More and more computer games are making the transition from CDs to cyberspace. One of the first games of this ilk, Spycraft: The Great Game, lets players link
directly to a special World Wide Web site at http://spycraft.activision.com from the game’s CD-ROM. Spycraft: The Great Game which is set in the post-Cold War era and involves an assassination, blends fact with fiction. The expertise of former CIA Director, William Colby, and former KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin was used to develop this game. The site will offer new material two or three times a week that includes topical news headlines of “real” events from the site. Activision will assist its players who don’t have an Internet connection by including Internet software from Earthlink Network Inc., a Los
Angeles-based Internet service provider.
GIVING UP THE GAME
Under the certainly expected category comes word that Atari Games Corporation has been acquired by WMS Industries, Inc. Formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., this transaction's purchase price was in the $2 million in cash ball park with the remaining amount in non-recourse notes. This acquisition is definitely expected to boost WMS' coin-op and video game product line and momentum.
FEAR FUELS FUN
Ever since the Sony(R) PlayStation(TM) debuted, one of the most hotly-discussed titles expected was Resident Evil(TM) from Capcom. Guess what--the wait is now over, as this new horror, action, role-playing and strat has been released. You control either Chris Reddfield or Jill Vallentine, members of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Squad) in this game. You are investigating a helicopter crash when you are suddenly chased into a nearby and highly foreboding mansion by a pack of monstrous monsters. You are separated from your squad once you're inside this creepy place and you must unravel the puzzles and other mysteries as you start the search for your compatriots. There are some nasty folk here that shall do all to stop you--ranging from zombies that spit acid, mutant dogs, giant spiders and frog-like critters that'll have you cringing with fear. This is good gothic horror with 3D rendered characters and a sense of true depth that other games have yet to achieve. The game is shipping now.
TEMPTING TITLES
FormGen has informed us as to several new offerings that will be heading your way in the next few months. Just released is the new Upgraded Head-2-Head which brings together the joy of connecting two PCs together for all manner of gaming (and business)! The kit includes a 30-foot cable plus LapLink software for file transfers 'tween the two computers. You'll also receive the Shareware versions of Duke Nukem 3D, Terminal Velocity, Rise of the Triad, WarCraft and Doom. Cannot beat that combo!
With the shareware conference coming up (please see our Developer Dumps section for more info), it seems only appropriate that the best of the shareware offerings are going to be released on a single CD-ROM. From the Association of Shareware Professionals, samples of this CD will be released soon.
As far as new games are concerned, there will be Space Dude released in mid-April. Combining the thrills of popular shooters and an interactive comedy, this title could well keep you in stitches for hours. For Duke Nukem fans, the Duke Nukem Screen Saver will release toward the end of April. Duke will be there, on your screen, making all sorts of comments and there will be sound effects and speech from the game as well. In early May the Speed/Haste Shareware Version will debut. This driving game is really great when played versus a friend using the Head-2-Head kit! Scary aliens and cool sound effects and intense fighting action--that's heading your way in early May with the debut of the Xenophage shareware version. The full retail software will be available in mid-June. Late in August you'll have the opportunity to glom onto Stargunner, a side-scrolling shooter that allows you customize your flying death machine with some truly awesome weapons. For those attending the upcoming E3 trade show, FormGen will be there.
MULTIPLE ENVIRONS FOR RACING SIM
Featuring a two-player split screen, six player support via an IPX network link, or head-to-head modem play, Big Red Racing has been released by Domark Software. Native to DOS and Windows 95 machines, this racing game features 16 different vehicles and more than 24 international racing tracks. There are all sorts of vehicles, including helicopters, hovercraft, jeeps and lunar buggies, all racing on a variety of terrains like city streets, outer space and rushing rivers. You can view the action from any angle, even from the front seat of your opponent's car. Plus there are numerous trackside cameras as well.
SLAMMIN' FOR PSX
With support by companies of Electronic Arts' calibre, there can be no wonder as to why the Sony PlayStation continues its reign as the king of 32-bit game systems. Now Electronic Arts has released, from their EA Sports Division, NBA(R) LIVE 96 for the PSX, the thirteenth such platform release by the company this fiscal year. This title will feature more than 300 real NBA players and 29 NBA teams. Each player is accurately rated and performs according to his actual NBA stats. There's a complete stat tracking system that keeps individual game and season stats for every team and player. There are player photos and actual court logos for every team. Even Dennis Rodman's hair color changes throughout the season. Included is a new, on-the-fly play calling feature that includes authentic NBA plays. Different modes let you choose exhibition, regular season or playoffs.
Using Electronic Arts' Virtual Stadium(TM) technology, a 3D rendered, 360 degree opening sequence starts the game. You're taken from the top of the stadium with an aerial view of the court to a sweep through the chanting crowd and then to center court for the tip-off. There are 15 camera angles, a CD-quality soundtrack, and video footage of the NBA stars in action. The title's WWW site at http://www.ea.com/easports/html and you can find screen shots and a great strat guide to gameplay.
WHEN CHAOS REIGNS
A new interactive multimedia fantasy adventure game, Chaos, from HarperCollins Interactive, takes you on quite a journey. Using the marvels of chaos theory folks encounter lightening, thunder, earthquakes and blizzards.
Chaos is a cyber exploration CD-ROM game for the Macintosh and PC platforms with a SRP of $49.95. Internet users can connect to, and get a taste of, the strange and disorderly world of Chaos located at http://www.chaoscdrom.com. The story-line goes as follows: the player is the main character, up to his ears in debt until he learns that his rich Uncle Prospero is very ill and in the hospital. As the player rushes to the uncle’s bedside he must then leave and travel through eight environments: a weather station, a radio station (where the character finds musical instruments that really play), a "fractal forest" then on to the infinite coastline to reach Uncle Prospero. The 3-D environments are dreamlike, with strange rooms and objects. In each scene, the character manipulates the environment to solve increasingly challenging and inventive puzzles. The puzzles all relate to chaos theory and by solving them the player gains further insight into the forces that will help them win the game.
SPOOKY STORIES
There's a new 3D graphic adventure coming from Her Interactive, based upon The Vampire Diaries, a best-selling series of romantic thrillers authored by L.J. Smith from HarperPaperbacks. You'll become Elena, a teenage girl who is attempting to defeat the evil forces that are assaulting her home town of Fells Church, Virginia--only to fall in love with a vampire. As you navigate through the town, you'll interact with characters, collect clues, solve puzzles and obtain the information necessary to defeat an evil vampire. You'll have 360 degrees of movement and be able to look up and down within scenes. An internal game clock will track "day" and "night." This is important, as many of your actions can only be completed during a specific period of time. There's also a Her Interactive WWW site located at http://www.her-online.com, geared toward pre-teen and teenage girls. A portion of all proceeds from Her Interactive titles are donated to support breast cancer awareness.
SUCCESS TO COME TO THE SCREEN
Many digital entertainment companies are looking for ways in which they can leverage their intellectual properties and expand their market base. After all, only this shall ensure their long-term success. Many accomplish this task through acquisition of other fish in the sea. Others decide to develop lungs and go ashore. Such is the case with Interplay who has now created a partnership with mediaFour and actor/producer Jason Hervy to form Interplay Pictures. This will be a new production division of Interplay and feature films and TV programs will be developed from the more than 250 Interplay titles, as well as from original material. MediaFour was formed in September of last year by Scott Sielger (former president of Columbia Pictures Television), Steve Sauer, Pam Prince (former CAA agent) and Don DeMesquita (former executive veep of CorpComm for Sony Pictures Entertainment). Let us hope Interplay's success translates well to the screen (theater and TV) through entertaining and well-crafted film.
MULTIPLAYER GAMES COME TO CIS
Thanks to a new agreement with Kesmai Corporation, CompuServe subscribers will soon be able to link directly through their CIS account to the former company's ARIES(R) network and engage in multiplayer game play. The first game to become available will be Air Warrior(R). This is a realistic air combat sim based on aircraft from World War II as well as planes from World War I and the Korean War. This game will join two other Kesmai smash-hits: The Island of Kesmai(TM) and MegaWars III(TM). Kesmai is well-known for other popular titles such as: MultiPlayer BattleTech(R), Harpoon Online(TM) and Stellar Emperor(TM). Kesmai is a wholly owned sub of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
GREGARIOUS EMPIRE BUILDING
A few months ago, Sierra purchased Impressions Software due to their creativity in developing new digital entertainments. Now that CUC owns Sierra, that certainly hasn't halted the Impressions team from producing new goodies. The latest issue from Sierra On-Line is entitled The Rise and Rule of Ancient Empires. This is an empire building strat where you initiate your game play in 5000 B.C. Six distinct cultures, each with their own unique characteristics, begin their lives and either rise to glory or fall flat on their populations. You'll find yourself involved in geographic exploration, city building, military endeavors and diplomatic discussions. However, only one civilization will win all. As you can probably tell, conquest is the name of the game. Historically factual maps are offered and there's also modem and head-to-head play. This offering is for Windows CD-ROM-based machines.
SEASON OPENS WITH SIM
For those who truly enjoy the sport of baseball, now that the season has opened, there's also the opportunity to upgrade one of the most popular baseball sims to the title's latest iteration! Stormfront Studios has announced Tony La Russa Baseball 3: 1996 Edition. And just because Tony is no longer with the Oakland A's is no reason not to get back into the swing of things with this latest version. The title, for PC CD-ROM, now offers a faster and much more responsive game interface. And there are more stat categories as well as game enhancements for those who prefer playing the arcade-side of the game, or the strategy-side of the game. This is also the first baseball sim that will reflect all of the significant roster moves that occurred through March 1, 1996 of spring training.
All of the I/O devices have been optimized for improved reactions by the on-screen players. Plus, confrontations between the best in baseball can now be simulated even more accurately. An expanded database reflects the stats of each pitcher's and batter's tendencies versus any opponent whom they may have faced over the years. Mel Allen, Lon Simmons and Hank Greenwald provide detailed play-by-play and color commentary for each game in the arcade mode. New stats that have been added include runners in scoring position, pinch-hitting appearances, and close games in late innings. This title will be distributed through Electronic Arts.
JOYSTICKS FOR NASA
A new contract has been signed by ThrustMaster Inc. with NASA that will result in ten space shuttle control sticks and 20 electrical interface circuit boards. The company was asked to develop an authentic and operational reproduction of the Rotational Hand Controller (RHC) used to the control the space shuttle. The RHC will be used by shuttle astronauts for ground training as well as onboard shuttle training sims. This will allow them to practice shuttle landings while still in orbit.
The RHC controller is a three-axes, rotational grip that provides input for Yaw, Pitch and Roll control. There are three switch inputs that include a trigger switch, one push-button and one 4-way "hat" switch. The 20 electrical interface circuit boards provide compatibility for the RHC on NASA's Unix and PC computer systems. Who says there's no reality to gaming! Once again, yet another company involved in making gaming a safer and more exciting place to play is proving such technologies have far broader use in the "real" world as well.
SUPER ACTION TITLE IN DEVELOPMENT
Cyber-author Neal Stephenson's best-selling novel, Snow Crash, is now being developed into an action game by Viacom New Media. This game is set in the future in an on-line world known as the Metaverse, and this society's fate is in your hands. You must solve the mystery of Snow Crash, which is the ultimate computer virus. This virus can destroy the entire Metaverse and erase all of the avatars and daemons. With high-resolution 3D graphics, there are multiple levels that range from hyper-realistic 3D to fantasy environments. You'll use all kinds of weapons against your binary opponents--plus you must use unique programming tools to create your own tools and daemons. There are more than 30 missions and 10 hidden missions that will bring you to one of four game endings. This title is going to be released for PC CD-ROM machines.
ZIPPING IT UP
Viacom New Media also has a new relationship to brag about. The company has announced a strategic alliance with Zipper Interactive, Inc. Zipper will now develop four original titles for Viacom, the first being Death Drome. This is an arcade game for Windows 95 and Sony Playstation machines that'll release during Q4 of this year. With criminals under control of The Committee for Recreational Termination, they have a choice: life in prison or a go-for-it-all lethal contest. If the latter is selected, the combatants go to the Death Drome where quick reflexes, quick-reflex strategy and weapons are the only resources for survival. The game will offer realistic driving and combat physics, 3D graphics and a driving music score and sound effects.
WARP SAYS NO TO SONY PLAYSTATION
Due to a distribution policy that doesn’t sit well with Warp Inc., a Tokyo game software maker, the company will not be developing software for the PlayStation, the 32-bit home video-game machine by Sony. Warp plans to develop software for Sega’s Saturn and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.'s 64-bit machine, M2 System.
DEVELOPER DUMPS
GAME SPROCKETS GEAR UP
A new software development kit (SDK) has been released by Apple Computer(R). Called the Apple Game Sprockets, all Macintosh operating system-compatible games can now offer 3D graphics in real-time, 3D sound, full Internet support, speech recognition and input device and monitor control. Best of all, Game Sprockets are available, royalty-free, to all developers. Included with this SDK is the final release of QuickDraw(TM) 3D RAVE (Rendering Acceleration Virtual Engine). This is a multiplatform technology that lets game developers incorporate support for 3D acceleration through hardware. There's a WWW site that provides developers with quick release and updates of these technologies--just logon to http://www.dev.apple.com/games.
The SDK includes InputSprocket for digital joystick control plus I/O APIs, DrawSprocket with a multiple buffering and display control API, NetSprocket's API for multiplayer gaming and Internet connectivity, plus the QuickDraw3D RAVE 3D graphics API. Many leading game companies are already evaluating the Game Sprockets SDK, including Bungie Software, Interplay Productions, LucasArts Entertainment, PF.Magic and Reality Bytes. (For a personal analysis of this announcement, check out Mudgeon's CyberChat in the last issue of Inside Games & Entertainment Update!)
XPLATFORM 3D SOFTWARE
BRender 1.2 is now available from U.K.-based Argonaut Software. What is so unique about this small footprint 3D software is it's full device independence and new performance enhancements. The offering already boasts one of the most popular 3D real-time libraries for game developers due to its platform availability. BRender is compatible with DOS, Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Windows NT, OS/2, Macintosh, PowerMacintosh, Sony Playstation, Sega Saturn, and SGI. Every app using this puppy can now run with any of the new 3D hardware products that are arriving in the marketplace in a seemingly incessant stream. Some leading creative publishers have already licensed BRender, including Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, GTE Interactive, IBM, ImagiNation Network, Interplay, LSI Logic, Microsoft, Philips Media, Sega Europe, Silicon Studio, Time Warner Interactive, and Yamaha Electronics. Quite an impressive cast! The product offers dithered textures, translucency, vertex morphing, Z-sort rendering, low-level access to Z-buffer data, and much more. If you're a developer, you can contact Argonaut and receive an unlimited (and, most importantly, free) eval copy of BRender. Call 415-851-7565 for more info.
THE RACE CONTINUES
New Internet tools strategies, a new Internet server, and a new Java development environment, have been unveiled by Borland International. First is the Nexus Internet server which will enter beta testing later this year. This server supports Java database access and Internet connectivity and will also offer application partitioning, life-cycle code management and validation. Borland's rapid application development package for Java, called Latte and written in Delphi, will enable developers to create components for icon assignment for addition to an apps tool palette and will produce Java code. As part of the Borland C++ kit, AppAccelerator was also demo'd, a "just-in-time" compiler for Java.
THE VISION THING
Clear the fog away--move those clouds--the Microsoft vision for Simply Interactive PC continues to make headway as the company forges ahead by imbibing all with the sense that the PC is going to be the center for all entertainment in the not-too-distant future. To assist in such a cause, Microsoft has signed a letter of intent with Dolby Labs to bring Dolby(R) Surround Sound audio to PCs. The Dolby digital AC-3(R) technology will decode multichannel audio for distribution to the six-speaker Surround Sound stereo system. The technology was demo'd at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference.
Other technologies key to Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC drive was also shown. Such included the OnNow design initiative for power management on a system-wide basis and, to assist with the integration of peripherals with PCs, the Win32(R) Driver Model. Additionally, new ways to connect IEEE 1394 bus and Universal Serial Bus devices, audio and video, ActiveX(TM) and DirectX(TM) technologies, and Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser enhancements were also revealed. More info may be obtained at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hardware/.
SHARING SHAREWARE SENTIMENTS
We all enjoy Shareware. Unfortunately, not everyone does the honorable thing and PAYS for his or her shareware acquisitions! However, shareware remains an enormously viable method of marketing new apps, utilities, games, whatever. And to that end, the Sixth Annual Shareware Industry Conference (SIC) will take place from June 27th through June 30th in Scottsdale, Arizona. Those responsible for the "try before you buy" method of software sales will be there in force. There will be three tracks at the conference: for those entering the shareware industry, there will be a newcomer track. For those who are already marketing shareware products, a business and promotion track will be offered. For those who are involved in the technical side of the biz, a technical track will be presented. More information is available from the Shareware Industry Awards Foundation, c/o FormGen, at 15649 North Greenway-Hayden Loop, Scottsdale, AZ, 85260. Or call 602-443-4109.
JAVA REASON FOR REWRITE
To ensure portability to a number of platforms, Novell Inc. is going to rewrite their major NetWare utilities using the Java programming language. This port will enable NetWare to move onto NT and Unix systems as well as continue the company's port to Windows NT. These Java-based utilities will arrive later in 1996.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT, OLYMPUS BREAKS DRIVE RECORD
Olympus Image Systems has broken the price barrier with the Olympus CD–R2 recordable drive, by offering their drive for $899. The CD–R2 is a highly–reliable double speed multi–session CD–recordable drive that supports Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT. The Olympus CD–R2 is the preferred choice for audio recording, archiving, and multimedia development. Reading and writing CDs at twice the normal speed, the CD–R2 has been developed to match the needs and computer equipment of the CD–ROM developer by including a 1 MB cache that enables folks from the average computer user to the more sophisticated user to create powerful CD–ROMs.
10X TOPS OTHERS
Using something called Constant Angular Velocity (CAV), Pioneer New Media Technologies Inc. has announced they have produced the industry's first 10X CD-ROM drive. Called, appropriate enough, the Pioneer Super 10X drive, the unit is alleged to perform at 10 times the standard rate. The unit is offered in both SCS-2 (SCAM) and ATAPI interfaces and will be available for OEMs during Q3 of this year. What makes this drive faster is that current CD-ROM technology finds the disc rotating at a faster rate to read the inner tracks of the media, then slowing when the outer tracks need to be read. With CAV, the disc is spinning at a fixed rate which means the data transfer rate is increased toward the outside of the disc, enabling faster access times. Pioneer redesigned the chipset using VLSI technology to get this 10X speed throughput. The unit offers a 128KB internal data buffer plus it conforms to MPC-3 specs. Plug-and-Play for Windows 95 and all major CD formats are fully supported.
AUDIO TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRES NEW FANS
Next-generation audio technologies are much in demand these days by developers of interactive entertainments. From Spatializer Audio Laboratories we hear that Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett-Packard and CrystaLake Multimedia have all decided to license Spatializer(R) 3-D Stereo technology. The CrystaLake agreement will find the technology being incorporated into the custom audio boards the company is supplying to Hewlett-Packard for that company's Pavilion multimedia PCs. Hewlett-Packard's new computer family will offer Pentium(R) CPUs with 166MHz, 6x CD-ROM, up to 6GB hard drives, and a new 17-inch multimedia display and Spatializer 3D stereo. Unfortunately, these new PCs are scheduled for sales in Canada, Europe and Asia/Pacific later this spring but not in the good ol' USA. Digital Equipment Corporation will be using the technology in their open client/server solutions. Spatializer 3D stereo gives you the perception that sound is coming from all around you, even though only two speakers are being utilized.
VIEWERS DON’T NEED 3-D GLASSES
Every day there are amazing announcements about releases of products from the folks that develop all manner of neat things to use on the Web. Take Virtus Corporation, the developer of the best-selling desktop 3-D virtual reality tools for the Internet, who has just released Virtus 3-D Website Builder(TM), the first cross-platform product for creating drag-and-drop 3-D VRML (virtual reality modeling language) worlds on the Internet with a SRP of $99.
Virtus 3-D Website Builder is the easiest way to create virtual worlds on the Web without programming. Produced for users that range from novice to the professional capabilities, 3-D Website Builder helps to overcome the limitations of 2-D, text-based Web publishing. This is accomplished by building 3-D environments for the Web that can be navigated in real time, where Web publishers can create a graphically-rich approach to organizing HTML documents resulting in easier usage for folks accessing the sites.
ON-LINE STUFF
WIN $50K IN PRIZES
There's a great World Wide Web design contents going on and this puppy is open to WWW designers across the United States. There are three entry categories. The Individual/Home User who has created a page just for the fun of doing so could win the Grand Prize of a Digital Celebris XL 5100 desktop PC with 16MB RAM, 1GB drive, 4X CD-ROM, plus all of the peripherals necessary for full operation. Then there's the K-12 Educational category where a Digital Prioris LX 5120 with a 120MHz CPU is offered. For professional home pages, the Digital AlphaServer 400 4/233 with the 64-bit Alpha Chip running at 233MHz is up for grabs as the Grand Prize. There are a number of first, second and third place prizes in each category as well. The contest is being held by Arizona Central and the entries must be submitted on-line by April 7th at http://www.azcentral.com. Good luck to everyone! These are cool prizes!
SUITS IN SPACE
The Brits have proposed a first in terms of legal precedent and began a draft bill for an Internet defamation law--dealing with libel in cyberspace.
SERVICES FOR CANADIAN STUDENTS
Campus Cafe, an interactive meeting place for university and college students across Canada that provides significant services and valuable information year-round, is available on the World Wide Web. The service will assist students with school and career-related decision-making and will feature valuable information, helpful services, premiere entertainment, fun contests and dollar-saving promotions. These services are all made possible with sponsorships from corporations and other commercial sources. Ten percent of sponsorship fees paid to Campus Cafe will be redistributed to students through the auspice of the Campus Cafe Umbrella Sponsorship Program, which will be created in consultation with the Campus Cafe sponsors. Campus Cafe can be found on the World Wide Web at campuscafe.com.
DON’T GO ON THE NET WITHOUT IT...
For those folks that travel and need every imaginable convenience, American Express is ready to oblige with Cheques Online. Cheques Online allows Cardmembers to purchase its Travelers Cheques, Gift Cheques and Cheques for Two(R) via ExpressNet, the Company's online information and travel service available through America Online.
ExpressNet users have access to the American Express Cheque products by selecting Cheques Online from the Travel Information and Reservation section of ExpressNet (AOL keyword: EXPRESSNET). The cost of the Cheques can be charged to the Cardmember's Optima(R) Card or directly debited from the Cardmember's bank account through the Company's Express Cash program. Cardmembers can enroll in Express Cash directly online. ExpressNet from American Express offers a variety of Cardmember and travel services such as: Cardmembers can check the status of
their Card accounts, pay their American Express bills, apply for American
Express and Optima Cards and enroll in beneficial programs such as Membership Rewards. In addition, Cardmembers may take advantage of special travel, retail, restaurant and entertainment offers and shop for a variety of merchandise on ExpressNet Shopping. Airline flights can be booked through Express Reservations, an easy-to-use service that accommodates personal and business travel profiles.
90's CULTURE NOW ON WEB
Based on the best-selling book alt.culture published by HarperCollins, there's now a pop culture site on the WWW. Head for http://www.altculture.com and find clickable hypertext links to, literally, thousands of cross-references and on-line addresses dealing with today's pop culture, more commonly called altculture. There are also color pics and many multimedia enhancements. You can grab sounds or watch a video plus there's a public discussion forum. The site is hosted by Digital Telemedia Inc., which, by the way, is also the home for the world's largest fashion database. The latter may be reached at http://www.firstview.com/.
HEY, BATTER, BATTER-SON
An experimental program that will enable folks to hear the Hiroshima Toyo Carp professional baseball team will be made possible through the Internet computer link. This is all part of an experiment of RCC and the NEC Corporation in which 38 of Hirishima’s home games will be broadcast only to the first 500 subscribers in April. This will be the first time that professional baseball broadcasts will be carried live without interruption on Internet. With the exception of nationally broadcast games against the Yomiuri Giants, RCC broadcasts of Carp games do not extend beyond the Hiroshima area. The RCC home page can be reached at http:/www.rcc-hiroshima.co.jp/.
