jafischer@watrose.UUCP (04/11/87)
ANTIC PUBLISHING INC., COPYRIGHT 1987.
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.
CEBIT '87 ST REPORT: PART 4
CAD GRAPHICS & MIDI SOFTWARE
-- EXCLUSIVE TO ANTIC ONLINE --
BY CHRISTIAN SCHMITZ-MOORMANN
APRIL 4, 1987
Harm-Bastian (HABA), which resides in Hamburg, has released its HABACAD-PL
layout program. The program addresses only professional hardware-developers and
the price of DM3000 ($1200) seems rather hefty. No GEM support, but powerful
routing routines.
Quite a bit less expensive and for different customers is CAMPUS V 1.1.
This program is fully GEM-integrated and has made quite some enhancements to
GEM. It is quick and definitely a very usable drawing tool. Its price of DM700
($330) may seem high, but it is really worth it. If only I had a use for it and
a plotter!
On the lower end of the price scale is STAD a drawing-program for 2-D and
3-D objects. There are up to 15 2-D pages and an extra 3-D part. STAD offers
the usual and some extra functions including sending/receiving via the serial
port. The 3-D part is object-oriented like in EASYDRAW, the 2-D part is not.
However, it is possible to interchange data between the parts, thus
allowing for a 2-D object-library. STAD also includes animation and 'realtime
rotation'. STAD retails for DM 179.- ($90).
Only for color monitors are the two Director programs ART DIRECTOR and FILM
DIRECTOR by ANDROMEDA. This Hungarian firm has always been good for terrific
programs and these two programs are among their best. The ART DIRECTOR is a
drawing and painting program, but it offers most unusual features and is very
flexible. The FILM DIRECTOR could be described as a slide-show program. But it
is much more. Objects that have been created using the ART DIRECTOR are put
together in several thousand frames, a background and music can be added and you
have made your first animation- picture.
If you have the breath, it can take up to three hours. The directors import
all kind of other graphic formats and when you add a video-digitizer there is no
limit to your imagination.
SOUND
Talking of music. There are some powerful new programs that allow even the
non-musician to create nice melodies and sound-effects.
MUSIX 32, already in an enhanced version, allows programmers to add sound
and music to their programs, which is played in background and interrupt-driven.
Besides putting in the score it is possible to define the dynamics, the
sound-wave and to perform transformations. Once you are done you can make a
printout and incorporate the music in any C-, Pascal, or GfA- program. Other
languages can also be used. MUSIX 32 has been created by the famous team of
TOMMY SOFTWARE.
If you are interested in synthesizers and own an ATARI you won't get around
STEINBERG. This firm has produced software and hardware already in the days of
Commodore 64, but their ATARI programs and add-ons are first- rate. They offer
everything from a sequencer (TWENTY-FOUR 2.0) to score-printing programs
(MASTERSCORE), editing kits (pro16+) and their SOUND WORKS series, powerful
tools for several synthesizers which help in designing new sounds, editing and
mixing samples and much more.
GAMES
Although CEBIT is dedicated more to the office than to leisure there were
some games. MICRODEAL showed among more serious pieces of software their
KARATE-KID II and ELECTRONIC POOL programs. TOMMY SOFTWARE showed their
products TRASHHEAP and DIZZY WIZARD which seemed quite interesting.
FINISHING UP
A program I could not classify, but which I found a very appealing
possibility to learn is 'SKYPLOT plus'.
Just about anything that has to do with astronomy is in this program.
Calculate eclipses, conjunctions, trails of selected comets or planets and
stars. Two databases for the stars, one with 610 and one with 15,383 stars are
integrated. It is possible to find out how the night-sky above your house looks
like, by putting in your geographical position. This program has much more
possibilities. It retails for DM 200,- ($100).
I know that many things were described much too superficially, but this
report was intended to give you an ideaof what is happening in ATARI's
stronghold. ATARI has sold over 120,000 STs (all models) in Germany alone.
ATARI Germany has made up for almost 30% of ATARI's sales in 1986.
END OF CEBIT '87 ST REPORT
--
- Jonathan Fischer (jafischer@watrose.UUCP)
or ...watmath!watrose!jafischer