home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
-
-
- ##### ###### #####
- ## ## ## ## ## AEO News Bulletin #4
- ####### #### ## ## Saturday June 18, 1994
- ## ## ## ## ## """"""""""""""""""""""
- ## ## ###### #####
-
- ## ## ###### ## ## ##### ##
- ### ## ## ## ## ## ##
- ###### #### ## # ## #### ##
- ## ### ## ## # ## ##
- ## ## ###### ##### ##### ##
-
- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-
- Atari Reveals Jaguar Plans at Shareholders' Meeting
- """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
-
- [] Wolfenstein 3D to begin shipping soon []
- [] Jaguar Doom via Voice Modems []
- [] Tempest 2000 audio CD master arrives []
- [] Third party projects []
-
-
- Editor: Travis Guy
- aeo.mag@genie.geis.com
- aeo_mag@delphi.com
-
- The annual Atari shareholders' meeting took place on Friday, June 17th
- at Atari Corporation headquarters in Sunnyvale, California. AEO's Tal
- Funke-Bilu was present, and turned in this report. There is some
- pretty hot stuff being lined up for Atari's near future!...
-
- Before I turn this over to Tal, let me add a note. Traditionally in
- many companies' shareholders' meetings, best case scenarios and target
- dates are used. Understanding that sych things can change, here is
- Tal's report:
-
-
- --==--==--==--==--
-
- Assistant Editor: Tal Funke-Bilu
- aexplorer@delphi.com
- explorer.5@genie.geis.com
-
- Well, as Travis has just told you, I am back from attending the Atari
- shareholders' meeting. And while I know that many of you have been
- waiting anxiously to find out what Atari has up their sleeves, I can
- honestly tell you that this AEO update contains what I believe to be
- the most exciting Jaguar news since Atari announced production of the
- Beast itself.
-
- I was going to sit back and tell you how cool and collective the
- Tramiels looked, ready to take the video gaming world by storm (as if
- they have not done so already <g>). I was going to say how Jeff Minter
- turned a light shade of red when everyone applauded in response to his
- Virtual Light Machine. I was going to tell you a lot of things to set
- the mood, and draw this update out as long as possible, but then I
- realized that I could not hold back this info any longer. Are you
- seated? You better be, because this is going to knock your socks off!
-
- You want Jaguar games? They are coming. If everything goes as planned,
- Wolf 3D should start showing up at Blockbuster and other stores in the
- next couple of weeks. These will be the product of a "pre-release" of
- Wolf 3D, where an unspecified amount of carts have been "rushed"
- through production. Keep in mind, the "official" batch of Wolf 3D
- carts will hit the shelves later. So call your local store and see if
- you can reserve it, because it puts the PC version to shame! The
- flamethrower is great!
-
- That is almost good enough news to justify an update right there, but
- I will not stop there. Before I go on, I would like to congratulate
- the Tramiels on their 10th anniversary with Atari! They have handled
- the good and the bad, and are pulling through to bring video gaming to
- new heights! Great job guys!
-
- OK, here is some news I thought you people all over net-land would
- enjoy. Everyone is wondering whether DOOM will be ComLynxable. Well,
- just stop using the term "ComLynx". (For a reason you will read about
- later.) With DOOM you will be able to connect a minimum of 2 players
- and possibly 4. But here is the catch - DOOM will be compatible with
- the yet to be released VOICE MODEM to be shown by Atari at the SCES.
- That is right! For two player games, you will be able to call up your
- friend over the phone and engage in total carnage right in the safety
- of your own home! As if that was not enough, the VOICE MODEM will
- allow you to talk to your friend VIA THE HEADSET packed in w/ the
- voice modem, at the same time, using the SAME PHONE LINE.
-
- Let me say that again. Using one phone line, you will be able to talk
- to your friend (using the VOICE MODEM HEADSET) and carry on a game of
- DOOM at the same time. Unreal! In order for DOOM to be able to support
- 4 player gameplay, it will have to be connected over the Jag network
- (what has been referred until now as the ComLynx) using special cables
- to route them through your entire house. You will not have to keep
- your Jags right next to each other in order to enjoy multi-player
- games.
-
- What? You want even more great news? There is this....
-
- [] Mr. Tramiel emphasized the fact that Atari is focused more on
- quality, than on rushing out sub-par games: "If we have to delay a
- game for a month to make it better, that's what we're going to do." He
- also stated that the Cinepac compression kit (developed by SuperMac)
- in the CD-ROM drive is the best version of Cinepac ever done by
- SuperMac, and even far superior to the PC version. A tentative release
- time set for the CD was "by the end of October." In keeping with
- Atari's original estimate, the MSRP is still at $199.99.
-
- [] While we are on the subject of the CD-ROM, Mr. Tramiel stated that
- the MPEG cart should be available around the same time as the CD-ROM
- for a price under $150.
-
- [] Also mentioned was the fact that there are now a minimum of 150
- signed Jaguar developers.
-
- [] In an effort to continue to stay ahead of the competition, Sam
- Tramiel quickly touched on the fact that Atari has plans for Jaguar II
- already in development. It is expected to maintain 100% downward
- compatibility with the Jaguar, so as not to eliminate the current
- software library. This announcement was geared more towards long-term
- investors than current game players, so do not worry, Jaguar owners -
- Jag II is not going to turn up next year!
-
- [] Kasumi Ninja was shown briefly. From the quick 30 seconds shown I
- can easily say that this is going to be the best fighting game to come
- to any home system yet. I feel this could easily rival MKII in the
- arcade. 24-bit true color animated backgrounds. Over 100 frames of
- animation per character. BLOOD, BRUTAL FATALITIES, and MUCH MORE.
- Already I can guarantee that it puts MK to shame, if not both MK and
- MKII.
-
- [] Brett Hull Hockey will be on CD-ROM and have full NHL/NHLPA
- endorsement. They said it would very easily be POSSIBLE to include
- digitized faces from every NHL player in the game.
-
- [] The T2K master audio CD arrived in Atari this past week, and they
- are currently deciding how to market it.
-
- [] One company has approached Atari in an effort to incorporate the
- Jag in exercise machines. This, combined with the "ANL" project (stay
- in touch with AEO, and you will find out more about -that- after
- SCES), represents Atari's outreach to non-game projects. The Jaguar is
- definitely a "multimedia machine".
-
- [] Atari also mentioned that they are also trying to license CD-I
- technology, thus allowing future use of CD-I discs on Jaguar.
-
- [] At SCES, Thrustmaster will display a steering wheel with pedals,
- and possibly a flight yoke. The MSRP of the steering wheel/pedals
- combo is $129.99.
-
- [] Special Alien vs. Predator and Kasumi Ninja advertisements are in
- the works.
-
- [] There are a pool of games (numbering around 25) that Atari expects
- to have out by Christmas.
-
- I am sorry to rush out on you rather quickly, but I need to pack my
- bags... now where is it I am going? As a last minute plug for our
- SCES video, I thought I would mention the name of a certain individual
- who I am sure you will all enjoy seeing... Jeff Minter.
-
-
- --==--==--==--==--
-
- AEO News! is a service of Atari Explorer Online Magazine, a bi-weekly
- publication covering the entire Atari community. All material herein
- is believed accurate at the time of publishing. Material published in
- this issue may be reprinted (unless specified in the article) by
- registered Atari user groups and non-profit publications, citing Atari
- Explorer Online as the originator. Other reprints granted upon
- approval of request. Send requests to <aeo.mag@genie.geis.com>.
-
- --==--==--==--==--
-
- 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 mentioned in
- this edition of AEO News! belong to their respective holders.
-
- --==--==--==--==--
-
- AEO News! and
- Atari Explorer Online Magazine
- "Your Source for Atari News"
- Copyright (c) 1994, Subspace Publishers
- All Rights Reserved
-
- * * *
- * * *
- * * *
- * * *
- * * *
- :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A E O :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
- :: AEO News! #4 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE June 18, 1994 ::
- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-
-
-