Re: ?'s about upcoming software

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

In article colol@ionet.net writes...

>Hi everybody.. I'm still pretty excited about the prospect of new
>software for my GS... but the questions still remain, and I have a few
>statements myself.
>
>I know Wolf3D-GS will be Freeware (it's in their license), but does
>anyone know of a set release date or anything?

    Originally it was set to be released by Christmas or shortly
afterwards, but as you can see, that obviously didn't happen. Last
I heard, the project might not be completed until KFest 1997 (mid-
summer). The new graphic-art is complete (and quite stunning I might 
add!) as is most of the game, but the programmer(s) at Logicware 
have most of their time occuppied by Mac software projects.

    Definitately no set date, so the usual saying, "It'll-be-done-
when-it's-done" would apply here. There's a 3-level demo/beta version
available, but it has no sound and terrible graphics. It's enough to
give you an idea of the game-engine though.

>Also, I've heard that Genie will be going offline... permanently.  It
>was in their Jasmine .SHK file, unless someone just happened to word
>things really badly.  Anyone else heard anything about this?

    That is a very distinct possibility, however in the meantime,
Genie is still running as are the Apple II areas (GenieLamp A2
is still being put out monthly too, and I assume will be so long
as Genie is around). Should Genie fold, many are looking at Delphi
as an alternative. In fact, many have already moved there because
of the price increases on Genie and fact that it may very well 
soon disappear.

>And last, but not least, what other software's coming out for the GS?

    As in new, fresh software? Well there's Ninjaforce's "Kaboom!" 
(I didn't mispell it this time ;) which is a GS version of the popular
game Bomberman. This one will be interesting as it's a multi-player
4 person game, and has three different people working on it (one
graphic-artist, one musician and one programmer, and each _highly_
talented, based on previously released work). Should be available
soon, probably as shareware what with SoftDisk G-S no more.

    Then there's "GS/TCP", which will work in conjunction with a 
new version of GNO (the Unix-like enviroment for the GS). It'll 
allow Apple IIgs's to "talk" SLIP/PPP, thus allowing them direct 
connections to the Internet. Derek Taubert (the person writing it) 
even has a few standard applications for it, like a newsreader and 
even a web browser! It's been in beta testing a fairly long time
and I've no idea when it will be ready (I would assume sometime
this year).

    Unfortunately, that is the only new GS software coming out
aside from Wolfenstein 3-D (at least what I know of, I may have
missed a title). A handful of updates to existing software is
on the way though, for titles such as SuperConvert, Spectrum(?),
GraphicWriter III and Convert 3200. Prism 2.0 is a possibility,
Ronald Mercer said he was interested when I spoke to him not
too long ago (he had something near beta several months ago).

>I know LemminGS is coming, 

    LemminGS has already arrived (been out since January). You can 
order a copy right now from Shareware Solutions II. There's a demo
version on the Ground FTP site should you want to have a sneak-peak.

>and that Softdisk GS and II Alive have both said goodbye to this 
>world.  Those two publications were my best link to the Apple II 
>world, and now both have been severed. :^(
>
>May SDGS and II Alive Rest In Peace.

    Personally I thought both publications were in a near-death
state for the past few years. II-Alive was downgraded to a B&W
newsletter (from a full color glossy magazine) and overall it
had a rushed and unprofessional feeling. It's last year or so
it solely existed to fulfill subscriptions that had not yet run 
out. I've not seen SoftDisk G-S in several years, but from what 
I've been told it was mostly filled with excessive amounts of 
clip-art and AWGS templates (amoung other dull fillers).

    I just felt they died long ago really. Still, they will 
be missed and leave a void behind (just like GS+). I'd highly 
recommend that you give either (or both) Shareware Solutions II 
and Juiced.GS a try. There's also The Apple Blossom as well. 
All three newsletters should be around for a long time to come, 
and best of all, the quality should remain a constant (Joe, Max 
and Steve take their publications very seriously from what I know 
of them). There's even a few freeware publications you can read 
from your computer screen and keep up to date, GenieLamp A2 is one 
such example.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca