Car steering algorithm?

Question

i've already asked something similar, but now i've the problem to manage and realize a "realistic" steering for a simple 2d (top-down) car racing game.

How can i do a "realistic" steering for the car ? (i use c# but another language is welcome;)) Using Sin and Cos ? If yes, how ? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I'm on my lunch break so I can't do tremendous justice to the "best" answer, but the pseudocode looks something like this:

y_change = sin(rotation) * speed;
x_change = cos(rotation) * speed;

car.x += x_change;
car.y += y_change;

you would execute this code in every frame; rotation would be controlled by your steering input, and speed would be controlled by your acceleration input.

Answer 2

You will probably want to use a physics engine that someone else has already created. I've heard good things about the XNA Physics API.

I would imagine that you will have to use sine and cosine, but that is the just the tip of a VERY large iceberg...