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3:rd World paki report, October 1996 by MindBender & ShadowMaster
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These are our rules for rating releases:
- Only final release version will be rated
- Only releases within the 50 disk limit will be rated
- Only releases that works 100% will be rated (no beta/unregistered)
- Only releases in english language will be rated
- we're rating only the 5 best groups (who cares about the rest?) *
The first working version that is 'properly' stripped will recieve score !
All releases will be rated in a 1-5 point score (1 = crap, 5 = excellent).
This includes trainers (1 pt) and "real" addons (extra missions etc. NOT sound
or animations). A good addon is much more joyable than a bad game...
Non-working games that are fixed within a 5 day period will be rated with
a lesser score for each fix needed. Fixes are not awarded with score...
- note * the defination of a properly stripped game is where unnecessary
animations/intros/outros/speech etc is removed. The game must ofcourse
still be playable (ie: Command & Conquer - Hybrid releases in 1995).
October 1996 - Highlights & Rumours
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- North American supplygod ZEUS left PRESTIGE due to internal problems and
founded PARADIGM together with Crackpot & Hemp Hoodlum ... Goodluck guys !
- PARADIGM gained strength as they absorbed ROMLIGHT !
- DYNASTY who last month merged HYBRID left this month and joined PARADIGM !
- MONTHLY - - TOTALLY -
##: Group: Releases: ##: Group: Releases:
==================================== ====================================
01) PRESTIGE 37 [---] 01) PRESTIGE 37 [---]
02) HYBRID 17 [---] 02) HYBRID 17 [---]
03) PARADIGM 07 [NEW] 03) PARADIGM 07 [NEW]
04) ILLUSION 03 [---] 04) ILLUSION 03 [---]
RAZOR 1911 03 [---] RAZOR 1911 03 [---]
##: Group: Score: ##: Group: Score:
==================================== ====================================
01) PRESTIGE 101 [---] 01) PRESTIGE 101 [---]
02) HYBRID 48 [---] 02) HYBRID 48 [---]
03) PARADIGM 19 [NEW] 03) PARADIGM 19 [NEW]
04) ILLUSION 10 [---] 04) ILLUSION 10 [---]
RAZOR 1911 10 [---] RAZOR 1911 10 [---]
- RECORDS -
=============================================================================
Total number of releases : 37 (Prestige in Oct-96)
Total number of points : 101 (Prestige in Oct-96)
Average points / release : 3.33 (Illusion in Oct-96)
Percentage of releases : 54 % (Prestige in Oct-96)
=============================================================================
_____ _____ ____ _____ ________________
\_ | \ \/ / _ /__\_ \_/ _ \
| _ \_ \ _/ \ \ __/___/ | / /
|___| |____|___/ /_\ \___|_______/
::d|___|::::::.\___/.:.\___\:::::::::
Broken Sword - (c) Virgin 39 disk 3p (-1p)
Championship Mgr 2 96-97 - (c) Eidos 10 disk 3p
Champ Mgr: Denmark - (c) Eidos 04 disk 2p
Champ Mgr: Norway - (c) Eidos 04 disk 2p
Champ Mgr: Sweden - (c) Eidos 04 disk 2p
Davis Cup Tennis - (c) Telstar 11 disk 3p
Fable - (c) Telstar 12 disk 3p
Harpoon 2 Admirals - (c) Eidos 07 disk 3p
JR Hartlings Flyfishing - (c) ARC Development 42 disk 3p
MS Soccer - (c) Microsoft 08 disk 4p
Mutant Penguins - (c) Gametek 11 disk 3p
Pinball Constr Kit - (c) 21th Century 18 disk 3p
Sorched Planet - (c) Virgin 13 disk 3p
Surface Tension - (c) Gametek 35 disk 3p
Team F1 - (c) Electronic Arts 39 disk 3p
Ultimate Soccer Mgr 2 - (c) Sierra On-Line 05 disk 3p
Wallance & Gromit - (c) BBC 14 disk 2p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Hybrid puts up a tremendous showing this month, reaffirming
their domination of Europe. Between Mad Turnip cranking out
the UK titles, as well as Animal & Dogfriend's contributions
and some of the other, perhaps lesser known members, such as
Le Vey's work, they had a superb month. Aside from 6 billion
different versions of Championship Manager, they had a good
selection of games of all varities, including of course the
always expected Soccer and Pinball games. Look for Hybrid to
continue to be the main Euro force throughout the rest of
the holidays.
Releasing errors: Broken Sword - Needed a fix (-1 point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 17 (--)
Total number of errors : 01 (--)
Average points / release : 2.82 (-.--)
This months total score : 48 (--)
Percentage of releases : 26 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 10/10 (--/--)
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Apache for Win 95 - (c) Interactive Magic XX disk 3p
Evolution for Civ 2 - (c) Crystal Vision 06 disk 1p
Scrabble - (c) Hasbro 24 disk 3p
Spaceward Ho! IV - (c) New World Comput. 02 disk 3p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: A little known group from the USA, Illusion actually managed
to have a good month, putting out (despite the junky addon),
some nice stuff. Scrabble is one of the world's most popular
boardgames, and several people I know were awaiting the PC
conversion. Apache, while only being a Win 95 version of a
previously released Dos game, still proves to be worth the
download as it adds numerous features. Towards the end of
the month, however, their biggest supplier, Prozac, joined
Prestige. It is probable that this will greatly decrease
their releasing power, but then again, as the inside stuff
from Digital Integration (the company that developed Apache)
proves, they may yet have some tricks up their sleeve.
Releasing errors: -
========================================
Total number of releases : 03 (--)
Total number of errors : 00 (--)
Average points / release : 3.33 (-.--)
This months total score : 10 (--)
Percentage of releases : 05 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 05/10 (--/--)
- PARADIGM -
Cyberdome - (c) Microleague 08 disk 2p
FIFA Soccer 97 - (c) Electronic Arts 49 disk 4p (-1p)
Over the Reich - (c) Avalon Hill 23 disk 3p
Powerslave - (c) Playmates 11 disk 3p
Sim Copter - (c) Maxis 20 disk 0p (n/a)
Sim Golf - (c) Maxis 16 disk 3p
Syndicate Wars - (c) Bullfrog 27 disk 4p (-1p)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Zeus puts up an impressive showing this month, giving his
new group Paradigm a shove in the right direction and
putting out 2 huge titles in addition to a few of average
quality. This group promises to be a force to be reckoned
with, as Zeus seems to be putting some effort into supplying
once again. In surprise moves, the guys from Dynasty merged
into this group, adding the occassional German original to
the pile, and so did RomLight, who, while able to contribute
almost nothing to supply, does provide cracking power, which
will be of great value to this up and coming team. Expect to
see the majority of titles this group puts out being
supplied by Zeus, with the occasional original from other
sources, and to see more major titles from Paradigm this
holiday season.
Releasing errors: FIFA Soccer 97 - badly ripped (-1 point)
Syndicate Wars - needs fix (-1 point)
Simcopter - beta version (NO point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 07 (--)
Total number of errors : 03 (--)
Average points / release : 2.71 (-.--)
This months total score : 19 (--)
Percentage of releases : 10 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 06/10 (--/--)
________________________/�|__/| ___________
\___ \ __ / __/ __/ / |/ ____/ __/_
| __/ _/ _/ _| \__ \ \/ / ) / _| /
|___|\__\ \________ /___\__\__ \______\
+--------\___/�e�/aL!\/--------/_____\-----+
APBA Pro Boxing - (c) APBA 01 disk 2p
Ashes 2 Ashes - (c) Corel 29 disk 3p
Assassin 2015 win95 - (c) Inscape 10 disk 3p
Battlecruiser 3000 AD - (c) Take2 32 disk 4p
Battleground: Bulge - (c) TalonSoft 39 disk 2p
Caesar 2 - win95 - (c) Sierra On-Line 26 disk 3p
Captain Quazar - (c) Studio 3DO 08 disk 3p
Cold Shadow - (c) Disney 07 disk 3p
Death Rally Full - (c) Apogee 09 disk 4p
Death Rally - trainer - (c) Apogee 01 disk 1p
Descent - mission build - (c) Interplay 02 disk 2p
ESPN National Hockey - (c) Sony 33 disk 3p
ESPN NBA Airborn - (c) Sony 10 disk 3p
Fighter Duel SE - (c) Philips 05 disk 3p
Game Guru - (c) Studio 3DO 01 disk 1p
Hoyle's Casino - (c) Sierra 35 disk 3p
HyperBlade - (c) Activision 50 disk 3p
Jumanji - (c) Philips 32 disk 3p
Meridian 59 - (c) Studio 3DO 16 disk 2p
MS Golf 3.0 - (c) Microsoft 14 disk 4p
Necrodome - (c) SSI 06 disk 3p
Othello - win95 - (c) Hasbro 24 disk 2p
PGA Golf Tour '96 - (c) Electronic Arts 45 disk 4p
Power Chess - win95 - (c) Sierra On-Line 40 disk 3p
FS: Pilots Toybox - (c) Crystal Vision 49 disk 1p
Silent Hunter - addon - (c) SSI 05 disk 2p
Skullcracker - (c) GTE 35 disk 3p
Slamscape - (c) Viacom 08 disk 3p
Syndicate Wars - trainer - (c) Bullfrog 01 disk 1p
Third Reich - (c) Avalon Hill 07 disk 3p
Toy Story - (c) Disney 09 disk 3p
Ultimate Spin Doctor - (c) Expert Software 04 disk 3p
Uncle Henrys Playhouse - (c) Trilobyte 46 disk 3p
War Wind - (c) SSI 31 disk 4p
WC - Kirathi Saga - (c) Origin/EA 16 disk 3p
Wodden Ships & Ironmen - (c) Avalon Hill 12 disk 3p
Yahtzee - (c) Hasbro 22 disk 2p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Prestige had an unbelieveable month, as competition in the
USA seems to have dried up. With Razor putting up little to
no resistance, Prestige was able to crank out a ton of
titles, even breaking the record set for most titles in a
month, previously held by Tdu Jam. This was due in no small
part to the addition of several new members to the team, as
RomLight's only valuable suppliers (Andeveron, Rip, Cyber-
Phreak, Slate, Radar) and Illusion's top supplier (Prozac)
defected to Prestige. The additional originals, added to the
usual production from the old members, allowed Prestige to
carry the month with ease, putting out all sorts of types of
games. Look for Prestige to continue to be a major force in
the upcoming months, but I doubt PSG with have another month
this big, as groups like Razor and Paradigm will start to
nip at our heels and take numerous titles away.
Releasing errors: -
========================================
Total number of releases : 35 (--)
Total number of errors : 00 (--)
Average points / release : 2.83 (-.--)
This months total score : 101 (--)
Percentage of releases : 54 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 10/10 (--/--)
_ ________________________ _____ ________ _
\\_____ \_____ \_____ \/ . \\_____ \\
dZG/\ __// _ |/ ____/. | \/\ __/
_/ \ \/ /_ _/ /_ | ! _/ \ \
\____\ \______\_________|_____\____\ \_
=======\___/===�1911�CD�DIVISION�======\___/
Amok - (c) GT Interactive 05 disk 3p
Casino Deluxe 2 - (c) Sierra 17 disk 3p
Destiny - (c) Interactive Magic 50 disk 3p
Eradicator - (c) Accolade 38 disk 1p (-2p)
Grand Prix Manager v2.0 - (c) Microprose 12 disk 0p (n/a)
HyperBlade - (c) Activision 48 disk 0p (n/a)
Sorched Planet - (c) Virgin 08 disk 0p (n/a)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Razor has a mediocre month, putting out only 4 titles in all
of October. Not only do their store and direct order sources
of supply appear to have gone on hiatus, but their flow of
insides was dry this month. Group leadership cites personal
problems as the cause for the decline, so we
will just have to see if their team can get it back in order
for the rest of the holiday season. I would bet my money
that they will become more active, putting out several huge
titles before the year ends, but that they will not be
number one unless drastic changes are made.
Releasing errors: Eradicator - disk error (-1 point)
Eradicator - badly ripped (-1 point)
Grand Prix Mgr - dupe (NO point)
Hyperblade - dupe (NO point)
Sorched Planet - dupe (NO point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 03 (--)
Total number of errors : 05 (--)
Average points / release : 1.43 (-.--)
This months total score : 10 (--)
Percentage of releases : 05 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 02/10 (--/--)
Final Words
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What an unbelieveable month! Never before have I seen this many games come out
in one month for any platform, let alone the PC. Both Prestige and Hybrid had
huge months, though no group seems to posses any variety, as all PSG titles
came from the USA and all HBD titles from Europe. Paradigm enters as the new
contender into the fray putting out a few titles, however they make up in
quality (for the most part) what they missed in quantity. Other groups had
meager months including Razor and Reflux, and this month saw the decline of
Illusion and the death of RomLight, two minor contendors from last month.
It would seem as the battle lines are being drawn for the holidays, as all
groups either bulked up and gained members, or lost them to the competition.
Some minor infighting had occurred in Hybrid, but after another of Turnip's
idiotic pleas for attention, the group finally addressed its problems and
seems to have come out even stronger for the experience, and I expect they
will maintain a strangehold on Europe.
Razor has lost a few minor players but seems to be getting ready to come on
strong for the next few months, promising they've put together a new store
team and the like. Prestige has added several members to its fold, depriving
Romlight, Illusion, and Reflux of needed talent, and getting ready to put up
a fight for the upcoming season. Paradigm has brought in the self-proclaimed
"North American Supply God" Zeus and the resources of a couple other groups
to make a bid for #1 as well.
Instead of the two major players (Razor and Hybrid) that competed last season,
we now have four. The number of titles has also increased accordingly.
The next couple months should be buzzing with activity and provide everyone
with enough games and political entertainment to last well into '97.
-- ShadowMaster & MindBender '96