Associate Editors: Juliana Aldous, Brian Boyle, Gary Le
Field Editor: blud
Editorial Ne'er-Do-Well: Mudgeon
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Computer Entertainment News
Video Game News
Industry Stuff: Digital Delights
Online Stuff
Perspectives: rational investigations of new products
A Personal Perspective: The 32X, One Year Later
Mudgeon: On Games
WipeOut! from Sony Entertainment
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DISTILLATIONS: news and new products
* COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT NEWS *
HOWIE MANDEL ADVENTURE FOR KIDS
7th Level now presents The Great Word Adventure starring Howie Mandel. This is the second title in the company's Lil' Howie's Fun House(TM) series. The title is targeted to children ages 6 to 9 and is based on curriculum for first through third grades. The title has already been awarded The National Parenting Center's 1995 Seal of Approval. In this offering, Lil' Howie and his sidekicks Stinky and Alphabot take children on an adventure that teaches essential language skills. There are over 10,000 frames of feature-film quality animation, original music, a customizable database of more than 2,500 words, and five adjusting skill levels.
NO STOPPING ACCESS
When you discuss productive software companies, few can compete with Access Software (801-359-2900) and their golf simulation product line for a multitude of computer platforms. They continue to add value to their basic product line through the release of add-on disks. The company has now released Cog Hill Golf and Country Club and Mauna Kea, both formatted in disk and CD-ROM formats for Macintosh and PC machines. Mauna Kea is one of the most popular course disks ever created and is now available in this enhanced version. Access' Links Championship Courses are compatible with LINKS, LINKS 386 PRO, Links 386 CD, LINKS Pro Macintosh, LINKS Pro CD Macintosh, Microsoft Golf 2.0 and Microsoft Golf 2.0 Multimedia Edition. Each of these programs is designed to easily incorporate these add-on Championship Courses and all you need to do is select the desired course by clicking on the mouse button once the course is installed.
Don't forget--Access is still at work on the next generation golf sim that is expected to ship this year! Updated info can be obtained by checking the company's WWW site at http://www.acccesssoftware.com.
BACK ON TRACK
One can easily recall the days when Accolade seemed to have lost its luster-product was not on-time and, when released, did not have the content of its earlier titles, titles that vaulted this San Jose company to the prime time of digital entertainment. This story is certainly changing, of late. Just attracted to Accolade are Steve Ackrich and France Tantiado. Ackrich was the director of 3rd party licensing for Sega prior to joining Accolade and also held positions at both Activision and Silicon Graphics, Inc. Steve is going to be the executive producer and director of development for the company. Then there's France Tantiado who also joins Accolade from Sega where she was a marketing manager. Her new role at Accolade is as group marketing manager. We wish both success.
NEW FOCUS
One cannot say that the Atari Jaguar has met with success. Ted Hoff, the president of Atari USA, has now revealed a new division called Atari Interactive. This new company entity will produce entertainments for Macintosh and PC platforms as well as the Internet. Games will also continue to be produced for the Jaguar itself. Expectations are for four games to release for the computer platforms during calendar Q1 this year: Baldies, FlipOut, Highlander and Tempest 2000.
U.S. OFFICE OPENS
Schaumburg, Illinois, is the location for the new United States offices of Blue Byte Software. The new Business Development Manager is Jack Pretto and he states the company will release six new titles in 1996. These games will be Windows 95 and DOS compatible and will include strats, RPGs, and 3D twitch titles. The first title to ship, possibly next month, will be Battle Isle 2220: Shadow of the Emperor. For those who believe this name rings a bell, it should . . .this is the sequel to Battle Isle 2200 which was published by Accolade in the U.S. Blue Byte products, in the past, have been distributed by a number of companies, such as Strategic Simulations Inc., UBIsoft, and Accolade. The company calls Mulheim, Germany, home and their The Settlers and Battle Isle series have been popular titles for computer gamers.
POSITIONS AT DISNEY INTERACTIVE FILLED
Isaac Kerlow is the new vice president, creative resources, for Disney Interactive. This award-winning designer joins Disney from New York's Pratt Institute, where he was the founding chairman of its Computer Graphics department. The new vice president of software production is Harry Jenkins, who was formerly the vice president of product development for Silicon Gaming which developed next generation casino games.
TWO TITLES DEBUT
From Enteractive, Inc., comes The Enchanted Tarot. Designed with award-winning collage artist Amy Zerner and New Age author Monte Farber, this title offers an enveloping multimedia experience complete with animation, music and video. You'll see what's in your future with your Tarot card readings. Also from Enteractive comes Picture Prefect Golf--Coeur d'Alene, where you can play a round of golf at anytime, rain or shine. The courses feature real photos on every shot plus a first-person perspective. Both titles are for Windows-based machines.
DIGITAL TITLES ENROUTE
Houghton Mifflin Interactive (HMI) is now shipping their first CD-ROM titles. There's Create Your Own Adventures with Curious George, where children can take this playful monkey to the zoo, downtown, or to the lake, and print out these adventures as a storybook. Or The Polar Express, narrated by Garrison Keillor, that offers an original music store that is also playable separately as an audio CD. If building zany critters is more to your liking, try Awesome Animated Monster Maker which is a character-creation lab with over 300 original parts. Inside Magic shows how more than 50 magic tricks are performed, all from master magician Peter Grand. Top Secret Decoder enables the user to create and crack secret codes in the first product of its kind with numerous challenging activities. For more information, check out the HMI WWW site at http://www.hmco.com/hmi.
MACPLAY RULES
According to PC Data's sell-through stats that are based on sales from January through September of 1995, MacPlay holds 13.2 percent of the Macintosh game market. This means the company is now the dominant publisher of Macintosh game products. The second-placing company holds a 9.92 percent of the market. For the company's Q3, they managed a 54 percent in product sales over their 1994 figures. PC Data stats are based on approximately 50 percent of total retail sell-through units reported by 12 leading retail distributors.
INTERPLAY & MACPLAY TITLES APPEARING
Coming soon from Interplay and MacPlay (714-553-3521) is Pete Townshend Presents Tommy: The Interactive Adventure. This offering will take you on a non-linear journey through all of Tommy's incarnations, from the original rock opera to the Broadway stage. Developed by Broadway Interactive Group in conjunction with Pete Townshend, expect this title in March of this year for both Macintosh and Windows computers. This title brings together the album, movie and Broadway show through music, interviews, photos, liner notes and video clips. Original handwritten notes by Pete, a variety of surprise guest celeb performances and interviews will create the nostalgic environment for all users.
The first real-time strat from the company's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons(R) (AD&D) series, called Blood & Magic(TM), is set in the Forgotten Realms(R) world created by TSR, Inc. Versions for the Macintosh and PC will be released simultaneously. You become a powerful Mage who can summon legendary figures from the Forgotten Realms to aid your conquests. You must contend with rivals that possess guile and wrath that are quite equal to your own. Each scenario begins in control of a portal, through which you can summon loyal Acolytes who can transform into more powerful beings at various mystical sites. This transformation feature, plus the clever exploitation of each environment, comprise the components needed for victory. The developer of the game is Tachyon Studios.
Descent II is set to arrive for both the PC and the Macintosh on March 13th, what Interplay is calling D-DAY. Descent was such a huge success for the company and this sequel is expected to do even better. There are new features and game play, including 30 new levels that take you through missions on four planets and ends inside the enemies' mothership. There are intelligent robots to confront, robots that adjust to YOUR strategy, hunt you down, and then suck up your energy supply. You also have new fire power, including a Helix Cannon and Level 6 lasers. You'll even have a robotic ally, the "guide bot," to help you through the twisting, turning worlds that make up Descent II. But watch out for the "thief bot." The original Descent will also be available for the Sony PlayStation on the same date. It features CD quality audio and five new Anarchy levels for two-player, head-to-head and cooperative gaming.
Star Trek(R): Judgment Rites(TM) is expected to be released in a box set during Q2 of this year. This is a special edition of the hit game of the same name, presented by Leonard Nimoy. The set includes an assortment of classic Star Trek memorabilia.
Whiplash(TM), developed by Gremlin Interactive, is the only racing game on the market with 16-player network capabilities. After you pledge allegiance to the manufacturer of your choice, you get to race in one of eight prototype Supercars on a circuit that pushes both the car, and you, to the limit. Each car handles differently with its own strengths and weaknesses and you'll have to work out which car bests suits your own driving style. As others attempt to block and push you off the road, you must remember that winning is everything. There are four different racing modes, 16 different tracks, instant replay, highlights and a two-player split screen option. This title is for PCs.
Conquest of the New World(TM) brings the exploration, discovery and conquest of America in the 15th century on CD-ROM to your PC. This is a strategy/action game that finds you competing as the Native Americans or one of five different countries: England, France, Spain, Holland or Portugal. Each selection has its own strengths and weaknesses. You must balance building, trade, politics and warfare in your strategy. Plus, several people can play the game simultaneously across networks, through modems, or via email.
Normality is an original adventure game that uses a unique 3D engine to create a realistic world where you encounter and interact with characters on a puzzle-solving quest to save Neutropolis from the drudge of what has become Normality. You're just out of jail, down on your luck, and you're trapped in an apartment with the Norm-troopers camped outside your door. You must escape the apartment, track down the goons who are sucking the life out of the city, and make Neutropolis a place where normal folk want to live. There are over 100 motion-captured animation sequences. This title was developed by Gremlin Interactive and is for PCs.
Kingdom 2(TM): Shadoan is a fully-animated, family-oriented, multimedia adventure for Macintosh and PCs. From the creators of Dragon's Lair and Kingdom: The Far Reaches, hidden puzzles and changing features confront you on every turn in this non-linear game where you choose your own paths to glory and adventure. Multiple levels of difficulty, a rich soundtrack, and professional voice-overs all add to the game play. The quest continues as magic spells and items of power and skill give you the tools necessary to combat the evil that threatens to destroy the land. The game was developed by Virtual Image Productions.
Dragon Dice(TM) is based on the recently-released strategy dice game from TSR. This is an action/fantasy dice game that will provide action to both the beginner and the professional. Dragon Dice is the only completely expandable game that comes with all 112 TSR "computer" dice, including five Dragon Master dice. With each die possessing specific strength and magic, you'll discover worlds that can only be created by the power of your mind, and luck with the roll of the die. This title will release for Windows 95 platforms this spring.
Mummy: Tomb of the Pharaoh(TM), created by Amazing Media, stars Malcolm McDowell. You're taken on a mysterious adventure through the exotic land of pharaohs in ancient Egypt. There are nearly 60 minutes of live-action video and over 50 puzzles to twist the mind and wrack your brain. There are dangerous thrills and adventures as you journey through forgotten Egyptian tombs. Watch for this release during calendar Q3 of 1996.
INNOVATIONS '96 AWARD WINNER & NEW PRODUCT
Jasmine Multimedia's Multimedia Yearbook was selected as an Innovations '96 award winner at the 1996 CES. This is a series of greeting cards that allow you to relive that special year on CD-ROM. From movie favorites to people in the news, Multimedia Yearbook takes you on a journey back in time to explore classic news reels, movie trailers, major sporting events and surprising economic facts from individual years dating back as far as 1929 through 1975. Each year, members of the trade press, engineers and industrial designers evaluate the best ideas in electronic hardware and software design and engineering that are submitted by manufacturers of consumer electronics products marketed in the United States. The most innovative products are honored and showcased.
As far as a second new title is concerned, there's Hirschfeld: The Great Entertainers, an interactive CD-ROM highlighting master caricature artist Hirschfeld's life and seven decades of work. Hirschfeld started his career more than 70 years ago creating remarkable caricatures of Broadway and Hollywood stars for the pages of The New York Times. This title features more than 1,000 intriguing pen and ink drawings you can view and print. You can also morph between the drawings and photos of the stars. This title is for Windows machines.
WORLD RACING EXCITEMENT
Now from Spectrum HoloByte (510-522-3584) comes Grand Prix Manager, and new title for their World Circuit Racing line. You are in control of all aspects of this game, from the hiring, firing and stealing of staff members to build your team, to the designing of a car capable of conquering the circuit's demanding race tracks. Once you've built your car, it must be tested. New players can join an existing team and receive advice from specialists. As you gain experience, you can adjust the game's difficulty rating and accept more responsibilities, such as adjusting the design of the car depending upon race conditions. This game is for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 machines and requires a 486/33, a 2x CD-ROM, 8MB RAM, and 5MB hard drive space. More info may be obtained at Spectrum HoloByte's WWW site at http://www.holobyte.com.
CONGO ON CD-ROM
Direct from the jungles of Viacom New Media comes Congo: The Move--Descent Into Zinj. This title is for PC CD-ROM machines and is based on the Michael Crichton book and the Paramount Pictures movie. In this offering, you enter an environment where the novel and movie ended. You drop into the heart of the Congo as a special operative for the Travicom conglomerate. This jungle is one strewn with death-traps, mutant gorillas and other nasties. You must rage through the jungle in search of a flawless diamond. Unfortunately, the latter item is hidden deep within the Lost City of Zinj. Thankfully you have an arsenal of high tech gear and weaponry that will enable you to survive in this land that considers you irrelevant. There are interactive 3D sequences, cinematic special effects, and a rich musical score and sound effects. You'll even encounter Amy, the "talking" gorilla. You'll also meet the Gray Gorillas who are not as friendly as Amy! Not by a long shot . . .
INTERACTIVE SPORTS GAMES DEBUT
VR Sports (714-553-6655) is announcing three new interactive sports games. The first is VR Soccer '96(TM) for PC CD-ROM and Sony PlayStation and will debut this April, with a Sega Saturn version coming shortly after this release. Using Virtual FieldVision(TM), you'll be able to play soccer from virtually any perspective (including 1st person) or position on the field in real-time. In essence, you'll be able to put yourself in the game and play against the pros or your friends. This technology creates a full 360 degree 3D environment. Camera angles can be changed easily with a seamless shift in perspective to view the action from any position. The PC CD-ROM version has 20-player network capability. The title features captured motion from pro soccer players.
In April, VR Golf '96(TM) will be released for the Sony PlayStation, with versions for the Sega Saturn and PC CD-ROM coming in July. You'll play golf in real-time 3D, thanks to Virtual FieldVision technology as described above. All the nuances and strats of golf, from club selection and specialty shots like fades and dog legs to real chipping, are incorporated into the game. Other features include multiplayer options, fully customizable players, and club selection. Shot tracking and follow-the-ball replay from 10 different angles is also available. Save game options can be used to show your improvement.
The third title is VR Baseball '96 and features fluid player movement, also incorporating Virtual FieldVision technology. This title provides all the real MLB teams, all the real MLBPA players, and all the real team stadiums. Realistic 3D polygons include real major league players including texture-mapped faces on each figure. If you want to step up to the plate and play as Cal Ripken Jr., or stand on the mound as Hideo Nomo, you can make that choice. You can play from a first-person perspective and put yourself in the game, should you wish to do so. You have the option of choosing which major league stadium to play, including Coors Field and the Ballpark in Arlington.
* VIDEO GAME NEWS *
CAPCOM'S LATEST
Coming for 32-bit video consoles in February is Street Fighter(TM) Alpha. Capcom has developed a cast of characters from the collective Street Fighter Universe who have never before appeared together in a single game. This title will resurrect classic, but not forgotten, favorites from the original Street Fighter arcade game of 1987, including the hard-head English brawler, Birdie, and Adon, who specializes in Muy Thai fighting. There are also some formidable foes from Capcom's Final Fight, such as Guy and Sodom, who are finally able to join the ultimate street battle for supremacy. You'll also meet with traditional favorites Ken, Ryu, Chun Li, Bison and even Akuma. Three brand new characters will be included: Charlie, a friend of Guile's, Rose, a young girl who can tap the powers of her soul to face any competitor she may encounter, and a new master of Karate, Dan. This title will be for Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn machines.
Then there's DarkStalkers: The Night Warriors(TM) for Sony PlayStation this November. This game combines the same line-up of appealing monster characters straight from the successful arcade game. For one or two players, this title introduces ten of the greatest animated monster warriors from around the world who've gathered together to compete in the fight of their life. To reign as the ultimate Master of the night, you must battle in a two-out-of-three round contest. There are a broad range of unique fighting characters to choose from, each possessing his or her own unique fighting skills. New features include mid-air character blocking, the ability to charge up special moves during battle, and an all-new combo system for executing moves. The TV program, created by GRAZ Entertainment, is also scheduled to debut this Fall.
Night Warriors: DarkStalker's Revenge is for the Sega Saturn. This is an exact translation of the popular arcade game and will release next month. There are four new playable characters, killer moves, faster speed and dynamic graphics. One or two players can compete as any of the ten original monster warriors, or you can choose from one of the four new playable characters. New art has been added to the endings for each character, which saves onto a Saturn RAM cart; you can now change characters between each battle in Versus Mode; a new way of playing called Survival Mode has been added that allows you to take on as many characters as you can without having your life meter refilled, and Group Battle Mode as a tournament option.
A fourth title is Resident Evil(TM) for the Sony PlayStation expected to debut this March. This is a third-person perspective action game with elements of role-playing and puzzle solving. Deep in the hills of Raccoon Forest sits a foreboding mansion. Inside, the government has been conducting secret bio-technology experiments, research that goes far beyond the realms of rational science. All communications with the mansion have been cut off--it's up to you to investigate the situation. You control either Chris Reddfield, the slacker pilot and marksman; or Jill Valentine, the tough demolition expert sent in to investigate a helicopter crash. Once you reach the crash site, the squad is attacked by a horde of ravaging monsters, then chased into the mansion. Inside, the team is separated and you must figure out what happened to the scientists and workers in the mansion and survive long enough to find your team members and escape.
64-BIT DEBUT
In early December of last year, Nintendo of America unveiled their new 64-bit Nintendo64 video console at the Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan. With a SRP of just under $250, Nintendo claimed performance that beats high-end Pentium machines. By the end of 1996, approximately 20 titles are expected to be available for purchase, with between six and 10 titles available at launch time for the machine. The cartridge price is expected to be about $59 each. The games that will release for the new Nintendo unit will all be exclusive titles--they won't appear for other video console units (at least, not initially!). Peripherals that will accompany the machine include a RAM pack, a three-grip controller with a trigger that enables 360 degree movement, and a magnetic disc drive.
VB ON THE SKIDS
Two leading developers of game software have decided to "slow" their commitment to titles for Nintendo's Virtual Boy video game machine. Both Takara Company and Taito have decided to hold up on their software development. Even Nintendo has downsized their sales projections for the machine, now down to just over 1 million units from the original 3 million unit number.
** INDUSTRY STUFF: DIGITAL DELIGHTS **
PACKAGING IS THE KEY
How's this for some unusual packaging for consumer entertainment products? From Akura U.K. Limited (based in Scotland) comes a new way method to present black box products with appealing packaging, none other than replica ring-pull cans of well-known soft drinks and beer brands.
Pictured is the C302 Micro Can which stands 15-inches high and is under a foot in diameter. At the heart of this remote control system is a 20-track programmable CD player, which is loaded by pressing the ring-pull on the top of the can. The rest of the system is revealed by opening two doors in the center of the can to show the single tape deck with audio stop, two band digital tuner, three band graphic equalizer, LCD info panel, LED function indicators and headphone socket. This unit weights just over 18 pounds, comes with a carrying handle, and is priced at $199.00.
Another product is the C101, a Giant Ring Pull Can replica that measures 3 x 1-1/2 feet in diameter which houses a CD-based hi-fi system, complete with door-mounted speakers and storage space for CDs and cassettes. A drawer loading compact disc player offers 20 track memory, random play and disc repeat. There's twin cassette decks with continuous play and high speed dubbing, AM/FM radio, LCD info panel, three channel graphic equalizer, soft-touch controls and magnetic doors. Two-way bass reflex speakers are housed in the fold-out doors and connect to the 5 watts per channel amplifier via the door hinges-this means there are NO external speaker connections. The system weights 44 pounds and is priced at $349.00. The company may be reached via CompuServe at 100660.413.
VIDEO CONFERENCING MADE EASY
With a list price of $289, Apple Computer is now shipping their new QuickTime Conferencing Kit. The kit encompasses the Apple Media Conference software application, the QuickTime Conferencing System Extension and the QuickTime 100 Camera. All of the cables are included. This kit will empower Power Mac users to videoconference, allow them to take snapshots during these sessions, record sessions as QuickTime movies, plus share and mark-up everything from images, sounds and QuickTime movies through shared windows and whiteboards. The ISDN Kit, which enables high-speed cross-platform conferencing via any H.320-compliant system, has also been announced and will ship this month for a price of around $1,750. Watch for a PCI kit expected to debut in Q2 of 1997.
"HOT" TECHNOLOGY ALSO MEANS JOBS
You're going to hear a great deal about Digital Video Discs (DVD)over the next several months. The Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas seems to be sprouting more DVD info than the human mind can possibly absorb. The standard DVD format was finalized by numerous rival companies in late 1995. The DVD disc can store as much data as is found on 12 CD-ROMs. That's more'n 4.7GB of storage, and that's _PER_ side of the disc. This means a single DVD disc can contain a full-length feature movie! (Salivation from the major film companies and their distributors!). DVD could be "bundled" with satellite decoders, VCRs, Internet access, video consoles, smart TV, all sorts of unique and usable variations. Here are some interesting highlights of moves into this area. Hence, a WHOLE BUNCH of companies are interested in investing in this entertainment medium.
Content for such discs is now underway at full steam. Philips, for one, plans to release their player (hopefully) by the end of 1996. This holds true for Pioneer Electronics and Thomson Consumer Electronics. A new company called Zoom TV has been formed by a group of legal pros with connections to Hollywood studios and Circuit City. They plan to design and release a new DVD player that will be strictly produced for the rental marketplace. Once installed in a consumer's home, this unit will play back discs on a pay-per-view (PPV) basis with the data encrypted to enforce such a condition. Design and manufacturing is rumored to be coming from Flextronics International and Motorola is said to be developing a chip set for this player.
Toshiba America Consumer Products has unveiled two DVD players with the exciting monikers of SD-3006 and SD-1006. These units will actually be available in the fall of this year and will deliver more than 2 hours of playback from a single side of a 5-inch optical disc. Those movie titles we know are coming should be ready about the time of this release, as well. (Laser discs, bye-bye!) These units will handle playing times of 133 minutes on a single disc side. That means more than 94 percent of all feature-films will fit on a single DVD disc. Added to the Toshiba products is 6-channel discrete Dolby Digital Surround Sound and Dolby Pro Logic and high fidelity stereo. The technology required innovation as well. Toshiba created an LSI chip designed for real-time decoding of digitized motion pictures compressed to the MPEG-2 standard. Toshiba also developed the first-ever red semiconductor laser whose shorter wavelength is critical in resolving the finer, more densely packed data pits on the DVD disc. Expect pricing of around $699 and $599, respectively, for the SD-3006 and the SD-1006.
What does this mean to job seekers? Engineers and content developers/producers are going to be needed. Companies like L.G. Electronic's Zenith Electronics and Matsushita (through that company's new Panasonic Interactive Media Company in northern
California) will certainly be in the market for engineers and support personnel for their DVD-intensive projects.
MPEG FOR CD-ROM
A standard has been established by the Open MPEG Windows Forum that will add Video CD to personal computers as a standard video source. This CD-based MPEG1 technology makes it much easier for developers to produce video CD titles for MPEG boards in Windows-based computers. The data, applications and video CD content will fit on a single CD disc. More than 50 hardware and software vendors comprise OMWF which was started in April of 1995.
CD-ROM MAGAZINE PREMIER
From Miller InterActive Media comes The Electronic Roadhouse, a new CD-ROM-based magazine for Windows-based computers. Chuck Miller, the editor, held editorial positions with Computer Gaming World, Enchanted Realms and InterActive Gaming before starting this new publication. Joining Chuck are Jeff James and Tom Chick, both with editorial experience with game publications. Based in Ohio, the publication will be distributed by FormGen. The first issue has now been released and contains news and events, a feature on the making of WarCraft II from Blizzard Entertainment, over 100 reviews, plus games and utilities. Included in the first issue is a bonus CD-ROM entitled The Mind Bender CD Collection. To subscribe, you can call 1-800-263-2390.
CHANGER HOLDS 4 CD-ROMs
The first four-disc CD-ROM changer has been released by NEC Technologies at a SRP of around $279. Called The MultiSpin 4x4, this unit combines 4X data transfer rates of 600K bps with an average access time of 250ms. Consumers will be able to work with as many as four different software titles at a time with minimum delay between disc switching. The unit can also be used as an audio CD changer and it may be configured as a four-drive-letter device under Windows 95, or in a single-drive-letter mode. The software will allow discs to be switched on the fly and users can move discs between slots quite easily.
