Re: WOLF3D fot A2 GS

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) writes...

>spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector) wrote:
>
>>In article gavp@gis.net writes...
>>
>>>Where can I get WOLFSTEIN 3D for APPLE2 GS ?????
>>
>>    Download it from http://www.sheppyware.ml.org/software/wolf3d_gs
>>One note though: while it can be made to run on a stock Apple IIgs
>>running off floppy disks (minus all sound, one scenario only and
>>unbearably slow) it really *requires* 4 MB, a hardrive and a fast
>>accelerator card to be anywhere near playable.
>
>Agree on everything accept the need for an accelerator.

    Um, actually I would strongly say the accelerator is the *MOST*
required bit to run the game out of all things.

>The accelerator makes play nice, but it is still an interesting game
>without the accelerator.

    Have you actually disabled your accelerator and tried a serious
play session at 2.6 MHz? I have, and the only passable way to do it
is by reducing the display to the smallest window size (just a bit
larger than, oh, a postage stamp). I would hardly call this window
size playable as you cannot make out objects AND the static image
of your gun is not reduced, obstructing about 70% of the window.

    If you increase the window size to the point you can make out
objects, it is no longer playable. We're no longer talking about
smoothness, frame rates or even choppiness issues, it just moves
at a snails pace. Every move or turn you make, it stops and pauses
for a brief moment. It is *extremely* interesting to look at just
to see such a thing on the IIgs, but playability on a stock IIgs
is a different issue. Perhaps you thought I was saying it is not
worth downloading unless you have an accelerator? If so, then you
misunderstood me.

>Mitchell, you are spoiled....first by your IIGS accelerator, then by
>your Wintel.  ;-)  (Not a flame, see the smiley)

    Spoiled by my IIgs accelerator? No. Spoiled by my Pentium, well
yes, probably. :)

>The real enjoyment from Wolf GS is looking at it and shaking
>ones head in amazement that they actually WROTE it for the
>IIGS.  How it plays on accelerators and comparisons to Wintels
>are secondary (and irrelevant)....

    Your right actually. With my 15 MHz accelerator, the game was
quite playable from my perspective. So much so I played all 30
levels of in mission Zero and the first 3 or so for mission 1.
Regardless of the fact that the frame rate is much smoother on
the PC, and regardless of the fact it lacks 256 colors and music
in the background, I *did* get enjoyment from the game. That is
what counts afterall (and something the gaming industry has
forgotten, putting more importance on the look of games rather
than fun factor--that is one of the reasons you'll find me
emulating old arcade games from the 80's rather than playing
the latest 3Dfx version of QUAKE or Unreal usually). :)

>Like I was discussing with another user in email, if you constantly
>pepper your thoughts with little comments like "but it is much
>faster on a Wintel" or "but the resolution is much better on a
>Wintel" you begin missing the point....the game was actually
>successfully WRITTEN for the IIGS.  If you start making
>comparisons, you diminish the scale of that accomplishment
>(look at it another way, if they can write the Wintel version to
>be as OPTIMIZED as the IIGS version, it would run a hundred
>times faster).

    I'll agree with you there. If you were that picky about
comparing games side by side with current day PC's, then it
would be absolutely pointless writing any games for the IIgs
as it wouldn't compare. People are still writing games for
the GS though (even if ever so few :/) because it is cool
to see the machine pushed to do them.

    The thing though is there is acceptable speed for a game,
and unacceptable speed for a game. When you have trouble
playing a game or can't get enjoyment out of it due to a
speed problem, that is when it becomes unacceptable. In the
real world, Wolf 3D has a poor frame rate on my 15 MHz IIgs
(lower than even a 25 MHz 386) BUT the game is still playable
and fun. You don't even need to compare other versions for 
examples of games which were unenjoyable because of speed. 
Do you remember Skate or Die, "AAARGH!", or Rocket Ranger?
Way back in 1988 when I purchased these, I was disappointed
because they were too slow to enjoy (and I hadn't even seen
the ports for other computers yet).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca