Atari Explorer Online: 22-Jan-94 #0301
From: Bruce D. Nelson (aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 01/28/94-10:26:04 PM Z
From: aa789@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bruce D. Nelson)
Subject: Atari Explorer Online: 22-Jan-94 #0301
Date: Fri Jan 28 22:26:04 1994
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: Volume 3 - Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 22 January 1994 ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: ::
:: ATARI .............. News, reviews, & solutions ............ ATARI ::
:: EXPLORER ............ for the online Atari .......... EXPLORER ::
:: ONLINE ................. Community .............. ONLINE ::
:: ::
:: Special National Championship Edition ::
:: DEDICATED TO COACH BOBBY BOWDEN AND HIS 1993 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLE ::
:: FOOTBALL TEAM - CONSENSUS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ::
:: #1 (12-1) ::
:: ::
:: Published and Copyright (C) 1993-1994 by Subspace Publishers ::
:: """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ::
:: Publisher ........................... Michael Lindsay EXPLORER ::
:: Editor .................................. Travis Guy AEO.MAG ::
:: Assistant Editor GEnie................ Ron Robinson EXPLORER.1 ::
:: Assistant Editor CompuServe.......... Albert Dayes AEO.1 ::
:: Assistant Editor Delphi......... Andreas Barbiero AEO.2 ::
:: Assistant Editor Internet........ Timothy Wilson AEO.8 ::
:: Atari Asylum ................... Gregg Anderson AEO.7 ::
:: Unabashed Atariophile ..... Michael R. Burkley AEO.4 ::
:: Atari Artist ................... Peter Donoso EXPLORER.2 ::
:: ::
:: Contributors: ::
:: """"""""""""" ::
:: Al Fasoldt Chuck Klimushyn ::
:: ::
:: Telecommunicated to you via: ::
:: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" ::
:: GEnie: AEO.MAG ::
:: CompuServe: 70007,3615 ::
:: Delphi: AEO_MAG ::
:: Fnet: AEO Conference, Node 319 ::
:: AtariNet: AEO Conference, Node 51:1/10 ::
:: Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com ::
:: ::
:: Internet subscription service: stzmagazine-request@virginia.edu ::
:: (Internet subscription requests ONLY!) ::
:: ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Table of Contents
* From the Editors ...................................... Zonked out in 94.
* Dateline: Atari! .............. Live from the CES show, Bob Brodie talks
Jaguar awards & other things Atari.
* Cybermorph: By the Book ........... Chuck Klimushyn shows you the sights
in Atari's new console game.
* Jaguar Tackboard ..................... Independent Association of Jaguar
Developers forms - AEO's Jaguar
Developer/Title list grows -
CES Awards - Developer posts.
* Andreas' Den ............................... Andreas and family moves to
sunny (?) Washington state.
* QSound ........................ Licensed for use in future Jaguar games,
this audio technology received a review
from Al Fasoldt.
* The Second Annual AEO Readers' Survey ......... You told us how you want
AEO to shape up.
* The Unabashed Atariophile .................... The best in the latest PD
and Shareware files for
_your_ Atari computer.
* GEnie News ........................... New files & happenings on Atari's
Official Online Resource.
* Developing News ......................... Oregon Research's VideoMaster
SST changes to STAR
ExtenDOS from Anodyne
DataBasement Registration Deal
TOWERS from JV Enterprises
It's All Relative Items
POV Raytracer
Compo's FalconSpeed 6.0
* Shutdown ............................ Around the world and up your block.
--==--==--==--==--
||| From the Editors ....... Atari Explorer Online: The Next Generation
||| Travis Guy
/ | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This issue is coming out far too late, and there's no one who's more
aware of it than me. My apologies.
There's an awful lot on the table that needs to be addressed this
issue, unfortunately, I'm in no real shape to do it. I generally hold
this editorial off as the last bit of business to write. That way, I
can comment on any last minute items of interest. But with a fever
that's yet to peak out at 101.8 degrees (F), I feel that I would
rapidly degenerate into gibberish. (Even faster than usual!) Y'all
can get along fine without me.
One thing I have to mention - this past week, over 200 people died as
a result of both the massive Arctic cold that enveloped the Eastern
US and the Northridge earthquake in the LA area. This is a reminder
that no matter how great a status we ascribe to ourselves, no matter
how much culture we generate, how much technology we create, we are
not masters of creation. Our prayers and thoughts go out to those
affected.
--==--==--==--==--
||| Dateline: Atari!
||| With Bob Brodie
/ | \ File Courtesy of GEnie
------------------------------------------------------------------
=========================================================================
(C) 1994 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May
be reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on
GEnie are *official* information services of Atari Corporation. To sign
up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection
type HHH (RETURN after that). Wait for the U#= prompt.Type XTX99437,GENIE
and press [RETURN]. The system will prompt you for your information.
==========================================================================
Dateline Atari! with Bob Brodie
Live from Las Vegas
Winter Consumer Electronics Show
Friday, Jan. 7th, 1994
Host - Lou Rocha
<[HoST] ST.LOU> We have a lot of newcomers here tonight that I would
like to welcome. When you use the /RAI command to call me it will
take me a few minutes to acknowledge you. Please don't /RAI more than
once. It pollutes my screen <grin>
Also please use the /nam command so I know who you are. For example
/nam HoST gives me the HoST that you see. Please use a short nickname
tonight. Please :-)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Welcome to our first Dateline Atari of 1994! Tonight
is the last evening of the Winter Consumer Electronics Show and Atari
has been in Las Vegas showcasing the Jaguar. We expect to hear a
report on the week's events from Bob Brodie, Director of
Communications.
Bob has been real busy this week so we really appreciate the extra
effort in joining us tonight. Having done Comdex this year myself, I
know what an exhausting week Bob must have had. Thanks for joining us
on GEnie, Bob!
The last few weeks have seen the posting of various Jaguar developer
lists in the Bulletin Board. Elsewhere ATC stock is starting to inch
up again. Some of our recently enriched observers are speculating on a
new high of 30.00! Time will tell.
There has also been some recent chatter about new production runs for
the TT - Atari's workhorse workstation. Rumours also abound about a
68040 computer being developed by a third party European company. Are
these "visions of sugarplums" or post-holiday bonuses? Why don't you
join us and we'll ask Bob. Bob, the floor is all yours. Please GA
<BOB-BRODIE> Happy New Year, to all of our friends on GEnie! I trust
that you have all enjoyed the holiday season very much. Activity at
Atari is at an all time high as we continue with the our release of
the Jaguar.
For the third month in a row, this session of Dateline: Atari is
coming to you from the road! In November, you may recall that we came
to you live from the New York City Launch event, in December I was
back in New York visiting with retailers. This month, I come to you
live from the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas.
Today's session concluded about an hour ago, and I've rushed back
from the show floor to my hotel room to join you online tonight. We
have lots of exciting news to share with you, so let's get started
right away!!!
The Jaguar can truly be called an award winning product!! Atari was
presented with a number of awards so far here at CES.
Die Hard Game Fan Magazine has presented Atari with two awards, one
for Cybermorph as "December Game of the Month", and another for Jaguar
as the Best New Product of 1993. Video Game Magazine presented Atari
with an award for Best New Product of 1993, and Best Print Ad of 1993
for the Jaguar.
Game Informer Magazine announced at their 2nd Annual Game Informer
Magazine Awards that they have awarded the Atari Jaguar the Best New
Product of the Year award!! Today, Electronic Games told us that they
were naming Tempest 2000 on the Atari Jaguar the award as Best Game
of CES! We're very excited and pleased with all of the accolades that
the Jaguar has earned to date!!
Atari has returned to the main floor of CES. Our booth is located in
Pavilion A, rather than using a suite as we have in the past few
years. The amount of activity in the booth has been just incredible.
We have visited by retailers from all over the world, and many
prominent members of the media as well.
Today we hosted CNN for coverage of the exciting Jaguar title "Alien
vs. Predator". We're displaying Jaguars in our booth in the
interactive display kiosks that will be available for retailers to
utilized. These kiosks feature the striking Jaguar "cat eye" logo, and
use an RGB monitor, and a set of stereo speakers to showcase the
Jaguar's capabilities.
We also have a large screen TV that we're using to highlight some of
the newest titles, like Alien vs. Predator, and Tempest 2000. We have
a series of Lynx kiosks set up as well, showing off the new titles
that are available for the Lynx.
We're pleased to have some exciting products on display in our booth
at CES for both the Jaguar and the Lynx! For the Lynx, Telegames is
showing Super Off Road, and Krazy Ace Miniature Golf. They have
recently released Desert Strike for the Lynx as well. Atari is
showing Lynx Raiden, Eye of the Beholder, and Ninja Gaiden III. Beyond
Games is showing new titles as well, including Ultra Vortex. I'll make
sure that complete descriptions of the Lynx titles are made available
online here within one week of today. I had expected to have the
completed text files outlining the story lines of all the games by
today, but it didn't reach me in time for the CO tonight. (Sorry!)
On the Jaguar side of things, Alien vs. Predator is coming along very
nicely, and is a huge hit here at the show. This game is a 3D
rendered tunnel/maze game with texture mapped walls, and striking
digitized renderings of the Alien and the Predator creatures. As you
play the game, you have the option of being the Alien, the Predator,
or the Colonial Marine. Each character has their own set of unique
skills, and weapons!!
Telegames is showing a preliminary version of Brutal Sports Football.
Anything goes in this football game, THERE ARE NO RULES! Just pick up
the ball and run for your life!! Players compete on the gridiron
against 16 of the most unforgiving mutant teams ever to separate a
cyborg from his generator pack! Telegames announced that they would
be producing European Soccer Challenge for the Jaguar. This title will
be a significantly enhanced version of the same title currently
available on the Lynx.
In addition to true color graphics, the product will have an expanded
season and playoff format for the 170 teams. A specific personality
and performance ability will be established for each players, and you
can earn the ability to trade payers under certain circumstances.
Ultimate Brain Games is an expanded version of the Ultimate Chess
Challenge title for the Lynx as well. In addition to a chess game,
there will be a backgammon and checkers game. This product will
features specific game set up for computer solution, and digitized
graphics.
Atari is showing an early version of Checkered Flag II for the
Jaguar, featuring real time 3D generated action. The player is allowed
to customize racing cars to his wishes. The cars, buildings, and roads
are rendered in real time 3D. Racing speed is intensified by 100
percent true sound effects, crashes feature realistic sounds and
imagery with parts flying, and tires screeching.
Tempest 2000 is one of the most popular games in arcade history, back
in it's original form as well as in three new versions. On one
cartridge, you get four games! Tempest (original version), Tempest
Plus, Tempest 2000, and Tempest Dual! The games feature two player
cooperative play, the use of an android, cycle shaded webs, and many
new weapons and challenging bonus levels.
All told, there are over 15 new titles that have been announced at
the show for the Jaguar!! Among those are: Battlewheels, Car Wards,
Commando, Doom, Dungeon Depths, Evidence, Hosenose and Booger, Return
to Zork, and Ultra Vortex.
Atari is continuing it's roll out of the Jaguar on a national basis,
effective immediately. All of the partners that we have been working
with in New York and San Francisco that are national accounts, like
Toys R Us, Babbages, and Electronic Boutique, will go national
immediately. We will then roll out to the top ten markets in the US
throughout the first quarter. Beginning in the second quarter, we
will go to the top twenty markets. Our retail partners are pleased
with our promotional efforts to date, and we have agressive marketing
plans scheduled up through June of this year that we have committed
to.
I'm sure I could go on for quite awhile longer, but seeing as how
we're getting started a bit late tonight, I think this probably is a
good point to open the floor to any questions, Lou.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> OK, Bob. Lots of people are waiting and we have lots
of newcomers. Folks, remember, only /RAI once. First we have M.BALDEON
<[SWiTCHB0ARD] M.BALDEON> Any new developers (CAPCON, or ACCLAIM?)?
Any new CD ROM info... I don't think lack of software supports is a
good reason to delay it.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> BTW, I can only allow one question in the first round.
<BOB-BRODIE> Yes, there are a number of new developers that are
coming on board. We are having meetings with Capcom here at the show.
Re the CD Rom, the hardware is quite close, and will be available in
June.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Any ideas on the price for CD, Bob?
<BOB-BRODIE> BTW, one of the other titles that we're showing in the
booth is Kasumi Ninja, a fighting game with graphic violence. The CD
will go for approx $200, Lou.
<[Dave] D.SHORR> Atari has stated that the rendering speed of the
Jaguar is over 850 Megapixels per second compared to 3DO's 64
Megapixels per second; is this a fair comparison given that Atari's
pixel is represented by a single bit?
<BOB-BRODIE> Of course it is.
<[NewSTar] C.S.SMETON> Bob, I have a question from a friend (Paul
Plants) who does not have a GEnie node in his town. He wants to know
how/if his Atari Explorer subscription will be filled out. Or is the
magazine gone forever?
<BOB-BRODIE> Charles at this point we don't plan to bring Explorer
back. Paul should contact our Customer Service Department and request
a refund. We'll be happy to refund his money.
<[Chris] C.KROWCHUK1> Bob, congrats on success in 93. I am a retailer
in Edmonton offering Atari peripherals & software. I would like to
offer Jags & Falcs but am concerned about warranty. I have left
messages and mail, no response. So, how about it, any plans?
<BOB-BRODIE> On the Falcon side, there are no problems with the
warranty at all. Our policy is quite clear on it, it has a one year
warranty. Dealers are allowed to replace 6 components in the field;
those are as follows: the keyboard, power supply, hard disk, floppy
disk, ram board, and something else that I can't recall at the moment
(sheepish grin) On the Jaguar side, we're not ready to sell to Canada
yet. That will probably happen around June.
<[Ken] K.STEVENS1> Hi Bob, Got Raiden in yesterday and haven't been
able to stop playing. Great implementation of the arcade game.
Question, Sega and a couple other console developers have released
some of the specs of their game systems. Most are due sometime around
Christmas. From what they have release on the specs they are going to
compete with and beyond the Jaguar. The question, is Atari working on
the Jag II or a accesssory that will move the Jag to or beyond the
specs of the new game consoles coming out?
<BOB-BRODIE> Ken, I haven't personally seen those specs, but
discussed them with our VP of Technology today. He agrees that the
machines sound neat, but feels that they are going to be priced very
high compared to the Jaguar. Do you recall the price they announced?
<[Ken] K.STEVENS1> Bob, to answer your question about price. About
500 dollars for the Sega Saturn (US dollars). This includes the CD
(Quad Speed)) I personally think that they are biting off more than
they can chew with the specs they have release at that price.
<[Mike Lipson] M.LIPSON> Hi Bob! Do you know if Atari plans on
issuing more stock in 1994?
<BOB-BRODIE> No I don't know the answer to that, Mike. Sorry.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Lots of hands tonight, Bob. Next we have D.VANTREASE
<[SHADOW] D.VANTREASE> Will you post us a list of the national
rollout city schedule? And what's the latest AvP or SVideo release
dates?
<BOB-BRODIE> I apologize for not having the national roll out press
release at my side. I will see to it that the information gets put
out ASAP. Look for the S Video cable the end of this month, and AvP
around April.
<[ED] E.BAIZ> Is Atari going to make a case for the Jag similar to
the one for the Lynx?
<BOB-BRODIE> We're in discussion with a number of companies for
accessories like that, Ed. I'm not sure if we will do it, or allow
other companies to do them for us.
<[Ed & Mac] ERIDDLE> What was 3DO's reaction to the Jaguar being @
CES in FULL FORCE, What did they have to "combat" the Jags presence?
Waiting for Aliens vs. Predator...
<BOB-BRODIE> Trip Hawkins gave a presentation at CES. He addressed
virtually every competitior EXCEPT Atari in his discussion of the
market. When he opened up for questions, he was asked specifically
about the Jaguar.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Don't leave us hangin' Bob :-)
<BOB-BRODIE> His response was that he didn't feel that the Jaguar
competed against 3DO because 3DO isn't a Toy.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Hahaha!
<BOB-BRODIE> When it was pointed out to him that the Jaguar is
outselling the 3DO by a factor of 10:1 according to some retailers,
he said "...Go to the Atari booth and see it for yourself!" And
hundreds of people did just that. :) We're grateful. On a slightly
more serious note, I'm told that there are some impressive titles in
the 3DO booth. However, the retailers claim that it simply isn't
selling.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Travis Guy from Atari Explorer Online is next!
<[Nat'l Champs] AEO.MAG> Hi Bob, it sounds like everything's going
well.... Can you take a minute and give those of us who can't be
there an anecdote or two that would help convey the reaction the
Jaguar is receiving? (Aside from Trip's reaction! :) I'm interested in
what Jaguar title seems to be generating the most intense interest.
<BOB-BRODIE> We've been showing Alien vs Predator on the big screen,
so it's getting the most interest. There have been a large number of
people that have asked to purchase one on the show floor. We had a
number of employees from Sega and Nintendo visiting the booth, and
playing our games. They seem to be very impressed. Among the more
interesting stories from my role in dealing with the media has been
the many members of the Japanese press who have visited our booth,
DEMANDING review units. :) Many of them were wearing Sega hats, too.
:)
<[Sam] SAM-RAPP> I was gonna ask about the cheats for crescent
Galaxy, but I thought I would ask if you have any new developers you
can name specifically? Of course, You could always answer both! ;-)
<BOB-BRODIE> Why don't I talk a little about the cheats, and we'll
deal with the devs AFTER the show. We have some key appointments at
the end of the week. Re the cheats for Cresecent Galaxy....When the
Crescent Galaxy title comes up, press 1193. This will activate the
cheat mode for Crescent Galaxy. The codes are entered in from the
second controller. For example, pressing the joypad to the right will
make you scroll really quickly across the screen.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Still 15 in the queue. If you are waiting, please
have your question ready and wait for Talk-Mode before pressing
[RETURN]. Next is B.DUNCAN.
<[BaltimoreBoy] B.DUNCAN12> Will There be a Virtual Reality Device
for the Jag anytime soon?
<BOB-BRODIE> There is one in the works, but I'm not sure how soon it
will be available. We want to be sure it isn't a hokey device like
some of the virual reality stuff.
<[Sir Fransis] K.DRAKE> All of the games until now are 16 meg and
retail at $49.99. As the more visually impressive games will use
larger meg sizes, will the prices get too close to becoming
unbearable? (like the $99.99 price for Sega's VR racing).
<BOB-BRODIE> I don't think so, Kenneth. We do have some developers
talking about $89 games, but I haven't seen any real firm plans for
them yet. Crescent Galaxy is really impressive graphically, and it
isn't that expensive.
<[Graham] G.NORTON> Bob, I have a few questions for you. 1) We have
been trying for while to get hold of either Shirley Taylor or
yourself for a while and haven't been able to. Can you suggest a good
time to call when we might be able to speak to someone...or is there
such a thing? :) 2) Is Atari going to be addressing the dealer
warranty program that had been canceled any time soon? It is very
hard, especially in Canada, to be sending products down to Atari (or
even Pacific Software) any time we have warranty work, and needless to
say time consuming. 3) What is Atari planning for Canada with regard
to dealers (getting more online), and with regard to both the Jaguar
and Falcon? 4) Lastly, while I realize the Jaguar is Atari's central
product right now, I hope the Falcon hasn't been forgotten. Atari
needs to reduce pricing on the current Falcon and introduces faster
machines just to stay current. As we all know in the computer
industry, if you are not moving forward you are falling behind.
<BOB-BRODIE> Graham, in fairness to everyone here I can only take one
question tonight. Sorry. We have restored voice mail at Atari, and I
had not received any messages from you in the last few weeks. Please
call and leave your number for either Shirley or I and we'll call you
back to discuss your concerns. Atari was closed between Christmas and
New Years, but I was in the office during that time, and checked my
voice mail daily. I don't recall any messages from you, although I am
about 3 weeks behind in my GEnie mail at this point.
<MIKE-ALLEN> Hi Bob. Glad to see you here. Many Atari computer users,
while glad that Atari is doing so well with the Jag, are feeling a
little nervous. The "real" dealer network seems to be dwindling and
there are fewer and fewer 3rd party offerings. I guess the question
is: is there a future for Atari computers other than just as a Music
machine? Are we Atari computer enthusiasts going to be more orphaned
than we are now?
<BOB-BRODIE> We are still very much interested in the computer
market, Mike. However, the reality is that at this point it time if we
are to be profitable we must pursue the Jaguar. The fundamentals of
the computer side of our business have changed, the most compelly
products for the Falcon are largely music related products. It is our
believe that the capabilities of the Jaguar are well suited for
computers as well, and we are considering how to go about doing that
in the best possible fashion. In any event, we will continue to
service the needs of our computing customers to the best of our
ability.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Bob, can you shed any light on the production of TT's
that was mentioned a few months ago? And what is 'compelly'? <grin>
<BOB-BRODIE> <Grin> a typo from lack of sleep, sorry.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> compelly=compelling?
<BOB-BRODIE> The production of TTs _has_ resumed. What I have not
been clear on ** <BOB-BRODIE> disconnected.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> OH OH... Deja vu ... hang on folks. There are lots
of people in the queue so I am closing it for now. If we move really
quickly, I will take more /RAI later. No more /RAI for now. Thanks.
Bob is back
<[HoST] ST.LOU> I just got a note that the cheat works. Sam is moving
right along :-)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Matt Rivman will be next, them M.MURPHY and Ringo
Montfort
<BOB-BRODIE> Sorry, gang. That's a new record, twice in one night. :)
Did he (Sam) think I would lie??? :) :)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Matt, how about asking your question now?
<[Matt] M.RIVMAN1> Howdy Bob, and welcome. A while back, someone
posted in the Jag topic that their local dealer sold 4 units to some
Electronic Arts folks. Have they expressed any interest in writing
for the cat to Atari, directly?
<BOB-BRODIE> On an informal basis. Remember that Electronic Arts
really doesn't write that much software themselves. They are largely a
publisher of other people's products, like John Madden Football for
instance.
<[Kid Metal] M.MURPHY31> Happy New Year, Bob, and congratulations on
what sounds to be a successful CES. When can we expect to see Jag TV
ads go nationwide? Can you give us any details of specific ads we'll
be seeing? Thanks.
<BOB-BRODIE> We will be going in the top 15 teen shows in in the top
ten markets in Feb, and March with the TV spots. There will be cable
TV ads runnning at the same time, and then.... from April through June
we'll be doing the same thing in the top 20 markets with TV. We will
be doing national advertising in the video games mags clear thru June,
a series of mall events, screenvision (in movie theatres), wild
postings, and sponsoring the Scorpions 14 city national tour of the US
as part of the AvP promotions. How's that sound? :)
<[Ringo] R.MONFORT> Hi, Bob. are developers getting new info
regarding computers or new computers? I love the Jaguar. Thanks!
<[HoST] ST.LOU> I'd LOVE to love a Jaguar <grin>
<BOB-BRODIE> Hi Ringo. You should really take that up with Bill
Rehbock, Mike Fulton, or J. Patton. They're the developer support
people. I don't track the current status of their updates to
developers, I'm afraid. I can tell you that part of the efforts on
the Jaguar are resulting in developer sessions here in Las Vegas
during CES.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Bob, everyone is playing their Jags while waiting.
They love your cheats :-) Next we have A.STUDER.
<A.STUDER1> I'm happy to see Atari moving forward, especially into
the future. The Jaguar is a pleasant sight. Do you know when the first
Jaguar title with QSound will be released and what we can expect from
it? Will it use a special adapter or come out the SVHS/composite
cables? Has the Jaguar's IBM development unit been completed? Keep up
the good work! Happy New Year! <I forgot to play Atari today> <tried
CG's 1193, didn't work!>
<BOB-BRODIE> Hi Andy, I'll have to check on the Q Sound info. My good
friend Bernie Stolar is there, and he's been in our booth quite a bit
throughout the show. QSound relies on just two speakers for it's
effects, so you should not need any adapter at all. The PC
development environment is done to the best of my knowledge.
<[SWiTCHB0ARD] M.BALDEON> Congrats on your ad campaign, I live by San
Francisco and to all those people who want to know what they look
like there better then the Sega commercials (that's a compliment).
Also thanks, the CG code worked and I only have one controller... had
to switch it around. Anyway one last question... is Microsoft trying
to get their hands into the Jag market (just a rumor).
<BOB-BRODIE> Not to the best of my knowledge. Today we were told that
the rumor is that Nintendo is trying to buy us...only the umpteenth
time I've heard that one. :)
<[Dave] D.SHORR> What is the STatus of AtariWorks? Will a
telecommunications module be added?
<BOB-BRODIE> We're working on a beta version of 2.0, which at this
point doesn't have a telecomm module, but has lots of other
improvements. ** <BOB-BRODIE> disconnected.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> This might be a sign, folks :-) Hahaha... the
Nintendo spies! I love it, King! Lots of funny /sends.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Bob is back
<BOB-BRODIE> Sorry gang....one of those nights I guess! Is it GEnie,
the hotel, or the node here in Vegas????
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Did we finish the AtariWorks question?
<BOB-BRODIE> The answer was that there is a beta version of Works
2.0, but it doesn't have a telcom module at this point in time.
<[Parrot Head] C.CASSADAY> Being the president of an Atari User Group
who would really like to have Atari's presence at our second Fiesta
Atari this June, discretion would lead me not to do this. However, I
feel myself and others would like to hear the rest of the answer to
the TT030 production question.
<BOB-BRODIE> I'm not sure exactly where I fell offline...as I recall,
the question was "Are TT's being built again?". They are, but I am
unclear about what the plans are for them to be distributed, i.e. how
many come to the US, how many will go to Germany, etc.
<[Tony] WETMORE> You mentioned before that AvsP has been delayed
until April. Will you be able to post a list of "upcoming" Jaguar
titles sometime soon? As I recall, AvsP was one of the next expected
titles. No new games until April would be very bad. [:-(
<BOB-BRODIE> Tempest 2000, Checkered Flag will be out in the next
couple of months. The 3rd party stuff will begin coming out in March
and April as well.
<[James] J.VOGH> When will Eye of the Beholder be out for the Lynx
and how many players will it allow?
<BOB-BRODIE> We're showing it here at the show, I need to double
check on its availability. It requires a different board than the
other Lynx games as it permits you to save your score in the game. The
board might delay availability...but the software is done.
<[Ed & Mac] ERIDDLE> What Role-Playing Games are in developement for
the Jag? A BIG oversight on the SEGA frontier is the LACK of RPGs.
With a a few good showings you could capture that overlooked part of
the market...
<BOB-BRODIE> I have a list of about 15 titles that are in the works,
guys. I'll get that up online ASAP. There are some RPGs in there, to
be sure.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> That would be greatly appreciated, Bob. I know you
have been really, really, really busy lately but there has been LOTS
of action in the Jaguar topics in the Bulletin Board.
<BOB-BRODIE> REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, really busy. :)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> When you have a free week, you'll enjoy what is being
posted.
<BOB-BRODIE> And I'm sorry that I haven't been online at all.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Shall I send you some archives ? :-)
<BOB-BRODIE> I will try to get online after I get back home, and
yes...please send the highlights to me!
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Next we have Travis then Graham to close our evening.
<[Nat'l Champs] AEO.MAG> Really Busy Bob, there's a story making its
way around that Atari is trying to "force" Jaguar development to be
done on Falcon030s in a lame attempt to prop up the Falcon. (I'll
leave it to you to figure out where this story is coming from.) What
say you??? (BTW, thanks for the Jaguar cap and Tee-shirt!)
<BOB-BRODIE> At least being in Vegas instead of NY I feel like I'm
getting closer to home!!
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Let me guess who spreads the most rumours per week...
<BOB-BRODIE> Hi Travis...(oops, that last part was for Lou!)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Bob, turn right for Sunnyvale when you leave Vegas
:-)
<BOB-BRODIE> That story is 100% false, we are also supporting the PC
environment with the Jaguar. We are trying to force anything on
anyone. Whoever said that simply doesn't know the facts, isn't
connected to anyone that does, and proably isn't living right. :)
<[HoST] ST.LOU> "We are NOT trying to force...." correct?
<BOB-BRODIE> Please stop all the /sends guys...
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Graham Norton, you have the evening's last question.
<[Graham] G.NORTON> Can you tell me why Atari decided that Jags and
games can't be rented. A lot of people like to rent machines and
games before they buy them just to make sure they aren't wasting their
money. Also we have had a number of video game rental stores ask us
about getting Jags.
<BOB-BRODIE> Graham, before I answer your question, I want to be very
clear about my last answer.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Please do :-)
<BOB-BRODIE> I appear to have some hardware problems tonight. Along
with a lot of /sends.
<BOB-BRODIE> We are NOT, I repeat _NOT_ forcing anyone to use the
Falcon or any other TOS based computer for Jaguar development. That is
simply untrue. We are supporting the PC environment fully. Whoever
said that we were attempting to force people to use the Falcon is
mistaken, and if it is whom I think it is that is spreading this
rumor, then it is NO SURPRISE that they don't know what they are
talking about.
<BOB-BRODIE> On to your question, (and please respond to my follow up
"What makes you think we are not supporting rental?") One of the
companies that we are working with is Blockbuster Video!
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Graham, please ask your question again...
<[Graham] G.NORTON> Well mainly the notice on the side of the box
that says no rentals allowed...
<BOB-BRODIE> That's just standard legal mumbo jumbo. I don't have a
box in the room. But
<[Graham] G.NORTON> Quoting directly " You may not rent or lease the
Products or parts thereof;
<BOB-BRODIE> I suspect that if I did, there would be a spot that says
something along the line of "unless otherwise specificed", or
something to that effect. I believe that license applies to end users,
not retailers, Graham.
<[Graham] G.NORTON> Ok just wanted to check we want to sell some to
various rental stores.
<BOB-BRODIE> Again, we're working with Blockbuster Video. They are
doing rentals.
<[HoST] ST.LOU> Bob, short goodbyes and thanks tonight. I know how
exhausted you are. Take care. Spend a restful weekend at home. We'll
see you online.
<BOB-BRODIE> Lou, my apologies for all of the problems tonight on
this end. Maybe this Stacy finally needs a tuneup. It has been a
trying evening tonight with all of the line drops. But as always, I
have enjoyed being here. I'm grateful for the support of our users
online on GEnie, our official online service, and thanks to all for
attending. Good night.
/|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\
Our next session of Dateline Atari will be held on Friday, February
4th at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Real Time Conferences in the Atari ST
RoundTable are held every Monday (Desktop Publishing and Graphics)
and Wednesday (Open House) night at 10:00 p.m. and a HelpDesk is
available evry Sunday at 9:00 p.m. On the first and third Thursday
there is a Programmer's RTC at 9:00 p.m.
If you miss a conference, transcripts are made for all formal RTC's
(where there is a special guest) and the programming RTC. You will
find these transcripts in Library 13 - Atari Archives.
Please send your questions, suggestions and comments to RTC$ via
GEmail. Thank you.
--==--==--==--==--
||| Cybermorph by the Book
||| By: Chuck Klimushyn
/ | \ GEnie: L.FULGENZI
------------------------------------------------------------------
It was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I booted up
Cybermorph for Atari's new 64-bit Jaguar. A friend living on the East
Coast had gone to heroic lengths to find and ship it overnight UPS to
ensure that I received my unit on Thanksgiving weekend. I had read all
about the impressive specs in the major gaming magazines, which were
falling over themselves to cover Atari's new cat. I knew however, that
it would be all for naught, and that Atari would have a hard time
getting their new multimedia system off the ground if Cybermorph was a
dud. I anxiously wondered how it would compare to such polished
efforts as Star Fox for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
and Slipheed for the Genesis/SegaCD. Little did I know that I would
find the game play so enthralling that I would spend every free moment
over the next week mesmerized in a virtual universe, liberating
planets from a tyrannical dark empire. I returned from this pleasant
departure from reality to find that I was apparently the first person
on GEnie to have beaten the game.
In their previous AEO articles on the Jaguar and Cybermorph, Peter
Smith and Albert Dayes have done an excellent job describing the
premise and the mechanics of playing the game. There's no need to
repeat what they thoroughly and decisively covered. I would like to
take a closer look at the Cybermorph universe, the interesting planets
(read dangerous planets), special enemies, effective tactics, and
maybe even a cheat or two that will help others make it to the reward
sequence at the end of the game. Along the way, I'll also point out
how my initial anxieties over Cybermorph were groundless and that the
game in almost all aspects, exceeds what the best of the 16-bit market
has to offer.
//// Beginnings
I was struck quickly by two things when I booted up Cybermorph:
first, the terrain. There are polygon rendered mountains, valleys,
winding canyons, small rises, recessed riverbeds and more in the
fifty planets of the game. All are in a wide variety of colors and
shadings. In contrast, the terrain in StarFox is relatively flat, and
in Slipheed it's all a just pretty full motion video that you can only
interact with to a very limited degree. Second, I found I had total
360 degree control over the movement of my ship, my choice of its
speed, and up to a modest ceiling, its altitude. I was ecstatic when I
buzzed a full circle around the nearest building, an impossibility in
either StarFox or Slipheed. At one point, I found myself having a
blast, playing hide-and-seek with a pesky group of interceptors by
weaving around and through a large group of buildings. This is
something I never expected to be able to do on a mere "gaming"
console.
The next thing I noticed was that Cybermorph, ironically, was very
"mendable" to a gamer's playing style. If you like to play slow and
cautiously, scouting areas before committing yourself to an attack, do
so - the game generally gives you total freedom to be as methodical
as you wish. If your reflexes have been honed into deadly weapons from
playing countless shooters on the SNES and Genesis, Cybermorph will
gladly supply all the action you can handle. Speechless, I watched my
13 year old nephew kick the throttle open to a speed I only dared when
I was trying to run from something and proceed to obliterate
everything in sight. He did as well on the first stage, as I did using
a playing style that was somewhere between these two extremes. My
nephew pronounced judgement on the game, saying simply, "this is
really cool!"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Stages, Strategies, and Tactics
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Codes and "the" cheat:
Ok, so you don't want to complete each stage and just want to visit
the few that interest you. Here are the codes for each stage:
First Stage = 1008
Second Stage = 1328
Third Stage = 9325
Fourth Stage = 9226
Fifth Stage = 3444
The infamous "6009" cheat has made the rounds on most of the
electronic nets. (Later, I'll tell you how to "find" the code hidden
in the game!) Enter this code at any planet select screen and you'll
be transported to a special stage with four identical Saturn-like
planets. Select the one in the lower right hand corner and you'll be
launched on to a planet that is a weapons cache. Not only are there
power-ups for all your weapons, but extra ship tokens too. The
remaining three planets on the stage are hit and run firefights as
you seek the extra portal, but there's no reason to complete them.
Just enter the codes of the level you wish to go to and you'll be
taken there. Interesting, during each gaming session, as long as you
don't reset the game or turn off the power, the program will remember
which planets you've completed on each stage. This allows you to visit
earlier levels if you've started the game from the advanced stages.
You can easily pick up those last few thousand points to gain an extra
ship or more power-ups using this trick (I wish I could take credit
for discovering this cheat, but I read it on the boards too).
//// Stage One
Cybermorph's strength lies in the wide variety of strategy and tactics
a player can employ during the game. This applies not only to how to
complete a mission on a planet, but even how one goes about completing
a stage. Some planets are loaded with power-ups that will be helpful
for tackling more difficult planets in the stage, or the boss at the
end of the stage. Each stage also has a bonus planet which can be
found by locating and flying through a dark blue hexagon (as opposed
to the light blue supply ring). The player will be allowed to enter
the bonus planet after completing the current planet. These bonus
planets are worth locating, often right before completing a stage and
tackling a boss. Except for terrain features, they are devoid of
hazards and not only contain power-ups of plenty, but frequently
valuable extra ship tokens. The only catch is that you must exit
through the portal before the bonus planet's time limit (45-180
seconds) is up, or lose all your gathered goodies.
Stage one is a perfectly balanced introduction to the game. You're
given a variety of moderately tough missions to complete with a great
looking, but none too difficult boss at its end. After becoming
familiar with the controls of the T-Griffon, you may want to think
about completing Kapitol first. Don't let the large number of pods to
be rescued and large number of apparent defenders imitate you. Find
the radar dish on a purple mount and destroy it. Except for fire from
ground installations and a few circling green pod guardians, you'll
have the run of the planet. There's lots of cargo-carriers with power
ups that will help you on other planets of the stage. Lingering on
Olope to find the bonus planet ring is worthwhile as it contains extra
ship tokens (relax Travis, I promise not to tell them were they all
are). Codex with deep winding canyons, and not too many hostiles, is a
good place to build your flying skills. In long and winding canyons
like these, your triple shot is a good weapon to stop packs of angry
interceptors. You can find where the 6009 cheat came from by flying
through a narrow passage tucked between mountains - slip through it to
find a canyon with a big "6009" imprinted on the ground. (Hmmm. A
planet named Codex. A number on the ground there. Must be a code!) Oh,
how could I forget Zuel? Here you'll be introduced to one of the game's
niceties, WORMS!!
Every good game should have a monster or enemy that the mere sight of
which will cause the player's adrenaline glands to kick into high
gear, and Cybermorph does not disappoint. There's no more chilling
sight in the game than to see one of these beasts bearing down on you
like a demon-possessed freight train from hell. Worms are a snake like
string of rounded-triangles of various and changing colors. They're
one of the quickest enemies in the game and have the infuriating
ability to destroy a ship with a single hit by ramming. To make
matters suck eggs even more, worms don't die very easily.
Dealing with worms has been the subject of much on-line debate.
There's no pat answer and the correct response depends on the current
terrain and available weapons. Thunderquakers, one of the T-Griffon's
special weapons, will kill them instantly *IF* you're lucky enough to
have them. Mines are especially effective in canyons and areas with
lots of obstacles, but require ice-water in your veins because you
have to rely on the tactical display of your scanner to judge the
best distance for releasing the mine, while not splattering your ship
against a canyon wall. In open areas you can hit the reverse
thrusters and wail away with incinerators, or lacking them, normal
fire. I have a theory that when the worms change to a dark blue they
are the most vulnerable, but don't go staking your ship on that hunch.
Yes, you can always crank open the throttle and run, hoping they'll go
away... but they don't always. In early stages you can beat a retreat
and often complete the planet, but in later levels you may find two,
three, or more of these creatures drawing a bead on your ship all at
once (at such times I was glad the programmers were kind and included
passwords).
One last thing regarding stage one: its boss. Gaming purists may
scream foul at the first stage's boss, called a headhunter. It has a
striking resemblance to the last boss in StarFox, namely being a huge
disembodied head. Cybermorph's boss just doesn't sit there and lob
laser blasts at you, though like its counterpart in StarFox, it'll
chase your ship all around the planet given half a chance! It has an
especially nasty attack of disappearing into the ground and deep
sixing you from behind with missile fire. Fortunately, this makes the
headhunter a sitting duck for a few well placed mines. What, you
don't have any mines? I thought I hinted at completing Olope last and
finding the bonus planet ring to prevent such an embarrassing
situation....
//// Stage Two:
Ok, you've blown through the first level and wasted the first boss in
a manner that would have made Han Solo proud, and now it's time to get
down to brass tacks. Things quickly get much harder, both with the
fighting and puzzle solving aspects of the game. Here, you're
introduced to the two barriers that form the basis of the game's
puzzles. These are force-fields and spikes. Each is impervious to
almost all direct weapons fire and will destroy your ship on contact.
They must be de-activated by destroying their corresponding control
units. Force fields are controlled by a generator building which is
tall and narrow that's always on the ground. Spikes are controlled by
squat buildings that are always suspended slightly in the air. Taking
out force fields is straightforward, find the generator and kill it.
Spikes have a catch. If you fly too close to a pod that's surrounded
by spikes and trigger them to spring, they'll remain even after you
destroy their control unit. Therefore, you get the difficult task of
locating the control units without getting too close to the pods they
guard. If you fly to a different part of the planet and come back,
the spikes sometimes reset so you can reach the pod. One intrepid
gamer recently posted that you can reach pods in spikes by hovering
over the exact center of the trap and carefully lowering your ship to
the pods. I found it does indeed work! (Thanks, Rick!) In the
pre-launch briefing before entering a planet, you'll generally
informed if there are spikes below, but not always. On new planets you
may want to approach pods with caution as these spikes spring up at
the last second and may impale your ship if you're not quick on the
reverse thrusters.
The worlds in stage two are wonderfully varied. One of the most
difficult is Galitzia. Here you meet jack-in-the-box Joker faces that
lie flat on the ground and "pop up" to spray you with missile fire
when your ship gets too close. Cruise missiles are the weapon of
choice, line up for a torpedo run and release your missile as soon as
the face begins to raise. Hitting the reverse thrust immediately
after this will generally get your ship out of the way of return fire.
Galitzia also has a large number of cargo carriers for power-ups.
Metropol is a test of flying and shooting ability. You have to rescue
all the planet's pods before even one is destroy by vortex towers.
Watch the intro as the T-Griffin is released on the planet to get an
idea of which direction to head first. Taking out the radar tower will
make your task easier.
In fact, Metropol, Fragocia, and Rosam all have radar towers that
should be primary targets. Metropol also hides the bonus planet ring
(oops, sorry about that Travis). On Bross, your scanner is
dysfunctional so you have to locate the pods visually, which isn't too
bad, but finding your escape portal can be trying. Look around the
tall yellow towers. Ulmtri is a test of dog-fighting skills. Keep your
speed up and don't be afraid to use a lot of mines.
Throughout stage two and in later levels you'll meet another rather
stubborn enemy I've nicknamed "pod guardians." These stocky green
ships casually circle pods as their charges. Pod guardians take a lot
of damage and fire missiles at an alarmingly fast rate. Luckily they
are harmless until you decide to fire on them. Those with finely tuned
reflexes may want to try flying in and snatching a pod. I found
cruising over the pod guardians and laying down a mine spread to be
the safest way to take them out. Two or three incinerator hits will
also destroy them if you're the frontal assault type.
That brings us to stage two's boss(s). There are two twinblaster
gunships which were affectionately dubbed "battleships" on Genie.
They guard a number of pods that are in danger of being destroyed by a
vortex tower. Each of these ships has two wing pods that must be taken
out before the boss can be defeated. They're most vulnerable to cruise
missiles and incinerators. They may be attacked from fairly long
range - listen for the auditory feedback of your weapons striking a
target. After destroying both wing-pods, the ship will rush you.
Continue firing at it with incinerators if you have them, and as
rapidly as possible with normal fire if you don't. Remember there are
two of these ships. Attack at an angle that allows you to deal with
them one at a time. If you lose too many ships, retreat and let the
vortex tower destroy enough pods to allow you a retrial.
//// Stage Three:
Stage three includes some of the most innovative planets in the game.
JoJo contains an interesting puzzle of how to remove pods from spikes
without an apparent controller building on the planet. Look in the
hangers for the solution. It pays to spend time on JoJo - if you
rescue all the pods you'll earn a quick 25,000 bonus points.
Greenstone is the "politically incorrect" planet of the game. You have
to rescue pods by destroying the trees they are encased in. (Don't
anyone tell Greenpeace or Al Gore about this.) Greenstone is also
infested with worms, so bring your mines and thunderquakers!
Ladan has a worm or two to boot. You'll have an easier time of it on
Ladan if you follow the blue, then red transporters to take out the
generator of the force field guarding the radar tower. Shooting the
resulting immobile ships is a great way to gain power ups. Spykre
would be an easy planet if it weren't for the worms. Monicalia is one
tough planet too. Look for its radar tower across the river from the
central group of buildings on the planet. If you follow one of the
bridges across the river you'll also find the spike's controller
building. There are a number of cargo carriers on Monicalia for power
ups. The level's bonus planet ring is hidden on Pico (who said
that?!). Lastly, beginning in stage three and on the remaining levels,
don't be afraid to use your valuable thunderquakers if you're
overpowered by a swarm of enemies. You'll often get them back with the
power ups the destroyed ships leave behind.
Ready for the boss planets to get harder? Good, because there isn't a
vortex tower on the planet with stage three's bosses. This means you
only get one chance to beat them. No retakes, bud. You get to deal
with a headhunter and twinblasters. The headhunter is encountered
first. Be careful to destroy it without moving too far from your
launching point, otherwise you may fly smack into a missile spread
sent out from the planet's friendly twinblasters. One more tip on the
twinblasters: attack from a path where you can hit the reverse
thrusters without fear of backing into something. Beat a retreat as
soon as one missile hits the T-Griffon, as two dozen more will be
following quickly.
//// Stage Four:
I found stage four to be the most difficult level in the game (stage
five cuts you some slack, more on that later). Zahav is a tough
dogfight while you search for pods that don't show up on the scanner
screen because they are encased in metallic containers. Follow the
red transporter surrounded by tall yellow towers, to help find a few
hard to locate pods hidden in the planet's mountains. Your launch
point on Squib has you facing a ton of tempting pods. DON'T rush to
them. The pods are guarded by spikes that'll impale your ship.
Instead, take the red portal and locate a flat area with four yellow
towers along its perimeter. The pod carriers will helpfully remove
the pods from the spikes and drop them in this area. Olyotris may be
the toughest planet in the stage. There are a large number of trapped
pods guarded by overwhelming numbers of interceptors. Learn to destroy
the pod's shackles from a long enough range that won't bring a flock
of interceptors down on your head. Then open the throttle, grab the
pod, and back out before you attract too much attention.
I found Olyotris so tough, I took the suggestion in Cybermorph's game
manual and tackled the planet first. If I lost too many ships, I
restarted the level before moving on. The T-Griffon's scanner is
jammed again on Grand Piten. To make matters worse, there's a couple
of worms that attack from behind. You may want to set mines as your
default weapon and make frequent use of your aft viewer. On Grunge
there are no hostile enemies, just pod carriers and vortex towers. The
carriers drop pods into the fields of the vortex towers at a rate that
will test your flying skills. If you rescue all the pods you'll pick
up 15,000 bonus points. (What, I didn't spill the goods on the stage's
bonus planet ring? Well, it's on Olyotris but you may find your hands
full just trying to deal with the interceptors on the planet).
Hee, hee, hee. Just wait till you meet stage four's bosses - mutated
worms!! Like stage three, there isn't a vortex tower, so you get only
one chance at these babies before having to do the whole level again.
Stay in the open. Each segment of the worm must be destroyed, one-at-
a-time. I still like the advice I posted on GEnie after getting by
these suckers:
"Bring plenty of mines, kick the throttle open, and don't look BACK!!"
//// Stage Five:
Ok, I promised you a break on the fifth stage. The layout of the
planets are the most devious of the game, but most of them have
vortex towers with a very high percentage of pods to rescue. So, if
you lose too many ships let the vortex fields take out enough pods and
redo the planet. Just make sure when you sit down to complete this
level you've got a good three to four hours of free time. <grin>
Booshka may be the weirdest planet of the game. You've got one pod to
rescue among what seems like hundreds of hangers. Keep shooting the
hangers and looking for transporters that are hidden inside them until
you come to an area marked by two criss-crossing canyons. You'll find
the pod hidden in this area. Don't attack the hangers from too close.
They often contain nasty surprises. On Eeelaaz, your scanner will be
jammed again. Keep checking the two passages that run through the
central mountain range if you're having trouble locating those last
few pods. I've got two things to say about Janwelch. Blue-yellow-
blue, and if you don't mind dodging worms, you can find the stage's
bonus planet ring (well Travis, it's the last one, I might as well
tell them).
Thetazan is a frenzied race against time. Look for a force field
generator not too far from your launch point and destroy it. There's
a red transporter that will take you to the opening of a mountain
canyon. Take it, but *avoid* collecting pods and fighting with as
many hostiles as possible. You've got to get to the end of the canyon
as quickly as possible. Don't worry - everything will be there on the
way out.
On Gantlet, you'll need a building detonator to complete the planet.
There's two ways to accomplish this task. One: fly down the very long
and dangerous canyon marked by the tall yellow towers to obtain a
detonator power-up, then fly back through the same canyon and down
another long and dangerous canyon to reach the trapped pods (wrong).
Two: before leaving Thetazan, shoot one of the several cargo carriers
which has the detonators as power-ups, then go directly to Gantlet
(right). In addition, stay slightly to the left as you fly down the
canyon. There are a couple of sets of spikes that pop up as you fly
over them.
Hellfire was my favorite planet of the game. Its color scheme is
foreboding shades of red and black that get darker as the vortex
fields spread. You start off dealing with a headhunter and then must
spend the rest of the planet dodging missile fire from the overly
numerous Joker faces. There's no easy way to complete the planet. If
you get off Hellfire with just losing one ship, count yourself lucky.
Everything comes together with the bosses for the last stage. Your
flying and fighting skills must exceed anything that's been required
of you so far to make it past the two headhunters, two twinblasters,
and a few worms while rescuing your pods from the vortex towers.
Saving the pods will have to be your first priority. You can only lose
a few before having to restart the planet. There's not enough time to
destroy all the enemies on the planet and still save your quota of
pods. You'll have to snatch them from the fields of the vortex towers
at close to top speed while running a gauntlet of missiles sent out
by the twinblasters and being pursued by the headhunters. You may be
fortunate enough to take out the headhunters with mines while they
trial the T-Griffon, but don't go out of your way - save the pods
first!
Skylar will let you know when you're close to the required number. If
you've taken too much damage, allow the pods to be destroyed and
restart the planet. Once the pods are safe and your ship is still in
good shape, you can concentrate on the bosses themselves. Use the
tactics from previous levels and all your wits to get by the
twinblasters and worms. To trigger your escape portal you'll have to
kill *all* the enemies on the planet. If you get off the planet you'll
be taken to a short reward sequence.
Congratulations and welcome to the rank of CYBERJOCK!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Improvements and Conclusions
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cybermorph easily surpasses similar games in the 16-bit market. No
other game available provides its unique combination of freedom of
movement, variation of terrain, and options for tactics and strategy.
Even so, it is lacking a few "finishing touches" that are common in
top-of-the-line cartridges. Most notable is the lack of in-play
music. One has only to listen to the soundtrack of StarFox or Batman
Returns (SNES) to know how much a good musical score can enhance game
play. Extended and compelling introduction and reward sequences are
now considered almost a necessity for a game to be labelled "great" by
current standards. Some may argue that such things are merely wasted
memory, but look at the intro for Super Empire Strikes Back (SNES) or
Flashback (Genesis) to see how they set the proper "mood" for their
games. Cybermorph lacks any type of extended introduction sequence and
the reward sequence is far too short. Lastly, a shooter's bosses need
more variation. Cybermorph's headhunters and twinblasters are fine,
but they're recycled too many times.
That being said, Cybermorph is one heck of an engrossing pack-in and a
great preview of things to come for Atari's new gaming console.
Looking at the game as it runs on my television, I can't help but
sense that the end of the 16-bit era for home video games is near.
Let's wish Atari well in making the "next level" of gaming theirs!
--==--==--==--==--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- --==--==-- GEnie Sign-Up Information --==--==-- --
-- --
-- 1. Set your communications software for half duplex (local echo) --
-- at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud. --
-- --
-- 2. Dial toll free: 1-800-638-8369 (or in Canada, 1-800-387-8330). --
-- Upon connection, enter HHH. --
-- --
-- 3. At the U# prompt, enter XTX99436,GENIE then press <Return>. --
-- --
-- 4. Have a major credit card ready. In the U.S., you may also use --
-- your checking account number. --
-- --
-- For more information in the United States or Canada, call 1-800- --
-- 638-9636 or write: GEnie, c/o GE Information Services, P.O. Box --
-- 6403, Rockville, MD 20850-1785. --
-- --
-- --==--==-- Atari's Official On-line Resource! --==--==-- --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--==--==--==--==--
||| 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) is due to
start accepting members on GEnie very shortly. The IAJD is planned to
be a private group where confidential discussions can be freely held.
(Category 64 of the ST RoundTable is set to be 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. Regular EMail
correspondence with the IAJD should be sent to IAJD$.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Developer / Game List 1.2
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Editor: The following developers and game titles have been
confirmed to the best of AEO's ability as of January 13, 1993. While
no dates are tied to any of the games, they are hoped to be out by the
end of 1994. The "S" flag has been added to reflect any "e"rrors,
"u"pdates, "n"ew games, or new "d"evelopers since the last list. Titles
in brackets (e.g., [Cybermorph]) have been completed and are
available in the US.
Bear in mind that the titles on this list have gone through a
confirmation process - there are a dozen or more titles that are going
through the rumor mill, and when confirmed, will appear here. (The new
games listed here have been confirmed with Bill Rehbock at Atari.)
Conversely, there are a few developers (one is a "rock" from Atari's
past!) who have confirmed they are joining up, but wish to make their
own announcement - and AEO respects their wishes.
S Developer Titles under development
" """"""""" """"""""""""""""""""""""
n 21st Century Software - Pinball Fantasies
3D Games
Accolade - Charles Barkley Basketball, Al Michaels
Announces Hardball, Busby, Jack Nicholas
Golf, Brett Hull Hockey
e Activision - Return to Zork CD-ROM
u All Systems Go - Hosenose and Booger, Jukebox
Anco Software Ltd. - Kick Off, World Cup
Argonaut Software - UNKNOWN CD-ROM
Atari Corp. - Battlezone 2000, [Crescent Galaxy], Club
Drive, MPEG 1 and 2 carts, Tiny Toons
Adventures, VR Helmet
Atari Games Corp.
Attention to Detail - (For Atari Corp.) [Cybermorph],
Battlemorph: Cybermorph 2, Blue Lightning
n Brainstorm - [x86 Jaguar Development System]
n Beyond Games Inc. - Battlewheels, Ultra Vortex
Dimension Technologies
d DTMC
Eurosoft
Gremlin Graphics Ltd. - Zool 2 - MORE
Hand Made Software - (For Atari Corp.) Kasumi Ninja
High Voltage Software
id Software - Doom: Evil Unleashed
Imagitec Design Inc. - [Evolution Dino-Dudes], [Raiden]
u Interplay - BattleChess CD-ROM (MORE?)
Krisalis Software Ltd. - Soccer Kid
LlamaSoft - (For Atari Corp.) Tempest 2000
Loricel S.A.
Maxis Software
n Microids - Evidence, Commando
Microprose - 3D Gunship 2000 - MORE SIMULATIONS
n Midnite Software Inc. - Car Wars, Dungeon Depths
Millenium Interactive Ltd.
Ocean Software Ltd.
Park Place Productions - UNKNOWN TITLE (American Football)
u Phalanx (will be combining - Phong 2000 (Space?)
with another
unnamed developer)
e Rebellion Software Ltd. - (For Atari Corp.) Alien vs. Predator,
Checkered Flag II, Dungeon
Silmarils - Robinson's Requiem
n Telegames - Ultimate Brain Games, European Soccer
Challenge, Brutal Sports Football,
Casino Royale - MORE?
Tiertex Ltd.
Titus
n Tradewest - Double Dragon 4 - MORE
Trimark Interactive
U.S. Gold Ltd. - Flashback
UBI Soft International - Jimmy Connors Pro Tennis - MORE
d V-Real Productions - Horrorscope, Arena Football
Virgin Interactive
Entertainment Ltd. - UNKNOWN ("Movie title")
u Virtual Experience (was - Indiana Jags, Zozziorx (MORE?)
Retour 2048)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// CES Magazine Awards - Atari PR
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Atari Corp. announced today that the Atari Jaguar 64-bit interactive
multimedia game system has been named the industry's "Best New Game
System" (VideoGames Magazine), "Best New Hardware System" (Game
Informer) and "1993 Technical Achievement of the Year" (DieHard
GameFan). The awards were presented last week at the Winter Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In addition, VideoGames Magazine
selected a Jaguar advertisement as "1993's Best Print Ad" and
Electronic Games voted Jaguar's newest software title, "Tempest 2000,"
the "Best Game of the Show."
"We are excited the industry's premier publications have recognized
Jaguar," said Sam Tramiel, president of Atari. "We developed Jaguar's
64-bit technology to raise the standard for game system performance,
making Jaguar the most powerful, affordable system on the market. It
is an honor to know that the leading trade magazines and their readers
recognize our efforts."
"We created the 'Best New Game System' award specifically for Jaguar,"
said Chris Gore, editor of VideoGames Magazine. "Atari developed a
new game system with innovative hardware and software that delivers a
performance level currently not available in the market at a price
people can afford. It eclipses 3DO as the best bang for your buck."
On Game Informer's decision to vote Jaguar "Best New Hardware System,"
Editor Andy McNamara said, "With enough raw processing power to take
out the big boys, Atari has a winner on its hands. Of course, it will
need great software, but if games like the pack-in Cybermorph set the
standard, Atari is definitely on its way."
Atari Jaguar is the world's first 64-bit interactive multimedia home
entertainment system and is the only video game system manufactured in
the United States. The award-winning "Tempest 2000" is expected to
hit stores in March. Also, Atari expects to deliver its Jaguar
CD-peripheral mid-year at a suggested retail price of $200.
Atari Corp. manufactures and markets 64-bit interactive multimedia
entertainment systems, video games and personal computers for the
home, office and educational marketplaces. The Sunnyvale-based
company manufactures the Jaguar products in the United States.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Jaguar Quotes
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// John Mathieson <100111.2631@compuserve.com> - Jaguar designer:
Why is Jaguar better than 3DO? Well, you really need to find
someone who has programmed both. We believe Jaguar is at least
twice as fast as 3DO, and provides a much better environment for
developer's. Jaguar has a variety of processing elements, the GPU
RISC processor, the blitter, the object processor which generates
the display, and the audio DSP, as well as the good old 68K. These
were all designed to be as general as possible.
The object processor provides all the processing power you need to
do classic 2D games like most of the Sega/Nintendo ones. It is a
zooming/scaling smart sprite/playfield type processor. Games like
Crescent Galaxy use it pretty heavily. It is a 64 bit engine.
The GPU and blitter provide the power you need for 3D. The GPU has
the processing power you need for 3D arithmetic, with specialised
matrix stuff, and very fast multiply and divide engines. The
blitter does the actual rendering, and generates in hardware the
shaded (and Z-buffered if you want it) pixels at a rate limited
only by the speed of the 64 bit DRAM bus.
My understanding of 3D0 is that it is a glorified 2D architecture,
and is not good at things like polygon rendering. The architecture
of a machine is what makes it fly - ensuring there are no
bottlenecks that hold everything else up. We think Jaguar does a
good job at this. Give the games developers time to get to grips
with it and we should see some games that will knock your socks
off.
The amount of RAM on the CD is not what defines its performance.
PCs can fetch full motion video off CDs with very little RAM in the
CD. Access delays are best reduced by spinning the disk faster, as
a large part of the delay is the time the data takes to load. The 2
Mbytes of 64 bit RAM in Jaguar provide plenty of space for loading
CD games into, loads of RAM in the CD would not help, it would be
slower as the cartridge port is "only" 32 bits.
The programming environment that developers get is supported out of
Atari in Sunnyvale, and I am not sure what it contains. They run a
developers only BBS and should have lots of stuff for developers on
it. ... most of the developers I met don't like too much API type
software given to them, they just want to pile into the hardware
and get on with it. It is difficult with a new machine to have a
lot of software for the first developers of course, because as soon
as the hardware is available it gets shipped to developers....
By 2D graphics I mean games like Sonic or Crescent Galaxy, where
the animation involves just moving things around. 3D is stuff like
Cybermorph or a flight simulator where things move in perspective.
The definitive reference work is "Computer Graphics, principles and
practice" by Foley and van Dam et al., published by Addison Wesley.
This is a brilliant introduction to the field, and without it
Jaguar would not be what it is.
I think you will find that most of the best PC games will end up on
Jaguar. Jaguar is as fast at animating 16 bit pixels as a 486 DX2
66 is at 8 bit pixels - this is not just my opinion but comes from
Rebellion software who are writing Alien versus Predator and
Chequered Flag. Jaguar has 2 megabytes of RAM, and when this is
combined with 2 megabytes of ROM (16 megabit cartridge) has more
memory than most PCs. These cartridges are bigger then they sound,
because all bitmaps on Jaguar are true colour images and can
therefore be JPEG compressed.
[Jaguar's blitter] can move anything between a 1 bit pixel and a
64-bit datum in one transfer, it can move rectangular areas of
them, it can clip while it does it, it can scale the moved data,
rotate it, skew it, it can draw lines, it can synthesize 4 Gouraud
shaded pixels simulataneously , it can treat colours as
transparent, expand one-bit per pixel maps (character painting), it
can generate 16-bit Z buffer values and compare them with the Z of
the pixel already present and clip as required, etc., etc. It would
make a wonderful Windows accelerator, but games have a much broader
requirement, and its great for those too,
Jaguar's GPU is un-specialized, that is its strength. It is a fast
32-bit RISC processor with lots of smart RISC features to increase
throughput and make it easier to program. It does have some
functions that are particular to its application, like matrix
instructions, and hardware multiply and divide units, but it is
basically a fast general purpose processor. It's well matched to the
68K because the 68K does all the un-intensive high level game-play,
control and graphics stuff, while the GPU does the low-level 2D and
3D maths, which involve very intensive and repetitive stuff.
Bill Rehbock <75300.1606@compuserve.com> head developer honcho at
Atari:
The architecture of Sega-CD and Jaguar are so different, that you
really can't compare the CD-ROM buffers "apples-to-apples." The
Jaguar can even read directly from the CD into system RAM directly;
keep in mind that the base Jaguar was designed to incorporate
serial bit streams coming from CD, or the synchronous serial port
(cable set-top, telephone, etc.) with minimal additional support.
Q: Given development time, could CM have had completely
texture mapped landscapes?
Q: Could the hills have been in the distance, growing closer rather
than just popping up?
Q: Could there have been a digital stereo soundtrack accompanying
the game?
Q: Could the ship have had texture mapped logos, battle scars etc?
Answers: Yes; stay tuned for the sequel to Cybermorph
P.S. The Jaguar can support surround sound in several ways, all
better than the SNES.
//// Mike Fulton <75300.1141@compuserve.com> answers a question about
what kind of TV to buy to best enjoy a Jaguar on:
Buy the best TV you can afford, with the features you are looking
for. Really the only consideration regarding Jaguar is that if you
want the best picture, you want a TV with either S-video inputs
(also called S-VHS at times, these are getting to be fairly common
on higher quality TV/monitors these days) or RGB inputs (rare, but
not unknown).
Jaguar's resolution isn't really a factor as far as this goes.
However, as long as we're on the subject, strictly speaking, the
Jaguar's video resolution is programmable, so some games may have a
resolution of 320x200, some games may have 384x240, some may have
720x480, and so forth.
//// Rob Nicholson <hms@cix.compulink.co.uk> talks about an
interesting un-limitation about Jaguar Audio:
The number of channels is limited by software. The faster you can
write your DSP code, the more channels you can mix togther.
//// John Carmack <johnc@idcube.idsoftware.com>, Technical Director
at Id Software, answers why Id chose to port DOOM to the Jaguar.
Feel free to quote this.
We have a few reasons for not developing on the 3DO, but
development machine bigotry isn't one of them. I used an apple IIGS
for snes development (I am never, EVER, going to work with nintendo
again), and I am suffering with an atari falcon for Jaguar work
until I can port the tools to NEXTSTEP. I wouldn't turn away a mac
based environment.
The biggest reason is that I doubt that 3DO is going to become a
huge success. $750 is way out of line for a pure entertainment
machine. Was the NEO-GEO a success two years ago? We bought one,
but we don't know anoyone else that did. I doubt there will be all
that many units sold.
To make matters worse, there are over one hundred third party
licensees suposedly developing on 3DO. If there were only a couple
companies developing for it, they might make money. I predict there
is going to be some serious lossage going on in the 3DO developer
community.
The other major argument is somewhat philosphical. I don't like
what people expect out of CD games. Does anyone think that the
cheeseball dialog in crash and burn is a GOOD addition? It turns my
stomach. People expect CD games to have tons of digitized speech
and video, and the 3DO is going to be strongly associated with it.
The joke here is that if we ever do a CD version of DOOM, you are
going to get the game and "The Making of DOOM" a one hour feature
film. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars putting all
this media into their games, and it often actually detracts from
it. We don't want to be part of this crowd.
I would rather cut down to the essentials and fit on a cartridge
than uselessly bulk up on a CD. I have a minimallist sense of
aesthetics in game design.
Many developers are planning on waiting out the eary 32 bit
hardware wars, but I want to do a cool product even if it doesn't
make tons of money. Sandy (our map designer) semi-derisively calls
DOOM jaguar my "reward" for writing DOOM pc. "Good job, you can go
play with your new toys." :-)
Our initial appraisal of the Jaguar was "nice system, but Atari
probably can't make it a success". But when I got the technical
documentation, I was VERY impressed. This is the system I want to
see become a standard platform.
I was slated to do a cut down version of DOOM for the super
nintendo SFX chip, but I kept thinking about how cool a jaguar
version of DOOM would be, and nintendo kept rejecting
wolfenstein-snes for b*****t reasons (a golden cross bonus item
might offend christians. right.).
We finaly decided that we didn't want to be a part of the
chicken-and-the-egg problem of new systems not attracting customers
because developers haven't written for the platform because there
are no customers. The jag is cool, I think it has a shot at
success, and I am going to put my time where my mouth is.
Why the jag is cooler than the 3DO (from my point of view): It
only costs $250. The bulk of its processing power is user
programmable. The 3DO has a capable main processor (a couple times
better than the weak 68k in the jag), but most of its power is in
custom hardware that has narrow functionality for affine
transformations. The jag has some stupid hardware for z buffering
and gouraud shading, but I can just ignore it and tell the two
27mhz risc chips to do EXACTLY what I want. A 64 bit bus with
multiple independant processors may not be the easiest thing to
optimize for, but there is a LOT of potential.
There will probably be a version of DOOM for 3DO. We are talking
with a few companies about licensing out the port. It would be kind
of fun to do it here, but I am eager to get to work on the next
generation game engine that will make DOOM look puny...
Ted Tahquechi <72662.1314@compuserve.com> steps into a conversation
about the size of the Crescent Galaxy cart:
//// The 16 megabit answer is right. Do remember though that there
is a LOT of compression going on in a Jaguar cart, and there is
actually MUCH more raw information in the carts than 16 megabits.
I think the figure I last heard was 56 megabits for C.G.
//// Don Thomas <75300.1267@compuserve.com> tells how to order Jaguar
Tees, caps and Polos, direct from Atari:
You asked for them, you got them!
Jaguar Tees, Polos and caps! Premium quality, color designs on
black. Perfect apparel for your next shopping trip to the Mall!
<hint> Makes great gifts!
T-Shirts and Polos available in M,L,XL adult sizes.
Caps are adjustable.
T-Shirts are $13.95 each.
Caps are $13.95 each.
Polos are $19.95 each.
I have approved a minimum $3.50 S&H on any one of these items,
otherwise the $4.95 minimum applies if added to cart or cable
orders. California shipments will have 8.25% tax added. All prices
in U.S. funds only. All shipments via U.P.S. Ground to North
American locations only.
I have a limited number in stock now, but I have been asked to
allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery as we expect to sell through
rapidly and may have to back order fast.
Best way to order is by fax @ 408/745-2088. Make certain Visa or
MasterCard number and expiration is provided as well as ship to
address and anticipated billing amount. Also indicate size, if
applicable. You may also call 408/745-2089 (voice) during normal
business hours Pacific time.
You may send a money order if you wish to:
Atari Corporation
P.O. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA
Thanks for your valued support!
Jaguars for rental at BlockBuster Video! Don explains:
To help put those Rental License concerns to rest, I have been
told I can let people know that BlockBuster will be receiving
Jaguars (specially packed for the rental market) within a couple
weeks in the San Francisco and New York markets.
If you have been toying with the idea of getting a Jaguar, here is
your opportunity to "try before you buy". If you already have a
Jaguar, this is a chance to try new carts as they come out. All
Jaguar supporters should regularly let their BlockBuster store know
that they made a great decision to support the Jaguar!
//// Editor: Since Don's post, there have been reports of Jaguars
//// showing up at SF-area BlockBusters!
Don also shares "Tales from CES":
This is NOT an official release; personal commentary only.
I know people are going to ask me what I have heard now that
everyone is back in the office from CES this past week in Las
Vegas. Several people have forwarded independent CES commentaries
and rumors to me in E-Mail for comment which I couldn't respond to
very well. Although I've attended Comdex and CES and many other
shows in my career, I did not attend this one. My eyes and ears
have been seeing and hearing the same as anyone else who couldn't
go this time around.
Quite frankly, the excited people who bounced into the office this
morning were not the same people I expected to see. According to
some reviews I had seen passed around on the on-line services I
thought I would see defeated troops running in with their tails
between their legs. On the contrary, everyone was racing around,
talking up storms and doing a lot of smiling. Amidst it all, I was
able to squeeze brief conversations in with Bill Rehbock (Developer
Relations Hot Shot) and Garry Tramiel (Retailer Sales Chief of
Staff). I showed them both the descriptions of the Atari booth
offered by some people online who attended the show. Their versions
were much more positive and very different than the versions
described in the couple of articles I showed them.
I think I should give a quick overview of what CES is all about.
The Consumer Electronics Show is NOT intended to be a forum where
manufacturers launch new products for the public to see although
many companies are aware of the intense press there and use it for
that anyway. CES is a show where manufacturers romance potential
retailers. It's the once or twice a year opportunity for hundreds
of retail buyers and hundreds of manufacturing firms to connect
with each other within just a few days. It's not like an Auto Show
at McCormick Place in Chicago where the public is invited and all
the displays are designed to sell the consumer. It's an opportunity
for manufacturers to show off security minded displays, talk about
new advertising Co-Op programs, discuss new bulk purchase
discounts, network new developer alliances, prove the products they
promised were available, share marketing success stories, reveal
new advertising strategies and a variety of other marketing goals
that would simply bore the typical consumer to no end.
I saw one report that complained that all the Jaguars were in
plastic cabinets and the units were a little hard to hear as crowds
of people huddled around. Well of course you did, you yo-yo. Atari
is not after a crowd of kids trying out new high scores at CES,
they're interested to show retailers what the new upright in-store
display stands look like. Most meaningful retail buyers aren't
interested in level 5 of Club Drive, they want to see what you got
for them for in-store P.O.P. displays (Point Of Purchase
Displays). The sound may very well have been turned down so people
could hear salespeople talk... my experience at those shows is that
they are too loud to hear anything anyway.
I think it was the same report that claimed that all the systems
had bare electronic boards for carts. First of all this is a stupid
complaint of a show that is known for sporting new technologies in
development. Again, this is not intended to be an end-user show.
Secondly, I had numerous people insist that that is simply not a
true statement anyway. Our released carts were in cart form. The
ones in development were on bare boards to symbolize the reality
that they were unfinished. In cart form, people expect everything
is done and want to know why some specific aspect seems incomplete
when it physically looks like a finished product.
This report indicated other criticisms of specific games that came
across as unfairly biased. For instance, he (she?) indicated that
Tempest 2000 is a dumb game to bring into the 90's. I thought so
too at first since I was never a big fan of the original Tempest. A
lot of people were fans back then though and Mr. Skrutch provided
me some previews of Tempest 2000 that I believe will change the way
I look at it forever (for the better).
Garry Tramiel stated that this was the "most exciting show" he had
been to in support of Atari products for a very long time. Bill
Rehbock said something similar in a separate conversation. Garry
justified his statement by saying that only 2 of his appointments
didn't show on time and most came early with anxious questions like
"how soon?", "how much?" and "how 'bout sooner?". Garry said he had
top CEOs of retail chains waiting outside his door to meet him that
wouldn't have done so in the past for anything. Because these
meetings involve confidential agreements, I cannot discuss Garry's
itinerary in detail, but he said everything was upbeat and positive
with very few exceptions. He said only one retailer met her
appointment with Garry with a negative comment. She said, "nothing
here impresses me, I thought you should know." Then she proceeded
to negotiate with Garry on terms he could not negotiate on (in
fairness to other retailers). She left in a huff only to return
later with her company President who insisted on opening
discussions again. I know I'm hearing Garry's side of the story,
but even with some stretch of the imagination I don't know why they
fought so hard to buy something that "didn't impress her."
Bill gave me some astronomical number of developers who indicated
they want to discuss more on development using the Jaguar as their
platform. Keep in mind that development projects for people can
easily involve a wide variety of things and many may have nothing
to do with consumer goods. Therefore, all these people may not have
end user goodies to discuss. I asked Bill if these are just people
who dropped their card in the fish bowl and he said "Oh, if I count
those then there's several hundred!"
Various Jaguar related products won several innovation awards at
the show. I could not recall what specific ones they were, but I am
sure announcements are forthcoming.
The differences in what I heard from people in the office from
what I read in some of the "editorials" online reminded me of how I
love In-N-Out Burgers (a VERY popular chain of fast food burger
joints in California) and how my wife hates them. The restaurant
does not change between the time I place the order and the time my
wife does. She'll simply tell you that the burgers are "sloppy and
greasy". My description is that they're "juicy and piled high".
Same burgers, same restaurant, same time of day; different agendas,
different tastes and different points of view.
Public Relation firms get a lot of money to generate official press
releases, so this is not intended to be more than a personal
commentary.
//// Mark Rein <72662.1727@compuserve.com> from Epic MegaGames (who has
signed up for Jaguar development information from Atari), had this to
say about Atari's developer relations:
I'll tell you one thing that's very smart about the Jaguar - Atari
is very willing to pursue smaller development houses that have a
chance to bring out the really innovative game developments. It
almost guarantees that in six or seven months from now Atari is
going to have a VERY diverse software library with some games that
only smaller groups would be willing to take a chance on developing.
You certainly wouldn't see Nintendo or Sega appealing to these types
of developers and I think Atari will benefit from this strategy
immensely.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Upcoming Games
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Alien vs. Predator by Atari. Choose your weapon in a 64-bit
combat challenge with the stars of these feature film blockbusters.
Alien's machete-like tail and nasty jaws are perfect for ripping into
any predator. Predator's sophisticated weaponr and superior infrared
night vision make it easy to search out your victims. The Marine
Corporal's massive arsenal and sophisticated combat computer skills
make hunting mutants easy. Battle through miles of texture-mapped
corridors with stunning digitized character recreations.
Lightning-fast speed provides the ultimate in chase sequences.
Exceptional colors and light shading throw you in the middle of all
the limb-severing action.
//// Battlewheels by Beyond Games. Buckle up for 64 bits of
metal-mashing arcade action. 2021 AD. Humankind has turned to an
increasingly dangerous spectator sports for its entertainment. Welcome
to Battlewheels! Drive solo or team up with as many as eight of your
buddies for a futuristic demoltion derby to the death. Custom equip
your suicide vehicle from the ground up with machine guns, missiles,
flame-throwers... and compete for "kills," cash and glory against a
vicious band of road warriors - through treacherous deserts and ghost
cities of a bygone era. Yeeehaw!
//// Brutal Sports Football by Telegames. Crush 'em, mutiliate 'em,
splatter 'em all over the field.... It's anything goes in Brutal
Sports Football. No more rules - just pick up the ball and run for
your life as Jaguar's five high-performance processors throw you on
the gridiron with 16 of the most unforgiving mutant teams to ever
separate a cyborg from his generator pack. Compared to this, Pro Ball
is Powder Puff. Five methods of control, three play modes - an
audio/visual experience that will literally tear you apart.
//// Car Wars by Midnite Software, Inc. Earth, 2094. Advances in
technology eliminated tires, refueling and, in general, made the roads
a safer place - at least within the city limits. Outside the clean
cityscapes - in the Arena, where bloodthirsty drivers clahs in massive
road beasts to battle for what is yours, and what you think should be
yours - is where you do your driving. It's a futuristic off-road
carnage bonanza that takes full adventure of Jaguar's stock graphic
processors.
//// Checkered Flag II by Atari. Formula racing peaks in real-time 3D
action so intense, so realistic, your skin may actually peel back over
your cheekbones. This is eyeball-dryin' racing action only the blazing
speed and power of Jaguar can deliver. Customize your car and hit the
road against a fierce field of speed demons. Cars, buildings and roads
are rendered in true toe-curling 3D. 100 percent authentic effects -
crashes are realistic in both sound and imagery, with parts flying and
tires screeching. Helmet optional, but highly recommended!
//// Club Drive by Atari. You've never experienced racing like this!
Designed especially for the Jaguar, Club Drive pulls you into a fully
rendered 3D environment. There are no rails here - just 70 square
miles of San Francisco to race through and explore. Go anywhere as you
chase down your opponent in a fast-paced game of tag through the
craggy canyons and frontier towns of the Old West. Crash and score as
you test your wheels in a futuristic skateboard park - for cars!
Experience what it's like to be a toy car and race through your
neighbor's house, around coffee tables and under the television. It's
your chance to do things with a car Henry Ford would've never dreamed
of.
//// Commando by Microids. Take an in-depth, first-person perspective
into the trenches of 64-bit warfare. As the Officer in Charge of a
team of crack commandos, you'll experience all the rigors of gritty
jungle combat through the eyes of a real soldier as you patrol, set
ambushes, destroy key structures, rescue personnel... and ultimately
win one for your Commando team. Jaguar's sophisticated animation and
audio processors bring you front-line combat so real, extended play
may cause flashbacks!
//// Doom by Id Software. Doom is an ultra-fast virtual reality
showcase that plunges you deep into a brutal 3D world filled with
enough graphic violence to earn this monster its very own warning
label. As a renegade space marine, you must utilize state-of-the-art
weaponry and technological artifacts to fend off legions of gruesome
fiends, and use your wits to solve hundreds of lethal puzzles.
Dramatic, high-speed animation and Jaguar's uncompromising multimedia
realism bring this fantastic and grisly adventure to life.
//// Dungeon Depths by Midnite Software, Inc. Long ago in an ancient,
uncivilized world, man built great castles to close himself off from
the grunts of the earth. And beneath these castles he built miles of
dungeons to imprison you and your repressed minions. Get ready for a
medieval multiple-player role- playing arcade adventure as you battle
"surface dwellers" in an effort to rise up from the clutches of the
aristocracy. With rich, vibrant graphics, this 3D textured underworld
epic makes full use of Jaguar's real-time rendering, advanced 3D
texturing and high-speed animation capabilities.
//// European Soccer Challenge by Telegames. Goooaaaal! The Atari Lynx
sports favorite comes to the Jaguar. This proven soccer program
delivers an expanded season and playoff format, 170 teams and complete
team/individual stats. In addition, each player possesses his own
personality and performance capabilities. You even have the option to
make trades. For sport fanatics, European Soccer Challenge is a 64-bit
kick!
//// Evidence by Microids. The magic of the movies meets the power of
Jaguar. This 3D interactive feature combines unbridled 64-bit
technology with incredible motion picture effects. As a young reporter
wrongly charged with murder, you must find a way to escape from prison
and expose the party responsible for putting you behind bars.
Full-motion video and digital sound effects are Evidence of a gaming
experience only Jaguar can deliver.
//// Hosenose and Booger by ASG Technologies, Inc. Here's one for the
sick and twisted. Hosenose has a cold and as fate would have it, he's
managed to sneeze and suck his girlfriend Hotsnot deep into his brain.
In a unique gaming experience that fully showcases Jaguar's monster
graphic capabilities, you'll take a nose-dive into Hosenose's sinuous
nasal passages in search of the lovely yet cerebral Hotsnot. Through
every organ and orifice you'll meet a wild cast of disgusting
characters, including Mickki Mewkus, Logjam Sam, Vicki Virus, and the
Evil Dr. Bile. An off-beat animated adventure only the 64-bit power of
Jaguar can deliver.
//// Return to Zork by Activision. The next generation of classic Zork
adventures makes its triumphant 64-bit debut! The closest an
interactive computer game has ever come to cinematic quality
production, Return to Zork fully showcases Jaguar's powerful graphic
capabilities by combining a mix of full-motion video live action
scenes, and photo realistic animation. This amazing 64-bit adventure
is filled with danger, intrigue and low cunning. It's loaded with
fascinating puzzles, and a revolutionary interface, an original cast
of real Hollywood actors, more than an hour of spoken dialogue and 200
CD-quality musical themes.
//// Tempest 2000 by Atari. Updated with heart-stopping energy, this
arcade classic sweeps into the 21st Century. Using vector graphics,
rapid fire, a fully interactive starfield and CD-quality stereo sound,
the power of Jaguar telports Tempest 2000 into the 64th dimension.
Manipulative abilities have been modernized with new features that
include spins and twists not seen in the original, plus an exciting
upgrade to the year 2000 that spotlights Jaguar's 3D polygon rendering
capabilities.
//// Tiny Toon Adventures by Atari. Leap inside a real cartoon! Based
on the popular Warner Bros. characters, this zany platform scroller is
a true showcase of Jaguar's rich animation capabilities. Bad boy
Montana Max has a new toy: an Acme TiToonium Converter. But the only
place he can get TiToonium is on a planet Aurica, and the removal of
Titoonium is causing grave ecological damage to the Toon-filled
universe. Armed with Acme Crazy Net, follow Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny
and Plucky Duck as they embark on a mission to shut down the Acme
TiToonium-Gold Converter - and save planet Aurica.
//// Ultimate Brain Games by Telegames. The popular Lynx mind bender
comes to the 64-bit format. Test your moves against the only system
qualified to accommodate all the CPU horsepower required for a real
chess challenge. Work your way to master status on a full-scale
battlefield with classic chess - and checkers, and backgammon. There's
a challenge here for every skill level and member of the family.
Extended features - such as specific game set-up for the computer
solution and digitized graphics - make this product a must for your
video game library.
//// Ultra Vortex by Beyond Games. Ultra Vortex is street fighting to
the 64th power! History has seen the rise and fall of many warriors.
All fell to the power of the Vortex Guardian, who has dominated
mankind for thousands of years. It's 2045 - time again for the
Testing. You and nine other able warriors have been choosen from
America's top underground gangs to fight for the right to take on the
Guardian. Drawing on the mesmerizing powers of the Vortex, you must
master deadly street fighting and martial arts skills - including the
lethal "Vortex Annihilator"... destroy a field of formidable
champions... and ultimately crush the Guardian!
--==--==--==--==--
||| Andreas' Den
||| By: Andreas Barbiero
/ | \ Delphi: ABARBIERO GEnie: AEO.2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
//// Moving, the Myth of country life, and
//// turning your Falcon030 into a TT beater!
Recently I made an excruciating move to Whidbey Island in Washington
state. Spending the holidays, a little under one month after returning
from a six month deployment to Japan, at home was just wonderful. I'd
like to hit the congressmen (or women, I'm not biased :-) who decided
that moving 900 miles further away from where we operate was a good
idea. NOW we have to spend more time away from home, temporarily
stationed in San Diego to make up for it. There are a lot more nasty
things about this situation, but I will not bore you with all that...
on with the Atari stuff!
//// Kick that Falcon030 into overdrive!
Ever since the Falcon030 PC emulator was announced, and shipped with a
'286 chip on board, people have been enunciating a desire for a more
up-to-date processor. Over in the clone world, challengers to the
Intel throne, such as Cyrix and AMD, have filled a niche beneath the
notice of megalith companies. This particular niche is filled with
upgrades for older, standby machines like the numerous '286s that
still exist. Recently perusing an issue of Computer Shopper, I espied
a chip upgrade for a 80286 to a 80486SLC made by Cyrix. I heard of one
made by AMD that was identical to an Intel '486DX including internal
math coprocessor and 8K cache, but I could not verify it's existence.
The Cyrix upgrade chip is internally clock doubled to run at 2X the
speed of the '286 external clock, and pin compatible with the '286
socket. Now, what I thought was that the '286 version of the Falcon
Speed could be upgraded with this chip for some really blazing speed.
The bus and peripheral speed of the Falcon030 is far superior to any
'286 and I dare say most '486s on the market, save from the newer Bus
Mastering VLB and new PCI motherboards. I have seen the '286 PC
emulator run on the Falcon030, and I was imagining it running about
400% faster with a 486SLC. There are some technical problems with this
upgrade, the Falcon Speed's CPU is surface mounted and would
neccesitate desoldering or an add-on surface socket.
Before I get maudlin over a good idea gone bad, here is the good
part... all this is not needed, the fine folks over there in Germany
are saying that an updated version of their card will be due soon!
Hopefully this will be a '486DX, and even running at the Falcon030's
internal 16MHz, it should be more than speedy enough to run
application software. If the chip could be paired up with its own
oscillator, then a speedy and cost effective 33MHz '486 could be a
reality. Unit prices for chips is the major cost factor here, a Cyrix
486DLC-40 could be had at under $85, but a 486DX-33 can run about
$300. Paired up with an external mathcoprocessor, the Cyrix combo can
outrun the Intel in some ways. I believe cost will win out in the end.
Who knows....
There are also a lot of reasonably priced accelerators being produced
for the Falcon030. TT030 style fast-RAM, 32MHz clock speeds, graphics
enhancements, and even Intel compatibility is coming down this road,
and due to the kindness of an old friend, I will have access to the
information directly from the sources. Next time, expect a full expose
on what the Falcon030 is actually capable of doing. I know that I
would have to find the money somewhere to buy a Falcon030 if it could
outrun my TT030, do 800X600X256, and run the few DOS and Windows
programs that I need to see for comparisons.
//// I feel the need for speed....
Being in a relatively remote area now, I can say that the old stand-by
2400 baud modem I have isn't going to cut it anymore. Ever since the
announcement of under $300 14.4 fax/modems, I have been eyeing the
chain of price drops that have been occurring. I was looking for the
best bang for the buck, and while there are inexpensive high speed
modems on the marketplace today with all sorts of neat features, I was
just interested in locating the "fastest for the leastest." Several
magazines have run compilations and reviews of the all the fax modems
available in 1993, and a few rose to the top. From what I had been
able to gather, the tests applied to these modems ranged from personal
likes, to elitist snobbery to thorough tests on line noise
negotiability, and data pump efficiency.
A name that was little known to me at the time was Boca Research Inc.
Their modem was rated very well, except for the elitist part, on all
accounts. Not all 14.4K baud modems are equal, and not just in extra
features, the ability of a modem to negotiate a noisy line and
efficiently move data around is not the same for all modems, and the
final multiple that I came up with (you need a bit of bourbon to
understand it) lent the Boca an admirable score. Recently I saw it
for sale via the mail order channels for under $150! As soon as I can
convince my wife (fat chance!) I will be buying one myself. Now if
GEnie just supported 14.4K....
//// Computing without a Net - No way!
The Internet is of interest to me, as it is at times an enigma wrapped
inside of a mystery. If you have dabbled in it you will understand
what I mean. The Internet will soon become fair grounds for commercial
enterprises, and if it works right it will foster the expansion of
this service far beyond what has been imagined, or be its ruin. Only
time will tell. On the positive side of things, Delphi is now known as
Delphi Internet Services, and it should really be interesting to see
what will happen next. I would love to see them produce a graphical
front end that would make the obtaining of a file from a FTP site as
easy as downloading a file from your favorite BBS. BIX already has
this feature, but the front-end program is only for Microsoft's
Windows and hence distasteful for me. (Unless Windows in running in a
GEM window on my TT030!) Hopefully Delphi will allow for the software
on their end to accept a home computer user to use a GUI program to
navigate the Internet jungle. I for one would pay in the $50 range for
effective software that allowed this on my Atari machines.
//// Future reviews - the software cometh!
The first program I purchased since returning to the USA was Geneva, I
head read about it in AEO, and once I read about it further in the
message bases on GEnie, I decided that I had to own it. All I can say
is that even with MTOS and a TT030, Geneva still has an effective and
useful place on my computer, for anyone who ever wanted to dabble with
multitasking, Geneva is the program for you. I hoped you liked my
Ancient Art of War in the Skies review, as I will be reviewing Elite
II soon and after nearly incurring another divorce I should have that
review done too. So until then, keep you powder dry, and remember that
software not bought will not bring more software in the future!
--==--==--==--==--
||| QSound: Stereo that is bigger than life?
||| By: Al Fasoldt
/ | \ GEnie: A.FASOLDT
----------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (C) 1994 by Al Fasoldt. All rights reserved.
//// Editor's note: This article may NOT be reprinted without written
//// permission from Mr. Fasoldt. This article was written for the
//// audiophile audience, but with Atari Corp's royalty agreement with
//// QSound for future use in videogames in mind, I felt like sharing
//// the information with you.
Real stereo is like love. You may not know what it is, but once
you've tried it, you can't live without it.
And like love, true stereo sound is hard to find. Some of the
fanciest audio systems have it, but most of us plod through life with
the stereo equivalent of "like" instead of "love." Our hi-fi systems
sound good, but they usually don't sound real.
This dilemma may be coming to an end in my audio life. But whether my
feelings are true love or just infatuation remains to be seen - and
heard.
I do know one thing, however. Just like a 14-year-old at the prom,
I'm ready for love, and that's one reason I'm excited over my
discovery.
IT TOOK A LONG time to get here. Stereo has been around in one form
or another since the '50s, but most of the time it's been more of a
dream than a reality.
That's because the sounds that come from speakers usually come just
from the speakers themselves. When we listen to something "live,"
however, sounds come from all directions. They fill the room. They
come from the walls and the ceiling and the floor.
Good speakers can fool our ears some of the time, but they can't fool
our minds very often. If I imagine hard enough, I can listen to Mick
Jagger or the Boston Pops and feel that they are in the room with me,
but once I stop trying to convince myself, Mick and the others end up
back in the loudspeakers.
The folks who design hi-fi gear thought they had a solution to this
back in the '60s and '70s when they came up with four-channel sound. I
put together a four-channel audio system - a "quad" system, in the
jargon of 25 years ago - and listened to it for a few months. I bought
special four-channel recordings, both records and tapes.
WHAT I HEARD was interesting, but it wasn't convincing.
Usually, the musical sounds came from the left speaker or the right
speaker or the left rear speaker or the right rear speaker.
Sometimes, if I sat in just the right place, they came from the
center.
That was a little scary, since that's right where I was sitting. I
knew four-channel sound was not for me one day when I heard a
Dixieland band tooting right beside my chair. The trombonist would
have knocked me over if he had really been there.
But now I have heard something that turns stereo into something more.
It's called QSound, and it seems too good to be true. According to
Danny Lowe and John Lees, the men who invented it, QSound is an
electronic process done at the studio that turns two-channel digital
recordings into multichannel compact discs.
As far as my ears can tell, everything they say is true. When I heard
my first QSound CD, I could hardly believe my ears. I put the disc -
"The Soul Cages" by Sting - in my player and sat back, expecting a few
sonic tricks.
BUT WHAT I HEARD instead was an audio carnival. Guitars and drums and
voices came from the other side of the wall, from above the ceiling,
even from outside the window.
Mind you, I was listening to Sting over two loudspeakers. I had not
made any changes to my hi-fi system. And yet my room was alive with
sound, coming from places no speaker had ever gone.
I would say that such a thing could not happen, except for the fact
that it was happening right in front of my ears. And from behind my
ears, too.
And get this: I even heard the same effects when I taped the QSound
CD and played it on my car cassette deck. I did the same thing with a
Madonna recording sent out as a demo of QSound, and there she was, the
material girl herself, dancing on the hood of my Sentra.
Recordings made in QSound - the inventors don't explain why they
decided on that name, by the way - are not yet widely available. Nor
is there any certainty that QSound will become a standard recording
process.
QSOUND'S INVENTORS say you can even hear multichannel sound on the
cheapest boomboxes and TV sets. Even video games can have QSound -
wonderful news for parents who are tired of hearing the Nintendo
beeping from the far wall of the living room. Now they'll hear it all
over the house.
QSound works, and it works very well. That much is clear. But I'm not
sure that what I heard would work with other kinds of music. Will
Beethoven roll over in his grave if his Fifth gets the QSound
treatment? The answer awaits the first classical QSound CDs, which I
have not heard yet.
But for rock and funk and all that stuff, QSound might be the best
thing that has happened to recorded music since Tom Edison. Give it a
try. You just might fall in love, too.
--==--==--==--==--
||| The Second Annual AEO Readers' Survey Results
||| By: AEO Magazine
/ | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Please mark where you generally receive your copy of AEO from:
55 A. GEnie
7 B. CIS
9 C. Delphi
20 D. Internet subscriber
7 E. Internet (other)
1 F. AtariNet
0 G. FNet
<1 H. Other (please specify) ______________
//// This closly reflects what we know to be the distribution ratio
//// of AEO itself, so we're proud of all of our respondents!
II. Please mark the type(s) of file compression your system supports:
A. ARC
B. LZH (LHARC)
C. ZIP
D. Other (please specify) ______________
//// This was such a poorly thought out question on my part I won't
//// even dignify it by posting the results. Needless to say, they all
//// approached 100% <grin>
III. In each of the topics listed below, indicate on a scale of 1 to 5,
your interest.
5 equals "I am facinated by this. I would read every issue of
AEO to find articles on this."
4 equals "This interests me. I would read a few articles on
this."
3 equals "I have no real interest in this subject, but I don't
dislike it. I may or may not read any articles on
this."
2 equals "This bores me. I would only read an article on this
if I had nothing else to do."
1 equals "Total boredom and annoyance. I would avoid this and
any magazine that carried articles on it."
Topic Your Rating (1-5)
""""" """" """""" """""
News from Atari (Press Releases, Interviews) ------------------ 4.6
News from TOS Developers (Press Releases, Interviews) --------- 4.4
News from Atari User Shows ------------------------------------ 3.7
News from Atari-attended Trade Shows -------------------------- 4.1
Computer Industry (non-Atari) News ---------------------------- 3.5
Online News (Recaps of the three major Online Nets) ----------- 3.1
Online Conference Reprints ------------------------------------ 4.5
Jaguar Material (reviews, news) ------------------------------- 4.3
Lynx Material (reviews, news) --------------------------------- 3.7
Portfolio Material (reviews, news) ---------------------------- 2.3
Editorial ----------------------------------------------------- 3.8
Atari Computer Product Reviews -------------------------------- 4.3
"Build-it-Yourself" Hardware Articles ------------------------- 3.5
//// The Portfolio still remains the distant stepchild to AEO readers.
//// All-in-all, it looks like we are serving our readership's wants.
//// (See section V.)
IV. AEO has on occasion bundled graphic files along with the magazine.
Please indicate the high-end "cut off" limit of graphic files versus
magazine size that you feel is appropriate:
21 A. Unlimited graphic file size.
5 B. 100% of the text file size.
0 C. 75% of the text file size.
24 D. 50% of the text file size.
12 E. 33% of the text file size.
20 F. 25% of the text file size.
10 G. 10% of the text file size.
8 H. I don't want any graphic files bundled with the text.
//// Wow. 50% of the respondents say keep it under 50%. I'm going to
//// stick with you people, since a lot of users have to pay to
//// download AEO. Unless the situation demands otherwise, I'll keep
//// the cut-off limit at 33%.
V. This is the essay portion of the survey. Please answer the
following questions.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// What AEO Readers Liked About AEO
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Dateline Atari rtc Transcripts and the Jaguar news.
//// It manages to stay away from the name calling and histrionics of
STR. The _information_ content of AEO approaches 100% in most issues.
On the other hand, there was at least mention of the issues involved
in that other situation. (Censorship being as bad as flame wars...)
//// I liked the Lynx cheat file thing, but the Jag special was best!
//// Getting the latest information concerning our favorite computer
(even the Jaguar info). I enjoyed reading the On-Line conferences
w/Bob Brodie, always informative, and pretty straightforward. In
Iowa, its like being left on deserted island when dealing with our
favorite computer products... I think we do use the US currency here.
//// News/insights not generally available elsewhere.
//// I like the "Atari Artist" sections/articles the most.
//// Coverage of timely Atari Corp. news.
//// It got news from the source. No speculation, just real facts.
Also, I liked the fact that the information was usable, not just
people rambling.
//// New Falcon030 product releases and information!
//// The Jaguar announcment (great!!) and the programmer magazine.
//// I would have to say that the coverage of the release of the
Falcon and the Jaguar was tops, followed by rumors and pre-release
information. (I like to get the news first :-) ). Second would be
the on line conference reports from Bob Brodie. I am not too
interested in the third party conferences.
//// I like the balanced reviews, upbeat mood, total dedication of all
staff and contributers, etc., etc., etc.!
//// It is current. What I read here hasn't been read everywhere else
first.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// What AEO Readers Didn't Like About AEO
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Atari Computer software reviews and list (this is mostly because
I do not own an Atari Computer).
//// Well actually what I liked least was how hard it was to find a
copy on internet! I know some of your editors are also on internet...
perhaps one of them could upload it to the atari.archive site (or the
rahul.net site) the same day it's made available on the pay services.
//// One of the biggest advantages of AEO is that it's information is
"fresher" than anything the print magazines can offer. This advantage
is lost when it takes an extra month for the issue to show up at the
popular ftp sites...
//// The online conference things are too long. But that may just be
me. Non-computer/non-Atari material.
//// I can't get to excited about the game stuff, just not in to it,
but can see that alot of people are and it should be covered as you
have done. Don't have a Lynx or Portfolio, so do not have any interest
about those products. Guess if I had the confidence that Atari was
going to continue and support these product, and promote them I would
be more receptive.
//// Information lifted directly from GEnie. For me, I basically end
up downloading and sorting through this information twice. But I must
be happy over all (or silly?) because I keep on doing it.
//// Sometimes it sounded like many other Atari mags, putting down
PC's without any reasons why. I think it's fine to say Atari's are
better than PC's, I just want to see real facts to back it up. I'd
like AEO to be as professional as any of the PC mags. Not as boring,
but just as professional in its approach. I don't want AEO to look
like a cult mag. I want AEO to be mainstream, without loosing its
character. A magazine even a Mac or PC owner might read occasionally.
I also want AEO to be in search of truth, and willing to criticize
Atari where needed, but not in a mean spirited way, but rather as a
means to push Atari back into the ways of a successful company.
//// Non-Falcon030-specific information.
//// Anything about the Lynx or computer games.
//// No reports about our game for the F030 (madtris)... No it's a
joke. I read every issue and am pleased to do it.
//// For me (as a non ST owner) is the long list of reviews of
shareware files and the listing of top downloaded files. These take
up room and are of no use to me.
//// Not being able to D/L AEO before dinner on Sunday afternoons
anymore. (sobs 'n sniffs)
//// Too much stuff on games. (Jaguar and Lynx)
//// Too many reviews of old programs. Not enough Falcon coverage.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// What AEO Readers Would Like to See More Of
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// I'd like to see the coverage remain balanced - the bulk of the
Atari population will own ST and TT products, not Falcon and Jaguars.
These newer machines are nice but let's not go overboard on the
coverage of them...
//// The release of the FALCON 40 (32mhz with svga graphics and pc
emulator card) Hey, I can dream :-)
//// More of the same good stuff that you gave us last year.
//// ... the release of a new high end machine from Atari. I, like
many others, can only wait for so long. If this machine (Mega 4) dies,
I have no place to go except to abandon this platform which I really
don't want to do. And if Atari won't/can't do it then information on
the ST clones from Europe would be appreciated.
By the way, I do enjoy reading the magazine. And just as much (even
more?) I enjoy Travis' activities on-line. Thanks for all the efforts!
//// I would like to see more emphasis on music and art in future
issues.
//// the continuing saga of Atari's struggle for survival, and how it
relates to customers.
//// Jaguar news, obviously, It's the only Atari news that's good
news. I don't own one, but I like reading about it. Also maybe some
reviews/evidence that the Falcon is a computer worth purchasing. I
keep hearing about all these great applications and reasons why you
should buy a Falcon over a clone, but so far I haven't seen them. If
they are indeed out there, talk about them.
//// What is now available for the Falcon.
//// Network softwares, more and more on jaguar... BTW I have some
questions : is there a mailing list on the Internet about the atari
world? This could be reprinted in AEO. Keep on the good work!! best
wishes 1994.
//// ...short reviews of all software for the Jaguar and Lynx as they
are released. I would also like to see reasonable length interviews
with some of the developers or companies that are releasing products
for the Jaguar and the Lynx.
The domination of video gaming by Atari, School Boards using Atari
music tools, Atari's profits >> Atari Computers... and more of the
usual. P.S. Re: Graphics files... I'd just as soon forget about .PI?
pics and see TGA & GIF on my DOS BOX. Of course, I realize many may
not agree, so a seperate graphics file may be preferable to those that
want one and not the other. ... And BTW, it's nice to take a survey
and not think to myself: <Hm, That's None of their damned bussiness!>
//// Jaguar, ST/STE/TT as well as the Falcon, but also the Lynx more
than the past year.
//// Falcon, Lynx, Portfolio, JAGUAR, and of course the ST."
//// Less games !
//// The new Power PC Falcon (grin... :-))
Editor's Reaction: There seems to be a slight split between "Computer
"""""""""""""""""" News Only" and "Gaming News Only" types of
readers, with the majority of readers wanting both types of news. I
have thought about spinning off Atari Gaming coverage into its own
magazine (with the obligitory crossover material, like the Bob Brodie
RTCs), but I'll hold off on that notion for the time being.
--==--==--==--==--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- --
-- --
-- To sign up for CompuServe service, call (voice call) (800) 848-8199. --
-- Ask for operator #198. You will be sent a $15.00 value CIS membership --
-- kit for free. --
-- --
-- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--==--==--==--==--
||| The Unabashed Atariophile
||| By: Michael R. Burkley
/ | \ Delphi: MRBURKLEY GEnie: AEO.4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
If you remember from my last article I said that this week I would
have a review of the best PD/Shareware from 1993. Well, scrap that
idea. I've been running too hard just to keep up with the files that
have been downloaded in the past two weeks plus. This issue contains
reviews of over 200 programs and files! Some of them are old (some
VERY old), but they've all (or almost all) been recently uploaded.
Some of them you should definately go out of your way to get, others I
would recommend that you do just the opposite!
Several people have asked me recently to list the locations where I
have found all these files. I usually don't do that because files
often show up on all the commercial services, but at different times.
It seems unfair to point out one service over another when the only
difference might be that I logged on to one before the other. In any
case, if I don't mention where I found a file you can assume that I
found it on either GEnie or Delphi (I don't have a Compuserve account,
but I'm sure you could find most of these files there as well). If you
only have a GEnie account and or only a Delphi account you'll miss out
on a lot! Files that I get from Toad Hall (now the official BBS of the
Boston Computer Society) or from the CodeHead BBS will be marked as
such. They also have many of the files found on the commercial
services.
Finally, a number of you have written me notes via the InterNet.
Thanks a lot, but I haven't figured out how to reply to you yet! If
you want to send me a note please included your snail-mail address or
a phone number if you want a reply. Also, I'm willing to have you tell
me how to write back!
(//// Editor: I did not know of this until now. Keep writing Michael
at his GEnie mailbox <aeo.4@genie.geis.com> and I will be able to
help Michael with replying!)
On to the descriptions! There are a PILE to wade through this time!
16_TRACK by Rolf Nilsson is a mono-only MIDI sequencer (dated 1991).
This easy to use and clearly interfaced program will allow you to
record up to sixteen tracks with sixteen different patterns. Create,
arrange, merge and transpose your patterns. Mute any track temporarily
and edit events as they are running. Load and save your songs and
tracks as well as the patterns you make (saved as either MIDI 0 or 1
format files). Keyboard and/or mouse controlled. Docs and demo songs
included. Shareware. TOS 1.62 and Geneva compatible (at least).
3DICONS3 by Daniel Dreibelbis (dated Dec. 19, 1993) is his third
set of 3D replacement icons for Neodesk 3, Terradesk, DC Desktop, or
TOS 2.05 and up (when manipulated by an Icon resource editor). Click
on them and they "depress" into the desktop! Designed for use with a
mono monitor, they will also work in ST medium, some TT resolutions,
and hopefully, Falcon 030 res. as well. There are 47 icons included in
this file. Here are a few of them: Geneva, Geneva Taskmanager (D.D.
has only great things to say about Geneva, the multi-tasking program
from Gribnif Software - and I agree), ST Writer Elite, Multi-Writer,
Atari Works, Mouse-Ka-Mania, Outline Art, Arabesque Professional,
German2English, It's All Relative, Fonty, MegaCheck, MicroCheck,
Storm, D4D, SpeedoGDOS, Cubase and Gajits Software's family of
programs like Breakthru and Sequencer One, Spectre GCR and PC Ditto -
even one for ST Xformer! Whew! These are very well done and all some
(more) class to your desktop.
ANTIBOMB by Greg Baker is a wonderful, needed, excellent program. As
you can see I like it! If you're tired of the cherry bombs or mushroom
clouds displayed when a program crashes then you'll find this utility
essential. It replaces the bombs with a user friendly alert box that
identifies the error in English. It does more too! ANTIBOMB will keep
your ST from crashing from several common bus errors. It will trap
these and give you the opportunity, depending on the exception type,
to either continue with the program, terminate the program, or reboot
(warm or cold) the system. Now when your system crashes it doesn't
crash (I guess it still might sometimes, but not as often!) It runs
from the Desktop or from the AUTO folder. ST-Falcon compatible. Color
or mono. It works. It saves me from some common crashes. WOW!!
ABOMBFIX is a small program which patches the public domain ANTIBOMB
program, fixing a bug which caused conflicts with some Warp 9
screensaver modules. Just run the updater program and follow
directions. By Charles F. Johnson.
AFMT is the "AU" Disk formatter v.1.02 by Neil Forsyth of Alchemist
Software (dated Aug. 1, 1988). While this is a usable formatting
program, times have passed it by. I would recommend that you pass this
file by and get another formatting utility (see BRDLFRMT in this
article for a much better example).
AGENDAPT is Agendapt v.1.DM, and excellent program by Frank Vuotto
of F10 Software. This demo of the campanion program to Agenda (F10's
.PRG/.ACC graphic calendar creator) will allow you to print Agenda
calendars in a variety of styles. You can create calendars in 1 Year,
1 Month, 2 Weeks, 1 Week and 1 Day using (or not using) data from
Agenda. The program allows you to include graphics in your calendars
(many included). It even includes a utility which allows you to clip
out sections of Degas mono pictures and use them in your calendars.
Print-outs are accomplished by drawing calendars on the screen and
using the Atari "screen dump" function. This demo will only run as a
program and in mono res. Docs included. Shareware.
AGENDA_C is Agenda v.1.D by Frank Vuotto and F10 Software. Agenda is
a very nice .PRG/.ACC graphic calendar creator. Agenda can display
events for an entire month in a straightforward and intuitive fashion.
There are a pile of features available here including icons
(graphics), duration event banners, search, print and more. Easy and
fun enough for children too! This demo version will only work in ST
medium res. and has limited functions for all months except December.
AGENDA_M is the mono only version. Docs and ordering info included.
AGTK12 is the AG-Tracker (American Gold Tracker) v.1.2 by Ron Debug
(dated Nov. 1992). This .MOD player will play single or multiple
(jukebox) songs. You can easily cause a song or album (the ability to
create "albums" is nice!) to repeat or to quit at the end of the song
or album. It has a pleasing screen display and a simple graphic
animation showing the various .MOD voices as they are played. This
player will work on an ST or STE (with the STE you have control over
the volume\bass\treble controls and you can get DMA sound). Mouse and
keyboard controlled. Color only. Docs in a text file with help online
as well.
ALASPEC is a program by M. Saro (dated Dec. 1, 1990) which will
allow you to format disks in either Aladin and/or Spectre formats and
then copy information between the two formats. If you have both Mac
emulators this program will allow you to easily exchange data between
them. The Spectre GCR will allow you to read Mac disks and data
(something Aladin doesn't allow), while the Aladin emulator will allow
you to output data to your Atari Laser at 300 dpi (something Spectre
doesn't allow). With this program you can access the best of both
worlds! Docs included. French and English program and docs. ST-STE
compatible (at least).
AMERPIE is a .MOD file of American Pie originally by Buddy Holly.
Begins with a harpsicord type sound and moves on with a light and
bright rendition of this song. I listening to this song on the first
night I was in my college dorm at the University of Maryland. My dorm
had 550 people in it (my home town had 250 people resident!). College
was a welcome shock! And I still like this song.
ARDVARK is a program (dated July 3, 1990) which will allow you to
toggle between an application and a Degas Low Res. (.PI1) picture.
Just hit the F1 function key and the picture will be displayed. Hit
the F1 Key again and your application is back. The funny thing about
this program is that you need to rename any low res. picture you have
to JFONDA1.PI1 to use it with this program. Either the author likes
Jane Fonda... or not. I don't know which! The picture is kept in
memory. TOS 1.0-1.62 compatible (at least). Color only. I would say
this is of limited utility since you can't change pictures without
re-running the program. Get View II (it's commercial) instead.
ASLAS by Binney STone is the song "Aslas" (dated Nov. 14, 1993). He
composed this song completely on the M1. All the parts except some of
the percussion was done via a Roland GR-50 guitar synthesizer (he says
his keyboard chops are pretty bad). "Aslas" is a salsa style song. In
fact, the title is "salsa" spelled backwards. Use the BANDBX.MLX file
to get the proper program setup. You should load it first, making sure
you set the M1 for 50 programs/combis before loading. Then load the
two Aslas files (one has the ex tender ".M1S" and the other is ".M1G."
Arriba! I found this on the Toad Hall BBS.
I'm interested in science and space/astronomy and so I thought I
would share these articles with you. This time I'll tell you where I
found them... the GEnie Space and Science area.
ASA-9307 is the July 1993 Electronic Journal of The Astronomical
Society of the Atlantic (Volume 4, Number 12). There are two
interesting articles in this issue (along with more mundane stuff such
as how to join the Society). The first is "The Great Moon Race: The
Red Moon" by Andrew J. LePage. This gives an interesting and well-
written history of the inter-relationship of the Soviet and American
Space programs as regards the "race" to the Moon. The second is a
review of one members attendance at the 181st American Astronomical
Society (AAS) Meeting. Recommended.
EMF is the complete transcript from the GEnie Space and Science
Roundtable Science RTC as of July 18, 1993, the guest speaker being
Dr. John Moulder of the Radiation Biology Group Medical College of
Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Moulder, an expert on radiation
bioeffects and hazard evaluation, answers the questions of the
Rountable participants in regards to powerline ("High Tension" and
standard distribution lines, along with household current) health
effects. I found this VERY informative and I recommend it to you.
FERMAT is an file from the GEnie Space and Science area that
contains three articles on the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem
(originating from the Internet Amateur Mathematics Society Newsletter
5). Taken from "Newsweek," "The New York Times," and the Internet
address FXKMS@acad3.alaska.edu. these three files detail (well, not
exactly "detail"!) the proof by Dr. Andrew Wiles of Fermat's Last
Theorem. Parts of it I could understand, and parts I couldn't, but it
was still interesting!
HEATINDX from the GEnie Space and Science area (library 11) is a
ASCII table of heat index values. The chart is arranged to handle
temperatures from 70 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (in 1 degree
increments), and relative humidity values of 0 to 100% (in increments
of 5%). Possible health hazards associated with high heat index values
are also included. The heat index combines temperature and relative
humidity to produce a "feels-like" temperature on the human body. The
higher the heat index, the more oppressive the air feels. Keep this
posted by your door during the "Dog Days of Summer!"
HRMS0693 is the NASA High Resolution Microwave Survey Targeted
Search and Sky Survey Status Quarterly Report, June 1993. This is
another very interesting file that tells about the program NASA is
currently conducting designed to discover radio emmissions that may be
produced by technological civilizations orbiting other stars. The
present search is Millions (!) of times more efficient than all
previous searches combined. While lots of "false events" have been
recorded (and quickly discarded as local interference) nothing yet has
been recorded that would point out any extra solar civilizations. Oh
well...! Keep trying!
NBIA0793 is the NBIAP NEWS REPORT, July 1, 1993 as compiled by the
Information Systems for Biotechnology at the Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University. If you are interested in BioTechnology
and risk assessment for transgenetic organisms then this file is for
you! Details about work with plants and animals and field testing
reports are all included. Assessments of the Clinton Administration's
views of funding of scientific studies are also detailed. Very
interesting!
NSF-MSED is an ASCII text file listing the talks and seminars given
at t Beyond National Standards and Goals: Excellence in Mathematics &
Science Education, K-16 grades (dated May 7, 1993). This is a large
file (347K uncompressed) and will take some work getting through, but
the focus is on solutions, rather than problems. I find that
refreshing!
NSFDIRSP is the National Science Foundations "Directions" online
magazine, Spring 1993 Issue. This issue covers some of the things that
go into making an excellent math teacher (the enjoyable part is
reading about what some of these excellent teachers DO to teach
math!). It also covers a wide range of topics from a dispersal of
seeds in tropical rain forests by fruit eating fish (!), Antarctic
geophysics research, space science at ground level, and other
interesting topics.
STS-VIEW is an interesting text file from The Astronomy and Space
Sciences Educational Information Service that tells all the in's and
out's of viewing both the launches and landings of the Space Shuttle.
Information is provides as to how to get launch and landing passes,
what type of camera lens and film to use, even what kind of clothes to
wear! Also numerous addresses of places where you can get official
NASA publications in regard to the Space Program. All in all a very
useful document!
Back to earth!
BATSIGL by Daniel W. McAndrew is his third Warp 9 Extend-O-Save
module created with Image Swap (dated Nov. 22, 1993). This file is
for all of you Batmaniacs out there. Call Batman with the searchlight
Bat Signal moving about on your screen (of course Batman uses an
especially designed Atari Computer - what else!). Two versions of this
module are included: one will keep the Bat Signal switched on and
moving about the screen; the other will turn the signal on and off. If
you don't have Warp 9 v.3.80 or above you can still see this work in a
demo mode.
B_BUNDLE is Border Bundle v.2.70 by Gregg Rodgers (uploaded mid-Dec.
1993). Border Bundle is a unique program/accessory that will "build"
decorative borders for use in any of your Calamus document. Any
desired width and height up to 24" x 24" may be defined using master
art previously prepared just for that use. A master art file is a
previously prepared file that defines 4 corners and 4 sides which
Border Bundle will use to build a new temporary CVG, on disk for
importation into any Calamus document (or other program that will load
.CVG files). Sixty four borders are included; you may create more of
your own using BBLIBRN2. Docs included. This program was formerly
Shareware, but it appears that the author is now freely giving it
away. How about freely sending him a note (maybe slip some money in
the envelope, too) just to say thanks! Mono.
BBLIBRN2 is the Border Bundles Librarian Utility by Gregg Rodgers
(uploaded mid-Dec., 1993). It will allow you to create, add, delete,
and rename your own border designs for inclusion in your own library
of Border Bundles (see B_BUNDLES for a detailed description of that
fine program). Not only that, but now you can trade those decorative
borders with your friends and BBS buddies by sending each other 2
files: A Master Art (BRD) file and a bit-image Degas (BL3) file that
represents the image of the master art. To create new Master Art files
you need a program which will create Calamus Vector Graphic files
(.CVG). OutLine Art and Avant Vector are two such. Having a Degas
compatible art program is also required. Detailed directions are
included.
BCKW230 is Backward v.2.30, "the" ST emulator for FALCON O3O by
Cyrille Dupuydauby (dated December 6, 1993). This is the first version
of Backward that will recognize the Falcon's newest TOS, TOS 4.04! So
what does Backward do? While the Falcon TOS is compatible enough with
older versions of TOS so that about 90% of GEM programs will run fine,
the game compatiblity is something else. About 75% of games won't work
because of Hardware changes in the Falcon. Here's where Backward can
come to your rescue! It is designed to handle those hardware
differences so that instead of 75% of games not running you will find
that about 70% of your games DO run. Now that's an improvement!
This user friendly program allows you to save individual configurations
designed for each of your programs so you don't need to set them up
every time (much improved over the freeware version). Requires a
Falcon with at least 4 Meg of RAM and a color monitor. Not MiNT
compatible. Shareware (limited in only allowing twenty configurations
saved while the registered version allows 2,000!). As the older
versions of Backward are freeware the author says that if you don't
want to register please use one of them and not this upgraded version
(support shareware authors!). Version III of Backward is coming, and
that won't even be Shareware! Register now to get in on the deal!
BIBSTUDY is a series of nine topical Bible Studies by Mike Erwin.
The subjects covered are Failure, Faith, Depression, Right
Perspectives, The Ministry of Reconcilliation, The Uniqueness of the
Bible, Resistance to Evil, The Power of Speech, and The Why's of
Worship. I thought these were pretty well if you have the ability to
overlook some spelling errors and focus on the content (always a wise
thing to do!).
BIT is Bitte Ein Bit v.3.6 by Uland T'Gfner (dated April 22, 1989).
This program (or accessory), while it's been around for quite some
time now, is still capable, easily used, and compatible. Bit (the
German name means, "a Bit, please!") is a very fast disk copier and
formatter. It will copy all unprotected disks with up to 90 tracks
and 11 sectors per track (does ANY standard floppy drive write up to
90! tracks? - 83 is the best mine will do). Complete error checking,
formats with IBM-compatible boot information so you can use them with
your Messy DOS machines. Bit will display (when asked) the disktype of
any disk you wish. It will even allow you to read a single-sided disk
and copy it to a double-sided disk (or the other way around, but you
need to make sure you have enough room when you do that!). A special
fast load format format is available which can speed up disk access by
30% over standard disks. There are many other options as well. I would
recommend that you check this program out. German and English program
and docs included. Color or mono. ST--TT compatible (TT users must use
24BIT.PRG and ST res). Shareware.
BITMASTR is BitMaster v.1.05 by Dan Wallin, just recently uploaded
on GEnie. This program is designed to allow you to create and modify
special track formats. This allows you to easily copy the format of
any disk to a new disk. With some knowledge on your part, this program
can help you master the bits on your disk drives. If you need a sector
editor this might just be it. Docs included. Color or mono. TOS
1.0--1.62 compatible (at least). BUT... I would recommend that you try
to find v.2.5, which is the most recent version of this program which
I have seen.
BLITZDMO is Blizschnell, The Hard Drive Defragmenter and Optimizer
demo v.1.47 by Erin Monaco of DataBasement Software (dated July,
1993). This program will allow you to maintain and optimize your hard
drive data structure. It's FAST and easy to use. The demo is fully
functioning except that there are some pauses inserted into the
routine to slow things down (go make a sandwich while you are
de-fraging your drive!). Bliztschnell is not designed to fix up messed
up hard drives or to recover lost data - it's designed to _keep_ your
drive in top shape and running at top speed. The program provides you
with a visual map of your hard drive, enabling you to see just how
fragmented your drive is. Using this regularly will speed up your
hard drive access by a great amount. Blitzschnell now supports
auto-defragmentation/optimization. The program also supports the
manual manipulation of clusters/files, Tracing, Moving, Clearing, and
Zeroing of files. Shareware (I registered). Detailed docs included.
Color or mono. ST--TT compatible.
BLITZCLI is the Blitzschnell CLI v.0.4 by Erin. M. Monaco (dated
Nov. 28, 1993). This .TTP command line version of Die Blitzschnell
Hard Drive Deframenter/Optimizer program will allow you to quickly
defrag and optimize all of your hard drive partitions. For the
"PowerUser!" See BLITZDMO for more information about this program's
capabilities. Right now it is ExpirationWare with the expiration date
of Dec. 28, 1993 (that's in the past!). The author says that to use
this after this date you must register.
BLKOUT is a simple screensaver that shuts down your screen after a
few minutes. Just run the program (from the desktop or from the AUTO
folder) and forget it. Touch a key to restore the screen. I really
recommend SilkMouse v.3.2 by Mark Slagell (search for SILKMOUS).
That's a wonderful mouse accelerator that contains a much nicer
screensaver (it's smaller, too).
BLRMIDI9 is a set of 53 original MIDI files created by Bud
Rasmussen, v. 7 (dated December 22, 1993). Created on a 386/40 (!)
using Music Printer Plus, a Sound Blaster Pro card, and a Casio CT-700
keyboard/ synthesizer, these files are briefly described in an
accompanying text file. Several files added from the previous version.
Well done. 134K uncompressed. I found this on the CodeHead BBS (a lot
of other files are there, too).
BRDLFRMT is BroddelFormat v.2.04 by BroddelSoft (dated April, 1990).
This is a _very_ interesting .PRG/.ACC format utility.
- formats single/double sided; 40/80/81/82/83 tracks; 9/10 sectors
- as an accessory it can format disks in the background;
- can create MS-DOS compatible disks;
- can create immune (virusresistant) disks;
- can use an external bootsector file as prototype bootsector
(a separate utility is included which can save bootsector
information as a separate file which you can store away
for later use - this is GREAT for those auto booting games
that would be trashed if a virus ever gets in your system!
- formats in reversed order (wonderful when you put the wrong disk
in the drive and click OK!) and can even format two disks at once!
This works fine with my TOS 1.62 STE and Geneva. Check this one out!
BULKCOPY is the Compulsive Bulk Copier by John T. Grieggs of
Compulsive Software (dated 1985!). This program, which works on my TOS
1.0--1.62 machines, is a utility for producing mass copies of a master
diskette. It will copy single-sided disks on a 1/2 meg machine and
all standard and extended format disks on a 1 meg+ machine. It reads
the entire disk into memory after scanning its format. You then place
a blank floppy in Drive A and hit a key. The program will then format
and copy the disk, as many times as needed. It's fast (57 seconds to
copy a standard 720K floppy). That speed does come at a price though,
since the disk writes are not verified. Docs included. It's really a
promo ad for the commercial program, The Compulsive Copier... see
below.
COMPCOPY is the Compulsive Copier by John T. Grieggs (dated 1985).
>From the documentation this appears to be a commercial program (it
talks about sending in your registration card ((and see above)) ). If
you downloaded this from GEnie (where I found it) or from anywhere
else, I recommend you delete it and not pass it on! I've tried to
contact the author (using the phone numbers listed in the software),
but with no success.
B_BOOT contains two small programs by Jason Charman. The first goes
in your AUTO folder and automatically causes your ST to reboot using
drive B. The second is also run from the auto folder (or desktop) and
allows you to choose whether you should reboot from Drives A or B or
just exit to the desktop. This is very useful when you have an
internal single-sided drive and an external double-sided drive B. It
will also help when your internal drive is only marginally functional
and you need to use your external drive. No docs, none needed. ST--STE
compatible (at least).
CALGRLS is a .MOD file of California Girls. This is a different
rendition of the song, blocky in sound, but on purpose rather than
through lack of skill. Interesting.
CF_BBS is a CardFile 4 database file (comma delineated) containing a
small list of company support BBS numbers which might prove
interesting to Atarians (US Naval Observatory, Seagate, Maxtor, etc.).
Dated March 28, 1993 but uploaded Jan. 4, 1994).
CG_CYBCH is a 512 x 288 pixel Type 2 Targe (.TGA) picture showing a
scene from the Atari Jaguar game, "Crescent Galaxy." This picture
shows a "CyberCherub" (a chrome cherub wearing sunglasses and carrying
a sub-machine gun) doing battle with the games' heros. View with GEM
View or View ST/TT. Unfortunately it won't work with PhotoChrome3.
CHAOS is a game (originally by Julian Gollop) converted to the ST by
Martin Brownlow and Adam Turnbull (dated about September, 1992).
Martin Brownlow is the author of many games for the ST, my two
favorites being GRAV and GRAV2 (check them out!). Chaos is a game of
magical combat between 2 to 8 wizards in an arena. Each takes turns to
select and cast spells and move summoned creatures. The winner is the
last wizard left alive, but there is a limit to the number of game
turns in which to acheive victory, and the contest could end in a
draw. Playing time varies from as little as five minutes (with two
wizards) to half an hour (with eight wizards). There is a zillion
sound files available in this program (acatually 56). It requires at
least one meg of RAM (though see CHAOS1_2 for the 1/2 meg version),
and a color monitor. Docs included. You must have a program which can
format an 82 track, 11 sector disk (I recommend my all time favorite
copier/RAM disk/Formatter MDISK694) and a Magic Shadow compatible
Archiver to uncompress the .MSA files (check out CDC220, The Chaos
Disk Compactor V.2.20 by Miles Vignol or MSA_2_32, the Magic Shadow
Archiver II, version 2.3+). I found this on Delphi back in October,
1992.
CHAOS1_2 is a game (originally by Julian Gollop) converted to the
ST by Martin Brownlow and Adam Turnbull (dated about September, 1992).
See above for a more detailed description. This version will work with
1/2 meg of RAM. There is a zillion sound files available in this
program (though only 1/2 of those in CHAOS, the one meg version of
this game). Color only. Docs included. STE compatible.
CDC220 is The Chaos Disk Compactor V.2.20 by Miles Vignol. This
program (CDC) will turn whole disks into files. Why? Well, some uses
could be to backup entire disks to your Hard Drive, send an entire
disk over a modem, etc. If the ST can read the disk, CDC should be
able to compress it. CDC will also decompress Magic Shadow Archiver
files (.MSA). Color or mono. Docs included.
MSA_2_32 is the Magic Shadow Archiver II, version 2.3+. Fully
GEM-based and works with MultiTOS. MSA_2_32.PRG can be renamed
MSA_2_32.ACC and run as an accessory. New in this version: A filename
can be passed by command line to MSA-II. This file becomes the default
.MSA file. Used by certain shells when dragging a file on MSA-II.
Magic Shadow Archiver reads in an entire floppy disk and compresses it
into a single file with an .MSA extension. It also reads .MSA files
and creates a full disk.
CHKDISK is Chkdisk_3, the Atari Chkdisk Utility (dated 1990). If you
downloaded this from GEnie (where I found it) or from anywhere else, I
recommend that you delete it. It is a part of the Atari Developer's
Pack and should not be distributed apart from that commercial package.
In addition it has a history of trashing people's hard drives (or so
I've been told).
CIVCHEAT is CivCheat v.1.00 by Jeffrey Wisniewski (dated April 25,
1993). This program was written for the owners of the game Civilization
by Microprose and is designed to take an existing saved game file and
increase the amount of money you have to $30,000. You can do it as
many times as you want without any penalties. TOS 1.0--2.06 compatible
(at least. It should work with any TOS). Color or mono.
CMPACDIR is Compact Dir (dated 1989) by Chet Walters of IMG CAT, MUG
SHOT (and more) fame. This program will give you a quick way of
getting a nice compact printout of your hard drive directory. It will
use the smallest printing mode of your HP DeskJet (or LaserJet) and
the superscript mode of an Epson compatable printer. Color or mono.
Docs included. SHAREWARE.
BUT...I would recommend that you hunt for the following program
instead.
CD3_CDAR by Chet Walters (dated July 27, 1990) is a much improved
update of his Compact Dir, a file directory printer that will print
out your disk directories (you can select files extenders so you only
get the files listed you want, and not the files you don't need!) in
the smallest type it can use, so you can get as much information on
each sheet as possible. It will use the smallest printing mode of
your HP DeskJet (or LaserJet) and the superscript mode of an Epson
compatable printer. It will even print a directory of a CD-ROM (when
you can get one for the ST!) By Chet Walters of Wizworks! SHAREWARE.
Color or mono. Docs included. ST--STE compatible (at least).
COLDRVNG is Cold Revenge by Warren L. Green (dated 1990). Set in the
Star Trek Universe, Cold Revenge is a simulation of starship combat
for 1 to 6 computers (connected via the MIDI port) between a
Federation ship and ships from either the Romulan or Klingon Empires
(you can play either side!). Up to 6 ships may be used in a scenario
(one for each player with the rest being computer controlled).
Detailed docs (you MUST read these to play the game) show you how to
move, view your surroundings, communicate, arm and fire your weapons,
and receive repairs. Play from a floppy or from your Hard Drive (keep
all files in the COLDRVNG folder). Read the docs! Low res. color only.
392K uncompressed. ST/STE compatible (at least).
COLOREMU is the Color Emulator v.1.0 by Lars-Erik Osterud. It is a
low rez color emulator for those of you with Mono monitors. It's slow,
but it works! It's a lot better with my T-25 accelerator board! Just
pop it into your AUTO folder and reboot. Online docs. If this sounds
like a good idea to you just look at the next file!
MEDIUMEM is a medium resolution emulator for monochrome systems
(really it works for low rez as well, but the low rez screen takes up
only 1/2 of the mono screen). It's smooth and programs work! Docs
included (courtesy of Paul Lefebvre - a multi-talented programmer.
Just run a search using his name as a keyword and find lots of neat
stuff!). Dated May 29, 1990. It says that it should work with all TOS
versions, and I know that it is TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible. (this one
was uploaded some time ago, but it's the one I use when I need one).
CPP2 is the Atari ST Command Processor Program v.1.0a by James M.
Eli (dated 1986). This Command Line Interface (CLI) in program form
aims at supporting most of the MS DOS command structure on the ST. Not
all of the commands are supported, and there are some other
limitations: 1. No redirection, and 2. No single drive (2 disk)
copies. Since I am very limited in my experience with CLI's I can't
tell you much more about this one. Docs included.
DECOMPRE is a simple shell for uncompressing older ARC and LZH (lh1)
files by J. Wesolowski (dated Dec. 3, 1989). The ARC utility enclosed
with the shell is a document-less copy of D-Copy, and the un-LZH
utility is ancient as well. This shell works with the STE, but it
won't uncompress any of the newer forms of LZH. I recommend that you
stay away from it. It was good in it's time, but it's time has past.
DF_SUITE is a set of Disk<->File Transfer/Backup Utilities by W.
Alan B. Evans. SECTMAN will allow you to tranfer a specified number
of 512 byte sectors from disk (drives a-p) to memory (you must have
enough RAM to contain the specified number of sectors) to disk again.
It will only work with 512 byte sectors which means that only 16 Meg
(TOS 1.0--1.2) or 32 Meg (all other TOS) partitions or floppies are
supported. This is excellent for making multiple copies of one disk.
HDQBUR is the Hard-Disk Quick Back-up and Restore utility. Operating
on a similar principle to SECTMAN, this utility will quickly backup
your hard drive onto big files on floppies. It will take 1620
contiguous 512 byte sectors and copy them as 810K files on a 820K
floppy. The files can be easily restored, too. Typically a 10 Meg
Partition takes about 12 mins to back and about the same time to
restore and 13 disks are required. DFT is a utility that will allow
you to move Files, whole disks, or files to disks in the same way as
SECTMAN, but without the requirement that you have sufficient RAM to
hold the entire disk in RAM. Docs included. This works!
DIABLO16 is the Diablo Emulator v.1.6 for the Atari SLM line of
laser printers by Dave Staugas. This version has several improvements
over previous versions (fonts don't need to be in the root of the
bootup directory anymore, now MiNT/MultiTOS/Geneva compatible, page
memory improved, and more). This archive contains all the files you
need to run the emulator except the font files which came with your
Atari SLM (they haven't changed!). The improved screen dump utility is
included, too. Docs included.
DIRDRV is the Direct-Drive v.1.0 complete disk organizer and
labeler by Robert M. Birmingham and David G. Groves. This program
makes managing the files on your floppy and hard disks simple, quick
and painless. With a mouse click you can get a list of every file on a
disk that can be; saved, searched, sorted and printed. You can also
print disk labels, format disks and much more! If you often waste time
looking for files or thought you'd never get your disks organized,
you'll find Direct-Drive indispensable! Runs in any resolution with at
least 80 columns. Docs included.
DISKDOUB is the Disk Doubler v.1.0 by Steven Grimm. This program
allows users with double-sided disk drives to store two single-sided
disks on one double-sided disk. It will copy from either side on
either floppy to either side on either floppy. It's mainly useful for
archival purposes; one double-sided disk can take the place of two
single-sided disks. In order to access the second side of the disk you
must re-run the program and copy side two back to side one of another
disk. This program allows you to copy data onto the back of a
single-sided disk you want to keep as a single-sided disk. The disks
must be 80 tracks and nine sectors per track. This sounds like a good
idea, and it works well, but really, disks aren't that expensive! Docs
included. TOS 1.0--1.62/Geneva compatible (at least).
DISKSCAN is DiskScan, the Floppy Disk Manager v.1.0 by Todd Berkey
(dated Feb. 25, 1988 - an oldie but a goodie!). First of all DiskScan
is a program that will allow you to archive file information quickly
and painlessly and then easily find the files at a later date. I can
easily file the information away, but it takes a program like this to
help me find it again! It will scan your floppy disks quickly and take
the file information it finds and store it away in its database (up to
5000 files per database). It writes a small file to each disk (or not
if you so choose) which allows you to identify your disk. Later, if
you remember a file, but don't remember where it is, just look through
the database and find it! Of course, you still need to label your
disks!
DiskScan also does LOTS of other file manipulation tasks, far more
than I can detail here (Oh why not! Features include: viewing files,
hexdumping files, tagging for copying and or deleting groups of files,
renaming files, changing protections on files, invoking external
programs, and sorting files. You can sort by date, name, and size in
ascending or descending order. For example, you can select all .c
files (all disks), sort them by reverse date, then easily track down
that elusive program you lost. Or maybe sort an entire library by name
to help find duplicate files (this will make more sense if you have as
many disks as I do!), and MORE!). This looks like a nice program. TOS
1.0--1.62/Geneva compatible (at least). Docs included. There is an
even more "bells and whistles" version available from the programmer.
DSKFIL20 is The Disk Filer v.2.0 by Rick Ortman (dated April 1990).
This compiled GFA BASIC program is a severely limited demo (it won't
allow you to load, save or print your catalog files), but it still can
show you the power and easy of cataloging your disks with this
program. This program allows multiple sorts, display options,
printouts and more. Mouse controlled. Helps within program. SHAREWARE
(only $5). Color or mono (though you can't read all the screen in
mono, you can get by).
DSKSPEED is Disk Speed v.1.5 by Michael Curry (dated Dec. 30, 1985.
This program checks the speed of your floppy drives. The ST Disk
Drives are designed to run at 300 rpm. If your floppy drives are off
to a significant extent you might have some problems sharing disks
with someone else. Color or mono. TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible (at least).
DSKSWICH is Desk Switch, the Ultimate Read-Only Control Panel by
Charles F. Johnson (dated May 31, 1990). This program will allow you
to switch between different Desktop.INF files, so that your desktop
will always be just what you want it to be. Desk Switch reads and sets
every parameter saved in the DESKTOP.INF file. It can be run from the
desktop (just double-click) or as an "Installed Application" from
Hotwire (or the Desktop). This only uses 1K of code, doesn't stay in
memory when it's job is done, and allows you to install a new .INF
file at just about any time! Great for resetting colors after an
application trashes them! Color or mono. Shareware. If C.F.J. writes
it, it has to be good!
D_ORACLE is Delphi Oracle v.1.20 by Paul Lefebvre (dated Dec. 2,
1993). If you have STalker and you use Delphi, then you should have
this BackTalk Script that automates Delphi, and so can save you lots
of time and money. Using this script you can get and send mail
messages, read and reply to Forum conversations, and download files...
all in the background, and all while you are asleep in bed (if you
wish). It is very easy to set up and configure. If you have STeno
(another excellent program) this script will take full advantage of
its power. This Shareware program is worth getting (and registering -
I have, and I use it all the time). Requires STalker 3.0x or higher.
ST--Falcon compatible. Detailed docs included. (See G_ORACLE for the
GEnie specific script).
G_ORACLE is GEnie Oracle v.1.30 by Paul Lefebvre (dated Dec. 2,
1993). If you have STalker and you use GEnie, then you should have
this BackTalk Script that automates GEnie, and so can save you lots of
time and money. See D_ORACLE above for a detailed description.
EVILKIN1 is, as the author describes, an "oddball .PC3 picture." It
shows a pretty young woman, N. Kinski, with weird eyes and fangs
(blockily inserted). The author uses it for a Warp 9 background
picture. He likes it, I'll reserve judgement!
KINSKI_1 is a Degas .PC3 mono picture of N. Kinski, a pretty young
woman. The uploader uses it as a background picture with Warp 9. So so
quality.
F22UPG is the patch program (dated Nov. 13, 1993) that will patch
your Flash II program (any version) to v.2.2. This upgrade is the
third major upgrade to Flash II from Missionware Software in just 1
1/2 years! It's nice to see a company supporting their products (and
such excellent products, too!) Lots of new features added, bugs fixed,
and all of that. This is an excellent telecommunications program. If
you have it, then you should make sure to get this free upgrade! If
you haven't seen Flash II then check out their new demo, FLS22D.
FLS22D is the long-awaited demo of FLASH II v.2.2 from Missionware
Software. Flash! used to be the standard in ST telecommunications
fare, but eventually it was eclipsed. But now FLASH II v.2.2 is on the
scene to retake the old high ground! This demo, while limited (40
minutes per session with an upload/download limit of 50K per file),
brings you into the world of modern modeming with a full-featured,
high standard, and well-supported program. I can't even begin to list
all of Flash II's features (I tried and the file was nearly 4K long!).
The things I like best about it are its background downloading
capabilities, its easy set-up, its "macros," its full-featured GEM
text editor, and much, much more. Supports all 4 serial ports on the
TT and MegaSTE. ST--Falcon compatible. Color or mono. Docs and
ordering info included.
FAITHFUL by Scott R. Garrigus is a General MIDI Standard MIDI file
arrangement of "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful", which I'm calling "Come On,
All Ye Faithful!", a much funkier version than the original. A text
file is included for those of you without a General MIDI synth, I've
included a description of each channel of the MIDI file so that you
can match it up as closely as possible with your equipment. Also
included is a description of his new instrumental album, "Pieces Of
Imagination." Sounds good!
FASTFIND by Sean Puckett is a _very_ useful utility that allows you
to launch programs (.PRG, .TTP, .TOS, etc.) and read text files from
any drive on your system. Just click on the drive letter and the
entire contents quickly appears in a text format arranged in columns.
Folders, programs, and files are all distinquished by color and text
styles so you can easily make your choices. This program is controlled
using the keyboard (to select the drive) and the right and left mouse
buttons. Run any program with a click, exit the program and find
yourself back in FastFind. Press the ESC key to get back to the
desktop. It exits neatly and cleanly. TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible (at
least). Color. Docs within program. (Hint: the file description on
GEnie calls this a "file finder." It really isn't that). Shareware.
FB01DEMO is the demo for the FB-01 Controller, an .ACC that allows
you to fine-tune your Yamaha FB-01 synthesizer. It also is a patch
librarian, and allows you to save your favorite FB-01 configurations
to disk! No more time wasted trying to reconfigure the "mix" you spent
so much time setting. No more 16 configuration limit! You'll be able
to restore any setup in seconds - even from within your sequencer!
Mouse controlled. You can also call this with a keystroke! The demo
disables the loading, saving & storing of patches and configurations.
Order information included. Color or mono. Docs included. I found this
on Toad Hall.
FLIP is Flip v. 2.6b by Colas Nahaboo of France (dated march 23,
1988). This TOS program is a disk copier with error recovery. It will
allow you to read many disks with which the GEM desktop returns a
"read error." It does this through its intelligent and intensive
sector copy routines. It will tell you what sectors are beyond hope
and copy "around" them so you can recover most or all of your data.
This program will copy all all unprotected TOS disks and will even
allow you to consider the backside of a single-sided disk (protected
or not) as another disk! Of course you need a double-sided drive to
make that work! Think of the room you can make use of through this
feature!. TOS 1.0--1.62/Geneva compatible (at least). Docs within
program.
FOLDRSRT is Folder Sorter v.1.0 by Doug Johnson. This is the easiest
way to sort your auto folder (or any other folder) contents. Some
programs need to run first, or before another program, or last in the
auto folder. You can't tell the order the programs are in just by
looking at the desktop, the physical order in which they are found is
not a "sort" option. You can laboriously copy the files from one
folder to another and then copy them back to the auto folder OR you
can use this program and simply draw the programs to the place you
wish them to be. Your choice! Color or mono. Docs included in program.
FORMAT2X is the Multi Drive, Multi Disk Formatter v.1.0 by Bob
Retelle (dated 1988). This floppy formatter requires two floppy drives
(either single or double sided). It uses the mouse and dialog boxes
(and nicely done warning messages that give you a chance to quit
before you begin formatting) to give you lots of options for
formatting disks in two drives. This utility allows you to use BOTH
your disk drives to format a quantity of floppy disks, either
alternately, or both at the same time. It's good for when you want to
format an entire new box of disks, or for user group libraries. No
docs (in the recently uploaded GEnie version), but none needed. If you
want the docs and the GFA source code check out this file on Delphi as
FORMAT 2X. Color or mono.
FS2 is FalconScreen by Markus Gutschke (dated Aug. 5, 1993). This
AUTO program will allow Falcon030 users with a SVGA monitor (ONLY!!)
to replace their 640x480x4bit mode with a user selectable higher
resolution. Currently 928x704@40Hz. is the highest possible setting.
The author cautions that this will "most certainly damage any monitor,
that does not support SVGA video modes. Even SVGA monitors might be
damaged/destroyed, since this program is pushing the signal timing
very hard." (But it works for him!). C source code and docs included.
MultiTOS and NVDI compatible.
FUZION is Fuzion's Sound Demo. I tried this on my TOS 1.62 4 meg STE
and all that I could get was the opening screen. When I pressed the
Function Keys as the screen directed the disk drive whirled, but no
sounds came from my monitor speaker. I wasn't keen on the opening
screen (the bloody face of a screaming and dying man) so I didn't
bother doing any more exploration of this demo. It's in the trash as
soon as I finish this description. The problem is, I've found out,
with the STE and not the TOS version. It works on a non-STE with TOS
2.06, but not on an STE with the same TOS.
GAWKBIN is GNU awk (gawk) release 2.13.2 from the Free Software
Foundation (an included text file has the name Michal Jaegermann
attached to it). This is a pattern scanning and processing language.
As the docs say: "Gawk is the GNU Project's implementation of the AWK
programming language. It conforms to the definition of the language in
the POSIX P1003.2 Command Language And Utilities Standard (draft 11).
This version in turn is based on the description in The AWK
Programming Language, by Aho, Kernighan, and Weinberger, with the
additional features defined in the System V Release 4 version of UNIX
awk. Gawk also provides some GNU-specific extensions." This archive
contains only Atari executables of gawk 2.13.2, compiled with gcc
1.40, some test/examples programs and a basic documentation.
GCC_MAN is the complete ASCII MAN page (manual) for Gnu C version
1.36. It lists all of the command line options available.
GFA PROGRAMMING anyone? Check out "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 of files
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. But he uses GFA Basic because it's useable to
someone 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 these files!
GNVA_003 is the Geneva release 003 (1.02) patch program. It will
take your Geneva release 002 disk and update it to the release 003.
When I first hear about Geneva, the task switching, multi-tasking,
multi-Wow! program from Gribnif Software I was hesitant - did I really
need such a thing and would it prove to be more hype than not? As I
read more about Geneva I decided to take the plunge and buy it. I
installed it on my hard drive, but kept it in an alternate boot-up
position with my boot software. Within a week I had changed everything
around to boot up with Geneva as my default. It's wonderful! I
recommend that you check out the press releases if you haven't
already! This patch program is for release 002-->003 only. If you have
the original release 000 you need another patch.
GRAM_140 is Grammarian v.1.4.0 by Dan Panke (the owner of ST Plug,
the sole <legal> commercial distributor of Budgie UK Software in North
America). He also has a nice PD distribution company with lots of fine
programs and demos. Grammarian is an easy-to-use (I don't see how it
could be any easier - it's downright simple!) program designed to
look at text files and check for word usage, spelling problems, and
some grammatical rules. Now Grammarian includes comment lines that
teach you some about the errors made. I really like how the author
allows your checked documents to be shown on screen or saved (with the
comments) to a disk file. Grammarian may not be right in everything it
finds but it does present some good reminders. Docs included. STE
compatible (at least). Uploaded by the author on Jan. 3, 1994.
PostCardware (send him a postcard telling that you use this program).
That isn't that hard, is it? Send in those cards!
GVW_HPDJ is v.1.05 of Dieter Fiebelkorn's Freeware module for use
with the GEM View that will allow you to print and "save" pictures
using GEM View (release 3.00 and greater) and the HP DeskJet 550C in
its YMCK-mode! Two drivers are included, the first of which will print
the picture you can see on-screen. The other (the "Save" module) will
allow you to print a TrueColor-image in a monochrome mode/res. Brief
English docs.
GZIP is the gzip distribution, v. 1.2.3. gzip (GNU zip) is a
compression utility designed to be a replacement for 'compress'. Its
main advantages over compress are much better compression and freedom
from patented algorithms. The GNU Project uses it as the standard
compression program for its system. gzip currently uses by default
the LZ77 algorithm used in zip 1.9 (the portable pkzip compatible
archiver). gunzip can currently decompress files created by gzip,
compress or pack. Docs are included with this archive.
HACKNCPY is Hack'N Copy v.1.0 by The Mount Hood Software Group, Inc.
(dated 1987). This Shareware program is designed to allow you to copy
protected software. It allows you to make three different types of
backups. The simplest is a normal sector copy backup (just like the
desktop, but faster). The second option is a normal sector backup with
format (either standard, Twister, or Fast - again, it's faster to
format a disk and copy another to it than it is to just format the
disk from the desktop). The third type of backup HACK'N COPY will
perform is a nibble backup. This option will backup many protected
disks (it backs up some of my protected disks and not others). Docs
included. TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible (at least). Color or mono.
HCKFAX10 is HackFax v.1.0 by Helmut E. Neumann and Markus Bubendorf
(dated May 2, 1993). It is a Freeware FAX program for all Atari TOS
machines and the ZyXEL FAX-Modem. Using this program you can send and
receive FAXes using your computer. The docs and program are all in
German. I have been told that while this is a competent program it
cannot compare with STraight FAX!, the FAX software from NewStar
Technologies and distributed by Toad Computers. I haven't checked it
out myself though.
HDDIRECT is the AMP Hard Disk Directory v.2.11 by Andrew Pinto
(dated Jan. 3, 1988). Perhaps this works better on a TOS 1.0 machine,
but I can't recommend it for an STE. It will only check drives A-F and
will not open folders to check what is inside of them. In fact, it
considers a folder to be just another file. Limited docs within
program. Keyboard and/or mouse controlled.
HDFS_101 is a small utility for BBS Express! ST by R. Sanchez (dated
January 4, 1993). This utility, which will also work without BBS
Express! ST, will report the free space remaining on all your hard
drive partitions (up to 99 meg per partition). It comes as an .ACC and
a separate TOS program. Docs included. There were also a number of
other BBS Express utilities just uploaded on GEnie, but I haven't
gotten around to describing those yet.
HUMBUG is a small video capture taken from an old B&W movie named
"Scrooge" based on Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol." In this you
will find Scrooge looking up from his desk and saying "Humbug!" (two
times - the first time the voice is in sync with the video, the second
time, not). This capture was done through VideoMaster ST distributed
by Ordgon Research Technologies. Low res color only. Requires at least
one meg of RAM.
MST_3K is a small video capture taken from "Mystery Science Theater,
3000" TV Show. This capture shows this to be a wacky show! It begins
with the view of a rocky planetoid with the show title emblazed across
one hemisphere. It goes on to show the SkyLab-like setting of the show
and introduce the main characters, a human (Joel), and through the
"Robot Roll Call" Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo, and Crooooow! Music and
voices included. This capture was done through VideoMaster ST
distributed by Oregon Research Technologies. Low res color only.
Requires at least 1.5 meg of RAM and a hard drive.
ICON_MAN is IconMan, The Icon Manager v.0.60 by Dirk Haun (dated
1993). This program has a large icon library of over 2,500 icons. It
will read and write .RSC files (search through .RSC files for hidden
icons), and will save your icons to the clipboard, among other
features. It seems to be well-done, but there is no documentation. The
program is all in English, and not hard to use at all. Works on my TOS
1.62 STE, and I imagine other TOS as well. Color or mono.
INTEL is a True Color demo for the Falcon030 created by Black
Scorpion Software (they are currently developing Falcon specific
games). Designed to run on an ST type color monitor or Television this
program displays a wild and colorful screen that quickly fades to
black and then is replaced by a true color "Motorola Inside" logo that
rotates. To exit this demo, hit the reset button.
ISD_100 is a demo of the InShape 3D Modeler & Shader demo. This is a
new and exciting fully integrated 3D modeling, rendering and animation
system that can propel your imagination and creativity to new heights.
According to the docs(!) this program for the Atari TT030 and
Falcon030 equiped with a hard disk (recommended), a Math Co-processor
(required) and at least 4 meg of RAM and a minimum screen res. of 640
x 480 at 16 colors will allow you to create 3D objects, images and
animations with extraordinary ease and elegance.
First you would use the built-in object editor to design complex
wireframe models to which you would then add photorealistic surface
definitions, bump maps, animated waves, wrinkles, textures or simply
bend an existing image around your object. Next you set the lighting
and then start the animation of your creation! This sounds like some
hot stuff! The demo is limited only in the size of the scenes you may
render/raytrace (320 x 200 with no more than 1000 pixels per scene).
The full version will support 24 bit color up to either 1280 x 960 (in
the Intro version) or 4096 x 4096 (in v.1.02 or 2.0). Detailed docs
and tutorial included. Nearly 1.2 meg uncompressed (comes in two
archives). InShape can also import objects from programs such as
AutoCAD, DynaCADD, Calamus, Outline Art, and Cyber Studio's CAD 3D.
WOW! Docs and tutorial included.
KAND157E is Kandinsky v.1.57 by Ulrich Ro[Hoderer (dated Oct. 17,
1993). This shareware vector/GEM metafile drawing program is
excellent. Now translated into English (this version has limited
English docs and, unfortunately, the German docs are not included)
this program allows you to create vector graphics which can be printed
out at the highest resolution of your printer with no image
degradation (can't say that about bit mapped files!). Import GEM/3
files, create Bezier curves, do LOTS more (I'm amazed at all the
features and options of this program!).
The registered version of the program allows you to rotate text and
objects, do landscape printing, and export images in PostScript
format! Those are the only limitations! It works on color and mono
ST--Falcon machines (even with only 512K of RAM!) and with a variety
of graphic boards, and is very fast on image re-draws (nice!). It has
some excellent GEM sample files included. Kandinsky allows you to
create text that consists of BGI fonts, the vector fonts from Borland
(ten BGI fonts included). It seems to be very easy to use. GDOS/
SpeedoGDOS/GDOS clone compatible (while needed to save and print files
they are are not needed to run the program). MultiTOS, Geneva, and
Mag!X compatible. Check it out! Shareware ($25 US, and worth it!).
KILLTIME is Killing Time, a STOS game by John Wangler and Jason
Huerta (dated early 1994). This is a nicely done reflex testing game
that has you traveling through time to battle rock-toting Neandertal
men in "Stone," outlaws of the Wild West in "High Saloon," enemy
soldiers in "G.I. Guy," punks and hoodlums in "Dirty Magnum," and
green alien Greebles in "Zap To The Future." There are fifteen levels
in all to keep you on the edge of your seat with your eyes glued to
the screen as you try to anticipate where the "bad guys" are going to
pop up. Watch out, after a while of "I'll do better next time" your
mouse hand begins to get weary! You can run this from a hard drive or
floppy (if run from the hard drive I would recommend that you disable
your AUTO programs and accessories so you can quit cleanly). I ran
this with my T-25 accelerator board driving my STE at 25 MHz and was I
frustrated! There was no time to react before I got killed. Finally
it dawned on me - run at 8 MHz! Now I can survive - for a little while
longer at least! Created using STOS. ST--STE compatible (at least).
Docs included. Color only.
KITTYLCK is the "Kitty" Lock .PRG or .ACC by Erin Monaco (dated Oct.
25, 1993). Kitty Lock is "Child tested, Mother approved!" according to
the author. He begins his documentation with this poem and true story:
Kitty on the keyboard,
Children gnawing disks;
Killed my current document,
Dads now a little... "miffed".
The idea behind this program is very simple. Before taking a break
just activate Kitty Lock. Now no one can do anything on your computer
until you type in the password. Your kids (or kitten) can bang away
without doing any harm! Yippie! Docs included. Color or mono.
Shareware. ST--STE and Geneva compatible (at least).
KNUTSOFT is the Knutsoft Duplicator software. This program allows
you to make copies of practically all copy protected disks through the
use of two floppy drives and a special cable. If it sounds like the
Blitz cable system, it is. Cryptic directions (at least to me!) for
making the cable are included. I would suspect that the Blitz cable
would work with this software (the principle behind the two programs
seem similar), but I have not checked this. TOS 1.0--1.62 Geneva
compatible (at least).
LALOPE22 is LaserLope v.2.2 by Barney Poston (dated Dec. 30, 1993).
This program is an Envelope Printing Utility for the HP LaserJet 4
which allows you quick and easy access to the scores of internal fonts
of that printer. You can also set the size of those fonts, within
basic limits. Three common envelope sizes are supported. You can even
save your favorite configuration (actually up to four set-up may be
saved!). LaserLope will run on ST--Falcon computers in ST high and
medium resolutions. It will work with HP LaserJet III, LaserJet IIIP,
and LaserJet 4 printers. It looks like this will do just about
anything you want! Docs included.
LOAD_INF is a program by Klaus Pedersen (dated July, 1990) which
will allow you to simply and easily load a DESKTOP.INF file for each
of your applications, if you wish. Having a specific Desktop set-up
for each type of application you use can be very useful. It simplifies
your desktop (it doesn't need to be "all things to all [programs]."
Just double click on this program (or install it as an application)
and you get the desktop you wish rather than having to manually open
and position windows. Docs and C source included. ST-STE compatible
(at least).
MANDEL is Mandel by Robert Stiles. It is a fractal generator for the
Falcon030 with a math coprocessor (68881 or 2). Keyboard controlled,
this program will allow you to quickly create beautiful fractals. I
don't think that there is any "save" feature included, so you will
want a screen capture utility to save your images. Limited docs with
Pure C and Assembly source code included.
MDTST105 is v.1.05 of MODEMTST, a program by David Troy of Toad
Computers for all current and prospective owners of STraight FAX!. It
will test your modem to see what features it has (Class 0, 1, or 2,
Caller ID, and more), buffer size, flow control, how fast it can go,
and where its firmware came from. It will also tell you if your modem
is compatible with STraight FAX. You can print out this information as
well. It works on all ST/TT/Falcon computers and has been tested on a
Mega STE, 1040STE, 1040STF, TT030, Falcon030 and Gemulator. It even
has an attractive 3D interface when used on the Falcon030 or under
MultiTOS (Geneva, too). Docs included. Color or mono. An inclosed text
file details some terrific deals that Toad Computers is offering for
FAX modems and STraight FAX (only through Dec.). Make sure you get
v.1.05 rather than v.1.00 - v.1.02 since 1.05 is compatible with more
modems (including voice-mail compatible and US Robotics modems). Docs
included.
MEM4ST is two text files describing how to upgrade either your
520/1040ST (using SIMMS) or your Mega ST to 2.5 or 4 meg of RAM. The
first article (the SIMMS upgrade) is by Paul Gittins and the Mega ST
upgrade docs are by Bryan Hall. Both are clearly written, and if you
are handy with a soldering iron I recommend them to you. Having the
extra memory is wonderful! Now I'm waiting to be able to upgrade my 4
meg STE to at least 8 megs!
MILKYWAY is a 640 x 480 x 256 color .PNT picture which you can use
as a Warp 9 background picture with your Falcon and VGA monitor (it
won't work with your Atari SM1224). This gives you a detailed photo of
the Milky Way galaxy. Docs on use included.
MYCLOCK is MyClock v.1.07 by Frank Sch'Ger (dated Nov. 5, 1993).
This .ACC clock will allow you to display the time and date in either
digital or analog form (as taken from the system clock). The clock
face may be changed using any of five different faces and four
different hand styles, and GDOS or SpeedoGDOS may be used to customize
the clock display (though not required). You can change the size of
the clock via mouse. This clock also has an alarm function to remind
you of whatever you need to remember (of course, you need to remember
to set the alarm!). The .ACC and docs are in German, so you have a bit
of figuring to do to get this to work (but not much work, don't let
that hinder you!). I thought this was a very nice clock. TOS
1.0--Falcon. Color or mono.
M_QWK118 is Mountain QWK v.1.19 by Mountain Software and Anthony
Watson (dated Nov. 30, 1993). Mountain Software has provided us in the
past with some of the prettiest, most functional programs around, and
this time is no exception. This program, now compatible with
GDOS/Speedo- GDOS (though not needed), MultiTOS and Geneva, with
several new features (and one or two bug fixes) and with improved
window and mail handling over previous versions is a QWK reader/mailer
with just about every feature you could wish for. Reading all your
mail online can add up to a bunch of money! That's where Mountain QWK
can come in handy.
Using the QWK format available on many BBS's, message bases are
collected, compressed, and tranferred out to you. You can search
through them for specific messages or read them all off-line (i.e.,
saving Money!) and reply to them off line as well, using your favorite
editor as an external program if you wish. Everything you need (except
the compression programs - and a computer setup with modem!) is
included. This demo is limited (by even less than in previous
versions) in the number of messages it can capture and the replies you
can send (plus some other minor irritants designed to get you to buy
the program!). Clearly written docs (Yeah!) are provided. Requires at
least one meg of RAM (more is better) and an ST--Falcon computer. The
author provides excellent and active support of his shareware. Contact
him with a problem and he will fix it!
NCCAU is two text files by Reg Loeppky, the President of the ST
Users Group of Winnipeg, Canada. The first is a statement of purpose
detailing his group's proposal to link Atari groups across Canada
together in a network of help and information. The next is a detailed
listing of Atari User Groups across Canada (Membership size,
President, BBS, phone, etc.) and a network of dealers and support
agencies across North America.
NEOICN is a series of thirty-one NeoDesk 3 icon files, one file for
each download. Since each file contains 90 icons (except NEOICN31
which has fewer icons) there are a LARGE number of icons here! There
aren't many duplicates either. Roam through these files and pick out
just the "right" Calamus or PageStream icon for you. There are a
multitude of Trashcan icons, too. Suppose you have been looking for an
icon for Turbo Assembler v.1.7 by Markus Fritze & SGSen Hellwig. You
can find it here. Are you looking for another icon? I bet you could
find it here! Since there are so many files you might just want to
download them one by one and check them out. You might just find that
you've found all you need by NEOICN03! (on GEnie they are separate
files, on Delphi one large file)
OBLIQUE is a text file for use with the CodeHead Technologies
Fortune Cookie Extend-O-Save module. It is a listing of the 122
Oblique Strategies by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt (dated 1979). These
strategies are designed to inspire creative thought (originally in
recording studio situations). In my humble opinion most of them sound
quite wacky! (Though I did like the "Humanize something free of error"
entry). Docs included.
PAYXPRT3 is the Payroll Expert v. 2.30 by Randy Blain (dated late
1992). Payroll Expert is a powerful GEM-based payroll program (with
keyboard equivalents for almost all of the commands) that provides you
with all all the features neccessary to handle large or small payroll
applications (now updated to include the new 1994 tax brackets). I am
really impressed with the look and feel of this program. Everything is
accessed via the standard GEM interface, so very little instruction is
needed in order to use the program. Also included in this package is
ACC-Time, his shareware time-clock accessory, since Payroll Expert
allows importing of the time-clock data to facilitate easy payroll
computation for all employees. You can easily pay all of your
employees without ever touching the keyboard.
Complete reports (printed to disk or paper) are available at any time
to make all your federal and state taxes easy to compute and file (of
course, it doesn't make them any easier to pay). It will allow you to
print on any style of checks. It also includes a perpetual calendar.
The registered version will support as many employees as you have
(only two in this demo). Floppy or hard drive. Automatic backups
allowed. ST--STe (at least) compatible. Any RAM configuration. The
author has worked hard on this program, often updating and improving
it. Color or mono. Docs included. SHAREWARE.
PHONE is a useful list of phone numbers for all computer users.
Listing about 350 phone, FAX, and BBS numbers for well-known and not
so well known computer related companies around North America, this
could be a very useful file to have about.
PIECESD1 is a .WAV digitized sound file containing an excerpt from
the second song, called Dorian Dance, on the album Pieces Of
Imagination by Scott R. Garrigus. He says that is you like this, then
you'll love the album! I like it! It has a crisp layer on top of a
quiet and melodious rhythm. Ordering info included. I use SoundLab
v.1.11 by Damien M. Jones to listen to this (that's an excellent
program!).
POVRAY21 is POVRay (Persistance of Vision Raytrace) v.2.1 by the
POV-Ray Team and ported to the ST/STE/TT by Dirk Klemmt and dated Dec.
7, 1993, the author of POVSH111 (a shell program for POV-Ray which I
HIGHLY recommend you use with POV-Ray - see below). This cross-platform
raytracing utility has become widely known for the fantastic 3-D
photo-realistic raytraced images it produces. You create a text file
containing information describing the objects shapes, colors, textures,
and lighting in a scene and the program generates an image of that scene
from the view point of a camera also described in the text file.
Ray tracing is not a fast process by any means, but it produces very
high quality images with realistic reflections, shading, perspective,
and other effects. Detailed instructions are included as well as a
multitude of sample scenes (which you can modify to your hearts
content). There is also included a large library of predefined shapes
and materials that can be used in your own scenes by just typing the
name of the shape or material. This version (which does not add any
features over v.2.0 but just fixes several bugs) includes the ability
to animate your creations and to include features like bezier patches,
blobs, height-fields, bump mapping, and material mapping. This listing
really contains three files, available on Delphi. One archive contains
the program files (consisting of an ST/STE specific version and a
TT/Falcon version), the second the doc files, and the final archive
containing the scene descriptions. Color or mono. I don't think that
you would need a hard drive to run this, but it would certainly be
recommended!
PROTEXT6 is the working demo of Protext v.6.0 wordprocessor from
Arnor (dated Aug., 1993). This cross platform word processor (Atari,
Amiga, MSDOS, and Acorn) is non-GEM based, but still easy to use (you
don't notice the lack of GEM at all). The demo requires at least one
meg of RAM and a Hard drive and is fully functional except that you
can only load in files of 2K or less. I can't begin to list all the
features of this program, but I can tell you that it is one
well-thought out program. From what I can see it will do practically
anything you wish a word processor to do (and more - for example,
adding up columns of numbers at your command). Numerous printer
drivers are included with the demo. Mouse and keyboard controlled.
Geneva compatible in single-tasking mode. Docs included. 526K
uncompressed.
PTAUG_92 is a series of three newletters from the Piedmont Triad
Atari User Group 1992 Newsletters in PageStream 1.8 format. They are
full of interesting tidbits, reviews of games, and helps. I enjoyed
reading through them. 393K uncompressed, so you can see how much space
you save through compression!
QVFIX1 is a patch written by Atari to help control the behavior of
applications in a multitasking environment. It prevents an application
that is busy doing one particular task (such as downloading via
Zmodem) from hogging the mouse and text cursor, for example. Uploaded
on GEnie by Al Fasoldt as a patch that will maintain smooth operation
of all applications and .ACC's while STalker is doing file transfers,
this program has a wider application than that, according to Al. He
says that this program probably should be placed in the AUTO folder by
everyone who uses MultiTOS and/or Geneva. His recommendation is good
enough for me and so this file is going in my AUTO folder! (Al has
passed on LOTS of hints in his "Secrets of..." series of articles and
he helped write the Geneva manual - excellent!)
RDD3 is The Revenge Document Displayer v.3.00 by Stuart Coates (dated
Oct 23, 1993). The Revenge Document Displayer provides you with a text
viewing utility that is both powerful and easy to use. It will allow
you to load, display and print out any ASCII document (either by simply
double-clicking on the program, running it as a TTP program, installing
it as an application, using it as an alternate text viewer in NeoDesk 3,
or, with TOS 2.0x or higher <or one of the variety of alternate Desktops
that support this>, just dropping the text file on the program icon).
When you load a document (up to 200 at once!) any control characters
will be automatically stipped out so that it is more readable. (This in
itself makes this program worth getting...but there's more!).
Previous versions of RDD allowed reading of ASCII text compressed with
Pack Ice 2.4 (said utility being included in this archive), and this
version continues that, but now the program will read text compressed
with any archiving program (you must supply the de-compression
utility). Scroll up and down the page using the arrow keys, create
tabs, move up and down a page at a time, go to the beginning or end of
your document, automatic pagination (with selectable page breaks),
search for specific text, set bookmarks, mark blocks for printing (and
print!), execute another program (with a single keystroke), set the
scan rate between 50 and 60 Hertz, and much more. Mouse and/or
keyboard controlled. Docs and online help included. Color or mono. I
like the interface of this version much better than previous versions.
It seems much easier to control. ST--Falcon compatible (in ST
resolutions). Not compatible with programs that fiddle with the mouse
buttons (such as DC_RT_DC.PRG - a program I like very much which turns
a normal click of the right mouse button into a double left click).
RESET by W. Alan B. Evans is an ST/STE compatible program which will
allow you to do either a cold or a warm reset with the touch of one
key rather than a contortion of three as the built in STE function
allows. The author finds this program useful when exiting GULAM (have
GULAM automatically rename an .ACX file to .ACC and then remind you to
warm boot). This is only 895 bytes long so it only takes up 1024 bytes
on disk - the smallest amount possible!
RUNNER is a replacement desktop for the ST/STE by Dave Thorson
(dated Nov. 18, 1993). Currently at v.1.61 this program set may be
downloaded as several files (RUNR161B, RUNR161D, RUNR161N, and
RUNR161P). There are a LOAD of features here! This utility will allow
you to display by topic lists of programs and load them with a
keypress no matter where they reside on your drives, install
applications and .TTP files with default command lines passed to them,
have DEGAS background pictures with color-cycling animation, change
color palettes from Runner and more. Runner will even change res. to
match what is needed by the program being run. You can use the
built-in Item Selector (with just a keyclick) to run programs (great!)
and to view files with the build-in text file viewer (and support for
3rd party Item Selectors such as The Little Green Item Selector and
The Universal Item Selector are included, too). Never use the desktop
again! Color or mono. Full docs, online help, and sample backgound
pics included. SHAREWARE.
SAFEMENU is a .CPX module which allows you to configure your drop
down menus in such a way as to allow you to easily control their
activation. Using this .CPX you can make the menus drop down only
when clicked on (like the Apple Macintosh's "pull down" menus), or
only when clicked on using the right mouse button, or only drop down
when the mouse pointer touches the top half of the menu bar. This .CPX
also includes a mouse accelerator. To use SAFEMENU, you need Atari's
modular control panel XCONTROL.
SALVAGE is a simple to use program that is designed to assist in
salvaging floppy disk files that were produced by a text editor or a
word processor when the FAT tables or Directory on the disk have been
trashed. Color or mono. Docs included. By Merlin L. Hanson.
SCRIBA22 is the Scriba Communis Responsi v.2.2 Disk Magazine
produced by Kai Holst and Geir Uaelidalo of Norway. These two men (one
a 19 year old high school student and the other a 20 year old
University Student) have put together an excellent collection of
Atari-related materials and more. This issue is dedicated to Albert
Einstein and contains a longer-than-brief biography of him. It also
contains biographical material about a recently deceased computer
pioneer, and a fascinating set of quotes from Jonathan Swift, the
early 18th century English Satirist (the author of "Gulliver's
Travels").
This magazine also includes fiction, poetry, technical writings,
mind-bending puzzles, and lots more. Backward v.2.23 is included
(though I strongly suspect that this is really v.2.22 as that is all
the docs mention), as well as an _excellent_ (reasonable to terribly
difficult depending on your choices!) concentration-type game called
Memory (I recommend it) and a colorful and "intelligent" Reversi clone
by Gard Abrahamsen named "Reverse: The Better Reversi?".
Finally, Kai has written (with the help of Geir) a very capable virus
killer named Antidote. Now at v 2.3 (dated August 3, 1993), this
program will recognize 180 harmless bootsectors on your disks,
recognize (and kill) 31 Bootsector viruses, recognize 96 resident
programs, five anti-viruses, 5 link viruses, 27 "Cookies" on your
system, and 24 packers. This is a shareware program and on registering
you will get a version that will do even more! Anyway, I think this
is a file to get, even if it is big! The magazine uses a shell which
allows you to pick the articles you wish to read and allows you to
play a variety of musical pieces in the background as well (there is a
archive entitled NUSCRIBA on Delphi that has a "fix" for the main file
that allows sounds to be played on all machines - some had a problem
with the original program. ST--Falcon compatible.
SDDFR_12 found on GEnie this past week is an older version (v.1.12
dated April 18, 1988) of SDDFR213, S.D.D.F.R., v.2.13, the Super
Directory Data File Reader by Mike Mitchell & Bob Carlini (dated Nov.
8, 1988). (You can probably find the more recent version of this
program on GEnie, too. I think I found v.2.13 on Delphi). This program
will take your Super Directory files (created by the cataloger program
Super Directory from Michtron) and view its contents on the screen,
dump it to a printer, or save it as an ASCII file (1/3 the size of the
S.D file!). Previous to this you needed S.D. to view any S.D. file,
and you couldn't create an ASCII dump. Docs included. SHAREWARE.
SEASCSI is the unabridged file direct from SeaBOARD, Seagate's BBS.
It contains specs and configuration info on most if not all of
Seagate's SCSI 1 and 2 drives. This set of 72 text files is full of
information about which I know nothing (but it might just mean a lot
to you!). Distributed by LOTSABYTES, one of the few dealers with a
strong online presence (hurrah to STeve of STeve's Software, too!).
SHORTBIN is Sort, a small program and doc file by L.J.M. de Wit that
will allow you to sort and/or merge files (text, but I think that this
will manipulate just about anything). This is comparable to the Unix
sort utility; even most of the flags are the same. As the docs say,
"Sort sorts, then writes the lines of the named files to its standard
output, or a file." You can designate how the file is to be sorted,
according to a number of parameters (line by line, word by word,
numbers counting or not, alphabetical or reverse alphabetical, etc.).
Docs included. This works on my STE. Why is it called SHORT BIN? Who
knows!
SPLITIT is a file which will allow you to easily and quickly split
large files into smaller manageable pieces of sizes you select. It
will also allow you to automatically rejoin those pieces at a later
time. Color or mono (the initial display is a bit messed up in color,
but that has absolutely NO effect on the program's functionality).
Online promts to direct you as to what to do. Works with my STE.
STKEEP56 is the ST-Keep Bulletin Board System v.5.60 by Andrew P.
Studer (dated Nov. 11, 1993). At first, ST-Keep appears to be a
Citadel (room based) type bulletin board system. However, once you
begin working with it, you will notice that it takes on a very unique
appearance of its own along with adding a great many features not
found in Citadel programs. This will run on either a color or mono
system, only requires 512K RAM (but you are limited with less than 1
MEG in your choices) and a Hard Drive is absolutely recommended
(though you can get by with floppy drives).
This program allows up to 32,000 users, 32,000 rooms, 32,000 messages
per room, 255 floors, 255 doors (for on-line games, other BBS's),
ANSI, VT-52, IGS and ASCII graphics support! Supports Xmodem CRC,
Xmodem 1K, Ymodem Batch, Zmodem Batch, download ratios and more! Fido
networking support. Modem transfers up to 14,400 baud (using XYZ201,
included here, this time along with the docs (congratulations to the
author since the last version I found didn't include these docs!). He
also didn't include the docs for COLOUR.ACC, LZH201G [both Shareware
programs], ZIPJr, and FOLDERXXX). Maybe next version he'll do right
for those authors! Let's hope. It seems that this program will do just
about anything you need a BBS to do. SHAREWARE (constantly supported)
with no feature disabled. Docs included. 991K uncompressed.
STMIROR2 is ST Mirror II v.2.61, a Hard Drive Utility for the Atari
ST by Michael J. Mitchell (dated Nov. 19, 1989). This is a VERY useful
file (I use Diamond Mirror along with Diamond Edge from Oregon
Research, or I would be using this!). ST Mirror was created in order
to help you protect your hard drive from a virus or accidental erasure
of the Boot, FATs and Directory sectors of any hard drive partition.
We do this by creating two data files from the information found on
your hard drive. One file contains the Boot, FATs and Directory
sectors while the other contains a complete root directory listing of
the mirrored partition. Also if you are about take on the task of
cleaning up your hard drive, then you will want to run this program
first, that way if you delete a file or even a folder by mistake you
can recover it using the restore option of ST Mirror. The programmer
wrote this well, because it works even with ICD BGM partitions. One
nice thing (silly, really) is that this program will tell you how long
your computer has been on (I didn't realize that that information was
stored away inside!). Docs and extensive on-line help available.
SHAREWARE.
STSFX27A is STOS FIXER v.2.7 by Robert Quezada (dated Nov. 28,
1993). This program will take your STOS programs, run-time or
compiled, and allow you to update them for any TOS release (almost -
see below). It's a very handy thing to have when you have a nice STOS
program that won't run on your TOS! Now MultiTOS compatible. In order
to update programs to run on TOS's higher than 1.62 the original
program must be at least compatible with TOS 1.62 (this is due to
other, unfixable, problems with the pre-STE compatible STOS program).
Color or mono. The program must not be compressed for this to work (so
get the New De-pack v1.1 - NDP11 by Mike Watson to uncompress any
packed programs). Docs included.
SUPER is Superformat v.2.0 by Francois Guilleme (dated Dec. 8,
1988). This formatter will allow you to set the format to up to 11
tracks and 99 sectors per track! Now I don't think any drive will do
this, but you can certainly max out your format with this formatter!
Remember, if you format anything over 82 tracks you risk not being
able to pass your disks on to anyone else (or even read them yourself
after awhile). This is in French, but there's no trouble in that.
It's easy to use. TOS 1.0-1.62 compatible (at least).
SUPREME is the Supreme Demo from Underground TOS (UTOS, The
Underground Team of Scandanavia) dated January 1992. This demo, which
will run on an ST or STE, is downloaded as two Magic Shadow archives
(totalling 820K+) will fit on one 82 sector 11 Track disk (915K
format). You need both Magic Shadow and a formatting program that will
format that extended format to uncompress these files. Actually, I
thought this demo was only fair. The first two screens have poor
quality sound and the second screens scolling text is so blurry it's
almost unreadable. After that it gets better I must say. The third
screen is nice, but you have to be a speed reader to read the waving,
scrolling text. Color only. I hate to erase something that took so
long to download, but this is going in the trash, too. On the other
hand, maybe you would just LOVE it!
SYN_DPK is the Synergy Giga Depacker v.2.2 by Wingleader in Holland
(dated Aug. 30, 1993). This unpacking program will uncompress files
from many different packing systems, allowing you to more easily
manipulate those files. It will also allow you to oftentimes load them
into your system more quickly (if you use a hard drive) because they
won't need to be uncompressed (which takes time). Numerous bug fixes
and enhancements from previous versions. ST-Falcon and Geneva
compatible. Program and Docs in English. Shareware. (I would make sure
to get NDP_11, the New DePak v.1.1 by Mike Watson as well).
SYSMON is SysMon, the ATARI-ST SystemMonitor v.1.0.5 by Karsten
Isakovic (dated Oct. 7, 1990). I am a bit unclear as to what this
program does, since I don't do any programming, but it appears to
check your ST-TT and identify all the programs in memory and tell you
what AES, VDI, GEMDOS, Line A, etc. which they use. You can "trace" a
program or accessory. All sorts of things. It is supposed to work with
all TOS from 1.0 through 3.1. It specifically mentions the STE TOS 1.6
as working fine. That may be so, but TOS 1.62 doesn't work at all.
Color or mono, big screen monitors, and the overscan modes are
supported (the author created Overscan for the ST). Extensive and well
written English docs. Shareware.
TASKCOPY is Multitasking Copy Accessory v.1.0 by Jurgen Hollfelder.
The title makes one think that this program will copy disks in the
background while you do something else. Well, it doesn't do that on my
TOS 1.62 STE. It appears to copy disks, though I haven't waited around
to see if it really does that. What it does do is ask you to switch
disks at every read (yikes, it's worse than the desktop copying Drive
A to Drive B when you don't have a Drive B attached!). Perhaps this
would work with another TOS version, but I don't know. The docs and
the program are in German. Am I missing something here?
TBBS is a STalker 3 BackTalk script file by Bob Morrow for a crude
off-line reader (no reply capabilities yet) for TBBS-style bulletin
board systems (to use the author's own words). This was designed
around a local system running v2.? of TBBS. This requires STeno (or
EdHac) for the capture buffer.
TDSPCTRM is the Falcon only/no VGA monitor Kaleidescope demo by
David Troy of Toad Computers (named KALEIDO.PRG and dated Oct. 20,
1993). This demo basically has a square that constantly bounces around
the screen which changes color continuously, to paint a full spectrum.
It does this until you press a mouse button to leave. It isn't
terribly exciting, but if you want to see some good, wholesome looking
full-spectrum color, it's kinda fun. And it's under 4000 bytes. It
also properly switches Falcon video modes, so it doesn't obliterate
your screen when it's done. ST monitor or TV required.
TEDDIES is a Degas PC1 (low res) picture of two teddy bears sitting
on a table. It was created with a Sony camcorder attached to
Videomaster on a 1040STe. Unfortunately, the picture is extremely
grainy and not very pretty.
TEMPLATE is a press release (dated Oct. 13, 1993) for Spar Systems
which tells about the new Pagestream 2.0x+ "ReadyTemplates" for use
with PaperDirect's pre-printed (fancy) papers. Using these 180+
templates will allow you to easily create brocures, business cards,
post cards and more with style and ease. This is a good idea!
TERABOOT is the Terradesk AUTO-boot configuration by Tony Smolar
(dated 1994). This program is designed to allow you to select the
DESKTOP.INF file to use (and hence the resolution and desktop you boot
up with) when used with Terradesk, the alternate desktop by Wout
Klaren (see below for a detailed description of Terradesk). Actually,
you don't need Terradesk to use this program. It will work all by
itself to allow you to choose your preferred DESKTOP.INF file at
bootup. TOS 1.0--1.62 compatible. Color or mono. Docs included.
TERA_020 is the TT version of Tera Desktop v.1.36 by Wout Klaren
(dated Oct. 18, 1993). The Tera Desktop is a replacement of the TT
(and ST) desktop. This desktop offers many of the same features as DC
Desktop, NeoDesk, and the Atari NewDesk (TOS 2.06 and above), and then
some. 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. 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 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 and
Dutch - you choose). Several bug fixes and some minor inhancements
over the previous version I had (v.1.32). 223K uncompressed. See
TERA_136 for the ST/STE specific version.
TERA_136 is Tera Desktop V1.36 by Wout Klaren (dated Oct. 18, 1993).
The Tera Desktop is a replacement of the ST (and TT) desktop. This
desktop offers many of the same features as DC Desktop, NeoDesk, and the
Atari NewDesk (TOS 2.06 and above), and then some. 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. 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 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 and Dutch - you choose). This version
is only for the ST line, TOS 1.0--2.06. Several bug fixes and some
minor inhancements over the previous version I had (v.1.32). See
TERA_020 for the TT specific version of this file. 223K uncompressed.
TOSHIBA is a file from DMC Publishing (the Calamus People) which
contains modified MetaDOS drivers for CD-ROMs, specifically the
Toshiba series. It will also work with NEC units. The software has
been tested with the double-speed Toshiba 3401B. It is designed to be
used WITHOUT MultiTOS installed. Docs included.
TOWERS is Towers, a 3D one or two player Dungeon Game from JV
Enterprises. You'll find this as two large compressed files (TOWERS_1
& TOWERS_2--both are required). If you liked Dungeon Master you'll
like Towers. Choose from one of four characters and then travel
through the Tower/Dungeon gathering up the supplies you find on the
way, battling enemies who seek you out, and trying to find your way to
the end--and to survival. The graphics are nice, the controls (mouse
and/or keyboard) are easily used and controlled), and the sounds are
excellent (who is that tapping on that door?). Towers requires a
minimum of 928200 bytes of FREE memory left on your system. Towers
will only run on a completely bare one meg system. If you have TOS 1.4
or above and only one meg of RAM see TOWRPTCH which will allow you to
run this game (though only in the one player mode). Towers will run
from a hard drive or floppy (Double-Sided only). It allows you to save
and load games, too. Connect with another Atari computer using a
null-modem or MIDI cable for dual player action. ST--Falcon
compatible. Detailed docs. Color only. Like OXYD (another excellent
game!), you can play several levels of Towers for free, but after that
to progress in the Tower you need to buy the manual for $15. Seems to
be a honey of a deal!
TOWRPTCH is the update of the 3D Dungeon Game, TOWERS from JV
Enterprises from version 1.0 to 1.1. You need this if you have TOS
1.04 or above and only one meg on your system. By getting this update
(and TOWERS_1 & TOWERS_2) you will be able to play the one person
version of this excellent game. If you have more RAM you'll be able to
play the two player modes, too.
TREK_FAM is another Connection's "Family" by David Becker. This one
presents a detailed view of the Star Trek Universe, talking both about
the Original Generation series and the Next Generation TV show. Lots
of digitized sounds, pictures, and text (timelines, review of shows,
etc. all make this a "must have" file for Trek fans. You must have a
mono monitor and David Becker's Connections multi-media program (now
at version 1.2) to use this file (though you could view the pictures,
listen to the sounds, and read the text files using the appropriate
utilities - it's just nowhere near as much fun!). I downloaded this
quite some time ago now, but I just realized that I never passed it on
to you. I really like "Connections" v.1.2 and this is an excellent
resource for it!
TTART16 is TT Artist, the TT GEM Screen Saver v.1.6 by Massimo
Farina (dated Dec., 1993). This file is a very nice PD screen saver
designed for use with the TT (I've heard that it beats out any Mac,
PC, or Unix screensaver around). It takes advantage of all available
colors, and provides you with a wide selection of animated display
modules from which to choose. One of its modules is an amazing fractal
generator. It can produce fascinating and complicated fractals that
are beautiful to behold - rapidly, too! Docs included. Tested on TT
and CyReL M16-1280 graphics card. Not compatible with ST med & low
resolutions. This is the last PD version, future updates will be
Shareware. TT required.
VECSHOW is the System Vector Analyzer v.1.71 by Stephan Gerle (dated
1989). This small utility will display the (XBRA compatible) changed
system vectors. It shows the original address on the left and in a
right column lists the changed vectors, sometimes with a question mark
next to them and sometimes with an abbreviation recognizable as a
program's name. It works (apparently) fine on my STE, but it does say
that I am using TOS 1.2 (nmy TOS is 1.62!). No docs.
VIPERANI is the Flying Vipers Animation by Shane Burton (dated June
22, 1993). This animation, which shows a "Colonial Viper" spaceship
streaking away from a Saturn-like planet. It was created using Phoenix
Object Render, and shows what quality work can be done with that
program with just a little work (the docs tell how little). It
consists of a series of 12 .SPC pictures, a run file, and animation
program. You must have a color monitor and a computer that will run
Spectrum pictures to view this animation. Since the Spectrum files
take up less than 250K I would suspect that this will run even on a
520 ST.
WHOSDERE is "Who's There?" a SupraFAXModem Caller ID Utility v.0.1
by Gordon R. Meyer of DO NOT STAMP Software (dated Jan. 1., 1994).
This program has been designed to function with the SupraFAXModem
equipped with Caller ID (maybe other modems, too, but that's not been
tested). If your phone system is equipped with Caller ID this program
will intercept that information, display it on-screen, and then save
it to an ASCII file. It works as either an .ACC or a .PRG (the author
recommends you use it as a program). It uses the Modem 1 port of the
ST/TT line. Not Falcon compatible. Color or mono. Docs included.
XMASDEMO from "It's All Relative" is their Falcon030 Photo Show 1993
Christmas Demo (the upload says 1994, and while I know that IAR is
ahead of its time I don't think it is _that_ far ahead <grin>). Run
this program on your Falcon and you will see beautiful Holiday
graphics displayed as digitized holiday music plays in the background.
It will run on any 80 column color mode on your Falcon. Docs are
included within the player. 1.47 Meg uncompressed!
XMASTIME is a set of two MIDI files entitled "Christmas Time" (dated
Dec 17, 1993). Arranged by Ed Olmos, these files are based on the
incidental music created by Vince Gauraldi for the animated cartoon "A
Charlie Brown Christmas". For Roland MT-32 and compatibles or General
Specification sound sources. Found on the CodeHead BBS.
XXXDEMO is the first ST/E demo from XXX International by AXEL and
PIX. This is an older demo (dated July 15, 1988!) but it is one of my
favorites (other than to catch your eye the name of the demo reflects
nothing of the standard connotations of three "X"s). Excellent
graphics and digitized sound are shown in this demo's six different
screens. One part of the demo I especially like allows you to control
the movement of a rotating "necklace" of spheres using the keyboard.
You can get them spinning every-which-way and then see how fast you
can bring them back under control. Color only. Another demo I
downloaded long ago, but I figured that this article wasn't long
enough so I'm telling you about it now!
Whew! Now was that enough files or what! Unfortunately it's only about
1/2 the files I still have to describe for you that I've downloaded in
the past three months. I keep falling further and further behind!
Remember folks: I have other things to do besides writing
descriptions! Don't write so much! Don't support the Atari Line of
Computers so much! NOT!
Take care! I wish you all the best in this New Year!
Michael
All of these files can be found on one or more of the following
on-line services: GEnie (M.BURKLEY1 or AEO.4), Delphi (MRBURKLEY), The
CodeHead BBS (213-461-2095), and at Toad Hall, now the official BBS of
the Boston Computer Society (617-567-8642) (Michael R. Burkley). 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.
--==--==--==--==--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- --
-- --
-- To enroll as a Delphi subscriber, modem call 1-800-365-4636. Press --
-- [Return] once or twice, and type IP26 [Return] at Password: --
-- --
-- Answer all of the questions, and you'll be cleared for Delphi --
-- access in a few days. If you have questions about Delphi services, --
-- give a voice call to Delphi Member Services at 1-800-544-4005. --
-- --
-- --==--==-- Delphi Sign-Up Information --==--==-- --
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--==--==--==--==--
||| Atari ST RT News
||| By: John G. Hartman
/ | \ GEnie: J.G.H.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Atari RT Weekly News 1.1
= ATARI RT LIBRARY =
= RTC TRANSCRIPTS =
------------------------------------------------------
31570 BRODIE17.ARC X ST.LOU 940109 16512 333 13
Desc: Jaguar Wins CES Awards!
31565 PRGRTC04.ARC X MIKE-ALLEN 940108 10496 37 13
Desc: Programming RTC 6Jan94
31017 BRODIE16.ARC X ST.LOU 931207 22784 484 13
Desc: Jaguars Selling Out!
30974 PRGRTC03.ARC X MIKE-ALLEN 931204 7680 55 13
Desc: Programming RTC 2Dec93
30924 INSHAPE.ARC X ST.LOU 931130 13824 84 13
Desc: InShape RTC Transcript - READ IT!
------------------------------------------------------
= LAST WEEK'S PRESS RELEASES =
------------------------------------------------------
31564 GEMINI.ZIP X GREG 940108 332160 15 14
Desc: Directory of FILES folder on Gemini
31563 CD_OFFER.ZIP X GREG 940108 3840 81 14
Desc: Gemini Atari CD Bundles from IAR
31540 TRACKCMB.TXT X NEVIN-S 940107 2560 54 14
Desc: 2-for-1 special on Tracker/ST!
31538 GLMPR344.LZH X R.FAULKNER4 940107 70528 76 14
Desc: GEnieLamp Press Release #3.44
31516 REG_DEAL.TXT X E.MONACO 940104 5120 94 14
Desc: ShareWare Registration deal!!!
31276 TOWERS.TXT X V.VALENTI 931228 2304 372 14
Desc: TOWERS is released through tryware!
------------------------------------------------------
= LAST WEEK'S DEMO RELEASES =
------------------------------------------------------
31562 RECIPE43.LZH X A.WATSON6 940108 94848 56 10
Desc: The Recipe Box (4.3)
31561 M_QWK120.LZH X A.WATSON6 940108 81408 35 10
Desc: Mountain QWK Offline Reader (1.20)
31256 FLS22D.LZH X J.TRAUTSCHOL 931226 104832 49 10
Desc: Flash II version 2.2 demo program
------------------------------------------------------
= LAST TWO WEEK'S TOP 10 DOWNLOADED PROGRAMS/FILES =
------------------------------------------------------
31557 STZP24.TOS X W.PIKE 940108 135168 310 40
Desc: version 2.4 STZIP
31278 TOWERS_2.ZIP X V.VALENTI 931229 472576 207 8
Desc: This is 2 of 2 files for Towers.
31277 TOWERS_1.ZIP X V.VALENTI 931228 372608 197 8
Desc: This is 1 of 2 files for Towers.
31314 GNVA_003.LZH X GRIBNIF 931231 222976 193 21
Desc: Patch Geneva rel 002 (1.01) -> 003
31539 S_O_L_30.ZIP X A.FASOLDT 940107 310016 172 28
Desc: Speed of Light GIF viewer, v. 3.0.
31386 QVFIX1.PRG X A.FASOLDT 940101 384 150 7
Desc: Auto folder patch for use w/Stalker.
31348 KNUTSOFT.LZH X AEO.5 931231 10240 138 2
Desc: Like Blitz copier.
31325 DF_SUITE.LZH X AEO.5 931231 16256 120 2
Desc: Floppy and hard drive utilities.
31533 MKRSC11.ZIP X R.BENNETT7 940106 40320 116 3
Desc: Make Resource Construction Prg. v1.1
31235 GRAM_130.ZIP X D.PANKE 931225 23936 110 2
Desc: Grammarian V1.30-grammar checker
------------------------------------------------------
= YEARLY TOP 100 ARCHIVES =
------------------------------------------------------
31347 TOP93ALL.ARC X DARLAH 931231 5376 46 13
Desc: Listing of the Top 100 file w/mags
31346 TOP93.ARC X DARLAH 931231 5888 124 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1993
31341 TOP92.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6272 48 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1992
31339 TOP91.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6144 27 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1991
31338 TOP90.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6016 22 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1990
31336 TOP89.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6144 19 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1989
31335 TOP88.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6016 20 13
Desc: Top 100 file listing for 1988
31333 TOP87.ARC X DARLAH 931231 6016 16 13
Desc: Top 100 files accessed for 1987
31332 TOP86.ARC X DARLAH 931231 5760 17 13
Desc: Top 100 accessed files for 1986
------------------------------------------------------
= INTERNET ARCHIVES - Library 48 =
------------------------------------------------------
31576 INET86.ARC X DARLAH 940110 129280 8 48
Desc: Internet January 10, 1994
31558 INET85.ARC X DARLAH 940108 80384 27 48
Desc: Internet Archive Jan 7th, 1994
31282 INET84.ARC X DARLAH 931229 61440 35 48
Desc: Internet December 29th update
31263 INET.83.LZH X DARLAH 931227 123008 22 48
Desc: Internet Dec 19th to Dec 27th
31255 INET82.LZH X DARLAH 931226 24448 34 48
Desc: Internet December 22
31254 INET81.LZH X DARLAH 931226 896 17 48
Desc: Internet December 22, 1993
31253 INET80.LZH X DARLAH 931226 19968 15 48
Desc: Internet December 21, 1993
31252 INET79.LZH X DARLAH 931226 34304 15 48
Desc: Internet December 20th, 1993
31251 INET78.LZH X DARLAH 931226 32896 9 48
Desc: Internet December 20, 1993
31250 INET77.LZH X DARLAH 931226 23808 9 48
Desc: Internet thread December 20th
31249 INET76.LZH X DARLAH 931226 23808 6 48
Desc: Internet thread December 16th
31248 INET75.LZH X DARLAH 931226 17408 6 48
Desc: Internet thread December 15th
31247 INET74.LZH X DARLAH 931226 33152 7 48
Desc: Internet thread December 14th
31246 INET73.LZH X DARLAH 931226 20480 8 48
Desc: Internet December 14th
31245 INET72.LZH X DARLAH 931226 10368 10 48
Desc: Internet (Dec 13th)
------------------------------------------------------
= LIBRARY LISTS =
------------------------------------------------------
31505 STLIBALL.LZH X SANDY.W 940103 584576 29 13
Desc: The ST Library as of December 31, 19
31504 _UTILITY.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 142720 15 13
Desc: ST Utility Files Lists 12/31/93
31503 _PROGRAM.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 54784 6 13
Desc: ST Programming Library list 12/31/93
31502 _HELP.TXT X SANDY.W 940103 2816 10 13
Desc: GEnie Help Files 12/31/93
31501 _PR_DEMO.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 61952 4 13
Desc: ST PR & Demo Libraries List 12/31/93
31500 _MUSIC.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 67328 15 13
Desc: ST Music & Sound Files 12/31/93
31499 _MODEM.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 33536 7 13
Desc: ST Telecommunication files 12/31/93
31498 _MISC.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 25728 3 13
Desc: Miscellaneous ST Lib. Files 12/31/93
31497 _MAGAZIN.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 40704 3 13
Desc: ST Magazine Library Files 12/31/93
31496 _GRAPHIC.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 143488 10 13
Desc: ST Graphic Lib. Files List 12/31/93
31495 _GAMES.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 64896 11 13
Desc: ST Games Library Files List 12/31/93
31494 _DTP.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 72576 16 13
Desc: ST DTP Library Files List 12/31/93
31493 _CHILDRN.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 14208 9 13
Desc: ST Educational Library files 12/31/9
31492 _BUSINES.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 20608 6 13
Desc: ST Business Files List 12/31/93
31491 _ARCHIVS.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 52096 3 13
Desc: ST Archive Files List 12/31/93
31490 _ADULT.ARC X SANDY.W 940103 12032 42 13
Desc: Adult Library Files List 12/31/93
------------------------------------------------------
--==--==--==--==--
||| Developing news!
||| Items of interest from TOS platform developers and supporters
/ | \ -------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Oregon Research announces VideoMaster
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Oregon Research is proud to announce distribution of an incredible,
low cost multimedia product for the Atari ST, and the Atari Falcon,
VideoMaster.
A revolutionary breakthrough in home computer technology. VideoMaster
combines the complexity of a video digitizer with a sound sampler in a
single easy to use, low cost unit, bringing you the ultimate home
Video/Audio editing package. This is the first ever low cost
integrated multimedia system for your computer and is absolutely
packed with unique features.
Digitize Video Clips
---------------------
VideoMaster will allow you to record Monochrome, quarter screen
pictures at speeds of up to 30 frames per second, providing ultra
smooth playback at high speeds. These pictures can be recorded from
the output of a video recorder or directly from a video camera or
camcorder and replayed on your computer screen.
Stills
--------
VideoMaster can produce great grey scale pictures from any video
source with a 'pause' or 'still frame' facility. The color filters
provided in this package will enable the users of video cameras or
camcorders to produce high quality, still pictures in glorious color.
Alternatively, use of an electronic color splitter (not provided) will
allow users of video recorders or laser disc players with a good
'still' or 'pause' facility to lift color stills directly from tape or
disc.
Add Audio
----------
VideoMaster features a sound sampler as part of the hardware. This is
supported by a full feature sound recording and editing program within
the VideoMaster software. Sound samples can also be loaded into the
program from disk. The VideoMaster software may also be used alone
with a separate external sound sampler such as Stereo Replay
(available separately).
Make your own movies
---------------------
The VideoMaster system features a video sequencer too! Video clips can
be combined with recorded or imported sounds and assigned to keys with
both Video and Sample looping. These film clips can then be sequenced
together and edited into short films with an audio soundtrack Your
films are limited only by your computer's RAM and your imagination! A
special auto-booting player is also provided which will allow you to
distribute your movies among your friends and P.D. libraries on floppy
disk. The player program also features a variety of playback modes
which allow you to super-impose your movies onto a still background
(ST only), or even onto a moving background with its fantastic
Picture-in-Picture Mode.
What you Get
---------------
The package contains the VideoMaster Video Digitizing and Sound
Sampling hardware unit, Tri-color filters for color camera use,
comprehensive user guide, and full system software.
Requirements
--------------
VideoMaster will work on any Atari ST or Atari Falcon. (Separate
versions Available for each computer)
Specifications
---------------
ST version gives you Stills at 320x200 with up to 1112 colors using an
enhanced Spectrum mode. Video clips are digitized at 160x100 in 16
grey scale.
Falcon version gives Stills at up to 640x480x 256 colors on a VGA
monitor, and 640x400x True Color on an ST style monitor or television.
Video clips are 160x100 in 64 grey scale. Audio is 16 bit stereo
using the Falcon's internal audio hardware.
ColourMaster
--------------
Available separately as an accessory to VideoMaster, this is an
automatic, electronic RGB color filter. This device plugs into the
printer port on your computer. You then run your video lead through
ColourMaster before plugging it into VideoMaster. This enables you to
take full color stills from any good video source, automatically,
without any hassle. Simply click on the 'Auto' button on the full
screen portion of the software, and VideoMaster and ColourMaster
together sample the three filtered portions of the image, and then
merge them together.
Suggested Retail for ST VideoMaster is $139.95
Suggested Retail for Falcon VideoMaster is $189.95
Contact Oregon Research for more information or ordering information.
Oregon Research
16200 SW Pacific Hwy
Suite 162
Tigard, OR 97224
Ph. (503) 620-4919
Fax (503) 624-2940
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// SST Morphs into STAR
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sacramento's Total Atari Resource (STAR) User Group announces it has
officially adopted a new name. The new name, STAR, reflects the entire
Atari community instead of just the ST computers. STAR ratified its
new name at its June 1993 meeting. This User Group was previously
known as "SST".
STAR User Group proudly announces SAC Expo '94. The second annual
Sacramento Atari Computer Exposition will be held Saturday and Sunday,
March 12-13 1994 at the Towe Ford Museum: 2200 Front Street,
Sacramento, California 95818. The Towe Ford Museum was so excited
about the 1993 show that they allocated nearly double the space in the
museum for SAC Expo '94. STAR mailed vendor packets in September 1993,
if you are a vendor and did not receive a packet, please contact us so
you will not be missed this year.
The Atari Jaguar is expected to bolster attendance at the upcoming
Expo, and we're planning a large 'Game Arena' in classic Roman style
to throw unsuspecting patrons to the animals: Jaguar, Lynx and Falcon.
The self proclaimed 'MIDI Gladiators' will be on hand for the occasion
challenging show goers to MIDI Maze tournaments, and awarding
certificates for those who succeed.
SAC Expo '94 is still a computer event, and we're looking forward to
all the great Falcon products that will be available at the show.
Look for future press releases containing more details, vendor lists,
and show information.
For more information contact:
STAR User Group
P.O. BOX 214892
Sacramento, CA 95821-0892
ST-Keep BBS at (916) 729-2968
GEnie: N.LANGDON4 or M.WARNER8
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Anodyne Software announces ExtenDOS
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Would you like to join the CD-ROM revolution but:
. couldn't get Atari's MetaDOS(tm) package to work properly
. don't want the complication and overhead of running MultiTOS(tm)
just to get CD-ROM support ?
ExtenDOS is the answer! It allows you to access any ISO9660 or High
Sierra format CD-ROM as if it were a removable hard disk. You can
switch between supported disk formats without a reboot, access files
of any size, and it even provides a builtin configurable cache
facility to speed up data accesses.
ExtenDOS CD Extensions requires a SCSI CD-ROM drive connected to a
SCSI port directly, or to an ACSI port via an ICD host adapter. It has
been validated on the ST, the MegaSTe, and the TT, with various models
of CD-ROM drives. Additional hardware support is currently under
development; please contact us at the address below if you require
support for equipment not specified above.
ExtenDOS is available immediately at only $19.95 (including shipping &
handling) from:
Anodyne Software
6 Cobbler Court
Ottawa
Ontario K1V 0B8
CANADA.
Please make your payment by cheque or money order, in US$ for
shipping to the U.S.A., in Canadian$ for shipping within Canada.
Ontario residents please add 8% sales tax.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// DataBasement's ShareWare Registration Deal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
In an effort to boost registrations on DataBasement Software's
ShareWare products, DataBasement Software is offering a limited time
"Registration Deal". From now till April 15th, you may register all of
DataBasement Software's ShareWare titles for the low price of $30.00
plus $ 5.00 for shipping and handling.
The ShareWare "Registration Deal" Package includes:
BLITZGEM.ZIP
GEM version of Die Blitzschnell Hard Drive Defragmenter/Optimizer.
Offers comprehensive visual mapping (two modes) as well as allowing
the user to manual manipulate data at the cluster level. This
Defragmenter/Optimizer surpasses even some commercial products in
speed and versatility. This program received a rating of 4 Lamps in
GEnieLamp vol. #3, Issue #64. Normal Registration fee is $23.00.
BLITZCLI.ZIP
TTP version of Die Blitzschnell Hard Drive Defragmenter/ Optimizer.
Offers the same speed performance as the GEM version but accepts
commands via the commandline. This is just perfect for those "power"
users who may desire to automate the defragmentation process- perhaps
as part of a BBS's nightly/weekly backup/cleanup process. Does not use
AES, and all output may be redirected or "squelched" entirely. Normal
Registration fee is $23.00.
KITTYLCK.ZIP
This handy desk accessory/program is designed to prevent
kids/pets/others from tampering with your system while you have
stepped away for the moment. When invoked it will display a form
requesting a password. While invoked the system is effectively locked,
preventing access to the menu bar, or keypresses from reaching say an
opened document, for instance. The latest version allows the user to
customize the password and engage The "Kitty" Lock a set number of
milliseconds after the accessory is loaded. These additions make it an
excellent security system for the average user. Normal fee $5.00.
VOL_UTIL.ZIP - This handy desk accessory/program allows you to label
disk volumes sequentially with just the click of a mouse. Ranges from
1 digit (0-9) to 6 digits (0-999999) with the number field embedded in
either the filename or file extension. Normal fee $ 5.00.
5OFAKIND.ZIP
This is a low res only Yahtzee clone for one or two players. Simple
mouse driven custom GUI affords colorful and easy game play. Written
and compiled in GFA Basic. Normal fee $15.00.
EUCHRE.ZIP
This is a low res only, single player Euchre card game. You and a
computer partner are pitted against two computer opponants in this
classic card game. Features "Intelligent" play with the occasional
risky play thrown in for realism. Features corny graphics and a simply
mouse driven GUI. Normal fee $15.00.
Each of the listed archives include all necessary files and
documentation. To register please send a check or money order for
$35.00 payable to Erin Monaco to;
Erin Monaco
35244 Chestnut
Wayne, MI 48184
Also include a return address so I know where to ship the complete
package to.
If you are a GEnie Subscriber I will also accept a Gift Of Time for
the amount of $35.00. To send a Gift Of Time type GIFTOFTIME or M80 at
the GEnie prompt. This enables you to use your credit card and speeds
up the process as I will upload the package as an attached E-mail
file.
I would like to extend a big thank you to each and every person who
has already registered any DataBasement product. Your registrations,
while not numerous, ARE encouraging. Struggling to raise a family and
complete my college education is very rough and places great
restrictions on the amount of free time I have available. In addition
to my college tuition, the high cost of living keeps me nearly broke.
So every little bit helps.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// JV Takes You to Their TOWERS
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is JV Enterprises first attempt at TRYWARE marketing for the
Atari platform. You can play several levels of the game without the
manual. In order to progress further and complete the game, you will
require the manual. The manual can be ordered through us for $15.00
U.S. funds.
As a bonus, all registered participants will be eligible to win a
Jaguar Game System, by finding and decoding an Easter Egg in the game
and sending that information to us before May 31,1994. All registered
users with the correct answer will then be thrown into a pot, and the
winner of the Jaguar Game System will be selected at random. (Full
rules and details are included with the manual.)
To register your game and obtain your manual, send a check or Money
Order for $15.00 in US funds to:
JV Enterprises
PO Box 97455
Las Vegas, NV 89193-7455
USA
-OR-
By calling us with your Master Card or VISA at: 1-800-252-0194
Persons calling from outside US or Canada can reach us at: 702-734-9689
Towers requires a minimum of 928200 bytes of FREE memory left on your
system. Towers will not run on a One Meg system with any Accessories
or Hard Drive utilities or programs running.
It can be installed on a Hard Drive (with more than one meg). And, if
you are running off of floppies, Towers can utilize a second Disk
Drive.
Towers is compatible with the ST/STE/TT/Mega/Falcon systems. The
program fits on two DS/DD disks. Please keep all files on the
respective disk. The program will not work on a floppy system if files
are mixed!
DISTRIBUTING TOWERS IS EXPRESSLY PERMITTED AND DESIRED
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Items from It's All Relative
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// View II
Are you tired of the regular desktop's "Show/Print/Cancel"? Are you
sick of looking for slideshowers, animators, sound players, or archive
shells every time you want to look at a file? Do you want to get what
ST Format called "The most useful utility ever written"?
This is, of course, View II. It will replace your desktop's show file
function with something much more versatile and powerful. View II
displays text files, pictures, and animations, it plays digitized
sounds, and it even lists archive files! And you don't get wimpy
viewers; you get some of the best ones available.
But that's not all. View II comes with its own installation program
that lets you configure it how _you_ want. It also has a "Smart
Install" that does it all for you. When installed on your hard drive,
View II takes NO MEMORY but is always ready--just double-click on a
file and View II will display it. Installed on a RAM disk (a very nice
one is included!) View II takes a mere 48K or less.
So why settle for plain-vanilla text display, when you can have View
II?
$20 from: It's All Relative W4.95 from: The ST Club
2233 Keeven Lane 2 Broadway
Florissant, MO 63031 Nottingham NG1 1PS
USA ENGLAND
For more information write:
It's All Relative
2233 Keeven Lane
Florissant MO 63031.
Voice: (314) 831-9482
GEnie / Delphi: GREG
CIS: 70357,2312
//// GEMINI CD ROM SPECIAL (for ST/STe Owners)
1. A hot off the press copy of Walnut Creek's new Gemini Atari CD.
Walnut Creek is one of the largest distibutors of PC CD roms. This is
their first Atari disc. They have an outstanding reputation in the PC
market.
The CD disc contains public domain, shareware, and commercial demos of
Atari ST applications, a large selection of electronic magazines, and
many other files that will be of interest to the general Atari public.
2. The latest version of View II by DMJ Software. With over 600 meg of
programs and data files, View II is a must have utility.
All the above for $44.95, postpaid, from It's All Relative Software.
Send a check for $44.95 to Randall Kopchak, 2233 Keeven Lane,
Florissant, MO 63031.
//// GEMINI CD ROM SPECIAL (for Falcon Owners)
1. A hot off the press copy of Walnut Creek's new Gemini Atari CD.
Walnut Creek is one of the largest distibutors of PC CD roms. This is
their first Atari disc. They have an outstanding reputation in the PC
market.
The CD disc contains public domain, shareware, and commercial demos of
Atari ST applications, a large selection of electronic magazines, and
many other files that will be of interest to the general Atari public.
2. A Photo CD desktop viewer application for the Falcon. Just click on
any Photo CD image and have it pop on the screen in Falcon true-color!
Runs from any standard Falcon resolution with anything but a
monochrome monitor.
3. A MultiTOS ready XFS driver that will read both Photo CD and
standard CD roms. Just plug your drive into the Falcon 030 and welcome
to computing in the 90's.
Drives supported include the Toshiba 3401, NEC-38, NEC-55, NEC-74 and
NEC-84.
All the above for $39.95, postpaid, from It's All Relative Software.
Send a check for $39.95 to Randall Kopchak, 2233 Keeven Lane,
Florissant, MO 63031.
//// Photo Show Pro
Photo Show Pro supports Kodak Photo CD on the Atari Falcon 030 and
allows the user to create scripted slide shows and presentations that
make maximum use of the built in hardware capabilities of the Falcon
030.
Photo Show Pro has twenty different fades and disolves when creating
scripts, allows overlay of text on graphics in your choice of system
colors, screen fades to black or white, inverse colors, and image
overlays. Photo Show scripts can be created directly from CD using the
Kodak Photo CD PCD format or created from disk using the FTC 16 bit
true color format. All effects are super smooth, even when running
under MultiTOS.
Digitized sound files in AVR format can scripted along with graphics
allowing the user to add commentary, sound effects, or background
music to their presentations.
For creating titles, Photo Show Pro displays 24-bit BMP files in the
Microsoft Windows bitmap format.
Photo Show Pro can be used with VGA, RGB (Atari monitor), and standard
broadcast televisions. Slide shows and presentations can be recorded
to VCR using either RF output or the higher quality composite output
of the Falcon 030.
Full 16 bit color with correct aspect ratios are displayed on all
monitor types except monochrome.
Photo Show Pro will auto show your Kodak Photo CD graphics using 16
different effects directly from your Photo CD discs. A special Corel
mode allows the same auto shows using the Corel series of Photo CD
images. Corel is planning to release over 100 theme discs of Kodak
Photo CD graphics with each disc containing 100 images.
Conversions can be made to 16-bit FTC, 24-bit TIF, 24-bit EPS, and
24-bit RAW formats from Kodak Photo CD's PCD format. Image conversions
can be done in pixel resolutions of 192 by 128 up to 3072 by 2048.
A special XFS CD rom driver for MultiTOS is included with Photo Show.
The driver works with the Toshiba 3401, NEC-38, NEC-55, NEC-74, and
NEC-84 cd rom drives. On the Toshiba drive, the XFS driver supports
multi-session Photo CD and 9660 standard (MS-DOS) discs. NEC drives
support single-session Photo CD and 9660 standard discs. The driver
senses the type of disc in the drive and can switch to and from Kodak
Photo CD and 9660 format on the fly with no need to reboot to switch
disc types.
Photo Show Pro retails for $59.95 and requires an Atari Falcon 030
with 4 meg or more of memory. Ask at your favorite dealer or write
Randall Kopchak, 2233 Keeven Lane, Florissant MO 63031. Registered
users of our original Photo Show program can upgrade to Photo Show Pro
for $15.00, postpaid, from the address above.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Persistence of Vision Raytracer
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The Persistence of Vision Raytracer creates three-dimensional,
photo-realistic images using a rendering technique called ray tracing.
It reads in a text file containing information describing the objects and
lighting in a scene and generates an image of that scene from the view
point of a camera also described in the text file. Ray tracing is not
a fast process by any means, but it produces very high quality images
with realistic reflections, shading, perspective, and other effects.
The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the
raytracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with
POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get
the package. These scenes can be modified by the user also so they
don't have to start from scratch.
In addition to the pre-defined scenes are a large library of
predefined shapes and materials that can be used in your own scenes by
just typing the name of the shape or material.
POV-Ray is easy to use, and also includes many advanced features
like bezier patches, blobs, height-fields, bump mapping, and material
mapping.
POV-Ray can be used on IBM-PC and compatibles, Apple Macintoshes,
Commodore Amiga's, Atari, UNIX, and other computers.
** POV-Ray is copyrighted freeware written by the POV-Team.
** It may be freely distributed subject to the restrictions
** defined in POVLEGAL.DOC found in the POVDOC archive.
** POV-Ray is NOT public domain software.
POV-Ray is based on DKBTrace 2.12 by David K. Buck and Aaron A.
Collins.
The POV-Team is a collection of volunteer programmers, designers,
animators and artists meeting via electronic mail on Compuserve's
GRAPHDEV forum, sections 8 (POV Sources), and 9 (POV Images).
(GRAPHDEV is also the home of the very popular Fractint and its
authors the Stone Soup Group.)
The POV-Team's goal is to create freely distributable, high quality
rendering and animation software written in C that can be easily
ported to many different computers.
If you have any questions about POV-Ray, please contact
Chris Young
[POV-Team Coordinator]
CIS: 76702,1655
Internet: 76702.1655@compuserve.com
Where to find the POV-Ray files
GEnie
-----
The Atari version of POV-Ray may be found in the ST Roundtable library
(M475;3)
On-line support is found in the ST Roundtable (M475;1) in Category 7,
Topic 42.
The story behind POV-Ray for Atari
The Atari version originally came about as a test of Lattice C's ANSI
compliance and I really had no intentions of distributing it. That
changed however after a couple of nasty posts were left in the
Rountable by an angry Falcon owner that wanted POV-Ray and was peeved
at the POV Team for not providing any Atari support. In an angry reply
I let slip that I already had an operating version for Atari machines
but had no intention of supporting such a rude user. Well, that post
generated about 50 E-Mails in the next 24 hours begging me to release
the program, which I did in early December 1993. Since I only
subscribe to GEnie, I've made it the official site for Atari support
for POV-Ray.
What's New in POV-Ray 2.1
-------------------------
This bug-fix release adds no new features but fixes the following bugs
from version 2.0.
- Fixed problem in OBJECTS.C that caused problem on some Unix compilers
- Fixed problem with declared material_maps or declared objects with
material_maps
- Fixed IBM.C problems for Zortech compiler
- Created temporary fix for problems with normals, smooth triangles
beziers and height fields which created unsightly black spots
- Allows scale <-1,1,1> to work with boxes
- Cleared up inconsistency with -sr, -sc, -er, -ec numbering. Upper
left pixel is 1,1. Fixed -ec bug.
- Fixed three bezier patch bugs which caused lock-ups, missing
reflection,
and triangle dropouts.
- Eliminated some restrictions on multiple clipped_by and bounded_by
- Fixed compiler problems on VMS/VAX
- Fixed scaling bug on degenerate triangles
- Fixed problem with water_level when using +MV1.0
- Fixed problem with color maped TGA height fields
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, I've fixed some small bugs that crept in during the port:
- "Pause before exit" (+p) now works as expected
- Default output type is now Targa (+ft) as opposed to Dump (+fd)
- The usage screen (what you get if you pass no parameters) now
displays as intended
If you already have the full POV-Ray package then you only need the new
executables, nothing changes in the docs or includes.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Falcon Speed 6.0 Available
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Falcon Speed 6.0 has several enhancements over version 5.1. First and
foremost is support for color VGA emulation in DOS. Specifically,
character modes of 80 columns by 25 rows and 80 columns by 50 rows are
supported, so most standard DOS applications will now run in color.
This includes the standard VGA character set and display.
Additionally, the graphic mode of 320x200 pixels in 256 colors is also
supported.
Falcon Speed 6.0 supports the Screenblaster under Windows. If you
have a Screenblaster connected, Falcon Speed will detect and use its
clock, providing higher refresh rates in modes of 640x480, 800x600,
and 1024x768 pixels. The actual refresh rate is dependent upon your
monitor and Screenblaster installation.
Other changes include a true DOS keyboard mapping, simplified
installation program, and automatic detection and emulation of video
modes. VIDMOD has been updated to allow forced display changes under
DOS.
Falcon Speed 6.0 is available to registered Falcon Speed owners for
$10.00, and may be ordered directly from COMPO Software.
COMPO Software Corp.
104 Esplanade Avenue Suite 121
Pacifica, California 94044
Tel: 415-355-0862
Fax: 415-355-0869
GEnie: COMPO
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
//// Step Ahead Bundles Windows Version of Tracker/ST
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Step Ahead Software, Inc. is pleased to announce that for the next 3
months we will be including a free copy of the Windows version of
Tracker/ST with every copy of Tracker/ST for the Atari. With the Atari
version retailing for $99.95, and the Windows version retailing for
$119.95, this is an incredible "greater than 2-for-1" savings!
Tracker/ST has long been regarded as the leading mailing list program
for the Atari ST. The latest version (v3.04) is fully compatible with
all Atari computers, from the original 1040ST right through the
Falcon. For those of you who want even more compatibility, we offer
Tracker/ST for Windows, which runs on any IBM or compatible using
Microsoft Windows. And for the next 3 months (through March 31, 1994)
we'll be including this Windows version FOR FREE along with every copy
of Tracker/ST for the Atari.
Now you can run the same program on an IBM that you have at work, or
on a second computer at home. It's also easy to transfer names
between the Atari and Windows versions of Tracker/ST; there's no need
to re-type your names and addresses. If you don't have any need for
the Windows version, give it to a friend as a gift!
Tracker/ST is very easy to use, and its features include up to
9-across mailing labels, full support for all laser printers, the
DeskJet and the BubbleJet, the ability to store an unlimited number of
names, the world's easiest mail merge system, unlimited notes for
every entry in your files, and much, much more. So purchase Tracker/ST
today, and get two great mailing list programs for the price of one!
Minimum requirements for Tracker/ST on the Atari are one megabyte of
RAM, one double sided drive (for installation only), and a hard drive
with at least 1.5 megabytes of storage available. Minimum requirements
for the Windows version of Tracker/ST are Windows 3.1, 2 megabytes of
RAM, a 3.5 inch high density drive (for installation only), and a hard
drive with at least 3 megabytes of storage available.
Tracker/ST is available at Atari dealers everywhere, or you may order
directly from Step Ahead Software at 718-858-4164. Dealers interested
in purchasing the new bundle package should contact their usual Atari
software distributor.
--==--==--==--==--
|||
||| Shutdown ............................ Power off, EXIT, BYE, Logoff
/ | \ ------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm pleased to be able to offer the many readers of AEO who can only
access us via the Internet a chance to obtain AEO through a
subscription service. If you have an Internet connection, drop Greg
Lindahl a request at <stzmagazine-request@virginia.edu>.
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
--==--==--==--==--
#1
Wide_left > 2*(Wide_right)
--==--==--==--==--
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>.
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 = 1993-1994, Subspace Publishers
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
* * *
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A E O :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: Volume 3 - Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 22 January 1994 ::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-----------------------------------------
Return to message index
