# XPilot

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/XPilot.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPilot
> Source revision: 1342196173
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Multiplayer video game

1992 video game

XPilot Screen capture of XPilot NG running under fvwm on Linux. Developer Various Platforms Unix-like, Windows, Mac OS, iOS Release 1992 Genres Multiplayer online game, multidirectional shooter Mode Multiplayer

***XPilot*** is a [multiplayer video game](/source/Multiplayer_video_game). It is [open source](/source/Open-source_video_game) and runs on many platforms. Although its [2D graphics](/source/2D_graphics) have improved over time, they still resemble the style of *[Thrust](/source/Thrust_(video_game))*. Gameplay includes [Capture the Flag](/source/Capture_the_Flag), base defense, [racing](/source/Racing_video_game) and [deathmatches](/source/Deathmatch_(gaming)). *XPilot* uses a [client–server](/source/Client%E2%80%93server) architecture, in which a central metaserver receives information from all *XPilot* [servers](/source/Server_(computing)) on the [Internet](/source/Internet).[1]

## History

In 1991, Bjørn Stabell and Ken Schouten, then [computer science](/source/Computer_science) undergraduates at the [University of Tromsø](/source/University_of_Troms%C3%B8), began writing *XPilot*, inspired by the earlier game *[Thrust](/source/Thrust_(video_game))*. It was originally developed in [C](/source/C_(programming_language)) on [HP9000](/source/HP9000) [workstations](/source/Workstation) which ran [Unix](/source/Unix). Soon after its first public release in 1992,[2] Stabell and Schouten began receiving feedback, suggestions, and patches from players all around the world. Other *XPilot* users wrote documentation and contributed source code to the project. By 1996, there were nearly one hundred *XPilot* servers worldwide.[1]

XPilot's code has been [forked](/source/Fork_(software_development)) several times. **XPilot5** is a complete rewrite of *XPilot* in [C++](/source/C%2B%2B). Unlike its predecessor, it comes with sound and is bundled with applications to configure the keyboard, ship shapes and behavior. The latest stable version of *XPilot5* is 5.0.0.[3] In late 2000, another group of developers began a branch of *XPilot*, later labeled **XPilot NG** (for next generation). Programmed in [C](/source/C_(programming_language)), it contains two [clients](/source/Client_(computing)), either [X11](/source/X11)-based or [SDL](/source/Simple_DirectMedia_Layer)/[OpenGL](/source/OpenGL)-based. Unlike the block-based maps of the original game, *XPilot NG* provides high [frame rates](/source/Frame_rate) and [polygon](/source/Polygon) maps. A new [Java](/source/Java_(programming_language)) based [map editor](/source/Map_editor) provides better map editing facilities. The latest version of *XPilot NG* is 4.7.2.[4] In 2009, 7b5 Labs released **XPilot iPhone**, an *XPilot* client for [Apple's](/source/Apple_Computer) [iPhone](/source/IPhone) and [iPod Touch](/source/IPod_Touch). It is based on *XPilot* and *XPilot NG* and uses [touchscreen](/source/Touchscreen) controls.[5] While these modern versions implement many new features, they are mostly compatible with the original program.

## Gameplay

The metaserver contains a list of all XPilot maps on the [Internet](/source/Internet).[1] These maps, created by users, feature several types of gameplay. In [deathmatches](/source/Deathmatch_(gaming)), points are earned by destroying other players or [robots](/source/Video_game_bot). Users can increase their [firepower](/source/Firepower) by picking up [items](/source/Item_(gaming)) such as [missiles](/source/Missile), [mines](/source/Land_mine) and [lasers](/source/Laser). Players can also defend themselves by gathering [cloaks](/source/Cloaking_device), [shields](/source/Shield), [ECMs](/source/Electronic_countermeasures) and [armor](/source/Armor). In racing maps, players earn points based on their finishing position. The objective of team games is to "destroy" the opponent's ball by placing it in the [treasure chest](/source/Treasure_chest). Team games may also be run in a slightly different [Capture the flag](/source/Capture_the_flag) mode.[6][7] Other modes exist, like trying to survive as long as possible surrounded by cannons, by dodging the bullets, or combinations of different modes.

## Community

*XPilot*'s in-game [chat](/source/Online_chat) and multiplayer functionality spawned the formation of a community. Contact between players was facilitated by [newsgroups](/source/Newsgroups) such as *alt.games.xpilot* and later *rec.games.computer.xpilot*. Since 1991, several annual team tournaments, known as "Cups", have been held.[8] After the first [HTML](/source/HTML) and image-rendering [web browsers](/source/Web_browser) were introduced, members of the community developed the game's online documentation.[1][6][7]

## See also

- [List of open source games](/source/List_of_open_source_games)

- [SubSpace (video game)](/source/SubSpace_(video_game))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-acm_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-acm_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-acm_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-acm_1-3) Stabell, Bjørn; Ken Ronny Schouten (1996). ["The Story of XPilot"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080531032533/http://www.acm.org/crossroads/xrds3-2/xpilot.html). *ACM Crossroads*. Archived from [the original](http://www.acm.org/crossroads/xrds3-2/xpilot.html) on 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2010-11-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-release_2-0)** ["XPilot v1.0.0 release post in USENET News Group alt.sources"](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.sources/VHGs4b-XGB8/nNSoFlqkrWEJ). Retrieved 2015-03-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Insectoid's Web Page"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090708023234/http://budwin.net/insectoid/xpilot/main/xpilot_main.htm). 2007. Archived from [the original](http://budwin.net/insectoid/xpilot/main/xpilot_main.htm#XPilot5) on July 8, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["About XPilot NG"](https://xpilot.sourceforge.net/about.html). XPilot NG. 2005. Retrieved 2009-08-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["XPilot iPhone"](http://7b5labs.com/xpilotiphone). 7b5 Labs. 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-02.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-jarno_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-jarno_6-1) ["Xpilot: The Newbieguide"](http://www.j-a-r-n-o.nl/newbie). Retrieved 2009-08-02.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-manual_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-manual_7-1) Gould, Karen; Erwin Zierler. ["The XPilot Newbie Manual"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070409194728/http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/erwin/NM/www/). Archived from [the original](http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/erwin/NM/www/) on 2007-04-09. Retrieved 2009-08-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-xpilot_8-0)** ["XPilot's Official Website"](http://www.xpilot.org/). Retrieved 2009-08-02.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.xpilot.org/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [XPilot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPilot) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPilot?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.