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Atari Explorer Online Issue 1995 03
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:: Volume 4, Issue 3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 27 February 1995 ::
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:: ::
:: 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 ::
:: Atari Artist ............................. Peter Donoso ::
:: User Group Coordinator .................... Ron Whittam ::
:: Jaguar Editor ...................... Christian Svensson ::
:: UK Correspondent .................. Darren "Dooz" Bates ::
:: 8-bit Editor .............................. John Hardie ::
:: ::
:: Contributors: ::
:: """"""""""""" ::
:: Don Thomas, 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 ::
:: Delphi: ATARI ADVANTAGE & WORLD OF VIDEO GAMES Libraries ::
:: Fnet: AEO Conference, Node 319 ::
:: AtariNet: AEO Conference, Node 51:1/10 ::
:: ::
:: Internet mailing address: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com ::
:: FTP recent AEO issues from: rahul.net:pub/wilsont/AEO ::
:: Search gopherspace under "aeo" for back issues ::
:: ::
:: World Wide Web: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/atari.html ::
:: http://www.bucknell.edu/~svensson ::
:: ::
:: AEO is also in file format on the Jaguar Mailing List ::
:: ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Table of Contents
* From the Editors ......................................... Changing gears.
* Rare Gems .......................................... Quotes worth quoting.
* Digital Briefs ........................... Computer, High Tech, and Video
Gaming industry news.
* Francois Bertrand ................. An interview with the star programmer
behind Jaguar's Fight For Life.
* Jaguar Tackboard ........................ Development list - Jaguar Press
Releases - Kasumi Ninja Code -
Offers from Atari CS.
* Surfing the Jagged Edge ....... Jaguar news - Hover Hunter, Defender 2000
updates - Exclusive preview of
Varuna's Forces on Jag CD.
* Cuppa with the Dooz ............. Jaguar news from the UK - two new Atari
games at the ready - Exclusive
interview with Core Design.
* The Video Game Phoenix ................... Review of a facinating history
of the video game industry.
* Redeeming Yourself ................... Don Thomas reveals dozens of time-
tested tips on how to easily
interact with Big Business.
* The Unabashed Atariophile .................... PD and Shareware files for
_your_ Atari computer.
* DA's Vector .............................. Vector-based drawing & editing
on your Atari computer.
* From a Saved Backup ........................ Take to the Internet on your
Atari. Ron shows how.
* Developing News ................... ACE '95 April 1, 1995
SAC Expo '95 April 22, 1995
C-Lab Falcon MKII
Zocra Technologies Moved
IAR Intros Photo Show Pro Photokina
YAC Shareware Programming Contest
Asteroidia & G_SHELL Available!
AtariNet Echoes
* 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.geis.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello again, everyone. Welcome to AEO, your window on events in the
World Atari. "The times, they are a'changing" the old song goes, and
boy, is this true for inside Atari itself... and to a far lesser
extent, AEO.
First to the good stuff.
The initial wave of third-party games for Jaguar is finally arriving.
Cannon Fodder shipped last week, and up to 5 other games are ready to
go at any moment. I've received three EPROMs already this month, but
there's still many more games out there close to finishing. Look for a
EPROM reviews of Aircars, Troy Aikman NFL Football and Double Dragon
V, some of which I hope to have in the next issue. Atari isn't setting
still either - several in-house games are almost done. Keep your eyes
peeled for some announcements on their way.
Several CD games are approaching completion, which will bring along
with them, the launch of the CD-ROM unit itself. Pictures and
descriptions of Battlemorph and Blue Lightning have been gone over
before, and AEO is now in a position where we can start discussing
other CD titles. Dimitri has a fleshed out description of Varuna's
Forces (a totally original game concept, I must say), and Dooz has
managed to score an interview with Core Design's Soulstar programmer,
on this quick & flashy port. By this summer, the shelves will begin
to clog with new titles pouring out from all sides.
In talking with various sources, I've managed to learn of a few
long-range ('96 arrivals) that are just getting started now that will
have everyone's head a'turning. Atari's committment to Jaguar is
paying off, and the Veronicas of the world will suffer their diet of
crow.
As for changes to AEO, well, there's been some minor shuffling that
you can note in the masthead. You won't notice much change in the
issues, we'll maintain what seems to be the "every three weeks"
publishing schedule we've seemed to fall in to. And we'll do out level
best to continue to bring you the best, fastest, most accurate news on
all things Atari.
Something I didn't get around to since last issue is a summary of
responses from the Reader Survey we conducted in the past two issues.
I thought I would be able to manually keep up with the responses, but
boy, was I ever wrong! The hundreds of returned survey forms
overwhelmed me. To everyone who answered, thanks! I =will= have a
summary of all responses next issue.
Finally, I'd like to welcome aboard John Hardie, who will function as
a general columnist, as well as 8-bit computer editor - something AEO
has never had before. Many of us cut our early silicon teeth on 8-bit
Atari computers, and still hold a soft spot for them. John has agreed
to keep us up to date with any news from that realm, and I for one,
look forward to many trips down memory lane.
The weather's been great, my base tan took, Atari is doing better
than even Veronica herself thought, and AEO... we're still chuggin
away. See you here next time. Take care, all.
--==--==--==--==--
||| Rare Gems
||| Compiled by: David A. Wright
/ | \ Internet: centaur@hartford.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
The following are the "Rare Gems (sm)" selections for Jan. 29 to Feb.
4, 1995. "Rare Gems" is a service mark (sm) of Rare Breed Noninc. and
David Alan Wright. (Internet: CENTAUR@HARTFORD.COM) Compilation
copyright 1995 by same. All Wright's rights reserved. Each weekly
collection may be distributed freely as long as this notice is
retained. No other format may be distributed without further
authorization. All quotes covered by "fair use" of copyright law. Not
approved by the Comics Code Authority. --:Dave
Real friends are those who, when you've made a fool of yourself,
don't feel you've done a permanent job. --Unknown
That, sir, relieves the Almighty of a great responsibility.
--Horace Greeley to a Congressman who described himself as a
self-made man.
Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.
--Adlai Stevenson
The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, "I'm from
the government and I'm here to help." --Ronald Reagan
A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he is finished.
--Zsa Zsa Gabor
Early to bed and early to rise, and you'll meet very few of our best
people. --George Ade
No matter who you are, you need a walk in the dark. --David Byrne
==
The following are the "Rare Gems (sm)" selections for February 5 to
11, 1995. "Rare Gems" is a service mark (sm) of Rare Breed Noninc.
and David Alan Wright. (Internet: CENTAUR@HARTFORD.COM) Compilation
copyright 1995 by same. All Wright's rights reserved. Each weekly
collection may be distributed freely as long as this notice is
retained. No other format may be distributed without further
authorization. All quotes covered by "fair use" of copyright law. To
subscribe by Internet email, send "SUBSCRIBE" in a message to
RAREGEMS-REQUEST@HARTFORD.COM. Available in easy-to-read 7-packs!
--:Dave
When down in the mouth, remember Jonah. He came out all right.
--Thomas Edison
All the world's a stage and I've forgotten my lines. --Unknown
Morality is moral only if it is voluntary. --Lincoln Steffens
I was told I was on the road to hell, but I had no idea it was just a
mile down the road with a Dome on it. --Abraham Lincoln
If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; if this is tea, please
bring me some coffee. --Abraham Lincoln
One of my baby teeth came out!... I have to say, I'm not entirely
comfortable holding a piece of my own head. --Calvin, "Calvin and
Hobbes" strip by Bill Watterson
To have great poets, there must be great audiences too.
--Walt Whitman
==
The following are the "Rare Gems (sm)" selections for February 12 to
18, 1995. "Rare Gems" is a service mark (sm) of Rare Breed Noninc.
and David Alan Wright. (Internet: CENTAUR@HARTFORD.COM) Compilation
copyright 1995 by same. All Wright's rights reserved. Each weekly
collection may be distributed freely as long as this notice is
retained. No other format may be distributed without further
authorization. All quotes covered by "fair use" of copyright law. To
subscribe by Internet email, send "SUBSCRIBE" in a message to
RAREGEMS-REQUEST@HARTFORD.COM. You are now free to operate all
electronic devices. --:Dave
Jesus is coming... Look busy! --Unknown
One does evil enough when one does nothing good. --German proverb
"Brilliant deduction, Holmes!" Every year, Sherlock helped Watson with
his taxes... --"Mother Goose and Grimm" strip by Mike Peters
People who fight with fire generally end up as ashes. --Unknown
Until someone debugs reality, the best I can do is a quick patch here
and there. --Unknown
Code as if whoever maintains your code is a violent psychopath who
knows where you live. --Unknown
If you want information from the net, don't ask questions, post
errors. --Unknown
==
The following are the "Rare Gems (sm)" selections for February 19 to
25, 1995. "Rare Gems" is a service mark (sm) of Rare Breed Noninc. and
David Alan Wright. (Internet: CENTAUR@HARTFORD.COM) Compilation
copyright 1995 by same. All Wright's rights reserved. Each weekly
collection may be distributed freely as long as this notice is
retained. No other format may be distributed without further
authorization. All quotes covered by "fair use" of copyright law. To
subscribe by Internet email, send "SUBSCRIBE" in a message to
RAREGEMS-REQUEST@HARTFORD.COM. Press <Ctrl><Alt><LeftShift><Meta>~ZQ
to continue. --:Dave
A wise man speaks when he has something to say, a fool when he has to
say something. --Unknown
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. --Unknown
When I can no longer bear to think of the victims of broken homes, I
begin to think of the victims of intact ones. --Peter De Vries
Only the mediocrities of life hide behind the alibi "in conference".
The great of this earth are not only simple but accessible.
--Isaac Frederick Marcosson
Internet is so huge and pointless that for some people it is a
complete substitute for life. --Unknown
Due to budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel has been
turned off. Thank you for your cooperation. --Unknown
If you think I need to be saved from myself, I probably need to be
saved from you. --Unknown
--==--==--==--==--
||| Digital Briefs - Industry News
||| By: Albert Dayes
/ | \ GEnie: AEO.1 CIS: 70007,3615
-----------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Technology Issues
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Lean & Mean & Inexpensive - Lean Power Corporation of College
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Park announced it has been awarded a
second U.S. patent on its design for a microchip engine controller for
advanced lean burn engines. The microchip, called Lean 2000(R), can
operate a lean burn engine using real time signal processing
techniques. The chip controls the air/fuel mixture in the lean burn
engine resulting in minimum fuel consumption and lowest exhaust
emissions. "The main advantage of Lean 2000," says its inventor,
Michael Leshner, chief scientist at Lean Power Corporation, "is its
highly accurate, closed-loop engine management capability. The chip
makes it possible to simplify engine controls, lower costs, improve
performance and carry out exotic tasks such as tailoring the air/fuel
mixture to each engine cylinder independently, without the need for
costly multiple sensors."
Advanced Lean Burn engines will soon be available in cars and trucks
as car makers in Japan, Europe and the United States press ahead in
developing ultra lean burn engines. According to experts in Japan,
these engines have significantly improved fuel economy, 30 percent or
more, without compromising power exhaust emissions.
//// Chip Tests Within - COMPASS Design Automation, a leader in
"""""""""""""""""""""" electronic design automation (EDA) tools and
libraries, announced the availability of the first test synthesis
solution to automate the creation of a complete on-chip self-test
architecture for complex ASIC designs. The new technology from
COMPASS, incorporating ScanBIST technology from Bell Northern
Research, is the first design-for-test software to move all
manufacturing and diagnostic tests onto the chip itself. This solution
reduces or eliminates the need for costly test hardware on the ASIC
production floor and in the field.
The ScanBIST architecture developed by BNR creates an on-chip logic
self-test capability. This technique utilizes linear feedback shift
registers (LFSR) driving internal scan chains to achieve high fault
coverage. The architecture is controlled through the boundary scan TAP
controller and can support single- or multiple-frequency designs. The
test can be run at system clock speed, providing delay path testing as
well as standard fault tests.
"ScanBIST technology perfectly complements our existing memory BIST
capability to create the complete ASIC self-test architecture called
for by today's testability requirements," said Terry Strickland,
product marketing manager for simulation and test at COMPASS.
"High-reliability systems manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce
the cost and increase the effectiveness of manufacturing and
diagnostic tests, and the new COMPASS test solution will provide
both."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Computers
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Microsoft Renders - Microsoft announced it has acquired
"""""""""""""""""""""" RenderMorphics, the industry leader in 3-D
programming tools and technology for personal computers.
RenderMorphics' flagship product, Reality Lab(TM), provides
high-performance 3-D graphics technology for a variety of personal
computer-based games and multimedia applications. Reality Lab has been
acclaimed by a wide range of developers, including Autodesk, Creative
Labs, Kaleida Labs and Virgin Entertainment. Games incorporating 3-D
graphics effects have proven to be immensely popular with consumers
and are sales leaders in the rapidly growing games market.
Microsoft plans to enhance the Reality Lab product line and make it a
general-purpose, real-time 3-D API in future versions of its Windows
family of operating systems products (beyond the release of Windows(R)
95). The Reality Lab API will complement support for the OpenGL(TM)
API, a higher-end API specially suited to professional applications.
//// CD-ROM 6X Times Over - Plextor Corp., a pioneer in advanced
""""""""""""""""""""""""" technology for the CD-ROM marketplace,
announced the world's first six-speed, half-height CD-ROM drive.
Dubbed the 6PleX, this new drive line offers the fastest data
throughput and access times available in CD-ROM performance with a
900KB/sec data transfer rate and a 145ms random access time. Plextor
plans on shipping each 6PleX with a custom device driver that will
further enhance the drive's performance.
With scheduled availability in April, the 6PleX confirms Plextor as
the leader in the development of CD-ROM drives for multimedia, video,
and database retrieval applications.
//// Thin Laser Screen - Advanced Laser Technologies (ALT) announced
"""""""""""""""""""""" its "Thinline" prototype, a laser-driven,
narrow profile computer monitor that provides high-resolution images
without bulky cathode ray tube (CRT) technology.
The "Thinline" monitor device meets all design specifications for VGA
resolution in a 13-inch diagonal screen only 4.5 inches deep. The
display's proprietary design is based on ALT's patented laser-based
technology which controls a single laser beam on a horizontal and
vertical axis and also eliminates the risk of magnetic X-radiation now
associated with CRTs.
The technology also has applications for real-time digital video
compression, video and data displays, mass digital storage, FAX
machines, laser printers, optical disc systems, and fiber optic
network hubs. Conventional laser beam scanning devices make it
impossible to simultaneously achieve a high degree of resolution, high
scanning speeds and a large scanning angle at competitive prices where
space and size considerations are important for such products.
ALT's patented technology addresses these features with precision
manipulation of the laser beam coupled with a very high-performance
control circuit. By providing a method of scanning a laser beam
through large scan angles at high speeds and with a high degree of
accuracy in a small area, a major cost effectiveness can be achieved.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// In Video Games
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Samsung replies to Nintendo - The following is a statement
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" released by Samsung Semiconductor:
Samsung Semiconductor cannot tolerate the misrepresentations being
released by Nintendo of America.
Samsung is the world's leading supplier of memory chips, and is one of
the world's leading manufacturers of Mask ROM (or Read Only Memory)
used in various applications, from computers to consumer products.
Samsung supplies many of the game industry's major manufacturers,
including Nintendo, and stands steadfastly against counterfeiting and
piracy of any kind. Samsung is well-respected throughout the world for
the quality of its products and the ethical way it conducts business.
"Nintendo's action is the equivalent of suing a diskette or computer
vendor because you found pirated software on one of their disks", said
Keith McDonald, Samsung Semiconductor senior vice president of sales
and marketing. "Their action is all the more disappointing because
Samsung has for some time aggressively sought to identify and
disengage from any customers engaged in illegitimate business
practices. In fact, Nintendo did approach Samsung regarding suspected
misuse of their ROM, and we investigated and did terminate a business
relationship with a customer as a result of the investigation."
Custom Mask ROM products are unique to each customer because each chip
contains the customer's proprietary and confidential software. When
the software is digitally encapsulated in the ROM, Samsung has no
practical way of analyzing the customer's proprietary software. It is
both completely impractical and inappropriate to expect a Mask ROM
vendor to seek access to each customer's system architecture to
analyze the function of the chip within that customer's system.
A full review of the facts will show that Samsung has worked
diligently to prevent counterfeiting of Nintendo games. In effect,
Nintendo is allowing the counterfeiting of their games to continue by
not working cooperatively with Samsung to screen customers' ROM codes
sent to Samsung prior to manufacturing. Nintendo failed to disclose in
their media attack that Samsung made an agreement more than two years
ago with Nintendo's largest competitor to provide a service to screen
software to identify counterfeiters. The competitor provided Samsung
with what is called "screening software" which allows Samsung to
screen all incoming ROM codes from other customers and check them to
see if they are counterfeit or forgeries. This arrangement between
Samsung and the other company has been working very successfully.
Samsung offered the same arrangement to Nintendo, and Nintendo Japan
agreed. However, Nintendo America objected and, instead, asked Samsung
to shut down production of 32 Mb ROMs for all customers and provide
them all customers' codes for all applications so they could screen
them. Both were unreasonable requests, and Samsung declined. Samsung
again offered to provide the screening service, but any practical
solution could not be reached with Nintendo America. Samsung was and
is willing to perform the screening in-house at no cost and with no
potential violation of our customers' proprietary codes.
Samsung is prepared to protect Nintendo against all counterfeiting,
just as Nintendo's competitor is protected. All Nintendo needs to do
to protect themselves is provide the screening software that Nintendo
Japan originally agreed to provide.
Samsung deplores counterfeiting and piracy. Working together, Samsung
and Nintendo's competitor have developed an easy and inexpensive way
to screen for counterfeit game cartridges. Samsung negotiated in good
faith with Nintendo Japan and developed a viable way for screening
Nintendo's games. Samsung is perplexed as to why Nintendo America will
not accept this arrangement and instead filed suit. Samsung strongly
believes the suit is without merit.
//// RoboNintendo - Nintendo of America announced GameTek Inc as the
""""""""""""""""" newest member to join the world class publishing
team for Nintendo Ultra 64(TM), the home video game system which will
enable players to play in three-dimensional worlds that previously
have been available only on high-end graphic workstations.
Recognized for their development of numerous titles for all age groups
for the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES),
Robotech will be GameTek's first 64-bit game for play exclusively on
the new 64-bit home video game system now being developed by Nintendo
and Silicon Graphics Inc.
//// Acclaimed Marvel - Strengthening an already powerful union,
""""""""""""""""""""" Acclaim Entertainment, and Marvel
Entertainment Group, have entered into a broad agreement whereby
Acclaim will obtain exclusive rights to publish interactive software
titles based on Marvel live-action movie and television properties.
Properties Marvel is currently developing for film or TV include
Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, Luke Cage, Blade and Ghost
Rider. The agreement represents an expansion of Acclaim's existing
relationship with Marvel whereby A.D.I, Acclaim Distribution, Inc.,
distributes properties under the Marvel Software label and includes
such popular characters as Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men and Maximum
Carnage 2. Under the agreement, Acclaim obtains exclusive rights to
Marvel movie and television properties for home video, coin-op arcade
and PC-based interactive entertainment, including the Spider-Man movie
directed by James Cameron and The Fantastic Four film directed by
Chris Columbus.
--==--==--==--==--
||| Fight(er) For Atari
||| By: Christian Svensson
/ | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.5 Internet: svensson@bucknell.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------
First it was Tempest 2000, then Alien vs. Predator, and now Iron
Soldier... which leaves the question on a lot of Jaguar owners minds:
"What will be the next BIG game?" I propose that it will be the
forthcoming potential blockbuster that is Fight for Life (FFL) by
Atari.
For this project, Atari managed to entice Francois-Yves Bertrand to
leave Sega's AM2 programming team and join the growing ranks (growing
in both quality and number) of Atari's programmers. Francois was
gracious enough to spare a little time (even in the rush of preparing
for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show) to talk with me about his
past, present and future projects.
Entering the industry nearly 12 years ago in France, Francois started
his career on a modest Acorn Atom (with only 1K RAM!) programming in
assembly. Since these times, he has programmed almost exclusively in
assembly, only writing about 200 lines of C code per year. Early in
his career, he was developing operating systems for some sort of
electronic card, later to join a French company that developed coin-op
arcade games. Still using Acorn computers (this time an Archimedes
whose processor was the same as the 3D0's: an ARM60), Francois
convinced his boss to develop an arcade board that used this
processor. At the time, the Japanese dominated the coin-op market so
this fledgling company was only able to market about five games using
these boards with moderate success within France. However during this
period, Francois developed a new interface between player and the
coin-op cabinet. Because this French company was too small to market
the interface, Francois produced a video tape of his creation and sent
it to M. Nakayama, the CEO of SEGA Japan. Not more than fifteen days
later, SEGA Japan called him, asking him to fly to Japan in order to
negotiate a contract. Two months later, with working visa in hand,
Francois joined SEGA's AM2 programming team.
//// Over There
As the only non-Japanese member of the AM2 team, Francois' first
project was the arcade version of Virtua Fighter (VF). When queried
about the differences of working in Japan, France and now the United
States, Francois pointed out several differences. He states: "In Japan
I worked on wonderful projects, with means you can not imagine, but
working with a Japanese company, with only Japanese people, is
terrible when you are a foreigner. Over here, and in Europe... people
don't care where you are from; the only important thing is how well
you do your job."
Francois also mentioned that in Japan, the companies had A LOT of
money and don't hesitate to spend it. However, he elaborated by saying
that the people in Europe and the United States more than make up for
that. Before leaving SEGA, he did some early work on both Saturn VF
and arcade VF2.
//// Bigger and Better Things
Intrigued by the Jaguar, Francois made some inquiries at Atari when he
decided to leave SEGA in May of 1994.
The obvious choice for Francois' first project was a clone of his
masterpiece, Virtua Fighter. Only he wasn't content to leave it at a
clone. Francois, an experienced assembly programmer decided to
challenge the steep learning curve of the Jag's hardware in an effort
to create a texture mapped VF clone. The game concept was completely
his from plot to character development to actual coding.
Here's a few tidbits about FFL:
# of Polys Calculated: 1600-1800, depending on the fighters
# of Polys Rendered: about 1000
# of Polys per Character on average: 800
# of available moves: 180
Frame Rate: 22 - 26 fps depending upon the fighters' textures
Francois estimates that if FFL were to be done as a bitmapped based
game, the data for the motions for a single character would requre
over 19MB of storage. With his engine and the data from the motion
capture, all of the characters' motions combined occupy less than 1MB
of storage.
Francois cited that the most innovative feature in FFL as compared to
VF is the ability to "steal" moves from a defeated opponent. By using
a password system to define the exact character one has "developed",
it is possible to play others anywhere to see who has created the best
character. This feature has caused a mix of reviews from people who
viewed a nearly finished product at the WCES in January. Francois
states that when he was at the kiosk that showed FFL and could explain
the concept of "building up your character," people were very
receptive. When he wasn't present, viewers were left to form their own
conclusions of the game based upon the limited moves at the start -
something no wildly popular fighting game has ever attempted.
People who saw FFL at WCES didn't have the opportunity to see the
finshed game. Texture mapping of characters, for instance, was only
20% at the show. Gouraud shaded textures were also added. Francois
feels that the result is a stunning combination of characters and
backgrounds.
When asked to compare VF with FFL, Francois commented that, "In FFL, I
make extensive use of texture mapping so FFL's characters look
better." Furthermore, FFL uses full screen 16-bit color backgrounds as
opposed to VF's 40 line, nearly negligible backgrounds.
The music of VF is CD quality and will consist of 20 different songs.
One of these songs was recorded by Joe Vitale who used to work with
the Eagles.
//// Looking Ahead
After Fight for Life, Francois will be heading the Atari Magic 1
programming team (AM1) and developing three new titles. The first is
an undisclosed sports game that will be released on CD. The second is
a 3D platform game (CD or cart has not been decided as of yet) and the
third is a "special RPG" most likely also on CD.
Seeing the rare opportunity to gain a little more insight into Sega's
plans, I asked Francois his thoughts about their new systems. He
replied, "I think that the 32X is a perfect marketing product, but a
lot of people are going to be disappointed by it." He continued to
state that the Saturn is not the best next generation system on the
market either, and there is no way that games like VF2 and Virtua Cop
are going to be closely ported to it.
Curious about the still unannounced Sega games that Atari will be
licensed to develop, I asked Francois if he had any input or
preferences on those games. He clearly wasn't interested in which
games, because he is looking for new innovations to be done on the
Jaguar - not simple ports.
On an interesting note, Francois does not consider himself to be a
"game player." Instead, he prefers to analyze and reflect on the
technical aspects of a game. When he does play, he can usually be
found blowing away buildings with Iron Soldier or causing further mass
destruction with Doom.
In closing, Francois believes that Fight For Life will prove that the
Jaguar is a VERY powerful machine and can do anything that the newer
Japanese consoles (Playstation and Saturn) can do. Yes, even
TohShinDen. All it takes is a little more effort to program. "Lastly,"
he says, "the Jaguar will have a VERY impressive library of games by
the end of this year."
--==--==--==--==--
||| 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).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Internet Jaguar Mailing List
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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@ctrc.fs.saci.org>
Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the EMail, include this
line:
subscribe jaguar-l FirstName LastName
(Where "FirstName" is your first name and "LastName" is your last
name.)
To send mail to be read on the Jaguar list, address your letter to:
<jaguar-l@ctrc.fs.saci.org>. It 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 2.03
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Editor: The following list of game titles has been confirmed to
the best of AEO's ability as of February 23, 1995. Entries in the
"S"tatus column reflect any "e"rrors, "u"pdates, "n"ew titles, or
"?"uestionable listings since the last AEO list. Entries in the
"M"edia column reflect whether the title is "C"D-ROM or "H"ardware.
(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
""" """"" """ """"""""" """""""""
u AirCars 4/95 MidNite MidNite
u Arena Football League - V Real Productions V Real
C Artemis Mid96 Springer Spaniel Springer
C BIOS Fear - All Systems Go
C Baldy Q2/95 Atari Atari
Batman Forever Q3/95 Atari Atari
C Battlemorph Q1/95 Attention to Detail Atari
Battlesphere Q2/95 4Play
Battlewheels 1995 Beyond Games Beyond Games
C Black Ice/White Noise - Atari Atari
C Blue Lightning Q1/95 Attention to Detail Atari
C Brett Hull Hockey Q2/95 Atari
u Super Burnout Q2/95 Virtual Xperience Atari
Casino Royale 4/95 Telegames Telegames
H Cat Box PRODU Black Cat Design
C CD League Bowling Q2/95 V-Real Productions
Center Court Tennis ? Zeppelin Games
Charles Barkley Basketball Q2/95 Atari
Commando ? Microids
u Conan - Arcade Zone
C Creature Shock Q2/95 Argonaut Software Virgin
u 'Dactyl Joust Q2/95 High Voltage Atari
Defender 2000 8/95 LlamaSoft Atari
C Demolition Man Q1/95 Virgin Interactive Atari
Dino Dudes 2 ? Imagitec Design Atari
Double Dragon V Q1/95 Williams Enter. Williams
C Dragon's Lair Q1/95 ReadySoft ReadySoft
Droppings ? Delta Music Systems
Dungeon Depths ? MidNite
? Evidence ? Microids
F1 Racer - Domark Group Ltd.
u Fight For Life Q2/95 Atari Atari
u Flashback 3/95 Tiertex Ltd. U.S. Gold
C Freelancer 2120 - Imagitec Design Atari
Galactic Gladiators ? Photosurrealism
Hardball 3 7/95 Atari Atari
u C Highlander 4/95 Atari Atari
C Highlander II - Atari Atari
C Highlander III - Atari Atari
Horrorscope Q2/95 V-Real Productions
C Hosenose and Booger ? All Systems Go
Hover Hunter Q2/95 Hyper Image Hyper Image
u Hover Strike 4/95 Atari Atari
u Hyper Force Q2/95 Visual Impact
Indiana Jags - Virtual Xperience
u International Sensible Soccer 3/95 Williams Brothers Telegames
C Jack Nicholas Cyber Golf ? Hand Made Software Atari
James Pond 3 Q2/95 Telegames
? Kick Off 3 ? Anco Software Ltd.
Legions of the Undead Q2/95 Rebellion Software Atari
? Lester the Unlikely ? DTMC
u C Litil Divil - Gremlin Interactive
C Lobo 1995 Ocean Software Ltd.
C Magic Carpet - Bullfrog
Mad Dog McCree ? American Laser Games
? Mountain Sports ? DTMC
H MPEG - Atari Atari
Nanoterror ? Delta Music Systems
Nerves of Steel ? Rainmaker Software
? C Neurodancer ? PIXIS Interactive
u Phear 4/95 H2O Design Corp. Atari
Pinball Fantasies 4/95*8*Spider Soft C-West
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure Q4/95 Activision
Power Drive Rally 5/95 Rage Software Time-Warner
u C Powerslide 1995 Williams Brothers Telegames
C Primal Rage Q4/95 Time-Warner
Rainbow Warrior ? 3D Games
RayMan 6/95 UBI Soft UBI Soft
C Redemption Q2/95 Atari Atari
n Return of Magic Q4/95 Virtual Artistry
C Return to Zork ? Activision
u Rise of the Robots Q4/95 Williams Brothers
C Robinson's Requiem H2/95 Silmarils Atari
Ruiner Q2/95 High Voltage Atari
Skyhammer Q2/95 Rebellion Software Atari
Soccer Kid Q1/95 Krisalis Software Ocean
u C Soulstar 5/95 Core Design Atari
C Space Ace Q2/95 ReadySoft ReadySoft
u Space War 2000 4/95 Atari
Super Off-Road ? Telegames
Supercross 3D 6/95 Atari
Syndicate Q1/95 Bullfrog Ocean
C Thea Realm Fighters Q3/95 High Voltage Atari
Theme Park Q1/95 Bullfrog Ocean
Tiny Toons Adventures Q2/95 Telegames Atari
u Troy Aikman NFL Football 3/95 Telegames Williams
Ultimate Brain Games 3/95 Telegames
u Ultra Vortex 3/95 Beyond Games Beyond Games
Valus Force ? JVC
C Varuna's Forces 4/95 Accent Media
C Vid Grid Q1/95 Atari Atari
H Video Jukebox ? All Systems Go
Virtual Warriors ? Rainmaker Software
u C Virtuoso 1995 Williams Brothers Telegames
Waterworld - Ocean Software Ltd.
u Wayne Gretzky NHL Hockey Q4/95 Time-Warner Time-Warner
White Men Can't Jump Q1/95 High Voltage Trimark
Wild Cup Soccer 1995 Telegames
World Class Cricket 4/95 Telegames
? World Cup ? Anco Software Ltd.
Zzyorxx II - Virtual Xperience
//// Unnamed Titles in Development
S M Title ETA Developer Publisher
""" """"" """ """"""""" """""""""
H Jaguar / PC card ? Sigma Designs Sigma
3D shooter ? iThink
Football - Atari
H IR controller station - All Systems Go
Miniature Golf ? DTMC
Racing - Gremlin Graphics
Soccer - UBI Soft UBI Soft
u Fighter - Level 7
n C Sports - AM1 Atari
//// Current Releases
M Title Rated Company Publisher
" """"" """"""" """"""" """""""""
Alien vs. Predator 9 Rebellion Atari
Brutal Sports Football 7 Millenium/Teque Telegames
Bubsy 6 Imagitec Design Atari
Cannon Fodder 7 NEW Virgin Interactive C. West
Checkered Flag 5 Rebellion Atari
Club Drive 7 Atari Atari
Crescent Galaxy 3 Atari Atari
Cybermorph 7 Attention to Detail Atari
Doom 9 id Software Atari
Dragon 7 Virgin Interactive Atari
Evolution Dino-Dudes 6 Imagitec Design Atari
Iron Soldier 10 Eclipse Atari
Kasumi Ninja 8 Hand Made Software Atari
Raiden 6 Imagitec Design Atari
Tempest 2000 10 LlamaSoft Atari
Wolfenstein 3D 8 id Software Atari
Val d'Isere Skiing... 5 Virtual Studio 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.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Press Releases
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Six New Jaguar Games
CONTACT: Ron Beltramo
Atari Corporation
408/745-8852
For Immediate Release
SIX OUTSTANDING NEW THIRD PARTY JAGUAR TITLES TO HIT STORE SHELVES!
SUNNYVALE, CA (February 7, 1995) -- Over the next 45 days, the first
major wave of third party software for the 64-bit Atari Jaguar will be
launched, marking another important step in the expansion of the
Jaguar library of software. Sam Tramiel, President of Atari
Corporation, stated, "We are very excited to see our third party
partners coming to market with these new titles for the Jaguar
platform. This is only the beginning of many great games that will be
coming in the next wave of releases from our third party partners."
"Cannon Fodder", expected in stores by February 24th, leads the pack
of six exciting new third-party titles to be shipped within the first
quarter. For the sports enthusiasts, Telegames introduces
"International Sensible Soccer" as an interactive game version of the
fastest growing commercial sport in the United States. Just following
one of the most exciting football seasons, Williams Entertainment
introduces the Jaguar version of "Troy Aikman Football". Electronic
Gaming Monthly says of "Troy Aikman Football", "...the Jaguar version
is the best yet." Saturday morning cartoon fans will recognize the
fighting lineup in eye-popping animated action with "Double Dragon V"
by Williams Entertainment. For those who prefer strategic challenges
with intense graphics and hypnotic animated sequences, Ocean of
America delivers two great titles, "Syndicate" and "Theme Park". In
"Syndicate", you are an executive in charge of a team of mind-altered
Cyborgs and "Theme Park" enables you to engineer the ultimate
amusement park.
"These new titles give the consumer a new wider range of selection on
the Atari Jaguar Multimedia platform," said Mr. Tramiel. "The Jaguar
now has an excellent introduction of sports, strategy and general
interest software provided by some of the most respected publishers in
the industry with much more to come throughout 1995."
Here is a closer look at these great new titles:
"Cannon Fodder": War has never been so much fun. The first of a new
caliber of games published by Computer West, "Cannon Fodder" is a
product brought to us from the innovative people at Virgin. Command
your company through enemy territories and hostile environments;
jungles, swamps and frozen wastelands. Highlights of this whimsical
and entertaining approach to war are: Over 300 conscripts with
different skills, 72 phases of action, 24 different missions, an
animated introduction, an ambient soundtrack complete with the howling
of icy winds and a projected minimum of 50 hours to complete the game
by most gamers.
"...probably the most addicting game since Lemmings.", Electronic
Gaming Monthly.
"Troy Aikman Football": Troy Aikman's rendition of football on the
64-bit Jaguar may be the most intense pigskin action you have ever
played. Brought to the high-end gaming world from the ground-breaking
minds at Williams Entertainment, "Troy Aikman Football" breaks new
barriers in sports entertainment. Up-to-date with 1995 rules and
regulations, players choose among all 28 NFL teams, three season
modes, multiple difficulty levels, 54 offensive and 27 defensive
configurations, six field options, variable quarter lengths, and
more... and that's all before the excitement really begins! For 1 or 2
players.
"...the Jaguar version (of 'Troy Aikman Football') is the best yet.",
Electronic Gaming Monthly.
"Syndicate": There's a new kind of brutal reality amidst the sinister
underworld and only Ocean can take you there with 64-bit intensity of
the Atari Jaguar. Players assume the role of an ambitious executive in
the Syndicate. Your mission is to lead a team of mind-altered Cyborg
mercenaries to infiltrate opposing Syndicate territories. Your
specific objective is to gain as much control of the world as
possible, street by street, city by city, country by country, bit by
bit.
"...ultra-cool ...better than the Genesis...", Game Players Magazine.
"Theme Park": You've been there just to visit, but now you will build
one from the ground up. Ocean gives you access to a virtual world
where you can design, build and operate your own amusement park. You
choose the land, hire staff, build the rides, manage the novelty
shops, and become solely responsible if anything ever goes tragically
wrong.
"...anyone who enjoys designing things is gonna love this game.", Game
Players Magazine.
"Double Dragon V": Williams Entertainment has created an exciting new
fighting game based on the Saturday morning Amazin' Adventures Series
cartoon hit, Double Dragon. The Shadow Master is ready for battle.
After reading the character dossiers, players customize game play and
attributes to create fighting machines never before seen on any gaming
platform. For 1 or 2 players, there are multiple levels of game play,
10 different battle locations, 12 unique characters, and over a dozen
different musical scores.
"Smooth-as-silk graphics; kid's will love controlling their favorite
cartoon characters on the Jaguar.", Atari Explorer Online.
"International Sensible Soccer": Telegames has captured World Soccer
excitement in the most addictive soccer simulation ever. It is
complete with international roster profiles and fully editable teams.
Select between "Friendly", "Cup" or "League" simulations in 1 or 2
player head to head competitions; all with 8 channel/16-bit sound to
put you right on the playing field. This game delivers a fast 60
frames per second for smooth scrolling and crisp animation. This is a
"must" game for 64-bit sports game enthusiasts.
"For some of the most intense soccer action on the Jaguar, try
Telegames' Sensible Soccer...one of the many exciting games for the
Jaguar system.", EGM2.
//// Hover Hunter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hyper Image Productions, Inc.
301/513-1783
HYPER IMAGE ANNOUNCES REVOLUTIONARY NEW JAGUAR GAME - HOVER HUNTER
COLLEGE PARK, MD, Febuary 6th, 1995 -- The design team at Hyper Image
Productions has announced their upcoming debut game-release for the
64-bit Atari Jaguar platform entitled "Hover Hunter". Set in the not
so distant future, Hover Hunter is a lightning paced hovertank
simulator that allows players to fly through multiple missions filled
with fleets of enemy vehicles. Realistic three dimensional
environments are created using "Displacement Texture Mapping", an
advanced rendering technique developed by Hyper Image that takes
current landscape rendering technlogy one step further. Hover Hunter
will also be among the first Jaguar games with full network support
allowing for multiplayer combat over the CatBox's CatNet(TM).
Hover Hunter sets the game-player in the cockpit of a technologically
advanced hovertank fully outfitted with a wide choice of powerful
weaponry and computer features. Using advanced piloting skills and
devastating firepower, the player must do battle to protect and
further the interests of his employer, a powerful corporate-state bent
on global conquest and domination. Deadly foes sent by rival companies
await on each landscape as the player completes action-packed missions
and steadily advances further into the storyline of the game.
"I'm really excited at the prospect of showcasing our talented
development team and next generation gaming technology to the public,"
says Jeremy Gordon, president and senior programmer of Hyper Image
Productions. "Not only will Hover Hunter be a an absolute adrenaline
rush, but I think it will also demonstrate Hyper Image's dedication to
continually pushing the edge of gaming standards."
Slated for relase in the summer of 1995, Hyper Image will be
showcasing their game at the E3 show in Los Angeles.
To go along with the official announcement of our Jaguar title, "Hover
Hunter", I want to personally invite anyone who's interested to check
out our world wide web page; http://www.hyperimage.com
(http://hyperimage.com works also).
There are some general tidbits that may be of interest, and also a
whole bunch of cool screen shots (grabbed via s-video by a really
killer new JPEG board). The screen shots are also available via
anonymous ftp to ftp.hyperimage.com in the /pub/HoverHunter directory
(again, ftp'ing to hyperimage.com works too). Some small MPEG movies
will be made available really soon.
The game is still very early (about 35% complete in these shots from
the Winter CES) although we are counting on completion for the E3
show.
Look for a preview in the March issue of Video Games magazine, and
maybe a few shots in the March Die Hard Game Fan...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Cheats & Codes
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Kasumi Ninja "Character vs. Character" Mode
Note: This requires two controllers plugged in to your Jaguar.
Note: You should already have entered a Gore Code; if not, pick a very
easy one to remember, like "111111".
[] Go to the "options" screen.
[] Access the "change code" option.
[] You will see the dialog box asking you to enter a code.
[] While holding the "A" & "C" buttons on Player #2's controller,
enter "6" "2" "1" "5" "4" "4" on Player #1's controller.
[] You will hear an audible "Ha", and the words "Wrong code" will appear
as confirmation. (The "Wrong code" may preceed the "Ha".)
[] Exit from the "options" screen.
Go ahead and start a game, and play characters against theirselves.
(i.e., Angus versus Angus....) The character representing Player #2
will appear onscreen a shade darker than the character representing
Player #1.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Offers from Atari Customer Service
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Iron Soldier Posters
Atari Corporation has started mailing out copies of its cinema-quality
Iron Soldier promotional poster. For those who don't know about Iron
Soldier, the phenomenal new 64-bit Jaguar game due to arrive in stores
as early as this week, you are in for possibly the most incredible
game of 1994. As the pilot of a mammoth robot, you have been assigned
one of many challenging missions... sometimes to protect and often to
destroy. Look down at your feet as you walk, but not too long, there
are virtually real helicopters, tanks and convoys out to get you
within the crowded cities and open countryside.
Mr. Greg LaBrec was so highly praised for his work on the Alien Vs.
Predator Poster that he has been inspired to produce an awesome poster
for Iron Soldier. The poster looks just like a poster you would see at
a theater and is intended for retail store windows and promotions.
If you want one of these great Iron Soldier posters, I'll send you one
FREE if you prepay Atari's minimum shipping and handling charge of
$4.95. That covers the tube, postage and the raw costs to get it out
the door.
Here's how to request an Iron Soldier poster (or an Alien Vs. Predator
poster)...
Send $4.95 ($6.95 U.S. funds for Canada) in the EXACT amount. Payment
may be received in Money order, check, MasterCard or Visa. Please
remember to include mailing name and address, online address and
daytime phone number.
REQUESTS BY EMAIL with CREDIT CARD:
75300.1267@compuserve.com
-or-
jaguar$@genie.geis.com
REQUESTS BY BBS with CREDIT CARD:
private SysOp mail on
CATscan @ 209/239-1552
REQUESTS BY FAX with CREDIT CARD:
408/745-2088
REQUESTS BY MAIL: (checks payable to Atari)
Don's Crazy Iron Soldier Poster Sellout
P.O. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1657
(offer good while quantities last and limited to North American
mailing addresses only.)
Note that the posters are delivered to Atari one per tube. I cannot
double up posters. Everyone can request as many tubes they like at
$4.95 S&H per tube, but please do not request for more than one per
mailing tube.
//// Tempest 2000 Audio CD
The Tempest 2000 Audio CD has already received rave reviews. Don't care
for our puns? Drown us out by cranking up on this pulse-pounding,
techno-rave CD, that marks Atari's first ever video game soundtrack.
They're in stock, and ready to go right now.
[] Song List
1. Thermal Resolution 3:59
2. Mind's Eye 4:52
3. T2K 5:23
4. Ease Yourself 7:52
5. Tracking Depth 5:04
6. Constructive Demolition 4:05
7. Future Tense 5:54
8. Digital Terror 5:07
9. Hyper Prism 4:26
10. Glide Control 5:12
11. Ultra Yak 4:00
12. 2000 Dub 7:31
[] How Much?
The Tempest 2000 Audio CD is priced at $12.99, and if you order now,
$3.50 for shipping and handling. (California residents, add the 8.25%
state sales tax.) That comes to a total of $16.49. ($17.56 in CA.)
Mastercard, Visa and money orders accepted. (Checks and money orders
should be made payable to Atari Corporation)
[] Where To?
To order, US Mail your order to:
Thomas' Terrific Tempest Tunes Deal
Atari Corporation
P.O. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1657
OR contact Don via the Internet on GEnie at:
jaguar$@genie.geis.com
OR via the Internet on Compuserve at:
75300.1267@compuserve.com
OR via private E-Mail (to the SysOp) on:
CATscan BBS ........ 209-239-1552
OR fax your request to:
Atari Customer Service Fax ..... 408-745-2088
The CD is produced by AtariMusic; a division of Atari Corporation. The
executive producer is Mr. John Skruch. The director of audio is Mr.
James Grunke.
//// New Dealer Demo Video
Atari has a brand new VHS preview tape and it's better than ever! Over
30 Jaguar titles have been captured on video tape. This tape has been
meticulously produced under the direction of Mr. Greg LaBrec using
state-of-the-art direct-to-tape equipment and techniques. The action
sequences selected were provided by the game producers or the guidance
of the third party developers. Okay, okay... forget the hype... it's a
darn cool tape and it has a cool plastic box and label too.
This November 14th edition video updates the previously released
software preview videos with exciting captures to show off last
minute changes to games that are now in production. There are
incredible sequences featuring action games such as Iron Soldier and
high-resolution fantasy games such as Rayman by Ubi Soft.
Although this tape has been developed primarily for the use of Jaguar
retailers, I have twisted marketings arm and they (actually he) have
agreed to sell copies to our faithful online Jaguar fans.
Want more info? Here's the video menu...
Approx.
Tape
Pos. SEGMENT AVAIL. IN STORES
===========================================================
:20 TEACHER SPOT
:49 Doom EARLY DECEMBER
2:34 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story LATE NOVEMBER
4:00 Checkered Flag EARLY DECEMBER
5:45 Iron Soldier MID DECEMBER
7:42 Zool 2 LATE DECEMBER
8:57 Kasumi Ninja LATE DECEMBER
10:25 Club Drive LATE NOVEMBER
11:56 ALIEN VS. PREDATOR SPOT
12:27 Alien Vs. Predator AVAILABLE NOW
15:34 Ultra Vortex (Beyond Games) DECEMBER
17:06 Val D'Isere Skiing and Snowboarding EARLY DECEMBER
18:49 Bubsy LATE DECEMBER
20:05 Double Dragon V (Williams) DECEMBER
21:30 Flashback (US Gold) DECEMBER
22:49 Brutal Sports Football (Telegames) DECEMBER
23:50 Sensible Soccer (Telegames)
25:03 TEMPEST 2000 SPOT
25:34 Tempest 2000 AVAILABLE NOW
26:58 Wolfenstein 3d AVAILABLE NOW
28:06 Cybermorph AVAILABLE NOW
29:20 Raiden AVAILABLE NOW
30:32 Evolution: Dino Dudes AVAILABLE NOW
31:35 Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy AVAILABLE NOW
32:50 Syndicate (Ocean) DECEMBER
33:47 Theme Park (Ocean) DECEMBER
34:35 Air Cars (Midnight) DECEMBER
35:39 Troy Aikman NFL Football (Williams) DECEMBER
36:34 Cannon Fodder (Virgin) DECEMBER
37:43 Dragon's Lair (Readysoft)
38:31 Hover Strike
39:20 Fight For Life
40:00 Burn Out
40:43 Rayman (ubi Soft) DECEMBER
41:52 VLM (Virtual Light Machine) DECEMBER
Okay, okay... here's the deal. The cost is $8.95 plus $4.95 shipping
and handling. That's a total of $13.90 ($14.64 in California) ($15.90
in Canada). Mastercard, Visa and money orders accepted (Checks and
money orders should be made payable to Atari Corporation. NOT IN MY
NAME! <g>. I can ship to any location in North America including U.S.
and Canada. To order, send your order to:
Atari Corporation
P.O. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1657
OR contact me via Internet or on GEnie:
jaguar$@genie.geis.com
OR contact me via Internet or on Compuserve:
75300.1267@compuserve.com
OR send me private E-Mail (to the SysOp) on:
CATscan BBS ........ 209-239-1552
or fax your request to:
Atari Customer Service Fax ..... 408-745-2088
I also have Alien Vs. Predator posters remaining. There is one for
each shipping and handling fee of $4.95 ($6.95 in Canada). These are
cinema-size posters and I've already heard back from gamers who have
had theirs laminated, mounted and framed.
By the way, you can help a LOT even if you don't want to order the
tape or request a poster by passing this offer electronically to
another Forum, Roundtable or BBS or make a hard copy and give to
friends. Thanks!
--Don Thomas
Atari Corporation
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||| Surfing the Jagged Edge
||| By: Dimitri Mark LaBarge
/ | \ GEnie: AEO.6 CIS: 71501,3353 AOL: dimitril
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Well, it's time for another round of Net Surfing, gossip, exclusive
information, and just a general pondering the belly-button of all
things Atari. Which, incidentally has apparently gotten a damn sight
less expensive if you've been paying attention to your local
Electronics Boutiques and Toys R Us (Toys R Usses?). Yes sirree, the
Atari faithful have been treated to a Jaguar price reduction in these
stores - you can now own a purring little feline-type console for $189.
My friends, the 64-bit onflux has just entered the rarified domain of
16-bit pricing levels. There will be an announcement from Atari very
soon now as to the new pricing scheme for Jaguar. It's time to sit up
and pay attention, world - Jaguar is for real. (Travis seems to feel
that everyone will be doing sit-ups soon, and he's not exactly taken
in a fitness craze.)
But you knew it would, didn't you? And yes, some other people know it
too - like the cutting edge staff of Wired Magazine. First came the
rave for Tempest 2000 - now the current issue absolutely froths about
the groundbreaking AvP. The article, emphasizing the total immersive
reality of the game, uses enticing phrases like "mindboggling" and
says, "bet the military wished their combat sims looked this good."
This is indeed a great time for our kitty.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Burn Out Still Afire
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Recently, an ominous report cropped up on the 'Net, to the effect that
due to financial difficulties, Jaguar developer Virtual Xperience had
folded, taking the eagerly anticipated motorcycle game Burn Out with
it. Well, we're proud to present the definitive word on this... let me
hand the mike (very briefly) to Atari Europe rep Darryl Still.
...you should not even give credence to this kind of rumour.
Burn Out is alive and well, and a kicking game to boot 8-)
It's amazing how even the briefest of statements can clarify matters,
no? Adding to this, a little birdie tells AEO that the name of the
game may have changed to Super Burn Out, perhaps adding to the
confusion. At any rate, here's hoping that this is one rumor with
pennies on its eyes.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Hunting Hover Info
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Our good friends at Hyper Image have recently made known their
existence in a big, bold way, and we couldn't be happier to see these
nifty programmers start to get the exposure they undoubtedly deserve.
While their press release has garnered a great deal of exposure, their
description of Hover Hunter has been less publicized. So we bring to
you the most comprehensive look at Hover Hunter to date, starting with
a general view of the scenario:
The age of limitless resources and vast armies is over. The
battlefield now belongs to the elite; those with the speed,
firepower, reflexes, and intelligence to get the job done fast and
done right. As pilot of a high-speed attack hovercraft, you are a
powerful tool utilized by your Corporation in their constant
struggle with competitors for total global domination.
So far, it sounds like a terrific, SF adventure. Let's get a little
bit more into the meat of the game:
Hover Hunter is Hyper Image's exciting new 3-D hovertank combat
game for the 64-bit Atari Jaguar. Choose the hovercraft that best
fits your needs, arm yourself with a wide array of high-tech
weapons then speed through dozens of unique and exciting worlds
filled with hordes of deadly foes which stand between you and
global conquest. The cutting edge technology of Displacement
Texture Mapping allows you to smoothly race through full screen,
stunningly realistic 3-D environments utilizing a full six degrees
of freedom. Experience hair-raising combat through decaying urban
nightmares, explore the vast expanses and rolling hills of a
desolate countryside, maneuver through the narrow confines of
twisting, winding canyons... and much, much more. Set to the primal
beats of raging industrialized techno, active panning surround
sound immerses you into the deafening roar and earth shattering
explosions of battle. Network with other players and fly against
skilled human pilots to test your abilities. The 64-bit Atari
Jaguar is the only gaming system currently available with the power
to bring all of these elements together and Hyper Image is the only
company ready to offer this new technology to you. Coming Summer '95.
Wow... that sounds amazingly cool. But here are some of the specifics
that set this game ahead of the pack:
[] Real time full screen 3-D Displacement Texture Mapping
technology creates digitally enhanced landscapes
[] Movement with 6 degrees of freedom lets you go anywhere and
see anything on the landscape
[] Fully rendered enemies and objects.
[] Large worlds and multiple mission choices ensure hours of
original game play
[] 16-Bit truecolor with weather and nighttime effects
[] Up to 8 players can link simultaneously using CatBox.
[] Digital soundtrack and surround sound effects.
[] Advanced enemy Artificial Intelligence.
Okay, have we influenced your buying decisions enough yet? Me, I'm
starting yet another piggy bank for this - it's all too good!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Nothing Tastier than Fresh Minter
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Jeff Minter has been known not only for his fantastic T2K and VLM, but
also for a phenomenal level of interaction with his gaming public.
While he's been graciously leaving tempting, tantalizing glimpses of
his progress on Defender 2000, he's been posting lengthy 'Net updates
of his progress lately. We continue our tradition in exposing our
readers to Minter's peculiarly beast-driven savoir-faire:
The game's going *fine*. I am most pleased with Plus. Started the
week by adding in an AI droid, which hovers near your ship 'till it
'sees' an enemy, then swoops in and lasers it up. I lliked it so
much, and as it's just another generic object and easy to have
other iterations of, I decided to give you a pair of these little
beauties, one each side of the ship. They're great. They're fast
and smart and you can really kick some severe botty with them at
your side. Then, as they were so cool, I decided to make them even
smarter, and have them catch falling Humanoids as well, and bring
them back to your ship. This proved to be totally cool. It's just
great to be in the thick of things, bad guys everywhere,
robopterodactyls disgorging streams of bouncing, tail-twitching
goats, Llightning Llaser blazing, and see your droids flash off,
execute a couple of flawless rescues, and bring you the booty.
Then, since the droids were so effective, I decided to crank up the
enemy density on Plus. You get twice as many Llanders per rez-in,
and twice as many on any given wave. This makes the higher levels
*unbelievably* busy, but you've got the droids at your side, and
your rapidfire laser's a-pumping, and you can *handle it*.
Everything's just screaming by, big explosions all over the place,
shreds of enemies everywhere, and it keeps 60Hz. Yum, yum, yum.
I've been playing with the first demo tune sent to us by Imagitec
playing back on the PC's speakers, volume on high, got up to level
30 odd, with 700,000 points - and I'm starting to get that intense,
buzzing speed-rush that I love in a game... mighty fine. Got some
new artworx from my artist today, but I probably won't get a chance
to put them in until I get back from the Old Country <g>... after
they're in, I'm gonna pull back off Plus, 'coz it's 90 percent
there now, and get into the let's-torture-the-object-processor
stuff which will let me determine how much funky stuff I can throw
into the backgrounds on 2K. Then I can give my graphic artist
specs on the BG generator and have him get *really* busy....
You know, the more he posts about this game, the more astonishing it
sounds (not even figuring the extraordinarily rapid progress he's made
on this game), and he hasn't even gotten to the heart of the game yet.
And then he drops one more tidbit:
It's llooking more and more like this is gonna be on CD, so you can
llook forward to totally awesome music, no limitations as we'll be
doing direct redbook audio. Also we can have a shitload of levels,
and I'd kinda like to do a historical section on there as well, as
we get so much room; an interview with Eugene Jarvis, maybe, and
other historical data about Defender.
Well, well, not such a bad start, Jeff. Speaking of Minter, did we
mention that you may be seeing a certain very popular Jaguar game on
your local PC in the very near future? From our "Will it be a Blast
from the Past?" dept., we can announce that the Atarisoft label itself
may be resurrected with a PC version of Tempest 2000. That's right,
even when you're trapped at work with that old box looking at you, you
can crank up with this legendary game. In fact, I've got just the
machine selected, ready to munch Microsoft for Minter.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// AEO EXCLUSIVE: Varuna's Forces
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Along with Hover Hunter and Phear, the game that made the biggest
splash in the Jaguar booth at WCES was the upcoming JagCD game
Varuna's Forces, coming from Accent Media. Not much is known about
this game, though they have a scheduled completion date of March. The
people at Accent were gracious enough to supply us with a preview of
this said-to-be astonishing game. So what's it about, anyway?
Varuna is the name of the chief Vedic God, responsible for natural
and moral order in the cosmos. After the Great War of 2028,
technology developed during the war was put to use in the expansion
and colonization of the stars. The human race, now united, began an
inexorable spread outwards, encountering other races as it went.
For the most part alliances were formed and peaceful co-operation
existed. As the great circle of human expansion grew, its pace
faltered and stopped. The human federation had reached a zenith in
its ability to control huge tracts of space. All around the ragged
edge of the human controlled systems was a gray area, constantly
involved in battles. Planets, systems, even whole clusters, changed
hands almost daily. It is Varuna's Forces that hold the great
circle intact.
Certainly this is one of the best setups I can remember seeing; it
sounds as if it will add much to the game. Accent goes on to synopsize
the gameplay:
The game puts you in control of a team of four soldiers of The
United Federation of Planets, Marine Attack Division, Nicknamed
Varuna's Forces. The team is equipped with helmet cameras and
microphones linked via radio to your tactical command console. You
see, on your command screen, views from each of your soldier's
cameras. Also at your disposal is an overall view of a plan of the
area with your troops' positions indicated. All the time you are
hearing an overall audio track mixed from all of the soldiers.
Each soldier is equipped with a microphone to talk to each other
and to you, the commander. All soldiers are constantly reporting
back about what they see and what they hear. The soldiers report
verbally about their stamina, weapons status, what they hear and
see. Each soldier has his or her personal character, and
sometimes command decisions must be made not just, upon the
physical status of a particular soldier, but also upon his or her
personal attributes. Some soldiers are gung ho fighters, scared of
nothing and preferring direct brute force approaches; others are
stealthy, smart, careful soldiers, useful in getting to a position
for ambush without alerting the opposing forces. The object of the
game varies with each scenario, but it generally involves achieving
control over a particular area or capturing a particular room or
piece of equipment, obtaining the release of a hostage, or
occasionally capturing an entire area or base.
What Accent has described so far is lightyears beyond your regular CD
graphic showcase: it's obvious that the team behind this game has
spent much effort in the strategic elements of this game, something
not often seen. (And yes, I think some of us caught the nod to Star
Trek. Let's hope Paramount doesn't.) Let's move a little deeper into
the guts of the game, Command and Control:
Each monitor displayed at your control center shows the view from
each of your soldier's helmet cameras. Before you is a view of the
plan of the objective, superimposed upon a thermal infra-red image
of the actual scene below, showing the current positions of your
troops, and sometimes the positions of the enemy. Each of the
combat helmet cameras provides a high resolution image that pans
and swings around with the movements of the soldier.
You can at any time select any one of the combat cameras to zoom
full screen to gain a larger, more detailed view of the action.
Should a particular team member see something of interest or come
under fire, he or she will toggle their voice link, on the tactical
channel, and notify you of the situation. Automatically the video
from that team member will enlarge to almost full screen. This
gives you a clear view of what the situation is for that team
member. He requires commands. You hear him say, for example, "I
am under fire from the corridor to my right." You instruct him to
take cover in a side room, then call up a nearby team member to
provide cover fire from the flank, finally returning to the soldier
in trouble and instruct him to rush to better cover under the
covering fire of his team mate. Each time orders are given the
camera view of that team member enlarges to almost full screen.
The battle computer eliminates much of the work by automatically
and intelligently bringing full screen any camera view involved in
any action.
You can also "Become" any of you 4 team members. By bringing their
view full screen you and move them directly with full 360 degree
freedom of rotation. You can shoot at enemies, unlock doors, or
move out of harm's way. At this point, you are the soldier. The
other soldiers don't stop though. They are guided by your orders
and will attack if they run into trouble. You can at any time,
switch to another character or go back to the command screen to
issue orders.
Again, deepest thanks to Accent Media for letting us peek at this
work-in-progress. AEO will have further updates on this game as its
completion looms nearer.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Wrap-up
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Stay tuned next time for more exciting info and exclusive glimpses
into upcoming Jag games. That's the dish for this ish!
--==--==--==--==--
||| Cuppa with the Dooz
||| By: Darren Bates
/ | \ Internet: dooz@batesg.demon.co.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ok lads and lasses, here is the latest news from the UK. It's been a
little slow since our last cuppa, but I hope I've made up for it with
exclusive ACE news on a hot title.
To start off with, the Jaguar sales have been improving here in the UK
gradually, partially due to the closing down of a major electrical
chain store. Rumbelows, as they are known here have been selling
Jaguars off at discount prices as low as 90 with a free game as well
as Cybermorph! This equates to about 150 Dollars, a bargain in anyones
books I believe. Many people are taking advantage of this situation
and getting them while they are so cheap.
Not only that, but Atari UK are currently working on a deal to get the
Jaguars distributed by one of the biggest electrical stores in the UK
- Dixons. So far, because of the problem of importing the Jags from
the US, it has been difficult to keep the stores stocked sufficiently,
but due to the work done by Atari's new production plant, the
situation is about to be remedied, and the Jaguar is about to hit the
stores big time! The increased circulation in these major stores
should do a lot of good to the Jaguar's public visibility.
One thing however, that has been lacking in the UK, is TV advertising.
Darryl Still of Atari UK has told AEO that Jaguar advertising is about
to hit the satellite channels around March/April and a major campaign
will hit the normal channels in September. To be honest, this is what
the Jag really needs in the UK, as the only advertising so far has
been in the magazines and has been quite limited.
//// Games
On the games front, prepare yourselves for Space War 2000 and Hover
Strike in April. Both are looking very tasty indeed, here's a quick
summary of both of these tempting titles. Space War will be familiar
to anyone who has played games such as Wing Commander, a game which
bears more than a passing resemblance to SW2000. As a first person
viewed space shoot-em-up, it is not the most original of games, but
who cares? This game looks very interesting due to its splendid
graphics, texture mapped polygon spacecraft, and the added bonus of a
two-player simultaneous mode. From inside the cockpit you can change
the views from left, right, front and back views (Elite anyone?) and
you must use these views to pin down and destroy multiple space
vehicles, then nick their cash and weapons if you get the chance. Oh
yes, don't bother to try and shoot the asteroids as they do weigh
several thousand tons! In two player, the screen is split vertically
and you engage in a one-on-one dogfight with a mate. Oh yes, and check
out the babe on the presentation screens!
Hover Strike is again an unoriginal game. Viewed through the cockpit
of your Space-age Hover Tank, you must lead the rebel forces in an
attempt to defeat the Space Pirates. Sounds good, eh? Personally I
don't care for the plot as long as I get to shoot everything in a
drooling frenzy. The hover tank is blessed with all kinds of
technological wizardry including scanners, radars, shields, compass
and most of all - WEAPONS. I do like weapons you know, so Hover Strike
has a few just for people such as myself. Rapid fire cannons, armor
piercing missiles, homing missiles, mortar bombs and the like make the
work far more enjoyable. And the smooth texture mapped terrain ranges
from lava and ice levels, to water and industrial levels. Texture
mapped buildings and objects host each level in some way or another,
making this look like a pretty impresive title. Hopefully it will play
as well as it looks.
Don't forget that Flashback, Theme Park, Syndicate, Ultra Vortex and
Pinball Fantasies are all due out soon. Looking good, eh?
//// Inside The Core
As you may have read in AEO_0402, Core Design have signed up and are
developing the Mega-CD classic, SoulStar, for the Jaguar. Considering
this game was one of the best on the Genesis's CD unit, it seems
logical that it could be a corker title for the Jaguar CD.
Core Design's Andrew Smith revealed all the juicy details exclusively
to AEO this past Thursday.
AEO : Well Andrew, how is SoulStar coming along?
ANDREW : Very well indeed actually, we're approximately a few weeks
away from completing the game. However, it is a JagCD game
and the production of the CDs doesn't seem to be arranged
yet. At least we are almost finished, it shouldn't be too
long now.
AEO : What was it like converting the Mega-CD game over to the JagCD?
Was it an easy task, or did you have any trouble?
ANDREW : Actually, our programmers found the Jaguar to be quite
difficult to use. We have had to learn its architecture very
fast to get the game done with such pressing deadlines. We
basically ported over main game code from the Mega-CD
version, so all the game mechanics are identical on the Jag
version. The game visually is far more impressive though.
AEO : I'm sure we all want to know what has been done to the Jaguar
version to make it so superior. Can you tell us what has been
improved over Mega-CD game and have you put the Jaguar's power
to good use?
ANDREW : Most definitely! We have totally new space ships and objects
that all been SGI rendered to produce some excellent sprites
that are far better than the old ones. The backgrounds and
scenery have all been redrawn with the help of one of our
best graphic artists, and all the main game GFX are in 16-bit
CRY color mode so it looks very impressive.
AEO : Does the game move as smooth as the original?
ANDREW : Better in fact. The game has full rotation of all scenery and
sprites at an extremely fast frame rate [Ed: Frame rate not
given] and moves smooth and fast throughout. We have done our
best to ensure there is no slowdown at all and the games
moves as good as it looks.
AEO : How about the pre-rendered intro sequences from the old version?
Have you got any info on the Jaguars sequences?
ANDREW : Oh yes, the intro and in-game sequences are very impressive
indeed. We have changed the animations from the Mega-CD game
and done the sequences from scratch for the Jag. The intro is
a 3 minute long pre-rendered Cinepak story, in 24-bit color
mode. The JagCD is well suited to such intros and they have a
high resolution that rivals any other CD system. Also, the
between-level sequences have been vastly improved and all add
to the atmosphere of the game.
AEO : Is there anything in this game that isn't improved? It all sound
too good to me! How about the sound FX and the speech during the
mission briefings?
ANDREW : Well, what do you expect with the Jaguar's excellent
soundchip. I think it's the most impressive part of the
Jaguars architecture. The sound and speech have all been
improved and is sharper and clearer than the Mega-CD game.
The tunes are pretty much the same though.
AEO : How about the poor people who do not get a Jaguar CD unit, how
are they going to live with this game out of thier reach?
ANDREW : It is up to Atari to decide if a cartridge version is viable.
We are not opposed to doing a cart version, but it would have
to be cut down somewhat. The CD version has 21 levels you
know, and over 6 minutes of FMV sequences which would be
difficult to fit on a cartridge. We could do a good version
if we got the go ahead though.
AEO : Have you got any other plans to convert your games to the
Jaguar, or maybe even an original title for the Jag?
ANDREW : Not yet actually, we did have a few of our titles on the list
to convert, but some have been cancelled as they may prove
too difficult to port over. You can expect more of our titles
for the Jaguar in the future though.
AEO : That's all we ask! Thanks very much.
Well people, if that's not interesting news, I don't know what is.
Soulstar will hopefully be out March/April to coincide with the
release of the JagCD. A review will follow in a future AEO, you can be
sure.
Seeya next issue, I must go now as I have an appointment with the
Queen for afternoon tea and cakes.
--==--==--==--==--
||| The Industry as Phoenix
||| Book Review by: John Hardie
/ | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
When I first ordered Leonard Herman's book, PHOENIX: The Fall & Rise
of Home Videogames, I expected to get a cross between "ZAP: The Rise &
Fall of Atari" (Scott Cohen) and David Sheff's Nintendo Saga ("Game
Over"). What I got instead was a virtually complete history of the
home videogame industry.
Chapter One gives you a brief history of computers starting with the
abacus and including information on the Analytical and Difference
Engines, ENIAC, EDVAC, and UNIVAC. It also covers the creation of the
first videogame, a Tennis game for visitors of Brookhaven National
Labs; Spacewar at MIT, and Ralph Baer's deal with Magnavox to produce
the Odyssey. Chapter Two covers the years 1970-1973 and shows the
formation of Atari and the release of Pong, as well as the
introduction of the Odyssey.
Chapter Three looks at the period from 1974-1976, which heralds the
debut of the Telstar and Channel F home videogame systems. Also told
are the stories of Warner Communication's purchase of Atari and the
beginnings of Coleco. From here on, each chapter of the book covers
one year from 1977-1993 and such interesting topics as the
introduction of most of the major home consoles, the shakeout of 1983,
the re-birth in 1985, and the next generations of home games.
Littered among the main events are stories and trivia about
unreleased systems and games, oddball accessories, and a multitude of
lawsuits. From the birth and demise of different companies to the
cartridge dump in New Mexico, "PHOENIX..." supplies the reader with
fascinating information vital to enjoying the history of our hobby.
Leonard Herman started this book as a directory of Atari 2600
software titled "ABC To The VCS". It was re-written as a history of
Home Videogames and sticks to that path strictly. The only references
to arcade games are when they affected the home systems. The book is
well done and a joy to read. I found myself reading "just one more
chapter...", and ended up finishing it in two days. It rates as a
must-have for anyone even remotely interested or involved in home
videogames. Since no publishers were interested, Herman
self-published "PHOENIX" and it can be ordered from the address at the
beginning of this review. My order was filled promptly and included a
letter promising the 1994 addendum as soon as it was finished.
The only thing left to say is: Mr. Herman, bring on the "ABC to the
VCS" book!
PHOENIX: The Fall & Rise of Home Videogames
Softbound, manual size, 310 pages
$19.99 + $2.50 P&H
Leonard Herman, Rolenta Press
P.O. Box 3814
Union, NJ 07083-1891
--==--==--==--==--
||| How to Redeem Yourself
||| By: Donald A. Thomas, Jr.
/ | \ CIS: 75300,1267 GEnie: ATARI
----------------------------------------------------------------
One of my favorite pastimes is to take advantage of mail-in offers. I
like these offers because there are few things more fun for me than
opening a box or an envelope addressed specifically to me. Sometimes,
I forgot that I responded to an offer and the results brighten up my
day when they arrive.
Sometimes an offer may consist of no more than a modest rebate or
savings coupon. Other times the incentives may be premiums,
collectibles, special buys, or promotional gifts. In any case,
companies know that the fondness of mail-in offers is shared by
millions of people and it can be an effective tool to lure new patrons
or advocates for a cause.
As much as people like to participate in sweepstakes, special orders,
rebate claims, and other point-of-purchase lures, it is amazing how
many people send incomplete, inappropriate or fraudulent material in
reply to these offers. I am not aware of a specific study that reports
what businesses spend every year to process the abundance of offers
they make - whatever that number is though, I am certain that it is
staggering.
Contrary to what we want to believe, nothing is free. Companies must
integrate the costs of redeeming offers in their goods and services.
All consumers bear the cost to redeem those offers. As consumers,
there are things we can do to reduce the chances of submitting claims
for offers that are either lost or incorrectly honored. Additionally,
if consumers spent a little time to make their claims easier for
companies to honor, they may find that more offers are made and better
premiums are selected as companies spend less of their resources on
handling.
Regrettably, there is not much advice one can offer to those who
submit fraudulent claims. Such people know they are attempting to
steal and are not likely to care if they change. For the remaining
majority of us, perhaps we can establish some easy-to-remember
etiquette for submitting mail-in offers and promotional claims. If
just some of us remember these pointers, everyone will benefit from
faster handling.
[] ALWAYS INCLUDE A DAYTIME PHONE: Do not place mail orders or submit
promotional claims and leave off your phone number or indicate that
it is unlisted. Companies frequently have to confirm information,
try to determine what to do if they find an error, or report when
they have exhausted inventory of the requested merchandise. If you
have to, offer a number for a neighbor, relative or a workplace,
but always supply a phone number AND area code.
[] ALWAYS INCLUDE A RETURN ADDRESS: Your envelope must include a
return address. This serves two purposes. One is to safely return
materials the Post Office was unable to deliver as addressed.
Secondly, return addresses are frequently referenced if the
information was otherwise damaged, lost or hard to read. Return
addresses should be neatly printed or typed.
[] APPLY ADEQUATE POSTAGE: If sending material via First Class mail,
be certain to apply adequate postage. Some offers require items to
be sent that weigh more or must be sent in larger envelopes. As a
result, added postage may be required.
[] ATTACH LOOSE ITEMS TO INDEX CARDS: If there are small items (such
as a UPC symbol) that must be included with your claim, look
carefully for a place to put them provided by your forms or
coupons. If no such position is provided, tape the items on a blank
index card or sizable piece of paper. This will greatly reduce the
chance that such items will be misplaced or fall out of the
envelope unnoticed. Do not use paperclips, and avoid staples.
Metal fasteners often cause postal machines to jam and delay and/or
destroy the mail. When taping items in place, apply the tape over
the corners of the object being taped into place.
[] AVOID POST OFFICE BOXES FOR MERCHANDISE: If at all possible, avoid
submitting Post Office Boxes as your shipping address. Most
companies want to ship merchandise in an established manner that
can be traced in case you never receive it. It is to your advantage
to allow them that luxury. Many companies cannot protect you from
shipments lost in the mail.
[] BE NEAT AND POLITE: Human beings will be reviewing your submission
and confirming that all qualifications have been met. Although we
may assume them to be extremely fair in those evaluations, there
will be times that a judgement call must be made which makes the
difference of having the claim processed promptly or not. It may be
as simple as a headache making bad handwriting hard to read, to
something far more complex, involving moods or a similar recent
experience. When judgement calls are made, it is much easier to
side with the claim if the forms are legible and any comments seem
friendly and warm.
[] CHECK YOUR CHILDREN'S WORK: If allowing a child to fill out a form
or file a claim, supervise the activity and check for errors before
sealing the envelope.
[] DO NOT ABBREVIATE: Avoid abbreviating anything. Printing things
unabbreviated increases the chances that the information will be
read correctly.
[] DO NOT FILL OUT FORMS WHERE FOOD CAN GET ON THEM: Avoid filling out
forms where someone has just eaten or if your fingers have grease
on them. Opening mail with foreign matter on the forms is nothing
less than disgusting.
[] DO NOT PAY TAX UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO: Mail orders and
redemption do NOT require tax unless specified otherwise by the
offer. As of this writing, taxes are added to a transaction when
merchandise is being shipped to a state in which the company has
employees or facilities. Read the terms regarding taxes carefully
on your solicitation. If you do not see a request to pay a tax from
your state, do not add it to the transaction.
[] DO NOT SEND UNRELATED REQUESTS OR NOTES: Promotional claims are
handled and processed by persons who have strict instructions to
process as many claims as they can in a quick time frame. They may
not have resources to answer questions unrelated to the advertised
promotion or offer. Additionally, unrelated materials can confuse
the process of fulfillment and cause needless delays.
[] DO NOT USE ADDRESS STICKERS ON COUPONS OR FORMS: If you have
preprinted address stickers, DO NOT place them on your form(s) or
coupon(s). The data will be entered by people expecting to locate
information in the same place on every form. The data entry
environment will have the forms organized so that data is in places
that may be easily located. Address stickers often require extra
handling as the print may be smaller or the information is not
where it is expected to be found. It =is= an excellent idea to
place an address sticker on the envelope however.
[] DOUBLE CHECK TERMS: Always double or triple check the materials
requested and those you have provided. If receipts are requested,
make certain they are the correct ones. UPC symbols should be
identified for what they are from. Pay attention to purchase dates,
expiration dates, and final postmark acceptance.
[] FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN CHARGES AND TOTALS: This is particularly
important when submitting a credit card number for payment. Do all
the monetary calculations, if applicable, in advance. Make certain
that a maximum amount that may be charged to your account is
specified. NEVER send blank checks or credit card authorizations
for undetermined amounts.
[] FILL OUT THE ORDER COMPLETELY: Review the form(s) and coupon(s) a
minimum of 2 times to make certain all information is complete and
accurate. Even if the information requested appears to be
unrelated, it is to your advantage to supply the data.
[] MAKE CERTAIN THE ENVELOPE IS SEALED: Check the envelope and make
certain it has been sealed strongly. You might be wise to tape it
shut and reinforce the edges of the envelope with tape to reduce
the risk of damage by postal machines.
[] MAKE COPIES IN ADVANCE: Make clear copies of all the components of
your order or claim. Should it become lost in the mail, it may
serve as your only evidence that it was in your possession.
[] NEVER EVER SEND CASH UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES: Mail is transferred
through many hands even after it has been opened. It is very
inconvenient for employees to handle cash outside of normal retail
environments. Cash cannot be easily traced and no receipt is
provided as would be by a cancelled check or a credit card billing
statement.
[] NEVER WRITE ON THE BACKS OF FORMS OR COUPONS: Unless requested
otherwise, avoid writing notes, instructions or partial information
on the back sides of any of the form(s). Such things are frequently
missed by data entry clerks.
[] PLACE FOLDED ITEMS WITH FOLD AT BOTTOM OF ENVELOPE: You never know
if a machine or a person will be opening your mail, but if it is a
living person, they may likely use a letter opener along the top of
the envelope. If a folded item is inside, it may become torn along
with the envelope UNLESS the fold was placed at the bottom of the
envelope.
[] PRINT AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE: Make use of the space provided. Do not
write so small that people cannot easily determine what was
printed.
[] PRINT, NEVER WRITE: Unless otherwise requested, ALWAYS print the
information requested. If the people reading your claim cannot read
it, you have an excellent chance of never receiving your order.
[] PROTECT ANY SPECIAL CODES ON FORM: There may be "source codes" on
the forms you use which may tell the recipient where the form was
obtained or other important information. Avoid covering or writing
over symbols and/or unusual lettering that may be located on the
form.
[] PROVIDE A SECURE ADDRESS: When asking to have packages delivered,
supply an address where someone can accept the package during the
day. Avoid have packages sent to unoccupied homes or common
locations such as apartments. If necessary, have the package sent
to a trusted neighbor, a relative, or to your office.
[] REMOVE EXCESS PAPER: Trim coupons on provided lines with scissors.
After cutting proof of purchase symbols (such as UPC codes) from
corragated boxes, peel away the top layer of paper on which the
symbol is printed. In fact, if you score a box around the symbol
with a sharp knife, you will may find that the symbol may be peeled
away while leaving the box intact and without holes.
[] REVIEW YOUR CHECKS: If sending a check to cover payment or shipping
and handling, review your work carefully. Take special note that
the address is correct, the check is signed, the amount is exact
(NEVER ROUND OFF) and the check is made out to the proper party. If
mailing a claim out of the country, make certain the correct
currency as well as amount is specified.
[] SEND MONEY ORDERS: Money orders help expedite order processing.
Money orders, Cashier Checks and Certified Checks are all
relatively safe and most companies will not hold these for the
traditional 7 to 14 days to verify that the instruments were
honored by the banks as written.
[] SEND ORIGINAL RECEIPTS: Always send original store receipts when
requested. If more than one item is being purchased that may
require original receipts for redeeming offers, then make separate
purchases.
[] SEND VALUABLE ORDERS AND CLAIMS "RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED": When
mailing claims for $1 rebates, the risk is small that it will be
misplaced in the mail and it is not worth more than a first class
stamp to submit the claim. If requesting merchandise with a value
of $10 or greater, it is very wise to send it through the post
office and invest a little in postal charges to have a receipt
returned to you that it was delivered. You may also request
certified mail, however, certified mail is not very courteous,
necessary or efficient. Certified mail requires someone to make a
special trip and sign for the article and if thousands of people
did that, it would require someone to sign individual cards all day
and night for days.
[] STAY INSIDE THE LINES: When filling out forms, organize your
handwritten responses carefully to stay within the boxes and lines
provided. If you feel the information is hard to read by doing so,
then rewrite the information larger on a separate piece of paper.
[] SUBMIT CLAIMS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE: Do not hold on to claims any
longer than you have to. In many cases, companies like to make
special offers in consideration of their tempting appeals and the
knowledge that a percentage of consumers will forget to send in
their claims.
[] SUPPLY A "SASE" WHEN REQUESTING REPLY: It is not a good idea to
make unusual requests when submitting claims. The people hired to
help fulfill claims are often trained in specific areas and may not
be able to assist you. In fact, special requests can cause
fulfillment of your claim to be delayed a great deal as it may be
put aside until someone has time to put more effort into it. Also
do not request return of receipts of other submissions. If you need
copies, make them in advance for yourself. If there is no way to
avoid sending supplemental requests, supply a Self-Addressed-
Stamped-Envelope (SASE) to increase the the efficiency of your
reply.
[] TEST YOUR PURCHASE BEFORE MAILING CLAIMS: Although many
manufacturers prefer that defective merchandise be remedied
directly with them, it is understandably more convenient to
exchange defective goods with your retailer. While many retailers
attract patronage with liberal exchange policies, receipts are
helpful if not absolutely necessary. For this reason, test your
purchase before mailing receipts away for premiums or rebates.
[] USE ANY DEPARTMENT CODES OR ATTENTION LINES: If your offer asks you
to send your claim to a specific department or requests any
specific statements on the envelope, do so. This helps the mail
sorters to prioritize your claim and send it immediately to the
correct department(s) for processing. If sending an order, print
"ORDER ENCLOSED" on the lower left hand corner of the envelope.
[] USE INK; PREFERABLY BLUE: Unless otherwise requested and if at all
possible, use a fine to medium point blue pen to fill out
information. Forms are often printed with black lines and
lettering. Using a blue pen will help separate your answers from
the rest of the form. Try to use an easy-to-see color that is
different than the colorws used on the form.
[] USE STANDARD SIZE ENVELOPES: The two standard size envelopes
approximate 3 5/8" x 6 1/2" or 4 1/8" x 9 1/2". The larger one is
preferred. The smaller envelope may require additional folding of
the contents which may damage them, increase the chances of being
damaged when opened and increase the bulk of the sealed envelope.
Standard size envelopes are easier and faster to process.
[] VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE OFFER IN ADVANCE: In most cases, the
company issuing an offer has a reputation at stake and will do
everything possible to fulfill qualified orders and promotions. If
you are not familiar with the company or the offer seems to good to
be true, place some phone calls with the Better Business Bureau and
with the company soliciting your transaction.
About the Author:
Donald A. Thomas, Jr. is the Director of Customer Service for Atari
Corporation; makers of the 64-bit Jaguar Interactive Multimedia
System. Prior to his more than five year tenure with Atari, Don
regularly focused on customer service issues within the electronics
retail and publishing industries. As a self-taught programmer, Mr.
Thomas wrote the software Atari uses to process customer transactions
and enjoys offering support to Customers within the Jaguar user forums
on CompuServe, GEnie and Prodigy. He may be reached by addressing
online correspondence to:
75300.1267@compuserve.com,
ATARI@genie.geis.com,
or CATscan BBS by dialing 209/239-1552.
This article is copyright (c)1995 by Artisan Software; Donald A.
Thomas, Jr. It may be freely reprinted and distributed by any means
provided it is retained in its entirety including copyright and byline
designations.
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||| The Unabashed Atariophile
||| By: Michael R. Burkley
/ | \ Delphi: MRBURKLEY GEnie: M.BURKLEY1 I-Net: MRBURKLEY@Delphi.COM
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello after such a long time away! Last issue I was living the life
of a parent with two small children in school, i.e., I was sick as a
dog because of something the kids brought home. It's amazing that
families aren't sick all the time, considering the way germs get
passed back and forth! This issue? Well, I have another cold, but at
least I'm not shivering under a pile of blankets.
Lately I have been having a problem with all of the files available
online. I've been getting further and further behind in my
descriptions. Now that I'm getting files from around the world via the
InterNet through Delphi the problem is only getting worse. Thankfully
I've finally been able to get 9600 baud (and in some cases 14,400
baud) access to several sites which makes downloading go all the
faster. Wait a second... if downloading takes less time all that means
is that I download more files! OH NO! I'm getting ever further behind!
Time to go on to the file descriptions. There are almost 20 meg of
compressed files described below. There's more where they came from,
too! Oh no!
[] 2COLUMNS is the Two Column Printer release 6 (dated Jan. 1994) by
Jonathan Corey. TWO COLUMN PRINTER prints text files (ASCII in Atari,
IBM, Unix, and Apple styles) in a two column "magazine style" format.
This saves paper and makes long listings much easier to refer to. To
save even more paper, it has an option that simplifies two sided
printing, even on continuous form paper. Great for the environment and
full of features, this version is far advanced in ease of use and
program features over previous versions. Now with a GEM interface
which allows better multitasking operation (with Geneva and MultiTOS)
and greater flexibility in use. Epson, Panasonic and HP DeskJet, and
HP LaserJet II drivers included (and detailed docs on creating your
own printer drivers). Supports just about anything your printer can
deliver. Detailed docs included. Color or mono (and extended res,
too). ST/STe/TT/Falcon compatible. This version has been out for over
a year, but I've recently seen it uploaded in several places. I
downloaded it from Delphi, thinking it was new, but then finding out I
already had it.
[] A56 is the A56 v1.2 Assembler for the DSP56001 chip ported (by
Jockel) to the Atari for the Falcon. It has been cross-compiled on a
HP9000/ 715 using cgcc 2.5.8 and MiNT-Libs PL 44. It comes with source
code for the assembler, which is also in binary form in this
distribution. Lots of example source code is provided. 708K
uncompressed. Delphi.
[] ACP12 is "Another Crude Player" v.1.2 by Energy of The Chaos Engine
(dated sometime after March 12, 1994). This Falcon only .MOD file
player doesn't seem too crude according to the directions! It has lots
of features and uses the DSP chip and so doesn't cause much of a
system slowdown at all. Designed for use with MultiTOS (I've been told
it works with Geneva and Mag!X, too), this player will allow you to
play MOD files in the background when any of those three programs are
active. It will also play without them installed, but only as a
foreground application. Docs and a MOD file included. Delphi.
[] APEXD202 is the Jan. 1, 1995 demo of the Apex Animator graphics
system for the Falcon030 from Black Scorpion Software. This
drawing/morphing/ animation tool is both fast and capable. I've only
heard excellent things about it. Using both the Falcon CPU and DSP,
this program is FAST (better than an equivalent 50MHz 486DX PC). It
allows you to playback your 320*200 256 color/truecolor animations at
70Hz with a VGA/SVGA monitors and external players/viewers can achieve
overscan (768*576) truecolour on broadcast monitors & TV sets. Some
(but not all) of the other features of this program are:
- Ultra-fast fieldwarp morphing & distortion (seconds per frame!)
- Realtime image processing and analog mask filtering.
- Hardware interface to 786*576 frame/film grabbing in truecolour.
- Animation frame processing for cleaning up digitised films.
- Direct-from-disk editing of FLIC & ANIM animations into memory.
- Realtime block manipulation for scaling/rotating/distorting.
- Fast vectorfont interface for scalable typefaces.
Numerous examples are included. If you have a Falcon check this out!
Barry Summer (BSUMMER@Delphi.com), who has created lots of animations
in many different formats, says to tell you that APEX is fantastic.
Delphi.
[] APEXFV3 is a set of picture and animation viewers which are a part
of the APEX animation program. Doug Little (of Black Scorpion
Developments, the creator of APEX) has released them into the PD (as
of Jan. 26, 1995). One will allow Falcon owners to view 256/16 bit
truecolor FLIC (Autodesk FLI/FLC/FLH/FLT/FLX) animations direct from
disk, a DSP based 24-bit color JPEG viewer, two GIF viewers, a Targa
(compressed or uncompressed) viewer for the ST-Falcon (4096 colors on
the ST, 32768 colors on the STE, and 16.7 million colors - 24-bit
color! - on the Falcon). It also contains a CPX which can be used to
translate images between the Targa, GIF & PPM formats (in batch or
single-mode). This CPX also allows you a number of options available
for tuning quality and filtering during conversion. Delphi.
[] APEX_FLI is a JPEG (.JPG) picture created by Barry Summer. Created
using Apex distributed by Lexicor (see APEXD202 for the APEX demo),
this .JPG picture started life as a POV picture which then moved on by
being overlaid with the first frame from a number of FLI animations.
You can see the astounded mouse, the Buzzing Bee, the Clownface, the
Hovercraft, and a dragon, all in true color. This was a 900K Targa
picture reduced in size to only 47K! Delphi.
[] ARE_YOU is "Are You Experienced?" a brilliant graphics and sound
demo (or so the internet description said) for the Falcon. By the Demo
crew Eko from France, this demo requires four megs to run (I don't
know about the monitor). According to Mark Smith (msh@dl.ac.uk), who
wrote the below description, this demo: starts with a nice space
battle with light sourced polygons flying around and some very funky
guitar music in the background. It then moves on to demonstrate EKO's
new Z-buffering techniques, where polygons smoothly glide through each
other and their interesections are calculated. The music then changes
to a more dance style piece of music and stage two of the demo. Here
we get a nice melting effect of the background as it moves looking
like flames, then out of the background zooms a texture mapped,
lightsourced cube that rotates smoothly, this disappears and we are
treated to the best looking fly over a fractal landscape <he's> ever
seen on the Falcon, it looks as if it has been goraud shaded and is
very smooth. The music changes once again for the end credits, this
time the music is a nice orchestral piece with a lovely piece of piano
playing over the top. This music is very well composed for a computer
piece. This is on Delphi, but originally came from over the Internet
from the Uni-kl site <Germany>.
[] ARJ_994 is the ARJ archiver v.9.94, rev. 3.002 by the TOS Crew,
Hans Wessels (aka. "Mr Ni! (the Great)") and Insh_Allah (dated Jan 18,
1995). According to the authors this is the best packer on the Atari
platform. It is 100% compatible with R. Jung's ARJ.EXE (v.2.41) and
now features the ability to create (mode 1) ARC files (with better
compression than Jung's ARJ), the first Atari utility allowing you to
do this! The compression ratio is quite nice, slightly better than
STZIP v.2.6 and LHarc v.3.10 (a 417958 byte program file compressed to
207954 bytes with ARJ_994 (in 64 sec) vs. 212696 bytes with LHarc 3.10
(in 44 sec) & 208423 bytes (in 45 sec) with ST ZIP 2.6). Detailed docs
online help, source code, English and German versions (Jr. and
standard), and more are all included. The authors have been
consistently upgrading this. Now on the horizon are faster speeds,
greater compressions, and an easy to use interface. But you have to
let them know that you are interested! Keep up the good work guys!
Thanks for your support of the Atari platform! Delphi.
David Munsie is at it again! He has programmmed some winning
games and a fantastic tool for GFA Programmers. Keep on reading!
I found these all on Delphi.
[] ASTR_ST is Asteroidia ST for all ST/STe/TT/Mega STe users, by David
Munsie. This is one of those "must have" games. It's the best
Asteroids style game I've ever seen. If you don't know what that is
I'll tell you (I'll tell you anyway!). You fly around in near-Earth
space trying to destroy all the asteroids that are heading towards
home. You'll also have to contend with little alien thingys that want
to destroy your ship! Zap them all with your energy cannon. The
rotating 3D asteroids are astounding and the debris when you blast
them are cool (and sometimes dangerous!).
The sound effects are excellent (and on the 2 meg+ STE/TT you can use
the separate ASTR_DMA file to get even better sound) and the
background picture of the earth is beautiful. This takes advantage of
my accelerated STE for faster and smoother play, and exits cleanly
back to the desktop. STE owners can use the Jaguar joypad for control,
everyone else uses the standard joystick (note: if you are using the
joystick don't select the Joystick/Joypad option or you won't be able
to do anything on the computer until you re-boot). Shareware with docs
and registration information included. Until you register you only get
one life per game. Any color res.. I recommend this game!
[] ASTR_DMA is a file for those of you with STE's or TT who want great
sound with your Asteroidia ST (see description ASTR_ST). If you have
at least 2 meg of RAM in your computer I recommend that you get this!
[] ASTR_FAL is Asteroidia Falcon, the Falcon only version of David
Munsie's Asteroid-style game. This has all of the features of the
ST--TT version (see ASTR_ST for that description) and more. Featuring
50KHz MOD sound (get ASTR_MUS for this option) played in the
background (you can even add your own MOD files), fast and smooth play
action. I haven't seen this in play, but if it's better than the
Asteroidia ST I have used (and registered), WOW!. Check it out!
Shareware with docs and registration information included. Until you
register you only get one life per game. TV/RGB/VGA. I recommend this
game!
[] ASTR_MUS is a file for use with ASTR_FAL. It adds amazing 50HHz MOD
music to your Asteroidia Falcon experience!
[] FRANTICK is Frantick v.1.1 by David Munsie (dated Jan. 3, 1995).
This version will run (and run fast, too!) on any ST-Falcon computer
(with at least one meg of RAM). David has done it again by making
Frantick even faster and more compatible than the previous version
(now works with Warp 9 and quits cleaning from my hard drive).
Frantick is aptly named for for it provides you with a reflex-
challenging, frantic experience of blasting just about anything that
comes at you on the screen. I find it hard to even make it past level
one! Make it past the savage mutates, defeat the shrill assaults of
deadly raptors, out last the intense salvos of the blazer fighters,
and you might become a hero. Don't celebrate too soon, for the head
hunters, hardheads, sidewinders, sparkers, swarmers, and xasers will
light up your life if you let your guard down.
Can you defeat all 100 waves of the combat simulator (and meet a
digitized picture of the maker)? Probably not, but you're welcome to
prove me wrong! Do all of this to the tune of multi channel arcade
sound effects, digital music with digital sound effects, DMA
background music (see FRANTRK1 and FRANTRK2 for two different sound
files for use on STE and newer machines with at least 2 meg of RAM),
and much more. It is even compatible with the Jaguar Powerpad
controller (on STE and Falcon machines)! On a TT or Falcon (and
accelerated ST/Es) there is a super fast Frenzy mode where you can
really rack up the points (and die pretty quickly, too!). There's even
a two player mode! This game is previewware. Try it and if you like it
enough to register you will get a key which will enable all the bells
and whistles of the game (not many of which are disabled in the first
place!). Docs included. Best when run from a hard drive, but a floppy
system works, too. Color only. Joystick controlled.
[] FRANTRK1 is the original music which goes with Frantick by David
Munsie. If you have a 2 meg STE--Falcon then get this or FRANTRK2 (or
both!) for some excellent music to go along with your excellent
FRANTICK game.
[] FRANTRK2 is more music which goes with Frantick by David Munsie. If
you have a 2 meg STE--Falcon then get this or FRANTRK1 (or both!) for
some excellent sampled music (from Anthrax) to go along with your
excellent FRANTICK game.
[] G_SHELL is G_Shell by David Munsie. G_SHELL is an interactive easy
to use enviroment for use with GFA BASIC 3.5/3.6 which will work on
any ST--Falcon in color or monochrome (TV/RGB/VGA monitors). It
provides a quick and efficient interface that allows you to edit,
compile, and debug your programs more
easily and thoroughly than ever
before. Now you never need to use the MENU.PRG which came with your
GFA Basic (which I understand a lot of GFA Programmers detest). David
Munsie has written this to fulfill his dreams of a GFA Shell, and
since he is SOME GFA programmer, you can imagine that it will do just
about everything you might wish it to do (he lists just 23 different
features and I'm sure there are more). Shareware (with multiple ways
to register) with a few features disabled (register and get a key
which will enable everything). Also included in this archive is the
text part of the 2nd GFA Basic Manual v. 3 by Han Kempen (dated
December 1993) with an interactive viewer thrown in (for my
description of the full manual see immediately below).
[] GFA2MAN3 is Your Second GFA-BASIC (v.3.07 and above) Manual Third
Edition by Han Kempen (dated December 1993). The Manual archive, two
Library archives, and an Extra archive (LOTS of example code!) make up
this full package (all in all 1.76 meg uncompressed!). The subtitle is
"How I learned to stop worrying and love GFA-Basic." The author (a
chemistry teacher! - I knew he was an "all-right" guy!) doesn't
program in GFA-Basic everyday. He's not a professional programmer, he
uses GFA Basic because it's useable for people like himself. (He
sounds like a good teacher.) He wrote this manual because no one else
was writing the GFA Basic book for which he was looking. If you get
this you don't need any other GFA-Basic books except the regular
GFA-manual (or so the author modestly says!). This edition has been
much improved over the second edition (which you might have seen as
GFAXPERT). The manual is in 1st Word Plus format (1st Word, WordWriter
ST, etc.). If you don't have one of those programs you will need a
utility to convert this format to ASCII (check out UNFORM30 by Bill
Aycock or DOC2ASC2 by Gary Wren). If you program in GFA BASIC then you
can use this file!
Now back to our regular features...
[] ATC is Air Traffic Controller (ATC) by Victor Eijkhout. This game
allows you to try your hand at the nerve wracking duties of the air
traffic controller without endangering the lives of millions of
travelers each year (which is definately what I would do if I crashed
as many planes as I do in this game!). Your goal in ATC is to keep the
game going as long as possible. You win by beating the score of
previous players. You gain points by having planes successfully take
off from the airport runway and then by landing them (and others)
without crashing (if the plane crashes the game is over... and you're
fired!). Docs included. Shareware. Delphi.
[] BOMBS is a letter by Darryl May, Atari Tech Specialist, which tells
you about all of those TOS error messages and "bombs" on your monitor.
Just what do they mean? Read this and find out! Dated back in 1988.
Delphi.
[] BTSPTGA1 is a series of four 24-bit color Targa (TGA) pictures of
the upcoming BattleSphere(tm) Jaguar game. The pictures show, The
formidable Se'Bab "Blade" evades a head-on collision with overly
aggressive pilot; another zeroing in on the nimble Thunderbird
"Falcon303"; another of a frustrated pilot searches for a weak spot in
the thick armor of a Thunderbird "Talon", and the last showing an
oppressor "Acrosome" attempts to sneak up on an unsuspecting Slith
"Vyper", unaware of the Telchine "Triton" on his tail (literally).
One of the shots shows a bit of the "Decal-Mapping(tm)" feature of the
4Play "Warp Polygon Engine(tm)". Uncompresses to 927K. Use STZIP26 to
uncompress. Delphi.
[] BWING105 is Bird's Wings v.1.05 by Xavier ROCHE. This is a virtual
screen driver for the Falcon (under SingleTOS or MultiTOS). This
program runs from the AUTO folder (with other (configuration?)
programs included). The docs mention the number of colors available as
from duochrome to True color with 40 or 80 column display (48/96 with
TV, if I decode it correctly?), interlaced, and VGA monitors. I
_think_ this makes your monitor screen a window onto a larger virtual
screen, but then again, I can't really read French, and the program
and docs are in French! It also contains a "screen ripper." Delphi.
[] CBZONE10 is CB Zone v.1.0, a B*TTL*Z*NE (Battlezone) type game by
Roland Givan (dated Nov. 3, 1994). This is a mouse controlled 3D Tank
battle arcade game in which you view the landscape through the
viewport of your tank. The enemy tanks appear as wire-frame objects
and the obstacles in your path as cubes and pyramids. The object of
this game is to shoot as many enemy vehicles as possible. Two versions
of the program are included: one for FPU equiped machines and another
for those of us without (it runs faster with!). "C" source code (for
use with Lattice C) is included. The author recommends that you don't
get this if you don't have some form of accelerated machine. An 8 MHz
ST with "NVDI <is> just about playable." I assume that would include
Warp 9 as well. He says a realistic minimum is a 16MHz machine with
NVDI (Warp 9). I agree. This will work on any ST--Falcon in ST/TT med.
or high res. and in many Falcon resolutions. Delphi.
[] CDREC is CD-Recorder v.1.00 by Dirk Haun (dated Dec. 4, 1994). This
program will allow you to pull sound off of your audio CD's and save
it as either AVR or WAV, stereo or mono, 8/16 bit samples, and 22050
or 44100 Hz. The docs say that it requires MetaDOS, but it also works
with ExtenDOS from Anodyne Software (which I have). Of course, you
need a CD player and an audio CD, too! The docs are in German, but the
program is mostly in English (and it's very simple to use). Delphi.
[] CPUMODF3 is CPU_MOD by Patrick RUIZ. This Falcon only program isn't
something which modifies your CPU; rather it is a program which uses
your CPU to play MOD files with a nice CD-like interface (mouse and/or
keyboard controlled). The author wrote this because he didn't like any
of the other players. He says this sounds best (who knows, maybe he's
right!). This player has all the standard sound effects (CIA timing,
E-commands, etc.) and the program core is less than 7000 bytes long
and needs 70,000 bytes free only. (The author has included the source
code and gives you permission to use it in your own programs).
Finally, he includes a text file detailing Soundtracker .MOD file
format. Docs included. Delphi.
[] DSPPAULA is DSP-Paula v.2.2/Proplayer 3.0B, a Falcon only, DSP
based, .MOD player. Coded by Chris of AURA (dated Nov. 1, 1993) this
program even though it bears the same name, is not by the same author
(Pascal Fellerich) as previous versions of Paula (the most recent of
which I have is Paula v.2.2a, dated Feb. 20, 1992). I don't know the
relationship of the two programs or authors other than that both
programs are MOD players, but if DSP-Paula continues the fine
tradition of Paula it is bound to be an excellent MOD player. Now you
can get real 50 KHz/16 Bit/SSI-Output for your Soundtracker .MOD
files. Delphi.
[] DSPTRACK is a set of Soundtracker DSP Routines (.GFA & .S) by
LESAGE Stephane (dated June 17, 1994). This code will enable you to
play most .MOD files, i.e. Amiga ProTracker/NoiseTracker, FastTracker
& StarTrekker on PC Digital Tracker on your Falcon. Includes URA.MOD,
an interesting MOD piece. English and French. Uni-Kl (Germany)
Internet site and Delphi.
[] DSP_MOD is the Falcon only, DSP based, Protracker .MOD player by
BITmASTER of BSW of CC and with additional coding by Dusan (dated Nov.
4, 1993). This .TTP .MOD player is the companion of the .ACC version
found in DSP_PLAY). Source code (Devepac 3) included. Delphi.
[] DSP_PLAY is the Falcon only, DSP based, .ACC Protracker 3.0 .MOD
player based on bITmASTER of BSW of CC's code (dated Nov. 4, 1993).
In puzzling through the .ACC with a text editor (no docs) I also saw a
mention of Steffen Scharfe, but I'm not sure if he is BITmASER... or
the person who used BIT's player code in creating this .ACC. Source
code included. Delphi.
[] DUBLPAG4 is Double-Page IV by Douglas N. Wheeler (dated 1991).
Double-Page is a GEM-based utility which allows laser printer owners
to print text (ASCII) files such that two "pages" of the file are
printed on each sheet of paper. The pages are full 66 line by 80
character pages reduced in size so that two of them can be printed
side-by-side on a standard 8-1/2" x 11" piece of paper (or one
132-column page instead). Doing this will save you lots of paper
(ecological!) and will allow you to easily bind your printouts in a
ring notebook and view up to four "pages" at once. This archive
includes printer drivers for the Atari Laser printers and information
on creating your own for other 300 dpi printers. One font is built
into the program and you can load another from disk (fonts are
included). This version is much improved over previous versions with
many more features and much faster. Docs included. Shareware.
[] EASYD121 is Easy Dat v.1.21 by Marco Feikert. This is a mono only (or
higher), non-GEM based (mouse controlled) database. It has a lot of
features (import/export/printing, etc.) as well as a nice Science
Fiction database. I haven't figured it out much because while the
program is in English the docs are all in German. ST--Falcon. It also
isn't Geneva compatible. You might be interested. Uni-Kl (Germany)
Internet site and Delphi.
[] FALCLIB5 is the Devpac Falcon Library v.5 created and compiled by
Johan Karlsson (dated Jan 10, 1995). This is an assembler library for
the Atari Falcon. By using this you will likely make programming your
Falcon a bit faster and easier. It includes a lot of subroutines which
most assembler programmers use quite frequently as well as some less
frequently used graphic routines. Included in the package is a Falcon
Video Creator and Editor, which saves the current screen as a Falcon
Video File (docs about its use, too). This saved resolution and
frequency data can then easily be set from within your own programs.
This version now includes the manual in both TEX and PostScript form
(with a utility to take the TEX document and restore it to plain ASCII
for all ASCII die-hards). Some of the routines have also been
optimized and the main manual has some need corrections. For
everything to work properly use Devpac 3 with ignore multiple includes
active. Most things will probably work nice with Devpac 2 too. I
found this through the Internet at Uni-kl in Germany.
[] FALCON_D is the Falcon Demo FAQ v.1.1 created and maintained by
Mr.XY - GoreMaster of the GoreZone (dated Oct. 3, 1994). This FAQ
lists a zillion demos for the Falcon, telling what monitors they work
with (now, most demo programmers don't bother to tell you
this - why?!), the time the demo runs, the file size, manner of exit,
and more. I'm amazed at all the demos I've never heard of! There are a
lot out there! Delphi.
Here are some GIF files I found on Toad Hall BBS...
[] CHARON is a blueprint style drawing showing the orbital plane of
Pluto with its satellite Charon rotating about it (interestingly
Charon orbits in a N/S direction relative to the solar plane). Some
brief information about the satellite is included. From Toad Hall.
[] DIONE2 is a picture of Dione, a satellite of Saturn, as taken from
Voyager II. The crater studded moon is clearly seen in the foreground.
From Toad Hall.
[] RHEA is a picture of the Saturnian satellite Rhea, as photographed
by Voyager II. The view is of approximately 1/4 of a crater strewn
hemisphere. From Toad Hall.
[] TITAN2 is a photo of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Titan is
the only moon with a significant atmosphere. Titan in this picture is
small and hazy (small because of the distance, hazy because of the
atmosphere). If you have a small telescope you will likely be able to
see Titan directly. From Toad Hall.
Back to our regular show...
[] HAM8 is the TT/Falcon only IFF/HAM8 loader by Glankonian Software
Inc. (dated March 22, 1993). This program is built to use the 256
colour mode of the TT or Falcon. It should work in a limited fashion
in the TRUE COLOUR mode of the Falcon, but only with H.A.M or H.A.M.8
file types (4096 or 464,000) - but this hasn't been tested (to my
knowledge). Delphi.
[] HANGER is an animation created by Barry Summer using APEX Animator.
This FLC format animation (for the Falcon) is an 850-frame 256 color
animation of a hanger in space, with various objects which were
clipped as blocks and overlayed/underlayed and moved around, including
droids, a giant eyeball, a space serpent and the moon cruiser coming
into the hanger for a landing. 588K uncompressed. Delphi.
[] HYPE is v.2.0 of WoolleySoft's HYPE!, The Hypermedia Package for
the Atari ST which will allow you to display text, pictures, sampled
sound, music, and even run other programs. Hype! will run on a color
or mono monitor, but alas, it will only run on an ST, not an STE (or I
assume newer Atari computers). A tutorial on creating scripts is
included. Lots of other usable utilities are included (a nice screen
capture .ACC, a command line program, an .ACC multi-function utility
named "Goodies", a virus killer, and more. Those work on my STE! I had
high hopes for this when I found it through the Internet (uni-kl in
Germany), but since it won't work on my system.... This shareware
program is completely usable except that it will only allow you to
create Hype! files seven frames or less in length. Register to get the
full package. Uncompresses to 747K. The author has sent me the source
code (in C) for me to fix (he no longer uses his ST much) so if any of
you are interested (all he asks for is credit in the final package),
let me know.
[] LEXFLX is a FLX 15 bit animation animation created using
CHRONOS-3D, ANM-Link and Phoenix 2.0 from Lexicor. According to the
doc the motion and the morphing movements of the fish were made
possible with the keyframe animation tools of Chronos-3D. You require
an the Lexivor FLI/C/X Player to view this file (which I don't have!).
It will run on PC, Atari, MAC or any other system that has an FLC
Player. The Fish animation was done by Lee Seiler of Lexicor Software
and textured by Ringo Monfort. It also contains a GIF file which has
the word "Lexicor" in a set of solid letters which appear to be
tumbling along. Falcon or TT (or other?) with Graphics board
required. Delphi.
[] LHA310 is LHarc v.3.10 by Christian Grunenberg (dated May 25,
1994). Termed "The Faster Than Light" compression/uncompression
utility, this LZH compatible (lh-0 to lh-5) is in my opinion the best
LZH compression/uncompression utility available. I haven't found any
LZH files which it hasn't been able to uncompress, even those
compressed on other platforms. It is extremely fast, both in
compressing files and in uncompressing them, is almost as efficient as
ST ZIP v.2.6, and now comes with an easy to use GEM shell (all in
English) compatible with Geneva. You can even make self-extracting
files using an included utility! This archive contains both English
and German programs and "THE EXPLORER'S GUIDE TO LHarc" by Alan
Kennedy as well as German docs. Color or mono. ST--Falcon compatible.
Shareware. This is definitely a recommended program. This complete
archive was uploaded on Delphi before but was deleted for one reason
or another. It is also now available here under several headings. Get
this archive if you haven't already done so!
[] LYNX231B a beta version of Lynx v.2-3-1. This is a full-page text
only browser for the World Wide Web (WWW). Ported to the Atari world
from UNIX by Christer Gustavsson this program allows you to use all of
the hypertext functions of the WWW but not any of the graphics (yet!).
According to Christer this program will allow you to browse files on
your own system without MiNT and MiNTNet installed (MiNTNet is a
networking extension to provide sockets and slip/ppp), but to use it
for external files you must have those two installed. Christer
mentions a FAQ he wrote about getting started with MiNTNet (it's on
Mark Smith's WWW page for all of you Internet browsers), but I haven't
downloaded that yet. You'll find that there is no extension to the
program file in this archive because it is usually used from a shell
(tcsh for instance), and this means that it is a .ttp-file. The
program and docs are in English, but they are the kind (to me at
least) that don't make any sense at all! It's one of those, "You have
to know what you are doing before you can find out what to do!" It
works with a four meg Falcon and briefly runs on my STE before exiting
(I guess because I don't know what to type next!). Delphi.
[] MAGGIE12 is issue 12 of the Maggie Diskmagazine (dated Sept. 14,
1993). This mag has an excellent interface (now fully ST--Falcon
compatible) which complements nicely their excellent contents. This
issue is full of software and hardware reviews, both commercial and
PD. Not content to cover just Atari news the Maggie Team presents you
with editorials on a wide range of subjects, movie and actor(ress)
reviews, other computer news, useful Falcon and ST utilities, and much
more. Color or mono. Mouse controlled. Nicely done. You must have a
Magic Shadow compatible archiver to extract this file to a bland DS
disk (I recommend the Magic Shadow Archiver II v.2.3+ ( MSA_2_32) or
the Chaos Disk Compactor v.2.20 (CDC220).
[] MAGGIE13 is issue 13 of the Maggie Diskmagazine (dated Jan. 27,
1994). It's hard to describe all of the features of this excellent
disk-magazine. It has lots of humor, insightful editorials, useful
software (a nice virus killer, some saved game files from Frontier
Elite II, Falcon demos and utilities, and more), a nice graphics and
sound interface, and more. I enjoyed the interviews with historic
figures about their preferences for Toast (Joan of Arc: "Anything but
burnt toast" is fine for her!). Color or mono (the docs say there is
some problems with the mono screens, but I didn't see any). Mouse
controlled. You must have a Magic Shadow compatible archiver to
extract this file to a bland DS disk. (I recommend the Magic Shadow
Archiver II v.2.3+ (MSA_2_32) or the Chaos Disk Compactor v.2.20
(CDC220).
[] MATRIX is Matrix, the Atari Falcon sound information system by
E.Breen and M.J.Maisey (dated 1994). Matrix (running either as a .PRG
or .ACC) graphically displays information about the current status of
the Falcon sound matrix. This is the hardware that allows diverse
parts of the sound system to be linked together independantly of the
main processor. It also allows the monitored track to be altered, the
sound system to be reset or locked, and the input to be switched from
the external Analog to Digital converter to the PSG. It requires a
Falcon with at least 1 meg of RAM and a monitor resolution of 640x200
or above. Docs included. Delphi.
[] MAXIVEWR is MaxiViewer from Sterling K. Webb of SKWare One (dated
Dec. 15, 1994). This viewer will run on all ST-Falcon machines and
will allow you to view a zillion different graphic formats in all
resolutions that have as many or more colors as the original image.
Presently supported are GEM IMG (mono, STTT, XIMG formats), PrismPaint
PNT, TruePaint TPI, PCPaintbrush PCX, Windows BMP, DEGAS, TINY, NEO,
all Motorola IFF, MacPaint MAC, ImageLab B&W, AIM23 IM, Seymour-Radix
RWL and RWH, and Aldus Rev. 6.0 TIFF. (In TrueColor, MAXIVEWR will
view only monoplane images.) It supports "Drag 'n drop" for TOS 2.x+,
Neo Desk, etc., uses keyboard and mouse controls, is memory frugal,
and more. Docs included. Also included is an advertisement for
SKWare's Seurat v.3.0, a wow of a drawing program, picture converter,
scan utility and more for all ST--Falcon in ST mono through Falcon
Truecolor modes. Looks good! Delphi.
[] MGIF42B is MGIF v.4.2B by Johan Klockars (dated July 1, 1993) This
program will allow you to display color GIF 87a or 89a images, JPEG
(in JFIF format), Degas (PI1 or PI2) or the program's own format (.FL)
in four gray scales on your ST to 32 gray scales on a Falcon. It
supports a very fast pre-viewing (seeing a rough picture first which
then gets clearer as the image is processed more fully), and much
more. It gives you an excellent monochrome image of a color GIF file.
This is an excellent viewer program, but it is also more than that.
You can manipulate those images in many different ways, and then save
your results. I thought this is an excellent program with the
exception that files are not displayed in the center of the screen but
rather at the bottom right corner. Mono is what works for the standard
ST resolutions, but TT and Falcon should be able to display gray scale
images using a color monitor. Requires at least 1.5 meg of free RAM.
Delphi.
[] MINIF1_E is the demo of Mini F1 v.1.03, Falcon version by Gilles
Audoly (dated 1993). This is a limited demo of this excellent car
racing game. Joystick controlled. There aren't any docs with the
program (or at least docs that tell you about the game), so I can't
tell you much more. Delphi.
[] MINT112B, MINT112D, and MINT112S are the binary (program), Docu-
mentation (really just for the programmer, not much in it helped me),
and the source files for MiNT v.1.12 from Eric R. Smith (released Nov.
17, 1994). If you have MultiTOS you can just pop the MINTNP.PRG into
your AUTO folder and you're set. If you use MiNT with MultiTOS you
will be able to multitask several GEM programs. Without MultiTOS MiNT
will allow you to run one GEM program and several TOS/TTP programs.
This version is not officially supported by anyone, according to the
author, but is you are presently using MiNT or MultiTOS I would
recommend that you get this, as I've heard that it's much improved
over previous versions. Delphi.
[] MWIND132 is Maus-Window v.1.32 by Thomas Binder (dated Nov. 1,
1994). This .ACC/.PRG will allow you to "top" a window (bring it to
the top of all the other open windows and activate it) simply by
moving your mouse pointer over it. When run under MultiTOS,
Maus-Window allows you to automatically raise the priority of the
process with the topmost window. This very nice feature makes working
with MultiTOS even quicker and easier (Maus-Window is also compatible
with MagiC! and Geneva). This version now allows either German or
English to be used. The program is very configurable, allowing you to
choose just what conditions must be met for a window to be topped. A
"lite" version (only 25% the full size) is included (with some
limitations, obviously!). English and German docs included. This is
another "labor of love" program. The author is continuously improving
this and making it more compatible with more and more programs (not
that it was incompatible with many in the first place!). Donationware.
ST-Falcon in any res. Delphi.
[] M_SOFT_B is a set of Falcon only shareware utilities by Rdiger
Busch. The utilities include a:
- Screen Grabber: Uses Alt+Help to grab screens in .bld format
- Screen Converter: Picture format converter.
- German Speech Synthesiser: This pronounces everything using German
pronunciation.
- 3D Tool: 3D creation tool like the spin found on CAD 3D II. It
will put lines on a grid to form a shape and then take that
flat template and rotate it 360 degrees creating a 3D
object. Rotating that shaded 3D object is then possible.
-Small demo: A small screen with lots of colours cycling.
I found this through the Internet at Uni-kl in Germany.
[] NDT_DEMO is the Digital Tracker v.1.00 Commercial demo for the
Falcon (dated October 12, 1994). This 32 channel stereo soundtracker
will support Protracker MODs (.MOD), .DTM (its own format for up to 32
channels - a sample is included), .696, .S3M (Scream Tracker on the PC
with up to 32 channels), and .MTM. It will decompress modules also
that have been packed using the ICE Packer. Previous shareware
versions (the docs also say this is a demo of v.2.04 shareware as
well, but I don't know how the shareware and commercial versions fit
together) only supported 8 and 24 channel playback, so this is a
significant upgrade. This version includes a sampler with editing
tools, MIDI control, Digital effects, converting a module to a greater
number of channels, toggle for mono or stereo playback, and more. The
program and docs are in French. I found this through the Internet at
Uni-kl in Germany.
[] NEONDEMO is the demo of the NeoN 3D animation package from TEAM-
Computer for the Falcon with Math Co-processor. This program will
allow you to create, load, and edit 16 or 24-bit Targa files (maybe
more, but since there are no docs I can't tell), do 3D modeling, edit
scenery and animations, do raytracing, and more. It will only work
with a TV/color monitor, VGA (with overscan, too), no monochrome.
Many sample files included. Sorry I can't tell more about this. I've
heard good things about it, but...(put DOCS in Demos, OK!).
Uncompresses to 1.7 meg of data. Delphi.
[] OFAXIS15 is Off Axis ST v. 1.55 by Dr. Detlef Kuhl & Dr. Frank
Hieronymi of Berlin, Germany. This is an integrated software package
for science and technology which will allow you to enter and plot your
data into a wide variety of graph (plot) displays standard in
scientific work. It uses GDSO/SpeedoGDOS/NVDI? for display (though the
demo doesn't require it). It also allows you to import .GEM vector
graphics (EasyDraw, MyDraw, etc.), view and manipulate them (it does
this quickly, too). The program acts much like a hierarchical CAD
package. You can zoom further and further into a picture without loss
of detail. While this demo doesn't allow you to save or print your
files, it lets you access all of the other features of the program.
Off Axis requires at least 2 meg of RAM, 1.5 meg of free space on your
hard drive (or HD floppy) and works on an ST color or mono monitor
(though it looks like the docs say the res must be at least 640 * 400
I've run it successfully in ST med. and the program works fine using
colored displays). ST--Falcon compatible.
The program must be installed (an installation program is included).
It comes in an English or German version, though all the docs are in
German. This archive comes with LZH201I, an almost current version of
Thomas Quester's LHarc (current v. is 2.01L). At first I was ticked to
see that just the archiver was included without all the documentation
(always include an author's documentation if you're going to use his
or her program!), but then I realized that it was the full version in
his usable-compressed format. Just double click on the LZH201I.TTP and
type "-x LZH201I.TTP" hit return, and the whole will uncompress before
your very eyes! Nice! Delphi.
[] OS is a text file entitled "The Operating System of the Atari ST" by
John Ogawa (dated May 19, 1987). This article, while dated (after
all, it is from 1987!) is an attempt to describe the workings of the
Atari ST's operating system. The author says that he is not an ST
wizard, and that any information in this document was gained through
reading non Atari documentation, playing with the ST, and talking to
people. In other words, it may not be right! But maybe it is. Who
knows? Not me for sure! But it is an interesting look at the
history and workings of the Atari TOS. Delphi.
[] O_026 is the Okami Newsreader v.0.26 by Wolfram Rsler. This inter-
active GEM-based Usenet and Maus Net Mail And News Reader & Writer
looks to be an excellent program. It will allow you to create and read
mail and mail packets (SOUP files) on the Usenet. There are a zillion
options in this program, from a metric to English (and much more)
conversion utility built right into the program, to a semi-automatic
Pretty Good Privacy Shell to make encrypting your messages fast and
easy (now you tell me... what good is the US government's prohibition
on exporting PGP outside of the US when it already is everywhere!
Here's a German program which has a shell for it already built in!
Dumb policy!). Up to 256 windows may be opened at once (if your OS can
handle them), Some more program features are that you can read and
edit files, use the built-in uuencode, uudecode, btoa, atob, Rot-13
and Rot-18 enryption, pseudo newsgroup for outgoing messages
(Outbound), pseudo newsgroups for mail and mail-archive, user-
definable command-oriented keyboard layout, configurable on-screen
text effects, configurable on-screen TEX conversion, optional command
shell interface, user-definable quoting style, and much, much, more.
The main docs are in German, but there are a lot of other English
docs, too. The program itself is in English. Color or mono. Works on
my STE (and I suspect lots more). Uncompresses to 998K. Delphi.
[] PANIC94B is AstroPanic 94! beta, by Dan Ackerman (dated 1994). This
is a high tech remake of one of the first games I played on my old
520-TOS-on-disk ST. Now with anywhere from 2-256 colors (depending on
your monitor) this game pits you against an ever increasing number of
alien saucers bouncing up and down and across the screen. Avoid them
and you still have to watch out for the dropping bombs! Use your mouse
(or keyboard) to control your astro cannon and blast away! This is
compatible with any TOS and in mono or color (up to 256 colors). DMA
sound is available, though not necessary (and you can replace the AVR
sounds with whatever ones you wish). Accelerated machines and graphic
cards supported. It was fun then, and it's more fun now. Listen for
that air raid siren! Delphi.
[] PLAYMPEG is Play MPEG v.0.70 by Martin GRIFFiths (dated Jan 8.,
1995). This color MPEG player uses the Falcon's DSP and 68030 chips in
consert to get fast frame animation of MPEG videos. It requires a
color monitor (VGA or RPG, I think) but this unregistered version will
only show in Grayscales (registration is inexpensive and then you can
see color!). Also included is InfoMPEG v.1.0 by Dennis Lee
(originally) and M.G. (Atari version). This is a small utility to
parse MPEG-1 and provide you with a quick and convenient way of
constructing charts containing various details on MPEG streams,
allowing comparisons to easily be made. It can also be used simply to
find out the pixel resolution and types of frames in a stream.
Delphi.
[] PUSHOVER is a 3 level working demo of the color game Pushover from
Ocean Software. This is a very interesting game of "Dominoes." Well,
not really. You see, you are presented with a puzzle of a group of
dominoes scattered across a variety of landscapes (three in this
demo). Your task is to knock all of these dominoes down with one push.
To help you in this task you have your able helper, G.I. Ant. G.I.
will make all sorts of gestures as you tell him what dominoes to move
and where (using your joystick). I especially like the way he
backpedals with his arms as he's about to fall over a cliff! This is
definitely my kind of game. It makes you think! (It makes me think
I'll do better...and faster, the next try!). STE and Geneva compatible
(at least). You can shut off the sound and sound effects if you want,
too (which is nice). This demo advertises STeve's Software, too. STeve
says if you like "Lemmings" you'll love Pushover! I agree. Delphi.
[] RAINB1_2 is the Rainbow v.1.2 demo (dated Sept. 28, 1994). This
Falcon specific true color color art package by Rasmus Sderberg and
Mandus Sderberg is fast, 100% assembly language, and full featured.
It will allow you to load and manipulate (but not save in the demo)
*.TIF, *.TGA, *.TPI, *.NEO, *.PI? and *.PC? images. This art package
is aimed at all graphic artists who need a quick and effective art
package to produce true color (full 16 bit 65536 color) pictures for
games, demos, utilities or private use. One very nice thing about this
program is that you don't have to change color mode or resolution from
the desktop, since RAINBOW automatically changes that (and returns to
the old desktop settings when you quit). The package even contains a
built-in photo studio! Brief docs (but useful) and ordering
information included. VGA or RGB monitors. Note: this is not a major
upgrade over the demo of v.1.0 or 1.1, but it does add several user
requested features. It also includes a file detailing Rainbow II
Multimedia, a new and much improved product. Delphi.
[] RST21_PR is a text file telling all about RATSoft/ST v.2.1 (dated
July 8th, 1994 and updated November 4, 1994). RATSoft is an excellent
BBS software, extremely powerful, yet easy to use and set up (10
minutes of set-up and you're ready to go!). If you are looking to
start a BBS I would recommend this text file to you. It only helps to
see what's available! Delphi.
[] SHANGHAI is a falcon only demo of the game "Let's Play Shanghai!"
by Anthony Guye-Vuilleme. Shanghai is a Chinese game that has existed
for more than 2500 years. It's a kind of "patience" which uses 77
paired "stones" (144 in all) arranged in order to symbolize a sign of
the chinese zodiac, an ideogram, or an animal. The goal of the game is
to remove all the stones by identical pairs. A help option is included
in the program for when you get stuck (and you will!). It works in
640x480 256 colors with a VGA monitor, and in 640x400 256 colors with
a RGB monitor or a TV. It uses the DSP for the music, and changes
automatically to the right resolution. Requires a 4 meg Falcon and
works with or without harddrive. This demo is fully functional except
you are limited to one minute per level, there is no sound, and you
can't load in new games. Online docs. I found this on the Uni-kl
Internet site in Germany.
[] SLOWBLIT is a program by Sven Bruns which will help fix a problem
some Falcon's have when upgraded with a CPU speed upgrade. The problem
is that the Falcon Blitter chip sometimes hangs up then pushed at that
speed. Just run this from the AUTO folder and it will fix this
proglem. Docs in German. I found this on the Uni-kl Internet site in
Germany.
[] SONGZ105 is a demo of Song Z v.1.0.5f by Lucky LooK (dated Oct. 23,
1994). It is a multi-media database for tapes, records and CD's. If
you have a Falcon you can even digitize samples of each file for
inclusion in the database! It also apparently will let you display
pictures (GIF/NEO/PI1/PC1), probably related to the songs in some way.
The program can be in French, English, or German (click on your
selection). According to the docs it requires at least 1.4 meg of free
RAM and a display equal or superior to 640*400. The only problem with
that is that it runs fine on my ST medium res monitor (the display is
a bit squished, but it works fine!). Higher res. is recomended. A 4
meg Falcon is recommended as well. MultiTOS, screen enhancer, Outside
(the virtual memory manager), SpeedoGDOS and NVDI compatible. I found
this on the Uni-kl Internet site in Germany.
[] STGUIDE2 is the English version of ST-Guide v.1.20E by Holger Weets
(dated Sept 24,1994). ST-Guide is a wonderful HyperText system for the
ST--Falcon. I've been waiting for an English version of this to become
available for a long time now. Through Joe Connor in England, the wait
has finally ended (Joe has translated and supports a number of German
programs - all by his graciousness. Thanks Joe!). There are scores of
programs that use the ST-Guide format to provide an easy-to-use format
for their documentation (7-up and MasterBrowse to name just two). One
of the basic advantages of ST-Guide hypertexts is the ability to
create hypertexts with cross-references and branches available through
an on-screen mouse click. One thing I really like is the ability to
cut out chunks of the Hypertext and paste them to the Atari Clipboard
for use in other applications (like writing descriptions!). For
example... ST-Guide offers you:
- Comprehensive graphics capabilities
- Low storage requirements on floppy or hard disk
- Economic use of working memory in the computer
- Use as either desk accessory and program
- Hypertexts in other formats can be converted to ST-Guide format
- Several search functions, including for search for similarities
- You can even branch to help-pages from normal ASCII texts
- Free choice of display font if GDOS has been loaded
- The program STOOL automatically catalogues all your hypertexts
- ST-Guide is Freeware, but voluntary contributions are welcomed
You can even write your own hypertexts using the included utilities
(see also STG_UTIL below). It doesn't look that hard to do. This is
SOME PROGRAM! I recommend it to you. Lots of sample Hypertexts
included. ST--Falcon. Color or mono. Delphi.
[] STG_UTIL is the second portion of the ST-Guide archives (dated July
1, 1994). It contains a number of utilities for use in creating your
own ST_Guide Hypertexts. They are 1st-Conv, PC-Conv, MAN2STG with
source codes in C in each case, as well as HELP_RC and HELPDISK. .HYP
files for each of these files are included in the STGUIDE2 archive.
Docs included. Delphi.
[] TDSK140A is Tera Desktop v.1.40a by Wout Klaren (dated Sept 13,
1994). The Tera Desktop is a desktop replacement for the ST (and
TT/Falcon) that is constantly being improved. This desktop offers many
of the same features as NeoDesk, DC Desktop, and the Atari NewDesk
(TOS 2.06 and above), and then some. One of the nicest improvement is
that now TeraDesk allows you to multi-task within Geneva and MultiTOS!
With this program (which uses about 140K of RAM) you can place files
and programs on the desktop as icons, and view files in a window (one
nice feature is that you can select the size of the font, small,
normal, large, and very large, used in displaying text - both in the
file viewer and in the windows). Buttons in dialog boxes can be
selected with the keyboard! There are really too many features to be
listed here. It will work with any TOS (both ST and TT/Falcon versions
are included) and from a floppy or Hard Drive (Hard Drive is
definitely recommended). It can be run from the AUTO folder or from
the desktop. Color or mono. Docs included (now program and docs are in
English, French, and Dutch - you choose). One nice feature is the
ability to view .IMG and Degas pictures. I recommend that you check
this program out! I found this through the Internet at Uni-kl in
Germany.
[] TELE_211 is TeleInxCPX v.2.11, a telephone number and address
database in CPX form by Andreas Mandel (dated June 24, 1994). It's in
German, but that doesn't matter at all (you can figure it out!). The
adressbook is sorted alphabetically and you can go to any letter in it
with the click of the mouse. You can use this CPX to dial your
telephone numbers for you, too. The sample database has all sorts of
interesting telephone numbers in it (J.F. Kennedy, Paul Tillich, and
more). This CPX will work with all TOS >= (greater than or equal to)
TOS 1.04 and from ST-low through TT-high (and maybe with Graphic
cards, too). German docs included. I found this through the Internet
at Uni-kl in Germany.
[] TXT_ANL is the Text Analyzer by Dan Ackerman (dated 1994). This
program will analyze your text telling you total number of letters,
syllables, words, and sentences, and give you a grade level and FOG
and Flesch Indices, as well as a word count and more. He has re-worked
some source code (originally from Thomas Castle) resulting in this
program. It now will run properly on a Falcon (and probably all other
Atari's, too). He cautions that it still has some Line A codes in it
so it might not work on all graphic cards. I found this through the
Internet at Uni-kl in Germany. Delphi.
[] VALENCY is Only! Valency by Jens Schulz (dated Dec. 24, 1994). I
especially like Only! Valency (O!V) because it reminds me of my
chemistry background. But as the opening screen of this game says,
"You will love and curse this game at the same time." It sure is a
challenge! You don't have to be a chemist to play O!V, all you need is
quick reflexes, both mental and physical. O!V is a boardgame which
presents you with 300 levels of molecules which you need to build
using the atoms at hand. Unfortunately, molecules aren't nice 2
dimensional beings. They are 3D and so are the O!V molecules. As you
build your molecules to match the pattern goal you need to rotate your
molecule to bring the next link into view. This gets complicated...
and fun! Of course, the above would just be too easy, so Jens has
added all sorts of traps and dropouts to slow you down. There are
solitaire (without time limits) and several Tournament modes (with
decreasing time limits) options. This excellent game will play on any
ST--Falcon from ST Low res through VGA 640*480 16/256 colors
(including CrazyDots and Matrix graphic cards). Keyboard or mouse
controlled. Shareware. English and German versions included (and
their respective docs). As with anything by Jens, I recommend this.
Delphi.
[] VIDEO released by Frank Succardi of CyberTech Computer Systems is
an example of what can be done with the VideoMaster Multimedia System,
a VCR, and a 4MB ATARI 1040STFM. The video clip was made by Tomas
Vigil, a local Public Access TV Producer. The clip, about Public
Access TV (with some interesting sections about bird breeding!) was
grabbed from an S-VHS tape in real time. Since there is no fast
action, he opted to save memory by decreasing the frame-grab rate to 7
frames per second, allowing a full minute of video and audio in less
than 4MB of memory space. Thanks, Frank, for being one of the Online
dealers supporting Atari users! Uncompresses to over 3.1 meg! Delphi.
[] WORMHOLE is the Wormhole animation for the Falcon only created by
Barry Summer using Apex Media from Black Scorpion Software. This is a
72 frame animation in FLC format. He created it, in part, by using a
Hovercraft FLI animation overlayed onto a POV wormhole in space. He
then added some globs and worms coming out of the center and saved the
anim. as an FLC file. The Apex player program is included...just drag
the wormhole file to the TTP icon, and away it goes. Uncompresses to
737K. Color only. Delphi.
About a year and a half ago I downloaded the following files from
the GEnie Home Office/Small Business Roundtable (HOSB). I recommend
them to you.
[] 2CATALOG is a text file by Dr. Jeffrey Lant entitled "How To Sell
Your Product to Catalogs and Cash In!" If you've got a product and
want to use catalogs to make additional revenue, this file will tell
you a series of useful steps you can follow to do just that. This guy
is a salesman, for sure!
[] ADOPT-AT is a brief excerpt from the book, "Dancing with Lawyers:
How to Take Charge and Get Results," by Nicholas Carroll. Combining
both insight and humor, this book teaches you how to effectively use
the service of whatever lawyer you attach. This book is not about
being Democratic with your lawyer, it's about showing him or her who's
boss, and sticking with it! This guy is one hard nut! "The message
from this book is simple: it's the client who is boss, not the
lawyer... it's a must for any reference shelf." - The Atlanta Journal
& Constitution. The book is published by Royce Baker Publishing and
may be ordered by calling (800)733-7440.
[] ANSWERS is a text file containing some fascinating excepts from
"The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book" by Janet Attard
published by Henry Holt and Company. Janet Attard is sysop of the Home
Office/Small Business RoundTable and the U. S. Air Force Small
Business RoundTable on the GEnie service. She is the owner of Attard
Communications, a company which provides writing, editorial and
information services to growing businesses and major corporations. An
award-winning writer with numerous books and articles to her credit,
she has been self-employed for more than 20 years so she knows what
she is talking about! This file shows that as well. By reading this
file you can see how valuable her book would be. The book itself gives
you realistic answers to more than 900 of the most frequently asked
questions about starting and running small businesses.
[] ASBESTOS is a brief article from the U.S. Department of Labor (Fact
Sheet No. OSHA 92-06, dated Feb. 18, 1992) entitled "Better Protection
Against Asbestos in the Workplace." OSHA has issued revised
regulations covering asbestos exposure in general industry and
construction. Both standards set a maximum exposure limit and include
provisions for engineering controls and respirators, protective
clothing, exposure monitoring, hygiene facilities and practices,
warning signs, labeling, recordkeeping, and medical exams. Since an
estimated 1.3 million workers receive significant exposure to asbestos
through their jobs this is a very useful read.
[] BBR1093 is the Oct. 1993 issue of the Bell Business Report, by
Laura Bell. This issue presents a number of business related concepts
and news in a very readable manner. Subscription information is
provided. I recommend that you get this file.
[] DIET-5 is an archive from the Weight Loss BBS from May 10, 1991
through May 18, 1993 as found in Category 10, Topic 30 on GEnie. For
some reason or another I found this in the BUSINESS Roundtable. It is
full of interesting facts, encouraging support, and hope for all of
you (me too) who hope to loose some of that extra weight you carry
around. An interesting read.
[] DISCOUNT is Auto-Discounting by Robert Boys. This is not about
techniques used by car salespeople in reducing the price of
automobiles, not at all. It is about the practice of many people to
automatically discount new ideas and suggestions even before a fair
hearing is given. This brief text file details the problem, which is
a big part of the solution! Interesting!
[] EMPLYEE is a text file from the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA Fact
Sheet No. OSHA 91-35). This text details OSHA's "Employee Workplace
Rights and Responsibilities." Interesting, and not what it was like
(in practice) when I was working as a chemist!
[] ENTRESEC is "The Entrepreneur's Guide To Wealth Secrets" by Adam
Starchild. It is an online book (230K uncompressed) filled with
interesting ways of turning your time and talents into money. Some of
the ideas are interesting, while others I wouldn't touch with a ten
foot pole. It has the flavor of a get-rich-quick book, but tempered
with the idea that in order to do that you need to work hard!
Shareware.
[] EYESAFE is a text file from the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA Fact
Sheet No. OSHA 92-35). This text details OSHA's "Eye Protection in the
Workplace" rules. As the text says, "Every day an estimated 1,000 eye
injuries occur in American workplaces. The financial cost of these
injuries is enormous - more than $300 million per year in lost
production time, medical expenses, and workers compensation. No dollar
figure can adequately reflect the personal toll these accidents take
on the injured workers." This file tells some of the common causes of
eye injuries in the workplace and some ways to avoid them.
Interesting, and just like it was when I was working as a chemist
(they were sticklers for Eye Protection).
[] GLASS is the Report of "The Glass Ceiling Initiative" from the U.S.
Department of Labor. It's an interesting report detailing the causes
and remedies of "The Glass Ceiling" or that barrier in the workplace
which tends to inhibit the rise of women and minorities to upper
management positions. As the introduction to the report states: "The
glass ceiling, where it exists, hinders not only individuals but
society as a whole. It effectively cuts our pool of potential
corporate leaders by eliminating over one-half of our population. It
deprives our economy of new leaders, new sources of creativity -- the
"would be" pioneers of the business world. If our end game is to
compete successfully in today's global market, then we have to unleash
the full potential of the American work force. The time has come to
tear down, to dismantle - the 'Glass Ceiling.'" No date, but
uploaded in Sept. 1993.
[] HODED1 is the transcript from the Home Office/Small Business topic
on GEnie (found in Category 7, Topic 18). This transcript runs from
April 14, 1991 through Feb. 13, 1993. This topic is full of useful
ideas about working out of your home. What to deduct (and what not
to), depreciation, what is and is not an office, Supreme Court
rulings, etc. are all covered. If you have a business in your home, or
are thinking about having one, I recommend this file.
[] INDRAIR is a text file that describes the causes and effects of
Indoor air quality in office environments. This file discusses obvious
problems and more hidden ones often labeled "sick building syndrome."
In the opinion of some World Health Organization experts, up to 30
percent of new or remodelled commercial buildings may have unusually
high rates of health and comfort complaints from occupants that may
potentially be related to indoor air quality. Read all about it!
[] INFO is a fun (and useful) look by David Hallerman at the issue of
organizational ability and helps to increase the same (dated Aug.
1993). Entitled "TACKLE INFORMATION OVERLOAD Your Customized Plan For
Getting Organized" this text file is full of helpful information. I
found the self-test included in this file (measuring your practical
organizational skills) to be a riot! I fall near the bottom of the
scale. Suggested computer software (all clone and Mac--sigh) and other
tools are included. This is another useful text file (would I tell you
about any other?). Uploaded to GEnie with permission from Home Office
Computing magazine. That sounds like a good magazine!
[] INTLRTC2 is a GEnie Roundtable conference on "How to Get Started in
International Business" held in the Home Office/Small Business area on
GEnie on October 17, 1993 (my wife's birthday!). The guest speaker is
Nancy Irwin, being well-experienced in the realm of international
business (as shown by her bona fides).
[] INTERVW is a text file entitled, "Interviewing." As the file
states, "Most hiring decisions are made at the first interview. How
you come across in that interview could be as important as your
experience and job talents." This text gives you some important
interviewing tips that may help you get the job you want."
[] IRATAX is an interesting text file taken from the Home Office/Small
Business Roundtable, Category 7, Topic 17 and deals with Individual
Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and tax liabilities. Running from Feb. 28,
1991 though March 22, 1992 this file gives you expert on-line help in
just how to get the most benefits from an IRA.
[] JOBGUIDE is the "Job Search Guide: Strategies for Professionals."
This ASCII text from the U.S. Department of Labor (dated 1993)
provides important job search information including specific steps
that job seekers can follow to identify employment opportunities. A
job seeker can use the information in this Guide to develop job
hunting strategies, learn skills and techniques for successfully
completing the applicant screening process (e.g., filling out
applications, answering interview questions, completing employment
tests), as well as identify other resources that can be helpful in
locating employment. 191K uncompressed.
[] JOBPERFM is a study from the US Department of Labor entitled "High
Performance Work Practices and Firm Performance" (dated July 1993).
It evaluates the effectiveness of work practices and the effect of the
same on overall company performance and profitability. Designed to be
background material for the "Conference on the Future of the American
Workplace." The study focusses on the researched link between
increased productivity and three specific high performance work
practices--employee involvement in decision-making, compensation
linked to firm or worker performance, and training. Interesting!
[] LASERPR is a review from the September 1993 issue of Home Office
Computing Magazine (I've seen enough good articles from this that it's
probably time to subscribe - having a home business and all).
Entitled: "LOW-COST LASERS: POWER PRINTING AT BARGAIN PRICES Laser
Printers Entice With Premium-Quality Output, Speed, And, Now, Low
Prices" by Henry Beechhold, this article is full of information about
specific model laser printers of all types. Perhaps more importantly
(since specific models come and go) this article has lots of
information you need to know about laser printers, PostScript, etc.
no matter the specific model you buy (I like my SLM605 very much,
thank you!).
[] MLMSUC1 is a text file by Dr. Jeffrey Lant telling you "The 10
Things That Will Make Your Experience in MLM Profitable," Part 1. Now,
I wasn't too sure what "MLM" is, and I couldn't find a definition
anywhere here, but I finally figured it out. "MLM" is Multi-Level
Marketing (I think). In other words companies such as Avon, Shackley,
Amway, Discovery Toys, etc.. This text presents you with a hard-
biting review of just what you need to do to make MLM work for you.
The author tells you which business to run from and which types can
work out--if you work hard. As he says, "In short, caveat emptor."
Interesting reading.
[] MLMSUC2 is part two of Dr. Jeffrey Lant's article "The 10 Things
That Will Make Your Experience in MLM Profitable." See MLMSUC1 for
Part 1.
[] PORK_BAR is a text file extracted from the book: "THE GOVERNMENT
RACKET: Washington Waste From A to Z", by Martin L. Gross, July 1992,
and arranged into categories by Chris Albritton. Entitled, "PORK
BARREL SPENDING: RECENT EXAMPLES BY OUR CONGRESS." The term "pork
barrel" stems back to the early 1800s when the popular meat was packed
that way, and hungry farm hands reached in for slabs of salt pork. In
1879, it was adopted as political slang to mean goodies for the local
district paid for by the taxpayers at large. This file presents you
with an amusing (and dispairing!) look at some of the current "pork
barrel" practices of Congress. Some are justified, but some the author
didn't do his homework on (in my opinion). Some of the latter are his
listings: "$1 million to study why people don't ride bikes to work."
and "$19 million to examine gas emissions from cow flatulence." He
calls those absurd, but they really aren't. Believe it or not, methane
from "cow flatulence" is a significant contributor to the greenhouse
effect. Finding out how significant is important. If we want to
encourage energy conservation why not find out why people don't ride
bikes to work? Anyway, I liked the file.
[] RESUMES is a RoundTable Conference Resume Workshop in the Home
Office/ Small Business area of GEnie dated Sept. 27, 1993. The guests
were John Maihos and Michael Holzschu and the conversation covered the
ins and outs of Resume preparation, style, presentation, and more.
Interesting, especially if you are looking for a job!
[] RESUMES2 is the second in series of RoundTable Conferences on
Resume making in the Home Office/ Small Business area of GEnie. This
one is dated October 11, 1993. The guests were John Maihos and Michael
Holzschu and the conversation covered the ins and outs of Resume
preparation, style, presentation, and more.
[] RESUMES3 is the third in series of RoundTable Conferences on Resume
making in the Home Office/ Small Business area of GEnie. This one is
dated August 18, 1993 (I suspect the correct date is Oct. or Nov. 18,
1993, but who knows - see RESUMES2 and RESUMES for more information).
The guests were John Maihos and Michael Holzschu and the conversation
covered the ins and outs of Resume preparation, style, presentation,
and more.
[] SELLBOOK is a text file by Dr. Jeffrey Lant entitled, "How I Net at
Least $1,000,000 from each of my 'How-To' Books; What You Have to Do
So You Will, Too!" This article (in which he promotes his own products
- of course!) is full of helpful hints in promoting your writing over
a lifetime. In some ways he is rather callous, but overall I think he
has some helpful things to say.
[] SEXHAR is a text file from the U.S. Department of Labor entitled,
"Guidelines for Employers on Sexual Harassment (uploaded Aug. 18,
1993). This details a model effort to eliminate sexual harassment in
the workplace, definitions of sexual harassment, and more. It's
interesting reading. As Lynn Martin, the Secretary of Labor says,
"This is not just to make women 'comfortable' in the workplace. It is
so that women and men can have a workplace where each may grow and
prosper."
[] TAXBNINC is a transcript from the Home Office/Small Business
Roundtable on GEnie, Category 7, Topic 19 running from March 23, 1990
through June 2, 1993 dealing with the possible tax/liability/legal
benefits/ liabilities of incorporating a one-person (or other small)
business.
[] TAXQ&A7 is a series of basic tax questions and answers from the
Home Office/Small Business area of GEnie (Category 7, Topic 2) from
1992 and 1993). The answers were correct when given, but Uncle Sam
changes things often, so they might not be correct today. Still,
looking through this can point you to the right questions to ask.
Interesting reading.
[] TAXQ&A8 is a series of basic tax questions and answers from the
Home Office/Small Business area of GEnie (Category 7, Topic 2) dated
from 1990 through 1993 (the dates jump about strangely). The answers
were correct when given, but Uncle Sam changes things often, so they
might not be correct today. Still, looking through this can point you
to the right questions to ask. Interesting reading.
Well, that's all for now. Take care, and I hope you're here next
issue, too!
All of these files can be found on one or more of the following
on-line services: Delphi (MRBURKLEY), GEnie (M.BURKLEY1) The
CodeHead BBS (818) 980-6763), Toad Computers BBS (410-544-6999), and
at Toad Hall, now the official BBS of the Boston Computer Society
(617-567-8642) (as Michael R. Burkley). You can also reach me via the
Internet at MRBURKLEY@DELPHI.COM.
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.
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||| DA'S Vektor/DA'S Vektor Pro 2.10
||| Review by: Boris Molodyi
/ | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.6
------------------------------------------------------------------
DA'S Vektor Pro and its smaller brother, DA'S Vektor, are probably the
two most powerful vector drawing programs available for the Atari
platform. They are produced by Digital Arts, the same team that
brought us DA'S Picture, DA'S Layout, and whose members were
responsible for Didot and Retouche family of programs from 3K
ComputerBild. While DA'S Vektor Pro and DA'S Vektor aren't as powerful
as Freehand (formerly from Aldus, now from Macromedia, and really
written by Altsys) or Adobe Illustrator, they are very powerful and
feature-rich programs with much lower price and hardware requirements.
As a matter of fact, both versions of DA'S Vektor will run on an ST
with a monochrome monitor and 2MB of RAM. You need a hard drive to
store the program and all the support files, though. They also work
with almost all graphic cards in almost all resolutions (better than
640*400) and in almost all color modes. They will also work with
MultiTOS, but tend to grab all the available memory (which they,
indeed, need), and basically do not behave too well.
DA'S Vektor is billed as "Graphics, Presentations, and Animation
Tools" in its manual, and it is all of those. It is also claimed to be
the "first multimedia vector graphics program in the world." Well, if
not in THE world, then certainly in the World Atari, it is the only
program offering such possibilities.
//// Installation
Installing the program is easy enough, even though Digital Arts did
not bother to write an installation program. All that is required is
to copy self-extracting archives from the distribution disks, and
double-click on them. They extract all the necessary files, and the
program is almost ready to run. "Almost" comes from the fact that the
configuration file that is extracted along with others contains some
assumptions about file locations that aren't necessarily true for your
system. And DA'S Vektor, being somewhat less stable program than, say,
DA'S Picture, may simply crash if it can not load some file it needs
or attempts to load the file of a wrong type. Unfortunately, the
manual does not describe what files have what extensions, so the best
way to configure the program is to delete DAVEKTOR.SYS file from the
DAVEKTOR.CFG folder, and try to reconstruct the correct configuration
file by loading all necessary files (transformation nets, formulae,
color palettes etc.) into the program, then saving settings.
//// Manual
The manual that comes with the program ("Introduction to DA'S Vektor,"
and DA'S Vektor Pro addendum) are well-written (with some humor) and
generally informative, albeit sometimes too self-congratulatory. It
explains in detail principles of vector drawing and editing, and the
program's various functions. Unfortunately, it does not cover such
things as what supplementary files have what extensions, and some of
the most technical details. Fortunately, those are covered in the
context sensitive online help (supplied through the DA'S Knowhow desk
accessory). Just point the mouse at the object you are interested in,
hit the HELP key, and up pops a window with cross-referenced hypertext
help. Of course, you can also call up the desk accessory and browse
through by yourself, without even having to load the program. Why then
the printed manual at all? Well, the author (Guenther Kriedl) says
that he wanted to give users something to sit on the loo with....
There also is a DA'S Vektor Tutorial, which shows how to use some of
the program's powerful (but not always intuitive) tools to achieve
interesting results (creating photorealistic shadows, tiled and
hatched fill patterns, textured text etc.).
//// Interface
The interface of DA'S
Vektor is mostly standard GEM, but showing
strong influence of Calamus. You get a menu bar for basic operations
(such as file operations, options settings and online help), a window
where all the work takes place, and a toolbox on the left. For some
reason I can not explain, Digital Arts decided that the window does
not need scroll arrows, so if you want to move the visible area inside
the window, you need to drag scroll boxes (it's still an improvement
over old Didot LineArt, which did not have a window at all). The
window may be resized and closed (all the contents still remains, an
you can reopen it later through a function in one of menus).
There is another way of moving around the window, however: holding
down the right mouse button gives you the view of the whole working
area in the outline mode, and you can move a rectangle representing
area visible at a current magnification around. When you release the
button, the window displays the selected area in full detail.
Toolbox works very much like in Calamus: you get icons that perform
certain functions, and some of them lead you to sub-toolboxes. All
icons are supposed to have freely redefineable keyboard shortcuts, and
those shortcuts do show up in help messages (again, as in Calamus,
short help messages are displayed on the right side of the menu bar).
However, these shortcuts aren't actually implemented in the
distributed version. You need to define them yourself. Of course,
information on exactly how to do that (and it's not intuitive) is
buried deep within the online help.
Also, these shortcuts span only the current toolbox (i.e., unlike
Calamus, where one keyclick can take you from one area of the program
to a completely unrelated one), in DA'S Vektor you need to get to the
necessary toolbox first, and only then use the shortcut. On the other
hand, these shortcuts generally do not need any of the modifier keys
(i.e. Ctrl or Alt), so you may easily access all the keyboard
shortcuts with only one hand, while keeping another on the mouse. Of
course, if you want to, you can use Alt or Ctrl as well. The only real
complaint I have about the shortcut definition system is that, unlike
Calamus (again :-), it does not warn you that you are using the same
key again, so you may easily overwrite an earlier-defined key with a
newer one.
//// Basics
All the work you do in DA'S Vektor occurs on a work area of 81.92 by
81.92 centimeters (I do not know the reasons for this very precise
number). Within this area you define a special region, which is
actually a printed page (or a picture when working with animation).
Only objects within this area are printed on paper or displayed in
animation. The rest of the work area serves as a large pasteboard.
Unlike most other Atari drawing programs, which are limited to
positioning objects (frames) in one large heap, in which you can
reorder them (which gets rather tedious if you have many objects),
DA'S Vektor uses a layer system, borrowed from professional CAD
programs. One can think of each layer as a transparency that can be
edited separately. Each layer can hold objects independently of any
other layer (with the special exception of animation that I shall
discuss later), and edited separately. When you first start the
program you have only one layer. But you can add as many as you need
(unless you need more than 65,536 layers, which does not seem too
likely), reorder them, and copy or move objects from one layer to
another. By default, layers are named "Layer 1", "Layer 2" etc., but
you can rename them if you wish. Also, in order to speed up screen
redraws, it is possible to make all layers except the one being edited
invisible.
Now, before I lose you, let me define some basic concepts of vector
editing. Regular bitmap (or raster) editors (Degas, DA'S Picture, for
example) work with pictures consisting of individual dots. Such
pictures can be of very high, photorealistic quality. They however
have some serious disadvantages. For one thing, because each dot has
to be stored, with its color, such pictures tend to consume huge
amounts of memory, especially if you work in True Color. Another
serious drawback of raster graphics is that they are resolution-
dependent. Each picture has a certain number of dots in it, and any
attempt to resize the picture (for example to print it on a
higher-resolution device) results in every dot in the picture simply
becoming larger, leading to "jaggies". By the same token, if you make
the picture smaller, some data is lost.
Vector graphics, on the other hand, are resolution- (or device-)
independent. They can be output with highest possible quality on any
device, and they can be freely reshaped and resized.
Vector graphics consist of -objects-, which are, internally,
mathematical descriptions of shapes. In most modern vector drawing
programs, objects consist of -paths- (or outlines), not necessarily
contiguous, which are a collection of straight lines, and/or bezier
curves. Straight lines are, of course, just that. Bezier curves
(namely, third order beziers), named after Mr. Bezier, as you might
have guessed, are doubly-bent curves with four special points attached
to them: start, end, and two control points (which are the ends of the
curve's tangents). By moving these points it is easy to reshape the
curve in a way that is both intuitive (i.e., you can guess how the
cure will change when you move the point like that) and easy to
describe mathematically (beziers would be of little use if it took
your computer a week to redraw them). These paths define the outline
or contour of the object. Also since each path (internally) is
mathematically described, it is very easy to apply various geometrical
transformations (such as skewing, projection onto 3D surfaces or
rotation) to them.
Each path is assigned a direction (hence, vector graphics) and certain
attributes, such as fill color and pattern, width and color of the
path (by itself, a path is assumed to be infinitely thin), and some
other, such as the way paths' ends are drawn. By combining paths with
different attributes it is possible to create illustrations of just
about anything.
To make manipulating objects easier, they can be grouped together and
manipulated (moved, resized, reshaped etc.) as one. These groups may
be further grouped, etc. As I have already said, DA'S Vektor also
offers layers, so if you work with a complex graphic, you can place
different objects onto different layers so they don't get in the way.
//// Tools
DA'S Vektor consists of five more or less independent parts: Tracer
(vectorization of raster graphics), Path Editor (where you can create
and modify paths themselves), Vector Graphics editor (where you can
apply attributes, such as fill color, and transformations, such as
movement or 3D projection, to existing objects), Graphic Chart editor
(where you can create charts from numerical data), and Animation
editor (where you can create animation, of course).
[] 1. Tracer
DA'S Vektor is the only commercially available Atari program that can
trace color images. Actually, regular version of DA'S Vektor can trace
_only_ color (or grayscale images). DA'S Vektor Pro also can trace
monochrome images, but it isn't as good at it as dedicated monochrome
autotracers, such as Convector from Gribnif or Avant Vector from
Codeheads.
The tracer part of the program is capable of loading images in TIH,
TIC (and TIM for the Pro version) formats, which are Digital Arts'
variations of the popular TIFF format. After the picture is loaded, it
can be freely resized and cropped.
The basic idea of DA'S Vektor's tracer is, actually, in its color
capability. Instead of having you to fiddle tracing parameters, you
choose the color of an area you want to trace, and a color which isn't
that area. After that, the tracer creates a vector outline of the
colored area. Alternatively, it is possible to define a color of an
area, and the tolerance (+/- that many percent), and any color that
differs by less than the preset tolerance from the area color is
assumed to be the same color as the area. Thus it is possible to
easily vectorize areas of the (almost) same color from a color
picture.
The Pro version of DA'S Vektor can also vectorize monochrome images,
but because it is mainly geared towards color tracing, it does not
offer any controls over vectorization parameters when doing so. For
monochrome images, a dedicated tracing program produces far better
results. However, if you need to quickly vectorize an image and do not
care too much about the tracing quality, DA'S Vektor can do the job.
Unfortunately, even though DA'S Vektor can trace color images, it can
not trace them in color. In other words, whatever you traced becomes a
vector graphic of a single color (which you can preselect and freely
change afterwards). If you need to trace an image with many objects of
different color in it, you may have to run the tracer several times,
selecting a different area color each time.
DA'S Vektor's tracer can work in Bezier, Line, or Optimised Line
modes. The latter does not attempt to fit a line around every pixel in
the image, and thus somewhat eliminates noise usually present in
scanned images.
One other tool that is accessible from the Tracer's toolbox allows one
to quickly create an object having loaded picture as its fill. That
way you can easily add an existing image into your design.
[] 2. Chart Generator
Another tool that generates vector graphics from existing data is the
Chart Generator. While not as feature-laden as a special charting
program might be, it is quite competent in visualizing numeric data.
This data may be entered directly into the program, or imported in
ASCII format (SFD). After the data is entered or imported, you can
select colors assigned to each column, and adjust parameters for
markings, legends, and coordinate grids.
DA'S Vektor can process tables of up to 8 columns by 32 rows. While it
isn't too much by modern spreadsheet standards, it is probably more
than enough if you want your audience to actually comprehend any of
the data you are presenting.
Of course, if you do not want them to comprehend it, DA'S Vektor has
enough ways to hide any relevant information behind nice displays.
DA'S Vektor offers following chart formats:
1. Line graphs. These are pretty standard charts made of lines.
2. Filled line graphs. Same as above, but areas beneath lines are
filled with a color of your choice. With these, you can select to
draw them in either absolute (areas with higher numbers will
cover those with lower numbers), or sum (with all areas being
stacked one on top of the other) modes.
3. Bar charts. These are pretty standard, too.
4. Three-dimensional bar charts. Same as above, but instead of bars,
you get 3D columns arranged, in perspective, on an area. To
adjust the perspective, you use the 3D Extruder tool (more on
that later).
5. Pie charts. These are recommended, in the manual, for
politicians, as they reduce the message to the simplest.
6. Three-dimensional pie charts. These are recommended for
discerning politicians (Ross Perot would love this format).
7. Also, DA'S Vektor has "free-form" charts, which are generated
from any drawing that you have produced earlier. There are two
types of free-form charts: area and object ones. Area charts are
very similar to pie charts, but instead of circle sectors, you
can use any shape you want. Object charts, on the other hand, are
drawn in perspective. Manual is rather vague on what exactly
these two options produce, so you will need some experimenting to
fully understand the possibilities of this tool. However, results
that can be achieved with free-form charts can be very
spectacular.
Of course, any chart created in the Chart Generator can be further
modified using the full array of tools available in other parts of the
program. You can, for example, make one chart morph into another, or
use a scanned photograph as a fill for a pie chart.
[] 3. Path Editor
The Path Editor is probably the most important part of DA'S Vektor, as
it is here that you actually edit shapes of your objects.
The Path Editor features all the tools you would expect from a
high-end vector drawing program. Available to you are: line tool (for
drawing straight lines), bezier tool (for drawing curves), and a
freehand tool (for drawing anything you want). Freehand tool may work
either in polyline mode, or it can convert the line into beziers.
When drawing in bezier mode, it is possible to switch on "permanence"
of beziers, so that every new curve you draw will appear to naturally
follow the previous one. If you don't, beziers appear as straight
lines connecting the start and end points.
After you have created a drawing, you can call upon a number of
editing tools. DA'S Vektor gives you ability to move path segments and
individual points (and unlike all other Atari drawing programs, it
even allows you to grab the path at any point and move it around; you
do not have to hunt for control points themselves), convert between
beziers and straight lines, cut and join path segments, change the
direction of a segment, make it into a closed and smoothed path, as
well as rotation and resizing (both proportional and free-for,) of
them. You can also convert (with smoothing) the whole path made up of
straight line into one made of straight curves, and if you feel like
it, you may remove a path into a different object.
There are some other tools as well, such as the Intersection Remover,
which is supposed to remove intersections in your paths. Sometimes it
does that. Sometimes, on the other hand, instead of creating a path
that looks exactly like the original one, but does not have
intersections in it, it creates something quite strange and weird.
To aid you in doing all of that, DA'S Vektor offers a wide variety of
construction aides: you can select snap to freely definable grid, you
can draw help lines and circles that your drawings will snap to, and
you can define directional snap. The later lets you easily move points
in a specified direction, without having to worry that you may move
the mouse a wrong way. It is also easy to define zoom settings and
switch between the full page view and two zoom levels.
To top it off, the Path Editor has a clipboard, into which you may
copy an unlimited (withn memory constraints, of course) number of
paths, a trash can that works the same as the clipboard, except that
when memory gets low it is emptied (but usually you can recover quite
a few pieces that you have thrown there), and a library.
It is possible to customize the library to your liking, and even have
a number of different libraries (may be, a library for each customer
you are making designs for). The default library that comes with the
program, however, in Digital Arts' tradition, contains a few polygons,
and a number of basically useless shapes such as a heart, and a couple
of telephones.
[] 4. Vector Graphic Editor
The Vector Graphic Editor is probably the most powerful and fun part
of the program. As I have already said, path themselves are
theoretically invisible. It is here, in the Vector Graphic Editor,
that you assign to them attributes, such as the fill color and line
width that make them visible. Here, also, you can apply various sorts
of transformations to your objects.
The Vector Graphic Editor contains several groups of tools. You have a
clipboard and trash can that operate the same way is in the Path
Editor, and a library. The Library, again, contains such greatly
useful elements as Digital Arts' logo, H3 Systems logo (which looks,
as far as I can tell, as a kangaroo riding on a broomstick), and a
caricature of Hitler with something in German written around.
Another group helps you control various objects in your drawing. You
can group and ungroup objects, join two objects into one, move objects
into the background or foreground, and control which layer the object
will be placed on. You can also copy and move layers.
When working with grouped objects, sometimes you need to change
something in one of the objects making up the group. In most other
drawing programs, you have to ungroup them first, make your changes,
and group them back, which may become complicated if you have several
groups grouped together. To aid in that, DA'S Vektor offers an
ingenious way of temporarily unrgouping objects: Double-clicking on a
group moves you one level down to elements it consists of.
Double-click again, and you go another level down. A handy indicator
in the window's information bar tells you how deep you are. When you
get to the object you need, you can easily edit it (if you
double-click on an object that isn't a group, you are placed directly
into the Path Editor), and by clicking on an arrow in the window's
information bar you can easily get back to the top.
Another group allows you to rotate, resize, move, and distort objects.
You have the full range of snap-to aides available, and you can
control the rotation center, and whether you want distortion or
resizing to be proportional or free-form. All these manipulations are
done in real time, with instant feedback (to cut on the processing
time, however, when you move or resize an object, DA'S Vektor displays
only its outline, it is also possible to display all objects in
outline only, as it considerably speeds up screen redrawing). All the
zoom control tools are also available.
Yet another group allows you to set line and fill attributes. You can
freely define line width, color, end styles (square, round, or
arrowed), line stile (various dots and dashes), and you can set the
style of line joints. Those can be round, corner, or miter.
For the fill areas, you can select the filling algorithm (either
"Winding number" or "Even-odd"; these define how intersecting areas
are drawn), and either fill the area with a solid color, or with a
TIFF picture. DA'S Vektor allows only for color and halftone pictures
to be used as fills. Pro version can also use monochrome pictures.
Halftone and monochrome pictures may be assigned a color. Both
versions of the program give you fine control over the size and
placement of the picture within its object.
The Pro version also is able to assign color gradients to objects. It
is the only Atari program that I know of that can handle a gradient of
arbitrary direction within an arbitrary shape. You can select either
radial (from center outwards) or linear (from one point to another)
gradients, and easily control ots starting/ending points and direction
by simply dragging a line over the object. Gradients, also, may be
either simply or cyclical (from start to and color and back), and they
can be made "soft" (i.e., there is some "bending" between areas of
different color), so the area looks more natural. Another tool
availqble in the Pro version is Blends. These allow you to smoothly
blend one path into another, while also applying color gradient to
these blends.
Yet another unique feature of DA'S Vektor is its ability to conduct
search and replace on line and area fill attributes. By either
entering values manually or picking them directly from the image, you
can select which colors and line styles shoud be searched for, and
what they should be replaced with.
Colors may be entered in either RGB or CMYK system, or can be selected
from a customizable palette.
Here's another tool: DA'S Vektor lets you create text objects. You can
position text on straight lines, circles, or arbitrary paths. You have
a great deal of control over text size, character and line spacing,
start and end fill color of the text, and kerning between individual
letters. DA'S Vektor can load fonts in either Calamus' CFN, or its own
DFN formats. DFN fonts contain hinting, so they appear better on
screens and low resolution printers. However, unlike CFN fonts, there
is no supply of professional DFN fonts available. However, an included
utility lets you convert any Type 1 font into DFN format.
The final group of tools lets you transform objects. In these group
are 3D Extruder, Bezier Grid Transformation, Calculator, and
Multicopy.
- 3D Extruder: this tool lets you take any object and add "depth" to
it. You can control the depth of an object, as well as angles of its
rotation in all three axis. Yu can also define the color of the
extruded surface, and position the light source so that more or less
naturalistic shading is added.
Of course, DA'S Vektor isn't a true 3D rendering program, so one
should not expect photorealistic effects from it. It does not
actually know anything about 3D, so as soon as you exit from the 3D
Extruder, it treats your object as a regular flat drawing, which
just happens to look 3D. Nevertheless, this tool allows you to
create very impressive effects.
- Bezier Grid Transformations: this allow you to project any object
onto a 3D surface. The surface is defined as a grid with 16 points
that you may drag around to make it look like a solid object. With
this tool it is also possible to achieve quite spectacular results,
such as projecting some text onto a globe, or projecting your
company's logo onto a waving flag surface. DA'S Vektor comes with a
library of (for a change useful) transformation grids, and allows
you to define and save your own grids and libraries of them.
- Calculator: this tool, which looks very much like the calculator
found in Outline Art from DMC, allows you to apply an arbitrary
mathematical formulae to the object. Actually, DA'S Vektor's
calculator is somewhat more powerful than one in Outline Art, as it
allows for more variables. To use this tools efficiently one must
have some solid understanding of geometry and how various
mathematical functions work, but two supplied libraries of formulae
can be quite useful.
- Multicopy: it isn't strictly speaking, a separate transfornmation
tool (I just didn't want to create yet another group for it), but it
does perform some transformations. It allows you to copy an object
(well, you might have guessed that) a number of times, while moving,
resizing, rotating, changing colors and line styles, and applying
Calculator's formulae with each copy. By using this tool it is
possible to achieve, again, some striking effects. Ubnfortunately,
it is rather difficult to describe them...
[] 5. Animations Editor
The final part of the program is its animations editor. Unfortunately,
I did not spend much time with it (honestly, I do not have any need
for an animations editor), but it also offers you great power and
control.
DA'S Vektor isn't a "real" 3D rendering animator, so one should not
expect it to create lifelike 3D animations. It does work with flat
(Tom and Jerry style) animations instead.
DA'S Vektor is a keyframe animator. That means that all you have to do
is to create the beginning and ending frames (and possible a couple of
intermediate frames), and the program will smoothly fill in the rest.
By placing different objects onto different layers it is possible to
achieve fine control over speed and relative positions of various
objects.
The Animations Editor in the Pro version also allows you to define the
camera track (i.e.. the camera also moves as the animation progresses),
and apply filters (just like in real photography, but with finer
control) to generated film.
After you have created a film, played it in slow motion and fine-tuned
all the frames, you can record the film for fast playback on a
particular device (most color modes on most popular graphic cards are
supported). Created animations may be played with the supplied movie
player.
While you can not create Babylon 5 style effect with DA'S Vektor's
Animations Editor, it is a competent tool for video titling,
presentations, and 2D animation jobs. Manual also mentions that DA'S
Vektor can play animations produced by InShape rendering program.
Yet another tool which is based upon the Animations editor but is
useful even to people who do not use animations is the Time-Space
converter. Despite a silly name, it actually is a useful tool,
allowing you, by defining start and end frames, to create all the
intermediate frames and heap them all on top of one another. That
allows you to have one object blending into another.
//// Input/Output
As was described already, DA'S Vektor can load TIFF bitmap files for
tracing or use as fills. It can also import and export vector objects
in Calamus, GEM, HTV (DA'S Vektor's own format), DGV (Didot's vector
format), Retouche/DA'S Picture, and Acorn Archimedes format. You can
export in ESP format, too.
When you save DA'S Vektor's job file, it not only saves you actual
drawing, but the complete state of the system, so when you load this
job file, you are back to exactly the same point where you left.
In different parts of the program you can also load and save
spreadsheet data (Chart Generator) and animations (Animations Editor).
Because DA'S Vektor supports many attributes (such as gradient fills)
that no other program on Atari (with exception of DA'S Layout) does,
it is also possible to print directly from the program. DA'S Vektor
does not come with as many printer driver as, say, PageStream or
Calamus, and really, they are not as intelligent. However, since you
most probably will be printing DA'S Vektor's output from a DTP
program, it allows you to "print" a drawing to disk as an IMG or TIFF
file. That way you can easily include DA'S Vektor output into your
page layout program of choice.
//// Services
DA'S Vektor comes with a number of small utility programs that may be
called from within DA'S Vektor. These include, besides DA'S KnowHow
online help, Graphics Converter, which allows you to convert a few
graphic formats into TIFF variations that DA'S Vektor uses, Type 1 to
DFN font converter, Gradient Generator, which allows you to generate
bitmap gradients, with an option of adding some noise to them, for use
as fills, Noise Adder, which adds noise to existing pictures, and the
Animation Player.
Animation player can play animations produced in DA'S Vektor and is
freely distributable. It can also play a sequence of animations,
following a script file, and even add sounds to animations.
//// Program Quality
As you can see, DA'S Vektor is a fantastic program with many powerful
tools and features. Here however, I am afraid that my praises must
end. The quality of the program itself isn't up to the level of other
Digital Arts' products, such as DA'S Picture. Whereas I still wasn't
able to crash DA'S Picture, DA'S Vektor crashes a lot, with minimal
help from me. It just does not seem to be a very stable program. Also,
some tools (such as Intersection Remover) sometimes produce unexpected
results. Add to that a lack of UNDO function, and inability to
interrupt a time consuming process (such as tracing or 3D
transformation) and that program starts looking somewhat less hot.
Also, DA'S Vektor's interface, especially in the latest version, has
some rather strange twists. While overall the interface is very well
thought out, selecting Quit when you have a drawing does not result
is, an alert asking you whether you want to save your work. Instead
of that... nothing happens. Well, it could quite without letting you
save your work, which probably would be worse, but still, it isn't the
best possible solution. On top of that, in order to actually quit the
program, as I have found through trial and error, you have to select
New first, and when you get the blank work area, Quit. Not entirely
intuitive.
//// Conclusion
Well, I can not give a 100% recommendation to this piece of software,
even though I would love to be able to do so. It just isn't stable
enough. However, DA'S Vektor's powerful and often innovative tools
make it an attractive program. If you need its power and capabilities,
and are willing to sacrifice some stability, this is a program to get
for most easily producing best vector graphics possible on Atari
platform. Proceed with caution and save often.
If you prefer a tool that is very stable, but considerably less
powerful, Outline Art III is a safe bet.
Hopefully, the next release of DA'S Vektor will address stability
problems and make it into a program that I could wholeheartedly
recommend.
DA'S Vektor Pro by Digital Arts (Germany).
World-wide distribution: H3 Systems.
US distribution: Lexicor.
UK distribution: CGS-ComputerBild.
--==--==--==--==--
||| "From a saved backup...."
||| By: Ron Whittam
/ | \ GEnie: EXPLORER.4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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 me to answer, or a topic you
would like to see covered; send me an Email!
//// The Information Super...
Seems everyone nowadays is interested in getting "on line" with the
Internet. In our niche of electronic media, everyone we talk to is
involved with Internet activity. However, even with the all the media
hype, to a huge amount of the populas it is nothing more than
technical jargon. Internet, Infomation Superhighway, SLIP, PPP, Shell
Account, TCP/IP, UUCP, EMail, etc., are words and letters that have no
conceptual meaning. When a friend of mine introduced me to his son the
other day, his son asked what I did for a living. I told him I worked
with EMail systems. He smiled and said, "Oh, that's cool." His father
prompted his 20 year old son who finally admitted he didn't know what
"EMail" really was. I think I often fall into the trap of tunnel
vision. Not everyone sees the humor in my sweatshirt that proclaims,
"I got run over on the Information Superhighway." The tire treads
cause some strange looks and double takes, though.
//// The Right Tools
Connecting your computer to the other computers networked across the
world is not a simple task. Depending on your particular needs, you
must choose the right tool to do the job. The cost of connecting is
rapidly dropping. The variety of connection services is increasing.
And as you choose your connections you need to be careful to get what
you really want.
//// Getting Connected
There are primarily four methods of getting connected to the Internet.
The first two methods (direct Internet Protocol (IP) connection) could
be via a leased line using a router or a dial up using a modem. The
direct connection uses TCP/IP. TCP/IP is a common name of a collection
of 100's of protocols that are used to connect computers and networks.
TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Program/Internet Protocol.
These protocols include Electronic Mail (Email), Remote login to
connect to and use another computer, File Transfer Protocol (FTP),
ARCHIE to search anonymous FTP archives, Menu-based information called
GOPHER, Gopher menu searchers called VERONICA and JUGHEAD, WIAS
Servers to search indexed databases, and the World Wide Web (WWW), as
well as many others. Connecting to the Internet via a modem will
require TCP/IP programs to be ran on the home computer as well as a
protocol called SLIP or PPP. SLIP is a Serial Line Internet Protocol
that virtually ignores errors. PPP is a Point to Point Protocol that
is similar to SLIP but more robust. SLIP is fine for home use.
The other two methods were born out of UNIX, a major operating system
that runs most of the Internet networks. A large number of computers
move files (and electronic mail) via a mechanism called Unix-to-Unix
CoPy or UUCP for short. This allows a remote computer to connect to a
host computer and transfer messages with UUCP programs. To use this
method, you would need a UUCP program running on your home computer
and a modem to dial an Internet Provider offering UUCP Email and News
Feed access. This method allows for the least amount of online time
and provides you with an Internet address so people can send you
Electronic mail. There are a few of these types of programs for the
Atari (In GEnie's Atari ST Libraries, there is a program called
MERCURY that will do this very nicely). The last method is called a
Shell Account. Your home computer needs only a VT100 Terminal
emulation program and a modem. You dial into a computer and run the
Internet software on that computer. You have access to all the tools
but nothing is running on your home computer. After transfering files
from a computer on the Interent, you will need to download them using
Zmodem (or another protocol) to get them to your home computer. It's
easy and simple, but it is text based and you need to know a bit of
the UNIX operating system to use it.
The most productive element (and the least glamorous) of the Internet
is sending and receiving messages, called Electronic Mail (Email).
All of the methods (stated above) can do this. Email can be
transfered from computer to computer using TCP/IP or UUCP methods.
Nearly 80 countries in the world are connected to the Internet with
Graphic capabilities, 150 countries are connected with Email
capability. Primarily Email is a person to person method of
communication. However, you can reach a lot of people of your similar
interests by subscribing to List Servers. List Servers are computers
that keep mail lists of people on the interent with similar
interests. To get on a list you have to subscribe. To get taken off,
you unsubscribe. Subscribing is easy. First you need to know the List
Server's administration name and the mail list name. You then send a
message to the List Server's administration address with the
information in your message that has the word SUBSCRIBE, the mail
list, and your name. Soon, you will be getting messages from everyone
that sends a message to the mail list name.
//// Gateways
The UUCP Email and News Feed method is a gateway. You do all your
message work on your home computer, while connected. Then you briefly
connect to move the messages back and forth. Some services offer
Gateways to the Internet; providing Email messages but not all the
glitter and glamour of the other Internet tools. CompuServe, AOL,
GEnie, and other services, as well as corporations, have long used
this Gateway method. The current trend of these services is to provide
real "on the 'net" access to the Internet. These services are
offering the same services offered by local Internet providers.
However, they also offer products and services that you can't get by
being on the Internet. As you research your needs, keep this in mind.
Often these services offer free access temporarily. This way you can
check out what they offer, without costing you more then you are
willing to pay.
//// Getting Access
Getting access is easy. Getting the right access for your needs
might be a little tricky. Learn all you can. If you are only
interested in Electronic Mail messages to and from people on the
Internet, then the less expensive options might be for you. GEnie
Services offers simple EMail to the Internet with its normal offering.
For $8.95 a month you can have 4 hours of connect time. This is a
lot of time for just EMail. Atari owners can use a program called
Aladdin to create, read, and reply to message while offline, and
then spend just few minutes each day loging on and uploading those
messages. Other services offer similar Email methods. You may want
to explore other features these services offer, including message
boards and file archives; as well as expanded Internet services.
Other Internet Providers offer UUCP connections that are very cost
effective for Email. Atari programs like MERCURY will help you
easily get your messages to from these services.
For more advanced features, Demon Internet Software might be for you.
The developer, Demon Internet located in London, provides a software
kit that consists of TCP/IP software KA9Q, email software, Usenet
readers, finger, Telnet, and FTP programs. This software is available
in the US on major information services and on the Internet. There is
not, as yet, a graphical Web browser for the Atari ST. However, the
text based LYNX will work fine. LYNX is a text-only browser and cannot
display graphics. When a graphic based browser is available, you will
have all the access you need. The Internet is a growing interest, and
rest assured that Atari developers will be creating some pretty nifty
Internet programs.
//// Web Feet
The current trend is toward graphical tools and away from the command
line text based tools that made the Internet what it is. Methods of
transfering files and locating information have been incorporated into
a graphical hypertext environment making the traversing of the
Internet nearly transparent to the end user. The File Transfer
Protocol (FTP) and Telnet (running programs on another computer from
your home computer) as well as new tools called by acronyms such as
GOPHER, ARCHIE, and VERONICA have all been incorporated into what is
being called "the Web" or the World Wide Web (WWW). WWW is an
uncomplicated method of accessing information and moving files on the
Internet.
Web-browsers are programs that can use files, called "home pages,"
created with a concept called hypertext. Hypertext is a document that
is linked to other documents or forms of information. These other
forms of information could be sound, picture, or motion video.
Hypertext uses codes associated with the words or pictures to refer
you to other pieces of information. This is similar to the cross-
referencing in an encyclopedia. But instead of turning pages, you can
use your mouse pointer and click on the object or word and the browser
will bring that new document to the screen. In order to do this, it
may connect to another computer or do a file transfer. All this is
done behind the sceens while you wait.
Web-browsers are getting the attention of the media and is the current
advertizing hype to get paid customers connected to Internet access
providers. Check any magazine (or your mailbox); the major Information
providers are asking you to get online to use their product's
Web-browsers. Many claim that access is at the cost of most cable
service prices. In short, Web-Browsing is entertainment. It is still
too young to be a useful tool for productivity... but just wait a
month or two.
The sad fact is that the Graphical tools are not being advertized on
the Atari platform. Most require MS Windows, UNIX X-Windows, or a MAC
machine. However, while pictures, sound, and motion video have not
made it to the Atari, the Web-browsers have. Text-based (no hypermedia)
Web-browser, LYNX can be used in the Atari realm. In fact, there is an
Atari WWW home page. I have seen it. No pictures, but you can access
the hypertext codes with the click of the mouse to navigate across the
Internet. WWW pages can be used by both text and Graphical browsers.
Here are some addresses for Atari WWWeb home pages:
Atari CD FAQ: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/CD_FAQ
Atari FTP List: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/ftplist.txt
Atari Connectivity Guide: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/SLIP_FAQ
Atari TOS Desktop: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/servival
Mark Smith's Atari page: http://www.dl.ac.uk/MISC/ATARI/atari.html
Here are some EMail address to send letters to:
COMPO Software: compo@cix.computlink.co.uk
Demon Internet: internet@demon.com
Gribnif: gribnif@genie.geis.com
HiSoft: hisoft@cix.compulink.co.uk
ICD: icdinc@genie.geis.com
The staff of AEO: aeo$@genie.geis.com
Sam Tramiel: 75300.3443@compuserve.com
Here are some sites to copy files from, with FTP:
FTP: atari.archive.umich.edu/atari/
FTP: ftp.demon.co.uk/atari
FTP: micros.hensa.ac.uk/micros/atari/
FTP: src.doc.ic.ac.uk/packages/atari/umich/
FTP: wuarchive.wustl.edu/systems/atari/
//// Where to Find More Info
There are countless books on the subject of the Internet. Drop into
any bookstore or software retail outlet. Also check out most any
computer magazine and you will find articles on the Internet. Here are
a few good books:
The Internet Complete Reference
The Internet Yellow Pages
Internet for Dummies
More Internet for Dummies
The Idiots Guide to the Internet
The Internet Companion
...and others.
Internet World Magazine
NetGuide Magazine
//// Where to Get Connected
In a word, anywhere. The Internet Complete Reference lists 128
Internet providers in its Appendix A. WOW. In just the last six months
Boise, Idaho has added two local providers to that list. PrimeNet and
Micron Internet Services.
//// Here's the Shrink-Wrap
Learn all you can about this emerging technology. Find out who your
local Internet providers are. Get the software you need for your
Atari, and begin to use the Internet for productivity and
entertainment.
Until next time....
Ron Whittam is a Customer Support Specialist for a small software firm
in Boise, Idaho; and the President of the Atari Boise Users Group. He
can be contacted on GEnie (EXPLORER.4), on the Internet at
<explorer.4@genie.geis.com>, or on ApC BBS (208-362-1790).
--==--==--==--==--
||| Developing news!
||| Items of interest from TOS platform developers and supporters
/ | \ -------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// ACE '95 April 1, 1995
=-=-=-=-=-=-=
(SPECIAL TO AEO)
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
_/_/
_/_/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/
_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ Software Demos!
_/_/ _/_/ _/_/ _/_/ Hardware Demos!
_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ Membership!
_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ Phoenix Newsletter!
_/_/ _/_/ _/_/ _/_/ 16/32 Bit Library!
_/_/ _/_/ _/_/ _/_/ Monthly Meetings!
_/_/ _/ _/_/ _/ Flea Market!
_/ Seminars!
Raffles! BBS!
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# Support! GRAPHICS!
Official Sponsor of ACE'95! SPREADSHEETS! DATABASES!
#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# DESKTOP PUBLISHING!
TELECOMMUNICATIONS! MIDI!
WORDPROCESSING! MUCH MORE!
~~~ THE TORONTO ATARI FEDERATION ~~~
Largest Atari User Group in North America!
~~~ (416) CALL-TAF (225-5823) For Recorded Information ~~~
~~~ TAF Online BBS (416) 421-8999 ~~~
~~~ CALL 416-752-2744 For ACE'95 Information ~~~
=========================================================
ACE '95 ACE '95 ACE '95 ACE '95 ACE '95 ACE '95
=========================================================
=========EVERYTHING BEST UNDER THE ATARI SUN=========
*******
FEATURE EXHIBITOR > Encore Music of Pickering, Ontario, Canada
*******
Jeff & Lou Neveu and Ken Maladrino have
established themselves as one of Canada's
premier Atari Music System specialists ...
and Falcons are at the top of their
'speciality list'. Massive SCSI hard drives,
Direct-to-Disk recording, Cubase, mixers & sample
boxes & 16 megabytes of RAM are 'all in a day's
work' for these folks. Support, system solutions
and sales & service are the operating principles.
Ray Williams & Steinberg/Cubase will also be demoing at ACE'95!!
*******
CHECK OUT OUR World Wide Web PAGES: http://www.io.org/taf.html
******* or http://www.io.org/ace.html
*******
FEATURE EXHIBITOR > Cybercube Research of Thornhill, Canada
*******
Is there anything that Ralf, Gunther and
Ulrich Dowich don't do well? Probably not!
These guys have brought us the CaTTamaran
accelerator for the TT, the spectacular
Cyrel Sunrise video card, and a host of
other amazing Atari products designed to
bring the most incredible creative results
out of your Atari computer. Cybercube will
demonstrating & selling their entire line of
Atari hardware and software at ACE'95, along
with a couple of exciting new products! Do
yourself a favor, check out the Cybercube booth!
Talking about accelerators ... Steve Cohen & Wizztronics will also be
at ACE'95 (oh BABY, I want my Barracuda!!)
The *GREATEST* ATARI EXHIBITION in *YEARS* is happening on April
1st & 2nd, 1995, in TORONTO!! We've EXPANDED our ACE '95
Exhibitors List again!!
LLLL Gribnif Software!
LLLLL TOAD Computers!
LLLLLL Branch Always Software!
LLLLLLL Cybercube Research (Cyrel)!
LLLLLLLL DMC Publishing!
LLLLLLLLL Scarborough Computers!
LLLLLLLLLL Missionware Software!
LLLLLLLLLLL ICD INC/4Play/Black Cat Designs!
LLLLLLLLLLLL It's All Relative!
LLLLLLLLLLLLL ABC Solutions!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLL Esquimalt Digital Logic (OMEN)!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL GEnie Information Services!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Suzy B's Software (& CDs)!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL chro_Magic!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Clear Thinking!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Schauzmoll Software (The first GUI BBS)!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Anodyne Software (ExtenDOS)!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Oregon Research Associates!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Computer Direct! (DirecTT030 & an
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL enormous lineup of Atari products!)
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Binary Sounds!
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Fine Tooned Engineering (MIO2, Sweet 16)
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Compuworld (Service, Parts, Upgrades!)
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Encore Music (Falcon MIDI systems!)
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Wizztronics (The Falcon Rack, Barracuda!)
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Steinberg/Cubase (everybody knows what they do!)
... shhh! don't tell anybody, but the c-lab falcon mkII
is going to be at ace'95, too ...
We're looking forward to CGS Computerbild's presence too, as well
as COMPO, Migraph, Best Electronics and a few more!!
*******
FEATURE EXHIBITOR > DMC Publishing of Markham, Canada
*******
Nathan Potechin and his brilliant
accomplices Mario and Shawn, will be
occupying 2 booths in order to show off the
spectacular POWER of Calamus SL, Outline
Art, Invision Elite and all of the other
incredible products distributed and sold by
DMC. Nathan will be featuring some stunning
Calamus demos, unbelievable sale prices and
DMC's usual (and legendary) level of
CUSTOMER SUPPORT. Do NOT miss the DMC booths!
The next ACE'95 News Release will feature still more debuts and
exciting product announcements: how'd you like to use the
GROLIER'S CD-ROM ENCYCLOPEDIA on your Atari .... hmmm? Stay tuned,
because SARA-CD for Grolier's will be debuting at ACE'95! It's
Great!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-
ACE'95 will feature continuous, hour-on-the-hour SEMINARS and
LECTURES. We'll be posting a Seminar schedule on March 15th!!
There's also a prize for the first person who can say all the names
of the great people who will be conducting seminars ... in one breath!
*******
FEATURE EXHIBITOR > It's All Relative of Florisant, Missouri
*******
Greg & Randall Kopchak have done more to
establish CD-ROM on the Atari, than anyone else
... except maybe Roger Burrows of Anodyne
Software (who will also be at ACE'95!) Greg &
Randall have also established an enviable
relationship with Damien Jones. It's All Relative
will have a spectacular array of Atari-usable
CDs, as well as VIEW II, Photo Show, SARA-CD
(they're the International Distributors), SARA
for Grolier's Encyclopedia, and a whole host of
other Atari products!
=-=-=-=-=-=-
A fabulous lineup of Door Prizes, Creativity Contest Prizes
.... and the ACE'95 Grand Prize!
=-=-=-=-=-=-
MIDI, DTP, Wordprocessing, Graphics, Power Computing, Software
Libraries, Utilities, Accessories, Databases, Spreadsheets,
Custom Solutions, Games, Educational, Internet, BBS, Networks,
Accelerators, Emulators, JAGUAR Stations, User Group Center,
INCREDIBLE SALE PRICES, Software, Hardware, and EVERYTHING you
need to get the VERY BEST out of your Atari!
=-=-=-=-=-=-
More ATARI USERS in one place than is particularly sensible - or
safe. Windows users ........ beware ........
================================================
Getting to ACE'95 is *easy*. Toronto is directly
accessed by Highway 401 or the Queen Elizabeth Way,
or Highway 400/69. Crossing the US/Canada border
at Detroit, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Ft. Erie,
Ogdensburg, Kingston, etc., will lead you directly
to Highway 401 or the Queen Elizabeth Way. Take the
Yonge St. Ramp north off the 401 and drive to 5110
Yonge St. (5 lights) If you take the Queen Elizabeth
Way, follow the signs to get to highway 401. *ANY*
AAA or CAA or other Motor League can provide you with
a map of Toronto, Ontario & Canada. Please call us
if you have any trouble! Pearson International
Airport is only 15 minutes away! Toronto Transit
subway access is direct, too - there's a subway
stop at the Civic Center!
================================================
BOOK YOUR HOTEL & YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE! Call
or e-mail for info ... for INDIVIDUALS, USER GROUPS,
ORGANIZATIONS, DEVELOPERS & DEALERS! The Show Site
(North York Civic Center, Memorial Hall Exhibition
Facility) has hotel, shoppping, restaurants and more!
NOVOTEL: $89 Cdn PER NIGHT
(single OR double occupancy)
** Call Novotel direct @ 416-733-2929 and ask for
a room with the Toronto Atari Federation GROUP! **
ACE'95 TICKETS: $6 PER DAY
$10 WEEKEND PASS
CALL 416-752-2744 FOR HOTEL & TICKET RESERVATIONS
================================================
Meet Dan Wilga, Darek Mihocka, Bob Luneski, Peter
Zalesak, John Trautschold, Craig Harvey, Nathan
Potechin, Mario Georgiou, Greg Kopchak, Al Fasoldt,
Rick Ladage, Jim Fouch, David & Jennifer Troy,
Michael Burkley, Roger Burrows, DARLAH, Craig
Carmichael, Tom Harker, Chris Krowchuck, Jim
Collins, Ralf Dowich, Shawn Tedder, Mike Wilhelm,
Mike Hohman, Christian Ernst, Michael Snape, Ray
Williams, Stuart Watt, Stephen Christian, Steve
Cohen, Jeff Neveu, Sonny Ang, Bill Annand and
plenty more of the greatest dealers, developers
& supporters Atari users have ever seen!
================================================
*CALL US* 416-752-2744 or 416-225-5823 *CALL US*
ACE'95 is being held at:
North York Civic Center
Memorial Hall Exhibition Facility
5110 Yonge St. (at Parkhome Ave.)
Toronto, Canada
April 1-2, 1995
Saturday 9AM - 6PM
Sunday 9AM - 5PM
~~ Howard Carson, ACE'95 Chief Organizer ~~~
E-Mail: GEnie - H.Carson1
Atarinet - Howard. Carson@51:5/6
Internet - h.carson1@genie.geis.com
howard.carson@canrem.com
hcarson@io.org
TAF Online - Howard. Carson
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// SAC Expo '95 April 22, 1995
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The Towe Ford Museum of Automotive History presents SAC Expo '95.
This one day event will take place Saturday, April 22nd, 1995 at the
Towe Ford Museum near Old Town Sacramento. The show will run from 10am
to 6pm; admission is $5, which also includes all museum exhibits.
Your hosts for the third annual SAC Expo are Sacramento's Total Atari
Resource (STAR), and the Yolo Atari Club (YAC). You can look forward
to seeing your favorite Atari dealers and developers, including:
Application & Design/ST Informer, STeve's Atari Sales, Oregon
Research, Gribnif Software, Branch Always Software and more! A full
range of Atari products will be represented, from 8-bits and TOS
machines to the 64 bit Jaguar. STAR and YAC wish to thank the
management of the Towe Ford Museum for their generosity and
cooperation, as without their help we would not have been able to
continue this great tradition. For more information, send a self
addressed, stamped envelope to STAR at the address below, or send
GEnie mail to SAC Expo
Sacramento's Total Atari Resource (STAR)
P.O. Box 417723
Sacramento, California 95841-7723
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// C-Lab Falcon MKII
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The C-LAB FALCON MKII has been designed to offer advanced digital
technology to anyone who wants to produce music and audio in an easy
and cost-effective way as a turnkey hardware solution.
As the most music-ready of all current personal computers, the FALCON
MKII incorporates as standard the vital features for recording and
producing music in the digital domain: 14 MB of RAM, an internal 500 MB
SCSI hard drive, MIDI interfacing, 16 bit audio converters, Motorola
DSP chip etc. providing the perfect platform for professional MIDI
sequencing/hard disk recording programs such as Steinberg Cubase
Audio 16 (and many others).
For many years, Atari Computers have been renowned for breaking the
barriers of bringing workstation quality into a price bracket
affordable to home users. The FALCON MKII takes this even further,
running all MIDI data side-by-side with 16 tracks of digital audio as
well as many other musical applications. Just plug in your software
key... and play!
//// INDUSTRY-STANDARD SOUND QUALITY
Made to fit right into your digital studio, the FALCON MKII offers you
audio that's even brighter than the already remarkable quality you get
from CD. Technically speaking, you get eight 16 bit digital sound
channels, with a sampling frequency of up to 50 KHz for both recording
and playback.
The FALCON MKII comes complete with a stereo 16 bit A/D converter into
preliminary product information - C-LAB FALCON MKII which you can feed
any line level signal. To play back audio, the eight channels are mixed
by the DSP chip and then fed to a 16 bit stereo D/A converter.
Alternatively, you can use an 8-output expander, such as the Steinberg
FA-8.
Because the DSP is standard (and is a Motorola industry-standard), many
different effects algorithms (graphic or parametric EQ, Reverb, Chorus
or Delay) can be used simultaneously with the 8-channel mixing.
Alternatively, the DSP can be used to allow 16-channel operation (as
in Steinberg Cubase Audio16).
//// INDUSTRY-STANDARD MIDI
The MIDI interface on the FALCON MKII can be used as is with
industry-standard software such as Steinberg Cubase, Emagic Logic,
SmpteTrack Platinum and others, and at the same time as direct-to-disk
audio recording (with suitable audio software).
In short, it offers the kind of standard MIDI/audio features not
available on other computer platforms as standard.
//// YOUR OWN HOME STUDIO
Whether you're a studio pro or a music buff, the FALCON MKII does more
than just make your life easier: it actually opens up vast areas of
creativity.
Atari, with its breakthroughs in combining computer and MIDI standards
have virtually rewritten the way in which composing and arranging is
done. The FALCON MKII takes all this even further. Naturally it still
has MIDI sockets, but what will really excite musicians is the DSP and
direct-to-disk capacity.
Direct-to-disk means that the FALCON MKII can store digital audio on
its internal 500 MB SCSI drive, and play back up to 16 channels in real
time.
Now you will be able to record entire audio tracks (in stereo if
necessary), edit them and play them back simultaneously.
With the direct-to-disk system, you can edit in the same way as with a
MIDI sequencer, but with the added advantage that it works with any
acoustic instrument, even the human voice. The internal 500 MB SCSI
hard drive gives you as standard 46 minutes of linear stereo recording
at industry standard rates. This is equivalent to 12 minutes of
uninterrupted, unrepeated audio across 8 tracks. Using the DSP you can
actually have 12 minutes of uninterrupted, unrepeated audio across
16 tracks. External hard disks expand your recording time almost
without limits.
Another advantage of the DSP is its real time digital treatment of the
audio signals which means that it can be used to individually EQ up to
8 audio channels or add reverb, chorus or delay.
//// A COMPLETELY OPEN SYSTEM
The FALCON MK II allows every type of interfacing you might ever need:
The widely praised MIDI sockets that brought about the ST's success in
the field of music sequencing.
[] A 9-pin RS232C socket, with a 250K per second output (modems etc.).
[] A bi-directional parallel Centronics interface, designed to
connect all printers and all scanners on the market.
[] 2 standard joy stick/mouse connectors.
[] A cartridge port (for software keys).
[] A stereo audio input at line level (-10 dbV).
[] A stereo audio output at line level (-10dbV).
[] A video output for all monitors.
[] An HF video connection to plug directly into VCRs.
[] A SCSI-connection, able to support up to 7 additional peripherals
(SCSI-1 or SCSI-2 standard) such as hard disks, Syquest drives or
CD ROM.
[] A DSP connector, opening the processor up to the outside world and
passing the eight sound channels in digital form (for S/PDIF
interfacing and 8-output expanders).
//// OPTIONS
C-LAB can also supply a paper-white 14" VGA monitor, ideal for use
with audio programs like Cubase Audio and Logic Audio. Of course, any
colour VGA, SVGA or RGB monitor can be used to fully exploit the
FALCON's unrivaled graphics and video capabilities (with programs like
DMC's Calamus or Titan Design's Apex Media).
C-LAB also produces a wide range of SCSI peripherals ideal for use
with the FALCON MKII, including 270 MB Syquest drives and a range of
fixed drives, guaranteed for audio recording.
//// RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE
The C-LAB FALCON MKII will retail under 3.000,00 US Dollars excluding
tax.
For further technical information please contact:
C-LAB Digital Media GmbH,
P.O. Box 700 303,
22003 Hamburg
voice: 49-40-69 44 000
fax: 49-40-69 61 555
compuserve: 100434,3795
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Zocra Technologies Moved
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
February 23, 1995.
Zocra Technologies Announces:
Zocra Technologies has moved!!
This is a quick notice to let the users of our products know
how to contact us for technical assistance. A more complete
press release will follow. Registered users will be contacted.
The new address and phone number of Zocra Technologies is:
Zocra Technologies
733 Chateaugay Ave.
Naperville, IL.
60540
U.S.A.
(708) 305-8327
We can be reached on Genie by sending email to:
C.BUCHANAN3
*** Please post widely. ***
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// IAR Intros Photo Show Pro Photokina
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
We are excited about this "first of it's kind" demo for the Atari
platform that combines 300,000,000 bytes of graphics and 200,000,000
bytes of CD quality sound into an interactive presentation of the
Kodak Photo CD Portfolio graphics and sound system.
The Photokina demo can be played as a self-running looping demo of
about 40 minutes long or explored in an interactive mode that allows
you to see what can be done with the Kodak Photo CD format.
The CD explains the Photo CD process and includes four sample scripts
created by professional media experts showing examples of
presentations they have created.
The Photo Show Pro Photokina Disk requires an Atari STe or Falcon with
1 meg or more of memory, color monitor, a CD rom drive capable of
reading Photo CD format, and ExtenDOS Pro by Anodyne software. The
disk uses the extended audio support of ExtenDOS Pro and will only run
with this version of the CD rom driver installed for CD audio on your
system.
The Photo Show Pro Photokina disk is available for $5.00 to cover
disk, postage, and handling. We will include a free copy of the
Photokina CD with every order.
For those without ExtenDOS Pro, we will ship ExtenDOS Pro, the Photo
Show Pro Photokina Disk, and the free Kodak Photokina CD for $29.99,
postpaid, worldwide.
This is a MUST HAVE for all Atari CD-ROM owners!
Write Randall Kopchak
It's All Relative
2233 Keeven Lane
Florissant, MO 63031
USA.
(voice) (314) 831-9482
GEnie or Delphi: GREG
Compuserve: 70357,2312
Internet: GREG@GEnie.geis.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// YAC Shareware Programming Contest
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Shareware Programmers: Would $50 help inspire you to finish that
program you started over the summer but never finished? What if we
could help you distribute you software to local BBS's, the major
on-line services, the Internet, and at SAC Expo? We could also help
you by writing and printing documentation to go with your program (we
can translate from German to English if necessary). We'll even throw
in a year's membership to our local user-group with its monthly
newsletter mailed directly to you, and the honorary title of YAC
Official Programmer for a year...
The Yolo Atari Club Is Having Its Annual Shareware Programming
Contest.
Entries must be TOS programs new for 1995 and must be received by
March 17th, 1995. They will be judged based on originality,
compatibility (remember, there are all the new multi-tasking solutions
and Falcon resolutions to try and respect), efficiency, and
dependability.
Entry is simple; just mail your entry to the Yolo Atari Club at 1129
Fordham Drive, Davis, CA 95616 USA, or e-mail us an FTP-able location
where your program resides (remember to include your program's name
and the full path to it) to elhays@ucdavis.edu. You can also send
e-mail to "YAC Herder" or "Eric the Red" on the SOARing STAR BBS at
916-661-1538. Please allow one week for US Mail delivery and/or
downloading time and provide us with an mailing address of some sort
(e- or US) so that we can contact you. The winner will be notified by
the end of March and then announced on-line and at the Sacramento
Atari Computer Exposition, April 22nd, 1995.
Entry is free (except perhaps for your stamp) and could earn you $50,
fame and glory. So why not give it a try?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Asteroidia & G_SHELL Available!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: Munsie
5601 Ammons
Haltom City, TX 76117
(817) 485-9293
//// Asteroidia
Program name: Asteroidia
System Requirements: ST/STe/TT/Falcon with 1 meg of free memory.
Color monitor/VGA monitor/TV.
Double sided disk drive or (hard drive reccomended.)
Note for ST owners: This game was originally coded with STe/Falcon
users in mind. But we decided to allow ST users
to run it by simulating a scrolling background
by using a starfield instead! The effect comes
out great. So even though you won't get the
bitmapped scrolling backgrounds you still get a
fun game to play.
Enhancements: Blitter scrolling on STe/Mega STe/Falcon/ (TT?)
50khz in game mod music on Falcon.
Smoother play on Mega STe/TT/Falcon
Game runs MUCH smoother in 60hz video mode.
Description: Asteroidia is an arcade style game that involves
little strategy but provides hours of fun. You
are flying around in space trying to destroy all
the asteroids that are heading toward your home
planet. You'll also have to contend with little
alien thingys that want to destroy your ship!
3D rotating asteroids on a multi-directional
scrolling background. (Falcon/STe/TT) (Starfield
scrolling on non-blitter machines.)
OPTIONS.... ST users: Optional music or sound fx.
Normal speed with no slowdown.
Faster speed with slowdown.<<<<<
STe users: All ST features plus:
POWERPAD ready!!!! (Or joystick..)
Optional Blitter scroll or starfield display.
Optional ASTRODIA.DMA file in the same directory
will provide a repeating background music sample
file. Very nice music. (Hey..I made it!!)
(Requires a 2MEG system to run with ASTRODIA.DMA!)
Mega STe/TT users: All STe features plus:
Optional normal fast speed or slower speed.
MINUS - No powerpad for Mega STe/TT users...
Falcon users: All Mega STe/TT features plus:
Optional ASTRODIA.MUS file that will provide
EXCEPTIONAL 50khz backround music courtesy of
several explosive mod tracks. This file GREATLY
enhances the game experience!!
Powerpad ready!!!! (Or joystick..)
The ability to select your own mod tracks that
will play in the background during the game. Run
the MAKE_MOD.PRG to point to the mod files on
your hard drive. Play them back in sequential or
random order during the game!
ASTRODIA.PRG: You can run Asteroidia from any desktop mode
except True Color mode. Also, some screen
enhancements may cause problems when Asterodia
exits. If that is the case please de-activate
them before running. Some desk accesories and
TSR programs have been known to cause some
problems with our software. While we have tried
to make this program as compatbile as possible
we cannot guarantee that it will work 100% of
the time on YOUR system. Whenever possible run
Asteroidia from a clean desktop. If you can,
boot your system without accesories or TSR's
loaded if there is a problem. If you cannot get
this program to run on your system, PLEASE call
or email us as soon as possible letting us know
what your problem is. Thank you...
Asteroidia has been tested on ST/STe/Mega
STe/Falcon.
Shareware: This game is being distributed as shareware. If
you enjoy this game a modest fee of $10.00 gets
you 100% access to all of its features.
Un Registered!!: When you run Asteroidia in the UN-REGISTERED
mode you will only get 1 life per game. If you
enjoy this game and would like to register the
program please read the ORDER.DOC file that
comes with the archive.
Extras: There may be a few goodies here and there, sadly
you won't find any mention of those here...:)
//// G_SHELL
We are pleased to announce that our latest product, G_SHELL is now
available. G_SHELL truly gives the GFA BASIC 3.5/3.6 programmer a
professionally written enviroment to work in. G_SHELL totally replaces
the MENU.PRG that came with your original GFA BASIC with a serious
tool that greatly enhances your overall programming productivity.
G_SHELL includes all of these great features and more!
* Install up to 30 different GFA BASIC programs.
* Each program has their own individual compiler options.
* User defineable .PRG and .O file path for each program.
(Compiled programs can have ANY extension.)
* Each program can have their own linkable .Object files.
* Up to 18 TOOLS can be installed and effortlessly launched.
* Compact, quick, easy to grasp, SINGLE SCREEN, user interface.
No pretty 3D boxes here, just a serious programming tool that works.
* Does NOT modify your existing GEM colors.
* Completely 100% Falcon ready and compatible.
* Runs in ANY resolution with at least a 640x200 display.
* You can choose to run the interpreter in ST LOW-MEDIUM-HIGH resolutions!
* Built in disk tools: Copy, Move, Delete, Name, View, Print
* Special GFA BASIC programmer tools built in:
PRG->INL - Strips header off .PRG files for easy loading into INLINEs.
VIEW INL - Allows you to view the decimal contents of an INLINE file.
COMPARE - Compares two files. You'll find a use for this soon enough.
GFA PAL - Allows you to alter the default colors of the INTERPRETER.
GFA MANUAL - A special hook that allows you to view the contents of
the 2nd GFA Manual 3rd Edition using an interactive
viewer. (All files included...it's like a built in GFA
MANUAL!!)
* Switch between 50-60 hertz video. (ST's AND Falcon's)
* Switch processor speed. (Mega STe's and Falcon's)
* Auto delete .O file after compiling. (Optional)
* Compile all. Update all of your .PRG files at one time!
* Wait on/off, Debug symbols on/off, Move memory on/off.
* A useful LOG (optional off/on) that keeps track of what you did
during your G_SHELL session. On going log, appends the file!
G_SHELL is being distributed as shareware. Even though all features
are 100% intact, some features will be disabled until the program is
registered. It should be noted that when you register the program you
will be given a key code that allows you to gain access to all of
G_SHELL's features WITHOUT having to be sent any other files.
Registration fee for G_SHELL is $10.00.
//// Other releases to look for:
Racers - A fast action 2 player car racing game.
MultiRun - A powerful file launcher with configurable hardware calls.
Sea Wolf 95 - Aim your torpedos and fire away!
Frantick - Slightly updated since our last version. Fast action shooter!
Choplyfter - The long awaited conversion...looking pretty hot!
Blazion - A fast action shooter for Falcon owners!
Megaspace - A arcade action vertical scrolling shooter.
(Megaspace could end up being our flagship product!!)
Quadrys - Multi player Tetrys type game.
ASTR_FAL.ZIP
ASTR_ST.ZIP
G_SHELL.ZIP have been uploaded to the following file transfer areas:
GEnie
Delphi
Internet FTP sites:
Germany : FTP.UNI-KL.DE
United Kingdom : MICROS.HENSA.AC.UK
United States : MSDOS.ARCHIVE.UMICH.EDU
Now you can order/register any of our products directly from some of
the leading Atari vendors through out the world. These vendors are set
up to allow you to call them and give them your KEY code and they will
tell you your registration code over the phone! Or you may take the
time to mail them your order if you like. Please take the time to
consider registering any of our currently available products through
ANY of the following list of Atari vendors.
In the USA:
Steve's Atari Sales
5 West Street
Woodland, CA 95695
Toll free order line: (VOICE) 1-800-487-7753
(FAX) 1-800-800-FAXS
Suzy B's Software
3712 Military Road
Niagra Falls, NY 14305
716-298-1986
In the U.K.:
Warpzone PDL
53 Ropewalk, River ST
ST. Judes, Bristol BS2 9EG
Telephone/Fax 0272 553758
L.A.P.D.
P.O. Box 2
Heanor, Derbys DE75 7YP
Telephone/Fax 0773 605010/761944
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// AtariNet Echoes
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^
^^ ^^^ ^^ A t a r i N e t ^^ ^^^ ^^
^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^
^^ ^^^ ^^ THE ^^ ^^^ ^^
^^^ ^^^ ^^^ International ^^^ ^^^ ^^
^^^ ^^^ ^^^ Atari ^^^ ^^^ ^^^
^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ Network ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^
^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^
^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^
So you've heard of this network called AtariNet and have no idea what
it is or how to find it. Well, here's the information you're looking for.
AtariNet is an international network devoted to Atari computers. It is
based on Fido-technology and therefore compatible with any system capable
of handling messages and files from FidoNet and similar other networks.
Here is a list of the current AtariNet message echoes:
A.4SALE.COMMERCIAL Commercial Advertisements
A.4SALE.PERSONAL Personal Items For Sale
A.ADM.ECHO AtariNet Echo Discussion
A.ADM.FDS AtariNet FDS Announcements
A.ADM.HOST AtariNet Hosts (restricted)
A.ADM.SYSOP AtariNet SysOps
A.ADM.TEST AtariNet Test Echo
A.ATARI Atari General Discussion
A.ATARI.8-BITS Atari 8-Bit Computers
A.ATARI.DTP Atari Desktop Publishing
A.ATARI.EXPLORER Atari Explorer Magazine
A.ATARI.FALCON Atari Falcon Computers
A.ATARI.GAMES Atari Games (for all hardware)
A.ATARI.GRAPHICS Atari Graphics Hardware/Software
A.ATARI.SOUND Atari Sound Hardware/Software
A.ATARI.TECH Atari Technical Discussions
A.ATARI.TELECOM Atari Telecommunications
A.BBS Atari BBS Programs & BBS Ads
A.BBS.NETWORKING Atari Fido-Style Networking
A.MISC General Discussion
A.MISC.FILEFIND AtariNet File-Finder
A.PROG Atari Programming
A.PROG.C Atari C Programming
A.PROG.GFA Atari GFA Programming
A.SUP.AUTOMAGIC AutoMagic Support
A.SUP.BINKLEY BinkleyTerm-ST Support
A.SUP.FIDODOOR FIDOdoor Support
A.SUP.JETMAIL JetMail Support
A.SUP.RATSOFT RATSoft BBS Support
A.SUP.SEMPER Semper Mailer Support
And a list of the current AtariNet file echoes:
A_NODES AtariNet node administration
ABBSGAME BBS-Related Games (Doors)
ABBSOTHR BBS-Related other software
ABBSUTIL BBS-Related Utilities
AFDOOR FidoDoor Updates (includes ST-QWK)
AGAMES Atari Games
AGRAPHIC Graphics and related programs
ANETWORK FidoNet-Related Software
AOTHER Other Atari Software
APROG Sources and programming info
ASOUND Sounds, samples and related programs
ASUNFOX SunFox Production files
AUTILS Atari Utilities
AZNET Z*Net and Atari Explorer Online magazines
So now you're interested and have no idea where to find AtariNet. It's
easy. Ask your local BBS Sysop if he has it available and if he/she
doesn't, ask them to join.
--==--==--==--==--
|||
||| 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 new Internet gateway into GEnie, you can reach us
through the Internet also. Append "@genie.geis.com" to any of our
GEnie addresses.
Until the next issue of AEO, I remain,
Your Editor
Travis Guy
Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com
--==--==--==--==--
(This issue printed on recycled photons)
--==--==--==--==--
DNFTEC
--==--==--==--==--
No Inflation Necessary
--==--==--==--==--
Sweet As Sugar
--==--==--==--==--
Atari Explorer Online Magazine is a bi-weekly 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.geis.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
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:: Volume 4, Issue 3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 27 February 1995 ::
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