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-=-=-=-=-=-=-
3:rd World paki report, November 1996 by MindBender & ShadowMaster
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: I�m very sorry for the delay of this issue. Because of my new job and
alot of other time-infecting activities there hasnt been any room for this
report until now... I�m currently working bi-handed on this and the december
issue so hopefully it will be out in time...
Special hiho to Mad Turnip and the rest of the Hybrid x-mas magazine crew,
sorry for not participating but time was too short for me this year, maybe
I can help you out with a spring-issue ? :)
Merry x-mas and a happy new year to everyone... // MindBender
To gain score, follow the rules below:
- 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
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 and "real" addons (extra missions etc. NOT sound
or animations). A good trainer 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).
- MONTHLY - - TOTALLY -
##: Group: Releases: ##: Group: Releases:
==================================== ====================================
01) PRESTIGE 44 [---] 01) PRESTIGE 81 [---]
02) HYBRID 12 [---] 02) HYBRID 29 [---]
03) RAZOR 1911 08 [+01] 03) PARADIGM 12 [---]
04) PARADIGM 05 [-01] 04) RAZOR 1911 11 [+01]
05) REFLUX 02 [NEW] 05) ILLUSION 03 [-01]
##: Group: Score: ##: Group: Score:
==================================== ====================================
01) PRESTIGE 131 [---] 01) PRESTIGE 232 [---]
02) HYBRID 41 [---] 02) HYBRID 89 [---]
03) RAZOR 1911 22 [+01] 03) PARADIGM 35 [---]
04) PARADIGM 16 [-01] 04) RAZOR 1911 32 [+01]
05) REFLUX 06 [NEW] 05) ILLUSION 10 [-01]
- RECORDS -
=============================================================================
Total number of releases : 44 (Prestige in Nov-96)
Total number of points : 131 (Prestige in Nov-96)
Average points / release : 3.42 (Hybrid in Nov-96)
Percentage of releases : 62 % (Prestige in Nov-96)
=============================================================================
_____ _____ ____ _____ ________________
\_ | \ \/ / _ /__\_ \_/ _ \
| _ \_ \ _/ \ \ __/___/ | / /
|___| |____|___/ /_\ \___|_______/
::d|___|::::::.\___/.:.\___\:::::::::
Blood and Magic - (c) Interplay 25 disk 4p
Blue Ice - (c) Psygnosis 29 disk 3p
Destruction Derby 2 - (c) Psygnosis 06 disk 4p (-1p)
Discworld 2 - (c) Psygnosis 25 disk 4p
Fragile Allegiance - (c) Gremlin Graphics 21 disk 3p
Grand Prix Manager 2 - (c) Microprose 10 disk 3p
Krazy Ivan - (c) Psygnosis 04 disk 3p
Realms of the Haunting - (c) Gremlin 27 disk 3p
Screamer 2 - (c) Virgin 48 disk 4p (-1p)
Swiv 3D - (c) SCI 18 disk 4p
XS - (c) SCI 20 disk 3p
Zombie Wars - (c) Sprint 05 disk 3p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Once again Hybrid holds Europe in its grip, as no one can
mount any opposition. Despite a slowdown in the number of
European titles, Hybrid digs deep on the last couple days
of the month and manages to claim the number two spot from
undeserving hands. Mad Turnip does his usual, and Animal
and Dogfriend do more than usual, even stepping in to grab
a USA title. Hot Tuna, Hybrid's latest acquisition, nails
a couple nice titles this month in addition. With their
usual mix of suppliers, and the addition of HT to the team,
their control of England is complete. Expect Hybrid to
remain on top of Europe for quite some time.
Releasing errors: Screamer 2 - fix by Hybrid (-1 point)
D. Derby 2 - hires fix by HBD (-1 point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 12 (17)
Total number of errors : 02 (01)
Average points / release : 3.42 (2.82)
This months total score : 41 (48)
Percentage of releases : 17 % (26 %)
========================================
This months group score : 07/10 (10/10)
______ ____/\_____/\_. ___ _____ __
/___ \/ ___/\_ _/ | \_ || _/ \/ \
| / / _/ \ / _/ |/\ / `' \ \ /
:| \ \ ' \/ |/ ' | |/ \:
:|__|\ \_____/ |\_______\____/\__/\ \
:[FF]:\__/::::/____|:::::::::::::::::::\_/
Scorcher - (c) Scavener/GT Inter 08 disk 3p
Time Warp - (c) ??? ?? disk 3p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Once again Reflux comes through with a smidgen of titles
to release. Time Warp is a porn game with the pornography
ripped out, and Scorcher is likely a beta. Here is where
we will have a little discourse on Reflux's judgement in
bringing back JDA. This guy puts out nothing but betas,
and was the reason for Reflux being banned in the first
place. Now they allow him back and the first thing he
gives them something we're 99% sure is a beta. It is likely
that Reflux will grab the minor titles here and there, and
continue to put out betas from JDA until they get in trouble
again.
Releasing errors: Though technically no "releasing errors," but one is such a
piece of shit, and the other is going to be proved a beta,
that they should both be listed here.
========================================
Total number of releases : 02 (--)
Total number of errors : 00 (--)
Average points / release : 3.00 (-.--)
This months total score : 06 (--)
Percentage of releases : 03 % (-- %)
========================================
This months group score : 03/10 (--/--)
- PARADIGM -
A10: Cuba - (c) Activision 32 disk 2p (-2p)
Archimedean Dynasty - (c) Blue Byte 22 disk 3p
Creatures - (c) Inscape 00 disk 0p
Harpoon Classic '97 - (c) Interactive Magic 41 disk 4p
Heroes of Might & Magic 2 - (c) New World Comp. 16 disk 3p (-1p)
Master of Orion 2 - (c) Microprose 00 disk 0p
Race Mania - (c) Flair Software 38 disk 2p (-1p)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Well, they did put out more things than last month, but it
appears that is a mixed blessing. While they scored nice
titles such as HoMM2 and Harpoon '97, the number of
penalties they incurred is shameful. Five out of seven
releases either got no credit, needed fixes, or both. To
top it off they decided they would break the disk limit
all group had previously set. This might not be such a
hard pill for them to swallow if they hadn't made such
lofty claims about how wonderful they were. With any luck
they will try to shape up their act, and we expect them
to come in 3rd place next month.
Releasing errors: Creatures - This is not a game (No credit given)
fix needed too
Race Mania - crack fix needed (-1 point)
A10: Cuba - fix by Paradigm (-1 point)
badly ripped (-1 point)
Heroes of M&M 2 - fix needed (-1 point)
Master of Orion 2 - Over the disk limit (No credit given)
========================================
Total number of releases : 05 (07)
Total number of errors : 05 (03)
Average points / release : 3.20 (2.71)
This months total score : 16 (19)
Percentage of releases : 07 % (10 %)
========================================
This months group score : 04/10 (06/10)
________________________/�|__/| ___________
\___ \ __ / __/ __/ / |/ ____/ __/_
| __/ _/ _/ _| \__ \ \/ / ) / _| /
|___|\__\ \________ /___\__\__ \______\
+--------\___/�e�/aL!\/--------/_____\-----+
3DO Games: Decathlon - (c) Studio 3DO 16 disk 3p
Admiral Sea Battles - (c) MegaMedia 12 disk 3p
AFL Finals Fever - (c) Cadability 31 disk 3p
Age of Sail - (c) Talonsoft 19 disk 3p
Agile Warrior F-111X - (c) Virgin 13 disk 3p
Alien Trilogy - (c) Acclaim 13 disk 3p
Batman Forver: Arcade Ver - (c) Acclaim 09 disk 3p
Batman Forever Trainer - (c) Grudge 01 disk 1p
Battleground: Antietam - (c) TalonSoft 28 disk 3p
Cave Wars - (c) Avalon Hill 08 disk 3p
Civilization 2: Scenarios - (c) Microprose 10 disk 3p
C. o. t. New World Deluxe - (c) Interplay 43 disk 3p
Daytona USA - (c) Sega 19 disk 3p (-1p)
Death Drome - (c) Viacom New Media 11 disk 3p
Des 2: The Infinite Abyss - (c) Interplay 10 disk 4p
DragonHeart - (c) Acclaim 19 disk 3p
Duke 3D: Plutonium Pack - (c) GT Interactive 19 disk 4p (-1p)
Eat My Dust - (c) Sierra 17 disk 1p
Extreme Chess - (c) Davidson 24 disk 3p
FPS: Football '97 - (c) Sierra 42 disk 5p
Full Tilt Pinball 2 - (c) Maxis 21 disk 3p
FX Fighter Turbo - (c) GTE 42 disk 3p
Grid Runner -Final- - (c) Virgin 23 disk 3p
Hunter: Hunted - (c) Sierra 31 disk 3p
Jetfighter 3 - (c) Interplay 48 disk 3p
MS Golf v3.0: Mauna Kea - (c) Microsoft 07 disk 3p
MS Golf v3.0: Pimehurst - (c) Microsoft 09 disk 3p
Plague - (c) Microforum 38 disk 3p
Power Rangers: Zeo - (c) Bandai 48 disk 3p
Risk - (c) Hasbro 29 disk 3p
Rocket Jockey - (c) SegaSoft 26 disk 3p
SimCopter -Final- - (c) Maxis 21 disk 3p
SimGolf -Final- - (c) Maxis 27 disk 3p
The Skul & The Suit - (c) Byron-Preiss 08 disk 3p
SkyNet - (c) Bethesda Softworks 11 disk 2p (-1p)
Smart Games: Word Puzzles - (c) Randomsoft 05 disk 3p
Soultrap - (c) Microforum 34 disk 3p
Steel Panthers 2 - (c) SSI 32 disk 3p (-1p)
Tom Clancy's SSN - (c) Simon & Schuster 19 disk 3p
Tomb Raider - (c) Eidos 21 disk 5p
Tomb Raider Trainer - (c) Eidos 01 disk 1p
US Navy Fighters '97 - (c) Electronic Arts 46 disk 4p
Virtua Squad - (c) Sega 12 disk 2p (-1p)
Wentworth Course (PGA96) - (c) Electronic Arts 18 disk 3p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: Once again Prestige rises to the occasion and breaks
another record, putting out 42 titles. As expected they
retained the number 1 slot. No spectacular news over here
this month. Expect Prestige to retain first place for a
while.
Releasing errors: - Virtua Squad - fix needed (-1 point)
Daytona USA - badly ripped (-1 point)
Duke 3D: Plut Pack - crack fixed (-1 point)
Eat My Dust - Kiddie (1 point given)
SkyNet - fixed by Prestige (-1 point)
Steel Panthers 2 - badly ripped (-1 point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 44 (35)
Total number of errors : 06 (00)
Average points / release : 2.98 (2.83)
This months total score : 131 (101)
Percentage of releases : 62 % (54 %)
========================================
This months group score : 10/10 (10/10)
_ ________________________ _____ ________ _
\\_____ \_____ \_____ \/ . \\_____ \\
dZG/\ __// _ |/ ____/. | \/\ __/
_/ \ \/ /_ _/ /_ | ! _/ \ \
\____\ \______\_________|_____\____\ \_
=======\___/===�1911�CD�DIVISION�======\___/
Blam! Machinehead - (c) Core Design 09 disk 3p
C & C: Red Alert - (c) Virgin 34 disk 5p
Cyber Gladiators - (c) Sierra 09 disk 2p (-1p)
Gubble - (c) Actual Entert. 27 disk 1p
Iron Man/X-O Manowar - (c) Acclaim 00 disk 0p
Lords of the Realm 2 - (c) Sierra 36 disk 3p
Pie Jackers - (c) Simon & Schuster 27 disk 3p
Privateer 2 - (c) Origin 00 disk 0p
Space Jam - (c) Acclaim 31 disk 2p (-1p)
Time Paradox - (c) Flair Software 27 disk 3p
WWF In Your House - (c) Acclaim 00 disk 0p
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors comments: As expected, Razor has a much more active month, putting out
some good stuff, including the long awaited sequel to
Command and Conquer, Red Alert.
Releasing errors: WWF In Your House - Beta (No Credit Given)
Gubble - Kiddie (1 point given)
Space Jam - badly ripped (-1 point)
Iron Man - over the disk limit (No credit given)
Privateer - Beta (No credit given)
Cyber Gladiators - Fix Needed (-1 point)
========================================
Total number of releases : 08 (03)
Total number of errors : 06 (05)
Average points / release : 2.75 (1.43)
This months total score : 22 (10)
Percentage of releases : 11 % (05 %)
========================================
This months group score : 05/10 (02/10)
Final Words
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheesh, and we thought last month was the biggest we had ever seen. November
has always been the best month of the year, and we should've known better.
Major titles from both Europe and the USA flooded boards and sites worldwide.
The best part of it all was that these titles came from several groups as
everyone seemed to get a big piece of the pie this month. Most major
companies, as well as several smaller ones, rushed out a lot of titles so they
would be in shops come holiday time, and you can see the results, as virtually
every day something new was released. If you can't find at least 3 or 4 games
you like this month, something is wrong with your head.
Strangely enough, it would seem as a lot of betas have been released recently,
some of the more notable ones being Privateer 2, Sim Golf, and (thought as yet
unproven) Batman: the Arcade Game. So as we could expect, several groups
were able to release final versions of the beta titles, only adding to the
huge amount of stuff coming out. At least it is reassuring to see that some
groups are making a greater effort to investigate possible releases, so that
less mistakes will be made in the future.
The amount of competition is steadily growing, and it is beginning to feel
like the old days again, as we have 4 major groups competing for the top slot,
as opposed to the 2 that existed last Christmas. As predicted, Razor has had
a much better month in November than October, releasing quite a few nice
titles. Paradigm has risen to become a big releasing force, as expected, and
did a good job putting out a few long awaited games. Prestige continued to
control the majority of American originals with no European support, and
as expected Hybrid dominated Europe with no American support.
Expect to see a bit of a slowdown in December if the releasing activity of
past years proves to be accurate again. With over 60 titles released this
month, however, a slow down does not mean that the well of releases will be
dry. You can expect to see the major contenders pumping out lots of good
stuff for the masses of enthusiastic gamers.
As for the wrap up for this month, we can say that without a doubt this is
the most memorable month in a long time as more titles are released in this
month than EVER before for ANY system. All groups did a superb job, and
we encourage you to keep up the good work. At this rate, we'll all need to
purchase huge hard drives just to keep up with the releasing craze.
-- Shadow Master & MindBender '96