Comdex First two days
Jwahar R. Bammi
Permission to reprint or
excerpt is granted only if the
following line appears at the
top of the article:
ANTIC PUBLISHING INC.,
COPYRIGHT 1986. REPRINTED BY
PERMISSION.
January 9, 1986
CES - THE FIRST DAY
By Jack Powell
Las Vegas, NV - The Consumer Electronics Show! Only six weeks have
passed since ANTIC attended the massive COMDEX in Las Vegas (just enough time
for three holidays, two turkeys and an armload of gifts). And now,
here we are - back in "Sin City" for anequally massive CES.
FAMILY OF ATARI PRODUCTS
Atari Corp. displayed their "family of Atari products" in a
huge booth with over 81 monitors featuring videotapes of everything
from Dig Dug on the 2600 video machine to Star Raiders on the 520 ST.
Whereas Atari had displayed primarily ST software support at COMDEX -
a show primarily for the high end of the computer industry - their
exhibit here at CES is focused on the mass-market; the K-Marts and the
Toys-R-Us outlets.
The Atari exhibit is three huge walls of monitors. Looking
from left to right, while standing in the middle of the purple corral,
one first sees 12 monitors displaying 2600 games, including Pole
Position, Stargate, Moon Patrol, and Joust. The 2600 has been
redesigned as a smaller unit and will sell for $39.95. Release date is
expected to be February 1st.
To the right of the 2600 screens are twelve 7800 screens.
The 7800 video game machine was developed by the previous Atari
company and exhibited at the June 1984 CES just weeks before Jack
Tramiel bought Atari and temporarily squelched the project. The
machine features excellent color graphics (due to the "Maria" graphics
coprocessor) that appear tobe slightly better than the 8- bit
computer line, but not quite up to coin-op (or ST standards. Maria
has exceptional bit-block transfer capabilities.
At CES, the 7800 was displaying crisper and faster versions of
the same games as the 2600, plus Pacman, Xevious, Asteroids, Food
Fight, Robotron, Galaga, Centipede, and the first two Lucasfilm games:
Rescue at Fractalus and Ball Blazer. Although Atari told us the e
achine was ready to market immediately, they have not yet settled upon
a price. The unit should sell for between $69.95 and $79.95.
There were an additional 48 monitors showing videotapes of mostly ST
software coming from third party developers. Unlike the COMDEX
exhibit, where Atari was surrounded by third party ST developers
(using Atari's equipment), at CES, the third party support was
represented on cycling video displays with company title credits.
Atari was also displaying the "Boink" comparison of bouncing
balls on the three 68000 machines -the Macintosh, Amiga and 520ST.
Over in the 8-bit area, however, Atari was delighted to have just
received a newBoink demo for the 130XE from XEVIOUS - a software store
andST development company fromSeattle, which had beenresponsible for
the previous 8 -bit Boink.
The latest Boink features a spectacular, spinning 3-D fuji in
place of the familiar ball. Additionally, one side of the fuji
displays the well-known scrolling rainbow. Very impressive. You can
find it in DL4 of the 8-bit SIG*Atari by or before January 14th.
STAR RAIDERS
Star Raiders, the classic 8-bit arcade game, is
being adapted by Atari for the ST by programmer Rob Zdybel. A
demonstration of the ST version was lighting up a monitor in the Atari
area. The game is about one-third complete, and there's no warp drive
yet, so we can't report on that particular effect - sorry. But the
ships are displayed with solid modeling rather than wire-frame. And,
currently, the most impressive part of the demo is the control panel
on the lower half of the screen. It's a very detailed graphics
display reminiscent of the control panel in Koronos Rift. Atari has
no price yet on this software, which it hopes to get to market by
early March.
Meanwhile, on the 130XE, Atari was showing the eong-awaited
Star Raiders II. The game looks remarkably similar to a previously
un- released arcader called "TheLast Starfighter", which some insiders
may have seen about a year ago in a beta version.
But Atari has done a lot of work on the game to improve its
playability and it look more like a sequel to Star Raiders. The star
field now moves inresponse to your joystick giving the illusion of
spacial dogfighting. It's moredifficult to lock in on your
destination planet and the orbiting algorithm has been fixed so you
can slow yourself down by pulling on the joystick - but you can
nolonger go backwards. This makes bombing runs a lot more of a
challenge. Other added goodies include shields, space stations and a
tactical display. Star Raiders II should be in the stores very soon
at a price of $39.95.
Atari displayed no new hardware at this CES. The 1040 ST is
not on display, and the rumored 80-column card and 3 1/2-inch drives
for the 8- bit machines were also absent. According to Atari
spokesmen, both the 80-column interface and the smaller drives will be
announced at the Hanover Fair in Germany.
When the drives are shown, they are expected to be
single-sided, holding 325K - formatted. The access time on the 3
1/2-inchers will beabout twice as fast and DOS 2.0S and 2.5 files may
be "upwardly" ported to the new drives but you won't be able to port
files in the other direction.
Atari will be marketing a packaged 130XEwhich includes 1050
disk drive, 1027 printer, and bundled software. The "starter package"
will sell for $399, and the software be Silent Butler, Star Raiders,
Music Painter, Paint,and AtariWriter. The package will become
available February 1st.
THE 1040 ST
Although Atari was not displaying the 1040, they did officially
announce its existence. Photos reveal a machine identical to the
520ST, with the exceptions -as previously reported by ANTIC - that the
disk drive slot is where the mouse and joystick ports once were, and
the ports have been moved to the right-front under the keyboard. The
depth of the back section is about 1 1/2-inches deeper than the width
of the current drive slots. Also, it appears as if there is a
slightly different eject mechanism in the drive.
The new machine, featuring one megabyte of RAMand built-in
double sided disk drive, will sell for $999.95 (monochrome) or
$1199.95 (color).
Atari has slated the 1040ST for exclusive distribution to
"authorized" computer dealers and said the520ST will be given wider
distribution "beyond computer specialty dealers." The 520ST will be
aimed toward the consumer who wants to trade up from an 8-bit to a
16-bit.
Atari also announced the availability "next month" of a 20
megabyte, 5 1/4-inch hard disk peripheral - the SHD -204. No other
details were provided on the eagerly awaited peripheral.
Once again, Atari is "packing them in." Every time we
stopped by their exhibition area the crowds were thick{ ST Software
developers are scattered throughout several CES exhibition halls.
Over the next four days ANTIC will bring you the latest detailsand
keep you up to date on the products and the press releases.
Stay tuned.
Permission to reprint or excerpt is granted only if the following
line appears at the top of the article:
ANTIC PUBLISHING INC., COPYRIGHT 1986. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.
JANUARY 10, 1986
CES - THE SECOND DAY:PRODUCTS
By Jack Powell
Las Vegas, NV - Though most CES insiders agree this year's Vegas
show has far fewer software exhibitors, a thorough search reveals a
wealth of Atari related goodies at this giant, electronic toy store.
Many developers, having decided the high cost of booth space is
not worth the exposure, are displaying their wares in hospitality
suites scattered throughout this desert city, while still others
simply wander the fair and show off their wares at other's booths.
In one hospitality suite, Datasoft was displaying the recent 8-bit
products, Goonies, Zorro, and Alternate Realities. The latter fantasy
role-playing epic is currently being adapted for the ST by a team of
programmers led by John Butrovich. Philip Price, the game's original
author, will act as creative consultant.
The ST version of AR will take advantage of the ST's greater power
and RAM capacity to include many concepts Price had always wanted in
the game. There will be magic spells, for example, and you will be
able to get a job and earn money - as well as meet others and earn
their admiration... or their hatred.
The ST AR was started two months ago and Activision hopes to have
the first disk - The City - to market by Christmas of 1986. The
second disk of AR will be The Dungeon. It is also currently under
development for both the ST as well as the 8-bit machines. No release
date has yet been set but both versions will debut simultaneously.
A third disk, The Arena, is currently being brainstormed. Arena
will allow users to pit two developed characters against each other.
Batteries Included was demonstrating their fine collection of
Atari software. The Isgur Portfolio System - a high end financial
package - has been released for the IBM.
According to BI, it will be available for the ST sometime int
1986.
BI is also developing a full-scale telecommunications program
called I*S talk, and a time management and billing system called I*S
Time. These too will become available for the ST in 1986.
Batteries also announced a special purchase policy for educational
institutions. For every three or more BI packages purchased, BI will
throw in an equal number of the same title for $10. Not bad
Soniture, Inc. showed off the Space Pen, a three- dimensioinal
light pen, currently available for the 8- bit computers, and soon
available for the ST. Space Pen requires its own software to take
advantage of the third axis, but it will take the place of a touch
tablet on two -dimensional software products. Space Pen is $150 on
the 8-bits, and $175 on the ST.
Compute! Publications has a new book: The ST Programmer's Guide.
The 356 page volume retails for $16.95 and includes an introduction to
ST BASIC, plus explanations of the BASIC keywords. There is also a
section on Logo concepts and a rundown of the Logo primitives.
In back of the Programmer's Guide is an explanation of the GEM VDI
calls and how to access them from BASIC. Although GEM theory is
explained, there is no listing of AES calls and no explanation of C
access to either VDI or AES.
Microprose is showing a new 8-bit strategy simulation called
Conflict in Vietnam, written by Sid Meier and Ed Bevers. The game,
which is due in early March, is similar to the company's Crusade in
Europe or Decision in the Desert. There are five battle scenarios you
can choose among, which are based upon five decisive battles of the
60's "non-war".
Microprose was also demonstrating Silent Service, for the ST.
Programmed by Silas Warner - who did Castle Wolfenstein - the game is
expected to hit the dealer's shelves in late March.
PrintMaster, a printer utility similar to Print Shop, is being
developed for the ST by a company called Unison World. The product,
which is currently available on the IBM PC and Commodore 64, was not
being shown at CES.
HELP FOR THE UPRINT
Digital Devices makes a printer interface for the 8- bit Atari
called Uprint. The initial releases of the product had a few bugs in
it and the company originally established a replacement policy which
they now feel is unfair.
They have asked ANTIC to pass the word that all owners of the
earlier Uprint ( you can tell the earlier models by the existence of a
copy switch) may receive a free exchange. Simply return your original
unit along with $6 for shipping.
Jim Schwaller of Extended Software was showing Disk Library, an ST
file cataloging utility currently available for $39.95. Extended
Software is also related to Classic Image Software which is planning
the release of a marble-rolling game for the ST called Diablo, due out
in late March. Classic Image is, somehow, related to Classic Covers
which makes plastic dust covers for all Atari peripherals...right down
to the mouse.
Accolade announced a February release date of Sundog. The
announcement was made from a hospitality suite and, though Accolade
was not demonstrating the program on the ST, ANTIC has seen it and can
attest to its superior graphics.
ABACUS Publishing displayed their newest ST books. ST Internals
is all about the ports and the BIOS and includes a listing of BIOS
system calls. ABACAS also has a 68000 machine language book for the
ST. Both these books are currently available. Coming January 27th
will be their GEM Programmer's Reference book featuring the VDI and
AES calls. All three books retail for $19.95.
XETEC, Inc. is developing a CAD package for architectural
drawing. The ST program, which was demo-ing, will be available in the
second quarter at a price no higher than $99.95.
BACK AT ATARI
Meanwhile, back at the plum-colored Atari corral, Charles Andrews
demonstrated his home-brewed 320XE. The machine has been upgraded to
contain 192K RAM over the standard 130XE's RAM. It is completely
compatible with any XE software and enables such niceties as two
RAMdisks plus one floppy - without touching the 130XE's memory.
Atari was interested in the idea, and asked Andrews to display his
upgrade machine for awhile to get reaction from the CES crowd. If any
of you want to see this product in the Atari lineup, contact John
Scruch at Atari.
Bill Wilkinson of O.S.S. premiered their Personal Pascal for the
ST. It looks like another winning language from this company.
Version 1.0 boots to a familiar GEM menu bar with drop-down menus
for editing, compiling and linking. Default options for the compiler
and linker may also be adjusted from here then optionally saved to
disk.
Compiler options, for example, include pause on errors, chain to
linker, debugging options, and GEM or TOS structure for final output
code.
The editor is a command-based text editor that has a full Help
screen for all commands, and a cut and paste function very similar to
the ACTION! editor. We were particularly impressed with the fact
that the editor also has auto-indent. A feature sorely lacking from
all ST program editors up to this point.
O.S.S. has designed their own custom calls to access both GEM AES
and VDI. Not satisfied with the original design, they rolled up their
sleeves and made a few changes. To open a workstation, for example,
you need only one call: InitGem. That's it!
Documentation consists of a very full-looking, 284- page
paper-bound book. The language is currently being shipped and retails
for $74.95.
MIDI MARVELS
The Casio exhibit at CES is a sprawling display of synthesizers,
watches and other electronic marvels. In one corner ANTIC found
Micro- W, a company with a novel approach to MIDI software. Q.R.S.
Music Disks are player piano rolls translated to MIDI song drivers for
the ST.
The company discovered the original Q.R.S. player piano company
was still making the rolls and set about converting all that music to
synthesizer code. As a result, for $19.95 you can buy a disk of Scott
Joplin rags. Or, how about some Gershwin? An entire catalog of disks
is expected to be available soon.
Just pump 42nd Street into your synthesizer and then alter it to
suit your fancy.
Also, for the MIDI crowd, Hybrid Arts - creators of the MIDI
Track-3 for the 8- bit machines - stopped by the ANTIC booth to
discuss their latest MIDI software for the ST. DX-Droid, is a patch
librarian/editor and the first MIDI product to use a form of
artificial intelligence. DX- Droid can actually program your Yamaha
DX-7 for you. Programming the DX-7 is said to be so complex, there
are people who are paid to do it.
Hybrid Arts will also be releasing a sequencing program called
MIDI Track ST, which will be able to read and write SMPTE time code.
It can also record and play back system exclusive data. (Those last
two sentences are for you MIDI freaks out there.)
MIDI Track ST will be available in both a "professional" and a
"consumer" version. DX-Droid will be available in February.
No release date has been set for MIDI Track ST.
For those of you with a strong interest in MIDI's, you might want
to log onto the Hybrid Arts MIDI BBS at (213) 826-4288.
--
Jwahar R. Bammi
Usenet: .....!decvax!cwruecmp!bammi
CSnet: bammi@case
Arpa: bammi%case@csnet-relay
CompuServe: 71515,155