~3 minute readPERIPHERALS
Comic-Book Fantasies
MANY computer games already look like translations of comic books, as indeed some of them are. Now one publisher is making the connection explicit.
Infocomics cost about $12 apiece, as opposed to the $2 or $3 of the traditional printed magazines. But instead of curling up with one in the shade of the old ginkgo tree, or reading under the blankets by flashlight, you run these on a personal computer -- Apple II, Commodore 64/128 or I.B.M. compatible.
They are not computer games as we know them. The riddles of "Zork" and the "Hitchhiker's Guide," the constant zapping of loathsome creatures in "Gauntlet," the carefully weighed strategy decisions of baseball, football or war simulations -- say goodbye to all that.
These are real stories with beginnings, middles and ends, except that they may be followed from the viewpoints of different characters, with related subplots that do not necessarily come in the same way every time. The exact path of the story, in fact, depends on decisions the player makes. The illustrations are described by the company as minimalist.
In another difference from other computer products, these comics do not require an intimidating manual or advanced flight training. Only four keys are needed to move the story along, and you can switch to fast forward, stop or rewind at any time.
There are three Infocomics to start. The titles give you an idea of their nature: "Lane Mastodon vs. the Blubbermen" is in the style of 1930's science fiction; "Gamma Force in Pit of a Thousand Screams" is a superhero tale by Amy Briggs, author of the immortal "Plundered Hearts," last year's computerized adventure, one of the few with a woman as the leading character, and "Zorkquest: Assault on Egreth Castle" is an evil-magician fantasy.
Infocomics are a joint venture of Infocom, the hitherto-well-thought-of publisher of mind-stretching prose adventure games, and Tom Snyder Productions, just down the road apiece in Cambridge, Mass. The companies cite research indicating that computer ownership among comic book readers is three times the national average, and they foresee a bright future for this new literary form. They will be sold in some comic-book stores, as well as in software outlets.
Mindscape, in Northbrook, Ill., already had a cut-rate software division, Thunder Mountain, producing fresh and recycled games. This winter, they have brought out a dozen titles at $14.95 and $9.95.
In the $14.95 line are "Winter Challenge," "Tau Ceti," "Tai-Pan," "Implosion," "Mutants," "Wizball" and "Head Over Heels." "Winter Challenge" is especially timely, with ski jump, downhill, bobsled, giant slalom and biathlon events. And "Tai-Pan," if the name sounds familiar, is based on James Clavell's best-selling epic novel of 19th-century Hong Kong..
In the $9.95 line are "Murder by the Dozen," a mystery game, "Railroad Works," "Felony," "Army Moves" and "Doc the Destroyer."
The Thunder Mountain games are available for Commodore 64/128, Atari ST, Atari 800's, I.B.M. PC, Amiga, Apple II and Macintosh. Not all the programs are offered for all the machines, however.
Let's say you have one of the older eight-bit computers, an Atari 400/800, Apple IIe or IIc, or Commodore 64/ 128. The newer, 16-bit babies offer a lot more in terms of memory, speed and everything else. But what about the huge investment you have in software for the current machine?
There's no easy answer. You're certainly going to have to replace major software -- your word processor or spreadsheet, for example. You would not want to do otherwise: the 16-bit versions are generally far superior.
Electronic Arts is taking a small step in the right direction. Its "Software for Life Program" allows the owner of any of its titles for an eight-bit computer to buy the same title in a 16-bit version for half price. Software produced by E.A. affiliates is included, so the products of 15 publishers are thus at hand.
The new 16-bit versions can be used on the Atari ST, Apple IIGS, Amiga and I.B.M. and compatibles. You must include the manual cover from the original version and a check or money order for half the price of the 16-bit version. For information, call Electronic Arts at (415) 571-7171, Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M., Pacific standard time.
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