
[[Category:Open-source video games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Speed Dreams}}