GIF News Issue 19

March / April 1992

GN9203.TXT

GIF News

March/April 1992

Issue #19

(C)1992 Hsiao & Hunter, Inc.

Release date: March 5, 1992


------------------- From the Desk of the Editor -------------------------


Hi, this is Eric Hsiao, the creator of GIF News. Thanks for taking the

time to download the March/April 1992 issue of GIF News. In this issue,

we have two VGA (640x400 256 color) pages instead of one. Inside those

two pages you will find reviews of two of shareware's hottest games

complete with 256 color screen shots. Also, you'll find articles on:


* The new USR HST 16.8K modem

* V.32bis modem for $399 list

* Apogee's immediate plans for the PC shareware game market

* The Multi-Media section

* Industry News

* Galactix and Scorched Earth v1.1 reviews


So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. In the next issue, we will look at

sound cards, and what to expect for the summer of '92. Included will be

a comprehensive review of the AdLib Gold sound card, a board that promises

to be the driving force behind the next generation of sound cards. We hope

to provide comparison specs between the AdLib Gold, the Gravis Ultrasound,

the Sound Blaster Pro Version 2.0, and the Pro Audio Spectrum II. So, look

for GN92-05.ZIP during the first week of May.


- Eric


Files in this archive:

GN9203-1.GIF --- Page 1

GN9203-2.GIF --- Page 2

GN9203V3.GIF --- Page 3 (Super-VGA 256 Color Page)

GN9203V4.GIF --- Page 4 (Super-VGA 256 Color Page)

GN9203.TXT --- This file (From the Desk of the Editor)

GN-DISKS.TXT --- How to get more .MOD files for

your Sound Blaster

GIFNEWS.ADS --- How to advertise in GIF News

BACKISSU.TXT --- Description of all back issues of GIF News

------------------

8 Files Total


Again, GIF News can be freely copied and shared just as long as no

modifications what-so-ever are made to this archive. This includes the

addition or deletion of files to and from this archive. Please don't

destroy the hard work of another.


If you enjoy reading the past SIX issues of GIF News, please consider

a small donation of $5 (US) to cover my expenses of uploading GIF News to

long distance Bulletin Boards across the country. Also, please upload

GIF News to a couple of your favorite boards. Any bit of distribution

helps. Also, a PostScript Laser Printer would really be appreciated

here. It would enable us to send hardcopies of GIF News to those who

want it on paper. If you know of any office/computer supply auctions,

please let me know.


Free advertising continues...read GIFNEWS.ADS for more details.

Also, interested in megs of TrakBlaster .MOD files without the cost of

downloading them long distance? Read the file GN-DISKS.TXT for an offer

you can't refuse. MOD files can also be played using programs such as

ModPlay, JMPlayer, Registered Scream Tracker, Trak Blaster, and other

programs capable of handling the Amiga Noise/Sound Tracker sound format.


Special note to Internet readers: If you would like to be a

GIF News subscriber, just send me E-mail and I will add you to the

mailing list. GIF News will be uuencoded and sent to you via E-mail.

Many uudecoders exist for both unix and ms-dos platforms. If you are

unable to handle the .ZIP format on your machine, let me know and I

will send you the file in an LZH, ZOO, or ARC archive.

Also, if you're anonymously FTP'ing, and come across some files you

think might be GIF News. You can easily tell which issue is up by

looking at the filename. For example, the filename is:


gn92-03.zip <-- The gn stands for GIF News, the 92 re-

presents the year, and the 03 is the

month (March in this case).


So be sure to look for gn92-05.zip in the beginning of May.

Several FTP sites you might want to look for GIF News are:


media-lab.mit.edu /pub/

wuarchive.wustl.edu /graphics/gif-news

ftp.rpi.edu /pub-write/gif-news


For the easiest way to contact me, please check out the following:

Note: Besides US Postal Mail, I check my Internet E-Mail most often.


How to reach me:


US Mailing Address #1

Eric Hsiao

7 Fair Way

Poughkeepsie, New York 12603-5014

Sept 91 May 92

************* Please send to this address between 9/1/91 to 5/1/92) ********

* *

* US Mailing Address #2 (reach me quicker between dates *

* Sept. 1, 1991 to May 1, 1992) *

* Eric Hsiao *

* 406-A BARH Mailroom, RPI *

* Troy, New York 12180-3590 *

****************************************************************************


E-mail

Internet:

hsiaoe@rpi.edu

Bitnet:

userha6g@rpitsmts.bitnet

Compuserve:

ADDRESS:>INTERNET:hsiaoe@rpi.edu

MCI Mail:

TO: Eric Hsiao (EMS)

EMS: Internet

MBX: hsiaoe@rpi.edu

MBX: [press ENTER key]

Prodigy:

XPJD96B


Bulletin Boards:

PC Pitstop (914) 298-1914 USR HST v.42bis

Channel 1 (617) 354-8873 (See BBS Ad - GN9203-2.GIF)


If you are interested in hiring a full time graphics artist or computer

systems engineer, please contact me. I have experience with creating

computer graphics and video as well as skills in Windows, Lotus 123, Word

for Windows, Modems & Communications, Unix, Pascal, C, and PC Hardware &

Peripheral Installation. I'm also interested in working with Multi-Media.

Contact me and I will send you a resume.


--------------------- Thank-you for downloading and reading GIF News,

Eric Hsiao

Editor-in-Chief

March 5, 1992


(Michaelangelo wasn't here!)


BACKISSU.TXT

BACKISSU.TXT

------------

** Descriptions of every single issue of GIF News that has come out **


If you want any of these issues, just send a Self-Addressed-Stamped-

Envelope and a blank floppy (5.25 or 3.5) and I'll copy them over for you.

Each issue is around 100K zipped. You must include the FLOPPY AND S.A.S.E

or else you won't receive anything back. ------------------

Or send a check/money order to:

Eric Hsiao

406-A BARH Mailroom, RPI

Troy, NY 12180-3590

USA

Or if the date is after May 1st, 1992 - send it to this address:

Eric Hsiao

7 Fair Way

Poughkeepsie, NY 12603-5014

USA


Cost per each 360K disk (5.25) = $1.00

Cost per each 720K disk (3.5) = $1.50

Add $.75 for shipping - average size of an issue is around

80,000-100,000 bytes.

Or call the SimonsBoard BBS Network and download back issues. See

their ad on page 2 (GN9203-2.GIF).


Or if someone can recommend a good stable FTP server, please let me

know. Often times, the ones I FTP to have periodic wipeouts of files.

Issue # Date Description

------- ---- -----------

01 Nov/Dec 1988 Reviews of Leisure Suit Larry II, Fire Power,

GN88-11 and Sentinel Worlds, a short autobiography of

Hsiao & Hunter, Inc.


02 Feb/Mar 1989 Virus protection safeguards, review of Police

GN89-02 Quest II, "Are MS-DOS Games Getting Better"

editorial, game hints to Leisure Suit Larry 2.


03 May/June 1989 Industry news, Space Quest ]I[ review, 1st

GN89-05 annual Sight & Sound Awards, "Taito Games Are

Terrible" editorial.


04 July/Aug 1989 Nintendo Game Hints (Super Mario Bros 2, Rad

GN89-07 Racer, Karnov), Reviews of 4 different driving

simulation games (Vette, Test Drive 2, Lombard

Rally, F40 Pursuit Simulator), Review of the

game Caveman Ugh-Lympics, a short overview of

Lotus 123 Release 3.


05 Nov/Dec 1989 Review of Maxis' Sim City, the new Tears For

GN89-11 Fears CD "Seeds of Love", and a review of

Sierra's Manhunter II.


06 Jan/Feb 1990 A Look back at the eighties, review of Sierra's

GN90-01 the Colonel's Bequest, and a overview of music

cards (AdLib, GameBlaster, SoundBlaster, &

Roland), the best VGA games.


07 Mar/Apr 1990 "Do Sound Cards Really Sound that Good?"

GN90-03 editorial, a profile of the Channel 1(tm) BBS

in Cambridge, MA, review of Access' Crimewave

and Bitmap Bros' Xenon II, look at digitizing

sounds.

08 May/June 1990 Detailed look at the VGA and VESA video

GN90-05 standard, the Ultima VI built-in cheat, the

World of Amiga show in New York City.


09 July/Aug 1990 Request for BBS distribution sites, Computer

GN90-07 Industry News, a look at the Sound Blaster card,

a review of Spectrum Holobytes' Faces game.

10 Sept/Oct 1990 Review of the games Atomix & Puzznik, a look at

GN90-09 Battlechess II and future game releases, v.42

& v.42bis - what their advantages are.


11 Nov/Dec 1990 Look at the TrakBlaster program, new Flight

GN90-11 Simulator scenery disks, Reviews of games

Spellcasting 101 and Jones in the Fast Lane,

the Amiga Video Toaster by NewTek, Being a

Game Designer for Electronic Arts.


12 Jan/Feb 1991 V.32bis standard, XGA, LaserDiscs, the

GN91-01 controversial Lotus-Equifax CD-ROM CD, "Boo to

Disney Software" editorial, FD-Format, review of

the game Hard Nova.


13 Mar/Apr 1991 Look at Workstations, BBS's pay business rates

GN91-03 on their phone lines, JMPlayer review, Amiga 24

bit graphics, the first VGA page ever.


14 May/June 1991 The Prodigy STAGE.DAT controversy, review of

GN91-05 TrakBlaster v2.0, MediaVision's Pro-Audio

Spectrum, Amiga News, Review of Lemmings.


15 July/Aug 1991 The PC Expo in NYC, look at Creative Labs'

GN91-07 Voice Edit program, hints to the adventure game

Time Quest, a review of the game Armor Alley,

Internet News, and the first-ever GIF News

contest.


16 Sept/Oct 1991 Sound Blaster Pro Vs. AdLib Gold, "High Prices

GN91-09 for Game Software" Editorial, Internet News,

Contest Winners Announced.

17 Nov/Dec 1991 Closer look at AdLib Gold, Windows 3.1 news,

GN91-11 Wing Commander II Built-in cheat, Police

Quest III, WordTris, Internet sites, new

releases for various computers.


18 Jan/Feb 1992 AdLib Gold Delayed, Brief Windows 3.0 program

GN92-01 review, Oh No More Lemmings!, 1992 planned

releases, best graphical adventure game company,

first SVGA page, Internet Archie Server.


19 Mar/Apr 1992 Reviews of two VGA shareware games: Scorched

GN92-03 Earth and Galactix, short look at two multi-

media groups, the new US Robotics 16.8K Modem,

SupraCorp's v32bis modem, industry news,

coming Apogee releases, $49 CD full of share-

ware and public domain software.


GIFNEWS.ADS

* FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING *


Policy updated for January 1992, subject to change.


Advertising in SIMPLE and EASY in GIF News, and very very affordable.

Basically a small ad, roughly under 1/5 the size of a full page, will be

free of charge. Often times these are ads for Bulletin Board Systems.

GIF News is read by thousands of readers throughout the world. Besides

the standard way of distribution through Bulletin Board Systems, GIF News

travels by means of the worldwide Network of Internet which reaches many

countries such as Japan, Australia, Norway, Finland, Canada, USA, France,

Great Britain, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, and more. GIF News can also

be found on the Compuserve Game Magazines download section.


Here are some guidelines to follow for advertising in GIF News:

1. If short and small, the ad is free of charge. I may add

some simple graphics to make the ad a little more interesting.

2. If advertising a BBS:

a. Send me a normal-access user acount pre-registered. In

other words, add an Eric Hsiao to your user roster and

pick a password and send it to me (along with your ad).

b. Sysops must let me know before each and every issue comes

out that they want their ad in it. This will help me keep

track of which boards are still up and which ones have gone

down. This will save our readers from the trouble of dialing

long distance to a board and getting a "Sorry, the number you

have dialed has been disconnected..." I am unable to accept

requests that say "Please put my BBS ad for the next 10

issues." If you want your BBS ad in the next 10 issues, you

much notify me before the deadline of each of the 10 issues

that you want the ad in it.

3. If contributing money for an ad:

a. A full page with customized drawn graphics by me will general-

ly run around $75 - add $25 for each additional issue that you

want the ad in.

b. Pre-supplied/drawn graphics full page size will generally

be around $50 - add $25 for each additional issue that you

want the ad in.

c. Half a page of custom graphics will run around $30 - add $10

for each additional issue that you want the ad in.

d. Pre-supplied/drawn graphics half size will be around $15 -

add $10 for each additional issue that you want the ad in.

e. Please keep in mind that these are only general numbers, I am

very flexible and will negotiate. Also, unlike the FREE BBS

ad policy, you can request that your ad be in for a certain

number of issues (ex. "Please put my full page ad in the

January issue for a contribution of $50, plus I would like

to see it in the March/April and May/June issues for an

additional contribution of $50 (2 x $25). See above for

contribution guidelines.

f. Contributions not need be in the form of monetary units

(money). Instead, products of interest to me such as a

PostScript Laser Printer, v32Bis Modem, etc. would really

be appreciated.

4. Any legitimate commercial/non-profit/organization/group/individual

can advertise in GIF News. GIF News retains the right to refuse

any advertisement due to content, space considerations, or

other reasons. We try to screen all advertisers for legitimacy.

Complaints against advertisers should be directed toward the

advertiser or the Better Business Bureau, not GIF News.


* FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING * FREE ADVERTISING *


GN-DISKS.TXT

GN-DISKS.TXT

.MOD files at your service

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you're a SoundBlaster owner like me, you probably

heard of the TrakBlaster program that plays Amiga NoiseTracker

sound files (.MOD files). NoiseTracker is a format that stores

samples of real or electronic instruments and the play back program

uses wave manipulation to play them back at different frequencies to

achieve different notes on the scale. As a result, you get

song files that are very realistic sounding, and are much better than

.ROL or .CMF files. Everything is taken care of by the SoundBlaster

DAC and the CPU.

Several programs out there exist for the PC to playback these

.MOD files. ModPlay 2.19b is one of them and will even play them back

through your internal speaker. It also includes plans to build your

very own stereo DAC that you could plug into your parallel printer port.

Future plans include support for the AdLib Gold 12-bit DAC (sound better

than an Amiga) and the Sound Blaster Pro (sounds as good as an Amiga).

For EGA users, there is JMPLAY, and for VGA users, there's the ever

popular TrakBlaster 2.0 program. If you're a SoundBlaster Pro owner,

there is a program out there called ProMod that lets you play these files

back in stereo.

Although there are literally thousands of .MOD files

out there, you may be having difficulty finding some on your local

Bulletin Board Systems. And you wish you had more, but don't want to

spend the lengthy time to download them from long distance boards. Well,

I have a solution to those people who want more, but can't find more.

I have amassed about many megs of .MOD files, and would like to share

them with you.


Introducing the GIF News .MOD file server

Files available on both 5.25" & 3.5" format


If you order 1-2 disks, the following rates apply:


Disk Type Price

5.25" 360K disk = $1.00 ea

3.5" 720K disk = $1.75 ea

5.25" 1.2Meg disk = $2.25 ea

3.5" 1.44Meg disk = $2.75 ea


If you order 3 or more, the following rates apply:

Disk Type Price

5.25" 360K disk = $.75 ea

3.5" 720K disk = $1.50 ea

5.25" 1.2Meg disk = $2.00 ea

3.5" 1.44Meg disk = $2.50 ea


Please print out the following order form to help you out.


Name: ___________________________ Date: ___/___/___

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

Phone: ( ) -



Disk Type Qty Price Total

___________________ _____ x _______ _______

___________________ _____ x _______ _______

___________________ _____ x _______ _______

___________________ _____ x _______ _______


See above for information on US Shipping _$.75__

Disk Type & Price

Total _______


Shipping to Canada is $1.50, not $.75 (funds in US Dollars please)

Checks & Money Order accepted as payment

Please make check out to Eric Hsiao

Mail this order form to:

Eric Hsiao

406-A BARH Mailroom, RPI

Troy, New York 12180-3590


If the date is after May 1st, 1992, please send your order to:

Eric Hsiao

7 Fair Way

Poughkeepsie, NY 12603-5014


All sales are final.


To make sure I don't send you .MOD files you already have, it may be

helpful for you mail your list of .MOD files along with the order

form.