The News section is maintained by Jonathan Dreyer. Please send any comments or submissions to him.
Check our Archives for an older news item

Sorry for missing most of the last 2 weeks, first I had personal matters to attend to, and then my internet connection went a little fuzzy. Thanks for all the e-mails about in concern about me!

MacSoft Announces Rocky Mountain Hunter
MINNEAPOLIS - September 17, 1998 - On the heels of its Macintosh release of the best-selling PC game, Deer Hunter, MacSoft continues to expand its outdoor sporting line with the release of WizardWorks' top-selling PC game Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter for the Mac. Rocky Mountain gives gamers the thrill of the hunt from the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains while trying to track down such big-game animals as elk, bear, moose and big horn sheep.

"The PC version of Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter has been one of the top-ten selling PC games since its release last spring and we feel this genre will continue to appeal to Mac gamers," said Cindy Swanson, marketing manager for MacSoft. "Rocky Mountain brings more features to the game that make the hunting experience even more realistic. This game is the closest thing you'll get to an actual real-life big-game hunt in the Rockies."

In a realistic recreation, while trudging through the Rockies in search of big game animals, gamers will encounter unexpected climate changes and the extreme weather conditions of snow, rain, thunder and lighting.

Other features of the game include:

• Ultra-realistic wounded animal tracking;
• Life-like animal movements and behavior;
• Four big-game animals to hunt: big horn sheep, bear, elk and moose;
• Five weapons: shotgun, rifle, compound bow, muzzle loader, six-shot revolver;
• Tracking methods: aerial maps with hot spot markers; compass and wind indicator; paths and bedding areas; tracks, rubbings and droppings; and blood trails;
• Tools of the trade: tree stand, animal calls, bear bait, cover and attractant scents, spotting scope and binoculars.

Attractively priced at $19.99, Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter for Macintosh will be available in October at retail outlets nationwide.

Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter is endorsed by Wildlife Forever, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining America's wildlife heritage. A portion of the sales from this title will be donated to Wildlife Forever.

Clan Lord v.42 released
The latest update in DeltaTao's in development online RPG was released last night. The biggest change is the addition of the new town center. You can download just an update or a full version of the game from DT's Clan Lord's webpage.

If you're even semi interested in RPGs, I suggest you check out Clan Lord while it's free to test.

* * *

Sorry for missing most of this week, I had personal business to attend to.

WWB GameWeek Ends Tonight
Chats take place in the in the WWB GameZone

Thursday
WWB GameZone Meets...John Osborn, RedJack: Revenge of The Brethern, Producer. 6:00 pm Pacific
WWB GameZone Meets...Cajun Games. 7:00 pm Pacific

New Version of the Mac Splat Pack Installer
A new version of the Splat Pack Installer for Macintosh has been released! What's new in Version 2.0:

- 200% faster than the previous version of the installer!
- Interface uses simple drag and drop...now even easier to use!
- Disk swapping now eliminated! Installer deals with just Splat Pack!

Aside from the new installer, the installer now has it's own fully updated support page.

WWB GameWEEK time again
It looks like it's time for another World Without Borders game week again, remember, all chats take place in the in the WWB GameZone.

Monday
WWB GameZone Meets...Bob Archer, Marketing and Sales Manager of Micro Conversions, Inc. 7:00 pm Pacific.

Tuesday
WWB GameZone Meets... Nate Birkholtz, MacSoft. 6:00 pm Pacific
WWB GameZone Meets...Quarter Note Software. 7:00 pm Pacific

Wednesday
WWB GameZone Meets...Lori Cole, Game Designer, Jay Usher Project Manager Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire. 7:00 pm Pacific

Thursday
WWB GameZone Meets...John Osborn, RedJack: Revenge of The Brethern, Producer. 6:00 pm Pacific
WWB GameZone Meets...Cajun Games. 7:00 pm Pacific

MacSoft ships Unreal
MACSOFT, EPIC MEGAGAMES AND WESTLAKE INTERACTIVE SHIP BEST-SELLING 'UNREAL' GAME FOR THE MAC
MINNEAPOLIS, September 1, 1998 - MacSoft is setting new standards in the 3D action game genre as it ships Unreal for the Macintosh. The year's most eagerly anticipated 3D action video game for Mac will feature a powerful Mac-specific interface and several new, unique features. "The PC version of Unreal has been one of the top-selling games since its release in late May so we're extremely excited to be releasing the title in the same season on the Mac," said Cindy Swanson, marketing manager for MacSoft.

Heralded by Next Generation magazine as "the best looking game of all time" (PC) and Macintosh Gamer's Ledge Web site as "yet another mega-hit for Mac gamers," Unreal offers heart-pounding single-player action and intense multi-play for up to 16 gamers.

Unreal transports one or more players into the "Bermuda Triangle" of space, entwining alien races from across the galaxy in a battle for survival. Unreal's visuals set a new standard for realism - water is transparent, flames randomly flicker, moving clouds cast shadows, while dynamic lighting and changing music compliment the on-screen action.

Special Macintosh features of Unreal include:

• Customization of advanced user options easily through familiar Mac dialog boxes;
• More screen sizes, and more video options for larger screens;
• Easy local-area-network game setup through familiar Mac dialog boxes;
• Built-in speech support reads game and chat messages to you audibly;
• Options to play against PC's or Mac's over a network.
• Spectacular dynamic lighting -- enhancing Unreal's immersive 3-D environments;
• Portal technology - literally brings a new dimension to game play by allowing levels to defy 3D Euclidean space;
• Many highly-detailed polygonal enemies -- each with more than 300 frames of animation;
• Enemy artificial intelligence created by Steven Polge, designer of the famous Quake Reaper Bots - resulting in intelligent, cunning and deadly life forms;
• Internet play with true client server environments -- offering multi-player matches on the Internet that are easy to set up and play. Ability to host own Unreal multi-play tournament and "hotlink" between user-created levels;
• Bilinear texture smoothing -- making environments appear more realistic, resulting in a far more intense game play experience;
• Vast true 3-D environments -- including spacecrafts, ancient ruins, mines and castles, each with their own unique challenges and secrets;
• Deadly arsenal of high-power weapons to choose from;
• Multiple intriguing puzzles to solve;
• Optimized for 3D graphics cards - resulting in unbelievably fast game play with high-resolution graphics;
• Dynamic cinematic quality soundtrack and special audio affects, adding to Unreal's eerie atmosphere and realism.

Unreal is currently available at retail outlets nationwide at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

vOrb Released
VOrb is an InputSprocket driver for the SpaceTec IMC SpaceOrb. The SpaceOrb is a rubberized ball on a stick that senses how pressure is applied to it. Pressure is simultaneously measured with 10 bit precision on 3 translational axes and 3 rotational axes. The SpaceOrb also has 6 push buttons. In short, the SpaceOrb makes a fantastic input device for 3d games, 3d design programs, and 2d games.

See http://www.vivistar.com/vorb for details.

Unreal!
From the Westlake website:
Unreal Macintosh should be showing up in stores later this week. Our last check in with MacSoft indicated that duplication has been going well and it should begin shipping out to pre-orders and stores today or tomorrow

* * *

Tomb Raider 2 Status Update Also from the Westalke website: Tomb Raider II entered beta test today, so we're actually a bit ahead of schedule. The game will definitely be out in October, the beta is extremely solid. We've been testing on machines from G3's to an 8100/80 (80 mhz 601!) and its running very nice. Frame rate on medium to fast machines is great in software, and with any hardware 3D (3Dfx or ATI Rage Pro) its phenomenal! We've got the cut-scene movies playing in QuickTime 3.0, and they look fantastic. Much cleaner and smoother than the PC. The current minimum requirements for Tomb Raider II are: PowerMac 80mhz or faster, 16MB of RAM, System 7.5.3, 4X CD-ROM

* * *

QuakeWorld Status
Yet again from the Westlake site:
QuakeWorld 2.3 has been released on the PC, and we are working to get the code update from id so that we can do a Mac patch. We have been receiving lots of mail about QW over the last two months and we want to state publicly the project is still active. We haven't forgotten it, and it hasn't been delayed because of time, money, resources, or any other factors under Westlake's control. We are not allowed to talk specifically about the reason behind the delay, but just let me say if it was up to us we would have finished QW Mac long ago.

Splat for Mac Web Page
Many people don't know this, but you can use the Carmageddon add-on, Splat Pack! with Mac Carmageddon. The Splat for Mac! installer was previously hosted at the Mac Carmageddon page MacinKill, which no longer exists. You can now find the Splat for Mac installer at the Splat for Mac! web page

Also, the MGA has reviews of both Mac Carmageddon and the Splat Packm you can find them on our reviews page