September 1999 Volume 80 Number 9
"serving the protectors"
| September 1999 Volume 80 Number 9 "serving the protectors" |
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| By
Mike Horsfall mich@picknowl.com.au |
The World War I fighter plane sim, Red Baron, was released by Dynamix in the early ’90s - and was a huge hit. An entertaining sequel, Red Baron 2, followed but failed to meet expectations. Dynamix persisted, however, and hit the mark earlier this year with Red Baron 3D.
There are a number of ways to play Red Baron 3D. The easiest is the Fly Now game. The Campaign game is the longest, most complex, and perhaps most enjoyable.
A 4-MB video card will be quite adequate to play Red Baron 3D. But using a 12-MB 3DFX card heightens the quality of graphics significantly and adds to the overall reality. The addition of good quality sound and background military music provides authenticity. Besides engine noises there are other sounds like the creaking of the plane’s frame, AA guns, exploding bombs, air raid sirens, church bells and even other pilots’ death cries.
At about $90, Red Baron 3D is a recommended purchase. Entertaining, educational and free of earlier “bugs”, it will not disappoint.
Since releasing RB3D, Dynamix Sierra has introduced a follow-up product, Curse You Red Baron (CYRB). Like its predecessor, CYRB is a very enjoyable World War I air-combat simulator. The major differences between the two programs are the types of games available, and CYRB provides the option of using a translucent cockpit.
There are training missions to assist the budding pilot to become familiar with different aspects of air combat. Other missions include a “Dogfight” where one of eight aircraft can be piloted and the enemy selected. It’s then up to the pilot to shoot down as many enemies as possible, without the worry of any time limits.
The third challenge provides a series of combats involving 12 historic aces in an increasingly difficult challenge ladder. Finally, the “Hot Seat” allows up to six people to gather around the computer and take turns to achieve air supremacy and collate the best score.
While the minimum system requirements for Red Baron 3D and Curse You Red Baron are fewer, players will want a Pentium 233, 48 MB RAM, 8X CD-ROM drive, a Windows-compatible sound card and a mouse. Both programs support 3DFX and force feedback controller devices. Expect to pay about $65 for Curse You Red Baron.
If you’re after an easy-to-use, fly-and-shoot type of game then CYRB is for you. All that’s missing is the pilot’s outfit and goggles.
Amerzone is a new adventure game which plunges players into a universe of myths and legends with beautiful graphics and an astonishing atmosphere.
The quest will take place in an imaginary country lost in South America, the Amerzone. Between myths and legends, the wild beauty of this hostile world will make players forget all the dangers they will have to face. Reality will soon return though as challenges are mounted and clues sought.
During the journey from Brittany to the Amerzone, adventurers should be prepared to meet revolted soldiers; lost adventurers; a priest blinded by his faith wanting to convert the Indians; and much more.
Those who remember the wonderful images presented in Riven will have experienced the quality of graphics available in adventure games. Amerzone has taken the quality even further providing amazing 3D panoramas that will please all who take the challenge.
As players travel to the Amerzone they can explore all areas of the scenery looking up and down, left and right by simply moving the mouse. Images are so clear and detailed, and move so smoothly it’s as if the player was there.
Having used LightWave 3D for the entire production, Amerzone creates amazing 360-degree 3D environments which range from rain forests to volcanoes. Even before the game was completed, Amerzone was first prize game winner at Europe’s Imagina ’99.
Created by Benoít Sokal, one of Europe’s leading comic book writers, Amerzone is presented over four CDs of captivating vision. It is suited to all ages - the very young players will need support.
Amerzone retails at about $79.
For the opportunity to win a copy of Amerzone, put your details on the back of a used envelope (but not your postcode) and address it to Mike Horsfall, Sturt Police Station (12) Amerzone.
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