ChromaCAD / graphics / commercial










From: Michael Current (aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)

Date: 09/09/91-09:19:53 PM Z









From: aa700@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Current)
Subject: ChromaCAD / graphics / commercial
Date: Mon Sep  9 21:19:53 1991




ChromaCAD is a brand-new issue of commercial-grade software for the Atari 8-bit
by Marv Seaman of Palette Imaging.  It is actually two separate programs costing
$29.95 each.  Prog #1 is the outline drawing module, works on XL/XE machines.
Prog #2 is the 3-D shader module, for XE only.

I have a sample Review copy in hand of both programs.  The manuals are beauti-
fully written.  When I first received the thing I thought there was some mis-
take, it looked like manuals for $500 Mac programs.

The Shader module at present won't run on RAMBO'ed XL's, as it uses ANTIC mode
for displaying on-screen models.  However, following a phone call to Palette
about this, it now appears a 2nd version is in the works (will probably be
included on the flip side of the disk) that will run extra RAM from CPU mode &
thus be RAMBO-compatible tho with some slight loss of program flexibility.
Also, the main program itself is being upgraded & is in the mail to me at this
moment.  The upgrades are minor.  The same ad that appeared in AIM will also
appear in the Sept issue of Current Notes.  I will mentioning ChromaCAD in my
October "Alchemist" column.  And with a little luck, if all goes well, we might
see a review of ChromaCAD in the DEcember issue of CN.

Palette also has under development (almost finished) a utility package to 
accompany ChromaCAD which includes an Epson-compatible screen dump for proofing
your creations.  The orimginal has no print facilities, you have to send your
final image to Palette & they print it for you on a hi-res color laser thing.

This is probably the most sophisticated graphics package ever written for the
Atari 8-bits.  Every single byte of 130XE memory is used.

A pair of 3-D glasses does accompany the package.  Sorry, they're the cheapie
kind, cardboard, like in the movies.

     - BEN POEHLAND
       8-BIT EDITOR, CURRENT NOTES
-- 
Michael Current, aa700, 8-bit Atari SIGop    -->>>  go atari8  <<<--
The Cleveland Free-Net Atari SIG is the Central Atari Information Network
              Celebrating 12 years of 8-bit Atari computing!









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