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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 02 Issue 34
Volume 2, Issue 34 Atari Online News, Etc. August 25, 2000
Published and Copyright (c) 2000
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
With Contributions by:
Donald A. Thomas, Jr.
Dan Loosen
Kevin Savetz
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To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites:
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Coming Soon:
http://a1mag.b-squared.net
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0234 08/25/00
~ Intel's Pentium 4! ~ People Are Talking! ~ AOL Bounces WebMail!
~ 'Pokey' Virus Hits US! ~ Sydney 2000 For PSX! ~ StarCall 3.1C!
~ NCAA GameBreaker 2001 ~ GameFan Covers Jaguar! ~ AtarICQ Updated!
~ McAfee For Handhelds! ~ MP3.COM, Sony Settle! ~ 'D2' Survival Epic!
-* Nintendo Announces GameCube! *-
-* eGames CEO Defies Customer Complaint *-
-* Gov't Releases Carnivore Review Guidelines *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Mercifully, I'm on vacation again. The overall atmosphere at my place of
work is rapidly deteriorating. It seems that every year at about this time
(budget time), the place goes into total chaos. People's stress levels are
rising to new heights and it's disheartening. Every year I keep telling
myself that things cannot get worse, but I'm wrong, year after year. Well,
no sense going on about it; the stress will be there when I get back! For
now, it's time to relax and enjoy the time off while I can!
Finally, the weather has started to improve! While it's been cooler than
normal, we've seen the sun more oft than not. I hope this holds up
throughout my week off!
My wife and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary today! It's hard to
imagine that she's put up with me all these years! <g> So if this week's
issue is out late, now you know why - we're probably out celebrating.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
STarCall 3.1-C Released
Program name: STARCALL PRO Deutsch/English
Version: 3.1-C
Program type: Terminal, Fax, BBS
STarCall Version 3 ENGLISH:
Terminal program including Fax, Voice and BBS, Point,
Editor, cost calculator, Chat, Voice recorder.
For Atari/Magic/compatibles
3.1-C, 15.08.2000
- VT-Emulation fixed
- RSC-Files fixed
AtarICQ Updated
A new version of AtarICQ and the overlay has been released.
In this release it is finally possible to create a new ICQ-account
from within AtarICQ. AtarICQ changes status from alpha to beta.
http://gokmase.atari.org
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Yet another week has come and gone and we
now find ourselves sitting here involved with this column... Me involved
with writing it, you with reading it. Oh well, so much for my feeble
attempt at philosophy.
I got in touch with a cousin a couple of days ago. We've both been
"computer heads", as his father calls us, for almost two decades each
but only saw each other during the holidays. All we ever really had time
for more than a cursory conversation about the state of our respective
computer systems. A typical conversation would go something like this:
Joe: Hey Dom. How ya been?
Dom: Not too bad. You?
Joe: Okay. Still using the CoCo [Radio Shack Color Computer]?
Dom: Yep. You still using the Amiga?
[He ALWAYS confused the Amiga with the Atari, but he's family]
so I HAVE to forgive him. <grin> ]
Joe: It's not an Amiga. It's an Atari.
Dom: Oh yeah, that's right. I'm still doing some neat things with the
CoCo.
Joe: Neat. I've moved up from an Atari ST to an Atari TT. It's a
pretty neat machine.
Dom: I'd pop for a new computer, but the stuff out there today just
doesn't have the same 'feel'.
Joe: I know what you mean. I feel the same way.
Dom: Well, I've got to get going. Lots more family to see.
Joe: I know what you mean. I've got three more stops to make tonight too.
Dom: Take care.
Joe: You too. Have fun.
And THAT was about the extent of our contact. With only a few
variations, that was about the extent of our contact for more than ten
years.
A family happening (having a grave marker made for an uncle who was lost
at sea during World War II) brought an interesting twist this past week.
I gave my grandfather my email address to forward to Dom. I've done this
before, but THIS time, the message was actually delivered.
Dom sent me email and I replied. Of course, in my closing (my "sig"), I
included the URL of my web pages on Delphi.
When Dom sent me another email, he mentioned that he had been a member
of Delphi for more than ten years... about the same amount of time that
I have.
Had we ever succeeded in exchanging email addresses, we could have and
would have corresponded regularly. It looks like some of the choices we
make in the computer world are governed by genetics. We both chose and
stayed with "orphan" computers, we both finally gave in, even if only to
a minor extent, to the PC world, and we both opted to use Linux on the
new PC. Heck, we even chose the same distribution of Linux to use.
Of course, now that I have his email address, and he has mine, we'll be
corresponding regularly and trading 'war stories'. Knowing the two of
us, I'm sure that there'll be plenty of stuff to trade back and forth.
Well, let's get on with the news, hints, tips, and info available every
week on the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Daniel Schobben asks:
"I want to use PC emulator ROMs (.ST files) on my ST. What should I do?"
Andrew Owen tells Daniel:
"The only ROMs an ST uses are TOS ROMs and cartridge ROMs. .ST files are
disk images and you need a program to save them to an Atari disk. I'm not
aware of one but there must be one around somewhere."
Richard Kilpatrick asks about replacing his ST's power supply:
"Okay, I've decided no more ST PSU for me. I've got a 145W PC PSU, which
I have removed from the chassis, mounted the power switch on the metal
case (it looks... interesting. The 240V cable, all thankfully very
insulated, with the bit that it attached to the front of the PC now
attached to the PSU. Like a little plunger ;) ).
The PC wires are coloured red, yellow, black, orange, blue, and white.
I'm thinking: Black is ground. Red is +5V. Blue is +12V. That's what I
need for the ST. What are the white, yellow and orange wires? There are
multiples of the ground and red.
If I put, say, 2 red wires into one end of a screw connector, and
connect that to one of the ST 5V lines, will it be providing 5V (with
twice the current available) still? Or will that cause it to be wired in
series, and providing 10V?"
Michael Schwingren tells Richard:
"Be careful. On most PC PSUs, +12V is yellow (check the colours on the disk
drive connector cables - normally, these are red, 2* black, yellow).
However, this is not quite standardized, so be sure to check the voltages
before connecting the ST. Make sure not to run switchmode PSUs without load
(1A on the 5V rail is usually sufficient for PC-style PSUs, an old 5.25"
hard disk drive will work fine as a dummy load for most PSUs).
A PC PSU will also provide -5V, -12V and a power good signal - simply leave
these unconnected.
>If I put, say, 2 red wires into one end of a screw connector, and
>connect that to one of the ST 5V lines, will it be providing 5V (with
>twice the current available) still? Or will that cause it to be wired in
Yes, running 2 red wires to one line will still provide five volts...
However, I would suggest soldering the connections - screw connectors tend
to loosen up after time, especially when multiple wires are put into one."
Mark Friedman asks:
"Hi there, I have a question about Hard Drives.
I have a Syquest 88 Meg cartridge Scsi drive, and what I <think> is an
ICD Link cable to connect it to my Mega Ste. I have found that I can't
boot from this drive because no drives or partitions are recognized by
the system. Also I am using HD driver 7.6. Is it possible to boot from
this type of cartridge drive, or will it work only when part of a
chain? Also, I am using HD driver 7.6. Perhaps I need to get the "link
97" cable for this to work?"
Dr. Uwe Seimet, the author of HD Driver, tells Mark:
"You can boot from such a drive like you can boot from any other drive.
Except for the fact that the cartridge can be changed removable media
drives don't differ from normal hard disk drives."
'Phill' asks for help with his new hard drive:
"I just got an 3.2 gb scsi hdd and was wondering what I use 2 format it on
my mega 2 st and what is the largest partition I can make on the st? If
software is needed, I need to know what the names are and where I can
download it from."
Again, Dr. Seimet jumps in and posts:
"First you need a SCSI host adapter like the LINK97 in order to be able
to use more than 1 GByte of this drive. Otherwise only the first GByte
is accessible. The maximum partition size for TOS compatible partitions
on the MegaST2 is 512 MByte or, with MagiC or MiNT, 1 GByte. A current
driver with the requires features is HDDRIVER:
http://home.nikocity.de/nogfradelt/atari_english.html "
David Galvez Carles asks about MiNT:
"I have a Falcon with MiNT 1.15.5 and NAES 2.0.
I don't know why MiNT doesn't ask me for a login when i turn on the
computer, always i get in like root. Does anybody know how configure this?"
Johannes Hädrich tells David:
"Unfortunately you have not the possibility to secure MiNT like
UNIX. But you can handle your Logins with different Settings etc
by using GEM-INIT from Ulrich Kaiser. The URL is
http://home.t-online.de/home/u_kaiser/geminite.html "
Thomas Binder adds that it...
"...Depends on what kind of security you refer here. It is definitely
possible to secure MiNT by login/password as any other type of UNIX
compatible system.
For example, you could install KGMD/KEMD and use its init package, then
create a dedicated GEM user with N.AES being its login shell. Note,
though, that N.AES needs to be setuid root to be able to perform various
device installations on startup. It drops privileges as soon as it's
finished doing so (at least it should do so, I haven't tested that
myself)."
Mario Becroft tells David:
"If you want a UNIX-style login process you will probably need to install a
whole UNIX-style setup with the various tools.
A popular distribution is KGMD, available from various FTP sites, or the
MiNT'98 CD-ROM."
Phil Smith asks:
"Is there anything out there for the ST that will let me connect it
to a PC and access the PC's hard drive, like SIO2PC for the 8-bits?"
Irek Pelech tells Phil:
"Yes! Download this program
http://www.cu2000.com.pl/guma/arch/hdd_dmn.lzh "
David Ducassou asks:
"Can anybody give me links of shops where buy Atari stickers and
T-Shirts?"
Andrew Owen tells David:
"I'm not aware of any current stockists. I bought my Atari T-shirt in Virgin
Megastore during the retro-boom of the '90s. Embossed silver on black fuji,
very nice. You could always get one of those T-shirt printing kits and make
your own. Of course the Atari that's still going may have some merchandise
but they've changed the fuji and IMHO the new one just isn't as nice."
David does a little research on his own and tells us:
"The result of my researches:
Shops that sell ATARI T-SHIRTS
------------------------------
http://www.t-shirtshopper.com (search for word atari in the search
engine. Don't forget to vote!)
http://www.insaniteesonline.com/atari.htm
http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/collecta.htm
http://www.yque.com/tshirts/ataritshirt.html
http://www.tees.com
http://www.hiscorearcade.com/tshrt.htm "
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week, same time, same
station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Nintendo Announces GameCube!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" eGames CEO Defies Customer Complaint!
'D2'! Jaguar Makes GameFan!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Nintendo Makes Late Entry in Hot Gameplayer Market
Nintendo Co. on Thursday became the last of Japan's big game machine makers
to enter the competitive market for next-generation consoles by revealing
it would start selling Gamecube in Japan next July.
The company also unveiled its new 32-bit hand-held Gameboy Advance, which
analysts said would maintain Nintendo's dominance in that market but which
will hit the market later than they and software makers had expected.
Both machines will be Internet-capable and Nintendo said it will sell an
adapter to link the original Gameboy and Gameboy Advance with mobile
phones, enabling Japan's 60 million cell phone subscribers to exchange
e-mail and play games online.
In the first month, Nintendo aims to ship one million units of Gameboy
Advance, which is a similar size to the original eight-bit version but with
a 50 percent bigger screen, and will release 10 games when it launches.
Nintendo will also market a new version of its blockbuster Pocket Monsters,
or Pokemon, software for use on mobile networks in December.
``The specifications and game concept of the two players look to be quite
solid, which will likely strengthen Nintendo's competitiveness," said UBS
Warburg analyst Masahiro Ono.
Gamecube will use an IBM Corp microprocessor and compete with Sony Corp's
bulkier PlayStation2, which was released on March 4, and Sega Enterprises
Ltd's Dreamcast, which hit Japanese stores late last year.
And its arrival should mark the start of a full-blown battle in the market
with U.S. software powerhouse Microsoft Corp joining the fray late next
year with its X-box console.
Gameboy will hit Japanese stores next March 21 and go on sale overseas in
July. The Gamecube console will be launched at home in July with a U.S.
debut three months later.
With Gameboy Advance, Nintendo hopes to build on the 90 percent share of
the hand-held market it enjoys in Japan and 99 percent in the United States
and Europe, due partly to its hugely popular Pokemon game.
But consumers are not the only ones who will be eagerly awaiting its
appearance on stores' shelves
``The delay of Gameboy Advance is regrettable since we have been working
hard to develop games for a Christmas launch," said Kazumi Kitaue,
managing director at Konami, Japan's major game software developer.
Nintendo Unveils Video-Game Console
At a time when its biggest rival is pushing a video game machine that does
everything from play movies to connect to the Internet, Nintendo Co. is
sticking to what it knows best - fun and games.
Its new GameCube console, shown to reporters Thursday, is a dedicated game
machine much like Nintendo's current N64, but with much better image
quality.
The Japanese manufacturer behind the Pokemon craze also showed a prototype
of the Game Boy Advance - an improved version of its hit handheld machine.
Expected to be available next summer, the Advance has a larger, brighter
color screen and can connect through cable to three others of its kind for
competitive play.
Nintendo's approach contrasts with that of Sony Corp. which is seeking to
make its PlayStation2 video game machine part of its lineup of home
appliances as well as the centerpiece of its Internet strategy.
The PlayStation2, which can play digital video disks, hit Japanese stores
in March. Sony has shipped 3 million so far, and is slated to launch it in
the United States on Oct. 26.
Nintendo must also prepare to battle Microsoft Corp.'s foray into game
machines with its X-Box, planned for next year. Like the GameCube, the
X-Box is presented as a pure game machine, but it will also play video
disks.
Analysts said Nintendo was making a wise choice by sticking to the niche
game business, instead of trying to challenge Sony on its turf.
Eiji Maeda, an analyst with the Daiwa Institute of Research, said
Nintendo's game lineup, including Pokemon, Mario and Zelda titles, is
likely to be its strength.
``Fortunately for Nintendo, the PlayStation2 games out so far aren't all
that spectacular," Maeda said. ``Nintendo can certainly put up a good
fight."
Sony dominates the world game market, having sold 73 million of the
original PlayStation.
But Nintendo has managed to stay in the game. Worldwide sales of its Game
Boy topped 100 million this summer. And Nintendo 64 sales total more than
29 million worldwide.
``It's going to be a different marketing scheme. They still have a huge
hold on the little kiddy market," said Zachary Liggett, analyst with
WestLB Panmure in Tokyo. ``Those who are going to survive and really bang
it out on the hardware market are Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft."
The still-unpriced GameCube is planned for the Japanese market for July
2001 and three months later in the United States.
Developed under the code-name Dolphin, it features a central processor from
International Business Machines Corp. and a graphics processor from ATI
Technologies Inc.
The games will come on 3-inch disks designed by Matsushita Electric
Industrial Co., the Japanese manufacturer of Panasonic products. The
format, incompatible with standard CD and DVD drives, was chosen in part to
discourage piracy, a Nintendo executive said.
Game cartridges for the N64 will not play on the GameCube.
At a hall near Tokyo packed with reporters, Nintendo unveiled the GameCube
in a flashy presentation complete with bursts of smoke, thumping rock music
and models in shiny leather.
A cheer went up from the crowd when smooth, vivid, animation-quality
footage of Pokemon creatures and Luigi from the Mario game appeared on huge
screens.
Except for a demonstration of more than 100 tumbling, scurrying and waving
Marios as evidence of the machine's ample memory and dazzling graphics,
Nintendo was secretive about the games planned for GameCube.
Nintendo did say it made a special effort to create a machine that will be
a hit not only with game fans but also with game-designers looking for
technology that makes their job easier.
Besides the regular gamepad, there will be a wireless one available that
works from as far as 30 feet away. Modems for regular phone lines and
faster connections for Internet play will also be available.
The Game Boy Advance, promised for March 21, 2001 in Japan for $90 and for
July in the United States at a still undetermined price, has a display
about 50 percent bigger than that of the Game Boy. It will play Game Boy
cartridges as well as games designed for the Advance.
The Advance will use a processor developed by ARM Holdings PLC, a British
company that specializes in small chips that use little power. It will be
17 times faster than the Game Boy chip, Nintendo said.
The Advance was originally slated to launch this summer, but it was pushed
back by the parts shortages that have plagued many electronics
manufacturers this year.
Sega Unleashes D2, a Mature Cinematic
Shiver-Filled Survival Epic for Dreamcast
Genres Collide in D2 with Its Combination of
First and Third-Person Gameplay
Reality TV shows don't come close to the survival techniques required to
succeed at ``D2." Sega of America, Inc. announced the release of ``D2"
for the 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast videogame console. Spanning
four GD-ROMS and combining first- and third-person action, this epic game
features gripping hands-on gameplay and Full Motion Videos (FMV) of
cinematic proportions. ``D2" was developed by Warp's Kenji Eno, the
creator of such notable titles as ``D" and ``Enemy Zero."
In ``D2," players follow the adventure of Laura Parton as she attempts to
survive in creature-packed and snow-punishing conditions. The story begins
after a meteorite strikes Laura's airplane, and she finds herself revived
from the wreck by a woman named Kimberly. Stranded in a cabin in a vast
snowy region of the Canadian mountains, they must deal with dozens of
different alien creatures roaming the area outside while seeking out clues
to unlock the mystery behind what has happened to the rest of their plane's
crew. Realistic terrain and ever-changing weather conditions add to the
urgency of Laura's real-time plight through the tundra in ``D2."
``With a deep and horrifying story-line that includes both first to third
person gameplay, 'D2' provides an immerse gaming adventure that will leave
players engrossed for hours," said Rob Alvarez, product manager, Sega of
America. ``The array of gameplay modes combined with the eerie aesthetic of
'D2' adds a new twist to the popular survival-horror game genre."
The world of ``D2" is packed with four major modes of action including
challenging battle sequences, authentic high-power hunting, multiple modes
of exploration and the ability to take pictures of your surroundings.
Traveling freely on foot or steering a snowmobile through the cinematic
environment, players can take, store and add captions to photos for a
personal ``D2" photo album or slideshow.
Players depend on the Visual Memory Unit (VMU) to store game data and for
information on Laura's whereabouts. The VMU displays a compass that will
help direct players during exploration. ``D2" is also Jump Pack compatible
for an extra surge effect. ``D2" is available for $49.95 at retailers
nationwide and at www.sega.com.
989 Sports' NCAA GameBreaker 2001 and
NCAA All-Time Rushing Leader Ron Dayne
Plow Onto PlayStation
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced that NCAA GameBreaker
2001 from 989 Sports is now available for the PlayStation game console.
Delivering a balanced attack of unrivaled graphics, great gameplay and a
multitude of features, NCAA GameBreaker 2001 includes all 115 Division I-A
programs, plus 64 historical teams, 21 bowl games, new player models and
more than 250 motion-captured animations. The game features 1,800 plays
designed by legendary All-Americans, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
consultation provided by Washington Huskies head coach Rick Neuheisel and
strategic input by Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, who also appears on the game's package
cover.
NCAA GameBreaker 2001 re-creates the spirit and pageantry of college
football Saturdays with all 115 Division I-A football stadiums from
Michigan's ``Big House" to the Rose Bowl, all rendered in amazing detail,
as well as the race for the Heisman Trophy, and conference championships.
Adding to the game's realism are more than 30 authentic fight songs and
hundreds of motion-captured animations including new tackles, special moves
and jukes. Players can utilize special weapon ``GameBreakers" who can
change a game's complexion whenever they touch the ball.
Former University of Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne, this year's
GameBreaker cover athlete and a recent New York Giants first round draft
pick, was brought into the studio for consultation adding to the game's
realism through play calling strategies and play design. Dayne finished his
Badger career as college football's all-time rushing leader becoming the
first runner to amass more than 7,000 yards on the ground.
``NCAA GameBreaker 2001 captures the look and feel of college football and
with our collaboration with Ron Dayne, the NCAA's most prolific running
back, GameBreaker lives up to 989 Sports' mantra 'Made by the Pros. Played
by the Pros." said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. ``With Ron Dayne and Rick Neuheisel's strategic
input, Keith Jackson's play-by-play commentary, incredibly realistic
stadiums and team-specific playbooks, GameBreaker really is college
football."
NCAA GameBreaker 2001 features superior gameplay to accompany its amazing
graphics and college football realism. With Total Control Passing, players
adjust to changing defenses by leading or under-throwing receivers so the
ball is placed just where the receiver can catch it. Special moves allow
``GameBreakers" to juke overmatched defenders, while a well-timed leap can
tip the ball away from the outstretched hands of the intended receiver. A
``Career Mode" allows a player to assume the duties of a head coach,
coordinator or assistant in leading a run at the National Championship.
Players can then progress up the coaching ladder, landing jobs at higher
profile schools depending on the success of their squad.
Only NCAA GameBreaker 2001 allows gamers to take their best players to the
next level. Gamers are able to save senior players from NCAA GameBreaker
2001 and draft them into the NFL by downloading them into 989 Sports'
best-selling pro football franchise and new release, NFL GameDay 2001.
NCAA GameBreaker 2001 Key Features:
-- All 115 NCAA Division I-A teams and stadiums, plus 64 classic teams
from the past
-- Authentic college play formations and playbooks featuring more than
1,800 plays designed by college coaches such as the University of
Washington's Rick Neuheisel and UCLA's Bob Toledo and by GameBreaker
cover athlete Ron Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner
-- Five gameplay modes: Scrimmage, Fantasy, Tournament, Bowl Season and
Career
-- "Career Mode" enables the user to assume the duties of a head coach,
coordinator or assistant in leading a run at the National Championship
-- TV-style presentation with extended analysis from legendary college
football announcer Keith Jackson
-- NFL GameDay 2001 compatible - users will be able to save senior players
from an NCAA GameBreaker 2001 season and import them into NFL GameDay
2001
-- All-new gameplay animations include new tackles, special moves and
jukes
-- All 3D polygonal players scaled to actual height and weight
-- Authentic college fight songs and drums provide the most realistic
college football environment, while real audio enhances every juke,
grunt and bone-crunching hit
-- "Blue Chip Recruiting" feature allows gamers to sign recruits and build
powerhouse teams
-- Play in 21 different bowl games, including the Rose Bowl, and
individual players can compete for the Heisman Trophy, Sears National
Championship Trophy, All American Team and Freshman of the Year Award
-- Utilizes more than 250 motion capture animations of former college
standouts and current NFL Pros, including Akili Smith, Charles Woodson,
Tim Brown, Chad Brown, Mike Alstott, Jason Sehorn, Hardy Nickerson,
Christian Fauria, Jimmy Smith and Lamont Warren
-- "Max Pro" feature allows player to order running backs to block or go
out for a pass
-- Gamers can control celebration and show-off animations, but must watch
out for excessive celebration penalties
-- True-to-life "GameBreakers" can change the outcome of a game with each
touch of the ball
-- Practice field "Play Editor" feature enables users to create and
customize their own playbook
-- Supports the DUALSHOCK(TM) analog controller for the ultra-realistic
experience
-- Total Control Passing allows players to lead or under-throw receivers
so the ball is placed out of the reach of greedy defenders
-- Wind, snow and rain all affect gameplay, while uniforms show mud and
grass stains depending on field conditions
-- Tracking of game and full season statistics in every major category
-- Up to 8 players with Multi Tap
Acclaim Sports' NFL Quarterback Club 2001 for
Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 Kick-Off This Week
Acclaim Sports announced that NFL Quarterback Club 2001 for Sega Dreamcast
and Nintendo 64 will be in retail outlets nationwide on Thursday, August 24.
``We anticipate that fans of the NFL Quarterback Club brand will be pleased
with the gameplay improvements made to this year's title," said Michael
Jerchower, Acclaim Sports Director of Licensing.
Endorsed by 3-time NFL MVP Brett Favre, NFL Quarterback Club 2001 features
incredible detailed player models featuring wristbands, injury tape, eye
black and breathe strips, precision Artificial Intelligence to simulate
real NFL gameplay, over 1,200 motion-captured animation including wrap
tackles and player celebrations, all-new ``Shoulder Charge" button for
bursting through defenders and enhanced commentary and play by play from
Mike Patrick and Randy Cross. NFL Quarterback Club 2001 also features Easy
Pass/Catch controls, motion capture from actual NFL players, 31 team
specific playbooks or create your own, Total Team management (trading,
drafting, signing, and releasing players, managing the salary cap), all 31
NFL teams, all the NFL stadiums rendered in 3D, over 1500 NFLPA players,
and Custom Creation capabilities that let gamers create their own players
and teams.
Acclaim Sports' NFL Quarterback Club 2001 has the following exclusive
features for Sega Dreamcast: all-new saveable instant replays, distinct
player models for different positions, custom camera to view the action the
way you want to see it, including saveable instant replays, VMU play art,
sideline camera cuts and populated sidelines.
Highlights of the NFL Quarterback Club 2001 marketing campaign include
title sponsorship of the PLAYERS INC. Rookie Premiere, which is airing on
Fox Sports Net throughout August, along with sponsorship of the NFL
Quarterback Challenge, which aired in July on CBS. The title is backed by a
nationwide print campaign in major video game and sports publications, a
featured presence on www.acclaimsports.com, and a comprehensive in-store
merchandising program including window posters, valence cards and oversized
comps.
Eidos Interactive Announces Sydney 2000 Is Now
Shipping for The PlayStation and PC CD-ROM
Eidos Interactive announced that the eagerly anticipated Sydney 2000 has
begun shipping for the PlayStation game console and PC CD-ROM.
Sydney 2000 is a graphical showcase bringing every aspect of the Olympic
Games to video game players around the world. No detail has been spared to
produce the most realistic sports game ever, while retaining a great
feeling of fun and frantic multi-player competition.
Sydney 2000 offers the most comprehensive event listing for a multi-sports
game ever, including 100m Sprint, 110m Hurdles, Hammer, Javelin, Triple
Jump, High Jump, 100m Freestyle Swimming, Olympic Sprint Cycling, Skeet
Shooting, Super Heavyweight Weight Lifting, 10m Platform Diving and Kayak
K1 Slalom.
The game features high-resolution graphics incorporating the latest motion
capture technology, provided by Olympic athletes, and accurate models of
all the Olympic facilities. Choose between a variety of gaming modes
including Olympic, Arcade and Coaching. Olympic mode enables you to take a
team of athletes and train them up through lower ranking competitions and
lead them ultimately to compete for Gold.
``The Olympic Rings are one of the most recognized sporting logos in the
world," says Mike McGarvey, COO of Eidos. ``Eidos is delighted to be
expanding its acclaimed sports portfolio with such a prestigious name.
Sydney 2000 is a unique game that will appeal to all audiences of video
games -- which is demonstrated in its multi-platform release. This will be
reflected in the marketing and advertising support for the game."
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Jaguar Covered in the October GameFan!
Hello everyone,
The Jaguar, in another grand refusal to be forgotten is the featured
product in the October Graveyard section of the magazine Gamefan.
The magazine covers Songbird's Hyper Force, 4Play/Scatologic's Battlesphere
and the GOAT Stores Jaguar JAMMA Joystick. All three products are reviewed
very favorably on pages 104-107, and there are many screenshots including a
statement that ECM wishes that there were more classic system users as
rabid as the Jaguar community is.
Please look for the October issue of Gamefan to hit the store stands within
the next few weeks and support the new coverage of the Jaguar by purchasing
the issue. A special thanks to ECM and Gamefan for running the article.
For more information on the products reviewed in Gamefan, please refer to
the following websites...
Jaguar JAMMA Joystick - http://www.goatstore.com/
Hyper Force - http://songbird.atari.net/
Battle Sphere - http://www.battlesphere.com/
GameFan - http://www.gamefan.com
dan
www.goatstore.com
Contact: Donald A. Thomas, Jr., consumer
webmaster of ICWhen.com
curator@icwhen.com
For Immediate Release
eGames CEO Challenges Customer Complaint With Suit
Manteca, CA - (August 23, 2000) -- In a recent exchange of email
communications with a customer, eGames, Inc. (www.egames.com) reveals plans
to continue selling abridged software without telling customers that the
software they're purchasing are not the original full versions. The
revelation is made while Mr. Donald A. Thomas, Jr., Webmaster of ICWhen.com
(www.icwhen.com), submits a complaint to the firm concerning their
marketing policy.
"Mr. Thomas obviously has a mission here and short of revamping our
marketing and product development strategies, he's not about to (be)
appeased, " states Mr. Gerald W. Klein, CEO of eGames, Inc. in an email
addressed to his staff in which Mr. Thomas was copied. "Ellen, are you sure
we can't sue him?" he concludes.
On Saturday, August 19, Mr. Donald A. Thomas, Jr. purchased two video game
compilations published by eGames, Inc., a Langhorne, Pennsylvania-based
software publisher. "Galaxy of Arcade Classics" includes "7 exciting games
featuring 3D graphics and sound." "Galaxy of Games Red Edition" is a
"best-ever collection of 50 full feature games". Both are CD-ROMs intended
for computers equipped with the Windows '95 or Windows '98 operating
systems. Don installed "Galaxy of Arcade Classics" on his home computer and
found that the software titles advertised on the packaging were quite
different from their originally released forms.
"I played 'Tunnel Runner' for fifteen minutes, then the game stopped and
told me that I had completed all the levels," revealed a disenchanted
Thomas. "As you exit the main menu, they then offer to sell you the
complete versions. I then realized I had actually purchased an elaborate
eGames product catalog with nothing more than game samples represented as
complete games."
Indicating that their target market are casual gamers that do not realize
that they're purchasing only small portions of the complete game originals,
Klein points out, "We realize that we cannot hope to satisfy both core and
casual game players with the products that we intend to market and sell."
"Interestingly," challenges Thomas, "many of eGames titles are
look-and-feel copies of classic video game titles such as 'Dig Dug',
'Pac-Man', 'Missile Command', 'Frogger', 'Breakout' and others. As a
Webmaster of a game history Web site, I know that all these games became
popular, in part, to their never-ending nature. If the player ever did
reach a 'final' level, the entire game begins again adding to the existing
score at a faster and more challenging pace. I purchased EGames' 'Galactic
Patrol' a while back and it plays just like the original 'Galaga'. It's
clear that they know what their target market is and it's not people
interested in games that end in less than fifteen minutes."
Klein considered an invitation to have the matter reviewed by one or more
Attorneys' General offices. The CEO responded that eGames' money-back
guarantee protects them from any such inquiries inferring that those
consumers who felt that they had been misled will be entitled to a refund.
"Our money-back guarantee protects our customers and our interests too,"
boasts Klein. "Experience has shown such a guarantee to be the best
insurance money can buy and the best customer service policy."
Assuming that a money-back guarantee would protect eGames marketing
strategy, Thomas points out that the products he purchased make no
references whatsoever to any such guarantees.
The complete email exchange between Donald A. Thomas, Jr. of www.ICWhen.com
and Mr. Gerald Klein of eGames, Inc. (www.egames.com) can be found at
http://www.icwhen.com/news/egames0822.html.
Mr. Thomas may be reached in email at curator@icwhen.com.
Mr. Klein may be reached in email at jklein@egames.com.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Intel to Detail Pentium 4 And Other Chips
Intel Corp., seeking to maintain leadership in the market for personal
computer microprocessors and looking to expand into new markets, will this
week give design details and announce new chips for wireless devices.
Executives of the world's biggest chipmaker on Tuesday will spell out the
advances in Intel's latest processor designed for desktop PCs and laptops
at its Intel Developer Forum in San Jose, Calif. The Pentium 4, which will
run at speeds of 1.4 gigahertz, will be available in the fourth quarter and
laptop versions sometime after that.
``It was really designed for the visual Internet going forward," said
Albert Yu, senior vice president of Intel's Architecture Group, adding that
streaming media on the Internet, real-time video compression, better speech
software and the need for encryption are demanding more performance from
microprocessors.
Intel's current fastest chip, the Pentium III, runs at 1.13 gigahertz,
slightly faster than the speediest from longtime rival Advanced Micro
Devices Inc. The two have been swapping the title of speediest chip-maker
since AMD unveiled the Athlon chip last year.
At the conference, which will have about 5,000 attendees and 250 technical
workshops, Intel will also unveil new chips for cell phones and handheld
computers, an important though still nascent market for Intel. As growth in
the PC market, at least in the United States, is showing signs of
moderating, Intel -- which gets 80 percent of its sales from
microprocessors -- is seeking to enter new, rapidly growing markets.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel will also announce a new lineup of
StrongARM chips -- powerful, energy-efficient chips often used in cell
phones and mobile devices -- under a new brand name, an Intel spokesman
said.
The Pentium 4 chip has 42 million transistors, compared with 26 million in
the Pentium III and also 144 new instructions for multimedia, allowing
better sound and graphics. Yu said that even at modem connection speeds of
56 kilobits per second, users will notice a marked increase in performance.
Initially, Intel will aim the Pentium 4 at consumer enthusiasts, such as
video gamers, and at businesses. It is also the entirely first new
architecture for a 32-bit chip since the Pentium was introduced in 1995.
Also, Intel will announce its Xeon processor running at 1 gigahertz, and
which is aimed at powerful computer servers and workstations used for
hard-core science, graphics and design applications. It will also give an
update on its Itanium processor, Intel's first 64-bit chip.
Intel Chief Executive Craig Barrett gave a speech to developers Tuesday
morning, followed by others throughout the week. The conference ended on
Thursday.
MP3.com, Sony Settle Copyright Suit
Net music site MP3.com has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with
Sony Music Entertainment, sparking a rally in its stock price.
MP3.com will pay an undisclosed amount for the lawsuit settlement and an
undisclosed fee to license Sony's catalog. The site will use the music
catalog in its My.MP3.com service, which was the focal point of the record
company's lawsuit.
Today's settlement marks the latest deal brokered between MP3.com and the
record industry. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the
legal arm of the record industry, in January sued MP3.com for its
My.MP3.com service, which gives consumers access to digital copies of
their CDs. A federal judge in April ruled that the service infringed on
the recording industry's copyrights.
The contention has revolved around My.MP3.com, which the company introduced
in January. The service lets consumers listen to their CDs through any
computer with Web access. To provide the service, MP3.com bought tens of
thousands of CDs, created a database of MP3-encoded downloads, and offered
access to people who proved they had bought the CD by placing the disc in
their computer.
However, MP3.com's move resulted in quick legal action against the
company, leading to its round of costly settlements.
"MP3.com respects the rights of copyright holders, and now, with this
settlement and license, we can offer consumers an avenue to access music
online from CDs they have purchased," Michael Robertson, CEO of MP3.com,
said in a statement.
The record industry has waged war on several Net music companies in an
effort to curb alleged copyright infringement of its works. The RIAA is in
the midst of a high-profile lawsuit against music file-sharing service
Napster. A judge ruled that Napster infringed upon copyrights and ordered
the start-up to shut down.
Napster has since won a reprieve but continues to fight for survival in an
appeals court.
Including Sony, MP3.com has reached settlements with four of the "Big
Five" record companies. In June, MP3.com reached an agreement with Time
Warner's Warner Music Group and German media giant Bertelsmann's BMG
Entertainment. Last month, the company reached an agreement with EMI
Group.
Universal Music Group is the remaining "Big Five" label that has yet to
settle with MP3.com.
McAfee Takes Crack At Antivirus Software For Handhelds
McAfee has begun offering antivirus software to protect devices from the
nascent threat of bugs written for handheld computers.
The new software--McAfee VirusScan Handheld--keeps known viruses from
being transmitted between a desktop computer and handheld devices running
the Palm operating system, Symbian's EPOC operating system, and Windows CE
or its successor, Pocket PC, said product marketing manager Ryan McGee.
The product begins to address a new, largely unprotected domain where
viruses could spread. Though limited by bare-bones operating systems,
handhelds are gaining in power and popularity, and sellers are avidly
pushing devices that connect wirelessly to the Internet. A virus in Spain
called Timofonica already attacked some cell phones.
However, the antivirus software doesn't yet run on the handheld itself.
Instead, it runs only on a desktop computer and scans the handheld device
when files on the PC and handheld are synchronized, McGee said.
That means the handheld is still open to virus transmission when it
exchanges information directly with the Internet or with another handheld.
Some competitors believe antivirus software can be run on the gadgets
themselves, though. Competitor Symantec has prototype antivirus software,
which runs directly on a Palm device (it's limited to Palms).
And F-Secure unveiled software two weeks ago that runs on EPOC, an
operating system designed by a cell-phone maker consortium called Symbian
for smart cell phones and other handheld devices.
The reason for McAfee's desktop approach, according to McGee, is that on
current handhelds "the operating environment is too restrictive right now
to develop software to reside on the device and scan it when not connected
to a PC."
In other words, handhelds don't have enough memory or processing power to
run full-fledged antivirus software. For example, Symantec's list of virus
definitions alone--not including the antivirus software itself--is 2.4MB
long, while the most brawny Palm devices have only 8MB of memory.
The silver lining, though, is that virus writers face the same limited
environment when trying to create bugs.
While handhelds don't suffer from known viruses, McAfee knows virus
writers are turning their attention to the new environment, McGee said.
"We expect that in a year, we'll probably see the first virus written for
the handheld environment," he said.
The chief threat is that the handhelds will act as a conduit, transferring
viruses from one desktop computer to another. For example, a Windows CE
device running a stripped-down version of Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet
software isn't capable of running the small programs called "macros" that
often are central to virus propagation. But a person could transmit an
infected file from one PC to another with the device.
Eventually, when handhelds get more power, people will be able to run the
antivirus software directly on the handheld, McGee said.
"We've seen the Palm-alone go from 1MB (of memory) initially to 8MB now.
We'll see continued development in hardware to make those devices ever
more powerful and memory loaded," he said.
The McAfee service is aimed at corporate customers and costs $25 per
handheld per year for 500 handhelds or more or $12 per handheld for 5,000
and up, the company said. Mcafee also offers a consumer version. McAfee is
a division of Network Associates.
'Pokey' Computer Virus Hits U.S., Slow to Spread
A computer virus featuring the cuddly Japanese cartoon character Pikachu
has been found in computers in the United States, leaving some operating
systems devastated, an anti-virus software firm said Thursday.
A official at Japan's Trend Micro said the virus was first detected in the
United States late last month and had been nicknamed ``Pokey" by U.S.
experts.
The Pokey virus works in a similar way to the notorious ``Love Bug" virus
that caused billions of dollars in damage worldwide earlier this year, but
the Trend Micro official said it did not appear to be as devastating.
``Luckily, it seems to be rather slow-moving and hasn't spread very far,"
he said, adding that the virus had yet to appear in Japan.
Officials at Nintendo Co., the video game company that owns the copyright
to the wildly popular Pokemon characters, of which the cuddly, yellow
Pikachu is one, were unavailable for comment.
The virus strikes when users open an attachment to an e-mail, sending it
into their computer and in some cases making it unusable. It simultaneously
sends e-mails to everyone in the user's address book, giving it the
potential to spread quickly.
When users open an attachment, an image of a pensive Pikachu appears on the
screen with the ungrammatical message: ``Between millions of people around
the world I found you. Don't forget to remember this day every time MY
FRIEND."
The virus initially appears as an e-mail with the title "Pikachu Pokemon"
and the English message ``Pikachu is your friend."
The Trend Micro official advised anyone receiving the mail to delete the
file without opening it.
Earlier this year, the Love Bug virus infected computers around the world,
including in the Pentagon, Britain's parliament, and major companies. It
was eventually traced to the Philippines, where a computer school drop-out
is suspected of being responsible.
Justice Dept Releases Guidelines for Carnivore Review
The Justice Department Thursday released guidelines for an independent
review of its controversial Carnivore e-mail surveillance program to ensure
that the program works as intended.
The review was prompted by concerns that the program could infringe on
Internet privacy or slow down traffic on the Web. Carnivore allows law
enforcement agents to gather e-mail messages of criminal suspects as they
pass through the gates of an Internet service provider. Like a telephone
wiretap, it requires a court order to be used.
In its guidelines for prospective bidders, the Justice Department said cost
would be a factor, but technical capability of the candidates would be most
important. The review is expected to be conducted by academic experts at a
U.S. university.
The Justice Department emphasized that it wanted the review to remain
technical in nature and independent of political influence.
``The primary goal of this procurement is to select an offerer that is
capable of delivering an independent, objective, impartial and thorough
technical review of the Carnivore system within the timeframes specified,"
the guidelines said.
``The Department seeks to avoid any appearance of improper influence by the
Department, including the FBI, or by other law enforcement or governmental
interests," it added.
Proposals are due on Sept. 6, the Department said, and the contract will be
awarded on Sept. 25. The first draft of the review will be due on Nov. 17,
followed by a period for public comment. The final report will be issued on
Dec. 8.
Attorney General Janet Reno has said that the contractors would have total
access to any information they need to conduct their review.
The FBI is also collecting material to turn over to the Electronic Privacy
Information Center (EPIC), a public-interest group, after EPIC sought
access to the data under a Freedom of Information Act request.
The Justice Department contends that Carnivore is needed to keep tabs on
criminals who communicate online. But EPIC, the American Civil Liberties
Union and some members of Congress are worried that it may violate the U.S.
Constitution's Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and
seizure.
AOL To Delete Outside WebMail Email Provider
A leading outsourced email provider will lose one-third of its account
holders following America Online's decision to go it alone with Netcenter
WebMail, its free, Web-based email service.
USA.net, which has powered WebMail since its 1998 launch, will lose its
only major portal customer when Netscape Communications' Netcenter
migrates its WebMail accounts to its own service later this fall.
Netcenter has 7 million account holders using USA.net-powered email and
just less than a million using its new homegrown service.
USA.net says it will be left with 15 million "email seats" after
Netcenter's withdrawal. The email outsourcing company has about 3,000
corporate clients, including American Express, United Airlines and Mail
Boxes Etc.
The loss of Netscape, which through parent AOL retains what it calls a
"very small" investment in USA.net, is a second major blow to hit the
email provider in the past year, following the company's scuttled initial
public offering in fall 1999. USA.net withdrew that IPO citing market
conditions.
USA.net is maintaining a business-as-usual attitude in the wake of
Netcenter's departure.
"We don't see any negative effect except that we're losing a great
relationship with a long history, and we're sorry to see them go," said
USA.net representative Danette Lopez. "I wouldn't say they're necessarily
our biggest customer. What we end up losing there is email seats, but
we're always replacing them."
Lopez declined to say whether USA.net still plans a public offering.
Netscape said it will extend its USA.net contract through the fall, then
let it expire so it can integrate the WebMail product with its upcoming
Web browser, Netscape 6.0. Currently available in its second of three
test, or "beta," versions, Netscape 6 follows Microsoft's Internet
Explorer in integrating a free, Web-based email service with the browser's
email client.
Microsoft offered the same integration with IE 5 and Hotmail last year.
"Due to the WebMail account capabilities built into the Netscape 6
browser, we determined that the most effective service we could offer our
users was a high-quality WebMail system that is tightly integrated
throughout Netscape products," said a Netscape representative. "We
determined that the best way to accomplish that was to build and host it
ourselves."
Netscape said the integrated browser and Web site would meld instant
messaging and address book features.
WebMail recently weathered a gaffe in which about 1 million customers had
to change their account names because of name overlaps. Netscape said that
problem was unrelated to the planned migration from USA.net.
But some people have complained recently of spotty service from WebMail,
saying it has been slow or choked off altogether.
Netscape acknowledged a "service disruption" yesterday morning that
prevented some account holders from accessing their accounts, but the
company said it also was unrelated to the planned migration.
=~=~=~=
Atari Online News, Etc.is a weekly publication covering the entire
Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted
at the beginning of any article, to Atari user groups and not for
profit publications only under the following terms: 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: dpj@delphi.com
No issue of Atari Online News, Etc. may be included on any commercial
media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service or
internet site, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without
the expressed consent or permission from the Publisher or Editor of
Atari Online News, Etc.
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 to be accurate at the time of publishing.
