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PsL Monthly 1993 December
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PSL Monthly Shareware CD-ROM (December 1993).iso
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1993-10-01
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GA-3a: Large Arcade Games
Air Traffic Control Simulation
Leung, Francis Yan Keung
$20
#20030/2480
gives you the job of air traffic controller. Features include support for CGA
320 x 200 x 4 colors mode, 6 levels, command to take up heading, command line
parameter to specify graphics mode and card, variable wind effects, a "Hall of
Fame" with the top 10 scores, and 4 types of emergency situations. It allows
you to change speed in demo state, and break out of (to abort) an approach.
Corncob 3-D 3.42
Stokes, Kevin ASP
$18
#20030/4324
is an air combat game that puts you in the cockpit of a piston engined aircraft.
It features scrolling 3-D graphics similar to Flight Simulator. In addition to
the normal flying and shooting scenarios, you may have to land the plane to
plant bombs in enemy territory; land on an airstrip suspended at 20,000 feet, or
fly through a narrow corridor to shoot at a generator orb.
If you fly past the mission you did yesterday, you will see the burning
wreckage. It has realistic flight model based on physics of aerodynamic flight.
The plane can sideslip, high speed stall, or fall backwards. Due to the
realistic landing model, landing a heavily damaged plane can be exciting.
Mastering the flight controls may take a little time. Requires 12Mhz or faster,
VGA color monitor, and 520K memory. A hard disk and joystick are recommended.
Miramar
Cochran, Marc
$10
#20030/1936
is a fully operational Jet Combat Simulator. It does not have scenery (unless
you end up at the bottom of the ocean). Instead, it is oriented towards
instrument flying and dogfighting. There is no doc file. Be sure to have
NumLock and CapsLock on before you start. Don't touch the keyboard until the
first screen full of text comes up, then enter I for Instructions. Even then,
all it tells you is what keys to use. The farthest we were able to get the
plane off the aircraft carrier was the bottom of the ocean. So we put in a
call to one of CompuServe's IBMNET Sysops, Connie Kageyama, who also tests a
lot of shareware. His reply:
"The simulator has very sensitive controls. If you're giving it too much climb
at take-off, you are probably either stalling into the ocean or doing a complete
loop into the ocean. It took me a while to figure out, but here's how to take
off. 1) Crank up the power almost to the redline. 2) Hit L. 3) As you reach the
end of the carrier, hit the climb button ONCE and watch your climb indicator.
Bring up your landing gear. As soon as the horizon tilts a bit, hit the dive
button ONCE. Once you've gotten some airspeed, you can climb at a higher rate."
"Very sensitive controls" is right. Once we got airborne, we quickly discovered
that when turning, you can only TAP the keyboard. Pressing the cursor keys
stores up keystrokes, putting you into a spin that is difficult to get out of.
You tend to hold down the key the other way, causing you to "overcorrect" into a
spin the opposite direction. This program is not going to put Falcon-AT out of
business, but for the price, it is a good piece of work.
Ark
DeMers, Scott
$0
#4661
is a version of Arkanoid with an interesting twist - the files that define
the different playing screens can be edited with a text editor, allowing
you to easily create customized playing fields. You could make a whole set
of screens for special promotions or events, for example, limited only by
your imagination.
Armada
Hyperware
$10
#27606/3919 [2 disks]
is an animated game fashioned after Battle Ship. You are provided with five
assorted ships, plus an additional Cruiser/Command ship. Electronic counter-
measure jamming is available to spoil the enemy's air attacks, as well as to
jam his detection equipment.
Lots of options keep things interesting: mines, day/night battles, IR scopes,
fighter support, sound effects, and much more. If you have a SoundBlaster or
compatible card, you will hear fantastic digitized voices and battle sounds.
Requires EGA/VGA, hard disk, mouse, and 512K.
CD-Man
Creative Dimensions
$15
#12115
is a 3D animated PacMan-style game with beautifully detailed screens.
Features include 1-2 player support, adjustable game speed, sound
effects, and excellent graphics. Requires 512K and VGA.
Cubics' Maze & Cosmic Mines
Dunavant, James C.
$0
#12232
contains two exciting games. In Cubics' Maze, hostile aliens have placed
you in a vast 3-D maze. If you can find your way out and defeat the
creatures within, you will be allowed to live. This game requires VGA,
and a 286+. A mouse is recommended but not required.
Cosmic Mines is a space shoot-em-up that requires you to destroy an
unending barrage of alien mines. Requires EGA or better, and a 286+.
Captain Comic 3
Denio, Michael
$10-$20
#27448/1710
is a terrific EGA game with great graphics -- true arcade quality. We were so
impressed with an earlier version, which could be given away but not distributed
for a disk fee, that we gave it away for free just so people could see it. The
author has given us special permission to distribute the disk for our normal
fees. EGA compatible video required.
Commander Keen Volume 1
Apogee Software
$15
#27448/2957
is a richly complex run-jump-explore type game with high quality EGA/VGA
smooth scrolling graphics. Animation is done at 60 frames per second (motion
picture cartoons are filmed at only 24 frames per second). The story behind
Commander Keen is amusing and entertaining. This is definitely one of the top
quality games in shareware. Requires EGA/VGA, 520k RAM. A joystick is
optional.
Shooting Gallery
Anderson, Nels ASP
$10
#27448/2527
is a terrific arcade shooting game with several different challenges. The
shooting gallery would be good enough by itself, with its many different targets
whizzing by, but there is also a skeet shoot and a quick-draw contest that
should you turn you into the Fastest Mouse in the West. Get past those, and
you face a shoot-out with the bad guys, but don't shoot any innocent
bystanders! VGA and a mouse are required. If you don't have VGA, it's games
like this that will make you wish you did!
Brix I
Epic MegaGames ASP
$34
#4963
is a Tetris-type arcade game with a lot of features: lasers, elevators, lava,
anti-gravity, and more. There are 112 levels to challenge you. The game
features superb VGA graphics and animation, Sound Blaster music and digital
sound. Requires VGA, 286 or better, 512K RAM, and a hard disk.
The Catacomb Abyss
Gamer's Edge
$15-$30
#20136 [3 disks]
is an incredible three-dimensional arcade/adventure game from the makers of
Wolfenstein 3D. As the town Wizard you are called upon to use your courage and
magical abilities to defeat the diabolical plans of the evil Nemesis. In your
quest you will explore the maze-like Towne Cemetery, gathering healing
potions, collecting gems and weapons, and blasting Magic Missiles and
Zappers at an amazing variety of bizarre monsters.
Games can be saved at any point during play, and if you're lucky enough to
find the Hourglass you can even stop the flow of time. This game is filled
with secret passages, puzzles, treasures, and playfully gruesome levels. The
beautiful scrolling EGA/VGA graphics and AdLib compatible sound effects easily
rival similar commercial games on the market. Requires 590K free RAM and 900K+
of disk space.
Clyde's Adventure 2.0
Moonlite Software
$26
#4483
In this edition, Treasure of Tahookaboo, you must search the eight deadly
castles of Tahookaboo for hidden treasure. As you search the seemingly endless
rooms you'll have to deal with force fields, dead ends, killer stalagmites, and
much more without running out of energy.
Your only weapon is a magic wand which can blast through bricks and light bombs
to blow out walls. Other features include a four-way scrolling playfield, music
and sound effects, adjustable playing speed, save/restore game options, and
joystick support. Requires 512K free RAM