RE: Test Drive III: Time For Tea?

RE: Test Drive III: Time For Tea?

Monday 26th January 2015

Test Drive III: Time For Tea?

PH heads back to the dawn of driving simulations with an interactive TfT



We're going to try something a bit different today. Because, thanks to the online library of MS-DOS computer games, those of us of a certain age now have the chance to once again play the games that helped us misspend our youth. And those who are younger can look in amusement at what used to constitute computer entertainment 25 years ago.

That's a Lamborghini Diablo. Honest
That's a Lamborghini Diablo. Honest
The game we've chosen is Test Drive III: The Passion. Yes, The Passion. Test Drive was the first driving franchise, indeed it survived until impressively recently, and TD III was one of the very first games to launch with what teenagers at the time referred to in reverential tones as 'vector graphics' - i.e., polygons and a (very) vague representation of a three-dimensional world. Its big rival was Hard Drivin', which had better graphics but was far more boring. Prior to this, driving games had all been two dimensional 'scrollers' where you desperately tried to keep your car on a skinny track with a one-second horizon.

The game runs within an online DOS emulator that might well not like your machine - in our experience it's a bit hit and miss, and we couldn't get the sound to work. Which is why we've included this video so you can see what you've been missing. The game also features some very early copy protection, where a policeman asks you for a fact that was printed in the official handbook before allowing you to play the game. Don't worry if you've lost your Test Drive III documentation, it's been hacked so you just need to press one character and then press enter. You won't need a mouse - indeed, the game doesn't understand if you try to use one - navigate using the arrow keys, and driving is as simple as up for accelerate and then left and right.

Obstacles include this beautifully rendered cow
Obstacles include this beautifully rendered cow
Obviously the guys at Accolade were having some difficulties licensing cars, as choice is limited to a Lamborghini Diablo, Acura NSX, Dodge Stealth and two concepts, a Pininfarina Mythos and Chevrolet Cerv III. Test Drive II had a Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959! All cars seem to have a top speed of around 300mph, at which the whole game can be played; although you only have five lives to get to the end of the course. Oh, and the police will try and book you for speeding, which may or may not be the point of the game.

If you can spend more time driving than crashing then you're doing well. Tell us how you get on!

Watch the video here.

Play the game here.

 

And, for comparison purposes, here's Test Drive II (which was a scroller), and the far more advanced Test Drive 4 running on an original PlayStation.

[Source: Archive.org]

 

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

P4ROT

Original Poster:

1,219 posts

192 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Wow, I feel lucky to have grown up with the N64.

willisit

2,141 posts

230 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Not only do I remember that, but the first game on my Amiga. I loved that game... it's rubbish now, but back then, quite something.

I saw that just today (on the archive). I couldn't bring myself to try it - rose tinted glasses and all that wink

paulyv

1,017 posts

122 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Night Driver
Head On
Pole Position
Monaco GP
Spy Hunter
Chase HQ
Hard Drivin'
OutRun
Daytona USA
Riiiiidge Racer!
Sega Rally
F355 Challenge
Crazy Taxi

All of the above and doubtless others I have forgotten gobbled up my (or more accurately on many occasions my parents) hard earned cash over the years.

The graphics might look crude in Test Drive but as I remember Night Driver back in the late '70's was just white vertical lines on a black background which marked the edges of a supposed road ahead of you. It was still a thrill to get some understanding of what it must be like to drive a real car. Turns out the real thing was actually a whole lot easier than trying to man handle a few sprites around an increasingly busy screen whilst being observed intently by your classroom peers. THE PRESSURE!

EDIT: Yep - pretty simple graphics for Night Driver - get a load of this kids!



Edited by paulyv on Monday 26th January 16:07


Edited by paulyv on Monday 26th January 16:08

MrLizard

261 posts

182 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
paulyv said:
Night Driver
Head On
Pole Position
Monaco GP
Spy Hunter
Chase HQ
Hard Drivin'
OutRun
Daytona USA
Riiiiidge Racer!
Sega Rally
F355 Challenge
Crazy Taxi

All of the above and doubtless others I have forgotten gobbled up my (or more accurately on many occasions my parents) hard earned cash over the years.

The graphics might look crude in Test Drive but as I remember Night Driver back in the late '70's was just white vertical lines on a black background which marked the edges of a supposed road ahead of you. It was still a thrill to get some understanding of what it must be like to drive a real car. Turns out the real thing was actually a whole lot easier than trying to man handle a few sprites around an increasingly busy screen whilst being observed intently by your classroom peers. THE PRESSURE!
I had night driver on the Atari 2600, was easier with the colour switch on so the lines were pink or yellow, it always got to a point where it went so fast you were stuffed, sounds like you played the same stuff I did, which means you are missing the lotus challenge games and road rash =)

Mike Duff

11 posts

115 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I chose to write about Test Drive III because I bought it myself back in 1990. And £12.99 was a lot of pocket money back in those days...

Actus Reus

4,229 posts

154 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Had this on my Amiga when I was 12 years old. It may even be what got me into cars. Happy days.

urquattroGus

1,845 posts

189 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I liked LOTUS Turbo Challenge 1, II and III or whatever it was called on the Amiga.

Nigel Mainsail... and you could jump over logs/hitch patches of ice...

soad

32,825 posts

175 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Bloody hell, those graphics look basic!

Have played these series on the PlayStation - Test Drive 4, 5 (and possibly 6?). Featured Viper and Cobra among other cars. driving

pppppppppppppppp

169 posts

121 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I remember completing Test Drive 1 and feeling very pleased with myself. Test Drive 3 was very impressive for the time, especially as PCs were just for spreadsheets and other boring stuff at the time.

The latest in the series, Test Drive Unlimited 2 (catchy title) is a great game, as long as you have a decent steering wheel.

alpha channel

1,386 posts

161 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Nigel Mainsail? Aaaahh Super Cars 2, now there was a game that consumed a good chunk of my childhood, when I bought my CD32 one of the first games I bought was the Lotus trilogy. Very happy times.

B.J.W

5,782 posts

214 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I picked up a copy of Revs for the BBC B from a Jumble Sale for 50p. No instructions - just a tape and loading details. As with Elite, I put my life into Revs, my progress limited by the fact that learning the controls was trial and error as I didn't know what key did what. Finally getting the car down the straight was a triumph, getting it round the first corner without crashing a miracle. Completing my first race in last place felt like I'd won the F1 World Championship; finishing ahead of Miles Behind and other back markers proved that I was improving fast. Ultimately, I was taking on the game in professional mode and winning 20 lap races. The most difficult game to master I've ever played (except docking at Lave without a docking computer)

Fond memories of Ayrton Senna Super Monaco GP 2 on the mega drive as well.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
ultima VI smile


BlackPorker

378 posts

174 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Test Drive II wasn't a scroller. It was a first person perspective pseudo 3D game using sprites (for most objects) and vector graphics (for the road).

Europa1

10,923 posts

187 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
On the arcade game side of things, I used to love Outrun.

spitfire4v8

3,990 posts

180 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
^^ I had that lotus turbo challenge game for my old amiga .. and test drive 4 was great on PS1. I still have it boxedin along with nascar 98 and of course gran turismo 1 (mad catz force feedback wheel too ..) those were my introductions to gaming. Probably worth about 50p nowadays.

paulyv

1,017 posts

122 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Europa1 said:
On the arcade game side of things, I used to love Outrun.
Summer Breeze.

Neith

621 posts

139 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Never played this, I was far too invested in Lotus turbo challenge and the Jaguar XJ220 game for the Amiga. Moved onto Super Hang-on (Mega Drive) and then finally Gran Turismo. Still love playing Lotus Turbo Challenge though, brilliant retro game. The only Test Drive I've played is 4 so i'll check this out hehe

paulyv

1,017 posts

122 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
Mike Duff said:
I chose to write about Test Drive III because I bought it myself back in 1990. And £12.99 was a lot of pocket money back in those days...
£12.99 was a good bit of saving from any early morning paper round.

About the same time my mum bought my sister Space Ace for the Atari ST on her birthday...5 x 3.5 inch discs delivered in high quality full colour packaging, as well it should as it cost £45!!! You can imagine my mum's face when that very same afternoon my sister marched in to the kitchen to proudly announce she had finished it.

£45! Jesus.

Mr E

21,582 posts

258 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
I lost a lot of time to test drive II. Nailing past police cars at 200mph was always amusing.

soad said:
Bloody hell, those graphics look basic!
Seen worse. Much worse.


Scroll to about a minute in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz21qKtqWj0

This was considered rather advanced for a Z80.

Edited by Mr E on Monday 26th January 17:06

HDog

90 posts

188 months

Monday 26th January 2015
quotequote all
This was a brilliant game back in the day, I was addicted! It was the first simulation game that i played where you could just 'explore' each of the maps, e.g there were real intersections and multiple roads routes to choose from.