Playing R4: Ridge Racer In Honor Of Its 25th Birthday (Linux, DuckStation)(Ryzen 3 3200G Pro)(OBS)

#ridgeracertype4 #Duckstation #anniversary 2024 11 10 10 31 19

Ridge Racer Type 4, released in 1998 (so it’s technically 26 years old this year, but as the dates in the game say 1999 I find 2024 to be the 25th anniversay of the game) for the original PlayStation, holds a special place in my hearts and the hearts of many fellow gamers. Developed by Namco, it was the fourth main entry in the Ridge Racer series and is often hailed as one of the best racing games of its era (albeit the arcade genre). The game was lauded for its cutting-edge graphics, which pushed the boundaries of what the PlayStation was capable of at the time. The use of Gouraud shading made it stand out among its contemporaries. (Gouraud shading, named after Henri Gouraud, is an interpolation method used in computer graphics to produce smooth shading on surfaces represented by polygon meshes. It works by calculating the lighting at the vertices of each polygon and then linearly interpolating the resulting colors across the surface. This technique is particularly useful for achieving continuous lighting on triangle meshes, making the surfaces appear smoother compared to flat shading. But Gouraud shading has its limitations. It can struggle with highly localized lighting effects, such as specular highlights, because these effects might not be accurately captured if they don’t occur at the vertices. Despite this, Gouraud shading is less computationally intensive than other methods like Phong shading, making it a popular choice in earlier computer graphics applications like this game on the Playstation).

The art direction, with its vibrant and stylish presentation, gave the game a unique aesthetic that set it apart from its peers. The soundtrack, featuring a mix of electronic, jazz, and funk tunes, was also highly praised and remains memorable and feels modern today.

One of the key aspects that made Ridge Racer Type 4 so special was its engaging gameplay and deep mechanics. It introduced a more narrative-driven experience with the Grand Prix mode, where players could choose from different teams and manufacturers, each with their own storylines and car designs. I play through the PAC-storyline here in this video. The handling model was refined, offering a satisfying balance between arcade-style fun and realistic control, making it accessible to new players while still challenging for veterans. As the game celebrates its 25th anniversary (sort of), it stands as a testament to the innovative design and lasting appeal of the Ridge Racer series The game still feels, sounds and looks modern to me still, although my judgement may be flawed and morphed by nostalgia.

Hardware used:
Real Ridge Racer Type 4 (NTSC) disc – created an ISO file turned that into CHD
Linux Mint 22 86_64bit
Ryzen3 3200GE Pro Lenovo Thinkcentre m75-q1 (AM4 Socket)
AMD Radeon Vega iGPU
16Gb DDR4 RAM 3200Mhz
OBS for capturing
Handbreak for Decoding

If you are curious about this game, it’s available on the PlayStation4/5 stores in the retro sections.

Thanks for watching – LactobacillusPrime

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