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:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Volume 4, Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE September 15, 1995 :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: ATARI .............. News, reviews, & solutions ............ ATARI :: :: EXPLORER ............ for the online Atari .......... EXPLORER :: :: ONLINE ................. Community .............. ONLINE :: :: :: :: Published and Copyright (c) 1993-1995 by Subspace Publishers :: :: All Rights Reserved :: :: """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: Publisher Emeritus ........................... Michael Lindsay :: :: Editor/Publisher .................................. Travis Guy :: :: Assistant Editor GEnie......................... Ron Robinson :: :: Assistant Editor CompuServe................... Albert Dayes :: :: Assistant Editor Internet.................. Timothy Wilson :: :: Assistant Editor AOL.................. Dimitri M. LaBarge :: :: Assistant Editor Delphi.................... Mark Santora :: :: Unabashed Atariophile .............. Michael R. Burkley :: :: User Group Coordinator .................... Ron Whittam :: :: Jaguar Editor ...................... Christian Svensson :: :: 8-bit Editor .............................. John Hardie :: :: Sunnyvale Editor .......................... Adam Urbano :: :: UK Correspondent .......................... Iain Laskey :: :: WWW Spinner ..............................Frans Keylard :: :: :: :: Contributors: :: :: """"""""""""" :: :: David A. Wright :: :: :: :: Telecommunicated to you via: :: :: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: GEnie: ST/JAGUAR RT Library 38 :: :: AOL: VIDEO GAMES FORUM Hints, Tips and Tricks II Library :: :: CompuServe: ATARIGAMING Library 10, VIDGAME Library 15 :: :: Delphi: ATARI ADVANTAGE & WORLD OF VIDEO GAMES Libraries :: :: Fnet: AEO Conference, Node 319 :: :: AtariNet: AEO Conference, Node 51:1/10 :: :: :: :: FTP recent AEO issues from: rahul.net:pub/wilsont/AEO :: :: Search gopherspace under "aeo" for back issues :: :: :: :: World Wide Web: http://www.ior.com/~fkeylard/aeo.htm :: :: http://www.mcc.ac.uk/~dlms/atari.html :: :: http://www.bucknell.edu/~svensson :: :: :: :: :: :: EMail Request address: AEO-by-EMail-request@maximized.com :: :: :: :: >>> To subscribe to AEO, send a message to the request :: :: >>> address, with the following line (no subject): :: :: >>> :: :: >>> subscribe aeo-by-email :: :: >>> :: :: >>> and your address will be added to the list. To :: :: >>> unsubscribe from AEO, send the following: :: :: >>> :: :: >>> unsubscribe aeo-by-email :: :: >>> :: :: >>> to the same request address, making sure you send :: :: >>> it from the same address you subscribed from. :: :: :: :: AEO is also in file format on the Jaguar Mailing List :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Table of Contents * From the Editors ....... "The new Jag CDs are in! The new Jag CDs are in!" * Ted, Ron and Don on GEnie ..................... Atari brass meets GEnie's class... users, that is. * Penguins in an Oven: Iain at ECTS ............. "From the booth" coverage at last weekend's ECTS in London. * Jaguar Tackboard ................ The latest development list - Jag PRs - AEO Contest winners - CATfights - Super Burnout Turbo code. * Jaguar at the CBS Toy Test .......... Harry and Paula weren't to be seen, but twenty new Jaguar games were! Frans reports from Seattle. * Surfing the Jagged Edge ................ The latest in online Jaguar news. * Flashback ................. John Hardie reviews this port from the 16-bit gaming world. Does it stack up? * Atari Artist ................................ Pete and Fadi take you on a NEON-lit cruise through the newest A/V products for your Atari computer. * From a Saved Backup ......................... Swap meets and other treats. * The Unabashed Atariophile .................... PD and Shareware files for =your= Atari computer. * Rare Gems .......................................... Quotes worth quoting. * Developing News ....................... Toad Mirrors UMich FTP Gribnif Interfaces with Resources Flash II 3.00 Shipping * Shutdown ............................. Around the world and up your block. --==--==--==--==-- ||| From the Editors ........... Atari Explorer Online: Jaguar Voyagers ||| Travis Guy / | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG Internet: aeo.mag@genie.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Why are you reading this, and not playing Rayman, Ultra Vortek, Blue Lightning, and VidGrid, or jamming along with your favorite tunes on VLM? Ok, you're taking a break from the frenzy. Well, sit back, adjust your monitor, and check out all the events going on in The World Atari. From the ECTS in London, to the CBS Toy Test in Seattle, to the Ted Hoff/Ron Beltramo/Don Thomas RTC in GEnie's corner of cyberspace, it's all in this issue. Atari Artist is back, with an awful lot of Atari computer software to cover. Michael's still Unabashed in his coverage of PD & Shareware files, and Ron's swapping right-and-left. There's a Jag review (I trashed my Blue Lightning preview, seeing as the real product's already out) and Dimitri pontificates for a change. See you back for the next AEO, when the CATfights start, on October 5th. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Ted, Ron and Don on GEnie ||| RTC courtesy: GEnie ST/Jaguar RoundTable / | \ GEnie: ST$ and JAGUAR$ ---------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= (C) 1995 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May be reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on GEnie are *official* information services of Atari Corporation. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection wait for the U#= prompt and type JOINGENIE in uppercase. Answer the ensuing prompts for screen width and country. When asked for the KEY/OFFER CODE, please enter MXC524. You must also supply a valid credit card number. ========================================================================= Hello everyone, My name is Ted Hoff, President of Atari's North American Operations. Thank you for inviting us to participate with you this evening. I expect a lot of you have some burning questions to be answered and I am very anxious to satisfy as many of them as I can. I accepted the challenge at Atari after making a lot of careful considerations. One of the most important thoughts I had was the consideration of the Jaguar 64 as an advanced entertainment product. I needed to be at peace in my mind that the Jaguar 64 fulfilled the basic requirements gamers have of a next generation game system. I suspect most of you are very familiar with the Jaguar, so I will not reiterate what you already know, but I have been obsessed by the marketing opportunities of the Jaguar. I see three essential elements that need to be refined for continued Jaguar growth and success: One, is _product recognition_ in the _marketplace_. This includes the media and in the retail store. Many of you have already started seeing our new ads; the one with the light bulbs attached to the head of our rational human experiment. Now that we have found a good agency and a campaign to advertise the Jaguar, we must get the product into stores. I recently announced in New York that Wal*Mart and Radio Shack (catalogs) will be selling Jaguar systems, peripherals and software this Christmas. That's a big step in distribution, and makes Jaguar available nationwide. A second essential element is to _know the competition_ and to position the Jaguar in a way that we are the _better value_. I know we have done this, because no other game system offers _64-bit performance potential for $150_. The third element is to _build the software library_. We are rapidly building your library of games and we expect to have many of the long awaited titles available through the Holidays and through the first quarter. Yes, I am very aware that people hoped that CD-ROM players would have been out in quantity before the PSX. If it could have been done, we would have done it. CD-ROM units are expensive peripherals. Before you can buy one, Atari's investment in them is deserving of care and consideration. We will not allow the process to pack them out and put them on store shelves to be without appropriate Quality Assurance steps being in place. You will appreciate what this product offers you when you get it. I hope I have addressed the most likely issues you may be curious about. There must be questions related to software release dates and I think the new issue of Atari Explorer Online will have an updated schedule for you. Before we get started, let me introduce Ron Beltramo. Ron is Atari's VP of Advertising and Merchandising and he happens to be the most talented multi-tasker I think I have ever seen. When he arrives at work each morning, he carries with him the equivalent of two or three packed file drawers of materials that were reviewed the night before. Ron is responsible for arranging the postcards you receive (don't nail him on dates... he uses the dates we think are right when the cards are printed <g>), he supervises creative production, works with the organizers of campus tours and basically orchestrates what often seems impossible tasks.... Ron?... Hi. I am Ron Beltramo and I am blushing after that introduction. <blush>. See. <g> As Ted suggested, we are entering another crucial time for the Jaguar. The fourth quarter. We have some very important tasks ahead of us.... basically putting quality products on store shelves and making sure consumers know they are there. To that end, Atari is implementing a strong marketing campaign that includes: National and Spot television and print ads, "Hands on" tours, a lot of in-store merchandising programs and retailer tie-in ads. The new television spots highlight the great value Jaguar represents and splash exciting cuts from some of the most outstanding Jaguar titles. The print ads reinforce the television message. We have determined that "hands on" exposure is an important way to get a lot of people familiar with the Jaguar 64. Atari will continue to participate in major mall and campus tours across the country to show off the Jaguar system and the newest Jaguar software. Our retail partners will be helping Atari merchandise and sell Jaguar within their ads and in-store displays to get consumers as close to the Jaguar as possible. I think it is important to pass on to the online community that I am listening. Information is regularly passed to myself, Ted and Sam as to what your concerns are and the suggestions you may have to solve them. I appreciate your feedback and insights. I see the notes you post regarding which stores might look bad and the ones you think look great. For what it's worth, you make my job a little easier when these things cross my desk. Thanks for your interest and support for Atari. Thank you, Ron. Don, I think people know you here. Any words? Yes! We have prizes tonight! I haveone copy of "FlipOut!", one of "White Men Can't Jump" and one of "Ultra Vortek". I also have one signed copy of the New Strategy Guide by Sandwich Islands Publishing. Stay tuned for information on how to win from ST.PAPA. Secondly, please bear with us. Ted regrettably suffered from a back injury late last week and is working remotely from home. I am typing the answers for Ron and Ted and I hope you will be patient as I ready them to send. Oh, also late breaking news... "Ultra Vortek" IS shipping today and I have confirmed that the Jaguar version of "Rayman" IS hitting the streets. You WILL want this title! <Papa> Anyway... on with the show. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Hello <Papa> OK folks...thank you for bearing with me <Ted&Co(ATC)> I'm here with Ron and Ted. <Papa> Before we begin I want to make a few points. 1 This RTC is to be a _celebration_ of the Jaguar CD's release 2 This RTC is _not_ to be used for flaming or diatribes ;-) 3 Limit yourselves to 1 single part question and use GA at the end I will need a moment to update my attendees list and then the questions will start. OK, John Hardie is up first go ahead John. <John Hardie> When will we see the Jag link cable and T2K for the Pc? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> One moment... checking with Ted. Jag-Link scheduled for being in stores in October at $29.95 MSRP... <Papa> OK next up is Mark@AEO <Ted&Co(ATC)> Wait... getting answer for TK2 TK2 for PC by Thanksgiving... Sorry for delay. Ted has to be read the questions over the phone. GA <Mark@AEO> I was looking forward to a large number of software titles have disappeared off the release list for the rest of this year, Soulstar CD, Freelancer 2010, Dactyl Joust, etc... What happened to them? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... Sorry for the stall. I know you want the answers from Ted and he's having to refer to notes he has at home... Soulstar CD: originally developed by Core design... company acquired since and development teams were reconfigured at that time... the title was taken off the list because the development team has been split up. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Ron is looking for the specific notes on the other two, but as we determine updates due to any number of criteria, you will see new titles show up, some titles resceduled and a few withdrawn. GA <Papa> OK Cyclops is next <CyClops> Welcome Ted, What is Atari doing to improve third party developer relations. It appears that we are losing important developers (i.e. Phear/H20 and other rumours) to greener pastures. GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> one sec... Well, you're right that is an area of improvement we are working on. I think you will see these issue improve in months ahead... such examples of improved relations include Primal Rage, Mortal Kombat, Zoop as well as others we have taken an active role on to get underway. GA <Papa> Now its Carlos' turn .. go ahead Carlos <Carlos> Hello, what is the status of a poly fighter or Fight for life for the jag64...??? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... A reworked prototype of FFL was sent to ECTS for showing with the intentions... of getting feedback from the developer community for comment. Ted says we are... encouraged by the response and an update will be forthcoming. GA <Papa> Now Kodogr steps to the microphone... <Kodogr> How does Atari plan on countering the negative propaganda and misinformation being spread about the Jag? I think that it is quite entrenched. GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... Ted agrees with you and says that's exactly the type of catalyst for his recent trip to NY to meet with over 20 industry writers. Other things we have working have been hinted in Ron's statement in the beginning of this RTC. GA <Papa> Next up is Thunderbird ... take it away! <Thunderbird(tm)> Hi Ted. Sorry to hear about your back... my question is this: What upcoming titles do you see as the 'killer-app' titles which will make people rush out to buy Jaguars (or what ones do you think show off the Jag's potential?) Thanks! GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> [We consider the "CD-ROM" to be the killer release. If you want specific titles, Black ICE\White] Noise, Primal Rage and Max Force will be very strong contenders. The software said I have to retype... stand by... <Papa> Ted your comments came through ok. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Great. Thanks. GA <Papa> OK now for the Irregular Mike Allen ;-) <Ted&Co(ATC)> Battlesphere will be a great one too by the way... <g> <Irregular Mike> Welcome to GEnie, Ted, THE home of Atari support. I hope your trip to New York was a success and that your back is feeling better. <Irregular Mike> I was wondering, was the hold-up with the JagCD due to a) a lack of CD players themselves, b) some problems with the production of the pack-ins, c) difficulties in packaging, d) some combination of the previous or e) something completely different. Could you expand? <Irregular Mike> Thanks. ga <Ted&Co(ATC)> Ted, says theres a little of all the above that needed to be addressed, but they WILL BE IN STORES NEXT WEEK.... finally <blush> GA <Irregular Mike> Thanks ga. <Papa> OK Mister E's turn ... <Mister E> What is being done about Canadian distribution? Are the American chain stores here in Canada (Toys'R'Us, Walmart, Sears) also going to carry the Jaguar here? Is Beamscope going to improve its Jaguar distribution? GA. <Ted&Co(ATC)> BTW, Travis said our previous reply only had one line show up... we can try again... I wouldn't want to miss a chance to answer someone's question. Stand by on Beamscope... Ted says we are looking for ways to support Beamscope any way we can. We realize people feel that they need more support and please continue to let us know how you see it happening there. GA <Papa> All right..now for the Oppressor! <Oppressor> Hello Ted, I see a lot of jaguar titles coming out this Christmas, but not all that much in the pipeline afterwards. my question is could you give me a reason why a 3rd party developer would choose the jaguar, right now, over the many alternatives? <Ted&Co(ATC)> BTW, Ron is here too. Oppressor, please stand by... Opressor, 3rd party developers make money by putting their software out on as many platforms as possible. I think our task is to give them a base that's appealing and we have a system price point and value statement to make that happen. GA <Papa> Stand by for Floating Fish Studios <Floating Fish Studios> Will we see an audio input cart for use with the VLM? It would come in very handy for our live hypermedia horror shows. P.S. Don -- on what day should we plug in the wire (he he he)? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... Matthew, Ted is referring the tech to Mike Fulton... <Floating Fish Studios> Sorry, I didn't mean to throw a wrench into the works. Atari Works that is! <Ted&Co(ATC)> to it... Sounds like a neat idea Ted says. Did 4 lines show up? <Papa> No <Ted&Co(ATC)> Mike says technology is possible, Ted says has to look into commercial possibilities... Ted says great idea though! Did 2 lines show Up <g> GA <Papa> How about the "plug in the wire" date? <Ted&Co(ATC)> papa, stand by... Plug in the wire is still a secret. <g> <Floating Fish Studios> AHHHHHH! <Papa> All right ... on to Mark at AEO <Ted&Co(ATC)> GA <Mark@AEO> We know the procontroller is coming soon(when?) but what about a joystick or 3rd party controller? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... Mark, 6 button controller in October... We are in discussions with potential 3rd party controller peripheral providers and we are relunctant to announce things too early. <g> GA <Papa> Go for it se'bab... <se'bab> Hi Ted (sorry to hear about the back), hi Ron and everyone else... I'm wondering...we've heard a lot about multiplayer networking in jag games How does Atari plan to support networking in these and future games? Thanks! GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... se'bab... network gaming = Jag Link? ...or connecting to Interbat? <se'bab> I was thinking of both Catbox and jag Link actually... <Ted&Co(ATC)> Interbat... no Internet. <g> Stand by... <Papa> For all you folks that are waiting ... the queue is pretty long but we are getting to you. Just hang in there ;-) <Ted&Co(ATC)> There are three games that currently include the code and we expect the capability will be incorporated into more future games when appropriate. Jag-Link out in October for Doom. GA <se'bab> Thank thanks :-) <Ted&Co(ATC)> You are VERY welcome. <Papa> Next to the stand is John Hardie. GA John <John Hardie> Hello again Don, Ted, and Ron. Any word from ASG on their Video Jukebox peripheral or their game "Hosenose and Booger"? Thanks. GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... John, the honest answer is that these things were put off before Ted came on board. He really doesn't have the answer for them. Sorry. GA <Papa> Now for the one and only CyClops! <CyClops> G'Day again Ted, ROn, Don, and Mike... FYI.... GEnie IS BattleSphere Country :) (witness Cat 38)... Can you tell me why it was left out of the new dealer demo along with other 3rd party titles in developement? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> CyClops... the universe is Battlesphere country. <g> Stand by... Tom, Ted's not sure except to say that Greg put the tape together on a tight schedule. Not all titles made it, that's true, but we'd be happy to give it special attention on the next one. <wink> GA <Papa> Jeff, it's your turn... <Jeff> Quest#1 to Ron B. and Atari marketing... Many people are saying Rayman is a killer app--a system seller... There are *no* versions for the 32X, Gen or SNES... What is Atari doing to help Ubisoft market this title? If you help Ubisoft, you can potentially sell a million or more Jaguars... you also help your retailers, you help other 3rd party developers and... you help yourself. Will Atari commit to a Rayman specific TV ad campaign? You *can* be #1 in 32/64-bit sales <Ted&Co(ATC)> Jeff, although Rayman is 3rd party, we have included the title in magazine & TV ads as well as our Mall and college tours.... we agree with you that it's a strong title and will help sell the system. GA <Jeff> IF YOU HELP push Rayman in front of videogame shoppers this season. Do you want to be #1? Quest #2 <Papa> One question only gang <Ted&Co(ATC)> Jeff, We want to be a strong contender. Rayman will help. We agree. GA <Papa> Vernon is next <Vernon> one of my interest in the jaguar is modem gaming. I can't wait to battle via modem with BattleSphere! I'm not a real big fighter fan but since UV is rumored to have vmodem support I will get it. I am thinking about running... UV Modem Tournament. My question is what's the status of the voice modem and games supporting modem play. The modem gaming market is open for the taking. Also, I like the idea of being able to browse the Web with my jaguar. GA <Papa> ginsu's turn ... cut it up! <Ted&Co(ATC)> Don't answer Vernon? <ginsu> any word on the Sega titles? Its been awhile and we haven't heard anything. Also, also any word on when we can expcect Catbox in major stores like babbages? Ga <Papa> Ted go ahead and answer Vernon's question ... I got mixed up here ;-( <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... g> I sent three lines darn it... Vernon, We don't think UV has modem support although we know BG toyed with the idea... We agree modem support is an area we need to cultivate and among many priorities on our plate... Today the CD-ROM, tomorrow the Modem and more! <g> GA <Papa> OK ginsu would you like to re-ask your question? <Ted&Co(ATC)> RE: SEGA titles... Ginsu, there are several things that need to take place to organize _concurrent_ development. We still haven't agreed on the titles that fit all the criteria and are relunctant to discuss possibilities until they are firmed up. GA <Papa> Back on track again with Mister E. <Mister E> What CD titles can we expect to see next (RSN?) or are we stuck with the pack-ins for the next few months? Also, what caused the delay with Brett Hull Hockey CD? (And, for those interested, what happened to Tiny Toon adventures?!!) GA <Papa> Remember folks ... only 1 question per customer! <Mister E> Ooopps...Sorry.. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Mister E, RE: Brett Hull, the cart requires less dev time and can preceed the CD. CD scheduled 1st quarter '96.... CD releases 6 within next 6 weeks including Myst, Highlander, Hover Strike, Creature Shock, Dragon's Lair, Demolition Man. GA <Papa> All right the Oppressor is back with a short one <Oppressor> Hi again Ted, easier question this time (maybe) :-) If you could bring one single game to the jaguar that currently is not scheduled for release or in development, what would it be? GA <Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by... Ted says the ultimate game is a game not ever created by anyone else and gives us our own identity. We'd rather not try to imitate someone elses work to answer the question of an ultimate title. GA <Oppressor> Thanks! <Papa> Good answer! <Ted&Co(ATC)> Opressor, You are very welcome. <Papa> I am going to close the formal part of the RTC in a few moments ... I know there are several unanswered questions... but we need to let Ted get some rest and Don and Ron get some dinner ;-) One last question(s) from Travis <Travis> Good evening Ted, glad to have you visit us here on GEnie, and I hope your back gets better real soon! It's early September now, and with one of the most asked online questions being, "How many games will be out by Christmas?", I was wondering if you could give us your current estimate. Also, which games do -you- look forward to? GA I have a question for Ron also. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Travis, stand by dude... <Travis> Ko. :) I'd rather stand by a dudette.... <Papa> <g> <Ted&Co(ATC)> Travis, we expect more than a dozen new CDs beside the packin and 18 more carts by Christmas. Now those are conservative based on what info we have today. We expect to be able to remain faithful to those estimates. GA <Travis> Thanks. Ron, its' good to see you back here on GEnie. Jaguar commercials are another hot subject. Does Atari plan to have game-specific commercials and ads like the ones ran last year? GA (Btw, the newest commercial is great!) <Ted&Co(ATC)> Travis... Since there are so many titles and different people like different ones, we are beginning to have an opportunity to show selection and highlight the best. GA <Papa> All right gents... <Travis> Ok, thanks for showing up y'all. (You included too, Don. ;) GA <Papa> Stand by for a closing statement from Ted. <Ted&Co(ATC)> Travis... I bow to you kind sir. <g> Stand by... <Travis> Sure.... :> <Ted&Co(ATC)> Ted says THANKS to everyone for the opportunity to share this time in spite of his injury... He really enjoyed this in spite of me having to interpret everything and says he'll look forward to doing it again (especially AFTER the CD-ROM is out <g>).... Hey SysOp give some stuff away! <g> GA <Papa> On behalf of the attendees and GEnie I would like to thank Mr. Ted Hoff, Mr. Don Thomas and Mr. Ron Beltramo for a _superb_ RTC. Stand by for FRENZY!!!! --==--==--==--==-- ||| Penguins in an Oven: Iain at ECTS ||| By: Iain Laskey / | \ EMail: ilaskey@cix.compulink.co.uk --------------------------------------------------------------- I'm very, very tired. If anyone ever tells you that doing a trade show is fun then they're either lying or criminally insane. Anyone who regularly does trade shows deserves every penny they earn and I now have a lot more respect for all those bright friendly faces you meet at such places. I've just spent 3 days working for Atari at the ECTS in London and here's how it was. Atari's stand was much better than the one at the last ECTS. To a point. The outside looked like a castle with signs inviting you in - "Enter all ye who dare". Inside was more like a dungeon with no lights apart from a huge array of monitors and big projection TVs. Cobwebs covered everything and the whole effect was quite good except for one thing. The heat. You pack a lot of people and machines into tight corridors (no ceilings, this place was enclosed) and it soon starts to warm up. Most comments were favourable - one person told me that they thought Atari's stand was the best at the show as far as design went. Others asked why Atari were exhibiting in an oven! The five main games were Fight For Life, Zero 5, Primal Rage, Fever Pitch and the game I was demoing, Attack of the Mutant Penguins. These all got a 41inch projection TVs. The rest were slotted in between and were on standard (21inch?) TVs via SCART leads. There were only a few CD games which was a turnaround on the last show which was stressing the new add-on CD unit. The games that seemed to produce the best reactions were Zero 5 and Mutant Penguins. The latter because it is so weird and fun and Zero 5 because it shows just what a Jag can do. I heard cynic after cynic shuffle through the booth looking at the games with dismissive comments until they saw Zero 5. The best comment I heard was "That's fantastic - genuinely Playstation quality. I had no idea the Jag was that good". Imagine a very smooth game on the lines of virtua- galaxians with super smooth polygon ships in full 3D space with very responsive control and fantastic sequences akin to the death star segment at the end of Star Wars with your ship racing down a high speed tunnel avoiding and shooting obstacles and enemies. Wonderful. Even at this early stage the game also sported a superb hard core techno soundtrack to give T2K a serious run for its money. The only criticism I could level at the game is that some levels are a little repetitive but given that it's in development still, that could all change. Best of all it's a cartridge game which amazed people who were sure it was an FMV background being spooled off a CD! Attack of the Mutant Penguins was getting some very good reactions too. Being a little complex unless you know how it works, it needed to be demonstrated to get the best reaction. Those who just walked up and fiddled with it soon got bored and drifted on. Those who were shown how it worked and had some of the visual humour pointed out, absolutely loved it. One French chap left in tears he had been laughing so much! Having been shown publicly, Atari have authorised me to tell more about the game that I was able to before. Mutant Penguins is based on an invasion by some space nasties. Prior to invasion they tuned into our TV stations to see what we looked like so they could disguise themselves. Unfortunately they tuned into a nature program about penguins and started to mutate into penguins ready for arrival. Too late, they realised the error of their ways when further programs showed cowboys and indians, Elvis, Cardinals and suchlike. With insufficient time to change, they decided to make the best of things and dress up, so now we have hoards of mutant penguins dressed as Elvis, cowboys, etc. You have two characters you can choose to help defeat the enemy, Bernard (a round thing with a frying pan) and Rodney (a pear-shaped thing with a baseball bat) - legends throughout the universe. To aid the cause, the real penguins, deeply upset at the bad press this will generate, have volunteered to help. The mutants have a nasty weapon of death - the Doom Scales. The mutants try to pile up on one side of the scales to weigh them down to press a plunger that destroys the Earth's ecology. Good penguins will pile up on the opposite side to help stop them. The game consists of various world themes. The first 5 are the canyon ones, next comes forests and after that some arctic ones. Each theme has 5 levels. The final number of levels is to be confirmed but should be at least 20. The version at the show had 10. Each level consists of a (Atari will hate me for this) Lemmings type series of puzzles where you need to work out which tricks you need to employ to complete it. Some levels are easy, some require very good timing and others are seriously tricky. Most can be finished in a variety of ways. I saw some pretty ingenious methods from people trying it out. I won't give away too much of the tactics but suffice to say you have a veritable arsenal of tricks up your sleeve ranging from special weapons to delaying tactics to defeat the enemy. At the end of each level you get to play one of several bonus games each of which are totally mad and nothing to do with the rest of the game. As Atari says, "So there you have it. It's the age old story of Mutant Alien Penguins dressed up in costumes being slapped by real penguins, clubbed by an oversized pear with a baseball bat, or clobbered by a round thing with a frying pan." Fight for Life looked much the same as ever. Having spent a bit more time looking at Tekken and Virtua Fighter, I can safely say that graphically this game falls short. It is good fun to play though which is what counts. Whilst we're on beat-em-ups, Ultra Vortek was looking quite nice. I'd buy it and I don't even like beat-em-ups! Another new game was Fever Pitch - a UK football (you lot call it "soccer") game from US Gold. People who saw this were very positive and thought it played great. The graphics were a bit bland for my tastes though although the players' movements were generally quite good. The last of the big titles was Primal Rage. This looked as good as any other version I've seen. I only had a quick go but it looked and played great. Nice animation and graphics and adequate sound. This was an incomplete version so it can only get better. Defender 2K was also showing in 2K mode. To be honest, I preferred the original Defender and found 2K mode a little hard but maybe practice will help. The 2K mode is totally different with detailed 3D sprites and much more complex backgrounds. The audio was off so I couldn't comment on that. There was a bike game from Tiertex which seemed to involve racing a trials bike around indoor courses. Absolute and utter trash I'm afraid. I couldn't control it at all and it looked jerkier than Hover Strike. Unless this gets a lot better it's one to avoid. Frankly Atari weren't doing themselves any favours showing this. Atari Karts was getting some admiring attention. Nice animation although it still had a few graphic glitches on the main sprites. Basically another Mario Karts clone but very well done. Rayman was again present. A lot of people seemed to like this one although the tune drives you mad after a while. Apparently Ubisoft think the Jag version plays the best of the lot and so it should - it has been in development for long enough. A UK magazine gave the Playstation version 77% and said the gameplay was traditional and uninspired. Hopefully the Jag version will do better. Pitfall the Mayan Adventure was competent if a little dull but to be fair I only played for a few minutes. Not my cup of tea really. It just seems to be a mix of memorising and timing the route. Once you've managed it a few times I'd imagine the long term appeal would start to wither and die. Blue Lightning was running next to my Penguins stand and just about everyone got drawn in by the FMV, talked about how great it was and then walked off in disgust once the game had started. Good job it's a pack-in because no one in their right mind would buy it. One person played it for about half an hour and I was about to ask them what they thought when I noticed their badge - they worked for Atari! A whole bunch of people who were previously only names to me and had never met before, were there including Sam Tramiel and Bill Rehbock. I must say, Bill's wife is rather nice! Despite much digging and poking, I didn't manage to get many juicy bits from Atari which was a pity. I had a chance to talk to a few developers which was good but even they were keeping fairly tight lipped. One snippet of good news. A major UK chain, Dixons, has taken a limited run of Jaguars to see how they sell. A guy at a store told me they flew off the shelves immediately and they were having trouble getting more as Dixons head office had only bought a few to start with. Another person told me they went to their local store who had also sold out. Let's hope the trend continues. I know a few people are looking forward to Soulstar from Core Designs. I had a brief chat with them and picked up the following bits of news. The game is almost finished and just waiting for any further ideas or FMV sequences that anyone can add before it goes off for the OK. The game has new FMV sequences, 16 bit colour sprites and has had enhanced depth cueing added over previous versions. On the downside the floor is slightly chunkier than the SNES version to keep the overall speed up but they freely admit that this is their first attempt at a Jag game so they've still done a pretty good job! I saw a demo a few months back and it was awesome! They don't have any further Jag games planned at the present but haven't written off the idea either so when the game's released, don't forget to vote with your pockets! On to general items. The UK seems to suffer a bit of a delay with new games. Atari UK are looking at the best way to solve the problem. Some games are virtually impossible to find including Telegames' Troy Aikman NFL Football. On the magazine front, UK Jaguar fans get a bit of a raw deal. Most magazines ignore the Jaguar altogether. Those that do feature it, generally do so just to make fun of it. The worst in this respect is The Edge which specialises in praising whatever isn't out yet so vapourware including the 3DO M2 and Nintendo's U64 get glowing reviews whilst anything else gets slammed. The most obvious case was the Playstation which has been highly praised for a year and a half but now that it's available, gets generally poor reviews and complaints about its hardware limitations. One notable exception is X-Gen which is all of one issue old. The first issue had several Jag reviews including one for Pinball fantasies which got a mark in the 80s which is pretty good going. We are due to get our first Atari TV ads in years, in the next few months. Atari have signed up many of the major UK high-street chains and that exposure combined with well placed TV coverage and the #149.99 price point is hoped to make for a successful Christmas season. Fingers crossed. After the last set of sales figures, they certainly need it! Well, that's it until next month. Enjoy your Jags! //// Bio So who is this Iain Laskey person? Well, I'm 31 and live in Southend on Sea, Essex in the UK. By day I'm an analyst/programmer working for one of the largest banks in the world. Not being content with such a fascinating job, I also do a little freelance journalism and writing. Tackling both the wonderous Jaguar and <cough> PCs, I write for several magazines and now AEO! As if that wasn't enough, I've also been known to do the odd bit of freelance software development. My Atari heritage is long having worked my my through a 2600, 400, 800, 130XE, 520STm, 4160STe, MSTe, Falcon and now Jaguar. When I'm not working, my passion is films and having invested far too much in a 40inch projection TV, laserdisc player and surround sound system, I watch an awful lot of them. Luckily my partner, Heather shares this interest and even suggested we buy the monster TV! Other interests include Star Trek in all its guises, general sci-fi and horror. Anything electronic, techy, weird or curried also appeals to my rather warped and sick mind. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Jaguar Tackboard ||| Confirmed information about Atari's Jaguar / | \ Compiled from online and official sources ----------------------------------------------------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Independent Association of Jaguar Developers =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The IAJD (Independent Association of Jaguar Developers) has started accepting members on GEnie. The IAJD is a private group where confidential discussions can be freely held. (Category 64 of the ST RoundTable is the IAJD meeting place.) Consequently, membership in the IAJD is limited to Jaguar developers who are registered with Atari Corp. To apply for membership, send EMail to ENTRY$ on GEnie (or <entry$@genie.geis.com> if you're not on GEnie). Regular EMail correspondence with the IAJD should be sent to IAJD$ (again, or <iajd$@genie.geis.com> if you're not on GEnie). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// NEW Internet Jaguar Mailing List =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Tony's Jaguar mailing list has had to be taken down, but the resourceful Christian Svensson picked up the message flow without skipping a beat. Anyone with Internet EMail access can join the discussions on the Jaguar mailing list. To "subscribe" to the list, send an EMail to the following address: <listserv@bucknell.edu> With the following as the body message: subscribe jaguar FirstName LastName (Where "FirstName" is your real first name and "LastName" is your real last name.) You should then soon receive the subscription information including such options as a digest (for those who have requested that in the past). The actual list address is: <jaguar@bucknell.edu>. All mail will go to the list server and be sent to the over 250 readers of the list. IMPORTANT: If your mail server charges you by the character or by the letter, please be aware that the Jaguar list can generate dozens, and up to a hundred EMails in a day. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Jaguar FAQ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Robert Jung <rjung@netcom.com> maintains the Jaguar FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) file, an updated list of Jaguar specs and facts. The Jaguar FAQ is posted to rec.games.video.atari on Usenet around the first of every month, and can also be found via FTP, address: ftp.netcom.com, in Andy Eddy's /pub/vidgames/faqs directory. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// AEO Development List 2.08 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Editor: The following list of game titles has been confirmed to the best of AEO's ability as of September 14, 1995. Entries in the "S"tatus column reflect any "e"rrors, "u"pdates, "n"ew titles, titles that are in "P"roduction, or "?"uestionable listings since the last AEO list. Entries in the "M"edia column reflect whether the title is "C"D-ROM, "H"ardware, or "V"R software. (Blank entries are assumed to be cartridge software.) ETA dates are dates that have been provided by the developer. AMMV. //// Titles in Development Rating/ S M Title ETA Developer Publisher """ """"" """ """"""""" """"""""" ? AirCars - MidNite MidNite C Alien vs. Predator: The CD - Atari Allegiance - Team 17 Arena Football League 11/95 V Real Productions Atari ? C Artemis ? Springer Spaniel Springer Atari Kart 11/95 Atari u Attack of the Mutant Penguins 12/95 Atari u C Baldies 11/95 Atari Atari u C Batman Forever 6/96 Atari Atari C Battlemorph 11/95 Attention to Detail Atari Battlesphere 12/95 4Play 4Play u Battlewheels 1H/96 Beyond Games Beyond Games u C Black ICE\White Noise 12/95 Atari Atari C Braindead 13 - Readysoft Readysoft Breakout 2000 12/95 MP Graphics Atari Brett Hull Hockey 11/95 Atari u C Brett Hull Hockey CD 12/95 Atari ? Casino Royale - Telegames Telegames u Charles Barkley Basketball 11/95 Atari C Commander Blood 11/95 Atari C Commando ? Microids Atari Conan - Arcade Zone u C Creature Shock 11/95 Argonaut Software Virgin u 'Dactyl Joust ? High Voltage Atari u C Dante - Atari Deathwatch 12/95 Visual Design Atari u Defender 2000 11/95 LlamaSoft Atari C Demolition Man 10/95 Virgin Interactive Atari u C Deus ex Machina 1H/96 Silmarils u C Dragon's Lair 10/95 ReadySoft ReadySoft u Dune Racer Q1/96 Atari Dungeon Depths ? MidNite ? Evidence ? Microids n Fever Pitch (soccer) 12/95 US Gold Atari C FIFA International Soccer - Electronic Arts C Formula 1 Racing 11/95 Domark Group Ltd. Atari Frank Thomas Baseball 4/96 Acclaim Atari C Freelancer 2120 - Imagitec Design Atari Galactic Gladiators ? Photosurrealism Gotcha! 1996 Hardball 3 ? Atari Atari C Highlander I 10/95 Lore Design Ltd. Atari C Highlander II Q1/96 Lore Design Ltd. Atari C Highlander III H1/96 Lore Design Ltd. Atari Horrorscope - V-Real Productions P C Hover Strike: Unconquered Lands 9/95 Atari Atari u I-War (was Netwar) 11/95 Atari Atari Indiana Jags - Virtual Xperience u C Iron Soldier II 1/96 Eclipse Atari u Ironman/XO-Manowar 6/95 Acclaim Atari u C Ishar Genesis - Silmarils ? James Pond 3 ? Telegames u Supercross 3D 11/95 Tiertex Atari u Legions of the Undead - Rebellion Software Atari ? Lester the Unlikely ? DTMC C Litil Divil - Gremlin Interactive ? C Lobo ? Ocean Software Ltd. u C Magic Carpet 12/95 Bullfrog Atari C Max Force 12/95 Genus Microprogramm Atari C Mind-ripper 2/96 Atari u Missile Command 2000 11/95 Atari ? Mountain Sports ? DTMC C Mortal Kombat III 4/96 Williams Atari H MPEG - Atari Atari C Myst 10/95 Atari NBA Jam TE 12/95 Acclaim Atari C Need For Speed - Electronic Arts u Phase Zero 11/95 Hyper Image Atari P Pitfall 10/95 Activision P Power Drive Rally 9/95 Rage Software Time-Warner ? C Powerslide ? Williams Brothers Telegames C Primal Rage 11/95 Time-Warner Time-Warner u C Return Fire Q1/96 Alexandria Atari Return of Magic Q4/95 Virtual Artistry C Return to Zork - Activision u C Robinson's Requiem 11/95 Silmarils Atari C Rocky Horror Interactive 6/96 Rollcage ? Team 17 P Ruiner 11/95 High Voltage Atari u Skyhammer - Rebellion Software Atari u C Soulstar 10/95 Core Design Atari u C Space Ace - ReadySoft ReadySoft ? C Starlight Bowl-a-rama ? V-Real Productions Sudden Impact 12/95 ? Super Off-Road ? Telegames T-Mek - Time-Warner u C Thea Relm Fighters 2Q/96 High Voltage Atari Towers II 12/95 JV Enterprises ? Ultimate Brain Games ? Telegames u C Varuna's Forces 11/95 Accent Media Atari ? C Virtuoso ? Williams Brothers Telegames ? Waterworld ? Ocean Software Ltd. u C Wayne Gretzky NHL Hockey 12/95 Time-Warner Time-Warner C Wing Commander III - Electronic Arts Witchwood - Team 17 ? World Class Cricket ? Telegames ? World Cup ? Anco Software Ltd. u Worms Q1/96 Team 17 Zero 5 12/95 n Zoop 12/95 Viacom Atari Zzyorxx II - Virtual Xperience //// Current Releases M Title Rated Company Publisher " """"" """"""" """"""" """"""""" Alien vs. Predator 8 Rebellion Atari C Blue Lightning 7 NEW Attention to Detail Atari Brutal Sports Football 6 Millenium/Teque Telegames Bubsy 7 Imagitec Design Atari Cannon Fodder 7 Virgin Interactive C-West H Cat Box / Black Cat Design Black Cat Checkered Flag 4 Rebellion Atari Club Drive 6 Atari Atari Crescent Galaxy 3 Atari Atari Cybermorph 7 Attention to Detail Atari Doom 8 id Software Atari Double Dragon V 3 Williams Enter. Williams Dragon 6 Virgin Interactive Atari Evolution Dino-Dudes 6 Imagitec Design Atari Flashback 6 Tiertex Ltd. U.S. Gold Flip Out 8 NEW Gorilla Systems Atari Hover Strike 7 Atari Atari International Sensible Soccer 6 Williams Brothers Telegames Iron Soldier 9 Eclipse Atari Kasumi Ninja 6 Hand Made Software Atari Pinball Fantasies 6 Spider Soft C-West Raiden 6 Imagitec Design Atari RayMan - NEW UBI Soft UBI Soft Super Burnout 6 Shen Atari Syndicate 7 Bullfrog Ocean Tempest 2000 10 LlamaSoft Atari Theme Park 6 Bullfrog Ocean Troy Aikman NFL Football 6 Telegames Williams White Men Can't Jump 8 High Voltage Atari Wolfenstein 3D 7 id Software Atari Ultra Vortek - NEW Beyond Games Atari Val d'Isere Skiing... 5 Virtual Studio Atari C VidGrid - NEW High Voltage Atari Zool 2 7 Gremlin Graphics Atari Pts Stars AEO Ratings """ """"" """"""""""" 10 ***** GAMING NIRVANA!!! - You have left reality behind... for good. 9 ****+ Unbelieveable GAME!! - Your family notices you're often absent. 8 **** Fantastic Game!! - You can't get enough playtime in on this. 7 ***+ Great Game! - Something to show off to friends or 3DOers. 6 *** Good game - You find yourself playing this from time to time. 5 **+ Ho-hum - If there's nothing else to do, you play this. 4 ** Waste of time - Better to play this than play in traffic. 3 *+ Sucks - Playing in traffic sounds like more fun. 2 * Sucks Badly - You'd rather face an IRS audit than play this. 1 + Forget it - ... but you can't; it's so badly done, it haunts you. 0 - Burn it - Disallow programmer from ever writing games again. //// The Short Term Schedule Here's the Jaguar software schedule for the next few months. Please bear in mind that these dates represent everyone's best assumptions. "+"ick marks represent a title that (for whatever reason) AEO is very confident in. September: + Hover Strike: Unconquered Lands October: Creature Shock """""""""" + Power Drive Rally """""""" Demolition Man Dragon's Lair Highlander + Pitfall November: Arena Football December: Attack/Mutant Penguins """"""""" Atari Kart """"""""" BattleSphere Baldies Black ICE\White Noise Battlemorph Breakout 2000 Brett Hull Hockey Brett Hull Hockey CD Charles Barkley Basketball Deathwatch Commander Blood Fever Pitch Defender 2000 Magic Carpet Formula 1 Racing Max Force I-War NBA Jam TE Missile Command 2000 Sudden Impact Phase Zero W. Gretzky NHL Hockey Primal Rage Zoop Robinson's Requiem + Ruiner Supercross 3D Varuna's Forces =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Jaguar Press Releases =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Jaguar Strikes Ground Zero! CONTACT: Patricia Kerr or Leah Gross Dorf & Stanton Communications, Inc. (310) 479-4997 or (800) 444-6663 _For Immediate Release_ Atari Corporation and Ground Zero Take Off With Sizzling Ad Campaign SUNNYVALE, CA -- (September 5, 1995) -- Atari Corporation has retained the creative services of the hot, Southern California based agency Ground Zero to develop a new in-your-face, cutting edge advertising campaign for their Jaguar 64 home entertainment system. The humorous, fast-paced :30 spots target males ages 12-34. The campaign features a series of characters who deduce that the Atari Jaguar 64 represents the most outstanding value among advanced video game systems. The first commercial employs an engaging "stimulus and response" theme where the main character concludes it would be dumb not to select the Atari Jaguar system for half the price of competitive video game systems. Subsequent spots will include other eclectic characters who arrive at the same conclusion. The commercials also include a rapid fire sequence of game footage and retailer tags. "Our alliance with Ground Zero has resulted in a fantastic attention-grabbing television and print campaign for the Jaguar 64," said Ted Hoff, Atari's President of North American Operations. "The ads are extremely creative and continue to reinforce our corporate message -- that the Jaguar 64 is the fun, high quality, value priced home entertainment system of choice." The aggressive advertising blitz will break on cable networks and syndication nationally in early September with heavy-up advertising in the top spot markets commencing in early mid-October. The television and print advertising schedule will run throughout December, the peak sales period for video games. "This is a tremendous opportunity for Ground Zero to work with the company that invented the home video game market," said Jim Smith, one of Ground Zero's Co-Founders. "Consumers are jaded by the sameness of video game hardware and software advertising. The Atari Jaguar delivers not only cutting edge technology and great games, it's also the most affordable system available. The creative result is advertising that drives home that message very clearly." For more than twenty years, Atari Corporation has provided consumers with high-quality, value-priced entertainment. Atari Corporation markets Jaguar, the only American-made, advanced 64-bit entertainment system, and is located in Sunnyvale, California. Ground Zero is based in Venice, California and was started in late 1993 by Court Crandell, Kirk Souder, and Jim Smith. Clients include Atari Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, Yamaha WaveRunners, Diamondback Mountain Bikes, and the Athletic Footwear Association. -*- Atari, Atari Logo and Jaguar are all trademarks of Atari Corporation. All Rights Reserved. # # # //// FlipOut! Out & Flipping CONTACT: Jessica Nagel or Patricia Kerr Dorf & Stanton Communications (310) 479-4997 or (800) 444-6663 _For Immediate Release_ Gamers "Flip" Over New Atari Release "FlipOut!"(tm) for Jaguar 64 Hits Stores Nationwide SUNNYVALE, CA (August 28, 1995) -- This morning Atari Corporation introduced the exciting title "FlipOut!", a wacky and challenging puzzle game for the Jaguar 64 home entertainment system. "FlipOut!" is a puzzle game with a unique twist. Players tour the distant "Planet Cheese" and view Mother Earth through the eyes of alien tourists. The game takes place at The Great Tile Flipping Festival, the premiere sporting event for the citizens of Planet Cheese. Players participate in The Great Tile Flipping Festival all over the Universe, from the Zero Gravity Arena on Planet Cheese to the presidential faces of Mount Rushmore. In some of the worlds, players must "juggle" ten tiles by flipping them into the designated places on a three-by-three grid, where one must be in the air at all times. In Yellowstone, aliens are flipped until they land on the color coordinated geyser, and in the Sphorkle Diner, players must match food with the correct color alien. Sound simple? Don't be fooled. "FlipOut!" has four difficulty levels ranging from normal to insane with obstacles to challenge even the most talented flippers. Each area offers different challenges, including alien interference, that intensify as levels progress. In the final world, gamers meet King Fluffy, a wacky blue-blood determined to confuse players by scrambling and destroying the difficult sixteen-tile playing field. "'FlipOut!' adds yet another genre of game play to Jaguar 64," said Ted Hoff, Atari's President of North American Operations. "It combines animated characters with three dimensional multi-level game play to create a puzzle game beyond players' wildest imaginations." "FlipOut!" is just one of Atari's new title launches for the season. Recently, Atari released "Super Burnout" and "White Men Can't Jump" bundled with Team Tap(tm), a peripheral to link four players at once. Other titles to be released this summer include: "Ultra Vortek", "Pitfall: the Mayan Adventure", "Flashback" (published by US Gold), and "Rayman" (published by UbiSoft). "FlipOut!" has a rating of K-A (appropriate for Kids to Adults) and has a suggested retail price of $49.99. It is available in stores nationwide. For over twenty years, Atari Corporation has provided consumers with high quality, value priced entertainment. Atari Corporation markets Jaguar, the only American made, advanced 64-bit entertainment system. Atari Corporation is located in Sunnyvale, California. "FlipOut!" All Rights Reserved. "FlipOut!", Atari logo and Jaguar are all trademarks of Atari Corporation. # # # //// Atomix to Spin Atari Web Site CONTACT: Jessica Nagel or Patty Kerr Dorf & Stanton Communications 310/479-4997 or 800/444-6663 _For Immediate Release_ Atari(r) Corporation and ATOMIX(tm) Confirm Web Site Development Deal to Support JaguarTM Internet Users. SUNNYVALE (August 29) -- Atari Corporation announced this morning an agreement with ATOMIX, Inc. (formerly TOPIX; an Emmy Award winning CGI and new media development house) to develop a next-generation user support World Wide Web Domain on the Internet. The pages that make up the Domain, with planned installation by October 6, will host Internet users worldwide with news and information regarding Atari Corporations next-generation 64-bit Jaguar 64. "The Internet is exploding with popularity; almost as if telecommunications were being discovered all over again," stated Mr. Don Thomas, Atari's Director of Customer Service Marketing. "Jaguar 64 is the most advanced multimedia entertainment platform and only Atari can offer 64-bit technology for less than $150. It makes sense that Atari would demand a next-generation development team focused on our Web Page development." Visitors to Ataris Web Domain will be treated to a wide variety of information, previews, reviews and interactive games. A Domain is an interactive billboard that is connected to the Internet; the worldwide information database anchored by universities, military sites and corporate participation. Individual users can visually travel to places established for entertainment or to sell goods and services. Sometimes specific topics are covered largely by colorful text, but most Pages integrate eye-popping graphics, stunning animation, appealing sound effects and interactive activities. Access to Web Pages is made available by special programs called Browsers which connect through an established host system. CompuServe Information Service is one such service which offers economical and versatile access. "The combined creative, technical and networking experience of ATOMIX programming artists offers Atari Corporation over 30 years experience in innovative application to Web Page design," states Mr. Kirt McMaster, Director of New Media for ATOMIX. "Our primary focus is to engulf our clients in an arena of 'next-level' development. Utilizing innovative new Web technologies such as Sun Microsystems Hot Java, we will overwhelm visitors to Atari Corporations Web Domain with a multimedia experience that pushes the envelope of known standards." ATOMIX, based in Hollywood, CA, combines the resources of talent, hardware and creative application. Over 12 SGI workstations are staffed by the industry's most desired artists and expert programmers. ATOMIX enjoys a portfolio which includes work on movies like "Judge Dredd" and "Candyman II". Studio production work includes animated logo material for Twentieth Century Fox which made its debut with the premiere of "True Lies". The firm has also integrated digital visual and sound technology in motion rides such as the one popularized at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Music video work includes performers such as TLC and David Bowie. Industrial and commercial references include General Motors, Michelob, Discover Card, Toshiba, McDonalds and Pirelli Tires. Atari Corporation has been in the video game business for over twenty years. Today, Atari markets the 64-bit Jaguar, the only American-made home video game system. Atari Corporation is based in Sunnyvale, California. # # # # Atari is a registered trademark of Atari Corporation. Jaguar is a trademark of Atari Corporation. Hot Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. ATOMIX is a trademark of ATOMIX, Inc. All other tradenames are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owning companies. # # # //// Primal Rage Coming MILPITAS, Calif., Aug. 25 -- Pre-historic fury unleashed at retail outlets around the world today with the hotly anticipated launch of "Primal Rage(TM)." Building off the success of their hit arcade title, Time Warner Interactive, Consumer Games Division (TWi), created "Primal Rage" for eleven home gaming and computer platforms, five of which shipped today. The title is now available at retail outlets for the Sega Genesis(TM), Super Nintendo Entertainment System(R), Sega Game Gear(TM), Nintendo(R) Game Boy(TM) and PC CD-ROM systems. "Primal Rage" is a head-to-head fighting game with an original look that features seven fantasy, pre-historic characters in a battle for supremacy. The originality of the characters and the sheer number and ingenuity of their moves, come together in an innovative and addictive fighting game. Snout Gouges, Tail Whips, and Flying Butt Slams How often do you get to use a "Hot Foot" or "Snap-Tail-Whip" on your opponent, let alone a "Bed-O-Nails," "Gut Fling" or "Cranium Crusher?" When playing against a "Primal Rage" veteran you'll get your chance but look out for revenge when a "Flying Butt Slam" or truly debilitating "Fart of Fury" comes your way! Each of the seven fantasy dinosaurs has an individualized fighting style with more than 70 actions including: fighting moves, powerful "secret" moves, masterful combo hits, graphic finishing sequences, punches, death sequences, victory sequences, and ready poses. Playing "Primal Rage" provides an experience unlike any other fighting game on the market to date. The Word is Out Over one million units of "Primal Rage" consumer versions were ordered by retailers for the initial production run. Mark Beaumont, Senior Vice President Marketing and Product Development, said, "In this environment of platform transition, A+ level marketing muscle is necessary to secure shelf space and reach consumers. We were able to provide buyers with a high degree of comfort by showing the quality of our "Primal Rage" line and the level of support we're putting behind it." TWi is supporting the launch of "Primal Rage" with an $8 million marketing campaign. Media buys include two flights of TV ads on national primetime, syndication, and cable channels; top 15 metro market radio promotions and contests; four-color half-page spread and full-page print ad campaigns breaking in all major video and personal computer publications; and consumer promotions such as in-pack discount coupons, player strategy guides, demo discs, and trading cards. Cross promotions with strategic partners will further increase consumer awareness with an exclusive product preview already underway on the Sega(R) Channel, a four month nationwide mall tour with Sendai Publishing, and a nationwide competition for the national "Primal Rage" Video-Game Tournament title to be held at Six Flags Over Texas on September 16. November 14 is the date for the second wave of software on new gaming systems including the Sega Saturn(TM), Sega 32X(TM), 3DO(R), Sony(R) Playstation(TM), and Atari(R)Jaguar(TM), as well as the Macintosh(R) CD-ROM. Time Warner Interactive, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., develops and publishes interactive consumer entertainment products for video arcade games, video game consoles and computer platforms. All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. CONTACT: Tracy Egan, Public Relations Manager, of Time Warner Interactive, Consumer Games Division, 408-232-3213 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// "Read Between the Lines" Contest Winners =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Congratulations (and a copy of the Jaguar Official Gamer's Guide) are going out to Alert AEO Readers Tracy R Hendershot and Graham Chiu. Tracy's "Tip" was: This is one neat thing I discovered while watching the title screen scroll down in Iron Soldier. When the downward scrolling stops, press the down leg of the joypad to see more of the bottom of the Iron Soldier logo title screen. You can also scroll up to the top and back to the bottom again. A little hint, but nonetheless, I DISCOVERED IT! Another BIG tip.... buy Battlesphere when it comes out! Graham's "Pointer" was: You can play Virtual Reality Doom NOW using 2 Jags/screens with one screen going to each eye. Your left hand and foot controls player one, and your right hand and foot controls player 2. Now this is playing in Hell. Requires unusual dexterity and eye/ hand/foot coordination. Graham and Tracy, your signed copies of Sandwich Islands' Atari Jaguar Official Gamers Guide will be going out next week. Thanks to Sandwich Islands for the donation of the prizes, and thanks to all of the readers who responded! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Extract of CATnip =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// CATfights Those of us who faithfully follow each issue of Silicon Times Report (STReport) and Atari Explorer Online (AEO) are in for a BIG treat... Very soon (as in "as soon as 10/06/95") and in conjunction with a couple few other unannounced things going on that day, AEO and STReport have agreed to go head-to-head, toe-to-toe, but not often eye-to-eye in a series of mind bending debates related to topical Jaguar 64 issues. Yes, you read it right, but feel free to read it again... The two most formidable Jaguar online news source publications have agreed to don the gloves of arguable contention. Sometimes they may "discuss" their opinions of their favorite games. Other times they may "present" their positions for or against Atari's latest advertising campaign... in every case the confrontations promise to be stimulating, insightful and chuck full of opinions. If that's not enough, YOU get to submit the topics and one particularly awesome topic will be chosen by CompuServe's own Ron Luks and friends. Type GO JAGUAR on CompuServe for more information or submit your topic ideas by 9/18/95 to: ATARI@genie.com -or- 75300.1267@compuserve.com I cannot endorse what they'll say. I cannot guarantee who will win, but YOU will be able to vote and the winning online publication for the 10/6/95 bout will win select prizes to pass on to some of their readers. (Prizes to be announced) Don't miss it. Look for the sparks to fly on 10/06/95 in that week's issues of STReport and Atari Explorer Online. //// "Dear Chris...." An open letter to Mr. Chris Gore (Video Games magazine) September 9, 1995 Mr. Chris Gore Editor-In Chief Video Games Magazine 9171 Wilshire Boulevard, #300 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Dear Chris, I wanted to take the time and share my appreciation that Video Games magazine prioritizes professional editorial values with quality reporting. It is clear that your unbiased focus on video gaming has been checked and rechecked and you sustain that high level of dependable reporting in each and every issue. You know that you build integrity with the public when mistakes are minimized. Readers know that obviously wrong information never gets past your proofreaders and the occasional buried error that does get by is promptly followed up by a fair and equitable correction. I cannot speak as a typical reader in my position within the industry, but I can express my gratitude for your dedicated coverage to the Jaguar gamer. Thank you for consistently fair reviews and the time that has to be taken to assure they are accurate and of benefit to the purchasers of our products. By the way, on page 80 of your September '95 issue, Atari's Customer Service phone number is not 1-800-USA-SEGA. Regards, Donald A. Thomas, Jr. Director, Customer Service Marketing cc: online community =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Codes And Cheats =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Super Burnout Turbo Speed Code [] Key in the sequence "1", "9", "6", "7" and then "2" at the Super Burnout title screen. [] You will hear a musical "beep" to confirm the correct code has been entered. [] You will need to have the automatic transmission option active. [] Once your bike's speed reaches 175mph during a race, press the fire button on your controller that you have set for "nothing." (Defaulted to "C".) Your bike will "turbo accellerate" while the "nothing" button is depressed. [] The top speed achieved by AEO using "turbo" mode is 343mph. [] Speed records will not be acknowledged, nor saved to the cartridge, if "turbo" is used at any time in a race. [] "Turbo" mode is enabled even through cartridge resets, although the code must be entered each time the cartridge is powered up. //// Flashback Easy Level Passwords Level 1: LETY Level 2: BOXER Level 3: EAGLE Level 4: STKTON Level 5: TICKET Level 6: SUITE Level 7: PHASER --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- GEnie Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- 1. Set your communications software for half duplex (local echo) -- -- at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud. -- -- -- -- 2. Dial toll free: 1-800-638-8369 (or in Canada, 1-800-387-8330). -- -- Upon connection, enter HHH. -- -- -- -- 3. At the U# prompt, enter XTX99436,GENIE then press <Return>. -- -- -- -- 4. Have a major credit card ready. In the U.S., you may also use -- -- your checking account number. -- -- -- -- For more information in the United States or Canada, call 1-800- -- -- 638-9636 or write: GEnie, c/o GE Information Services, P.O. Box -- -- 6403, Rockville, MD 20850-1785. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- GEnie Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| Jaguar at the CBS Toy Test ||| By: Frans Keylard / | \ GEnie: AEO.2 Internet: fkeylard@on-ramp.ior.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- For the last few years, "CBS This Morning" has held a video game toy test in the Seattle Pacific Science Center (PSC). It is a perfect forum for manufacturers to display their new and pre-release titles to an audience of ages 8 and up. People fill out a demographics form and wait in line. When these people (mostly kids) get in, they do a mad dash to the nearest available console and get to play that game (or any other game that's come free) for fifteen minutes. Atari was there, along with Nintendo, Sega, and 3DO. Last year it was only Atari, Sega and Nintendo who were there, so there was definitely an escalation in offerings! The venue was fairly small room within Exhibit Building 1 of the PSC. This small room was completely packed with the latest video games and equipment. The same room was used last year, but with fewer participants, so I would probably expect a larger room to be used next year. Don't expect glittering lights and any sort of fanfare, this event is as unassuming as they come, but therein lies the charm. The downside is that due to the frantic nature of this toy test (read: hundreds of hyperactive kids), it's very hard to get serious in-depth impressions of the games offered there. Parents used this 15 minute oasis as a brief reprise from their little terrors; letting the video games do the baby-sitting. There were quite a few scenes of controlled chaos, but this is normal when you have that many hyperactive kids vying to play games. However, one parent had absolutely no control over her five year old, and needed one of the organizers to tell the boy that his time was up, and to get back in line for more. The mother herself was totally incapable of getting any movement or confirmation out of the insolent child. I can not help but feel disturbed by such scenes of total lack of parenting. Much has been said and written about the effect of video games on children, but the parents are to blame when they do not control or censor the intake. Moderation is key, and television or video games should not be a substitute for a parent. Back to the topic at hand. The beauty of this particular forum is that the participating companies can allow a preview their games to a non-partisan audience. Most of these children have no real preference and did not have pre-conceived notions about the various systems. The downside was a frequent need for the reset button when the games crashed. Crashing was definitely not monopolized by any of the participants, so all is well in the world! Since most titles were early versions, information about special options such as multiplayer, voicemodem, or Jaglink was scarce to non-existent. These features tend to change both ways in the course of development. This exhibit lasted three weeks, from July 31 to August 20. Each week there were new titles being shown. "CBS This Morning" did air short segments from these tests on their show. Atari had a decent showing with six kiosks, and the following titles were there: Week 1 """""" Pitfall FlipOut! White Men Can't Jump Ultra Vortek Blue Lightning Vid Grid Week 2 """""" Phase Zero Breakout 2000 Hover Strike CD Rayman SuperCross 3D Power Drive Rally Week 3 """"""" Robinson's Requiem / Ruiner Pinball Commander Blood / Super Burnout Brett Hull Hockey Primal Rage Highlander Baldies (CD game, but cart shown) I didn't get to see all the titles, but with the much appreciated help of James Kent, who was the "guardian" of the Jaguar Kiosks, I was able to get good impressions of most of them. //// Primal Rage As you can see, most of the titles haven't been released yet. I was lucky enough to be able to see and play Primal Rage! PR is a fighting game by Time Warner Interactive and is slated to be their second release after Power Drive Rally. The unique twist that PR brings to the worn fighter genre, is that the combatants are seven mighty beasts, ranging from dinosaurs to King-Kong like creatures, each with their own "imaginative" special moves. The premise is that these seven gods battle for supremacy on a ravaged post holocaust Earth. A humorous touch are the tiny humans who run scared as these titans clash. PR was running from CD, and was looking pretty slick. On boot-up, the VLM kicks in with a random color effect underneath the Jaguar logo, this is standard for all CD games, but it is still awesome! In this preview, you couldn't play Sauron against Diablo, and Blizzard didn't work yet either. This game has excellent animations and is very colorful and fast. Particularly the animation of the dinosaur tail- lashes was quick and graceful. For those of you who want to get a glimpse of what this game looks like, I direct you to the arcades. PR has been a big hit since its introduction. The characters in the arcade version are slightly larger than the Jaguar version, but the detail, color, and speed are equivalent. I'm used to seeing this game on the big 27" arcade screens, and not on the 13" Jaguar Kiosk screen, so I could be wrong about the size. This game already looks very exciting, I will be passing up the PC version for this one, it's surely on my wish list! We are going to hear a LOT more about this game in the future. There is a press release for this exciting game elsewhere in this issue. //// Brett Hull Hockey I have always enjoyed ice hockey games, so it's especially fun to see a nice and well detailed one coming for the Jaguar. The rink looks great, as are the characters and the rest of the graphics. This title was already a lot of fun to play, and the graphics do the Jaguar no shame, but did remind me of NHL Hockey on the SNES - however, that was a great game! The multiple camera zooms were cool, and added to the game without distracting. Another title on my wish list. For the JagCD there will be Wayne Gretsky Hockey coming out as well (not shown), so it looks like there will be some competition on the virtual ice! //// Short Takes [] Baldies is a Lemmings type game with little bald guys instead of Lemmings. The idea is to safely guide your troop of baldies to different areas of the screen in order to solve the current predicament. Baldies was running off of a cart, but will be a CD game, so it still has lots to be added to it. [] Ruiner Pinball was fast and furious, however, the logic behind the existence of two pinball games given the number of titles available is questionable, but this was not an Atari title, so no control was had over the content. This game did look very colorful, fast, and flashy, and it will definitely give Pinball Fantasies a run for its money. [] The kids loved Flip Out, it took a while for them to grasp the puzzle concept, but once they did they were hooked. It looks like this could be a sleeper hit! [] Pitfall Mayan Adventure, another fairly early title, but hold on to your seats, this game rocks! Take Rayman, speed it up and have the hero swinging, climbing, and falling, and you have this game! In one fell swoop, we will get not one, but TWO world class platformers for the Jaguar! [] Phase Zero looked very early, the hovercar movement was nice and swift, and the terrain had a nice texture to it, but there was no method to the madness yet. The engine was well in place and there were some neat effects in the background. [] Power Drive Rally, an overhead rally racing game looked very good, the cars moved fast but the kids found it a bit hard to control. You are looking down on the course and whether you are heading up or down on the course depends which way you steer left or right. The level of detail on the courses and the cars was delightful, right down to the brake lights. [] The kids also liked the easy to understand premise behind Blue Lightning. I need not say more about this game since it will be a well scrutinized pack-in for the CD-ROM drive. [] Hover Strike CD was a much improved version of the cart game, it had more levels, and smoother animation. Now if Atari would only give this same treatment to Checkered Flag and Club Drive... [] The VLM has been discussed in the previous AEO, but let me add that it's the sweetest addition to the CD-ROM unit I could think of. I used to have an old stand alone unit to do such effects for my stereo, it was crude and triggered by sound. The VLM blows it away, and then some! I can honestly see this unit being used frequently at parties and in Discotheques, it's that cool! All in all, there will be a lot of exciting stuff to get pumped about this holiday season. Being able to afford all these neat toys is another question, but the stellar $149 CD-ROM value is certainly appreciated! //// The Next Video Game Toy Test If you live in the Seattle area and would like to get a glimpse of this event next year, you will have to watch closely for it since there is almost no other publication given to this event (besides the brief mentions on the TV show). The low-key aspect happens to suit the video game companies nicely since they can show their sensitive wares without too much risk. Start checking the activities in the Seattle Pacific Science Center around the end of July. It is worth it to be able to catch very special titles in early stages! I would like to thank James Kent and also Atari's Greg LaBrec, who despite having a stubborn cold at the time, was still able to fill in some of the blanks, as well as provide a list of all the games that were shown. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Surfing the Jagged Edge ||| By: Dimitri Mark LaBarge / | \ GEnie: AEO.6 CIS: 71501,3353 AOL: dimitril ----------------------------------------------------------------- We enter one of the strangest times in recent Atari history. Games, neat games, are on the horizon, the JagCD has arrived after being delayed, and yet open pessimism has broken out on the boards. Have too many promises been broken, too many vacillations and rationalizations indulged in at the expense of the consumer? Though I'll explore this issue a little later, I can't pretend to have the answer to this. All I'll try to offer right now is a glimpse at the future that, surely but slowly but surely, is heading our way in the face of well-armed, fierce competition. We think that some of it will interest you, and maybe show that while Atari is unquestionably the underdog in almost every sense of the word, it's not defenseless. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Software Etc., Etc... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= We're happy to confirm to you that the long estrangement between Atari and Software Etc. has been broached, and even as I write this, Jaguars and games should be arriving in your local Software Etc, with JagCDs to follow. And then we finally have confirmation - yes, confirmation - that you'll soon be seeing the Jag make its way into nearly 400 of the nation's largest Wal-Marts. This is a major marketing move, the kind for which we've been hoping and demanding these many months, and the perfect tonic to increase visibility among people who think a Jag is a football player... And my oh my, is that the Jag suddenly in place in Radio Shack in-store catalogs and, as a little birdie tells us (hopefully, a very correct little birdie), will soon be featured in a mailing going out to almost 18 million consumers. And with the cherry on top in the form of the Jag's insertion into the Sears Wishbook, it seems that the Jag market remains a growth market. If the upcoming games are released in time to complement the holiday plans of these stores, then the Jag may grow its base of more than 200,000 units (as mentioned by Ted Hoff), assuring a stable, profitable existence for a good while to come. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// And On That Note... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As we go to press, two of the longest-awaited games for the Jag, plus the exciting new Jag CD-ROM drive are being picked up by hungry Jag owners in all corners. Rayman made it out last Tuesday, and to the astonishment of many was only three days behind the release of the Playstation version (which, considering the much longer time it takes to manufacture a cart than a CD, makes it particularly keen timing - cough, cough). And following closely behind is the much-too-long awaited Ultra Vortex, the highly imaginative fighting game from the minds at Beyond Games. The addition of two solid, even great titles to fill big gaps in the Jag library can only make the system more viable in the eyes of gamers and neophytes alike. It's going to be "Party time!" this weekend, as VLMs all across the country will be cranking up and spewing out psychodelic displays. (And incidentally, we've spoken to Beyond Games, and we can happily put to rest the rumor that Battlewheels has been cancelled. The neat guys at BG are indeed planning this game for a '96 release, to satisfy all your secret needs for nonstop vehicular manslaughter. Just thought you'd like to know...) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Never Look A Gift Horse in the Fang, Dept... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Okay, how many of you out there have been reading Fangoria secretly since the sixth grade? Come on now... raise your hand, you can admit it. Especially now if you're an Jag fan, as this venerable institution has bestowed its blessing on the Jag and some of the more "gore-y" titles. So, yes my friends, run down to your newsstand and flip through that brand-new, yet oddly dog-eared copy of the October issue of Fangoria. Treat yourself to descriptions of the Jag as, "definitely a system to check out," and, "a real gamer's machine." And yes, shock of shocks to anyone who has immersed themselves in videogame gossip for the last two years, they even call the supply of Jag games "decent." Amazing what happens when you get the opinion of an outsider instead of we, the all-knowing digerati, eh? See such golden oldies as AvP given a fresh look, described not in terms of frame rates, but as "creative and exciting," and as a game that "delivers the goods." Enjoy Doom being talked about not for its resolution, but as "a successful conversion of a game previously thought would only work well on a computer." Note that Brutal Sports Football is not knocked as being "16-bitty." If you don't mind wading through a little blood and intestine, then by all means, check this magazine out - it'll warm your heart, not curdle your blood. All three games received 4-to-5 skulls for fun and gore - they sound like winners to me! [Ed: And no whining about having to "walk through pools of acid" in AvP. These Fangoria writers are tough dudes.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Fatal Design =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= No, we're not talking about the coding for Club Drive. We're actually referring to the newest Jaguar developer from France (joining the impressive console-mate UbiSoft). Fatal Design appeared recently on an CIS conference, with much interesting discussion (with some occassional, er, creative French) as to what they're interested in developing for the Cat. Fatal Design, whose credentials include a 3D API for the PC (Pro 3D Engine) as well as various Falcon 030 applications, has committed itself as a developer for the PC and Jag platforms (though they say Playstation may be possible some ways down the road). One of the reasons that they're enjoying taking on the Jag challenge is that they're quite interested in burrowing down "to the metal" and coaxing maximum performance out of the Jag architecture; the developers say unlike some other developers, they're not afraid of diving into the complexities of using a 5-processor system. The people at Fatal Design feel that when you get into sheer performance potential, the Jag is on a par with the Playstation (though they do concede that the Playstation is much easier to program). While Fatal Design couldn't get into many details about what games they were developing for the Jag, they gave out information about one of the Jag efforts on which they are focused: a brand new 3D engine to really make the most of the Jag architecture. They are critical of Atari's own 3D engine, which they claim inhibits the Jag's potential processing power. Their reworked 3D engine uses no 68000 code, as has been the case with other 3D engines; Fatal Design's code will be pure ASM, using the GPU, DSP and Blitter processors. This engine is being designed with 1700 quad/Gouraud polygons per frame possible; their engine will also use both gouraud and texture mapping. However, some phong shading will be necessary for real time games. As for their game plans, they plan on focusing entirely on cart games for the forseeable future. They will be developing both arcade-style and simulation games, and are exploring the possiblity of filling the RPG void in the Jag's lineup. They are studying the chances of employing a network setup, but say that the expenses of it may be prohibitive for a European-based company. They're aiming their first game at a mid-96 release. We wish them the best of luck! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// A Refreshing New Game, With ICE =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Meanwhile, at the same conference, our good friend Pradip at Atari, who previously wrote Atari Works for the TOS series of Atari computers, handled test routines for the CD-ROM, and developed the CD+G capabilities for the Jag CD, gave the goods on what's becoming one of the most highly anticipated Jag releases, the ambitious Black ICE\White Noise. It seems that the newest hobby for Jag programmers is to completely rethink the 3D engine, and this game is no exception to the rule. This new 3D engine written specifically for the game operates at 30 fps at a resolution of 320x200 - on the fly with no prerendering - and is capable of full motion in all directions (which should answer some questions as to whether the Jag is capable of such a thing); it is especially good, reports Pradip, at depth cuing. The game itself operates in a window of 224/180, with the rest of the screen being taken up by control panel operations. Black ICE/White Noise will make good use of Jag peripherals such as the generic NVRAM save carts [Ed: Memory Track carts.] that are on the way, as well as the six-button controller. (Which will be especially good for the fighting sequences in the game.) The team for the game consists of 3 programmers and 3 full time artists (as well as contract artists), who each put in 50 hour weeks. Still, Pradip says that it's not much more difficult to produce a CD than a cart; the only real differences are the sheer volume of data, plus the lack of Jaguar onboard memory. As for the game itself, it's a cyberpunk adventure set in future San Francisco (which should be interesting to compare to LucasArts' upcoming Calia 2095, which is also a first person adventure in the same setting). It will be a non-linear game, which though it features one main plot, will also be threaded with various subplots along the way which will lead you on different directions along that main plot. One of the most unique (and RPG-like) aspects of the game is that you will be able to interact with characters, and gain reputation in this way that will affect how you move along the main story. Some people have asked about comparisons to the game Virtuoso, based on some early screen shots of BI\WN, but Pradip couldn't comment as he hasn't seen the earlier game. This looks to be one of Atari's best in-house efforts to come along in some time. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// The BattleSphere Saga, Cont'd... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Okay, folks, it's time for the latest entry in our serialized adventures of our friends at 4-Play, hard at work on the highly anticipated game Battlesphere. This installment finds the gang in a high-energy mode, with lots of updates and questions for everyone. On a more optimistic note, Scott recently posted that his local Software Etc., with its new, Jag-friendly stance, was more than happy to let him demo at their store. T-Bird responds to Scott's message: >Today, I was videotaping Battle Sphere and I found all sorts of >rendering bugs... I recommend this practice to anyone doing game >development. When you run at 30FPS, it's hard to spot a single frame rounding error. Maybe we're the only ones running at 30FPS... Still, you just _know_ there's gonna be a person or two out there who's gonna tape and freeze-frame this thing trying to find faults with it in order to prove it's not a "System Seller". >...in the 25-30 fps just about all the time. Sure, flood the screen >with ships, debris, explosions, and shots and we're down to 15 or >so, but man does this thing haul... Heh heh, no one's gonna figure >out the little magic trick it took to make that one happen... Reminds me of the olden days of 800 programming where there were things you could make the hardware do that the designers never dreamed of. This is so cool. Despite this being our 1st Jag title, it's probably going to be one of the first "3rd Generation" titles, where the hardware finally gets really exploited. And to think... we've discovered ways to make the next title we do even BETTER along the way! >Now if only I can make the deadline. Our next major obstacle is >activating the networking... That's going to be very interesting... I continue to plug away at it... T-Bird continues with another update: Latest cut of BattleSphere(tm) is running just fine. Framerate is indeed up, thanks to the special hardware 'hack' devised by Scott and Myself. Nobody has thought of this little ditty before... it's too COOL! For what it's worth, this little trick would have easily made DOOM a 320x240 game at 20-30FPS all the time... This game is running so smooth now. Things are shaping up nice. Scott's working on putting in the 'damage' that you see as ships get beat up. He also said something about working on the 'drive flares' that Chazz was asking for that I said we were going to add and that the ships were custom designed to accept them. There's some nice feedback when you hit someone or take a hit yourself, so people who saw the MiST version can rest easy now. The version we showed then looks like CRAP compared to how smooth and consistent THIS version is. I feel sorry for anyone thinking of writing a Jag Space-Battle type game now. We absolutely KILL X-Wing and TIE Fighter as far as the battle scenes work. Loads of things still left to do. I just worked out the code to handle the specific timing of CatNet, so once the packet handler is running, it will go off to Scott for incorporation into the game. Reminder: BattleSphere(tm) RULES!!!! A sentiment I don't think we're likely to forget with T-Bird around.... :> T-Bird continues (again) with a bit of a personal perspective of the game: I am anxious to hear what people think of the way we look now. Every day this thing gets better and better looking. The thing that's so cool about that screenshot is that the Jag is simply spewing frames at the time when it has that much going on onscreen. Actually, one of the coolest things about it is that you'll be playing the game and dodging someone's lasers and as you pull back the laser stream looms in your viewport as your view 'pans' away from it, and you can just sense the other pilot compensating for your evasive tactics as his next shots slide past all around your view and recede off into the distance. You get a real feeling of 'being there'. He then respons to a question from AEO's Mark Santora as to the sound capabilities of the game: >Let's talk about SOUND for a second. I know Steph is doin some >"AWESOME" music and you have some nice effects, but what else is >there? Are the engies just normal sounding? Is there a difference >between the races? Admittedly, we haven't given as much attention to the sound effects as we have the other parts of the game... this is mostly due to time constraints and some hardware problems (and those damnable 1/8" jacks on the F030's being the royal nuisance I always predicted they'd be.) We do have a couple of really killer samples which I have done, but we are far from finished with that part of the game. >And for my ONLY major suggestion/plea. PLEASE support DOLBY >SURROUND PROCESSING in the game. I know Dolby only charges a few >cents per unit - of anything. This would not only help set the >mood, but it would really be a KICK ASS addition to your game. >Imagine being able to put a Dolby symbol on your cover art? Very >Cool. While we certainly have respect for the Dolby Surround Sound process, putting it into an actual game is no trivial matter. We simply cannot afford the DSP bandwidth to handle the surround encoding and keep things like 30FPS and Networking. Heck, Atari has purchased the rights to an (already written) library of Qsound routines, and we cannot use them because we are pushing the hardware HARD. Even playing samples which have the encoding done on them already is dubious at best, because our sound manager positions the volume of each sample in "Stereo Space", so that people with stereos and headphones will be able to hear the guy shooting at them from the left/right. Moving surround samples left and right via our simple volume scaling technique would probably not sound very good... Frankly, the visuals are the part of this game which sets us apart from all other games. Reviewers rarely give a great looking game a bad review based on average sound. >I know you're busy with the gameplay and graphics - but don't >forget the SOUND!!! It's on our list.... somewhere AFTER 8-player network ;-) Sometimes it's interesting to get an inside look at the priorities of developers who have to juggle everything at once; just organizing a game can be as hard as actually coding the project. Incidentally, if you'd like to get an actual sample of sound from BattleSphere, check out the Bsphere preview page on the Intelligent Gamer Online site at <http://igonline.escape.com/atari/bsphere.html>. More on the vagaries of coding this game for a network: >How is the modem play comming? I assure you, that you and scott >would make AT&T very happpy beta testing BS againts each other :') That's part of the allmighty Network Code, which is progressing incrementally toward completion, but since I'm trying to do it "right", I have to test each little thing as I incorporate it, which means writing all sorts of 1-off test routines and status debug printouts, etc. T-Bird then answers a question regarding the concept of incorporating some sort of "power up": >My opinion regarding power-ups: please do not make us "buy" them. >I have never been a fan of this sort of scheme. I never have likes it either either... I just wanted to ask wheat everyone felt, and I think it would be quite boring trying to code up a "weapon-mart" screen too. I'm partial to the 'tractor beam' idea, or at least some sort of way to pick them from space. >Which reminds me. As for control, will the sensitivity of the >controls be user-adjustable? I can deal with it if not, it's not >that big a deal... but it would be nice to be able to play with the >control until it felt "comfortable". Of course, this might vary a >lot with the type of ship you're flying, so this might not even be a >sensible option. I think we have the control "just right". However, with all the different ship's characteristics it might seem like, say, the Annihilator seeming to have poor control after you just flew a mission in a Devastator. That's because that's how it's supposed to work. How would Super Burn-Out be if all the bikes could be adjusted to have the same characteristics? It's the same sort of thing. Some ships are at a disadvantage because they control differently than others (but might have super-powerful weapons or super shields to balance it out). >What are you guys going to do, after BattleSphere? I mean, how're >you gonna top _this_? ;-)< First, I'm gonna get some SLEEP!!! Then they'll be going to Disneyland... :> Scott joins in the discussion with a question about how to incorporate drained weapons into the game: OK guys, I'm knee-deep in coding and I have a couple questions... We now have multiple weapons active, some polygon-based, some bitmap-based. Here's the problem. When one depletes the supply of a weapon, should I: 1) leave the pilot firing nothing until he switches weapons or 2) Automaticelly change the weapon to another one, in this case I think a default weapon... Here's another question: When one switches weapon types, should I cycle through all possible weapons, or only those for which ammunition is available? BTW all videogames should animate their bitmap weapons. It makes a huge difference in the look... One of Doug's weapons really reminds me of the V'GER bolts from STTNG... As this is written, the verdict of the online audience was almost unanimous that when a weapon is drained, it should automatically switch to another device. Scott announced that he would incorporate this approach into the game. A little more detail on this: OK, it's partially settled. I'm going to put in automatic weapon switching, but here's the rub. Missiles, plasma bolts, and stasis bolts are qualitatively different weapons. Missiles are homing weapons, plasma bolts are glorified lasers, and stasis bolts are used to paralyze rather than damage a ship. So what I think I need to implement is most ofthem switching to plasma bolts then the plasma bolts switching to lasers. We're not going to do the Wing Commander thing and have 8 variants of the same weapon, each with their own bitmap. As far as forcing some ships to switch manually, forget it, that's bad game design IMO, you don't make things that get in the way of players. This drives me ABSOLUTELY NUTS in the SNES game Vortex. Especially when you have to cycle through them to get to working weapons. To cop a line, it's getting better all the time. Thanks once again to the team at 4-Play for these enticing tidbits! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Quandries and Reflections =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Okay, my online friends, I think we should spend a little quality time now. A little while ago, I posted a message on CompuServe that seemed to be well-received; I wanted to take some time to expand upon it now. This last week has been a harsh one. Many of us were anticipating the release of the JagCD on August 24th, the same day that a certain monolith of an operating system was released. In some areas of the Atari cyberworld, countdowns were held, but at any rate, there was a certain enthusiasm that this peripheral was finally going to get in our grubby l'il hands. It really isn't so much the software, though much of it is promising; it was the opportunity to have a promise met. And in the end, it wasn't. Yes, in letter, the unit was indeed *shipped* to some distributors on August 24, but most of us know that's a technicality that doesn't live up to the spirit of what we expected. Yes, a three-week delay isn't much, and most of us were prepared for the CD-ROM to actually arrive on shelves a bit later than the announced date anyway. But we wanted that unit; maybe it was to prove something about ourselves, about how well-founded are the things in which we place our loyalty. And when this date fell through, it's hard not to feel a sense of loss and hurt. Games aren't really supposed to matter, but maybe it's human nature to invest more than that in these silicon wafers and compact discs. Yet, we've gotten past that before, and indeed, we've been rewarded with honest-to-God treats like Alien vs. Predator and Iron Soldier. Why is this so hard to get over? Maybe the answer is not so much that we can't or that this is such a grievous corporate injury; maybe many of us simply don't want to anymore. A lot of loyalists have expressed this emotion lately, and I understand it. I feel part of it. Many of us so-called "die-hards" don't want to wait because, really, they don't have to. Around the corner is a new, sexy up-and-comer called the Sony Playstation, with all the flash and self-promotion of a Cecil B. DeMille epic. You look at some of their slick ads, and more so, their dreamlike texture-mapped images that seem to be tossed out as easily as cards in the wind, and something connects. I think of the emotional analogy of WWII survivors getting dropped shipments from the Allies packed with that one, delectable Hershey bar. Some of us sense ourselves as being deprived, and we look for the alternative to that state. Certainly none of the other pretenders to the throne have provided that; but now the future seems apparent in a rare cross of high-technology and MTV advertising mega-blitzes, and damned if it's not working. Even I want one. Even though I know that much of it will be more glitter than anything else, it's working a spell. No wonder people are kicking off their Atari shoes in varying measures of resentment and betrayal. So why are some of us, a real core of us, staying around? It's not just a matter of staying with a sinking ship. Almost all of us are much smarter than that; and more, many of us don't believe that the ship =is= sinking. But the evidence seems to point so much to the contrary. Software for our Jag comes out at a trickle, while the Playstation's masters at Sony sneeze and come up with a new handful of developers. Sony's advertising budget for this unit may be larger than Atari's entire budget. Can't we see straight? Are we so committed to Atari that we can't see the blatantly obvious anymore? I guess the only way I can answer these hard questions is by explaining Atari from my perspective. A year ago, I came onboard AEO as a writer, to collect your impressions. I was very much impressed by the quality of the people working on this digizine. I didn't find fanatics, I didn't find people who ate Atari, breathed Atari, and let Atari seep through their pores. And I certainly didn't find the kind of obsessed, racist idiots who, unfortunately, have sullied the world of printed videogame magazines of late. I found people who had an interesting viewpoint and hobby, and who would connect me with others who shared that. So I gladly accepted the offer to link up and start passing along all manner of online musings. What drove me to Atari? What made me want to get more involved? It wasn't that I had a deep, undying respect for the corporate philosophy that Atari represents. It wasn't a glorious track record, certainly. It wasn't history, or loyalty, or "I've got the biggest, most powerful gun on the block." And it wasn't any emotional necessity to see Atari redeem itself in some unexpected stroke of corporate genius; I knew the track record and what I was probably getting into. What brought me closer into this fold was that I liked the games I saw coming. And I still do. I admit, I'm fascinated by many of these other-system games. And yet, I want much of what's coming down Atari way. Highlander. BattleSphere. Phase Zero. D2K. Varuna's Forces. Black ICE\White Noise. AvP2. Iron Soldier 2. I won't get those anywhere else; I find them intriguing. And I continue to get wonderful use of my favorites that have already come. Oh late, most certainly, but they have come. So, we're faced with a clear future with the Jag as a niche player. But this is not a death sentence, as Apple has proven. There is no guillotine waiting after December 31st if the machine fails to reach a certain sales point; God knows that Atari has been pronounced dead by very intelligent people and then just kept on running. And there's no indication that things will be any different in the near future. Which means that I'll still be able to play those games that I want to play. I don't give a damn about corporate machinations or skullduggery. Will my machine continue to support the product I want to see for it? We can only speculate, of course, but I see no reason why it won't. There are too many people who won't let it; loyalists who don't see any reason to abandon something that suits them just right, extremely talented programmers sweating to bleed every possible pixel from the Jaguar architecture, unsung heroes like Don Thomas and Laury Scott who have shown a loyalty and comm itment to the customer to a degree that would be startling in most companies. The bottom line is that as long as the games that I want to play are still on Atari's horizon, I'll continue to enjoy them. And if good, unexpected things happen along the way, like the recent taking on of the Jaguar by Software Etc. stores, then so much the better. But what's important for all of us is that if you enjoy the games, then Jaguar works for you. If you don't like what they've come up with, then perhaps it's not for you. I don't think that's an unfair standard in which to hold Atari and the Jaguar. Me, I like what I've gotten from them. And maybe, just maybe, it's that simple. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Ciao bella! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Okay, enough of the personal proselytizing. Check this space next time for more of the new... That's the dish for this ish! --==--==--==--==-- ||| Flashback ||| Review by: John Hardie / | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------- In Flashback, you assume the role of Conrad, just awakening on the planet Titan with no memory of who you are or why you are here. Armed with only your gun and your shield, you set out to re-discover your identity and explain your current situation. You must travel through seven different stages in a race to regain your memory and save the planet Earth from alien invaders. Flashback is a great platform/RPG type of game; very similar to Prince of Persia. There doesn't seem to be any variables in the gameplay; it is very straight-forward, requiring you to complete one task before going to the next. The odds of you getting stuck somewhere because you didn't accomplish some previous task are slim to none. The seven stages you travel through are fairly large so don't worry about finishing this game in a day. Below is a brief summary of each stage: Stage 1 - You awaken on the Planet Titan with no memory of past events. You find a holocube, which gives you instructions what to do. Stage 2 - You find your friend Ian, who restores your memory. He sends you to his friend Jake to get papers to enter the Death Tower show and win a ticket to Earth. You must get a work permit and complete odd jobs to earn the 1500 credits that Jake wants for the papers. Stage 3 - The Death Tower TV Game Show. Survive and win a ticket to Earth. Stage 4 - You arrive on Earth and the aliens quickly discover you and try to kill you. You escape their grip and find the alien headquarters. Stage 5 - The base of Paradise. You discover the alien plans to dominate the human race but are captured by the aliens in the process. Stages 6 & 7 - You end up on the Planet of Morphs. You search for info to destroy the planet by setting an atomic charge. Along your journey, there are many objects you can acquire and interact with. Objects you can pick up are: [] Holocube - Gives you info to start you on your journey. [] Force Field - Stops enemy bullets. Time it right because it only lasts a second. [] Stone - Useful for activating cameras and pressure pads. [] Credits - Form of money needed at certain points in the game. [] Magnetic Cartridge - Creates an energy source when charged at an energy generator. [] Mechanical Mouse - Can be picked up. Useful for setting off traps, pressure pads, cameras. [] Exploding Mouse - Explodes on contact. Can be picked up when it's not moving. [] I.D. Card - Necessary for access and identification. [] Key - Used to open key lock. [] Teleport Receiver - Can be thrown and re-used. The receiver marks the spot you will appear when you activate the Teleport Control. [] Teleport Control - Beams you to the Teleport Receiver. Other objects you encounter can be interacted with. These include: [] Teleport - Teleports you to specific place. [] Energy Generator - Used to recharge your shild or magnetic cartridge. [] Switch - Opens a door or calls an elevator. [] Camera - Same as a switch. Can also trigger a laser cannon. [] Pressure Pad - Same as a switch, Can also set off an alarm. [] Card Lock - Can only be opened with card. [] Key Lock - Can only be opened with key. [] Save Marker - Used as a save point during a level so you don't have to start the level from scratch. [] Disintegrator - Lose a life if you cross it. [] Electrified Floor - Run and Jump over it. There are an abundance of enemies and hazards you will come across as you make your way through the game. As well as numerous enemies that shoot, morph, and de/re-materialize, there are some hazards that can't be destroyed and must be avoided: [] Land Mine - Jump over to avoid. [] Falling Mine - Passing under it causes it to fall. [] Laser Cannon - Activated by a pressure pad or camera. Conrad can perform more than a dozen different moves including jumping, running, climbing up and down, somersaults, and shooting his gun. The controls can be tricky at first and the moves take a little time to master so it's best to spend a little time practicing. My suggestion is to use the first level as a training ground; testing the limits of your jumps, and trying out all the somersaults and shooting manuevers. Once you have the controls down, you'll be able to move around pretty rapidly. Don't run into unknown regions too fast though, because a fall of more than two floors means certain death. It's safer to hang off a ledge, rather than walking or jumping off it, when going to a screen below. This allows you to scout out any trouble that might await. When you first turn on the game, you are greeted with an animated cinema sequence of events that show Conrad being chased and shot down by an alien craft. Likewise, there are many of these cinematic sequences throughout the game, linking events together and showing the passing or collecting of objects. These scenes are nice and help the story along but graphically they aren't up to par with what the Jaguar can do. My guess is that the cinema sequences were ported over from the 16-bit versions and not refined or enhanced at all. The in-game graphics are well-drawn, detailed and crisp but seem a little lacking in color. The sound in this game is well above average. The music that accompanies the opening animation is great and really puts you in the mood to do some blasting. Unfortunately, once the game starts, there is no music, except at certain points in the game when you are treated to a short tune. The sound fx are accurate and do the job well, but they're really nothing to get excited over. After the opening animation, you are taken to the Main game screen. From here you can select to start a game, enter a password, change options, or run a demo of the game. The password screen lets you enter a password up to six characters long which will take you to the beginning of the level you are playing. Passwords are given out at the start of every level so be sure to write them down (HINT - if you like guessing at passwords, they don't have to be six characters long and the obvious ones (USGOLD & JAGUAR) don't work). One of my big gripes with the game is the fact that the passwords take you to the start of a level and not the save point that you last saved the game at within the level. The causes you to replay a level (which I mentioned earlier are fairly large) to get back to where you were. Make sure you have enough time set aside to complete a level when playing this game. The options screen has five different options for you to select. Difficulty settings can be set to Easy, Medium, and Hard. You can select the game text to be in English or French. Selecting controls will allow you to customize your joypad controls to anything you're comfortable with, but it doesn't seem that they're saved to memory. The option screen also has 2 sound test modes; TEST TUNE and TEST FX. Naturally, the first will let you select any of the game music and the second will let you listen to any of the game's sound fx. Overall, the game is well worth the money to someone who has never played it before. I imagine if you've already completed the 16-bit version, you probably wouldn't find anything new to keep you interested here. But for someone like myself who has no prior experience with FLASHBACK, this game keeps me coming back for more. Before I finish and give my ratings, I'd like to touch on a couple of bugs I encountered while playing. Twice while playing, I lost all sound (music and sfx). This happened both times while I was bypassing the animations by pressing "PAUSE". The game completely froze once although I don't remember what I did to make it happen. The last problem I had involved some serious slowdown. Although the entire game suffers at various points from slowdown when too much is going on, one time the entire game kicked into slow-motion. Everything was crawling along and I couldn't get it going again without turning the game off and on. This problem with slowdown is outrageous on a machine like the Jaguar; there's really no excuse for it. Anyway onto the ratings. //// Final Ratings Title: Flashback JagNet: No Design: Delphine Players: 1 Published by: US Gold Availability: Now Retail: $59.95 Age: K-A A Summary of ratings: "*" is a whole "+" is a half 5 stars maximum Graphics - *** Nice and fluid, but the limited color palette used is a waste. Audio - *** Again, nice - but sparse. Control - **** Lots of things your character can do. Takes time to master the controls though. Gameplay - ****+ Long, involved adventure. Plenty of puzzles. Overall - *** A very unenthusiastic port of a two-year old game. Thanks, but try harder next time. Key to Ratings: ***** - Excellent **** - Great *** - Good ** - Fair * - Poor --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- To sign up for CompuServe service, call (voice call) (800) 848-8199. -- -- Ask for operator #198. You will be sent a $15.00 value CIS membership -- -- kit for free. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| Atari Artist ||| By: Peter Donoso & Fadi Hayek / | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Just when it started to look as if everyone had left in pursuit of things extraneous and otherwise unrelated... yet another issue of Atari Artist emerges from the certain mists of uncertainty! Well, as you may know first hand, there ARE some things in this world - things like yet another George Romero body rising from yet another Night of The Living Dead Hollywood grave, or yet another moviegoer willing to continually put out money to see yet another George Romero body rising from yet another Night of The Living Dead Hollywood grave - that just refuse to be killed off that easily. What's happening out there in Atari land? The answer really depends on whether the sentiment, "Hope springs eternal." either thrives and flourishes daily amidst their philosophical garden... or, cringing from the light of rising optimism, continues to disintegrate as a rotting corpse of pessimism, returning to the fallow ground of their philosophical cemetery. For those devout urban city romanticists out there with 'ner hide nor hair of either a garden or a cemetery in sight, simply put - you either have faith, believe and get up every morning... or you don't - and remain curled up in a fetal ball, cowering beneath the bed sheets of inconsolable depression! What's that you say...? Yes, Virginia, even as you read these very words, new programs and products are most assuredly being developed for our beloved computer platform,. Though only a small percentage of these are U. S. and Canadian-based companies, most hail from exotic European ports, far beyond the shores of our own Windows-besieged Americas, from which these somewhat irregular dispatches continue to be published. And though we may feel, at times, like a former patriot now exiled to some obscure island where few know or have heard of "Atari "- and even fewer speak our "language," - still we manage to remain comfortably warm sitting in front of ours till-thriving network of electronic campfires. If the buffalo managed to prevail throughout their long, hard journey back from the edge of extinction... well, to paraphrase a great American musical rascal, "One never really knows - do one?" Sure, the other guys may have these rad-looking mountain dirt bikes that can be coaxed into doing all kinds of whirly flips and whatnot, but watch their mouths bite the dust when you run that rad German demo that covers your screen with undulating mandelbrots as that MOD file cranks out a bitchin' set of Tangerine Dream-y tracks! As we're often reminded, it's the quality of the resulting end product - not the name or the packaging - that really matters. And we've been given some pretty awesome tools to produce a whole lot of amazing results. Great tools! There are large areas of the globe, - in some cases even entire governments - operating on nothing more that a few old 8086 text-based PCS, who would think they had died and went to heaven if someone showed up at their doorstep with a couple of Atari 1040STs. When all's said and done, it really comes down to that good old-fashion notion of relativity - one man's ceiling is another man's floor. One of the mixed blessings of being human seems to be our relentlessly driven need for improving (i.e., gaining even more control over) our environment. The great part about this evolutionary mandate is that we continue to explore, create and evolve. I'm just as easily thrilled by new displays of technological advancement as any other wide-eyed youth, but as I've moved through the ensuing years, I've also come to notice that every step forward casts a new shadow wherein some things of intrinsic value have been left behind, sprawled amidst the ruins of our former inconveniences. I'm talking about this depressive malaise that seems to ooze over cutting edge computer junkies - though anyone who owns a computer thinks they're immune to this virus is just kidding themselves - whenever the latest speed & power barrier bench mark has been broken. This is not merely a case of being attached to "old ways", or old machines, for that matter. Though more than a few artists will assert that, for all the strikingly visual graphics computers may be artistically capable of rendering, nothing still brings as unique an experience of satisfaction as working with the texture of real paper or the smell and tactile interaction between paint, bristle, canvas and hand. A fair number of musicians will staunchly maintain similar sentiments on the tactile placement and resulting sound between fingertip and string or key, lip and reed. Yet both art and music, when rendered through the medium of computer chip and monitor screen, are arguably no less artistically valid creations than their "analog" counterparts. And whether it's an Atari ST, a Falcon 030, a TT, an Amiga 5000, a SGI workstation, a PowerMac or a Pentium PC, it's still art. And art... is life! Although it's often all-too-human a reaction,, the value of any artistic expression, regardless of whatever method employed in its pursuit, cannot and should not be defined solely by assessing the speed and level of intricacy attained but rather elements in the overall depth of interplay between "creator" and "creation." Atari computers have always had a great reputation for combining a powerful electronic data engine with an intuitive user interface and the tightest coded applications of any computer platform out there. One only needs to journey to the halls of Microsoft's little-known "Recompiler Division" to watch as the latest "finished" product is deposited on the desk of a programmer with years of experience on the Atari platform who is now being given the directive to "cut the size of this beast in half!" One major drawback of technology's relentless march towards a "better tomorrow" is that we rarely end up staying in one place long enough to actually experience the full potential of what we presently "have." We're of ten looking so enviously at what's about to arrive that we only lightly touch upon the true significance of what we're actually holding in our hands at any given moment. Perhaps "being human" intrinsically promotes this genetic imperative, this powerfully convincing lure which entices us to subsist solely upon the "surface" of our lives with the promise of a far happier existence from having the "latest and greatest", all the while blinding us to the subtle yet pervasive consequences in its pursuit. To the content of our lives and the exacting price they demand in return. Far too often we end up failing to notice the fact that, up there on the surface, "people" and "things" start to become somewhat interchangeable commodities - equally dispensable, as easily swapped as those new clothes or that new car... or that new computer. Your Atari can still do so many more amazing things than you've ever dreamed of. Chances are, even the staunchest of Atari users out there has only touched upon a fraction of the power and capability of their machine. I use my Ataris for digital audio and MIDI sequencing, notation & scoring, a large variety of desktop publishing situations, drafting kitchen & bath floor plans and elevations, sophisticated word processing, some pretty sophisticated spreadsheet calcs and database management, eye-grabbing graphics designs, photo scanning and retouching, faxing and world-wide modem communications, great game play sessions... and I'm still constantly discovering new techniques, new tricks, surprising new uses for previously-assumed familiar applications and features. Taking a moment to break our transfixed envy and gaping sense of unfulfilled longing at that larger, lusher, greener lawn on the other side of the fence and shifting our point of view to what lays at our own feet offers us an opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with how marvelous our side of the fence has always been... and, in fact, really still is. Where DID that all-consuming passion for finally acquiring our most recent, (remember the first day you plugged in your brand new Atari computer and fired it up?) absolutely-got-to have-it desired technological wonder disappear to? A sense of overwhelming disdain at the all-too-familiar? boredom? That cavernous feeling of "incompletion" triggered by a sudden glimpse and the near- instantaneous mental reaction of, "Woah, look at the computer THEY'VE got!"? I'm not denying the obvious advantages brought about by next- generation technology - but considering the fact that each new "powerful" application presents a longer learning curve and requires exponentially greater amounts of time in order to attain that roster of touted "new wonder features," one begins to ponder upon the original premise for using computers to begin with: they'll enable us to increase the amount of our everyday productivity output while reducing the amount of time otherwise required to accomplish the same task by hand. Has the development of bigger and better computer hardware/software really moved us towards more leisure time for other pursuits... or just more time logged in front of a screen? In case being immersed in the data stream has wiped out major sectors of your mental server, beyond that wall of virtual reality lies a whole world of unbelievable realism... it's called planet Earth! And what about that piece of "yesterday's technology" that we suddenly feel saddled with? Can the value of what once intrigued and captivated us be swept off the table so easily in a few months by the sudden appearance on the horizon of a "bigger and even more improved" object of computational fascination? Does it make any sense that we've barely explored a few of the over two thousand digital rooms we presently have access to, only to suddenly re-evaluate their overall worth as having been greatly diminished, just because the "machine over there" has two hundred THOUSAND rooms to choose from?! How many rooms can one person visit - let alone take up residence in - at any one time? How many programs can any one person develop a sweeping command of, or master all the possibilities each has to offer? Think about it: where IS yesterday's wonder? How could that feeling be so completely wiped from memory by the mere inkling of yet another product which bears that all-bewitching label of supposed superiority - "better" - when we've got this incredibly great machine sitting there, right in front of us? A wise man once said, "To be truly happy is to know the real value of what one already possesses..." and the wisdom to understand that, despite all the longings and desires for that cutting-edge piece of new technology machine they may feel so inexplicably empty without... there will always be yet another "better," "more improved," "top of the line" one right around the corner. "New" does not ALWAYS necessarily mean "better!" _/ _/ _/ 'Nuff philosophical meanderings for now - time to get back to the Atari world-at-hand - or "world-IN-hand", as it were. At this past Canadian Atari A.C.E. show I had quite a bit of opportunity to put my hands on a number of products, more than a few which had been previously described in past issues within the electronic pages of Atari Artist. No matter how much in-depth, evocative text or descriptive captions accompanied by pretty screen shots you may read and see... there ain't nothin' like trying out the real thing! The most impressive experience by far was in being able to check out NEON, an amazing 3-D rendering/animation program which boasts some very impressive features and capabilities. Compo, who will be distributing the program in the U.S. this fall, offered showgoers a 15 minute VHS video display using a standard VCR which featured a very slick series of various NEON-created animations, most of which looked very cool! Of course, one would need some kind of additional cartridge port-based hardware in order to translate the computer's RGB video signal into a suitable format for displaying on TV... not! Imagine being able to transfer your NEON-generated renderings and animations directly from your Atari computer DIRECTLY TO TAPE, in real time, using ONLY the Falcon's built-in RF video (TV) out port!!! For those of you who may not understand the full implications of this, Macs and PCs both require additional card-based or external self-contained hardware in order to export video to an outside source, such as a VCR... but not with the Falcon! Resolution quality, although far from meeting actual TV broadcast standards, was amazingly good - impressive enough to show to a client as a preliminary to the final print of your animation's script and execution of concepts. Rendering and textural mapping were awesome, and maintained impressive integrity throughout a variety of changes in camera angle and light sources. NEON features a main Editor, where most of your objects are created, which divides the screen into separate top, side and front 2-D section views, along with a fourth, 3-D window set to any desired view point. Anyone interested in getting into serious animation who's been put off by the formidable task of using numerical-based interfaces for rendering and animation will love NEON's more visually object-driven approach for mapping textures to moving objects and creating all kinds of great looking effects. Although no final price has been set, expect a mail order price of somewhere from $350 to $450 - a bargain, considering the average price for comparable programs easily runs from $650 to well over $1,000 (don't forget, this doesn't include the $400-$1500 cost of an additional hardware interface for exporting your video signal)! NEON is one very sophisticated program which can accomplish some amazing results. //// Software-Based Atari Emulation On The Mac Those of you out there who heeded the whispers of doomsayers and ended up succumbing to the dubious "absolute necessity" of moving over to another computer platform as "former Atari users" but still secretly miss the familiar features and ease of use of their former favorite Atari programs, take heart! With a choice between the GEMulator, and the subsequently released Janus card (see below for an update on this popular German product), PC owners were able to run Atari programs on a non-Atari computer. Both products were limited in being able to make only certain features of their former favorite machine available, and both required hardware boards which necessitated the additional installation of TOS chips and independent RAM memory - and still do! Why couldn't someone come up with a way of utilizing a CPU's existing on-board hardware to emulate an Atari through software alone? Well... they have! I had the opportunity to road test MagiC Mac, the software-based Atari emulator for all 030/040 Macintosh computers. This was wild! MagiC Mac had Calamus SL alongside Atari Works and a number of Atari desk accessories, all running in their very own Atari GEM-based desktop shell... on a Macintosh Quadra 610! Most impressively, as I switched between various applications and put each program's features through its paces, I watched as dialog boxes and windows flew open and close, screen redraws were rendered with blinding speed and a variety of accessed features were completed in record time. In short, everything was flying with amazing speed... AND all in true multi-tasking mode. A special key command allowed me to toggle between the Mac and Atari GEM desktops with no discernible glitches, and I could even copy and paste text AND graphics straight from a GEM application right to the Mac clipboard! The one present requirement is that most Atari programs are well-behaved GEM-based applications. German programs are notorious for abandoning GEM in favor of custom- designed environments which they claim offer greater control, speed and flexibility. A number of German developers for programs which fall into this category (such as Calamus and Digital Arts' DAs Layout and DAs Picture) are offering slightly modified MagicMac versions of their applications. There's also a program called GT Look for accessing Epson scanners through MagicMac directly from the Mac's SCSI port. Two additional modules are also available: the COPY module turns the scanner into a color copier by enabling output of the scanned image to almost any printer; the Optimizer module enhances images during the actual scanning process. A good number of other non-GEM applications which use unorthodox interfaces may still end up being excluded but it's not a hard 'n fast rule, and I'm told the next released version will be more tolerant in allowing both TOS and other non-GEM based programs to run equally as smooth as any GEM application. Truly an impressive product! //// Hardware-Based Atari Emulation On The PC Version 4.0 of GEMulator, Mountain View's PC hardware card-based Atari emulator for any 486 or Pentium-based computer running DOS/Windows, was shown running on a 486 DX laptop under a beta version of Windows '95 with no apparent problems. Most programs seemed to run smoothly and quickly. Switching between a variety of Atari resolutions went off without a hitch. Plugging into either an 8-bit or 16-bit EISA slot in your PC, Version 4. of GEMulator also now offers both MIDI and sound card support. GEMulator allows you to: _/ Run GEM in any one of a number of resolutions, including Super VGA and Moniterm graphics resolutions of 800x600, 1024x768 and higher. _/ Move, copy, delete and execute DOS and Windows programs direct from any GEM window. Double-Space & Stacker HD partitions are also supported. _/ Access your PC's CD-ROM drive directly to either run DOS/Windows and Atari programs or load any data file. _/ Emulate from 512K up to 14 megs of Atari ST memory. _/ Paste clip art directly into your Atari programs. _/ Run multiple Atari desktops simultaneously, with each one running a different program in different screen resolutions. This effectively offers a majority of important features found on the actual Atari platform to those who feel they must work on the more complicated, headache-ridden PC computer platform. Speaking of being continually surprised at how powerful an Atari computer can be, I also had a chance to run a number of programs and demos off of the second Crawly Crypt (II) Atari CD-ROM. I both saw and heard some sense-popping visuals and music output from this disk chock-filled with folders devoted to ST, STe, TT and Falcon related applications. To be sure, an eye (and ear) opener for anyone who thinks Ataries are second-rate has-beens! //// Sampling Some Sound Wizardry I also had the opportunity to both see/hear and play with Zero-X at the Wizztronics booth. Demoed by none other than Atari Artist's own Fadi Hayek, the audio wonderkund was wowing both musicians and non-musicians alike with this impressive program's arsenal of sound manipulation in the digital domain. To top it off, Copson Data has added a number of improvements and new features since the version demonstrated at the show, all of which are outlined further on this issue. There were a number of other exciting updates for a number of popular graphics programs, including the latest version of SKWare's amazing graphics paint program, Seurat 3, and a nearly-completed major update to In-Shape, the comprehensive 3-D rendering program available in North America from Canada's CyberCube (new features for both programs are covered further on in this issue.) The CyberCube booth also featured a Medusa 030, the versatile TT-clone, specially housed in a sleek black mini-tower case and running at a blistering 48mHz. Over in the Steinberg booth Ray Williams had Cubase Audio Falcon running on one of C-Lab's Falcon MKII machines. Unquestiona- bly the most impressive of all the 3rd party Atari machines out there, however, is the Eagle! Though sadly not yet quite ready in time for an appearance at this show, we'll also take a closer look at this very flexibly configurable machine later on in this very same issue. All in all, I'd say the future looks amazingly alive and well... for a platform that is supposedly "dead!" So here's to Atari owners everywhere - and to our immortal platform, the "nosferatu" of the computer world. Long may it haunt the corridors of our digital dreams and continue to render out of the vast dark night of our computer screen such creations as only our wildest imaginings could ever possibly have conceived! And now, without further adieu... away we go! _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ M U S I C N E W S _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ ATARI VERSION OF LOGIC 2.5 TO BE AVAILABLE _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ EMAGIC has confirmed that it will be offering a version of Logic 2.5 for the Atari, Slated for release sometime in the next few months, the latest update reflects a majority of its Mac platform version's latest improvement s,offering a number of new features which include: _/ Improved tempo features _/ Lock event to SMPTE _/ A Touch Track feature for assigning any MIDI event to a keynote, including Group events _/ Notepads independent of time _/ A thoroughly rewritten manual _/ A new polyphony tool to facilitate and draw floating split points Cost of this update to registered users will run somewhere around $140. As to the question of whether the next update of Logic Audio will be ported to the Atari Falcon - the jury is still out on that decision. EMAGIC seems to be adopting a cautious, wait-and-see attitude concerning the Atari platform's ability to maintain enough users to warrant a new release. Though reluctant to state that the Atari line of EMAGIC products has ended its run , it's more than likely that the degree of third party clone manufacturers' success will be the determining factor in deciding the fate of future releases for this very impressive product. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ MUSIC MESSE UPDATES _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Some e-mail comments from EMAGIC on our recent German Music Messe report have called for a few corrections. _/ Apparently the event was held March 8-12th rather than in February, as originally stated. _/ There may have been some confusion concerning the company's primary country of residence; although EMAGIC has established an office in Nevada City, California to handle distribution here in the States, they have always been a German-based company. Their respective addresses are: EMAGIC Inc. USA P.O. Box 771 Nevada City, CA 95959 (916) 477-1051 (916) 477-1052 Fax EMAGIC Hard & Software GmbH Halstenbeker Weg 98 D-25462 Rellingen, Germany +49 4101 4765 0 +49 4101 4765 99 Fax _/ As to the variety of situations concerning C-LAB vs. EMAGIC , not to mention C-LAB vs. EMAGIC vs. Steinberg, and to distinguish the current incarnation of C-LAB from it's former association as the company which brought you Notator, Creator and a number of other ground-breaking MIDI-based music software products, along with such innovative hardware products as the Unitor, we quote from a message by Gerhard Lengeling to the mailing list for EMAGIC's Logic: "In 1992, after a "non-solvable" (sic) problem with the owner of C-LAB, Sven Kindel, Chris Adam and I founded EMAGIC GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany. All programmers of C-LAB and almost all employees of C-LAB are now working for EMAGIC. In the beginning of 1994 we also started EMAGIC Inc. based in Nevada City, California". _/ Regarding our evaluation that there was no love lost between former major competitors C-LAB & Steinberg, we've been told the same now holds true for EMAGIC & Steinberg. In the company's (EMAGIC) estimation, "C-LAB has made connections with Steinberg and not with EMAGIC for apparent reasons" (one would assume they are alluding here to C-Lab's release of the Falcon 030 MK II as being in Steinberg's vested interest for providing continued hardware product on which to run their Cubase family of software products.) "C-Lab has found a willing ear, and cooperation for their further development of the Falcon (which is not bad in itself!)" _/ Notator SL, Creator, Logic, and all related hardware extensions are now exclusively copyrighted by and available through EMAGIC GmbH. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ COPSON DATA RELEASES LATEST VERSION OF ZERO-X _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Swedish developers Copson Data have announced the latest update to their powerful sample-editing program, Zero-X, which is distributed exclusively here in the U. S. by Wizztronics. For the benefit of those of you who may have missed it, we've recapped our initial description of this impressive application from a previous issue of AEO, followed by a list of the latest added features. This truly amazing digital sample processing software package is something that will make all you Cubase Audio Falcon and sample aficionados out there really jump up and shout to the rafters! Although it can be used on any Atari computer, from a 520 on up, Zero-X is really custom-made for the Falcon 030. The program was written to take full advantage of the Falcon's DSP hardware simply because it processes so fast! And, as we all know, 16-bit audio playback quality is superior to 8-bit - the otherwise maximum sound quality that's achievable on all of Atari's earlier models. The other aspect of the program which makes the Falcon ideal is that if you plan to work with sample files of 2 megs or more - not an uncommon size these days - the program will require access to that 14MB of RAM! This is especially true if you'll be cutting and pasting between samples. Zero-X needs this amount of memory because it loads audio chunks directly into RAM for all editing and processing of your sample(s). Copson Data, the original Swedish developers of the program, has confirmed that they are indeed planning to implement virtual memory which will allow loading playback and saving directly from hard disk in a near-future version. The program fully supports such software accelerators as Warp9 and NVDI, as well as Blowup 030 and Screen Blaster video enhancers. As an alternative to the Falcon's less than professional digital-to-analog converters, Zero-X also supports playback using either Soundpool's Falcon Digital Interface or Steinberg's Falcon Analog-8, giving you the pick of studio-quality DA converters. Zero-X currently supports both MIDI and SCSI interfaces for sample transfer. Support for two other sample transfer interfaces, Atari's older ACSII hard disk interface which is featured on pre-TT030 machines, and Yamaha's RS422 for use with their TX16W sampler are expected to be added for the next update. MIDI-wise, Zero-X supports sample dump standard, v1.0 closed loop in 12 and 16 bit formats, as well as S-50/550, ASR-10, EPS, EPS-16 and Akai's series of both 12 & 16 bit samplers. The popular SDS format is also supported. Though somewhat of a universal format, some samplers may miss pre-set crossfades and loop settings in a sample using this format. Zero-X also has a cool feature which lets you transmit data right up to the loop end part of the sample as an individual chunk. You can then assign this as a loop in your sampler later on. SCSI-wise, Zero-X lets you send and receive samples via the Falcon030 or the TT030's SCSI interface. On the receiving end though, your sampler or sound module has got to support Akai's S-series or Peavey's SMDI (SCSI MIDI Device Interface) in order for SCSI communication to be established. A great feature is the Convert Control, which lets you load and convert single or multiple files in no less than 7 different formats. These include: Atari's .AVR, CuBase Audio .AIF (non-compressed), Avalon .SD, (Sound Designer 1) PC/Windows .WAV, WinRec's .DVSM, Digidesign's Samplecell .WAV, .RAW files (sans header), Dame's .TKE and 8/16 bit, Stereo/Mono, Signed/Unsigned. Large files are read off your hard drive in sections equal to available memory, so you're not limited by the actual size of the file itself! Zero-X has a number of other features which you'd normally find on most hard disk recorders, including Cut, Copy and Paste, Optimize - which maximizes a sample's volume without creating the usual added distortion - as well as such features as Silence and Fade Out, which come in handy for knocking a highlighted area to down to zero volume. There are also some additional features in Zero-X which really make the program unique on the Atari platform. You can convert a sample rate without changing the pitch as well as convert a sample freely between mono and stereo. Zero-X's digital noise gate feature allows you to scan a sample for audio which is below a user-determined noise level and wipe those portions from the overall sample. You can reverse a blocked portion of a sample, and use the program's gate feature to reverse natural decay! This produces really smooth, endless sounding sustains, even from a really short sample! But, as if that weren't enough, what's really amazing is how well Zero-X makes it so easy to sample and synchronize a beat loop to a sequence. And an Auto Drum Loop option let's you create perfect loops the first time around, with almost effortless ease. To top that off, Zero-X also features a Drum Split function to slice, dice and otherwise separate a loop into individual drum sounds, which you can then save as individual samples and map these to individual keys, using base Audio Falcon's built-in sampler. Rather "individual" features, wouldn't you say? You can also create a standard MIDI file right from these split points, so you can capture the actual rhythmic "feel" of the loop as well. Quantize it, push up or back a kick or two and hey... instant DNA Groove templates! //// Improvements Since Pre-Release 1.a _/ Mix: Block mark an area (in block mode) and Copy it to the clipboard. Block mark a new area in the same sample or load a new sample. _/ Select Mix: the contents of your clipboard will be mixed together with the block marked area. _/ FDI: Better working FDI support _/ Several menus has been re-placed for a more intuitive user interface. _/ Improved SCSI SMDI support. _/ Improved SDS Midi support (especially for ST/STE users). Transfer via MIDI SDS now compatible with more samplers that supports SDS. _/ Improved precision in Split drums (but it will get even better) _/ CalcBPM: Calculates the BPM between the LoopStart and LoopEnd; note that correct Sample Rate must be set in the Header. _/ Set BPM LoopEnd: Set your LoopStart, Select Set BPM LoopEnd and enter required BPM and your LoopEnd will be set to that BPM. _/ Auto Drum Loop: Set your LoopStart, mark the area where the LoopEnd should be and select Auto Drum Loop. Your LoopEnd will be set to a position that equals the LoopStart. Note that you need a drum loop that has been sampled just a little bit before and a little bit after the loop. _/ Save Midi file: After a Split Drum has been performed, you can select Save Midi file: then a Standard Midi file will be created that you can load into most sequencers (Cubase etc). It contains information on when, the drums in your loop were played. It will place the drums on keys C2 -->. (Not available in the Demo version!) _/ New Levels menu: Please note that the default values SHOULD be - Response: 200; Fine Response: 400; Gate: 1500. If you are running Split drums and you want more split positions, decrease Response, if you want less increase Response. If the split positions are so late (you can hear the following drum click), increase Fine Response. If you want to get rid of split positions that are at a very low volume, increase Gate. _/ Enhanced Split Setting menu: New settings for MIDI file and CalcBPM functions _/ More information on connected SCSI device: In Settings, when you "Change SCSI ID" you will get an error message if there is no SMDI with that SCSI ID connected. In Transfer Control the SCSI unit name will be displayed even if its not a SMDI SCSI. Send and Receive will be disabled if you have no SMDI device connected. _/ Swap channels _/ Mix stereo to Mono: Mixes the two channels in a stereo sample into a mono sample. The maximum volume of the mono mix will be the same as the maximum volume in the stereo sample. _/ SCSI Akai S1000/S1100, Falcon & TT only. _/ You're now notified if a new ZERO-X. CFG file will be created. _/ Fast dynamic movement of block markers and Drum Split markers. They will step one pixel on screen in all zoom levels. _/ Reverse Block: Just what it sounds like _/ Clipboard to Stereo: You are now finally able to create a stereo sample from two different mono samples, the sample in the clipboard will be the right channel and the current sample will be the left channel _/ Insert Split Drum Position: inserts a split drum marker in the middle of the current one _/ Move Split Drum Position: the keys as moving block markers, slow but it works. Drag and drop will be added later on. _/ Check SCSI, button in settings with lots of new SCSI errors messages added. If you change SCSI ID in setting, Zero-X will also perform a Check SCSI. _/ Akai SCSI button but no protocol, still working on it. If you have an Akai with SCSI, try the Check SCSI button in the settings and please let Copson Data know what message you get. _/ Toolbar in the Sample Window! A much needed upgrade of the user interface. Expect to see the icons improved later on. Some quickly designed icons have been included. You are welcome to send Copson Data suggestions for the layout and design. _/ High speed movement of any markers in the Sample Window. Keep <Alt> press when you move the markers (by using the keyboard commands or using the toolbar) _/ New representation of XFade (cross fade). _/ Much improved Convert sample frequency. Very high quality! _/ User-defined Zoom level (an icon in the Toolbar). _/ Dynamic Zoom: Zoom In and Out takes bigger steps the closer it gets to the Overview and smaller the closer it gets to 1:1. This gives you a much faster zoom. _/ Improved Akai SCSI support. _/ Basic support for importing a SampleCell PC-Wav file. Loop-positions are supported. _/ Much-improved import of different PC-Wav formats. _/ Major improvements on Akai S-1000 SCSI receive. _/ FDI now works on stereo samples only. If you want to listen to a mono sample at FDI-frequencies, you must first convert the sound to stereo. _/ Removed auto repeat of some toolbar buttons. _/ SCSI-Receive for Akai S-1000 improved and speeded up (FAST!!!). _/ MIDI-Receive for Roland S-50 now implemented (Send is yet to come). _/ MIDI Send and Receive for the Ensoniq range of samplers now works 100% (on ST's as well). _/ New Fade-types is added: Fade In and Out with linear or logarithmic scale (still a bit slow though). _/ Point and click for split drums: You can directly select any drum simply by clicking on it (i.e. you do no longer have to step through all of them). Maximum splits are now 150 (previously 49). _/ Improved stereo support: XFade, Silence and Reverse can operate on both channels simultaneously (i.e. if you select both channels). _/ Blockmode shows also the length of the block. _/ Value for User Defined Zoom is now changed in the menus and saved in the settings. When the U.D. button is clicked, the specified zoom level is set like for 1:1 and O.V.. _/ Support for 14 MB RAM. _/ Major SPEED improvements for sample Redraw in "Normal mode". Scrolling is very fast even on 14 MB samples. There is no noticeable screen redraw (even on 14 MB samples) when moving a marker. _/ New function Beat Split: There lots of things this can be used for but what is does is quite simple. You enter the BPM and the note value and Beat Split will set up a grid (like Drum Split) that corresponds to your entered values. The beauty with Beat Split is that it is very easy to perform and that the result always follows the beat perfectly. When using Beat Split on a drum loop: Beat Split always works on the whole sample - NOT like Drum Split, which works only between the loop markers. Just select "Keep Loop" ( in the Beat Split dialog box) to erase everything outside the loop markers before you perform a split. Check that the correct sample rate is set in "Edit Header". If you loaded a RAW sample or if your file header is corrupted, this setting is usually wrong. If it is wrong, "Calculate BPM" will not reply the correct BPM. Check that number of bars in the loop is correct in "Drum Split Settings." There is no way Zero-X can find this out by it self. If it is wrong, "Calculate BPM" will not reply the correct BPM. Select "1/32," and then "Create Pattern" to make most Drum loops extra " groovy. _/ Create Pattern: This function is an add on for Beat Split. It creates an on/off effect on your sample. It automatically runs an Smooth Edges to avoid click sounds between the splits. Only one pattern is available but more will add later on. _/ Smooth Edges: After you have selected Beat Split you can create your own pattern by using Silence. When you are finished with that, select Smooth Edges to remove the clicks between the splits. _/ Change Gain In Block: Change Gain can change the volume in a block marked section. You enter a percentage value. If you enter a positive value the volume will be increased. If you enter a negative value the volume will be decreased. _/ Sample rate conversion on stereo samples, but only for increasing the sample rate. _/ Normal Fade In and Out is 100% faster. _/ Optimize block: Optimize Sample has been removed. If you want to optimize the whole sample, you must first select Mark All (ctrl+a). _/ Get peak now works only a Block marked area. If you want to check the whole sample, you must first select Mark All (ctrl+a). _/ In the Sample Window, when a marker reaches Sample End a "!" will be printed after its value, for instance "LoopEnd :100234!". _/ Calculate BPM can be reached directly from Beat Split dialog box. Default BPM values is copied from latest "Calculate BPM". _/ Detune: This brand new super cool function will make your mono samples sound much fatter or convert them into a stereo file with a wide stereo feeling! It works a bit like an oscillator 2 detune on an analogue synthesizer. It works fine on both sounds and drums. On sounds the loop is usually ruined after a detune. To obtain a good loop just perform an Auto Search on Mono files and perform a cross fade on stereo files (only on channel number 2, right) _/ Drum Split now supports stereo drum loops. Works almost as good as on mono drum loops... _/ Pause/Continue Icon: You can not only Stop the sound but also Pause it by pressing the Pause icon in the Toolbar. Next time you press the Pause icon, the sound will continue to play from that position you paused it in. _/ Keep Block and Calculate BPM are available from the Beat Split dialog box. New functions that are written but not yet 100% included _/ DSP for Auto Loop/AutoSearch _/ Peak Search on a file larger than current RAM. _/ Playback marker, with Pause and Continue functions _/ Crossfade between two samples (clipboard and current sample) Functions currently being worked on: _/ SCSI support for Akai S-1000 is still beta, please send them any reports on this. _/ SCSI Ensoniq, Falcon & TT only (not much left) _/ More FDI support: Sample from the FDI and Falcon A/D _/ Lots of speed improvements in the Clipboard functions. _/ True MIDI dump driver for Akai S-950/900/Prophet 2000 _/ True MIDI dump driver for Prophet VS _/ A Frequency/Time 3-D FFT display (Falcon DSP only). _/ Equalizer (Falcon DSP only) _/ Sound support on an ST _/ Playback of a Standard Midi file (i.e. via MIDI) _/ ASCII support _/ Sample rate conversion (Decrease) on stereo samples as well. _/ True MIDI dump driver for Akai S-1000 Functions to be added quite soon: _/ Re-sample at a new pitch (tune). _/ Re-sample at a new BPM. _/ Do effect on samples larger than RAM: Sample rate conversion, optimize. _/ Basic filtering, Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass Functions to be added in the near future: _/ Time Stretch (probably Falcon DSP only) _/ Playback directly from disk (Falcon only) _/ Basic D2D editing (Falcon only) Copson Data welcomes any suggestions for what new functions you would like to see in Zero-X! For more information: Copson Data (Sweden): Conny Pettersson +46-13-16 41 04 +46-13-16 41 04 Fax Vinga System AB: Peter Segerdahl +46-31-42 82 70 (office hours) +46-31-42 55 28 (evenings/weekends only) +46-31-42 82 75 Fax E-Mail, Internet: peter@vinga.trillium.se In the U. S.: Wizztronics, P.O. Box 122, Port Jefferson, NY 11776 (516) 473-2507 Voice & Fax Mail If you'd like to check out Zero-X, you can download a demo of this great program on either GEnie or Compuserve. The file is listed as: Zerox695.ZIP. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ MUSICOM 2 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Although available for a while now from Compo, I recently had a chance to reacquaint myself with the latest version of Musicom at the Canadian A.C.E. show. Musicom 2 offers a number of additional features than it's precedes sor. To fill in those of you who are not familiar with the original version of the program, Musicom 2 offers direct-to-disk digital recording; waveform display; a sample editor; a spectrum analyzer; lead vocal masking - sometime es referred to as Kareoke; access to digital delay, flanger and harmonizer and EQ effects for applying to a sample. Musicom 2 offers the ability to sample in either 8 or 16 bit, mono or stereo, using the Falcon range of supported sample rates from 8.2 to 50 kHz. Apart from it's host of basic sample editing applications, there are a number of other uses for using this versatile Falcon-based program. Load a song from CD into the Falcon via it's stereo input and Musicom 2 will mask out the lead vocals, allowing you to replace their voice with yours. Instant Kareoke! Use your Falcon's on-board Digital Delay to make you sound like you're talking from the top of the Matterhorn. Apply other DSP-generated special effects like Flange and Harmonize, as well as a 10-band Equalizer, offer additional possibilities for sonic creativity. Recorded directly to your hard disk, use the Cutter to display your recording, and edit it. You can zoom in on portions of the sample, mark blocks, cut and paste blocks and set markers, as well as assign text labels and apply special effects to any portion of the sample. Combine recordings and sort portions by name. Set your tempo and then snap defined blocks of your sample to that tempo to create songs. Play the whole sample or any portion of it. Loop it for repeated playback. You can eve n use oversampling to change the sample from 16 bit stereo at 50 KHz to 8 bit mono at 8KHz, or any of the other Falcon's supported sampling rates in between. Musicom 2 also provides you with a playlist feature for final assembly. You can save your assembled recordings as a single recording or as a play list. Using the Cutter display and tool set Musicom 2 makes it a snap! When you've finished assembled recordings into a song, you can select Jingles mode to load a group of songs, and play them back in any order - or consecutively - automatically. Musicom 2 supports Compo's external Digital Box, which provides your Falcon030 with digital audio inputs and outputs (S/PDIF), as well as clocks for sampling CDs and DATs directly (44.1KHz and 48KHz). You can have a completely digital recording studio at a fraction of the cost of other systems. //// Added Features In Musicom 2 _/ Multi-windowed GEM interface, with tape deck-style controls _/ Real time Peak Level meter with input adjustment _/ Real time Spectrum Analyzer _/ Intelligent hard disk analysis - shows available recording time _/ Jingles List - load groups of samples for individual or group playback _/ Looping for continuous playback of any number of samples _/ Waveform display, with position and status indicators during playback _/ Variable zoom of waveform display _/ Cutter module for editing samples _/ Pattern mode for combining samples _/ Block marking in samples, with loading and saving of blocks _/ Effects can be applied to samples and blocks during or after recording _/ Up to 64 markers (with names) can be placed in a sample¢ during or after recording _/ Markers can be snapped to blocks & blocks snapped to markers _/ Tempo controls for maintaining tempo when combining samples _/ Pauses may be inserted into patterns _/ Oversampling allows samples to be converted between 8 and 16 bit, mono and stereo, and different sampling frequencies _/ Support for digital input and output through the Digital Box _/ Support for external clocks in the Digital Box (44. 1 KHz and 48KHz) Musicom 2 is available for $99.95. The Digital Box is available for $349.95. Compo Software 104 Esplanade Avenue, Suite 121 Pacifica, California 94044 (415) 355-0862 Fax: (415) 355-0869 GEnie: COMPO Back in 1987, Hybrid Arts' (subsequently Barefoot Software and now Binary Sounds) introduced the MIDIplexer, a $699 hardware MIDI port expander for the Atari computer which worked in conjunction with their sequencing software. Although no longer manufactured, it was the first computer- related MIDI port expander peripheral of its kind on any platform. Offering four independent MIDI outs, each capable of transmitting on as many as 16 MIDI channels, it effectively quadrupled the standard 16 available MIDI channels to an amazing total of 64! Each port/channel set could be individually assigned a track directly from their SMPTEtrack/Edit Track sequencing software. There have been a number of similar products since then, the latest and probably most reasonably priced (under $200) version being the MM1 MIDI Multiport. It offers 8 addressable MIDI PORTS for a total of 128 virtual MIDI CHANNELS, along with enhanced timing capabilities to ensure against MIDI dropouts. A number of today's major Atari sequencing applications already support the ability to select from multiple ports and channels directly through their software, so there's no need for any other additional components. Since parallel data transfer guarantees extremely improved timing, the MM1 connects to your Atari's parallel printer port,. For simple set-up and easy operation, your printer can still be connected to the MM1 via the unit's second parallel pass-through port, and PRINT or MIDI mode can even be selected, either via the MM1's built-in external hardware switch, or through promised desk accessory software. Specifications: 8 addressable MIDI Outs; centronics In, centronics Thru; 9V. 300 mA DC external power supply; MIDI-Mode/Print-Mode switch; MIDI-Mode/Print-Mode indicator. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ K..AT KEYBOARD REMOTE CONTROL _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ The K..AT is a remote control box which allows you remote control of up to 14 functions of any software, such as a sequencer, as long as the function is accessible through a keyboard command. You can assign any key or key combination, including the Cntrl/Alt/Shift keys, and the key repeat function can be disabled for each button. The box has a standard Atari 9-pin keyboard plug with 8 ft. cord which is attached to your joystick port. On the face of the box are a total of 9 large buttons: a row of four black buttons labeled Play, Stop, Record and 2nd (which functions as a sort of "shift" key for accessing the second group of 7 commands), are displayed horizontally across the right side and four white buttons, labeled ">" (Forward), "<" (Reverse) "+" (Up) and "-" (Down), intersect the left side of the black row and run at an angle vertically from left to right. An alternate 2nd key is located at the top left of the panel, offering a second "shift" function for your left hand. All functions can be user defined using THE K..AT's desk accessory. Configurations are stored to disk and up to 16 configurations are automatically loaded on system start up. A set of pre-configured key commands compatible with the leading sequencing packages are included on the K..AT's supplied disk. In addition, the K..AT also offers a 1/4" female jack on the right side of the box for hooking up a standard on/off foot switch to directly control the RECORD button function for remote punch-in/out. Both the MM 1 and the K..AT are available directly from: Friend-Chip Falkentaler Steig 96 13467 Berlin +49 030-404-20-46 Voice/Fax _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ AUDIO TRACKER 8-TRACK RECORDING SYSTEM _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Audio Tracker is an eight-track direct-to-disk recording system for the Falcon which offers affordable direct-to-disk recording. Supplied with a dongle which needs to be installed in your Atari's cartridge port, Audio Tracker also includes a SCSI hard disk driver so you can take advantage of fast external SCSI drives for smooth playback. Speaking of which, you do need a fast hard drive - 12 ms. or less access time is a good rule of thumb but 14 ms. is about the minimum I feel safe using without generating a glitch. If you have one of the early manufactured Falcons, the internal IDE drive is probably too slow, and though the later Falcons should be able to handle at least three to five tracks simultaneously, you're gonna need a healthy-sized external drive to get all eight tracks up and running. If you want to back up your audio files, Audio Tracker does support direct-to-DAT transfer, but you will need an external SPDIF interface, such as the FA-8. Since the program monopolizes your cartridge port (even with a Cartmaster, you can still only use one dongle at a time) you won't be able to sync your digital audio tracks to your MIDI sequencer. Audio Tracker however does support MIDI Time Code and will sync to an external sequencer or clock. The program features an on-board mixer for attaining optimum input levels, and offers access to the Falcon's DSP-generated digital delay and dual 10-band EQ. You can record and mix in either stereo for a total of 4 tracks, and you can pan any track, or record in mono 8-track mode. Audio Track also lets you load .AVR and .AIFF samples. While recording a new track, you can also monitor your previously recorded tracks, and the program also offers the familiar punch in/out record option. In addition, Audio Tracker's provides a basic wave editor where you can cut, copy, paste and insert audio between tracks or into any track, as well as apply changes in amplitude as well as normalize a track based on selectable peak. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ H A R D W A R E N E W S _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ WIZZTRONICS ANNOUNCES THE HAWK _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ The Hawk is a replacement 68030 board operating at either 33MHz (double the clock speed) or an alternative configuration of 48 MHz (triple the clock speed.) Both system operation and Ram/ROM addressing will be conducted at true 32-bit bandwidth. The board will also offer expanded video enhancement as well, which will extend the Falcon's display capabilities, including 448x512 True Color, 896x512 256 Color, 1280 x 960 in 16, 4 and 2 color modes. The Hawk can be installed directly in the Falcon case, assuming your Falcon's RAM board is either from Atari or Wizztronics (other third party RAM upgrade boards may be too large to leave enough room for installing the Hawk.) In addition, the Falcon's current internal power supply will have to be swapped for a larger, externally-housed power supply (roughly 6"w by 6"d by 4"h). Implementation of the Fast Ram expansion board option for addressing up to 96 MB of fully burstable Ram, resulting in a fully virtual RAM machine. Using standard 72-pin 32-bit wide SIMS in configurations of either 4 or 16 megabyte modules will, however require some creativity or, alternately, still require a new housing. In addition there's also an on-board 128K level 2 cache, expandable to 256K. //// Built-In Upgradability And Room To Grow! The Hawk, like the still forthcoming Barracuda 040, will offer two built-in on-board expansion slots for additional options and future upgrades. One is a 96-pin VME-style proprietary Bus, which can be utilized by any third-party developer, though Wizztronics initially has it slated to accommodate their optional PC emulator card, which will offer users the capability of running both DOS and Windows-based software as well as accessing CD-ROMS . A second option is a 50-pin (sometimes referred to as a dual 25-pin) video port connection for Wizztronics' long-awaited Video Funnel frame-grabber, as well as their near-future VES 2000, 3000, and 5000 Video Editing System. Essentially a video-expansion bus, the Video Funnel card will enable both still and moving video to be captured directly from of any external NTSC, C-Cam or PAL based video source. As of now, system incompatibility difficulties between 030 and 040 system addressing has continued to plague the Wizztronics Barracuda development team, but progress is continuing to be made and Wizztronics still plans to release this product as soon as the last of the remaining hurdles have been successfully overcome. Since the Hawk is 030-based, 100% compatibility is guaranteed with all existing software. The Hawk has yielded the following benchmark preliminary test results: 16 Mips @ 48MHz; video acceleration over 100% (resolution de pendent); 400% to 500% raw speed increase over a Stock Falcon; enhanced DMA access; 1 wait state ROM, 0-2 wait state system RAM, 0 wait state TT Fast Ram. Expected to ship the beginning of fourth quarter of 95., the Hawk will be priced at $699. Wizztronics will offer a subsequent liberal trade-up policy for all purchasers of The Hawk who may wish to upgrade when the Barracuda a 040 is finally finished. As always, Wizztronics is also accepting any Atari computer, from a 520ST to a Falcon 030 for repair or upgrade with a nominal turn-around time (assuming parts are available) of under 72 hours. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ SCREEN BLASTER II _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ The original Screenblaster sent Falcon users into the visual stratosphere with its ability to offer a markedly increased number of resolutions to choose from. Screenblaster II adds a number of new features to help users achieve an amazing increase of over 300% in resolution capabilities. Screenblaster II is simply plugged in between your Falcon's video port and the monitor adapter plug. An additional control cable is inserted into one of the paddle ports... that's it! With Screenblaster II's software you can select one of many extended resolutions from an easy-to-use GEM menu, including 768x576, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x832, and 1280x960. The preset menus support most VGA, SVGA, Multiscan, and Atari monitors. If you can't find your specific monitor listed, there's a good chance you can check your monitor's manual for its specifications and select a monitor setting with an equivalent configuration. Screenblaster II features an entirely new, mouse-controlled Resolution Menu, which lets you select the resolution and number of colors at boot up or directly from the Desktop, as well as also offering user-definable options for controlling the menu's operation and behavior. The new Video Mode Generator offers a fast and easy method to edit and customize Screenblaster II's resolution menus to achieve even greater resolution and performance, and even create new resolutions! Once you install the external video hardware adaptor and load the accompanying ScreenBlaster auto folder and accessory/control panel software, you simply reboot your computer. Towards the end of your bootup display you'll see the standard Screenblaster II resolution dialog box, which offers you a list of options to choose from: 2, 4, 16, 256 or true color, with screen resolutions between 640x480 and 1280x960, dependent upon your monitor's video display capabilities. You also have the option of saving your selection as the default. Until the release of Screenblaster II, VGA or SVGA monitor users were better off going with BlowUp ]030, which offered a wider range in its resolution settings for those type of monitors. Screenblaster II has added full and robust support for both VGA and SVGA as well as multi-scan monitors. A number of multi-scan monitors can even achieve resolutions well beyond the more common 800x600 settings, though a 14" monitor screen may render text too small to be read legibly. ScreenBlaster II can take advantage of some clever interlacing routines to achieve even higher resolutions, which may come in handy for viewing hi-res color images, although these settings produce the same kind of noticeable flickering as the Falcon's true color mode on a VGA monitor. You can also create what is termed a "virtual screen" of up to 3000x4000 pixels. If you've ever wanted to examine a graphic image larger than the size of your monitor's display area without having to the ability to zoom out, you probably had to resort to using the horizontal and vertical scroll bars of the GEM display window to view it in sections. A number of graphics programs also commonly include a "hand" tool which usually allows you to use the mouse to virtually drag the graphic around within the window to bring in to view whatever's hidden beyond the limited borders of the window's display area. Screenblaster II's Virtual Screen option works in a similar fashion, allowing you to extend the size of your desktop or program's display area beyond the size of your monitor screen. Scrolling around this Virtual Screen is quite responsive, and moves smoothly when using 2 color mode, but becomes markedly slower when using 256 colors. In all fairness, this is really a limitation of the Falcon 030. The newly-added Video Mode Generator (VMG) allows for configuring any custom screen resolution your monitor is capable of producing. Commissioned to be written by the same programming team which created the NVDI software screen accelerator, its powerful features are somewhat offset by the number and complexity of configuring its various parameters. Taking advantage of all the resolutions the VMG is capable of configuring may require learning more about the technical aspects of how monitors and computers work in conjunction to create a video image than most users may care to pursue. ScreenBlaster II's manual does gives you a brief but fairly concise and informative section on creating your own non-standard resolutions, which you can use as a good basis for exploring the VGM's range of possibilities. Just make sure you read your monitor's manual and take note of it's recommended listings for both your monitor's minimum and maximum horizontal and vertical display capabilities as well as it's refresher rates, measured in mHz... and don't venture beyond them unless you want to risk possibly frying your monitor. ScreenBlaster II 's other major improvement now offers a fully GEM-based start-up screen, featuring a familiar set of standard pop-up menus and option buttons. As an added bonus, there's also a simple blank screen saver, Screen blanker, which uses very little memory when loaded into the Falcon030's RAM. Screenblaster II is available for $99.95. Upgrades from version 1 are available from COMPO Software for $25.00. Compo Software 104 Esplanade Avenue, Suite 121 Pacifica, California 94044 (415) 355-0862 Fax: (415) 355-0869 GEnie: COMPO _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ THE EAGLE HAS LANDED... IN ENGLAND! _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Since Atari abandoned the computer market, the phrase "Atari computer" has now been replace with "Atari-compatible." First the high-end Medusa, then the C-Lab Falcon MK II... and now the latest Atari clone to land upon the waiting perch of many an eagerly awaiting fan - the Eagle, from GE (GEro Anschuetz) Soft. Early reports indicate a very enthusiastic reception for this technological marvel by with our English cousins. Essentially a TT-compatible machine which represents the next logical step in the natural evolution of Atari's initial design, the Eagle is the result of close to 3,500 hours of heated labor over an eighteen month stretch. European Atari distributor Gasteiner has taken the practical approach of importing only the machine's necessary motherboard and daughter cards while sourcing all the other components on a local basis. This practical approach is made possible due to the overall design approach taken in constructing the Eagle's mother board. In a word, it's strictly a data pathway - one humongous mother of an I/O board, as it were, with slots for plugging in all the additional internal per ipherals - and both processor and bus independent! The roster of daughter cards, which include a graphics controller card, MIDI, keyboard and RAM memory card, are all independent components, as is the main processor card. Gasteiner's birdhouse of choice is a standard PC mini-tower case, and all units are shipping with the Super Nova graphics card on-board as part of their basic packaged offering. This powerful graphics card, capable of displaying any color mode from monochrome to 24-bit color at high refresh rates, produces a clear flicker-free display. The board features the ATI Mach and 2Mb of VRAM effectively supporting screen resolution displays as high as 1280x1024 at 256 colors, 1024x768 at I6-bit or 80 0x600 at true 24-bit color. The Nova card has its own built-in VDI, but is also compatible with NVDI 3. Initially released with a 68030 running at 32MHz and an on-board FPU (floating-point unit) processor, GE Soft will be offering all Eagle owners a free upgrade 68040 processor board, clocked at 32MHz (internally double-clocked ) which also will contain an FPU processor as well. Easy to install, since it simply fits into one of the Eagle expansion slots, there's absolutely no soldering required! The RAM card can accommodate up to 256MB of 32-pin TT RAM and 14MB of ST RAM and the on-board ROMS will be addressed at 32-bit. A variety of additional future components, such as a 72-pin PS/2 RAM card, a VME card which connects to the graphics card, both an 060 and a PowerPC upgrade card, a PCI bus-controller and even a DSP card (compatible with such programs as CuBase Audio Falcon and Apex Media), all of which would take the Eagle screaming into the current Falcon 030's air space... and beyond, are on the drawing board for a 1996 release! Interestingly, the Eagle also holds the potential for accommodating alternate operating system as well. Capable of handling two sets of 32-bit wide sets of operating ROMS, the Eagle could feasibly incorporate Mac OS ROMS and, with the necessary software, would be theoretically able to dynamically switch between the GEM and Mac operating systems. A special version of MagiC 3.0 multi-tasking operating system is also being prepared. There is no Blitter mounted on the Eagle motherboard, but benchmark tests show graphics performance records that clearly leave Blitter-based machines flapping in the wind. The Eagle also has no DMA sound, unlike the STe and TT, so any program that requires this hardware will unfortunately, not be compatible. It does, however, have the same Yamaha sound chip used in the original ST. There are essentially two main components in the Eagle's overall construction which make this bird so versatile. The first component is the design of the Eagle's bus. The specially-designed GE Soft bus is amazingly flexible in its open-ended approach to being able to accommodate a variety of processors as well as emulate other buses. It is quite capable of taking advantage of all those slick PCI-bus peripherals that are being made for both the PC and Mac market. All that would be required is a set of software drivers which would allow the Eagle to address the cards directly. The second overall component is the Eagle's custom chipset. The motherboard's design calls for no less 5 custom controller FPGU (Field Programmable Gate Array) chips. An additional FPGU is also mounted on its RAM card. Similar to E-PROMS, these custom chips, because they actually function as pre-programmed logic gates, end up being somewhat more economically practical to produce. The Eagle has a total of 8 slots, features a serious 200W power supply with a temperature controlled fan, and can address any AT-styled PC keyboard and VGA or multisynced port. Unlike the TT, which ran its main processor at 32MHz but forced the rest of its system to address its components at 16MHz, the Eagle runs about 30% faster. A true, "across- the-board" 32-bit machine, the Eagle's ability to address its ST RAM as fast as the TT's separate FastRAM eliminates the need for a dual RAM scheme. and uses TOS 3.06. and comes with 4Mb of RAM. Gasteiner is packaging it with an internal 720 meg SCSI hard drive (GE Soft offers it with a 320 meg version) and the Ease desktop. It is compatible with either Multi-TOS or Geneva, as well as NVDI, and even traditionally sluggish programs as True-Paint really soar. CPU: 68030/68882 @32MHz (free upgrade to 040), 32-bit bus Ports: ACSII, SCSI, 2 modem ports, 2 serial ports, LAN, Parallel, MIDI In/Out, VME, ROM(cartridge port), TT keyboard port, PC keyboard port, ST mouse Memory: 4Mb upgradable to 14Mb ST RAM and 256Mb TT RAM Bus System: 8 Eagle Channels, each a full range bus with all signals present Storage: High density floppy drive, 720MB Quantum Lightening SCSI hard disk. Up to four drives can be fitted internally TOS: 3.06 Video Hardware: SuperNova Mach64 Display: I5-inch multi-sync color monitor (optional). Other Options: Internal CD ROM drive, SyQuest or magneto-optical drives. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ FALCON NOVA CARD _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Nova Graphics has also released a Nova graphics card for the Falcon. Due to the limited amount of available room in a Falcon case, the unit comes in its own external enclosure. A small adaptor board plugs into the Falcon's internal slot and a ribbon cable extends outside to a separate external case which houses the Nova graphics engine board and has a number of VGA monitor ports mounted for interfacing with your monitor or VCR. Available in either a 1-Meg ($575) or 2-Meg ($725) version, the Falcon Nova card also comes with several software utilities for color and picture calibration. The card can only be used with a minimum of 4 megs. 64,000 colors at an estimated 800x600. _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ EXPOSE _/_/_/_/_/_/ Expose is a true color real-time video digitizer for the Falcon which connects to the internal expansion slot with built-in RGB splitter and is compatible with both PAL and NTSC video. It has composite and S-video inputs and controls for brightness, contrast and color, The software FalCam accessory allows you to view live video within any GEM based program. An enhanced version of Apex Media is bundled with the program and a Video Box demo shows you how to texture-map your live video onto a cube, which can then be rotated and zoomed in on in real time. Estimated price of the bundled package - $550 ($375 estimated for Expose alone). _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ PAK 68/3 TT _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ The PAK 68/3 is touted as an affordable hardware accelerator for all ATARI ST, STfm, STe, Mega ST & Mega STe computers. PAK 68 stands for Processor Austausch Karte or Processor Replacement Card for 680x0 processors. The key to the PAK's impressive performance is the addition of 32K of external secondary cache. Running at 33Mhz, the PAK 68/3 is over 7x faster than the 8Mhz Mega ST with its Blitter enabled, and capable of outperforming even a TT030 computer. PAK actually has the potential of running at 40Mhz and even 50Mhz, if the basic computer is suitably modified. PAK 68/3 has been tested and found to be stable and highly compatible - virtually all software that works on TT & Falcon computers (as long as, in the latter case, it doesn't require accessing the Falcon's DSP chip) will be PAK compatible. Key Features: _/ 68030 Processor running at 16, 33, 40 or 50Mhz _/ 32K external second level cache _/ Optional 68882 math co-processor _/ Space for optional 32-bit wide operating system _/ Optional switching to 68000 - 8Mhz _/ Graphic card compatible PAK 68/3 can be fitted into: _/ Mega ST - No extra casing necessary _/ 520ST, 520ST(fm), 1040ST(fm) - An alternate case or housing, such as Freekeys, Desktopper or Tower required _/ 520STe & 1040STe: Requires fitting adaptor. Freekeys, Desktopper or Tower required. _/ MegaSTe - Tower required TOS 2.06 is required as a minimum, but TOS 3.06, (32 bit wide & patched for PAK 68/3) is highly recommend, which supports the PMMU for multitasking (memory protection) and virtual memory applications. PAK 68/3 Prices _/ PAK 68/3 - Complete with 33Mhz CPU, requires TOS 2.06 (cannot use PMMUD) - $450.00 _/ PAK 68/3 - 33Mhz CPU inc. 32 bit TOS 3.06 for virtual & protected memory - $550.00 _/ PAK 68/3 - 33Mhz CPU, 33Mhz FPU & TOS 3.06 - $599.00 _/ PAK 68/3 Board only, complete & tested - $375 _/ TOS 3.06 32 bit (modified for PAK 68/3) $105.00 Test: Falcon TT PAK 68/3 PAK 68/3 (33M/030+882) (36Mhz/NVDI) Gem Dialog Box: 141% 168% 200% 625% VDI Text: 144% 127% 146% 1230% VDI Text Effects: 178% 201% 229% 1607% VDI Small Text: 143% 148% 208% 1484% VDI Graphics: 256% 392% 360% 1770% GEM Window: 107% 157% 127% 310% Integer Division: 582% 1168% 1168% 1303% Float Math: 0% 427% 334% 366% RAM Access: 993% 485% 819% 956% ROM Access: 277% 453% 779% 888% Blitting: 160% 107% 72% 129% VDI Scroll: 151% 149% 137% 290% Justified Text: 150% 134% 132% 350% VDI Enquire: 157% 244% 279% 610% Average: 210% 311% 356% 851% Graphics: 158% 182% 189% 840% CPU: 384% 633% 775% 878% Test reference (100%): MeSa ST with Blitter and FPU in High Res. Results taken from Gembench 3.10 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ G R A P H I C N E W S _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ SK-WARE ANNOUNCES SEURAT VERSION 3.0 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Seurat Version 3.0, for all Atari 2-color, 16-color, 256-co1or and Falcon True Color, runs on virtually everything Atari! Besides having all the features you'd expect in any top-of-the-line paint program, Seurat Version 3. 0 is crammed with new and unique features! Color Scan, which was a separate SKWare One program (a $59.95 value in itself), has been integrated into Seurat, at no additional cost to you! Even in 16-colors, Color Scan gives you the power to produce better color images than you ever thought possible by turning dithered "photo-scans" made by any 16-, 32-, or 64-greyscale scanner into 256-greyscale images! Even with 16-color hardware you can produce 256-greyscale images. And, you don't even need to have a scanner to use Color Scan! Seurat will produce a dithered mono printer file of any image you can load; Color Scan will convert it into a 16- or 64-greyscale image for colorization. Seurat loads & saves nearly fifty file types and variations: 27 kinds of TIFF files, Windows BMP, PC Paint .PCX, color and mono GEM .IMG, Prism Paint .PNT, True Paint .TPI, Targa TGA, Aldus Rev. 6.0 .TIFF, and NEO, DEGAS, TINY, IFF, MAC, Falcon True Color, even SPECTRUM 512 - all in assembler, so they're really fast! The program also converts mono line art into color line art ready to be filled, patterned, and textured for instant comic book art or cel animation. Seurat's Bit Camera allows fast and accurate re-sizing and re-proportioning of images - particularly useful in converting images to differing pixel aspect ratios, such as from VGA to TT low rez or with Photo CD screen formats. Powerful Clip functions for color and mono images allow you to rotate, flip, invert, crop, cut, paste, overlay, copy, using whole images of any size, at incredible speeds. These powerful functions enable you achieve multiple horizontal and vertical image-merging like no other merge feature in any program you've ever seen, with in-program cropping of ragged scans, unlimited size for cutting and pasting. You can merge 2.. 3... 4! or more scans (with enough memory) and see the result of each placement before committing to the actual paste operation. If you've ever gotten impatient waiting for another program to rotate an image by 5, 10 or 30 degrees, you might appreciate the fact that Seurat's rotations are more than 100 times faster than Touch Up's and 42 times faster than Calamus SL! Seurat also has Scanner Support which "handshakes" with Dr. Bob's Scan Lite accessory to allow you to scan directly into Seurat image buffers with full in-program control (requires mono monitor on ST's).In addition to System , Degas and GDOS fonts, you can now use your Page Stream DMF Fonts. These widely-available vector fonts can be scaled horizontally and vertically to any size and filled with multi-color patterns. You can also import multiple 16-color images into 256-co1ors and assign each one's 16 color palettes to a separate bank, so that you can combine images with differing palettes in the same image. The program also features a fast multi-ratio zoom function and a full range of block functions, including a great little "jack-knife" that you can use to carve out a block in any shape you want! You can mirror full images, and Seurat's palette editors give you more control of color than any other Atari paint program. Ever want to make a photo montage of your best 16-color art... say 2000x1200 pixels? If you have the memory, Seurat has the power! What about your disks of SPECTRUM 512 pictures? Seurat will convert them into 256-co1or images and give you far more tools with which to work on them than Spectrum 512 ever did. The program supports the full potential of your Atari hardware, such as the true 256-greyscale mode (Hyper Mono) rendered on the TT, all the resolution possibilities of a Falcon with ScreenBlaster, and the True Color power of a Falcon! But even on an ST, it will give you more sheer image-kicking power than any other paint program you can buy! Seurat truly does blow them all away! What About True Color? In Falcon True Color, all of the graphics functions of Seurat actually work IN True Color, even, if the Falcon TOS doesn't support them (unlike some other True Color programs!) And TrueSeurat has more unique and powerful True Color functions than any other Atari art program! In TrueSeurat, 256-color images can be loaded and converted to True Color. Any True Color image can be condensed or expanded with hundreds, or even thousands, of additional colors which are smoothly interpolated. Besides loading common 256-color formats, TrueSeurat loads and saves 24-bit XIMG files, 24-bit TIFF files, 24-bit Windows BMP files, 24-bit PPM (Portable Pixel Map) files, files from the Photo CD program (XGA and FTC screen saves), and 16-bit TARGA files. In addition, TrueSeurat also has its own native file format which provides rapid and effective compression and decompression of 16-bit True Color images (freeing up some space on those crowded hard drives)!You can create your own brushes using the full range of True Color possibilities or define shimmering True Color fill patterns that can be used with all the drawing functions, the 36 brush shapes, and even with rays or the airbrush! The Bit Camera function allows you to re-proportion and re-size True Color images with very little loss of image quality and, when combined with the condense and expand functions, gives you the power to produce high quality True Color images of almost any size. The sophisticated anti-alias function will smooth away the "jaggies" and improve any image. You can do everything in True Color - with all the powerful and useful functions of Seurat - as you can with any palette image! Few commercial programs can compare with the full range of TrueSeurat True Colors capabilities, and cost CONSIDERABLY more than Seurat! And then there are those things Seurat can do that no program - for any computer - can do! Seurat comes as a two-disk set, with new 30,000-word User's Manual on-disk and lots of application files and utilities, requires a minimum 2 megs of memory, and costs only $59.95 ! The True Color version of Seurat for the Falcon requires 4 megs of memory and is priced at $69.95. For further information, contact: SK-Ware P.O. Box 277 Bunker Hill, Illinois 62014 USA _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ VIDEO SUPREME II _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ The original Video Supreme offered some creative and imaginative tools and effects for generating text-based intros, transitions and credits to integrate into any video. Practical application of it's generous assortment of dissolves and wipes, when combined with 16-color low resolution graphics and stored samples, gave it a viable way to assemble multimedia demos and slide shows driven by special effect transitions Video Supreme II adds a number of improvements as well as some new tools. The program now supports visual sequences up to 200 frames in length and larger sound files (up to 200 Kb) , sampled from 6 to 20 kHz, and you can monitor your recording through the program's built-in graphical VU meter. In addition, Video Supreme II also supports music processed through the ST's on-board Yamaha sound chip. There's a new roster of additional display and dissolve screens, which can be optionally displayed with overscan. You can even do some semi-automated animation effects as well as apply a variety of ways to scroll text on and off the screen. The program offers six basic modules, centered around the Editor, where the majority of assembly and processing is accomplished. This is where you import your graphic screens, assign how they will be displayed and dissolved, designate time delays, insert your samples or music and then test out each individual frame to see if it works or not. From the Editor's main menu screen you have access to three smaller screens to further tune and tweak your samples, music and fonts... and apply even more settings and effects. Video Supreme lets you use the Font editor window to determine which frame to start your text display which is accessed from a text file, as well as control the position, speed and width of your text display and whether you want it to scroll across the screen. Unfortunately, you are limited to the program's rather meager selection of proprietary internal fonts. The Music and Sample editor screens control when your music or sample is triggered within the frame cycle. You could time, for example, a sample of thunder to sync with a frame which shows the first flash of lightning. There's even an option for flashing colors when your music plays. Video Supreme recognizes 19 different packed file formats and includes a separate Music Player module for testing and timing them. The Frame Creator is a rather clever tool which allows for creating simple animations and effects similar to morphing. For example, lets say you specify a screen to be added to your play list and then select a zoom effect - Video Supreme automatically generates the next four frames which repeatedly zoom in on the original frame. These newly generated-screens are then added to your play list and saved to disk. There's a cool warp effect which lets you wrap an image around a shape and can even be creatively utilized to produce effects like a spinning globe! Scanned or digitized images which exceed the 16 color limit can still be imported, but are converted into greyscales and half of the color palette is withheld when doing text overlays. Finally, there's the Sequence Preparer for assembling your finished frame sequences to a single file and saving to your hard drive. The program also comes with a couple of additional utility programs. Included is a free PD runner program so that anyone can play your sequences and decided whether you're truly bound for the Madison Avenue washroom. A Quick-Try module controls sequences for transferring them to actual video and also cleverly allows you to play sequences which contain samples which may exceed the memory limitation for monitoring while using the Editor, though any configuration greater than a 1 or 2 meg machine should have no problems. Video Supreme doesn't use the standard GEM interface with the familiar windows, pull-down menus and file selectors - it's written in STOS - but it is totally mouse controlled. A separate Help module is also thoughtfully included which uses graphic screens with accompanying text - a big "help" since the rather thin manual is totally text, with not a single illustration in sight. As a final word, Video Supreme unfortunately isn't a self-contained production suite - you still need a graphics program to create and edit your artwork, a sample editing program to assemble your music and sample bytes, a video frame grabber, digitizer or scanner to import any photos or video you may want to use and, unless you have a Falcon, hardware for exporting your sequences onto video tape. Still, even with just a paint and sample program, you can have quite a bit of fun while also learning about how to assemble a multimedia presentation. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ INSHAPE 2.0 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Raytracing allows you to build a world composed of 3-D objects and turn them into photo-realistic scenes. You'll often find ray-traced images in Madison Avenue ads, the evening news show, your favorite game show logos, the Academy Awards, science fiction TV shows, and many other applications. POV, the PD shareware raytracing program which made it possible for lowly computer owners to get into raytracing, was capable of generating some pretty amazing graphics, but required a lot of patience and a real love of mathematics (available for all you Atari ST/STe users out there on GEnie). The original InShape caused a lot of excitement in being a somewhat friendlier graphical user interface, although it still was fairly dependent on a number of numerical-based dialog boxes. InShape 2 almost delivers on the promise of handing its user interface completely over to the mouse... almost. Although InShape 2 may appear to be very similar to its original predecessor, it's actually been completely re-written and brought more fully into the GEM environment. Some compromises, however, seemed to be necessary in order to accommodate a more graphic-oriented interface. You can no longer preview color gradations, for instance. It's a feature I won't mourn the passing of too deeply... but it was nice to have. The good news is that a number of important improvements have also been added. Gonraud and Phong shading modes allow the user to preview and test out their ideas and scenes relatively quickly. Improved shading speeds also make it easier to see things quicker, although this feature still doesn't seem to want to behave when running under MultiTOS. According to the guys at CyberCube, a DSP version of the shader is under development. A major number of welcomed improvements have been made to InShape's object editor. Full bezier curve manipulation has been implemented, and the mouse plays a larger role in the creation and reshaping of extruded forms. The one disappointment here is that the scene editor remains locked in the realm of entering mathematical formulas as opposed to a more friendly graphical approach. Original InShape fans will be delighted to know that the camera can now be moved and positioned with the mouse. The scope of imported/exported file formats has also been expanded. A major new addition has been the ability to now use Autocad DXF files, making it possible to import your POV (Persistence of Vision) raytracing files for further enhancements and editing. If you've been tenacious enough to learn the basic ins and outs of working with POV, however, using InShape 2 will make you feel like you've just gotten a Lexus for your faithful Chevrolet trade-in. A number of elusive bugs have been ironed out this time around and, as is often the case with new versions, there are some quirky bugs in InShape 2 as well. The Extrude tool seems to lock up the screen on rare occasions, and minor problems handling color in the object surface editor cause differing results. These are soon to be fixed in a minor update but all in all, InShape 2 looks to be well on its way towards being a major contender in the area of raytracing. Although, I'm still somewhat more partial towards NEON's more graphical environment, InShape offers a number of unique features and approaches that still place it well within the running for the title. The next upgrade may well knock the socks off of its newly-arrived competition, and is certainly well worth the upgrade for those dedicated InShape users of version 1.0. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ IMAGE COPY 4 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Image Copy has released the latest update of this popular image viewing and conversion utility. Along with a number of speed improvements, version 4 adds awesome new page-layout feature, including the ability to print several graphic images on a single page. An additional (and rather unusual) utility has been included with the latest version as well. Text Styles allows you to import and then style a standard ASCII text file with either Calamus or G-DOS fonts and then export the newly reformatted document as an .IMG file. The company is slated to also release a number of new programs in the months to come. X-Change will provide vector-base artists and DTP users to convert among a number of popular ST, PC and Mac formats. Strip Cartoon is an art program which will offer a rather clever and practical panel approach to creating all kinds of comic book and cartoon strips. Animation tools and a flip- book utility may also be included. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ SILLY GRAPHICS _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Grafix, from Silly Software (01705 785203) is intended as a program for teaching the basics of using a computer graphics program. There are a total of 18 prepared tutorials covering the tools included in most paint programs, but 4 of these also stand as a good introduction to the concepts and application of doing animation on a computer. Designed with the beginner in mind, it features a roster of clear and simple GEM drop-down menus which are all logically laid out. Once you've selected a particular subject, Graphix launches the appropriate tutorial which takes you step-by-step through a series of well-presented illustrations. A built-in manual is always thoughtfully available for additional reference in any of the subjects presented as well.. Included is Grafix Art, a basic art package which offers a number of standard paint tools, along with 15 built-in fonts and an animation option. This program can be directly accessed from Graphix of this Grafix Art is integrated into the package and can be accessed directly from the main menu, allowing you a hands-on approach for putting your lessons immediately into practice. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ TRUE IMAGE _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ TrueImage is a 24-bit image processing system for any Atari ST, TT or Falcon computer (a 68030 version is included for use on TTs and Falcons) with a practical minimum of 2 or more Megs of RAM, which supports both importing & exporting a wide range of graphic formats. The program is configured to handle any image loaded into the program with 24-bit precision, wherever feasible. Apparently TrueImage has built-in algorithms which can automatically compensate for those limitations which are inherent in standard resolution displays, thereby rendering an impressive level of control in overall picture quality, even when editing them on a monochrome monitor. The program is capable of loading and converting between bitmap, color and grey scale picture formats, and features an impressive collection of tools for creating halftone and error diffusion effects, as well as applying dithering and color manipulation. These features all contribute to ensuring that the integrity and detail of your graphic or photo will remain true to its original appearance - or even better. Most impressively, TrueImage's error diffusion and palette features allow your digital photos to be accurately represented, even when using limited color screen resolutions. TrueImage also provides a number of user-definable image filters and special effects for additional picture enhancement as wells. The optimized 030 version takes advantage of the Falcon030's DSP to cut down on the overall time it takes to apply most effects from application to final viewing, and most features wisely support a preview mode so you can see how the chosen effect will look before committing your image to the actual rendering. TrueImage also provides a full undo file buffer for returning your image to its previous composition. You can import multiple images, limited to available memory, and then cut, copy, paste or edit between windows. TrueImage's powerful masking capabilities provide additional editing and processing effects to be applied, either to one part or the whole picture. These masking tools are also very effectively used to compose montages created by seamlessly combining elements from different graphics files into one unified image. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ P D & S H A R E W A R E N E W S _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ FREEDOM FILE SELECTOR _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Freedom is a multi-tasking compatible alternate to the standard GEM file selector which offers some pretty cool features. Being non-modal in nature - applications already running do not have to stop in order to allow Freedom to access your disk drives, perform file management operations, or close the file selector itself - you can run multiple copies of Freedom (though why anyone would want to do this, I'm not certain). Freedom also supports long file names under MultiTOS or MINT, and you can resize it accommodate your own preferences, making it also easier to use with different resolution displays. It has a text-based config file which you can import into a standard ASCII text editor to alter or define extensions and paths, as well as a number of other features. Left and right mouse buttons can be used together, and Freedom features a built in pop-up menu when clicking on most sections. You can drag-and-drop files from the desktop to copy them to another drive in Freedom. The program is shareware and well worth the modest fee. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ STOOP 1.3 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Stoop is a slick-looking Falcon only mouse-driven boot manager which allows you an amazingly flexible amount of control over configuring and recalling more than just your auto folder and desk accessories when you boot up. Where Stoop excels from the majority of other shareware boot managers is in its versatile approach for handling all your system-related files and programs. The program utilizes what it refers to as "boards," which can control more than 20 different file groups as displayed in a multi-columned format. Each column contains four boards, which can be cycled through by using the right mouse button. You can group together multiple files assigned in different boards and activate them all with a single mouse click. You can assign your total configurations to any one of the 3 rows of 9 launch buttons which appear along the bottom of the program's display screen. Since Stoop is optimized specifically for Falcon, it's range and depth of control over specific settings allow you to dispense with the familiar Desktop.INF file. Stoop also allows you to both copy and rename a file, using a different source and destination file extension, in one fell swoop. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ CHARMAP 5 _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Charmap5 is a ST/STe/Falcon-compatible utility which allows visual access to ALL of your characters for any font. Interestingly, Speedo fonts usually contain over twice that many - nearly 560 characters - while TrueType fonts can theoretically contain upwards to a staggering 65535 characters! These "extra" characters exceed the otherwise standard 256 ASCII character set. Charmap5 breaks this limitation by engaging SpeedoGDOS where it would otherwise read the ASCII code conversion table to read its own SPDCHAR.MAP file instead. Use Charmap5 to construct as well manage and output any individual font table. The actual scope of features this little program offers can be pretty overwhelming at first, but Charmap5 exercises such an incredible degree of control over SpeedoGDOS that you'll soon wonder how you ever got along without it. Easy to install, Charmap5's interface and menus are in English, and also comes with a English version of a resource file, but the apparently detailed context sensitive on-line help guide and additional documentation is presently only written in German. Still, a great utility to look out for. _/ _/ _/ Until next time, this is Pete Donoso & Fadi Hayek reminding you that... -_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/- = = _/ "Today is the Tomorrow you dreamed about Yesterday." _/ = = -_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/-=-_/- _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ _/ C R E D I T S _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ ATARI ARTIST endeavors to bring you the latest news on what's happening on the Atari platform in areas that concern the arts: _/ Music & MIDI _/ Video Editing _/ Graphics Drawing & Painting _/ Rendering & Animation, _/ Ray tracing & Texture mapping We try to keep current with all the new or soon-to-be releases, both here and in Europe. Atari Artist keeps a somewhat loose publishing schedule, which roughly translates to around once a month. The staff consists of Peter Donoso and his partner, Fadi Hayek. They both live and work in New York City. If you have any questions or suggestions concerning anything related to the contents or subjects covered here in Atari Artist, you can leave E-Mail for either Pete or Fadi on GEnie at EXPLORER.2, or through the Internet at <explorer.2@genie.com>. _/=_/=_/=_/=_/=_/ ||| "From a saved backup...." ||| By: Ron Whittam / | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- //// Swap Meet and Trade In this column I hope to foster communication and support for 8-bit and ST computer owners . . . presenting a positive and directive approach. This will help to strengthen the users group base and encourage the executive element. ==If you have a question you would like to see answered, or a topic== ==you would like to see covered; send me an Email!== Seems that the Internet is continuing to get the media coverage. Using the word "Internet" seems to be a way to get people to read your article, magazine, or view your broadcast. Whatever magazine you pick up or news broadcast you view, the Internet seems to get some billing. All this hype is putting computers into the public eye more and more. Recently our local paper started a "CyberLife" section that focuses on news and information about the computer industry and our daily lives. I was pleasantly surprised to see an Atari Mega ST featured a few weeks ago in this same paper's Sunday edition. Front page of the second section was a picture of a child and his teacher working on an Atari Mega ST. Recently the Computer Clearance Center in Boise sponsored a Swap Meet where all types of computers and electronic parts were bought and sold by computer owners. Local user groups also attended and had display booths. The Atari Boise User Group (ABUG) had a table. On display was an Atari 800, an Atari ST, and an Atari TT. The Idaho PC User Group (IPCUG) was in the next booth. I struck up a converstion with one of the people at that booth. He turned out to be one of the IPCUG's officers. We talked about computers in general, the Internet, and finally about Atari computers. He was rather surprised that programmers were still writing programs that ran on the Atari ST. We walked over to the Atari TT and he was shown all the built-in ports. He was impressed to see Pagestream displaying the cover of the Home Computer News (ABUG's monthly newsletter) with the finished copy side by side. I think the fact that Paula (a mod player) was playing in the background (multitasking) also made an impression. He will have quite a different point of view the next time someone mentions Atari. Swap meets are a great place for user groups. Both the people who show and the people who browse are always computer people. As a user group, ABUG wanted to make a good impression on the local computer community. For very little money, ABUG printed up some business cards with the ABUG name, meeting and membership info, their Web page, and the local BBS supporting Atari owners. They had back copies of their newsletter, TOAD catalogs, information on MagiC-Mac and GEMulator, running demos on the TT, ST, and 8-bit computers, hardware for sale, and members of the group manning the booth throughout the day. A major advantage to presenting the user group at this kind of event is the people are browsing. People dropped by who had only heard of (and played) Atari Games. They were surprised to see business applications running on a multitasking system with VGA resolution. Many were interested in the technology. Some thought Atari had copied OS/2 Warp and Windows 95 and didn't believe that this 32-bit system was five years old. The ABUG members took the time to demonstrate software and explain the hardware. Many had never knew the Atari Computers even existed. It was an enlightening experience. It was fun. Another advantage to being participants in the show was the interaction between others who were participating. Networking with other local computer people can be very beneficial. I talked with computer consultants, Internet providers, and other user group officers. After talking to the officers of another user group we came up with an idea to go to the local paper and see if they would do a User Group News column in the new CyberLife section that comes out each Monday. The idea is that each group would take a turn in rotation and submit a short "news and happenings" column about their particular user group. No one person would be burdened with a weekly article and all groups could participate and get recognition every month or so. I drafted a letter and emailed it to the paper's editor. (Only time will tell). The swap meet is not as large as a trade show and few, if any, commercial vendors or retailers show up. It has some particular advantages. It doesn't cost much to attend because they are usually free. It doesn't take much to organize because they are usually just a large "yard sale" in a parking lot. Set up tables, run some electrical cords, send out flyers to local computer stores and user groups, and that's about it. Locations can be about anywhere. You can get a large driveway or the parking lot of a business that isn't using it on a Saturday. Often other user groups will pitch in and help with the set-up and organization. It takes some effort, but it is well worth it. You can sell programs you have gotten tired of using. Old hardware componants, even broken ones, can be sold or traded for things you want. It seems that nothing is obsolete and someone somewhere wants what you think is no longer needed. A swap meet makes that sort of commerce possible. (The ABUG sold an Atari 800 8-bit system). Swap meets are great. Some of AEO readers are in small Atari user groups with a limited number of members. Getting together with other user groups and local retailers for a swap meet would be good. Most of us can't get to the computer shows where Atari Computers are featured. A swap meet is a way to make your own contribution to spreading the news about Atari computers... and helping other Atari Computer owners in your own community at the same time. +----------------------------------------------------+ | Speak up! | | If you are supporting the Atari platform, | | send me a brief bio and how you can be contacted. | +----------------------------------------------------+ Until next time. . . ------------ Ron Whittam is the President of the Atari Boise Users Group and a Customer Support Specialist for a small software firm in Boise, Idaho. He can be contacted on GEnie Mail (EXPLORER.4), on the Internet at <whittam@primenet.com>, or on ApC BBS (208-362-1790). And see the web page at "http://www.primenet.com/~whittam/atari.html" --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- To enroll as a Delphi subscriber, modem call 1-800-365-4636. Press -- -- [Return] until you see "Password:", then type IP26 [Return] -- -- -- -- Answer all of the questions, and you'll be cleared for Delphi -- -- access in a few days. If you have questions about Delphi services, -- -- give a voice call to Delphi Member Services at 1-800-544-4005. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| The Unabashed Atariophile ||| By: Michael R. Burkley / | \ Delphi: MRBURKLEY GEnie: M.BURKLEY1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hopefully you remember that I've been having some difficulties lately. (Hopefully in that it's always nice to be remembered!) But hopefully again, those specific difficulties are in the past. Dead hard drives are no fun! But now I've backed up all the important data on my data-recovered hard drive, or at least, the important data that I can't do without. I hope I don't forget this lesson about the importance of backups! Of course, I don't think I will - that $900 bill for recovering the data on my hard drive is a potent reminder! Now that I have my hard drive back I can begin to catalog some of the scores of megabytes of software that I haven't been able to get to for months. I've certainly a pile! I'll share some of them with you in just a moment. But before I get on with that I want to recall for you a bit of my experiences at the ACE 95 show all the way back in April. (Wow! Time sure flies!) I wrote it back then, but haven't had a chance to share it with you. Susan and I attended the Toronto ACE 95 show on the first and second of April. Our kids came along too. While my son was glued to the Jaguars available there my daughter was glued to her bed with a 104F degree fever. That put a crimp on Susan's participation as well (along with the fact of her 102+ fever). I thought I was doing well until Sunday afternoon rolled around when I started getting sick (I was driving back from Niagara Falls where I preached that morning). Packing everything up and driving two hours to home was pure misery! But until Sunday afternoon I had a great time! It was an enlightening experience wandering around the booths, visiting with online friends, meeting people for the first time, buying software (spending lots of money for me) and more. I purchased SARA and the Grolier's encyclopedia from Scarborough Computers and have been enjoying it since. It works wonderfully. It's great to have an encyclopedia available for the Atari. I had a number of people coming by the Suzy B's booth asking if I could fill software orders. Unfortunately I couldn't because of my hard drive not working <sigh>. In particular I remember one person who came by asking about FAX software for the ST--Falcon. I told him of BatFAX, a shareware FAX package, but I told him that I used STraight FAX myself. We talked for a bit and he asked me if I could sell him a copy of STraight FAX. I told him that we didn't sell commercial software, but that many people at the show would be able to sell him the package. It came out then that he wasn't really interested in buying the whole package, just a disk with the software on it, and would I just copy it for him, he'd make it worth my while. I then spoke a few choice words with him and told him that I wasn't interested in helping him out and I hoped no one else would ever help him that way either. Yikes! Right at the show! You've all heard about pirates, and I expect that most of us have pirated software at one time or another (I have, and would the author of DM Banner (Dwight Morgan), Wheel of Fortune v.2 (Bob Pyle), and Perfect Match from Sweetheart Software (Mark Nelson) please contact me! I'd like to pay you some money!). That doesn't make it right. Stealing is stealing, no matter if it's "just a disk." One of my ardent wishes is that every person who has pirated software in their collection become an expert programmer who distributes commercial programs... and that people rip them off. Well, not really. Oh well.... It's time to get on to the descriptions! [] AVI_PLAY is v.0.91 of an AVI animation player for the Atari ST--Falcon by Dieter Fiebelkorn (the author of GEM View). It uses either monochrome or 256 color display modes. Also included is a small program to convert AVI files in WAV files so you can view even those animations. It appears that there is also a version designed to take advantage of the 68020 and 68030 chips as well as the standard 68000 ones. All in German. Hensa. [] BOBTRACK is BOBtracker v.1.0, the Advanced Falcon only MODfile Player by Neil Stewart of Black Scorpion Software. BOBtracker provides unparalleled sound quality and takes very little processor time. This shareware program has so many features that it wouldn't be practical to list them all here. Trust me when I say that if you wish to play MODs on your Falcon then you need this player. Some of its features are disabled in this unregistered version, but enough are here that you will be able to keep quite busy checking it out. Of course, if you use it you'll want to register it! Support Shareware authors! Docs included. Delphi. [] CALENDAR is a PageStream Calendar template (.TMP) by K.L. MILLER. Use it every month to create your own calendar. It is especially useful for creating schedules for employee workshifts. It is in portrait format. Delphi (I think). [] CD_LIST6 from Greg at It's All Relative is the July, 1995 update of CDs that can be used on your Atari. It's criteria of "useability" is that at least 75% of the material on a CD must be accessable by an ST. This list included over 1,400 CD's you can use, and it includes 23 Atari specific CDs now available. Delphi. [] COMPANY is the Desktop Companion by Dave Asbury. This .ACC/.PRG can help you to cure the ASCII bug in First Word/1st Word Plus/WordWriter ST. The above programs tend to have problems with files that are not "pure ASCII" or of their own special format. The Desktop Companion allows you to fix this problem and adds many other features. It gives you a desktop clock and the ability to set the ST's internal time; allows you to take Degas snapshots of the screen; move, copy, and rename files, and more! Color or mono. Docs included. ST--Falcon and Geneva compatible. I found this on the Hensa Internet site. [] DEPAT203 is a Diamond Edge v.2.03 patch program from Bob Luneski of Oregon Research Associates (dated June 28, 1985). This program will patch any v.2.00-2.02 of Diamond Edge to v.2.03. Diamond Edge is an excellent Hard drive repair/defragmenter/data recovery program for the ST--Falcon (it's what I use). This patch is useful for all Diamond Edge 2 owners but is especially important for those with large (500 meg+) hard drives. Docs included. Delphi. [] DLVIEWER is DL Viewer v.1.10 by Lonny L Pursell (dated May 25, 1994). This utility will play back even more DL animations than the previous version (these animations originated on the PC platform). Many PC CD-ROMS and Bulletin Boards contain DL files and now you can view them on your Atari (only limited by the amount of RAM you have available). Now there's yet another reason not to use a PC! This viewer will run in ST low res. or any resolution greater than 320x200x16 colors (works on a Nova board). Gray scales are used in all modes with less than 256 colors due to obvious limitations. If you have 256 colors or more you are prompted for the color format during playback. Not MultiTOS compatible. Docs included. Postcardware. Delphi. [] DUFTP is DUftp, second beta version by Craig Graham (dated June 21, 1995). This is a GEM based FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program for use with MiNT and the MiNT-net networking drivers. The docs say you may use DUftp to fetch files from any FTP server on the Internet (or any other TCP/IP based network). You must have MiNT v.1.12 or higher and MiNTNet v.0.70 or higher to use this program. You can use DUftp under MultiTOS, or just under plain GEM, as it uses none of the MultiTOS AES extensions. You can use DUftp to fetch files from any FTP server on the Internet (or any other TCP/IP based network). As well as the just transferring files you get the following extra's: - Web-browser style bookmarks for fast access to your fave sites. - Automatic logins. - Full GEM interface. - Runs under MultiTOS or plain GEM. - Drag & Drop style file transfer (only downloads at the moment). - Multiple connections at the same time (under MultiTOS). - Fast, reliable transfers (code based on the BSD Unix ftp). - Envy from PC users who have to pay for this sort of thing. - AES 4.1 iconify support. - No command lines. - Integrated with DIP to handle your dial-up SLIP connection for you (simple Connect/Disconnect menu options). - Only uses 200K when running. - Context sensitive help (using an ST-Guide Hypertext file) DUftp is "advert-ware" for the Data Uncertain's upcoming World Wide Web browser "Distant Earth." Also it is intended to prove that GEM+MiNT can support easy to use networking software, and in particular, that Data Uncertain can provide that software. Docs included. Delphi. [] EMAIL895 is the Atari Community E-Mail list created and updated by Dan Mazurowski as of August 19, 1995. If you have an Atari related question, somebody on this list has the answer! User Groups, Developers, Retailers, Jag and Lynx developers, and some excellent Internet Web pages for us Atarians. Delphi. [] EPRO_210 is a patch file from Anodyne Software to upgrade their ExtenDOS Pro version 2.0 to version 2.1. ExtenDOS is the program I use to access my CD ROM drive for data and music. Docs included. You must have the original disk to do this upgrade. Delphi. [] FALCADAP is the Falcon-Multisync Adaptor plans by Bryan Edewaard. These plans (in the form of a text file and a .PC3 picture file) will tell you how to make your very own Multi-sync adapter/switcher for the Falcon030. Be Warned! This adapter has one purpose only, and that is to adapt an ST compatible Multi-sync to the Falcon. It will not enhance the use of a VGA monitor, and may damage it with sync-rates it cannot use. However, if you have a Multi-sync, it will allow you to use all the 1224/TV modes on it as well as VGA modes. Hensa and Delphi. [] FLICTC41 is the FLI-TC v.4.1 True colour FLI/FLC player by Sven Bruns (dated Nov.4, 1994). This is a =fast= player for animations in .FLI/.FLC-format. Documentation now in German and in English. The program runs in all HiColor-resolutions (Atari calls them True Color...), with 320x200 pixels or bigger on your Falcon. It runs most animations at the original speed (as fast as on a 486DX). FLI animations will be played directly from disk if need be. It can run at 608 frames per second (on an accelerated Falcon). It was compatible with every FLI/FLC animation tested and it also works with Screenblaster and NVDI. Hensa. [] FLS300D is the demo version of Flash II v.3.00 from Missionware Software. Now fully multitasking capable, this excellent telecommunications program is definately one you will want to check out. Download (or upload!) in the background to your heart's content! It's designed for ease of use. I especially like its Auto Learn function which makes creating logon and other scripts easy and automatic. Another thing I like is that you get two editors, one as a capture buffer and another as a type-ahead window. For all of you who like to call those IBM ANSI boards Flash II now supports all the ST, IBM and DEC character sets, including IBM/ANSI graphics characters! I can't list all of the features here - there isn't enough room. This demo is limited to 50K transfers (a zillion - well, really only ten - transfer protocols are built in) and some other minor limitations, but they won't hinder you from getting an excellent look at this program. I recommend it to you. Fully ST--Falcon compatible. Delphi. [] FTREE211 is Family Tree v.2.11 by Ian & Mark Baker (dated July 1994). This is an excellent well-supported GEM-based Family Tree/ Genea- logical database. It works on all ST--Falcons and in all resolutions (ST med. or higher). I find that the older I get the more I am interested in my family history. This program will allow you to easily record, display, and print out the results of your research. If you have any of the varieties of GDOS the print out will look much better, but you can get by just fine without it. This is definately a full-featured program. The docs are quite detailed and well-written as well. Online help is available through ST-Guide HYP files (you must supply STGUIDE). If you are interested in recording your Family Tree then you should check out this program. Freeware. I found this at the Hensa Internet site. [] F_ZERO is the Moon Speeder Demo for the Falcon. While you can't play this you can watch as a series of vehicles race across the moon. This first person perspective game uses texture mapping to good effect as you race along a moon track. You may choose (by using the F1-F8 keys) to see the view from any of the eight different polygon vehicles racing around. Music plays in the background with samples over the top as you bump other cars or complete a lap. Each speeder has its own statistics, and pros and cons. It really is a shame you can only watch this demo and that you can't join in! It is very similiar in effect to the Mario Cart game, in as much as the game uses the same ideas of scaling and rotating the track from the players view. Is the commercial game available yet? I don't know. Delphi. [] GBNCH401 is GEM Bench v.4.01 by Ofir Gal (dated January, 1995). This well-supported program was designed to provide you with a reality- based benchmarking tool. Using an advanced, GEM based interface this utility tests the speed (and much more) of features you usually use and so gives you a realistic view of your TOS 1.0--Falcon computer. It will test the graphic screen drawing speed, the CPU speed (math and memory access tests), and more. You can also use this program to tell you your computer type, TOS version, MultiTOS (MiNT) version, Blitter status, AES and GEMDOS versions, NVDI (a screen accelerator like Warp 9), FPU and other information about the system. You can even force the system (if you have a TT!) to run in ST RAM or Fast RAM. It will also let you compare your system against other STock Atari machines. It is even GEMulator aware and still fully MultiTOS (and Geneva) compatible. Color or mono. The docs are in ST-Guide format so you may access them from right within the program (you must supply ST-Guide). SHAREWARE and recommended. Hensa. [] GDOS123E is More Joy of GDOS v.2.3 by Gerd Castan. This ASCII text file has a huge amount of information about Atari's GDOS programs and all of its spinoffs and improvements (like NVDI, G PLUS+, FontGDOS, SpeedoGDOS, etc.). I found it a very interesting read. The English in which it is written is not the most well-written you will encounter (the author's native tongue is German), but that doesn't hinder the use of the file. This is useful for anyone interested in GDOS, the programmer or the novice Atarian. I found this on the Hensa Internet site. [] GNU_TAR is GNU Tar v.1.10 ported to the Atari ST with or without MiNT by Alan Hourihane (dated Oct. 2, 1991). This is a full-fledged TAR that can handle compressed archives all at once rather than first uncompressing them and then untaring them. TAR files are ones you will often find on the internet. Also included in this archive is the author's own version of Compress v.4.0. If you don't have MiNT installed you cannot use the compress/uncompress function of GNU Tar, otherwise everything else should work under standard TOS. Docs included. Where from? I don't remember! [] GUITDEMO is the Guitar Reference Demo/GEM Guitar Tools by Alan Richardson. This program, which will work on any ST--Falcon is a scale reference and tuning reference tool. The registered version of this program has 57 scales and 46 tunings in its database. You may print out your choices, add, delete, edit, display, save and load your scales and tunings, and much more. You can play your scales through a Midi setup or through the Atari Sound Chip. The Demo version has a number of features disabled, saving & loading of scales, tunings, paths and defaults. Printing is available, but you may only print to disk. Docs included. Color or mono. Shareware. Hensa. [] GVW_315 is GEM-View v.3.15 by Dieter Fiebelkorn (released in North America on May 12, 1995). If you have a picture file, this program will likely show it (about 35 _basic_ formats with support for variations within formats)! Previous descriptions of this program have run over a page, but this time I'm just saying, "Get This!" if you work with images of any type. GEM-View now comes in a modular format allowing you to customize GEM-View to view the pictures you normally encounter (saving memory and loading time). It now supports the viewing of GIF pictures again (apparently the problems with the GIF patent by UNISYS have been cleared up). GEM-View is fast and will allow you to load and display pictures in a variety of graphic formats (including JPEG pictures, in which format your pictures can now be saved yielding huge file size savings!) in any desired resolution and virtual size (BigScreen) on the ATARI ST/TT/Falcon series of computers. Most Graphic cards work, too. This version includes a neat slide show feature and an even more useful picture cataloging feature. It's amazing how this program keeps on being improved! GEM-View is either an .ACC or .PRG (just rename it). If your machine can't handle the colors in the picture (ST Low and mono don't have 256 colors to display a GIF file!) GEM-View will massage the picture until it fits. You can also adjust contrast, brightness, colors shown, cut and paste, and more, all to make the picture look even better. Do you want to convert a picture from one type to another? GEM-View will do that, too. I'd better quit! I've registered this Shareware program, and I recommend that you do, too. To reduce the size of the program file a number of the utilities included with GEMView in the past ( such as WinX, GEMRAM, VIDFIX, and more) are not included (they are available directly from the author or from a previous version). Color or mono. Helsa? Delphi? I don't remember. [] GZIP107S is GNU Zip v.1.0.7S for the Atari ST line ported to the ST line by Daniel Eriksson of Sweden. GNU zip is a compression utility designed to be a replacement for 'compress'. Its main advantages over compress are much better compression and freedom from patented algorithms. GNU UnZIP can currently decompress files created by gzip, zip (only deflated files with only one file internally compressed), compress or pack. This program is thus useful for uncompressing strange-looking files you often find on the Internet. GZIP produces files with a .z extension. This was chosen to mimic the 'compress' .Z extension. This file includes two version of the utility, one for the standard TOS file-system (gzip-tos.ttp), and one for the Minix filesystem (gzip.ttp). Docs included (if you try to read the docs from the desktop the formatting is all wacky, but if you use a program like STeno or WordWriter ST everything is fine). From somewhere! [] HEBIB302 is the ST_BIBLE v.3.02d demo of a Hebrew Biblical Concordance program by Stig Norin. ST_Bible is a Hebrew Bible Concordance Program, which can search for all verses with a certain combination of words. Of course, since it's about the Hebrew Bible all of the display is in Hebrew (the program and docs are in English though). This is a shareware program. The demo version is only provided with the five Torah books and can't print anything nor save anything to disk. When you start the demo-version you'll find out how to re- gister. To take the full advantadge of the program you must have a harddisk with at least 2 meg free space. With floppies the program is slow and can't search through all the biblical books in one search. ST--Falcon compatible. Hensa. [] HUSTLER is the demo version Hollywood Hustler, The American Classic by Desert Star Software (dated 1995). This is the best Five Card Draw Poker computer game I've ever seen (this demo plays very well indeed). Most computer card games can be fun for a while, but eventually they become predictable and boring. Hollywood Hustler certainly never becomes predictable (well, I can't really say that - it is predictable - predicatable that I lose with great regularity! Remember: the house always wins! and if you don't play then you can't lose!). But back to the description! Each time you play, your computer opponents Joe, Chuck and the one and only Montana Slim provide you with a fresh challenge, starting every new game in a different mental state to the last - more or less confident, more or less likely to bluff etc.. No two games are ever the same! There are some excellent digitized pictures and sound on this demo, and even more in the commercial version (distributed by Toad Computers here in the US and available through your local Atari store - there are some of those left - support them!). I enjoy the occasional banter between the players and their grunts as they play the game. You are included right along with the rest of the players. They don't know what cards you have, and you don't know theirs. You're the one who needs to "know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em" (docs and poker instructions included) Color only. Joystick controlled. The full game comes on three floppy disks. If you wish to read an excellent and detailed review of the full commercial version of Hollywood Hustler check out the August, 1995 (?) issue of ST Informer. If you don't already has a subscription to this magazine I urge you to get it. It's an excellent way to keep up with things Atari. Delphi. [] ICO2RSC1 is ICO2RSC v.1.10 by Dirk Haun (dated Dec. 11, 1994). This is German language program that will convert Color Windows icons into RSC-files for inclusion into your programs. You may also save them in the .ICO icon format. Program and docs are all in German. Hensa. [] INTCH152 is the In-Touch Personal Database v.1.5 by Lorne White. InTouch is a powerful and flexible database system for organizing and managing all your personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers and calender events. With a touch of the keyboard or mouse you can easily find and select records, or search for text and dates, get date reminders, categorize records, and print a wide variety of envelopes, labels, addresses, date books, and calendar labels (using SpeedoGDOS). A calendar window provides a view of any month of any year and provides a listing of all events in that month. You can also import and export all the data into and from other programs, making it your "master" database of personal information. Lots of features! This demo is limited in that you may save only five records per file and print only five labels per record. Numerous samples are included. ST--Falcon compatible. Shareware. I had originally tried to run this program within three nested folders (my hard drive gets a bit complicated), but I was unable to load the sample files when doing so. Running from less than three nested folders or from the root directory was fine. STE and Geneva compatible (at least). I don't remember from where. [] LIGHTNING is Lighting! by Robert W. Stiles. This is a color only lightning display for your Atari system. It's pretty neat to see the flashes of lightning on your screen and not have to worry about it zapping your system! I only wish that there was some thunder, too! It was created on a Falcon with a VGA monitor and also works on my color STE and on a Mega STE. The author says that it should work on any palette based color display system. The C source code is included. Delphi. [] MEMWTCH4 is Memory Watch v.1.4 (dated June 23, 1995) by Damien M. Jones (the author of View II - Wow!, SoundLab - Wow!, and much more - what a programmer!). This is a neat little (using about 12K RAM) program/accessory which graphically shows you the state of your RAM. It will show you the biggest chunk of your RAM still available along with the total RAM available (they are sometimes different depending on the applications you are loading and unloading). RAM fragmentation can get especially difficult under Geneva, MagiC, or MultiTOS, and this little utility can help you to steer clear of many of the problems caused by this. Docs included. Color or mono, ST--Falcon, Geneva, MagiC, and MultiTOS compatible. This version is much improved over previous versions. If you've ever had any problems with Memory Watch (a rare thing), make sure to try this again. Hensa? Delphi? [] MID02PRG is Midi 2 program v.1.1 by Alan Hinde (dated July 1995). This is a very interesting program which will convert a midi type 0 file to a .PRG file that plays automatically on your computer. Docs within the program. From where? [] MIDMOVR is MidiMover, Hybrid Arts' (now Barefoot Software for the ST line) MIDI File converter. MidiMover can convert between Hybrid's .SNG files and the "MIDI File 1.0" standard. It supports both format 0 and format 1 MIDI Files, and can in fact be used to convert between those two formats. It also reads MacBinary (some MIDI Files uploaded by Mac users) that some other MIDI File converters may not handle, and can convert these to standard data files that non-Mac computers (including the ST) use. Docs included. I found this in the MIDI section of Atari UMICH Internet site. [] MID_UTIL is a set of four programs which will process midi type 0 files and make cosmetic changes without, in most cases, altering the way the file sounds. The processed file produced is called NEW.MID and saved in the same directory. The first, ONETEMPO, will convert all absolute tempo changes to the one constant tempo and rescale all delta times (clocks between events) accordingly. It is useful when running the sequencer from a constant tempo source. Next, QUANTMID quantizes the file as specified by the placement of control 99 events, and adds absolute tempo events to honor the original timing (providing at least one absolute tempo event is already present). This is useful for making a file print in quantised form without affecting the way it plays. Next, CTL_TRIM trims the notes out of the file wherever a specified control event is zero. If the control event, for example, controls the volume, then the resultant midi file should sound the same as the original file. Finally, REMV_SUS removes all sustain events (control 64 events). The note off events are moved to emulate the effect of the sustain events. From where? [] D_ORACLE is the Oracle v.1.3 Delphi version source code for STalker (.BTS). Uploaded by the author, Paul Lefebvre, this shareware online automation program is well worth getting (I registered it and use it all the time). It makes using Delphi so much quicker and easier. I'm not sure exactly what this release of the source code means since there is no further documentation other than the comments within the source. Is it still Shareware? I hope so! Paul deserves our support for this excellent software! There is also a GEnie version of Oracle, but I haven't seen the source for that yet. You must have STalker v.3.x, the telecommunication program from Gribnif Software, to use this code. Delphi. [] PARAFIN is ParaFin v.1.03, a Background File Searcher by Hartwig zur Nieden (dated Oct. 17, 1994). ParaFin is a GEM program/Accessory, which searches one or more drives or a specified path for files. During the search you can continue working in other programs and all search results are processed in the ParaFin "already found" file. ParaFin has been designed to work with the Gemini Desktop, but it will also work with Geneva, or indeed, any single-TOS. The program and docs have been translated into English. If you wish a newer version of this program check out PARAF123 for v.1.23. Unfortunately, that version is still all in German. Shareware. Delphi. [] PARAF123 is ParaFin v.1.23, a Background File Searcher by Hartwig zur Nieden (dated Dec. 17, 1994). ParaFin is a GEM program/Accessory, which searches one or more drives or a specified path for files. During the search you can continue working in other programs and all search results are processed in the ParaFin "already found" file. ParaFin has been designed to work with the Gemini Desktop, but it will also work with Geneva, or indeed, any single-TOS. This version is still all in German (though that doesn't really matter if you get the English docs in PARAFIN). Shareware. Delphi? [] PROGEM is a set of examples, appendices, and PROFF source code of the "ProGEM" articles telling about GEM programming by Tim Oren. Posted on the Hensa Internet site and compiled by Jwahar R. Bammi, C programmer extraordinaire! [] PYSGHM15 is Pysgham v.1.50 from STectre Software (dated July 1995). This program will allow you to add virtual drives to your ST, but unlike Ram disks, the new drives will correspond to folders in other real drives. You can set up a drive as P that will open up a folder in drive D, up to eight drives can be created. Pysgham will also enable you to turn 'write verify' off or on for each hard drive partition; you can also write protect any or all partitions. Installation seems very easy. Postcardware. Jabran Akhtar, the author, has written several other programs as well: Joke, which makes thousands of random jokes with selected verbs, nouns, etc.; F o z C i, a Caps-Lock indicator which uses your disk drive LED to let you know the status of your Caps-Locks key; One Jack, an excellent program launcher; Mnilu, a GfA BASIC 2 Compiler, and Superview, a most comprehensive file-viewer for the GEM desktop. Delphi. [] RD1 is a set of three Phoenix2 .RD1 (converted from Cad3d2) files done, I think, by Barry Summer (he uploaded them and I know that he has produced all sorts of quality Phoenix 2 files). They are thge Apex-VIKING, Explorer and X-WING spaceships. They have textures added but you can customize them in Phoenix 2 or render them as is. Delphi. [] SBM is the Falcon-only Super Bomberman by Marc BOURLON of France (dated Jan. 21, 1995). This game is for up to four players (two on Joysticks and two on the keyboard). The author mentions an SNES version of this game, but I don't know what that's like so I can't tell you anymore than that. Soundtracker MOD sound included. The registered version includes improved graphics, and more levels. English docs encluded. Found on the Atari U Mich Internet site. [] SOLVE is the GFA Equation Solver v.1.0 by Teddy of TMC/Orion (dated Feb. 1, 1995). It is a small program which solves equations with one variable using the Newton-system. It is MultiTOS compatible (comes in its own window and everything). All of the standard trig functions are allowed. Found on Hensa? [] SPOOKY4 is Spooky Sprites v.4 by Johan Karlsson (dated August 11, 1995). This program allows you to create true color sprites for the Atari Falcon to use in your programs. You may make them from scratch or cut them out of a wide variety of picture formats. You can even animate them using several program options. You must have a Falcon 030 with at least 4 megs of memory. The program is compatible with screen enhancers, virtual memory and strange monitors. Not M-TOS compatible. Detailed docs included. Hensa. [] SURVEYGA is the Global Atari Survey by Rick Detlefsen (dated June, 1995). This is an ASCII file that is part of an effort to list all known active Atari users Groups and BBSes (8-bit through Falcon, Lynx and Jaguar, too). The last list was around Oct 1993, and includes info mostly from Atari User and Atari Classics magazines. It is assumed to be out of date (for sure!). Please make sure to get this file and fill it out for your user group or favorite BBS, and then E-mail it back to Rick (snail mail is OK, too). It can only help all Atari users to find out the places we meet and the resources we have available. Delphi? [] SYSTEM is the excellent D.K.O. System Falcon demo, dated April, 1995. EKO released this demo for the "Fried Bits III" in Bremen, Germany and won second place there (so I suspect it is excellent). You must have at least 3.5 meg of free RAM on your Falcon to run this. According to the upload it is very well done with great music and nice virtual reality type scenarios including an extended CHECKERED FLAG type demo. Delphi. [] UPDATE_7 is the Falcon Update Digital diskmag release 7 from FOG, the Falcon Owners Group (dated Oct 20, 1994). This huge file (1.34 meg compressed!) is full of interesting text files, pictures, and programs for the Falcon. While I don't have a Falcon I've enjoyed reading through the text files (after de-packing them with New De-pack by Mike Watson <NDP_11>). There are short science fiction/fantasy stories, software/hardware reviews, comments on the world, helps for your Falcon, even a complete book! ("The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier" by Bruce Sterling). Some of the software included is: An excellent boot manager for the Falcon (STOOP101), a fast DSP MOD player with a name I detest (RAPE_DSP), the premere compatiblity fix for your Falcon (BCKSRD27), a very fast GIF viewer (TURBOGIF) and a super fast, real-time, light sourced 3D town to fly around in - but only if you have a TV or RGB monitor (VIRTUAL). You need a four meg Falcon and any monitor to use this magazine. Hensa. [] UTOPOS15 is Utopos v.1.5 by Aggression (dated Nov. 11, 1993). Utopos is an excellent multi-player (two people in the demo and four in the registered version) shoot 'em up game. This game is colorful with pleasing graphics, excellent sound, and smooth control. The goal of this game is to shoot the other person down (the reg. version has a one player mode). Joystick or keyboard controlled, your rocket ship is moved about through reaction thrust and gravity (similar to Oids, Thrust, and Rayoid - I like Rayoid, too). This game takes full advantage of the smooth hardware scrolling of the STE and so will only work with the STE Mega STE (the docs say that if there is enough interest a Falcon version will be created - I don't know if that means that this game won't work with a Falcon or that it just doesn't take full advantage of the Falcon potential). If you have an 8 MHz machine, you will have a display with the upper and lower borders removed giving you a resolution of 320*285. Because of some programming magic there can be up to 48 colors on screen at once! The display is -smooth- being updated 50 times per second. On top of all this you get 8 channels of 25KHz sampled sound effects. I recommend this game. Low Rez Color only. Demo version requires re-boot to quit (the registered version doesn't). Requires at least one meg of RAM. Shareware. Docs (in English, German, and French) included. Hensa. [] VCB27 is the VertiConf-Booter for the Falcon v.2.7 by NulloS//DNT-Crew (dated May 26, 1994). While all of the docs for this are in French, it appears that this is a program which will allow your Falcon to better emulate an ST/STE for software compatibility. Another program which does this same thing (and that's in English) is Backward by Cyrille Dupuydauby. Source code (.S) is included. Hensa. [] AV380 is Ascii-View, v.3.80 by David M. Seberg. Ascii-View is simply an ASCII text viewing program that was developed to replace the boring, plain, dull, monotonous, inflexible [Show]-[Print]-[Cancel] feature of the standard ST Desktop. It does this by allowing the user to easily view an Ascii text file with a myriad of features not available from the standard ST desktop or from the multitude of text viewers currently available in the ST market place (according to the author). It can be run from the desktop, as an installed application, from DC Desktop or NeoDesk. Blazingly fast scrolling, 100% keyboard equivalents, use of accessories from within program, memory of last ten files accessed with instant recall allowed, mark blocks to print, delete or save, set and move to markers, and more. All this makes a wonderful text viewing program. Color or mono. Pages upon pages of docs (and online help) included (but you really don't need them - the program is easy to use!) SHAREWARE. Excellent. ST--TT (maybe Falcon) and Geneva compatible. Atari U Mich. [] PEEK_17A is Peek-A-Boo v.1.7a by Eric Hameleers (dated March 3, 1994). PEEK-A-BOO can be used as either an accessory or as a standard GEM program on any ST--Falcon. Using Peek-a-Boo any ASCII or binary file can be loaded to be displayed in a GEM window, with full slider/cursor movement control. The program uses no text-cursor; it is only a viewer, not an editor. You may mark blocks of text, insert bookmarks, and have lots of control over viewing your files. It's very quick and has a clean display, too, which is nice. Docs included (may be viewed online or separately). Atari U Mich. [] TVST15 is TotalView ST v.1.5 by Carl Limsico (dated July 20, 1990). This ASCII/HEX file viewer uses the GEM item selector to select the file to view. To scroll up and down through your files you use the arrow keys. Marking blocks of text for printing out to disk or modem is quick and easy to do. You may search for any character string you wish. Docs included. Shareware. Atari U Mich. [] VIKAPEX is a very nicely done rendering by Barry Summer of the famous Lexicor Viking. It is a JPEG picture showing the wood-grained Viking holding his spear and shield (boy, does that guys nose look red and sore!). To his left (your right) is a guitar with the words "Time to Rock N' Roll." A 3D "APEX" logo spans the top of the picture. This was rendered with Phoenix2 as a 640 x 480 targa and combined with APEX MEDIA. Delphi. [] WCOLTRIS is WinColTris v.2.0 by Never Ready Software and Morus Walter (dated Dec. 27, 1994). This is an excellent two (mono) through 256 color Tetris and Columns game which is friendly with all TOS versions, MagiX!, Geneva, and more. Keyboard controlled (with user selectable keys), this game is fun and fast. Since I like both Columns and Tetris this is a winner in my book. The author has done a lot to make this compatible with a lot of different options. You can keep track of your high scores, arrange your screen set-up to have it just the way you want (and save it for future use), even multi-task when playing the game. He's included nice docs (and "C" source code), too. [] XWING is the APEX XWing Fighter Falcon Animation by Barry Summer. This is a Falcon TC animation in .FLH format with the Falcon player program included. This 3D XWing fighter was rendered with Chronos and Phoenix2, and the Targa frames were then imported into Apex Media. Delphi. I just recently was sent a demo copy of the Music Box by Kari Heimonen (a CD, disk, tape database) and the most recent version of ARJ (ARJ996) by Ger Hobbelt and Hans Wessels (getting faster and better all the time!). I'll review them next time. I've also purchased a copy of "The Ultimate Virus Killer Book" by Richard Karsmakers (the author of "The Ultimate Virus Killer" software - another excellent product). That book is an awesome read (and up-to-date, too - some of the dates mentioned in it are July, 1995!). I really enjoyed it and recommend it to you. Maybe I'll get to do a more extensive review here - that is, unless Travis turns me down. (How about it Travis?) [Ed: Go for it!] Until then... Take care, Michael All of these files can be found on one or more of the following on-line services: Delphi (MRBURKLEY), GEnie (M.BURKLEY1), and at Toad Hall, now the official BBS of the Boston Computer Society (617-567-8642) (Michael R. Burkley). Drop me a line! Michael lives in Niagara Falls, NY. He is a former Polyurethane Research Chemist and is presently the pastor of the Niagara Presbyterian Church and the co-founder of Suzy B's Software. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Developing news! ||| Items of interest from TOS platform developers and supporters / | \ ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- //// Toad Mirrors UMich FTP SEVERNA PARK, MD, USA--Sept. 12 1995--Toad Computers, a supplier of Atari hardware and software, today announced that they will make available a mirror of the University of Michigan Atari Software Archive. The University of Michigan Atari Software Archive has been the primary FTP site for Atari eight-bit and ST public-domain software for years. However, due to its popularity, it has often been very difficult to get into the site. Various mirrors of the "umich" Atari site exist (wuarchive.wustl.edu), but these are sometimes just as difficult to reach. Toad Computers this week announces that they will maintain a mirror of the "umich" archive at their ftp site, "ftp.toad.net". Toad spokesperson David Troy explains, "We are very excited to be able to offer Atari users something extra; something that goes beyond just our homepage." Since November 1994, Toad Computers has offered a World-Wide-Web homepage which provides news, prices, product information and online ordering to Atari users. Since August 10, 1995, Toad Computers has been connected to the Internet through a high-speed/high-capacity T1 line (1.54MBps). The Toad Computers "umich" mirror can be reached by ftp at the following address: ftp://ftp.toad.net/pub/umich/ The Toad "umich" mirror archive is updated daily and contains over 700MB of compressed public domain software for the Atari 8-Bit, ST, STE, TT030 and Falcon computers. It is accessible from anywhere in the world through the Internet and such online services as GEnie, Delphi, CompuServe, America Online, and the Microsoft Network. Toad Computers is a reseller of hardware and software to Atari users and also provides Internet services in the Annapolis, Maryland area. The company is one of the largest Atari resellers in the world and ships worldwide. Toad Computers is located at 570 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, Maryland, 21146; 410/544-6 943. EMAIL: info@toad.net ORDERS: 800-448-8623 FAX: 410-544-1329 INFO: 410-544-6943 WEB: http://www.toad.net/ FTP: ftp://ftp.toad.net/ Toad Computers offers the "umich" mirror as free public-domain and shareware software, makes no warranty as to its suitability for any application and assumes no liability for its content. NOTE: The "at" symbol in Internet addresses does not always translate correctly; there is an at sign in info"at sign"toad.net //// Gribnif Interfaces with Resources September 14, 1995 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Northampton, MA - Gribnif Software announces the arrival of Interface, the premier resource file editor. Interface is a resource construction set: a program which edits the resource (.RSC) files used by other programs to draw GEM dialogs and menus. It works with all Atari computers, including the TT and Falcon 030. It also takes advantage of multitasking systems like Geneva, MultiTOS, and MagiC. It has a very intuitive user interface which allows you to easily create and edit multiple resource files at once. Its features include: o Supports the extensions of Geneva and Atari's MultiTOS, such as 3D buttons. o Utilizes a completely window-based system, which includes pop-up menus, keyboard equivalents within dialogs, and on-line help. o Displays information for the object under the mouse (name, size, etc.) o Objects can be automatically resorted, or arbitrarily sorted within the tree. o A group of objects can have their flags all set to the same value quickly and easily. o Allows the setting of extended object types, flags, and states. o Objects can be resized by exact coordinates. o It can easily cut and paste multiple objects between resource files. o The icon editor imports data in ICN, IMG, and Windows icon formats. It can also edit and save icons using the new multicolored icon format for Geneva and MultiTOS. o There is a Search feature which can find any portion of a text string or object label, with or without wildcards. o The object grid can be set independently in the horizontal and vertical directions so that objects are snapped to single character, half character, or single pixel increments. o Objects can be quickly centered, or left- or right-aligned. o It has a unique resource comparison feature which immediately points out the differences between two files (object names, sizes, attributes, etc.) o Automatic positioning of keyboard equivalents within menu strings is possible. You don't have to count all the spaces anymore! o The names of objects can be automatically prefixed with the name of the object tree, to save typing. o Output can be saved as header or source code files for C, Pascal, Modula 2, or BASIC. o It includes the MyDial development kit for creating special checkboxes, radio buttons, and objects with keyboard equivalents in your own programs. Also included is source code for loading and displaying resource files (potentially larger than 64k) containing color icons, under any TOS version. o It comes with an illustrated, 175-page manual, describing all program functions and the MyDial libraries. Interface is available for $99.95 + shipping from: Gribnif Software PO Box 779 Northampton, MA 01061-0779 Tel: (413) 532-2434 <--- NEW NUMBER! Fax: (413) 532-2540 <--- NEW NUMBER! email: gribnif@genie.geis.com Anyone having preorderd Interface without the manual will be receiving the full package in the mail automatically within the next 7-10 days. Geneva is a trademark of Gribnif Sofwtware. MultiTOS is a trademark of Atari Corp. MagiC is a trademark of Application Systems Heidelberg. Screen shots of Interface can be downloaded from GEnie in the file INTRFACE.LZH. //// Flash II 3.00 Shipping =========================== FLASH II ============================ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now shipping version 3.00! <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< """""""""""""""""""""""""" FROM: MISSIONWARE SOFTWARE 354 N. Winston Drive Palatine, Illinois 60067-4132 United States of America phone 708-359-9565 Missionware Software is pleased to announce the release of version 3.00 of Flash II. This is our seventh update and is our all-new multitasking version! Flash II originally went up for sale in April of 1992. Version 3.00 adds a number of new features, as highlighted below. Flash II is the update to the most popular Atari ST telecommunications program ever! It's available exclusively from Missionware Software and at an affordable price! Flash II is completely rewritten by Paul Nicholls of Clayfield, Australia. It's easy and fast to use for the telecommunications beginner or pro! What's so new and good about Flash II version 3.0? The following list highlights a few of the many changes that will make your on line time even better: * Flash II is now fully multitasking capable. The program easily multitasks under such operating systems as MultiTOS( (trademark of Atari Corporation) and Geneva( (trademark of Gribnif Software). * All elements of the program are now contained within GEM windows including both editors and the terminal. That means that Flash II can, by itself, do all file transfers in the background. * A new Auto Learn DO function is included that makes making logon and other navigation scripts easy and automatic. * A new menu structure is used in version 3.00 that confirms more rigidly to the official Atari standard. * Version 3.0 includes 2 editors! One editor is specifically designed to be used as a capture buffer (just like the old editor) while the other is designed to be used as a type ahead window or command window (or both). While these editor functions are dedicated to a specific use while online, you can use them as separate editors while off line for any text editing purpose you desire. * The Atari standard clipboard is now supported in 3.0 meaning that you can easily cut and paste text between both windows or between Flash II and other applications. * A new Edit menu replaces the old Block menu and includes all standard editing functions, such as Cut, Copy and Paste. * A new Window menu permits easy control over access to the windows. * Default transfer paths can now be saved! * Automatic saving of capture after logoff is now included. * A mini-BBS function is now included! * There are many more new features to Flash II version 3.0 too. Other features of Flash II include: * Fully Falcon030 compatible! * Enhanced DEC VT Terminal emulations including the ability to swap the functions of the Delete and Backspace keys for conformance to standard DEC terminals. * Enhanced ANSI terminal and graphics. Blinking characters are now supported in version 3.00. * Full support for all Atari serial ports on TT030 and MegaSTe as well as baud rates up to 153600. * Terminal mode now displays either the real time clock or a timer. * DO script files compatible with older versions of Flash! * All macros use the familiar Flash DO script format! * Easily setup the parameters for each BBS you call... this includes everything from ASCII upload/download options to baud rate! * You can program up to 20 individual and separate macros for each BBS plus an additional 10 global macros! * Displays RLE & GIF pictures either on or off line! You can also save or load these pictures for later review! * Supports the following terminal types: TTY, VIDTEX, VT52, ANSI, VT100, VT101, VT102, VT200, VT300 & PRESTEL. * Includes full support for RTS/CTS. This mode can now be turned on and off by the user. * Includes Automatic Answer mode! * Includes Auto Boards mode - Preselect the board(s) you wish to dial and when Flash II is launched either manually from the desktop by you, or automatically by some other program launcher, Flash II will wakeup and dial the board(s) you've got selected. It will also wait for the proper time to dial these boards. * Supports the ST, IBM and DEC character sets, including IBM/ANSI graphics characters! * Supports the following upload/download protocols: ASCII, Xmodem, Ymodem, Ymodem-G, Zmodem, Modem7, WXmodem, CIS B, Kermit and SEAlink! And all of these protocols are built into the program... no external modules required!!! * Zmodem supports the selection of AutoStart and Streaming options. If you prefer to use an external Zmodem protocol with Flash II, you can now force Flash II's Zmodem autostart mode to off. For BBS' that don't support "streaming", this too can now be turned off. * Logs all on line time and calculates your approximate costs for you! * New version written in assembler! Fast! * Runs on all ST, STe, TT030 and Falcon computers! * Supports "Install Application". You can create a DO script that can be used to launch Flash II from the desktop and force it to dial up and go online for you, all automatically! Missionware Software's upgrade policy remains the same for the new Version 3.00! We will continue to upgrade any old version of Flash! (copyright Antic Software) for just $35 US, plus $4 shipping and handling (US and Canada), $8 worldwide. Or, you can purchase Flash II, version 3.00 outright, for only $59.95 US plus the shipping and handling charges applicable to your area. You can also upgrade any old version of Flash II to our new version 3.00. We're offering an "Easy Budget" upgrade which includes a new program disk and a short 40+ page manual. This manual describes the new features found in 3.00. (Your old Flash II manual suffices for all other program information.) The cost of this upgrade is $15 plus $3 shipping and handling ($6 worldwide). For those of you that want or need our all-new, fully updated, 3.00 manual, you can purchase our "Full Upgrade" which includes the new 250 page manual and program disk. The cost of this upgrade is $30 plus $4 shipping and handling ($8 worldwide). To order, or for more information, contact: Missionware Software 354 N. Winston Drive Palatine, IL 60067-4132 United States of America phone 708-359-9565 --==--==--==--==-- ||| ||| Shutdown ........................... Power off, EXIT, BYE, Logoff / | \ ----------------------------------------------------------------- We welcome feedback from all of our readers; feedback both positive and negative. Whatever you think of our efforts, we sincerely would like to know. Our EMail addresses are sprinkled throughout each issue - with the Internet gateway into GEnie, you can reach us through the Internet also. Append "@genie.com" to any of our GEnie addresses. If you are a regular user of PGP, you can EMail AEO Magazine <aeo.mag@genie.com> using this key: -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.1 mQCNAzAhx34AAAEEANv2p4vh8J3DHce9GM6SbYEhr1LGTeF37TyP5YFrgbBRLFMC 7qmuFqDuuLKVG4o1Ddzn//mTz1whsnR/dmc3iBtQ4VNeAUON7kcfUhG2q8oE4f/p LlW23JAnxRn2RrhKhyvH3GZL/j8XILADFd0HGf2Dkcq5d72/T/H26/F7JGeJAAUR tCBBRU8gTWFnYXppbmUgPGFlby5tYWdAZ2VuaWUuY29tPg== =2Jq5 -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Until the next issue of AEO, I remain, Your Editor Travis Guy --==--==--==--==-- (This issue printed on recycled photons) --==--==--==--==-- DNFTEC --==--==--==--==-- No Inflation Necessary --==--==--==--==-- Sweet As Sugar --==--==--==--==-- Coming October 6, Plug in the WIRE network as Atari Corporation, CompuServe Information Service, Atari Explorer Online Magazine and Silicon Times Report unveil something big for the online community --==--==--==--==-- Atari Explorer Online Magazine is a monthly publication covering the entire Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted at the beginning of the article, to registered Atari user groups and not for profit publications under the following terms only: articles must remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of each article reprinted. Other reprints granted upon approval of request. Send requests to <aeo.mag@genie.com>. No issue of Atari Explorer Online Magazine may be included on any commercial media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without the expressed consent or permission from the Editor or Publisher of Atari Explorer Online Magazine. Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All material herein is believed accurate at the time of publishing. --==--==--==--==-- Atari, ST, Mega ST, STE, Mega STE, TT030, Atari Falcon030, TOS, MultiTOS, NewDesk, BLiTTER, Atari Lynx, ComLynx, Atari Jaguar, Atari Portfolio, and the Atari Fuji Symbol are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. All other trademarks and identifying marks mentioned in this issue belong to their respective owners. --==--==--==--==-- Atari Explorer Online Magazine "Your Source for Atari News" Copyright (c) 1993-1995, Subspace Publishers * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A E O ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Volume 4, Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE September 15, 1995 :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::