labc-3dc@e260-3b.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) (03/03/89)
From a local BBS: ***** Date ->02/24/88 01:20:00 PM About two weeks ago, the major game producing companies got together for a little meeting...They discussed the VERY poor sales all of them were getting on Apple ][gs products. They went over sales figures for other lines and came to a very interesting conclusion. The Apple ][gs machine is to be killed from their lines of development. All the companies 'agreed' that it was a dieing machine and that it would be futile to continue to support it. So, most of them stopped all plans for the Apple ][gs immediately, a few are still going ahead with current plans and then stopping development. What does this mean? All of the loyal Apple ][gs owners are going to get the shaft... I am currently a Certified Developer for Apple and I have heard even worse news from that end. Rumors are flying as to the Apple ][gs+ (Or more commonly known in the developer comunity, the 'Universe' or '][gsx'. A VAST MAJORITY of the rumors that are around are TOTALLY unfounded and pathetic in content. Without a COMPLETE overhaul of the machine (IE, not a ][gs anymore) there will be NONE of the following: 128K sound ram, speed exceeding 5.6mhz, more graphics modes of higher resolution or more colors. There are practical reasons for the above, and if you have ANY knowledge of the machines design and chips you will see what I mean. I have talked to a few people that I know have machines (They will not be named seeing as Apple has one of the stricktest policies concerning new machines and non-disclosures). All I have heard is "It's a BIG disappointment" Furthermore, I have witnessed the slow release and vaporware tendencies of the companies concerning the Apple ][gs. It is becomming painfully recognisable that the 65xx line of computers from Apple are going to die pathetically unless the Apple ][gsx has undergone total redesign. Incindentally, the companies killing the machine from the software support standpoint are as follows (These are the ones I have verified, there were more at the meeting): Electronic Arts (5 more games and then their though), Epyx (12 games layed out, all killed) and Cinemaware (2 more to come then it dies). So what are we to do? I thing the computer community should talk back like what happened with Telenet/PCP...LET THE COMPANIES AND APPLE KNOW! Send letters, call, or do what may be necessary to get things back on track...or start learning 68000 assembly, because that is going to be the only thing left. I hope this post has reaced out and helped to explain this situation, and I hope SOME people out there DO take action, I know I am from my standpoint... -Mike/The Blue Dragon ***** -- fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) labc-3dc@widow.berkeley.edu
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (03/04/89)
>Incindentally, the companies killing the machine from the software support >standpoint are as follows (These are the ones I have verified, there were more >at the meeting): Electronic Arts (5 more games and then their though), Epyx (12 >games layed out, all killed) and Cinemaware (2 more to come then it dies). > >So what are we to do? I thing the computer community should talk back like >what happened with Telenet/PCP...LET THE COMPANIES AND APPLE KNOW! Send >letters, call, or do what may be necessary to get things back on track...or >start learning 68000 assembly, because that is going to be the only thing left. I find it ironic that the net is full of handwringing about Apple not taking the II community seriously and is devoting too much attention to the Mac, while at the same time waxing hysterical because a few game publishers are finding that the prospects of investment recovery (in the FUTURE :-) for Apple 2 games doesn't look promising (perhaps you all have heard of Nintenndo -- however it's spelled). The Atari-ST and Amiga may hang in for awhile, but I suspect the reported phenomenon is more a case of the days of a general purpose computer being the game machine of choice have simply passed. Now if Claris and Beagle Brothers indicate that they are curtailing Apple II development, THEN I'd be concerned! /s Murph I bought the latest computer; it came fully loaded. It was guaranteed for 90 days, but in 30 was outmoded! - The Wall Street Journal passed along by Big Red Computer's SCARLETT FAX it to me at: 1-203-486-5246
lwv@n8emr.UUCP (Larry W. Virden) (03/06/89)
In article <8903031440.aa02910@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) writes:
-->I find it ironic that the net is full of handwringing about Apple not taking
-->the II community seriously and is devoting too much attention to the Mac,
-->while at the same time waxing hysterical because a few game publishers
-->are finding that the prospects of investment recovery (in the FUTURE :-)
-->for Apple 2 games doesn't look promising (perhaps you all have heard of
-->Nintenndo -- however it's spelled).
-->
The problem Murphy is that if folks like Claris are beginning to shut down
GS development (I dont know that they are - I am saying IF) AND if game folks
are also shutting down development - exactly what kind of software is going
to be developed on the IIgs? I know that for over a year foriegn apple II
support ACROSS THE BOARD has been decreasing - so we cannot expect to see games
and productivity software appear from overseas ... if we are going to see it,
we have to see it in the USA. We cannot be maximumly productive with only
a few diversa programs, proline and ProSel - if folks like Dave Lyons keeps
on crunching out programs we will have a few other quality products but
gee - what is going to sell the Apple IIgs if there are no games, music,
paint, word processing , spreadsheet, or database programs! Note that the
ONLY GS specific programs for spreadsheet are AW/GS and a non-supported
VIP from the first month or two of GS promotion. There is also AW/Classic
but it isnt GS specific...
--
Larry W. Virden 674 Falls Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (614) 864-8817
75046,606 (CIS) ; LVirden (ALPE) ; osu-cis!n8emr!lwv (UUCP)
osu-cis!n8emr!lwv@TUT.CIS.OHIO-STATE.EDU (INTERNET)
The world's not inherited from our parents, but borrowed from our children.labc-3dc@e260-3a.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) (03/07/89)
In article <851@n8emr.UUCP> lwv@n8emr.UUCP (Larry W. Virden) writes: [whack] > I know that for over a year foriegn apple II >support ACROSS THE BOARD has been decreasing - so we cannot expect to see games >and productivity software appear from overseas ... [whack] From what I've been hearing, Apple representatives overseas don't know what the heck an Apple //gs IS. Why would somebody in a foreign country want to develop software on an unsupported machine? Anybody out there got a list of names and addresses of anti-Apple II managers? >Larry W. Virden 674 Falls Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (614) 864-8817 -- fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) labc-3dc@widow.berkeley.edu