IMG: Mudgeon’s Distillations
by Mudgeon

Editor’s Warning: The following information contains not only information about Macintosh industry news and information, but also information about MS-DOS, 3D0, Genesis, etc. Readers who get squeamish when reading about other non-Mac platforms should skip this section.

STOCK SUCCESS: Always figuring out new ways to input more needed cash, 3DO has managed a private placement of common stock wherein over 1-1/2 million shares were purchased. The net proceed and commitments totaled just over $16-1/2 million and this funding is going to be used for general working capital purposes.

ADDITIONAL PRICE CUTS: As Sega increases the penetration of their Saturn into more and more distribution channels, and as Sony prepares for the official US launch of the PlayStation, the 3DO consoles from both GoldStar and Panasonic have reduced in price from $399 to $299. The Panasonic player is bundled with GEX from Crystal Dynamics and the GoldStar unit is bundled with FIFA International Soccer from Electronic Arts and Shock Wave from Crystal Dynamics. Some analysts believe that 3DO players could be found for around $225 by the end of the year.

HOPING FOR BEASTLY SUCCESS: 7th Level has now released Battle Beast, a title they proclaim is the ultimate “fighting game.” Not only is the title enroute to retailers, but the company is also hooking the game’s debut with a huge promotional effort. As many as 10,000 free copies of the CD-ROM game will be given away by major retailers such as Babbage’s, CompUSA, Computer City, and Software Etc. Videos and posters will also herald the game’s arrival in these stores. As many as 100,000 interactive demos containing a $5 rebate check will also be given away next month at most retail stores.
   
The game contains more than 100 fight moves, hidden bonus rooms and deadly weapons. More than 8,000 frames of hand-drawn animation are incorporated into this fighter. You can even use keyboard combos to “taunt” your opponents. You can also download Battle Beast fight scenes from CIS (go:seventh). Also watch for a forum on America Online (keyword: seventh) and the company’s home page on the WWW which can be reached by entering http://www.7thlevel.com, which will debut in July. This title is for Windows machines and will be tagged with an SRP of $49.99.
   
Additionally, 7th Level will be working with Disney Interactive in the co-development of a CD-ROM game based on Disney’s Lion King characters Pumbaa and Timon. Look for a Christmas release on this title, which will be Disney’s first game title running under Windows.

SURROUND SENSATIONS: OK, you’ve got boards that’ll do almost anything in your PC, right? How about a little surround sound for that true theater feel? Board manufacturers will now be able to offer such capabilities, thanks to Avance Logic Inc. and their new 16-bit sound-controller chip, the ALS100. This silicon, available this month, offers system control logic, MIDI and game port, CD-ROM controller, systems control logic, D/A for surround sound, support for wavetable chips, plus support for Yamaha OPL3 and OPL4 FM synthesis chips.

CART CAREENING: Atari Corporation has released Super Burnout for their 64-bit Jaguar video console. This is a crash-and-burn motorcyle arcade game where you compete head-to-head against friends, computer-generated opponents, or the clock. The title possess 60 fps graphics as players travel the world to compete on eight international race tracks. You also get to select the motorcycle you wish to ride. Each bike has its own style and powerful driving capabilities. The two player mode offers split-screen details so you can view your racing progress from start to finish. With racing day or night, you can also select the number of laps you wish to race in one of four different racing modes. The SRP is $59.99. Also watch for Ultra Vortek, White Men Can’t Jump, FlipOut!, and Rayman to release from Atari for the Jaguar later this summer.

FLICK FANATICS’ GUIDE: Blockbuster Video and Creative Multimedia have released the Blockbuster Video Guide to Movies & Videos. This title is on CD-ROM and is based on the paperback book of the same name that was written by The Philip Lief Group and edited by Blockbuster. The CD-ROM guide presents the most current movie reviews and lists all of the latest movies that can be rented at Blockbuster outlets. The CD-ROM contains more than 21,000 film and video titles and goes further than the paperback in that video clips and electronic updates are also included. You’ll also find biographies and trivia questions in this offering. July 1st is the availability date and the SRP will be $19.99 for MPC computers.

GOLF’S GREATEST: Golf Digest and Creative Multimedia (503-241-4351) have joined forces to create Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play on MPC CD-ROM. This title provies all of the essential information on over 14,000 courses in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, all from Golf Digest, the largest golf publication in circulation. This interactive product is hosted and narrated by top pro player and personality Fuzzy Zoeller. Also included on this offering are the 1,700 Best Places To Play and Best 18 Holes You Can Play. You can learn about the architects behind the great course designs, find a golf school to improve your game, and obtain info on the PGA, Seniors, LPGA and USGA Amateur Tour tournament schedules. There’s also an interactive Great Golf Trivia Open that presents an interesting test of your trivia golf knowledge.

THIS AIN’T NO BULL ...FROG! Bullfrog Productions Ltd. (distributed by Electronic Arts) has announced the release of Theme Park for both the Sony(R) PlayStation(TM) and Sega(TM) Saturn(TM) systems. Already smash-hits on the PC, Macintosh(R) and 3DO(TM) Interactive Multiplayer(TM), this title has already sold over 2.2 million units to date. You compete against 40 rival parks. Ratings among them are in six different categories including customer satisfaction and richest owner. Difficulty level is chosen by the player: Sandbox allows you to design and lay out rides without conern for business management; Sim introduces management elements such as Research and Development and labor negotiations; Full adds challenges such as managing inventory and playing the stock market. You must select where you wish to build the park from locations around the world and you must take into consideration local economiesoavailable cash flow is kinda important. You determine where the entrances, exits and paths are built to accommodate dozens of rides and attractions. You adjust the height of the roller-coaster and add various loops and twists to the ride. There are 11 shops and concession stand varities and you must hire workers, complete with salaries and benefits. But watch out for too many gangsotime to bring in your own team of security guards. There’s even the possibility of a hostile takeover of a rival’s theme park if you learn your business well.
   
Also coming from Bullfrog is Magic Carpet Plus, which presents the entire Magic Carpet saga in a single package. First, you fly the skies on the world’s fastest, most heavily armed carpet as you rip into the original 50 worlds full of sinister beasts and deadly wizards. Then, travel to the Hidden Worlds and wade through 25 tougher, more menacing worlds. The flight dynamics feature realistic, fractal landscapes with Gouraud shading and texture mapping. You also have 24 spells you can cast, including one for creating volcanos or launching meteors. There’s even network support for 2 to 8 players. This game is for PC CD-ROM machines.
   
A new title enroute from Bullfrog is Hi-Octane, an action arcade title for PC CD-ROM. Your involved in unsanctioned, lawless hovercar racing on the mean streets of a dark future. You’re behind the wheel of heavily armed hovercars capable of speeds of 200 mph or more. You’re going to need overwhelming firepower and nerves of steel to make a name for yourself on the circut. You careen of building walls as you seek to make high risk passes. If somebody custs you off in traffic, cut them in half with a hail of mini-gun fire. You can select from 6 different vehicles and a large range of weapons. There’s 12 player multiplay capabilities, a practice; mode, even a league table to chart your process.

JET JOCKS JAM WITH NEW JOYSTICKS: CH Products (619-598-2518) has released new F-16 sticks, the F-16 Fighterstick(TM), F-16 CombatStick(TM) and the F-16 FlightStick(TM). These sticks will arrive in September. The programmable FighterStick features 4, four-way switches, three push buttons and a trigger. As a stand-alone joystick, it provides 16 programmable functions and four gameport buttons, all conveniently located for your fingertips. The peripheral also features trim controls and a rotary throttle control. Used in conjunction with CH’s upcoming Pro Throttle(TM), gamers will have access to 20 programmable functions on the FighterStick and 20 on the throttle, for a total of 40 programmable functions.
   
The CombatStick offers gamers 2 four-way switches, five push buttons and a trigger, in addition to trim controls and a rotary throttle. This stick provides 14 button functions, all of which became programmable when used with the Pro Throttle. Beginner players will enjoy the F-16 FlightStick which features three fire buttons, a trigger, rotary throttle and trim controls. The FlightStick and CombatStick work with all games that support a joystick. Since the FighterStick utilizes a digital mode, it works with all current and future software that supports a keyboard and joystick without any special game support. It also utilizes both single key and macro programming, giving users the flexibility to set each button to simulate a single character or message. All three of these joysticks come with a seven foot cable, a sturdy base, and a three year warranty.

IPO CLOSED: Coming in at $6.00 per share is Coda Music Technology Inc., who have now closed their initial public offering of one million shares of Common Stock. Coda is most well-known for their Finale music notation software as well as their Vivace Intelligent Accompaniment system. You can find this company on Nasdaq under the COMT symbol.

TRYING TERROR TITLE: The Final Jihad is a new novel whose theme is terrorism in the United States, an all too real possibility these days. The author is Martin Keating, who is the brother of Oklahoma governor Frank Keating. The novel, which was completed two years ago, ironically places Oklahoma at the center of the attacks which are directed by professionals from abroad. Now Corporate Vision, Inc. has purchased the CD-ROM rights and a 6-month option for the motion picture rights to this novel. This is the first such acquisition by the company.

JUNGLE JAMMIN’ Electronic Arts (415-571-7171) has announced the release of Jungle Strike, the sequel to Desert Strike(TM) for SNES. TH*Q is publishing versions for the Sega(TM) hand-held Game Gear system and a version for play on the Nintendo hand-held Game Boy system. The son of the Madman desposed in Desert Strike has emerged with a vengeance, eager to seek revenge for his father’s death. EA Air Force needs an expert pilot once again to save the world from total destruction. The ultimate plot is to build nuclear weapons and to destroy Washington D.C. You command a Super Comanche helicopter which is faster and better armored than the previous Apache. New vehicles include a Stealth Fighter, Attack Hovercraft, and Special Forces Motorcyle. You must obliterate the enemy’s mobile radar tanks, stolen Patriot missile launchers, command centers, and drug smuggling speed boats, in a variety of locatles and conditions including rivers, jungles, cities, desert, and snow. You must take out the son of the madman and complete nine intricate campaigns. You must also rescue hostages, capture commanders and recover stolen nuclear weapons while defeating the drug lord’s army.

ACQUISITION ACUMEN: The company responsible for two best-selling titles, Fred Couples on Golf and Noctropolis, has been acquired by Bethesda. This is none other than Flashpoint Productions. The principals of the company were also the major responsibles for titles like Links, Mean Streets and Martian Memorandum. The company’s new name is Media Technology West.

SPECIES SELECTION: A new pact has been signed by both Cyberdreams and MGM Interactive that’ll see this new consort producing and distributing several new titles. The first such delivery will be based on the just-released science-fiction thriller Species. The title of the game is Dark Seed II and, as in the original Dark Seed, contains the always strange and chilling H.R. Giger illustrations. The second title the two will produce and distribute is based on the Harlan Ellison novel I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream.

NEVER FOREVER: According to Forrester Research of Cambridge, MA, the future looks rather bleak for html (Hypertext Markup Language). Page creation on the WWW will eventually find html replaced by a client/server setup, a global Web that’ll be dynamic and one that will offer live excahnges of animation, sound and interactive graphics between the user and back-end applications. For a copy of this interesting report, contact the company at 617-497-7090. Hmmmm, no home page?

ACTING INTERACTIVELY: For a while there was a brief halt of work on the set of Wing Commander IV. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees staged a walkout on the set for this interactive CD-ROM game. Fortunately for Crocodile Productions (an Electronic Arts subsidiary), an agreement has been signed between the IATSE and the company and work on the game quickly. However, as more and more actors are used in interactive entertainment production, it appears as though other projects will be targeted by labor for such work actions.

ROADWISE SOFTWARE: Most teenagers consider driving to be an entertainment. The feeling of freedom and the raw power of the machine on the road are hits that appeal to the sensibilities of all! But there’s a great deal of risk for younger drivers. Now there’s a new software title that could help your young man or young lady cope more easily with the rigors of driving. License to Drive is a new Macintosh and Windows CD-ROM that has actually compiled all of the information found in the driver’s manuals from 50 states. The software teaches the rules of the road through the use of animation, sound, text and games. Containing 12 sections, each one ends with a road-safety quiz to determine how much the user has learned. The title is from Janus Interactive (800-766-0835).

MOVING MACINTOSH RELEASE: Mac gamers, rejoice, for LucasArts has now released Dark Forces for your platform. Not only will you glom onto 16-bit stereo sound, but also high-resolution rendering. With 14 levels and more weapons than you can shake a lazer at, this Star Wars adventure brings you face-to-face with a variety of Storm Troopers and other critters, all intent on halting your life. With true 3D first-person perspective, this title has sold more than 1/2 million copies in its PC CD-ROM format since its debut in March.

POWER PERK: Don’t expect the 64-bit video game console known as M2  from Matsushita Electric Industrial Company to release this year. Instead, the 32-bit 3DO Real machine will be the target for the accelerator, which gives that unit 64-bit power.  This is an adaptor that features the PowerPC/602 processor plus a graphics engine. No price has yet been set for this 3DO add-on.

BASEBALL BONANZA: Ken Griffey is now the recipient of a multiple year deal with Nintendo. He’ll be a corporate spokesperson as well as a game development advisor, the latter especially pertinent as the company is going to develop baseball games for the SNES and Ultra 64. The SNES version is being developed by Rare Ltd., the company that is responsible for Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct on the SNES console.

EAGERLY ENROUTE: After months of hype from both Sanctuary Woods and the developing company, Presto Studios, their epic science-fiction adventure Buried in Time is now shipping! Formats for both the Macintosh and PC reached retailers the first week of July, with more than 100K units delivered. Although a late delivery, this title drew rave reviews from attendees at E3 earlier this year. Our humble opinion at IGU is that Buried in Time could well become one of the sleeper hits for 1995. This title will certainly assist in easing Sanctuary Woods out of its edutainment-only image.

MOVE OUT! This is now the second phase of Sega’s Saturn rollout. The console and associated software titles went into full distribution mode in the Minneapolis area with full distribution expected to be completed by September 2nd. By the end of last month, Sega had announced they had shipped 100K Saturn consoles within 6 weeks of its official May 12th debut. The company expects to ship 600K by year’s end.

REASONS TO RENT: A new program called Express Games is enroute from Sega Channel. This program will allow subscribers to this service to “rent”  Genesis games, downloaded via modem, at the same time those titles are being released to retail stores. There will be unlimited ability in downloading the full game and as many as four new games will be available simultaneously. Turnover on titles will happen midmonth. The price for this activity will be 2 days of play for $2.95. The first games available under this new program will be Comix Zone and The Adventures of Batman and Robin.

ROGER, ROGER: Sierra On-Line, Inc. has released Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in the Spinal Frontier. This is the latest title in Sierra’s Space Quest adventure series which has sold more than 1 million units since the initial intro in 1986. The sequel starts directly after its predecessor ended, with Roger on  wild adventure through space. Yes, there’s a problem . . .Roger ends up in inner space after being miniaturized and injected into Corpsman Stellar Santiago’s bloodstream. You’ve got to navigate through her stomach and other organs on your way to her brain while evil lurks, evil that’s ready to invade her cerebral cortex and end her life. Gamers will enjoy the numerous hilarious spoofs of famous science-fiction movies, video and computer games. The narrator is none other than Gary Owens, best remembered for his antics in Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In television series. The game is now out for Windows on CD-ROM, with a Macintosh version expected later this summer.

MULTIMEDIA MAKING MONEY: SIMBA Information has published a report entitled The Economics of Multimedia Title Publishing in 1995. Their report indicates that revenues of nearly $1.5 billion are to be expected in 1995, up significantly from the just over $786 million earned in 1994. Nearly 88 percent of this revenue will come from consumer multimedia, with business multimedia expected to double to $40 million and sales to schools and universities to reach around $85 million.

JAGGED ALLIANCE EXPANDED: Sir-Tech Software, Inc. (315-393-6451) has announced Head-To-Head+, an expansion CD-ROM for their hit title, Jagged Alliance. You can now play against a live opponent over network, modem or serial connection. You can hire any of the original Jagged Alliance mercenaries plus choose from new mercenaries created specially for Head-to-Head+. This add-on includes digital speech plus completey new sector maps and additional graphics. The included Scenario Editor lets you create your own terrain. Additional weapons round out the game’s new features. Watch for this add-on CD-ROM to debut this fall.

3DO TANK’ER: One of the most successful milsims to appear on computer platforms has been Strategic Simulation’s Panzer General. Now the company has ported the milsim to the 3DO machine, which finds you as a German general in 1939. The object of the title is to lead your units through Norway, Belgium, France, North Africa and the Eastern Front. Prove adept, and you might even end up on the shores of England by 1940 or even America by 1945. There are over 35 progressive scenarios which could find you buying more than 350 types of units. Authentic WWII footage adds to the realism of the title.

THANK HEAVENS: Whew, about time this occurred, believe me. With much gratitude, all consumers should thank the SPA (Software Publishers Association) for the timely manner in which they have finally ratified a specification that prescribes the minimum configuration for multimedia PCs. Called the MPC-3 spec, a multimedia PC MUST have a 75mhz Pentium processor, a quad speed CD-ROM drive, 16-bit sound card with wavetable audio capabilities, and support for MPEG-1 compression. I know, I know . . .for many of us, we must now confront our Pcs and explain to them why they are no longer multimedia computers and hope the shrink bills for counseling don’t way too heavily upon our personal financial structures.

PUMPING MONEY: Seems as though a new $50 million high technology entertainment center is about to built on the east coast of Singapore. The investors in this enterprise, which is actually called E-Zone, are Sega Enterprise of Japan with a 20 percent stake, Singapore Technologies Industrial Corp. and Grande Holdings of Hong Kong. The result will be a 140,000 square foot theme park that’ll pack VR games and rides all manufactured by Sega. This is the first center of its kind in Southeast Asia with similar centers to be opened in China and British Columbia.

MPEG MINISTRATIONS IN MULTIMEDIA BOARDS: Vendors are constantly searching for ways in which to reduce the number of chip sets found in today’s multimedia PCs to a single board solution. This is far more convenient for consumers and also cuts costs, while increasing sales volumes for those successfully involved in such product creation. Now Number Nine Visual Technology Corporation has debuted their 9FX Media574 all-in-one multimedia board that’s based on Brooktree Corp’s MediaStream chip set. This puppy packs 1MB of VRAM, supports res’s up to 1024x768 with 256-color support. Or, if you want to run 65,000 colors with a res of 1,024x768, or 16.8 million colors at a res of 800x600, all that’s required is an additional 1MB of VRAM to bring the total to 2MB. You can also overlay full-screen video with graphics and MPEG video. As far as audio is concerned, there’s wavetable synthesis that’s software-based and full 16-bit sound. The SRP is going to be less than $300, but you’ll need a PC that’s packed with either VESA or PCI local bus slots.
   
Yet another all-in-one board is the newVicPlayer from Vic Hi-Tech Corporation. This puppy handles MPEG-1 bit stream decompression directly from a hard or CD-ROM drive, plus you get 24-bit motion video playback and 16-bit stereo delivery. The chip set is the 9920 from Windbond Corporation. The SRP is roaming around the $349 level and the board supports VGA cards with 24-bit color up to 1,024x768 pixel resolution.

ROYALTY RECOGNITION: When sound recordings are performed through subscription transmission or in digital interactive titles, there was some concern as to whether or not royalties would be paid to the artists or those responsible for putting these goodies together. Legislation has finally made its way to the Senate floor that will designate how music publishers and record companies will distribute mechanical royalties. The break down is that 50 percent of collected royalties would become property of the recording company, 45 percent to the recording artist, and then remaining 5 percent would be evenly split between the American Federation of Musicians and the American Federation of Radio & Television Artists. Similar legislation is pending in the House.

BETTING ON THE TECHNOLOGY: As you know, 3DOis profits have been, shall we say, less than dramatic of late. There was some initial speculative interest in the companyis M2 acceleration product that was going to make the 3DO Multiplayer a Sony/Sega/Nintendo/Atari killer. Now rumor has it that Trip Hawkins is out and about attempting to license the M2 technology to his competitors. As with Apple’s recent foray into the licensing world for the Macintosh OS, so now is 3DO--and this may be 3DO’s saving grace. Some say interested parties range from IBM to Sega.

BETTIN’ ON BATMAN: Acclaim Entertainment (516-656-5000) will launch their Batman Forever(TM) video game September 7th. Acclaim has also joined with Warner Brothers, DC Comics and America Online with a new, interactive promo that offers gamers a free sneak peek of the making of the video game. A $30 retail value, the free limited-edition CD-ROM  available at retail last week, plus there’s a free AOL startup kit that comes with 10 free hours of access time. The game features digitized Ultimatte graphics that were shot at Acclaim’s blue screen studio. This technology utilizes the actual stunt doubles from the movie plus computer-rendered, interactive backgrounds derived from scenes in the film. For the first time in a Batman video game, you’ll have the option of competing in a two-player cooperative mode which’ll enable you to control both Batman and Robin.

HEALTHY GAMES: Thanks to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there are now two interactive video game that help children learn about and improve their own health care. Through an agreement with Rayna Systems, two titles have debuted that teach children about asthma and diabetes. The former is entitled Bronkie the Bronchiasaurs(R) and the latter is entitled Packy & Marlon. These titles become part of the Health Hero(TM) series which will be reviewed by the AAP for medical accuracy. They will also assist in the distribution of these titles to doctors and parents. Rayna Systems is one of the first video game publishers to create such products designed to promote children’s health.

BLAZING ADVENTURES: American Lazer Games (505-880-1718) is releasing The Last Bounty Hunter(TM), a live-action shooting game that features full-motion live action, fast draw scenarios and software that gauges a player’s skill and instantly adjust difficulty level. This is the first ALG title pre-programmed to work with the company’s PC GAMEGUN, a plastic light-reading pistol which lets gamers take aim and fire at computer-based action. You’re hired by a military governor in the old west to bring in four cunning and deadly outlaws who are wrecking havoc throughout the territory. Pursuit of each bad guy takes you through different settings and shoot-out scenarios. Based on the order of the outlaws you pursue, selected scenes change unpredictably throughout the game. You also get more money or ammo by hitting icons such as lanterns, wagon wheels and cow skulls. Extra points are awarded for bringing the outlaws in alive by shooting the weapons out of their hands instead of shooting them dead.
   
Also coming from American Lazer Games is a title conversion to the 3DO(TM). You’ll blast your way through alien worlds and save hostages with Space Pirates. Planet-hopping pirates, led by the evil Captain Talon, have taken innocent space colonists hostage on a space ship. You are a Star Ranger, charged with saving them from the pirates and going on a quest to collect energy crystals from three different worlds. The crystals power the star-splitter cannon, the only weapon that can destroy the pirate ship Black Dragon. The game is won when the cannon is charged, the pirate ship destroyed and you have your final confrontation with Captain Talon. This game is also compatible with the company’s GAMEGUN.

FRENCH DEVELOPMENT: Canal+ Multimedia has been birthed by Canal+, the mammoth French pay television company, to create, or assist in the creation of, multimedia titles and video games. The new ceo is Eve-Lise Blanc-Deleuze and we wish her well with this new venture.

REFRESHING LEADERSHIP: Capcom USA, Inc. Has named L. Gregory Ballard as the president of the company’s new, U.S.-based consumer products arm, known at Capcom Entertainment, Inc. Most recently, Ballard served as the coo and cfo of Digital Pictures and before that as the president and ceo of Warner Custom Music. We believe you can expect some big titles from Capcom over the next year or so. Stay tuned . . .

NAME CHANGE: Who says thereis nothing in a name . . .if that were the case, the recently announced ABC/EA Home Software company wouldnit have decided that Creative Wonders was a better moniker for their new company. And, as luck would have it, the company has released a new title . . .

AWARD-WINNING ATLAS: Creative Wonders (http://www.ea.com/crwonders.html) has now made 3D Atlas available for MS Windows platforms. Originally released for the Macintosh in November of 1994, 3D Atlas has already garnered several awards, including two International EMMA awards for Best International and Best Information and Reference CD-ROM. Brought to life with the use of real satellite images, first person point-of-view video flights, and 3D spinning globes, this title provides users with an experience similar to that of a bird in flight. As the globe rotates, you can clearly see the vast and varied contours of the earth and view breathtaking graphics, including simulated flights over the Himalayas, Australian deserts, Arctic tundra and South American rainforests. Upon traveling to each preferred destination, you can then research the area and learn about each location’s details. There are both daytime and nighttime views of the planet. Rendered from over 20,000 images, this comprehensive and multidimensional atlas is based on real satellite data. This is the first title to be released under Creative Wonders’ ABC World Reference product line, to be followed by ABC’s Wide World of Animals for the upcoming 1995 holiday season.

AWARD WINNER: There’s a new winner of the title Multimedia Game of the Year, awarded by the British Interactive Multimedia Association. The game is Supreme Warrior, published by Digital Pictures. The silver award went to Bullfrog’s Magic Carpet. Supreme Warrior is a martial arts title where you must test your skills against evil warlords-four of them, to be exact. These warlords are “played” by world class martial arts champions. Plus, you can experience the game using either the English or Cantonese sound track. The title was “shot” in Honk Kong on location and at the Shaw Brothers studio. The director was Guy Norris. Macintosh and PC versions of this title will be available in November of this year. The title has already released for 3DO, Sega 32X and Sega CD.

HISTORICAL EMNITY: Empire Interactive (301-916-9302) has released The Civil War: 1861 - 1864, a game of strategy, leadership and territorial advantage. This title is releasing on CD-ROM for PCs. From the first shots fired at Fort Sumter to the elections of 1864, this title is the first full scale depiction for the PC of the conflict that tore apart the country and defined the United States as a nation. The game provides a 3D texture-mapped battlefield with Gouraud shaded terrain so you can control your forces more realistically in combat sequences. Included are modem capabilities plus a massive, online historical database.

FOX-Y DUDE: There’s a new president at Fox Interactive-he comes from Walt Disney Company where he was the senior veep of Walt Disney Attractions. He’s Jon Richmond and he’ll replace Tedd Hoff who has left to pursue other opportunities.

CD-ROM DRIVES SALES WAAAAAAY UP: According to Freeman Associates, around 22.6 million CD-ROM disc drives were shipped in 1994. By the year 2000, this company projects demand at around 61 million units, raising the revenues from $2.6 billion in 1994 to over $4.8 billion in the year 2000. Last year, revenue grew 113 percent, while shipment jumped 172 percent.

BRIT GAME DISTRIBUTION: Three new titles from NMS Software Ltd. will now be marketed and distributed by BMG Interactive Entertainment, thanks to a new agreement between these two English companies. NMS most recently completed Tilt for Virgin Interactive.  BMG also just recently signed partnerships with Boss Game Studios, Morgan Interactive, and Music Pen Inc. Companies such as Crystal Dynamics, DMA Design, Lobotomy and Montparnasse Multi-Media are already firmly entrenched with BMG for their marketing and distribution.