XPilot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids XPilot |
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Screen capture of XPilot NG running under fvwm on Linux.
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| Developer(s) | Various |
| Platform(s) | Unix-like, Windows, Mac OS, iOS |
| Release date(s) | 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Multiplayer online game, multidirectional shooter |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
XPilot is a fun multiplayer video game where many players can play together. It's an open-source game, which means its code is free for anyone to use and change. You can play it on many different computers and devices. Even though its graphics have gotten better, they still look a bit like the classic game Thrust. In XPilot, you can play different types of games like Capture the Flag, defending your base, racing, or deathmatches where you try to defeat other players. XPilot uses a special setup called a client–server system. This means a main computer, called a metaserver, helps all the XPilot games on the Internet connect and share information.
History of XPilot
In 1991, two computer science students, Bjørn Stabell and Ken Schouten, started creating XPilot. They were studying at the University of Tromsø and were inspired by an older game called Thrust. They first built the game using the C language on special Unix computers.
After they released the game to the public in 1992, players from all over the world started sending them ideas and improvements. Other XPilot fans even helped write instructions for the game and added their own code. By 1996, there were almost 100 XPilot game servers running around the world!
Over time, the game's code was used to create new versions, like different branches of a tree.
- XPilot5 was a complete rewrite of the game using a different programming language called C++. This new version added sound and came with tools to set up your keyboard, change your spaceship's look, and control how it moves.
- In the year 2000, another group of developers started a new version called XPilot NG, which stands for "Next Generation." This version was also made with the C language. It offered smoother graphics and a new Java-based tool to create better maps.
- In 2009, a company released XPilot iPhone. This version let people play XPilot on their Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch using touch controls.
Even with all these new features, most of the modern XPilot versions can still play together with the original game.
How to Play XPilot
The metaserver keeps a list of all the XPilot maps available online. Players create these maps, and they offer many different ways to play.
- In deathmatches, you earn points by destroying other players or computer-controlled robots. You can get more firepower by picking up items like missiles, mines, and lasers. To protect yourself, you can find cloaks (to become invisible), shields, ECMs (to block enemy attacks), and armor.
- In racing maps, you get points based on how fast you finish the race.
- In team games, the goal is to "destroy" the other team's ball by putting it into a treasure chest. Some team games are played like Capture the flag, where you try to grab the opponent's flag.
- Other game types include trying to survive as long as possible while dodging bullets from cannons, or combinations of different game modes.
XPilot Community
XPilot has in-game chat and multiplayer features that helped players form a strong community. Players talked to each other using online newsgroups like alt.games.xpilot. Since 1991, players have held yearly team tournaments, which they call "Cups." When the first web browsers came out, community members even helped create the game's online instructions.
See also
- List of open source games
