REVS
Cover art for the original Acornsoft release of REVS
Developer(s)	Geoff Crammond
Publisher(s)	Acornsoft (1984), Firebird (1985)
Designer(s)	Geoff Crammond
Release date(s)	Revs (BBC) - 1984, Revs (C64) - 1985
Genre(s)	Simulation
Mode(s)	Single player
Platform(s)	BBC Micro, Commodore 64
Media	Cassette, Floppy disk
Input	Keyboard, Joystick

REVS is a 1984 Formula Three simulator written initially for the BBC Micro by Geoff Crammond and published by Acornsoft that is notable for its realistic simulation of the sport and as a precursor to its author's later work on Formula One Grand Prix and its sequels. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 416 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (418 × 602 pixel, file size: 36 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)BBC Micro computer game REVS, cover art. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates computer or video games. ... Geoff Crammond signing copies of Grand Prix 2 Geoff Crammond is a computer game designer who specialises in motor racing games. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ... 1984 1984 in games 1983 in video gaming 1985 in video gaming Notable events of 1984 in computer and video games. ... Firebird was a software label established by Telecomsoft for publishing budget computer games for a number of 8-bit home computer platforms. ... 1985 1985 in games 1984 in video gaming 1986 in video gaming Notable events of 1985 in video gaming. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... 1984 1984 in games 1983 in video gaming 1985 in video gaming Notable events of 1984 in computer and video games. ... The Commodore 64 is the best selling single personal computer model of all time. ... 1985 1985 in games 1984 in video gaming 1986 in video gaming Notable events of 1985 in video gaming. ... Video games are generally categorized into genres. ... A screenshot from The Sims: Deluxe Edition. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... The Commodore 64 is the best selling single personal computer model of all time. ... Typical 60-minute Compact Cassette. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ... Joystick elements: 1. ... Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or, in abbreviated form, F3, is a type of formula racing and a class of open-wheeler motor racing. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... Geoff Crammond signing copies of Grand Prix 2 Geoff Crammond is a computer game designer who specialises in motor racing games. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ... Game screenshot Formula One Grand Prix (known as World Circuit in the United States) is a computer game released in 1992 by MicroProse for the Amiga and PC created by game designer Geoff Crammond. ...

The BBC Micro version release featured Silverstone as its one track. There was also an expansion pack REVS 4 Tracks (released in 1985) which added Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Oulton Park and Snetterton tracks to make a total of five. It was later ported to the Commodore 64, with Silverstone and Brands Hatch. An enhanced edition of the BBC version was later released by Superior Software/Acornsoft which included all 5 tracks. The enhance edition also included possibly the first racing simultation 'driving aid' - steering assist. This hugely improved gameplay and made it possible to truely appreciate the game which essentially set the scene for todays grand prix, touring car and rally based racing simulations. The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... Silverstone Circuit is a racing circuit at Silverstone, England. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Brands Hatch is a British motor racing circuit. ... World Series by Renault at Donington Parks Melbourne Hairpin in 2005. ... Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, northwest England,about 5 miles from Winsford, 13 miles to Chester City Center, 8 miles to Northwich and 17 miles to Warrington with nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line set in rolling... Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. ... The Commodore 64 is the best selling single personal computer model of all time. ... Silverstone Circuit is a racing circuit at Silverstone, England. ... Brands Hatch is a British motor racing circuit. ... Superior Software is a software publisher whose titles are mainly computer and video games. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ...

Unlike most contemporaneous racing games, REVS featured a full 3D environment with polygon-based graphics allowing the player to drive the wrong way around the track or even away from it completely. Unusually for the time, the track and terrain were not planar, but undulations in the ground were reproduced. The game was noted for its ingenious use of the BBC's hardware in achieving its display: such was the difficulty in squeezing the game into the BBC's limited memory, part of the game code actually occupied part of the screen memory - whilst this would ordinarily have been distractingly visible, timer-based manipulation of the BBC's display palette had the effect of turning all the 'code pixels' blue - thus hiding it in the game's sky!

The game featured an advanced AI for control of the opponents' cars, which were driven by individual characters, as described in the extensive manual, with humorous names. Johnny Turbo and Max Throttle were usually the fastest opponents, whereas Miles Behind was usually the slowest. It is not clear if any perceived differences in driving style, beyond outright speed, were as a result of different code or player imagination.

The full grid comprised...

• "Mad" Max Throttle
• Gary Clipper
• Desmond Dash
• Johnny Turbo
• Percy Veer
• Davey Rocket
• Gloria Slap
• Wilma Cargo
• Sid Spoiler
• Harry Fume
• Hugh Jengine
• Dan Dipstick
• Willy Swerve
• Billy Bumper
• Roland Slide
• Rick Shaw
• Miles Behind
• Slim Chance
• Peter Out
• Tony Bend
• Dummy Driver (only visible in the game's disassembly - this driver spot was replaced with the user's driver name and appears to have been present to make up the standard driver roster to the full 20 drivers)

The dashboard of the player's car did not display a speedometer. Instead it was dominated by a large, centrally-mounted rev-counter (tachometer). This may have influenced the choice of name for the game. The manual stressed the importance to the driver of knowing engine speed rather than car velocity, and Formula 3 cars do not have speedometers in any case, but it is possible that hardware limitations were responsible for the omission. In computer programming, the disassembly is the result when machine code is translated back into assembly language. ... Speedometer gauge on a car, showing the speed of the vehicle in miles and kilometre per hour on the out– and inside respectively. ... Tachometer showing engine rotations per minute (RPM), and a redline from 6000 RPM. A tachometer measures the speed of rotation of a shaft or disk (from Greek: tachos = speed, metron = measure), as in a motor or other machine. ...

External links

• REVS at Everything2
• Review of Commodore version of REVS from STADIUM 64
• REVS at MobyGames