Indianapolis 500: The Simulation

Papyrus Design Group
Industry	Video game development
Headquarters	United States
Products	Indianapolis 500: The Simulation

Indianapolis 500: The Simulation is a 1989 computer game created for MS-DOS by Papyrus Design Group and distributed by Electronic Arts. This title represented a significant move toward authentic racing simulation experiences within the racing game genre. An Amiga version followed in 1990.

The game recreates the Indianapolis 500 event featuring 33 competing vehicles and realistic Indy car physics. It offers a first-person driving viewpoint alongside a replay function. Gamers have the ability to modify vehicle setups, which directly impact handling characteristics and overall performance.

The lineup at the start mirrors the real 1989 Indianapolis 500 starting grid, except that the player’s car (#17) substitutes for Rich Vogler’s #29, who was last to qualify.

Gameplay

Available race formats include:

10 laps (no damage, no yellow flags)
30 laps (damage disabled)
60 laps
200 laps

Practice and qualifying modes permit live adjustments to car configurations. Opting out of qualifying results in starting from the rear. Qualifying consists of four timed laps, with the average lap time determining grid placement. Damage is turned off during practice but active in qualifying.

Players select among three vehicles: a yellow Penske-Chevrolet, a red Lola-Buick, or a blue March-Cosworth. The default setup of the Penske offers superior speed; however, all cars can be competitive with proper tuning. The player’s car number remains fixed at 17.

The soundtrack was composed by Rob Hubbard, who had recently joined Electronic Arts as their music director.

Car setup

During Practice sessions, players can fine-tune numerous car parameters to enhance performance. Adjustments take effect immediately, facilitating direct comparison via timed test laps. In Qualifying and Race modes, only Turboboost and anti-roll bar settings are adjustable during pit stops; other configurations remain locked.

Replay mode

Six different camera perspectives are provided: In-Car, Behind, Track, TV, Sky, and Leader/Crash views. The replay feature enables reviewing the last 20 seconds of gameplay. The Leader/Crash angle focuses on incidents but is disabled during practice and qualifying sessions.

Crashes and retirements

The 32 AI opponents may crash or withdraw due to mechanical failures during pit stops. In 10-lap events, a short yellow flag follows crashes, yet all cars continue racing at full speed. For longer races, yellow flags enforce reduced speeds and prohibit overtaking until the track is cleared. Vehicles involved in crashes remain on track for two to three laps before being removed.

Player vehicles are protected from collision damage in 10- and 30-lap races but can suffer wheel or engine damage from severe impacts in longer contests, affecting drivability and potentially causing retirement. AI cars involved in accidents are labeled "Crashed" in race standings.

Mechanical withdrawals occur when AI cars experience issues such as Bearing failure, Clutch problems, CV Joint faults, Engine breakdowns, Gearbox malfunctions, Ignition troubles, Valve damage, Vibration issues, Radiator leaks, or Oil leaks; these cars stay in the pits for the remainder of the event. The player’s car is exempt from random mechanical failures.

Engines can incur damage if over-revved excessively, leading to failure.

Finishing a race

Upon completion, a banner displays the player's finishing position along with lap information if they have been lapped. Winning initiates a brief celebratory sequence consisting of three images before returning to the main menu.

Amiga version

The Amiga adaptation of Indy 500 was launched in late 1990, distributed on a single floppy disk and secured using a manual-based copy protection technique that was widely used during that period.

This edition closely resembled the MS-DOS counterpart, with only slight variations such as a programming oversight that resulted in two cars being labeled as number 20 instead of one being number 12, which correctly represented the 1989 Indianapolis 500 starting lineup. Several minor glitches were also addressed.

Users had the ability to save one instant replay and up to three customized car configurations; however, saving partially completed races was not supported. Control options included mouse, joystick, or keyboard inputs, with the mouse providing a more fluid driving experience and adjustable sensitivity settings.

To access replay functionality, an optional 512KB RAM expansion (Commodore's "A501") was necessary.

Development

The title was created over a span of 18 months with a development budget of $70,000, aiming to strike a balance between authentic simulation and user-friendly gameplay.

Reception

By the year 1994, Indy 500 had achieved sales exceeding 200,000 copies.

Auto racing enthusiast Barry Werger commended the game's visuals, control mechanics, and realistic portrayal in Computer Gaming World, describing it as a "hyper-realistic simulation" and an effective educational resource. He suggested it primarily for dedicated racing aficionados.

The Amiga version earned the distinction of being ranked ninth among the greatest games ever by Amiga Power. In 1994, PC Gamer UK placed it at number 38 on their list of top computer games, emphasizing its straightforward racing experience. Additionally, Computer Gaming World positioned it as the 122nd-best computer game in their 1996 rankings.

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