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Inside Mac Games Volume 6 #3
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IMG Volume 6, Issue 3
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TEXT_133.txt
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1998-06-12
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267 lines
  
 
 
by Rafi Guroian 
 
We get loads of email here at
IMG, many posing questions
about different aspects of the
Macintosh gaming market. And
so, we've decided to transform
the traditional IMG Mailbox into
a new question and answer forum.
Q&A is published every Thursday
on the IMG web site, and the most revelvent questions and answers are com-
piled here each issue. If you have pressing question that needs a good answer,
please send it our way! You can submit questions via the Inside Mac Games
Q&A Forum on the web. Click on the Web Link icon within the sidebar to
jump to that page.
_______________________________________________
Question: Will Unreal work on an average Power Macintosh with a 601
processor?
Answer: We spoke with Mark Adams of Westlake Interactive and he tells us
that the game will not run on any Power Macintosh with less than 603 or a
604 processor. Says Mark, "The game will be 603/604 minimum, no
601s, because even with 3D hardware there is a lot of CPU processing going
on to generate lighting and other effects before the drawing actually takes
place."
_______________________________________________
Question: I find the Mac to be the best gaming machine available but my
Performa 6320/120 with 28MB RAM andan 8x CD is getting a bit old. Are
there any games coming out that will work on it (decent ones)? [Grant
McLarty]
Answer: The answer to your question really depends on what types of games
you like to play. Will you be able to run Unreal? Not a chance. Will you be
able to run Quest for Glory V or X-Files: The Game? Undoubtedly. It really
depends on what types of games you like to play. As the 3D market grows, it
is getting more and more demanding. Unreal alone will probably require at
least 32 MB of RAM on a fast 603/604 with Voodoo Acceleration. The game
genres that have traditionally been slower to push the hardware envelope
(puzzle, adventure, role playing, strategy, etc) will probably not require a
G3 PowerMac for some time to come. Berkeley Systems is a great example of
a company that doesn't stress its customers in terms of hardware. You Don't
Know Jack has always run on 68K Macs (except for the Netshow), and even
the upcoming Head Rush (You Don't Know Jack for teens) runs extremely
well on a low-end 040 (we should know--we're playing it right now). If
strategy is your thing, MacSoft's upcoming Civilization II Gold should appeal
to you as well as Diablo and Starcraft which are coming from Blizzard. Don't
worry. Your trusty Performa can still dish out the games, depending on what
you like.
_______________________________________________
Question: I am wondering if there are any non-combat flight simulators
(such as Microsoft Flight Simulator for Windows 95) available for Mac OS
computers. I would be very interested in purchasing a Mac OS version of a
flight simulator which emphasizes realistic flight using modern aircraft,
including commercial and passenger airliners. [John Green]
Answer: Terminal Reality has answered your call. After announcing the game
a few weeks ago, Terminal Reality was showcasing their new flight
simulator, Fly! At E3 this past May. The game is simply amazing, supporting
both Voodoo and Voodoo 2 technologies. The version we tested was running on
a G3 PowerMac and looked simply stunning. Had we not been able to actually
fly the simulator, it would have been easy to simply say that the footage
must have been a pre-rendered video.
The game is extremely accurate, using Satellite-generated topography for
its terrain, allowing you to fly anywhere in the world. If you are a pilot and
would like to use your own flight maps, that is fine as well. IMG is working
with Terminal Reality to bring our subscribers an exclusive Sneak Peek of
Fly! in a future issue.
_______________________________________________
Question: So is there any word on when StarCraft will make it to stores? Is
Blizzard holding it back to give Diablo time to sell without the extra
competition? [Andrew Jones]
Answer: We have gotten about 10 Q&A questions regarding this ranging from
extremely polite to almost flaming. We're going to set the record straight
now, so if you don't like the answer--tough. Blizzard is not holding back on
Mac Starcraft development to better their Diablo sales. Back when Starcraft
development for the Mac began, Diablo was running into some porting
problems. The Starcraft guys were pulled out of that project for a bit to help
finish Diablo up, so Starcraft development was set back a few months and
consequently could not make the simultaneous release date with the PC
version. Once Diablo shipped, all Mac attention was and is concentrated on
Starcraft. Blizzard PR tells us that they hope to have the game out by the end
of July.
_______________________________________________
Question: I can't find any G3 upgrades for my Power Mac 6500. Are there
any available? [Mike]
Answer: Not yet. The operative word here is yet. We spoke with Newer
Technology regarding the matter, and the only official comment they could
give us without getting in trouble was that "Newer Tech is investigating G3
Upgrades for every PowerMac that currently doesn't have one." With any
luck, a 6500 G3 isn't too far off.
_______________________________________________
Question: When, if ever, is Lucasarts planning to publish the Curse of
Monkey Island for Mac users? [Emma Davis]
Answer: As much as this reporter would love to see Monkey Island 3 on the
Mac, the prospect doesn't look good at this point. Lucasarts has adamantly
stated that they are publishing titles for the Mac on a case-by-case basis,
with Tie Fighter being their last release almost a year ago. In our opinion,
Lucasarts is keeping one thing in mind when it comes to releasing games:
profit. Not only profit, but a certain amount of profit. If their analysts don't
see a game profiting to at least a certain degree, that game will not be
released. Until Lucasarts can be convinced that a Mac game will reach that
potential, they will withhold.
_______________________________________________
Question: Do You think Sierra will release Red Baron II for the Mac? Is
anyone developing a WWII flight simulator for the Mac? [Eugenio
Spagnolini]
Answer: We spoke with Dynamix's (the developer) PR department and they
tell us that while Dynamix is comprised of a good percentage of Mac users,
the "suits and ties" don't see the Mac as a profitable platform for Red Baron
II. The primary reason they are giving is that in order for a Mac port to be
constructed, the flight engine would have to be built from the ground up. The
company seems eager to entertain Mac requests for the game, however, and
all polite emails should be directed to sandy.muller@dynamix.com. If enough
interest is presented, Dynamix seems more than willing to rethink the
matter and perhaps even hire a third party such as Westlake interactive,
Green Dragon, or Logicware to handle the port.
_______________________________________________
Question: What ever happened to the company called Antennahead Industries?
I have followed them and their development of "Sanctity" for nearly a year.
Lately they haven't been responding to e-mails or updating there website.
[Matt Johnston]
Answer: We spoke at length with Andrew Meggs, president of Antennahead,
who has been working on Sanctity for over three years. The game was
scheduled to ship 2 years ago, targeted at the new PowerMac 6100 line.
Andrew seemed obviously frustrated that the game has taken this long, but
promises that development is still pushing on, as the game has become more
of a creation than a product; he seems quite proud of the game. Meggs is quite
hesitant to commit himself to anything at this point in terms of
announcements. He said that he and his programmers have even received
death threats threatening to kill them if they don't get the game out. Meggs is
hoping to have something available by the end of the summer, but again, he
refuses to officially commit himself to anything. Antennahead is talking to
various publishers, all of whom seem genuinely interested in the game
which has undergone a graphical facelift from the last seen screen shots.
Andrew promises that things blow up "real good" in Sancity and that the
gamers will not be disappointed.
 
_______________________________________________
Question: This might be jumping the gun a little, but... Is there any chance
that Sierra will offer the Hellfire Expansion pack for MacDiablo? [Mike
Cassie]
Answer: We contacted Sierra regarding the matter, and it doesn't look like
the Mac will get Hellfire unless there is a push for it. There are currently
no plans for a port.
_______________________________________________
Question: Do you think that Final Fantasy 7 will make it to the Mac OS? This
game would be simply (no word to describe) on a PowerPC, especially a G3
with Voodoo 2. [Hal Kay]
Answer: The jury is still out on this one. Some of the IMG editors are
skeptical of any real possibility, although Mike Gerenser of Mac Requests,
which garnered over 1500 signatures for the game, has a different opinion:
"The chances of seeing FF7 on the Mac are good. I mean, look at what's
happening in the Apple world today. Apple is making a comeback... A
comeback so incredible, it will go down in history as one of the most amazing
moves made by a technology company. Everyone is gaining newfound respect
for Apple and the Mac platform. More and more companies will begin to
realize that the Mac OS/Rhapsody is a great platform for gaming. The future
looks very bright for the Mac folk. Is Final Fantasy VII in that future... I
sure hope so."
Of course, as is the case with Apple, only time can predict what will happen.
_______________________________________________
Question: I am thinking of buying a Techworks 3Dfx card. I have a Power Mac
4400. Will it fit? Also, is it safe to install it myself? I have experience in
installing RAM and a modem, but Mike Dixon's (MGL's founder) story last
month about his cool Picasso-card has frightened me a little. [Sander
Roubos]
Answer: Yes, your Mac will support the card. If you own a 4400/160 you
have two 12" PCI slots. If you own a 4400/200, your PowerMac has one
12" PCI slot; the Power3D requires only one. If you plan on installing the
card yourself, make sure you are using an anti-static wrist strap (available
at your local Radio Shack or mail order catalog for about $3). If you do not,
you are putting your card (and computer) at great risk of being shocked by
static electricity your body is storing. People typically don't understand how
important these wrist straps are. No matter how sterile of an environment
you may be in, the threat of static shock is still fairly large if you are not
using a strap. The static charge your body creates by walking through wind
is enough to fry a motherboard. This is not to say Mike didn't wear a wrist
strap, but it is a necessary precaution and if you are using one, you can feel
safe knowing that you are not damaging you computer through static
discharge.
_______________________________________________
Question: Is MacSoft or anyone else planning on releasing Redneck Rampage
for the Mac? If so, when? It's based on the Duke Nukem "Build" engine so it
shouldn't take too long to port over, right? [Basil Gravanis]
Answer: Logicware is feverishly porting the game over to the Mac as we
speak. In fact, IMG will be bringing you an exclusive sneak preview in an
upcoming issue. Look for the game this August.
 
