CompuNotes Notes from The Cutting Edge of Personal Computing January 30, 1998 Issue 140 -=> Your Opinion is Important <=- -=> Tell Us What You Want from CompuNotes <=- http://apps2.vantagenet.com/apolls/count.asp?id=912812332 -=> Vote on the CompuNotes' Product of the Year <=- http://www.compunotes.com/1998Awards.htm. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= To subscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SUBSCRIBE COMPUNOTES-L FirstName LastName To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com SIGNOFF COMPUNOTES-L For Contact and Other Information See Bottom of Publication! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- TurboTax - FREE TAX SOFTWARE| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Do you do your own taxes? It just got EASIER! Try America's #1 rated tax preparation software for 30 days for FREE! Free Bonus! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/turbotax.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CONTENTS My Notes: 1=> CompuNotes Notes, Voting and Clarifications, mailto:pgrote@i1.net 2=> This Issue's Winner! News: 3=> News of the Week, mailto:pgrote@i1.net =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--= Free For US/Canada Residents! Internet World Magazine| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==- Internet World Magazine is The only source you'll need for your Internet business and enterprise activities...sign up for FREE right here! Internet World puts all the news into perspective -- and that saves you valuable time and gives you an edge on breaking trends and technologies. Regular features include: E-Commerce, Infrastructure, Web Development, and Industry, Plus columns from leading reporters and journalists. Don't miss it...sign up today! It's FREE for EVERYONE!!! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/iw.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Reviews: 4=> Product: How Computers Work by Ron White, book Reviewed By: Robin Nobles, mailto:robin@robinsnest.com 5=> Product: Descent Free Space, The Great War, game Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dmha@on.aibn.com 6=> Product: Green Thumb Interactive, game Reviewed by: Timothy H. VanderWall, mailto:THVanderWall@usa.net 7=> Product: Quake II Mission Pack: Ground Zero, game Reviewed by Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com 8=> Product: Sin, game Reviewed by Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com 9=> Product: Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning, game Reviewed By: Doug Reed, dr2web@sprynet.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Catholic Digest - Family Magazine| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Want a close family? Plenty of good friends? Good health? Happiness? Laughter? Joy? Inspiration? Catholic Digest will enrich your life. Try a FREE ISSUE of Catholc Digest, plus reserve your FREE gift, "All About Angels". Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/catholic.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 1=> CompuNotes Notes, mailto:pgrote@i1.net Welcome back to CompuNotes! We have a couple of voting deals we need help with this issue. The first, and most important, is a plea to vote for the CompuNotes' Annual Awards. Please click on the following link to vote! Polls close soon! For Annual Awards: http://www.compunotes.com/1998Awards.htm. Second, and almost as important, we would like your feedback on how to improve CompuNotes. Through a series of polls over the next few weeks, we'll be asking you to give your opinion concerning CompuNotes. This week we ask which section is your favorite. To participate in this poll, please click on the following link. Reader Opinion: http://apps2.vantagenet.com/apolls/count.asp?id=912812332 Thanks for your continued support! Vote early There are offers that appear throughout CompuNotes that are free for you to get! They are pretty cool, but I have learned that they are geared for US and Canadian residents only. I apologize for the many readers who have frustratingly attempted to access these offers only to find they needed to be US or Canadian residents. Call for Writers! CompuNotes is on the prowl for new writers! We'd like to get more reviewers and possibly a few columnists. Do you like getting the latest software? Do you like expressing your opinion? Are you an expert who wants to share your knowledge? If so, become a CompuNotes' writer! Yes, the pay is awful (read - none), but the benefits are great! If you are interested, send a message to mailto:writers@compunotes.com. You'll receive a copy of our writer's guidelines. Since the cost of postage is so high, reviewers need to be residents of the United States. That's it for now. Next week I'll be asking you to help me as I search for answers to certain questions I have . . . -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Get Paid to Surf the Net!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= THE MOST REWARDING PAGE ON THE WEB. LITERALLY. Prolaunch launches you to a different web site which matches your interests PLUS you can earn "Launch Points" which are redeemable for frequent flyer miles, gift certificates and many other rewards. It's free. It's easy. It's private. And it pays...you! Sign up today at.... Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/plaunch.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 2=> Winner! This week's winner: eddie303@YAHOO.COM. 3=> News and Game Bits, mailto:pgrote@i1.net or mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Toys R Us Goes After the Little Guy . . . http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,31701,00.html The Big Brother Chip, er, Pentium III is Available . . . http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,31687,00.html?st.ne.ni.lh Whatever Happened to WebTV? http://cgi.chicago.tribune.com/tech/frontpage/0,1714,5,00.html Gateway Goes with AMD ... Intel to Suffer? http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,1013790,00.html Hate Mail Gets Idiot Jail Time . . . http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/filters/bursts/0,3422,2197350,00.html Digex Takes on Serious Client ... Bud Bowl . . . http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/superbowl/TWB19990129S0011 Die DIVX, Die . . . http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990129S0014 Ebay is Now Second Most Visited Site . . . http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990129S0019 The Chat Show for, well, Chat Lovers . . . http://www.upside.com/texis/mvm/news/story?id=36af946b0 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= All Kinds of Catalogs for You! Free!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Do you shop by mail? Looking for that hard to find item? Just like unique products? Then you need the Catalog Request Center! You'll find over 300 FREE catalogs! Use this FREE service to quickly locate the catalogs that have the products you want. Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/catalogs.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 4=> Product: How Computers Work by Ron White, book Reviewed By: Robin Nobles, mailto:robin@robinsnest.com Requires: CD-ROM to use the CD that comes with the book MSRP: $29.99 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy How Computers Work at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - $23.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1562765469/compunotes/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you're like me, you take it for granted that if you click on your "connect to the Internet" button, your modem will "do its stuff" and get you on-line. You expect your hard drive to function when you need it, and you expect your multimedia programs to work beautifully as well. But how do all of these different systems work? How do computer ports work? How do local area networks work, and how do they connect to the Internet? How does a PC or PCMIA card work? How does RAM work? How Computers Work, Fourth Edition, by Ron White, explains the functions of a computer in an easy-to-understand language that even I could follow. It begins at the beginning, when your computer "wakes up." Part 1 is on the boot-up process, where you'll learn how your computer wakes up and how a disk boot works. Before you can really understand the process, however, the book offers an introduction, then explains the basic terminology involved. From there, you'll get into the heart of the chapter, complete with pictures that explain in detail what happens when you power on your computer. Then, you'll learn how a boot disk works, again complete with detailed illustrations in a simple format. Each part of the book is set up in a similar manner, with a basic introduction, a glossary of terms, and then the meat of the chapter. You'll find impressive illustrations of all of the concepts so that you can *see* for yourself the overall picture of what's happening, instead of having to formulate the picture in your mind. Chapter 4 deals with how the BIOS and drivers work. Here's an excerpt from the chapter, to show you how simply worded the book really is: "Imagine sitting down in the driver's seat of a car only to discover that the steering wheel has been replaced by an airplane joystick. Luckily, you don't ever have to face that problem. Despite how car mechanisms may differ, you only need to know how to turn the steering wheel and press the gas and brake pedals. An intervening layer--the levers, gears, and hydraulic systems--separates you from the parts that do the real work. These mechanisms translate your actions into car movements. "In the same way, your personal computer, too, has a layer that separates you and your application software from the down-and-dirty workings of your hardware. In fact, there are three layers: the operating system; an even more fundamental layer that lies between the operating system and the hardware called the BIOS, or basic input/output system; and device drivers, which supplement the BIOS's knowledge of how to operate the peripherals." The chapter goes on from there to explain the layers in detail, but it has already presented the material in such a way that you're open and able to understand it quite easily. To give you an idea of the overall book, the book's major parts are listed below: Part 1: Boot-Up Process Part 2: How Hardware and Windows 98 Work Together Part 3: Microchips Part 4: Data Storage Part 5: Input/Output Devices Part 6: Multimedia Part 7: How the Internet Works Part 8: How Printers Work When you purchase the book, not only do you have the printed word to explain how computers work, but you also have a CD that will take you on a true animated tour into the workings of your computer system. If you want to understand the workings of your computer or to learn about the latest in technology, How Computers Work is the book for you. It's one of the most impressive and helpful books I've seen in a long time. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy How Computers Work at Amazon.Com Now and Support CompuNotes! Amazon.Com - $23.99 -- Click Here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1562765469/compunotes/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QUE, a Division of Macmillan Computer Publishing, USA How Computers Work by Ron White http://www.mcp.com/publishers/que/catalog/que_bud.cfm?isbn=078971728X -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Lose the Weight with Low Fat Living!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You've tried everything in the past - painful starvation diets, all-day workout sessions, and nothing seems to work. Why? You've been trying too hard. Starving yourself isn't natural; instead, work with your body to fight fat. You'll have more energy, fit into your favorite jeans, and feel healthier! Simply tell your body to "Stop Making Fat" and "Start Burning Fat Like Never Before", and watch as the unwanted pounds melt away. We'll show you how...click below to see the De-FAT-inator! and we'll send you the secrets of automatic fat control right away! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/lowfat.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 5=> Product: Descent Free Space, The Great War, game Reviewed By: Don Hughes, mailto:dmha@on.aibn.com System Requirements: Pentium 133 MHz or higher, with 16 MB RAM, If a 3D graphics card recommended Pentium 166 MHz & 32 MB RAM. Windows 95/98/NT 4.0 & Direct X. Sound Card. Joystick optional (but highly recommended). Hard Drive installation requirements: Compact: 235 MB Custom: 235-408 MB Typical: 408 MB The test systems used for this review consisted of: System 1, Pentium 166MMx, 64 MB, ATI 3D Xpression graphic card with 4MB ram, mouse, joystick, System 2, NT workstation 4.0, Pentium 233 MMx, 64 MB DRAM, ATI 3D Xpression+ PCTV card 4 MB ram, mouse, no joystick. Having plenty of hard drive space on both drives I selected the typical 408-MB installation, which took under 10 minuets to complete. Once the game installed it was very hard to resist the temptation is to jump into combat and start saving the universe. However, as a new rookie one must first learn fighter pilot survival skills and start the game in basic training. The training modes can be by passed but time is well spent here allowing one to learn the many key functions used in Descent Free Space. Interplay's Descent Free Space comes complete with two CD ROM disks, a seventy four page manual and a three sided card you put together, listing all the control key combinations. After installing Free Space I visited the Interplay's Web site to see if there were any patches or upgrades available. Interplay does have a patch listed for Descent Free Space and I recommend that you download the patch and apply it. The only problem I experienced playing and testing Free Space was my old Gravis Analog Pro joystick gave me repeated problems running under Windows 98. The joystick would stop functioning after a few minuets of firing in the heart of battle. Suddenly I would lose all flight and weapons control and would have to exit the game. A quick check of the joystick setting in control panel revealed no joystick was installed. After a reboot of the computer I would check control panel, reset for the joystick, and run the function tests. However, once back in the game the same problem would reappear and control would be lost. I decided to continue playing the game using the keyboard and mouse. This combination had one important draw back. As the enemy attacks your ship and zips by, you cannot turn fast enough to fire a laser shot or a missile in their direction. The inability to turn and follow your enemy was frustrating, so I come to a decision to invest in a new joystick. After looking at many different models, I decided to purchase the Logitech Wingman Interceptor. Once I had the joystick hooked up and the Logitech software install I headed back to Descent Free Space and the Great War. What a transformation a good joystick can have in making the game so much more enjoyable. Gone was the problem experienced with the old joystick, and inability to turn with the enemy as they attacked. Also I could now look 360 degrees around the ship using the hat control. At first I was disappointed with Free Space after having played the other Descent versions that take place in mines, with many winding and twisting passages. The Great War's battles take place in the limitless expanse of space, and lacked or so I thought previous versions excitement. Now that I was armed with a new joystick, and quicker turning ability the game took on a whole new meaning. Soon I was caught up in the story line and blasting alien after alien from the skies as they relentlessly attacked. Interplay's Descent Free Space includes: Over 40 jaw-dropping real-time ships with dynamic lighting, stunning effects animation and unprecedented levels of realism and detail. Command intelligent squadmates; redirect up to 12 wingmen, and request reinforcements for unbelievably intense dogfights. Track your statistics, ranking, and medals against players from all over Earth with Up to 12 player Internet support and 8 player team vs. team support! Create your own detailed missions using "FRED", the fully featured mission editor. There are also "Three unique species each with its own strengths, weaknesses, tactics, ships, and fighting characteristics, driven by an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system created by the same people that made DESCENT so incredible." The game's Good and Bad guys: Terrans: (aka Humans) are not unlike our modern-day counterparts. They are guided by many of the same strengths, weaknesses, and prejudices. All top-level governmental functions take place on, or in orbit, around Earth Vasudans: originate from the planet Vasuda Prime. Their anatomy has developed like humans in many respects: bipedal, two eyes, a mouth, and similar atmospheric & respiratory needs. Shivans: Very little about the Shivans is known. Their complete disdain for planets and colonies has led most to believe that the Shivans do not live on planets at all. Their origins are unknown. Their technology is far more advanced than the other two cultures, and their anatomy is totally dissimilar. The Great War opens with the Terrans and Vasudans at war with each other till both sides encounter the Shivans. This new species with their superior technology rain total devastation upon Terrans and Vasudans until technology becomes more equalized. The game ends with the destruction of the Shivans destroyer the Lucifer, which must be destroyed if earth is to survive. As I was playing Free Space and thought more about the names of fighter wings and capital ships such as: Gemini, Aries, Virgo, Alpha, Beta and the destroyer Lucifer. It brought back memories of an old television series called "Battlestar Galactica" which premiered on the ABC television network in September 1978 and was canceled in April 1979. This series featured a group of humans whose home planet was destroyed searching for legendary planet called Earth. The show played used similar astrology, and other symbolic names, plus a villain named "Lucifer." I can only wonder if the creators of Descent Free Space were at one time Battlestar Galactica fans. Interplay' web site announced they have now released Silent Threat, as an added addition Free Space containing another 40 missions. Also Silent Threat has two new fighters, new weapons, plus another enemy capital ship. Descent Free Space played equally well on Windows 98 and Windows NT without any problems. Interplay's Free Space will give you many hours of playing enjoyment saving the universe from the Shivan Hordes. Developed by, Volition Inc, www.volution-inc.com For Interplay Web Site: www.interplay.com Price: $49.99 US -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Real Coupons from the Internet - Cool Savings| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Print real coupons from your own computer. Free Membership Today! CLICK below to enroll for BIG savings from your favorite stores, restaurants, and travel companies. It's FREE and your privacy is guaranteed! Join over a million other smart shoppers and print real coupons from your own computer. New companies and new offers show up all the time. Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/cool.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 6=> Product: Green Thumb Interactive Game Reviewed by: Timothy H. VanderWall, mailto:THVanderWall@usa.net Requires: 486DX66, Windows 95 or higher, 256-color VGA or SVGA, 8MB RAM (16MB recommended), 2X CD ROM, 16MB free hard drive space, mouse, optional: modem (28.8Kps or better) and Internet access MSRP: $14.99 When I was a youngster, my family and I spent many enjoyable evenings playing the Parker Brothers "French Game Craze", Mille Bornes. We had fun playing "Out of Gas" and "Flat Tires" cards on our opponents "Roll!" cards and surprising them a "safety" card when they tried to do the same to us. In fact, after reviewing Green Thumb, I dug out my old Mille Bornes game and my children and I have been enjoying discovering (and rediscovering) a great game -- a whole new generation enjoying a timeless old "standard". When I fired up Green Thumb for the first time, therefore, I quickly became excited. Green Thumb incorporates a game flow and strategy similar to Mille Bornes, but transports it into a gardening setting. The object of Green Thumb is to grow the best garden by the time the cards run out. You attempt to plant and grow your garden while preventing your neighbors from growing theirs or sabotaging your planting efforts. You are kept busy planting your roses (plant 4 for 3 points), pansies (plant 3 for 2 points) , and even corn (plant 2 for 1 point), while fighting off dandelions and slugs with your lime sulphur and salt. All the while you are also sending pesky bugs, weeds, and destructive animals over to your neighbors' gardens; a successful raid on your not only rids him of his plant, but brings the (now healthy) plant into your garden -- in other words, you steal it. Suddenly someone draws a "freeze" disaster card and half of all the players' plants are taken away to the "wild", except for those of that jerk of a neighbor who had played a greenhouse card last turn and is now exempt from freezes. Plants in the "wild" now become the possession of the first taker. So goes the game. When all the cards have been played, the one with the most points wins. Installation was very simple. Insert the CD into the drive and the install begins. If autodetect is turned off on your CD drive, it is a simple "x:SETUP.EXE" and you are on your way. The computer game is a reasonably faithful adaptation of its predecessor, the card game, except that the players (other than you) are handled by the computer and there are added sound effects and music. There is a networking option, but I was unable to try out that feature -- not because I couldn't get it to work, but because I couldn't find any opponents to play with. The program has three difficulty settings and controls to adjust the animation, music and sound settings, as well as the typical load and save options. There is also an automated walk-through game to give you an idea of how the game proceeds. The deck consists of several categories of cards: plants, disasters, attack cards, defenses, environment cards, and special cards. The card images are color-coded by category and, with floating help, are easy to identify and to find out what they are used for. The help file contains a thorough explanation of what the cards are and how to use them. The play is addictive and great fun. My whole family (from the nine year old on up) has become hooked on the game, and it is a regular during "computer time" for the kids. The one drawback of the computer game is the lack of interplay with other human players. However, I have found that this is true with most computerization of popular board and card games. Since my family has enjoyed the computer game so much, I decided to order the card version from Playful Minds, the original designer of the game (http://www.playfulminds.com). Green Thumb Interactive can provide hours and hours of good, clean fun for young and old alike. With no blood and gore, no shooting or killing (other than bugs), and no nudity or sex, Green Thumb is at the top of my recommendation list for wholesome family entertainment. Expert Software Green Thumb Product Website: http://www.expertsoftware.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Money Magazine for Free!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Worried about the markets? Concerned about your retirement? Why not listen to the experts? Why not secure professional advice for free? FREE TRIAL ISSUE of Money Magazine! Your personal guide to a great future of Financial Success! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/money.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 7=> Product: Quake II Mission Pack: Ground Zero Reviewed by Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Requirements: Quake II (full version), Win95/NT4.0, 16 MB RAM, 150 MB free hard drive space, 4x CDROM, sound card. Reviewed on: Win 98, Pentium-166, 48 MB RAM, Intense 3D Voodoo Rush. MSRP: $29.99 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Quake II: Mission Pack 2: Ground Zero Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $28.45 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317031/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Activision has a thing about the number two. This year we have Heavy Gear II, Heretic II, Quake II, and - guess what - Two mission packs for Quake II (which just happens to be the same number released for Quake!). The first Mission Pack was The Reckoning and was designed by Xatrix. This second Mission Pack is called Ground Zero and was designed by Rogue, who also designed Dissolution of Eternity (the second mission pack for Quake). Once again, soldier, it is back to Stroggos - this time to knock out "The Gravity Well" that has trapped a number of human ships in orbit around Stroggos. You may have noticed the hefty hard drive requirement above - 150 MB of space. Add in the 100 MB required for The Reckoning and 200+ for Quake II and you've got one game taking up a substantial amount of real estate (assuming that like me you've got a "measly" 2.1 GB drive). As with the previous Mission Pack, Ground Zero comes with a new single player campaign and a bunch of new multiplayer levels. New weapons include the ETF rifle, the proximity grenade launcher, and the plasma beam. Ground Zero also marks the return of the chain saw, a popular weapon from way on back in the good old Doom days. New powerups include infrared goggles, defender spheres, and tesla mines. Several powerups are Deathmatch only - the hunter sphere, the vengeance sphere, the anti-matter bomb, and the doppelganger. New enemies in the single player game include turrets, "Stalkers" - spider like cyborgs, Medic Commanders that can revive dead Strogg, Daedulus flying enemies, and the "Carrier", a real brute of a Strogg that is best faced with your BFG handy. The Carrier has the ability to carry and launch additional flying enemies, making it even more of a threat. As with The Reckoning, enemy AI is tough and aggressive, easily the best of the Quake series. Level design is better than that of The Reckoning or Quake II, not surprising given the experience that Rogue has in designing levels. All in all, a must have for Quake II fans, including those (like me) looking for more single player missions or those looking for new multiplayer thrills. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Quake II: Mission Pack 2: Ground Zero Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $28.45 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317031/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Activision Quake II Mission Pack: Ground Zero http://www4.activision.com/games/quake2mp2/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dine for Free!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Join Now For 60 Days Free And Start Earning 20% Cash Back Right Away! It doesn't cost you a penny to try Dining _ la Card now. And the cash rebates are yours to keep without any obligation! Join Now for 60 DAYS FREE and earn 20% Cash Back when you visit any of our participating establishments nationwide! FREE 60 Day TRIAL!!! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/dining.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 8=> Product: Sin, game Reviewed by Doug Reed, mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Requirements: Win95/98/NT4, Pentium-166, 32 MB RAM, 4x CDROM, 90 MB hard drive space, sound card, joystick or mouse, PCI graphics card with 2 MB RAM, modem for internet play Recommended: 3D graphics card, 64 MB RAM, Pentium-200, 600 MB Hard drive space Reviewed on: Win98, Pentium-166, 48 MB RAM, 300 MB Hard drive space, Intense 3D Voodoo Rush graphics card, Assassin 3D joystick. MSRP: $49 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Sin Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $48.95 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317022/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you're wondering why this game is Sin, wonder no further. No, it isn't because it features Sintek Industries, or Elexis Sinclaire (the villain). It is because it was a sin that Ritual Entertainment and Activision released this game while it was still in the beta stage. It has been my sorry plight to review many a buggy game, but Sin takes the cake. Activision and Ritual both admit to releasing the game before it was done, claiming that it was either that or lose precious shelf space at your favorite computer software store. Yeah, and I'm sure it had nothing to do with the release of Half-Life a bare two weeks after the release of Sin. It was solely a business decision to try and beat Half-Life to market so Sin could get a head start. The price for those who bought it early or those with a reviewer's copy is the price of downloading a 19 MB patch (no, I'm not making that up) to achieve the game that should have been released. And that is shame, because Sin is actually quite a good game. Sin is the first of the Quake II-based shooters due this season, with Half-Life and Heretic II also recently released. Add in Shogo, Klingon Honor Guard, and Thief: The Dark Project and you have quite a decision to make about where to spend your dollar. Unlike Quake II, where the emphasis is more on the multi-player action and less on storyline, the new titles released this Christmas are supposed to have more of a plot. With that in mind, let's take a look at Sin. Installation goes reasonably well, but prepared to give up a lot of real estate on your hard drive. How much varies from 90 MB (minimum without patch) to over 700 MB (max install with the patch). Forget the minimal install - everything has to be loaded from the CD which makes level load times unbearable. And don't even think of playing the game without the patch - load times are absolutely ridiculous without the patch (it makes Hexen II's load times look speedy). I settled for the 300 MB install, which after I installed that patch became a 370 MB install. In addition, the save game files are huge - with all of the save positions filled Sin now occupies about 450 MB of hard drive space. Thanks to the lower prices on large drives, games have mushroomed in size. Take a hint, Activision - not everyone has a 6 GB drive! Another Sin is the intro movie. The game takes you through no less than 4 resolution switches during the playing of the 2 intro movies and the 2 still screens. Even if you hit the Esc key to bypass the movies you still have to endure the resolution switches. And still another once you log onto the game! In another bizarre twist, you are required to provide a "handle" just to log onto the game, although the single player game sticks with the main character's name, Blade. By this point, you might think I hate Sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, that fact that I'm still playing Sin points out just how good the actual game is. The storyline is relatively easy to follow. In a futuristic setting, you play "security expert" John Blade in the city of Freeport. Recently a number of disappearances of the local citizens have been reported, along with a number of bizarre mutant creatures turning up. And somehow this is all tied in with Sintek and Elexis Sinclaire, the female villain so well-endowed she makes Lara Croft look realistic. The game begins with a daring daylight bank robbery, and it quick illustrates what Ritual does very well: realistic level design. The bank looks and feels like a bank, from the ATM machines in the lobby to the vaults and security rooms. Further, the enemies in the first level are all ski-mask bound assassins or tough-guy looking meanies. In what I think is a first in a Doom-style shooter, Ritual instituted a damage location system with Sin. What this means is that while in Doom or other shooters any shots just accumulated towards the total - but in Sin a head shot kills you every time, no matter how healthy the rest of your body is. This also makes a very convenient way to take out the enemies, as all you have to do is aim for their heads. Sin is also one of the goriest shooters to ever come down the pike. NOT for the weak of stomach or those bothered by violent scenes, and definitely NOT a game for children. Sin also exudes a lot of "attitude", much like Duke Nukem 3D. This is a tough review to write. I absolutely hate the fact that Activision and Ritual released this game way to early, and I hate the huge install and the extremely annoying resolution switches during the intro. But I just can't bring myself to not recommend the game. If you like first-person shooters like Quake, or Jedi Knight, or especially Duke Nukem - check out Sin. Then find a friend with a cable modem or a T1 connection and a Zip drive so you can download the patch (or, better yet, just wait for the "complete" version to arrive in stores in a few weeks). A demo is available from the link below, so try it before you buy it! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Sin Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $48.95 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317022/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Activision Sin http://www4.activision.com/games/sin/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Free Small Business Newsletter!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- What Is It? It's a newsletter filled with a wealth of valuable info to help you in every aspect of your job. Whether you own the company or just started working for it, SMARTBIZ.COM NEWS has something for you. You may not use everything but you're sure to find lots of valuable information in every issue. Subscribe now! It's FREE! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/smartbiz.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 9=> Product: Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning, game Reviewed By: Doug Reed, dr2web@sprynet.com Requirements: Quake II (full version), Pentium-90, 16 MB RAM, Win95/NT4.0, 100 MB free hard drive space, 4x CDROM, sound card Reviewed on: Pentium-166, 48 MB RAM, Intense 3D Voodoo Rush, Win98 MSRP: $29.99 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $28.45 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317024/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Reckoning is the first "official" mission pack for Quake II released by Activision and it essentially continues the storyline from the original game. Once again you are all alone on the surface of Stroggos, fighting the enemy in an attempt to save humanity. As with the Mission Packs designed for Quake, Activision has recruited smaller game design companies to do the Quake II Mission Packs. In the case of The Reckoning, the company that got the nod was Xatrix. The mission packs for Quake were worth the money, both in terms of the new single player "campaigns" and the multiplayer maps and improvements. Luckily, it appears that the Quake II Mission Packs will live up to that reputation. The Reckoning is the first out of the barrel, and for Quake fans it is a sure hit. The Reckoning updates your version of Quake II to version 3.15 (if you haven't done so already, that is) and requires about an additional 100 MB asides. The additional tonnage includes a variety of new weapons, including the Ion Ripper, Particle Cannon, and the Trap. The Trap is interesting because it is exactly what it sounds like - it traps enemies and turns them into power cubes! Also included are new enemies - the Gekk, a nasty amphibious creature, and the repair bot which can awake dead Strogg. Old enemies have been given a face-lift, with more powerful Guards, Brains, Iron Maidens, Gladiators, and Super Tanks. They also see m to feature greatly improved AI, as I found the opponents in The Reckoning to be quite tough. You encounter a lot of the Gekk early on, and these are nasty creatures with both a ranged acid attack and sharp claws when you get closer. The level design is also well done, with a variety of new environments including the "swamp" where the Gekk live. Six new levels designed solely for multiplayer games have also been included in The Reckoning, a plus for all you on-line Quakers out there. If you're a fan of Quake II and want more of the same, check out The Reckoning. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Buy Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning Now and Support CompuNotes! Beyond.Com - $28.45 -- Click Here: http://www.beyond.com/AF25411/PKIN317024/prod.htm ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Activision Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning http://www4.activision.com/games/quake2mp1/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Free US News and World Report Magazine!| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= FOUR FREE TRIAL ISSUES of U.S News & World Report! A special, exceptional Internet offer from U.S. News: The newsmagazine that goes way beyond the news to help you lead an exciting and productive life. Take advantage of U.S. News & World Report's special Internet offer - get your FOUR FREE ISSUES on-line! Click Below! Click On Me: http://www.get-it-for-free.com/compunotes/usnews.htm -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Managing Editor: Patrick Grote -- mailto:pgrote@i1.net Assistant Editor: Doug Reed-- mailto:dr2web@sprynet.com Assistant Editor: Robin Nobles, mailto:smslady@netdoor.com Archives: ftp://ftp.compunotes.com/pub/archive Website: e-mail: mailto:notes@compunotes.com Want to Write for Us?: mailto:writers@compunotes.com fax: (314) 909-1662 voice: (314) 909-1662 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= CompuNotes is: Available weekly via e-mail and on-line. We cover the PC computing world with comprehensive reviews, news, hot web sites, great columns and interviews. We also give away one software package a week to a lucky winner for just reading our fine publication! Never dull, sometimes tardy, we are here to bring you the computing world the way it is! Please tell every on-line friend about us! CompuNotes B440 1114 West Essex Ave. St. Louis, MO 63122 notes@compunotes.com (C)1999 Patrick Grote