Labels:text | screenshot | font OCR: ||Links 386 PRO || by Tony Curro Quality sports games are a rarity in the DOS world. There are several good games for various sports, but quite a few that I have seen were not realistic. You would see stick-type figures or the overall feel was just not right. Access software has changed that. Several years ago they released Links, which is still a hit for those who do not have the hardware to run Links 386 Pro. The courses that you used for Links will work in the Pro version, with a very simply conversion, supplied with Pro. Links 386 Pro is a golf game. It is realistic. There are houses, trees and many other obstacles on the course. It is very graphic intensive. The program requires 2MB RAM, a 386SX-16 or faster, and 5MB of hard disk space. In addition you will need another 8MB of hard space free for the program to create the playing files during the game. Access recommends a 386-33 or faster with at least 8MB RAM. You also do need a video card and monitor that can do 640x400 or 640x480 in 256 colors. A mouse is also required. On my system it took about 15 seconds to redraw each screen. There are over 345 combinations of viewing windows. You can split the screen and have several different screens up at once. For example you can have the main screen where you tee off, a window showing the hole, and a scorecard up. There are also many other options available. You can choose to have no wind, or a mild or heavy wind; choose from three different kinds of green: three different levels of play; three different tee off spots; several different shirt colors and so on. You can also adjust your stance and the angle on the ball. While playing there is an icon of a flag in the bottom portion of the screen. Clicking on the icon will bring the flag to you, so you can see exactly where the hole is. I tried this game in Windows, and it worked fine. The sound from the PC-Speaker is horribly from within Windows, but works very well if you are in DOS. However, it does support all major sound cards, so the above would be irrelevant. For the ladies out there, do not despair. You can select a female golfer. Everyone, whether playing solo or against any player, can have their score kept. There is a very extensive statistics' section. See how many times you putted; average of your longest shots; how many times you hit par, and so on. All can hook up with the ComputerSprts Network On-Line Tournaments . Upon starting the program and selecting GAME fro the menu, you can change many of the defaults. Change your shirt color, or the color of the tee you start from. These will be permanent changes, until you go back in and select RESTORE DEFAULTS. You can also eliminate having clouds drawn, or the amount of scenery you wish. These will speed up the redraws, which might be good for the slower computers. I personally thought that some of the scenery was not as sharp with changes made here, and I opt for the default settings. [am not a golfer, but I got hooked on Links 386 Pro. There is no detail left out. Well, there was one. I deliberately hit the ball into a house. I was waiting for the sounds of breaking glass. Instead the game asked "Was that a tree?" I hit several balls that rolled off the edge of an Incline and ended up in the water, which you do hear splash. I cannot comment enough about the realism of this game. You actually see the curves and dips, and if you hit the ball on the ground you can see it go off one such curve. There is one more step you must follow after you install the program. This requires installing a VESA driver. The manual provides very easy to follow directions to achieve this very quickly and easily. Links 386 Pro is an addictive game for the golfer, and non-golfer alike. If you have a sun lamp turn it on and scorch yourself. The sun beating down on you is the only thing that makes this a game and not a real live golf course. To paraphrase a commercial "It does not get and better or realer than this, unless you are on a course!" You do not even have to purchase clubs? Product Information Links 386 PRO List Price $69.95 Access Software Inc. 4910 Amelia Earhart Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84116 800-800-4880
(.png)
