ssinha@pro-micol.cts.com (Samir Sinha) (04/21/91)
In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU There will be NO Ultima VI or other Ultimas for the II world. The current catalog, which used to have the heading 'future' is GONE. A big grey blank. -------------------------------------------<Pro-micol (416) 731 - 3468>------ ProLine: ssinha@pro-micol Internet: generic!pnet91!pro-micol!ssinha@zoo.toronto.edu UUCP: utzoo!generic!pnet91!pro-micol!ssinha -------------------------------------------<24 hours 300/1200/2400 >------
unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (04/21/91)
In article <5970.apple2.info.apple@pro-micol> ssinha@pro-micol.cts.com (Samir Sinha) writes: >In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU > >There will be NO Ultima VI or other Ultimas for the II world. The current >catalog, which used to have the heading 'future' is GONE. A big grey blank. Well then we need to keep writing to them and get new people to write to them to convince them there is a HUGE market for this product. -- /unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu Apple IIGS Forever! WANT ULTIMA VI //e or GS?-mail me.\ \CHEAP CDs info-mail me. McIntosh Junior: The Power to Crush the Other Kids. /
toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (04/21/91)
unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: > Well then we need to keep writing to them and get new people to >write to them to convince them there is a HUGE market for this product. What huge market?? Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu
tsouth@techbook.com (Todd South) (04/24/91)
In article <1991Apr21.100944.17256@nntp-server.caltech.edu> toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) writes: >unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: > >> Well then we need to keep writing to them and get new people to >>write to them to convince them there is a HUGE market for this product. > >What huge market?? > >Todd Whitesel >toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu I don't know about you, Todd, but most everyone I know of with an inkling of FRP interest who also own an Apple ][ owns at least one _if not more_ programs from Lord British. I think that companies that put forth quality games should be supported, not pirated. If Ultima VI came out for the //gs I know that most of my friends would purchase it, but our wives might try throwing it away considering the amount of time that Ultima V took up to play! :) Todd South -- -- tsouth@techbook.COM ...!{tektronix!nosun,uunet}techbook!tsouth Public Access UNIX at (503) 644-8135 (1200/2400) Voice: +1 503 646-8257 Public Access User --- Not affiliated with TECHbooks
tlhayes@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Zatar) (04/25/91)
Not to sound depressing or anything, but I talked to a guy from Origin Systems at their demo at PsurrealCon (Norman, Ok), and asked him about Ultima VI for the II gs. He said that software companies are already losing too much money on the regular machines due to piracy that they cannot afford to put out software for low-user machines. It is not even a possible consideration. He basically said that Origin and some other software companies he knows of have decided that they are never going to write anything for the II's ever again. *sigh* -Zatar (tlhayes@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu) P.S. Origin itself almost went under just before they released Ultima VI for the IBM, whiched pulled them back up, and they are doing reasonably well now.
georgeb@seer.UUCP (George Bako) (04/28/91)
>In article <5970.apple2.info.apple@pro-micol> ssinha@pro-micol.cts.com >(Samir Sinha) writes: >>In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU >> >>There will be NO Ultima VI or other Ultimas for the II world. The current >>catalog, which used to have the heading 'future' is GONE. A big grey blank. > > Well then we need to keep writing to them and get new people to >write to them to convince them there is a HUGE market for this product. I can't beleive how STUPID these software companies are! JUST BECAUSE APPLE //'S AREN'T SUPPORTED BY APPLE, DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYBODY WITH AN APPLE // GOT UP ONE DAY AND THREW THEIR // INTO THE GARBAGE CAN!!!! THESE COMPANIES ARE SO !@$#$%#@@ ABSURD THAT IT MAKES ME SICK. There are LOTS and LOTS of people out there that would buy this game if it were made. Now YOU explain it to me, how the hell do they beleive that it won't make them profits? Software piracy cannot be the cause becuase there can be piracy on the ibm and commodore versions as well. And there are just about as many Apple // owners out there as there are commodore 64 users. But they made a commodore 64 version! WHY?? WHY NOT AN APPLE VERSION??????? -- =======================================// I didn't do it, UUCP: georgeb@seer.mystic.com // nobody saw me do it, -- Bart or: uunet!unisoft!seer!georgeb // you can't prove anything! Simpson CompuServe: 71160,1344 //========================================
6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) (04/29/91)
Just out of curiousity... have you bought Dragon Wars GS? Or Immortals GS?
or Cryllan Mission 2088 GS? or Space Ace GS? or Rastan GS (ok, granted,
that ones a little tough to get ahold of).
Here's a neat little story. Dragon Wars GS has sold around 600 copies
(it was 500 about a month ago, hopefully 100 have been sold by then).
Will harvey is very disappointed with the sales of Immortals GS, I'd expect
it to be around 1000. Even Victory Software hasn't had a smashing success
with Cryllan Mission (the first or second scenarios), and their game is a
Ultima style game. Nor has space Ace GS done well. Taito dumped all their
computer games, so they're sorta irrelevent.
The point - all these professed users don't seem to be buying games.
Accolade dumped the IIgs when their game sales didn't even help break
even (TDII, Grand Prix, etc).
BTW, these aren't numbers just off the top of my head, Bill Heineman
posted the #s on a service a while back, and Accolade/Taito/Sierra/
Brian Greenstone (who is now doing Super Nintendo games, btw), Readysoft,
etc, etc all have come onto chats on other services and stated the
above. And as someone said a while back, in 1989 Origin released all
their games on AII format 1st (remember a ton of 128k dblhires games?)
and almost went bankrupt. That sorta thing wakes up a company I guess.
This is not to be a negative "god, we're all dying like rats" message,
just a observation that things aren't completely rosy. my suggestion -
pick up a couple games AND SEND IN THE WARRANTY! Buy from a local
dealer so he at least stocks stuff on the shelves. Get your friends to
buy cool games (Immortals GS is *AWESOME*, I even bought it directly
from EA for <shudder> $50 - 18002454525) and perhaps publishers will
realize that there IS a market! But they've been burned too often
to commit themselves to GS development anymore...:(
--
Apple II Forever | 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu | IBMs get the job done
Parik Rao | Amiga - for the creative mind | Class of 1994
Macintosh - buy it or Apple will sue you.philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) (04/29/91)
In article <10920@hub.ucsb.edu> 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) writes:
[More on the subject of game sales.]
I had to respond to this.Oh and by the way, Ensemble is a very sophisticated
midi player on the NeXT. It still does not match DT. I don't agree with
your analysis of the GS's sound capabilities. Like fonts, synthesizers
are not all of the same quality, and I do not feel that the digitized
ones found on PC's, Amiga's, NeXT's,etc...can match the Roland MT-32's
and Ensoniq's of the world. Designing sounds is an art. Anyway, back to
the current topic.
Just to set the record straight, I have purchased all the programs you
mentioned. They are basically very good programs- excellent in fact.
However, the game world has been generating variations on a theme for
years and charging customers far too much for the quality. The ones you
mention are exceptions, but they are really rare. The bottom line is
that games are best left to the Nintendo's, CDTV's, etc...of the world.
The GS has many unique qualities which would allow for a whole new
generation of programs. Ones that use sound, HCGS, HS, etc...Ones that
are educational and not simply mindless arcade lore. It may be fine to
have these. I suspect we'd be far better off getting them from ftp sites,
shareware, pd, etc...The computer gaming world is finished on all but a
few platforms. This will only increase as the game players use CD-ROM,
storage,etc...
I don't have much sympathy for companies who produce products which don't
sell, and then whine about it. Let them come out with stuff that does.
On another note, is there a utility which I can run un my next in order
to binscii a whole lot of GS stuff? What's the limit, in size and number
of files.
back to games: the Mac does not do much better in that area. The PC does,
due to its large installed base and the fact that some people will pay
$50 for any piece of questionable software. If you want to look at VGA
pictures in a game go out and become a camera buff.
Philip McDunnough
University of Toronto
philip@utstat.utstat.utoronto.ca
[my opinions,etc...]sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) (04/29/91)
6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) writes: > Just out of curiousity... have you bought Dragon Wars GS? Or Immortals GS? > or Cryllan Mission 2088 GS? or Space Ace GS? or Rastan GS (ok, granted, > that ones a little tough to get ahold of). > > Here's a neat little story. Dragon Wars GS has sold around 600 copies > (it was 500 about a month ago, hopefully 100 have been sold by then). > Will harvey is very disappointed with the sales of Immortals GS, I'd expect > it to be around 1000. Even Victory Software hasn't had a smashing success > with Cryllan Mission (the first or second scenarios), and their game is a > Ultima style game. Nor has space Ace GS done well. Taito dumped all their > computer games, so they're sorta irrelevent. > > The point - all these professed users don't seem to be buying games. > Accolade dumped the IIgs when their game sales didn't even help break > even (TDII, Grand Prix, etc). > > BTW, these aren't numbers just off the top of my head, Bill Heineman > posted the #s on a service a while back, and Accolade/Taito/Sierra/ > Brian Greenstone (who is now doing Super Nintendo games, btw), Readysoft, > etc, etc all have come onto chats on other services and stated the > above. And as someone said a while back, in 1989 Origin released all > their games on AII format 1st (remember a ton of 128k dblhires games?) > and almost went bankrupt. That sorta thing wakes up a company I guess. Part of the problem as I see it: Where do all these users go to find out about these great games? How many people actually read Incider/A+? How many people get any magazines? (I'm talking II people, and Apple magazines). How many Apple magazines are there? I don't feel that the follow-up to the initial sale (of the II) is very good at all. I know that I'm constantly (depending on the money) improving my system - but how many other people are? How many of these thousands of II users leave their machines sitting in a closet? And how many of these IIs are owned by schools? What's the follow up in the school districts? I think if we could just reach out to everybody.... > > This is not to be a negative "god, we're all dying like rats" message, > just a observation that things aren't completely rosy. my suggestion - > pick up a couple games AND SEND IN THE WARRANTY! Buy from a local > dealer so he at least stocks stuff on the shelves. Get your friends to > buy cool games (Immortals GS is *AWESOME*, I even bought it directly Exactly. I'm not being negative either. Yeah, Immortal GS is incredible. You're a major loser if you don't have this game... I guess I should send in the registration card though... > from EA for <shudder> $50 - 18002454525) and perhaps publishers will > realize that there IS a market! But they've been burned too often > to commit themselves to GS development anymore...:( > > > > -- > Apple II Forever | 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu | IBMs get the job done > Parik Rao | Amiga - for the creative mind | Class of 1994 > Macintosh - buy it or Apple will sue you. -seth tHe mAd ScienTisT, and other carnations ----------------------- sk2f@andrew.cmu.edu | everything seems so easy this way but I'm going under tmSatCMU@DRYCAS.BITNET| fast, I'm slipping away, am I so crazy? - Marillion
SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU (04/29/91)
Pariko Rao writes in a previous article... > Just out of curiousity... have you bought Dragon Wars GS? Or Immortals GS? > or Cryllan Mission 2088 GS? or Space Ace GS? or Rastan GS (ok, granted, > that ones a little tough to get ahold of). Just out of curiousity, have you ever SEEN any advertisements for these games??? Ummm... well... errr... > Here's a neat little story. Dragon Wars GS has sold around 600 copies > (it was 500 about a month ago, hopefully 100 have been sold by then). > Will harvey is very disappointed with the sales of Immortals GS, I'd expect > it to be around 1000. Even Victory Software hasn't had a smashing success > with Cryllan Mission (the first or second scenarios), and their game is a > Ultima style game. Nor has space Ace GS done well. Taito dumped all their > computer games, so they're sorta irrelevent. Yea I *do* know the sales are lagging, and that our market has diminished in size compared to IBM, or even *gasp* C-64, but there's another side to the equation here. Advertisement. If we, the IIGS owners do not know about a product that has been produced, who's going to buy it? How often do you see EA pushing a product *in* Incider? Or mail out a news bulletin to all the Apple II owners of EA products - if the Incider method was too expensive. Even right after they produced the Immortal and the Dragon Wars GS, they still did not do anything. Not only that, they make no attempt to have their distributers put them in their stores - so they get even less exposure time. When it comes right down to it, chances are the majority of the people who have bought these programs are the IIgs pirates who buy the good software because they are the only ones who know anything about it... And it really seems silly that if these guys are really trying to save the IIgs market that they would not even try to get their product known to all of the few owners that are left... Who are they taking their advertising lessons from? Apple? > The point - all these professed users don't seem to be buying games. > Accolade dumped the IIgs when their game sales didn't even help break > even (TDII, Grand Prix, etc). A lot of the professional users are 8 year old kids who use the IIgs's in school. Many are like us who go to high school/college who are having enough problems finding the cash to get our GS up to a resonable technological level. {i.e. upgrading the stock 256K GS to 2.25 megs with a hard drive and Zip chip} And thats a lot of money for us to be spending on upgrading our system. I don't see Zip Chip or Quality Computers complaining about weak IIgs sales... > above. And as someone said a while back, in 1989 Origin released all > their games on AII format 1st (remember a ton of 128k dblhires games?) > and almost went bankrupt. That sorta thing wakes up a company I guess. Yea, and how many GS owners were thrilled to see games that didn't take advantage of their computer? Gee. Dblehirses - more goofy color bleeds on my RGB monitor. Even some simple graphics mods with an improved sound system would be better! But no, we got the universal AII version... And I bet a lot of the active II market, which is in the IIgs market, held off buying the software because we wanted the IIgs version. Hey, we paid the extra dough for the Graphics and Sound, right? Granted, its a catch 22, but thats what happens... One more comment about software coming out on the AII format first. Its also kinda really silly to come out with the GS upgrade for Dragonwars over 2 years AFTER the AII version comes out. Most IIgs owners who really really wanted the game just picked it up when the price plummeted AND solved the game... So what does it gain for them now to buy a new version when they have already solved it? Overall, yes, Apple IIgs owners should be buying more software. But its up to the companies to GET THEIR PRODUCT KNOWN!!! {Yes, you too Apple!} Otherwise Joe IIgs User, who lives in Florida 300 miles away from ANY software store that sells II wares, and reads Incider isn't going to know diddly about the IIgs software availble. | Hal Bouma | Send mail to: SHBoum@Macalstr.edu | Macalester College | and SHBoum@Macalstr.Bitnet | GEnie: H.Bouma | ".Sig Under Construction..."
ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy) (04/30/91)
>Parik Rao | Amiga - for the creative mind | Class of
1994
Given that there are about 1 million GSs on the market, and bout half of those
are home computers, what percentage is 4000 units? .1% or so? This is the
number of units of Xenocide sold by Greenstone for the GS, it is now available
for the IBM systems and actually runs on less than a 386, if he were to sell
.1% of the installed base (around 10 million PC clones in home use I
estimate), he would sell 40,000 units. It doesn't take an accountant to figure
where the money is.
I too have bought all of the games you mentioned (except the Victory stuff,
which I feel is flawed). I get the distinct feeling that I am subsidizing the
pirates, but I don't care too much as long as the software keeps coming. I
will be avaioding Electronic Arts games in the future mainly because the copy
protection penalizes the honest without punishing the guilty. And only their
Apple II and C64 games do this, all other systems support documentation CP and
are HD installable.
My only suggestion is that we increase the proportion of users buying
software. Not just any software, we can leave the IBM users to buy every piece
of gunk released (like the Apple II circa 1982), but the quality products that
take the system to its limits and beyond. The items that really make the Apple
II shine and not cower in the shadow of Mac or IBM or Amiga.
Support flows two ways.
UUCP: bkj386!pnet91!ericmcg
INET: ericmcg@pnet91.cts.comgwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn) (04/30/91)
In article <10920@hub.ucsb.edu> 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) writes: >Here's a neat little story. Dragon Wars GS has sold around 600 copies >(it was 500 about a month ago, hopefully 100 have been sold by then). >Will harvey is very disappointed with the sales of Immortals GS, I'd expect >it to be around 1000. Even Victory Software hasn't had a smashing success >with Cryllan Mission (the first or second scenarios), and their game is a >Ultima style game. Nor has space Ace GS done well. Taito dumped all their >computer games, so they're sorta irrelevent. >The point - all these professed users don't seem to be buying games. >Accolade dumped the IIgs when their game sales didn't even help break >even (TDII, Grand Prix, etc). Don't blame the consumers for this. I've been looking for Dragon Wars GS for months now, and it simply has NOT been stocked in ANY software store in the area. I finally ordered it from QuestBusters, of all places. About the only IIGS software I've been able to find stocked in stores is software that I bought years ago, so naturally they're not selling much of what they DO stock. It appears to be a conspiracy, or perhaps simply stupidity, on the part of the software distribution channels. >And as someone said a while back, in 1989 Origin released all >their games on AII format 1st (remember a ton of 128k dblhires games?) >and almost went bankrupt. That sorta thing wakes up a company I guess. I don't recall many Origin releases in 1989, but the few I do recall came on 5.25" floppies for 8-bit Apple IIs. Many Apple II family owners do not even have 5.25" disk drives, and IIGS owners would prefer to spend their limited software dollars on software that exploits the IIGS hardware rather than simply emulating the old 8-bit Apple IIs. >pick up a couple games AND SEND IN THE WARRANTY! Buy from a local >dealer so he at least stocks stuff on the shelves. Yes, this might help, if it isn't already too late. Some stores around here don't even have an Apple II section any more.
gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn) (04/30/91)
In article <82A0491E19FF207BB1@MACALSTR.EDU> SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU writes: > One more comment about software coming out on the AII format >first. Its also kinda really silly to come out with the GS upgrade for >Dragonwars over 2 years AFTER the AII version comes out. Most IIgs owners >who really really wanted the game just picked it up when the price >plummeted AND solved the game... So what does it gain for them now to buy >a new version when they have already solved it? This is a good point. Sierra used to poor sales of the IIGS versions of King's Quest I, etc. to justify dropping the Apple II versions. However, what did they expect? Like everybody else who would have been interested, I had long bought and completed that quest in its 8-bit version. I would expect very few IIGS owners to be in the market for the IIGS version by the time it came out.
kenfair@flammulated.rice.edu (Kenneth Jason Fair) (05/01/91)
In article <82A0491E19FF207BB1@MACALSTR.EDU> SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU writes: > A lot of the professional users are 8 year old kids who use >the IIgs's in school. Many are like us who go to high school/college >who are having enough problems finding the cash to get our GS up to >a resonable technological level. {i.e. upgrading the stock 256K GS >to 2.25 megs with a hard drive and Zip chip} And thats a lot of money >for us to be spending on upgrading our system. I don't see Zip Chip >or Quality Computers complaining about weak IIgs sales... Absolutely true. I've just shelled out about $700 over the past six months buying a hard drive and increased memory and a modem. I can't afford to buy every new game that comes out on the market. Once I get the hardware, then I can get the software. > Yea, and how many GS owners were thrilled to see games that >didn't take advantage of their computer? Gee. Dblehirses - more goofy >color bleeds on my RGB monitor. Even some simple graphics mods with an >improved sound system would be better! But no, we got the universal AII >version... And I bet a lot of the active II market, which is in the >IIgs market, held off buying the software because we wanted the IIgs >version. Hey, we paid the extra dough for the Graphics and Sound, right? >Granted, its a catch 22, but thats what happens... Of course. That's why I bought a IIGS in the first place. I wait for software to come out in the GS version, but sometimes it doesn't (like Bard's Tale III). > Overall, yes, Apple IIgs owners should be buying more software. >But its up to the companies to GET THEIR PRODUCT KNOWN!!! {Yes, you too >Apple!} Otherwise Joe IIgs User, who lives in Florida 300 miles away >from ANY software store that sells II wares, and reads Incider isn't going to >know diddly about the IIgs software availble. I get almost NO advertising from software companies even though I get InCider and am on the nets and I ALWAYS register my software. If companies advertised in InCider, maybe InCider wouldn't feel it had to cover Macs as well... :-I Ken -- +-----------------------------------------------------+-----------------------+ "God does not play dice with the universe."- Einstein | kenfair@owlnet.rice.edu "God may play dice with the universe, but he does not | America Online: collapse electron probability waveforms."- Fair | Mr Toaster
alfter@nevada.edu (SCOTT ALFTER) (05/01/91)
In article <16006@smoke.brl.mil> gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn) writes: >came on 5.25" floppies for 8-bit Apple IIs. Many Apple II family owners >do not even have 5.25" disk drives, and IIGS owners would prefer to spend Umm...I don't know where you've been lately, but the 8-bit systems outnumber the IIGS by about 5-to-1, and 8-bit systems without 5.25" drives are extremely rare. (The only 8-bit systems you're likely to see without 5.25" drives are the very small number of IIc Pluses with their built-in 3.5" drives.) I'd think it's safe to say that the vast majority of Apple II owners have 5.25" drives, which would be most software publishers' deciding factor in determining which format--5.25" or 3.5"--to use for distribution. By comparison, 3.5" drives are much less common. Sure, almost every IIGS has at least one, but most 8-bit systems don't have 'em. (I don't have one, and getting one is fairly low on my list of things to get for my system.) Scott Alfter-----------------------------_/_---------------------------- Call the Skunk Works BBS (702) 896-2676 / v \ 6 PM-6 AM 300/1200/2400 Internet: alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu ( ( Apple II: GEnie: S.ALFTER \_^_/ the power to be your best!
John A. Johnson <J5J@psuvm.psu.edu> (05/02/91)
In article <854@seer.UUCP>, georgeb@seer.UUCP (George Bako) says: > > > I can't beleive how STUPID these software companies are! > > JUST BECAUSE APPLE //'S AREN'T SUPPORTED BY APPLE, DOESN'T MEAN >THAT EVERYBODY WITH AN APPLE // GOT UP ONE DAY AND THREW THEIR >// INTO THE GARBAGE CAN!!!! THESE COMPANIES ARE SO !@$#$%#@@ >ABSURD THAT IT MAKES ME SICK. > > There are LOTS and LOTS of people out there that would buy >this game if it were made. Now YOU explain it to me, how the >hell do they beleive that it won't make them profits? Software >piracy cannot be the cause becuase there can be piracy on the >ibm and commodore versions as well. And there are just about >as many Apple // owners out there as there are commodore 64 >users. But they made a commodore 64 version! WHY?? WHY NOT >AN APPLE VERSION??????? > My sentiments exactly. I am _so_ disillusioned. I expected a little more loyalty to us Apple II users who gave Ultima its start. I guess all those things Lord British told us about virtue were just words.
tsouth@techbook.com (Todd South) (05/04/91)
In article <10920@hub.ucsb.edu> 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) writes: > > Just out of curiousity... have you bought Dragon Wars GS? Or Immortals GS? >or Cryllan Mission 2088 GS? or Space Ace GS? or Rastan GS (ok, granted, >that ones a little tough to get ahold of). See below... >Here's a neat little story. Dragon Wars GS has sold around 600 copies >(it was 500 about a month ago, hopefully 100 have been sold by then). >Will harvey is very disappointed with the sales of Immortals GS, I'd expect >it to be around 1000. Even Victory Software hasn't had a smashing success >with Cryllan Mission (the first or second scenarios), and their game is a >Ultima style game. Nor has space Ace GS done well. Taito dumped all their >computer games, so they're sorta irrelevent. >The point - all these professed users don't seem to be buying games. >Accolade dumped the IIgs when their game sales didn't even help break >even (TDII, Grand Prix, etc). One thing that I'd like to state about sales is that somethings are worth it, and some aren't. The above-mentioned are well worth the purchase prices, but were VERY hard to find in my area. Dragon Wars has just recently come to an Egghead store in the area (bought it), I have yet to see a copy of Immortals in any of the software stores in West Portland and I did find Cryllan Mission and purchased it. Space Ace was a pretty lame game for its SIZE. Nine disks to go through a game which last at best about 2 minutes. Does this sound like a worthwhile product to you? Maybe I'm not the norm, but every major software package (game) for the IIgs which I've deemed as worth the purchase price I have bought. >BTW, these aren't numbers just off the top of my head, Bill Heineman >posted the #s on a service a while back, and Accolade/Taito/Sierra/ >Brian Greenstone (who is now doing Super Nintendo games, btw), Readysoft, >etc, etc all have come onto chats on other services and stated the >above. And as someone said a while back, in 1989 Origin released all >their games on AII format 1st (remember a ton of 128k dblhires games?) >and almost went bankrupt. That sorta thing wakes up a company I guess. >This is not to be a negative "god, we're all dying like rats" message, >just a observation that things aren't completely rosy. my suggestion - >pick up a couple games AND SEND IN THE WARRANTY! Buy from a local >dealer so he at least stocks stuff on the shelves. Get your friends to >buy cool games (Immortals GS is *AWESOME*, I even bought it directly >from EA for <shudder> $50 - 18002454525) and perhaps publishers will >realize that there IS a market! But they've been burned too often >to commit themselves to GS development anymore...:( Can you pass that address/phone for ordering Immortals to us again! :) I honestly did not know that you could order directly from EA. I wonder just how much of the _general Apple IIgs_ populous knows this, either. I sure would like to see games like Populous for the IIgs, btw. Has anyone played that on a 386 with SVGA. Pretty impressive. Maybe, one of the problems with sales today is marketting. Most II and IIgs users do not see the good programs on the shelves or being demon- strated on their machine in the stores. I can't remember the last time I saw a store employee running a game on a IIgs for people to watch but they sure as hell are playing those IBM games left and right when >-- >Apple II Forever | 6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu | IBMs get the job done >Parik Rao | Amiga - for the creative mind | Class of 1994 Sorry to ramble, but for the record I do support publishers to the best of my ability. Considering that most programs aren't really marketted well it can be hard at times, though. Comments? Todd... -- -- tsouth@techbook.COM ...!{tektronix!nosun,uunet}techbook!tsouth Public Access UNIX at (503) 644-8135 (1200/2400) Voice: +1 503 646-8257 Public Access User --- Not affiliated with TECHbooks
mvk@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent) (05/05/91)
In article <1991May3.173048.8986@techbook.com> tsouth@techbook.com (Todd South) writes: >Maybe, one of the problems with sales today is marketting. Most II and >IIgs users do not see the good programs on the shelves or being demon- >strated on their machine in the stores. I can't remember the last >time I saw a store employee running a game on a IIgs for people to watch >but they sure as hell are playing those IBM games left and right when I'd have to agree with this point. The only programs I've seen demonstrated at an Apple or software dealer on the GS are ProDOS 8 programs. There are some nice 8-bit programs out there, but they hardly show off the capabilities of the GS. The dealers seem to think of the GS as a fast IIe. It's so sad to walk into a dealer and see the salesman implying that 6 color HR is the best the GS can do. There is money to be made on the GS, but the developers are going to have to get their products out to the public. -- Michael Kent mvk@itsgw.rpi.edu McDonnell Douglas Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute All facts in this post are based on publicly available information. All opinions expressed are solely those of the author. Official positions may vary.