[comp.sys.amiga.games] Missing game parts - Are they useful?

judd@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Steve Judd) (08/25/90)

Several games I *purchased* recently seem to be missing the following things:

-Battle of Britain: Amiga reference card.
-Red Storm Rising: Map of Norweigian Sea.
-Times of Lore: Map.

Are any of these vital to gameplay?  (BoB was trivial to install to the hard
drive, so I don't need the card for that purpose).  I assume that the Times of
Lore map is an extremely nice thing to have - anybody have an extra one they 
want to give or sell to me?  If not, then does anybody have Origin's new address
and phone?

Thumbnail Quickies:
BoB is one of the first games in a long time that is... fun.  It's not terribly
strategy-oriented, it doesn't require lightening reflexes, it's just very, very
fun!  Also, it's a pretty good translation to the Amiga (although I suspect
they didn't bother to modify the graphics and sound much).

I haven't gotten to play RSR much (yet), but I am impressed that they used
extra_halfbrite, instead of doing Yet Another Wimpy Port.  Also, it
multitasks.

ToL is the first Origin game I've seen that wasn't a direct port (they even
turn the sound filter on and off!).  I hope that Origin continues this trend,
and starts writing games for the Amiga instead of porting them.  Unfortunately,
I haven't played this one much either (without the map I have no idea where to
go).

					-Steve

judd@tramp.colorado.edu        //    "I predict a world market of about five
!ncar!boulder!tramp!judd     \X/      computers." - Thomas J. Watson

barrett@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dan Barrett) (08/26/90)

In article <25180@boulder.Colorado.EDU> judd@tramp.Colorado.EDU (Steve Judd) writes:
>
>Several games I *purchased* recently seem to be missing the following things:
>-Times of Lore: Map.

	I would say that the Map is extremely useful.  Without it, you would be
relying a lot on trial and error to find your way around.  The map is
about 2 feet by 3 feet!

>ToL is the first Origin game I've seen that wasn't a direct port (they even
>turn the sound filter on and off!).  I hope that Origin continues this trend,
>and starts writing games for the Amiga instead of porting them.

	I find the Amiga version of ToL to be extremely frustrating due to
poor programming.  Namely, the "save" feature is the most miserable I have
ever seen in a PC game:

	o	You can save ONLY at an inn.  There are maybe 5 on the map.
	o	You can have only ONE saved game stored.
	o	It saves the game to the copy protected master disk.  Lose
		the disk and you lose your game too!

If I had known this I would not have bought the game.

                                                        Dan

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judd@boulder.Colorado.EDU (JUDD STEPHEN L) (08/26/90)

In article <6214@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> barrett@jhunix.UUCP (Dan Barrett) writes:
>In article <25180@boulder.Colorado.EDU> judd@tramp.Colorado.EDU (Steve Judd) writes:
>	I would say that the Map is extremely useful.  Without it, you would be
>relying a lot on trial and error to find your way around.  The map is
>about 2 feet by 3 feet!

Kinda figured...

>
>>ToL is the first Origin game I've seen that wasn't a direct port (they even
>>turn the sound filter on and off!).  I hope that Origin continues this trend,
>>and starts writing games for the Amiga instead of porting them.
>
>	I find the Amiga version of ToL to be extremely frustrating due to
>poor programming.  Namely, the "save" feature is the most miserable I have
>ever seen in a PC game:

Ah.  Well, I never played far enough to save the game (without the map, I
just wandered around for twenty minutes or so, and after finding about
zilch just turned it off).  So, perhaps my above comments aren't as valid.
I still think they put a tiny little bit of extra effort into the Amiga version,
though.

>	o	You can save ONLY at an inn.  There are maybe 5 on the map.
Bummer.

>	o	You can have only ONE saved game stored.
I think I can deal with this.  I never saved more than one game of Ultima
at a time.

>	o	It saves the game to the copy protected master disk.  Lose
>		the disk and you lose your game too!
Now THAT really stinks.

>If I had known this I would not have bought the game.
I would, because I got it at a 50% off software sale!

I will reserve judgement on Origin Amiga-wise until I see Ultima V (which,
according to recent rumor on csa, is due out in October).  If it rages,
which it really has the capability of doing, it will make up for all Origin's
previous Amiga blunders.  I might also add that it is my all-time favorite
game, for any computer, (I played it on my C64).

>                                                        Dan

					-Steve
judd@tramp.colorado.edu