SkyHammer (Hammerhead), from Rebellion

Programmers: Alex Quarmby, Chris Fox. Artists: Rebellion art team. Director: Jason Kingsley. Still nice guys: Brainstorm.

Alex sez: “A brilliant shoot-em-up. Probably.” Rather more helpfully, it’s a 3-d texture-mapped game based in a futuristic cityscape reminiscent of Bladerunner, containing elements of flight simulation, wargaming, combat, high-powered weaponry, and more. Current progress: 40% complete. Expected completion date: mid-late ’95. (Surfing the Jagged Edge,  By: Dimitri Mark LaBarge, GEnie: AEO.6 CIS: 71501,3353 AOL: dimitril, Rebellion Plans, Vol. 3, Issue 13 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 9 October 1994).

E3 – May 1995

Was a first person, flight sim in a city environment. The game was far too early to comment on other than I’ll say the enemies looked fantastic (all texturemapped) but the control was lacking…. The game is a 3D urban flight combat sim… you attack texture mapped tanks, planes, helicopters, etc. The enemies were VERY pretty. One more note… the EEPROM was dated 9/15/94. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Sven! Reports From the Show, report by Christian Svensson (Sven!), Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

New Publisher?

ICD has confirmed that they are at least interested in publishing Skyhammer. This shooter game involves you searching for hostages and other items. (Sky Hammer, A Potential Game for the Jaguar, News, AAP, 1999). 

POSTSCRIPT: This game was eventually picked up by Songbird Productions and published in May 2000!

SoulStar, from Core Design

Over the last year, one of the few good games for the SegaCD was a rippin’ piece of software called SoulStar. Word began to leak that this lovely game was going to make a debut on the Jaguar. Is it true? Judge for yourself: Yes it is the Core Design Shooter. I should know, its being programmed in the room next door to me!!!! Should be very, very good!!!!

Yet another enthusiastic third-party jumps onto the Jaguar bandwagon. For those of you keeping score, this is not one of the games included in the Sega-Atari agreement. Also, please note that unlike some games licensed by Atari and redeveloped in-house, SoulStar is being coded directly by Core Design themselves. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Volume 4, Issue 2 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 6 February 1995).

Interview with Core Design

As you may have read in AEO_0402, Core Design have signed up and are developing the Mega-CD classic, SoulStar, for the Jaguar. Considering this game was one of the best on the Genesis’s CD unit, it seems logical that it could be a corker title for the Jaguar CD.

AEO : Well Andrew, how is SoulStar coming along?

ANDREW : Very well indeed actually, we’re approximately a few weeks away from completing the game. However, it is a JagCD game and the production of the CDs doesn’t seem to be arranged yet. At least we are almost finished, it shouldn’t be too long now.

AEO : What was it like converting the Mega-CD game over to the JagCD? Was it an easy task, or did you have any trouble?

ANDREW : Actually, our programmers found the Jaguar to be quite difficult to use. We have had to learn its architecture very fast to get the game done with such pressing deadlines. We basically ported over main game code from the Mega-CD version, so all the game mechanics are identical on the Jag version. The game visually is far more impressive though.

AEO : I’m sure we all want to know what has been done to the Jaguar version to make it so superior. Can you tell us what has been improved over Mega-CD game and have you put the Jaguar’s power to good use?

ANDREW : Most definitely! We have totally new space ships and objects that all been SGI rendered to produce some excellent sprites that are far better than the old ones. The backgrounds and scenery have all been redrawn with the help of one of our best graphic artists, and all the main game GFX are in 16-bit CRY color mode so it looks very impressive.

AEO : Does the game move as smooth as the original?

ANDREW : Better in fact. The game has full rotation of all scenery and sprites at an extremely fast frame rate [Ed: Frame rate not given and moves smooth and fast throughout. We have done our best to ensure there is no slowdown at all and the games moves as good as it looks.

AEO : How about the pre-rendered intro sequences from the old version? Have you got any info on the Jaguars sequences?

ANDREW : Oh yes, the intro and in-game sequences are very impressive indeed. We have changed the animations from the Mega-CD game and done the sequences from scratch for the Jag. The intro is a 3 minute long pre-rendered Cinepak story, in 24-bit color mode. The JagCD is well suited to such intros and they have a high resolution that rivals any other CD system. Also, the between-level sequences have been vastly improved and all add to the atmosphere of the game.

AEO : Is there anything in this game that isn’t improved? It all sound too good to me! How about the sound FX and the speech during the mission briefings?

ANDREW : Well, what do you expect with the Jaguar’s excellent soundchip. I think it’s the most impressive part of the Jaguars architecture. The sound and speech have all been improved and is sharper and clearer than the Mega-CD game. The tunes are pretty much the same though.

AEO : How about the poor people who do not get a Jaguar CD unit, how are they going to live with this game out of their reach?

ANDREW : It is up to Atari to decide if a cartridge version is viable. We are not opposed to doing a cart version, but it would have to be cut down somewhat. The CD version has 21 levels you know, and over 6 minutes of FMV sequences which would be difficult to fit on a cartridge. We could do a good version if we got the go ahead though.

AEO : Have you got any other plans to convert your games to the Jaguar, or maybe even an original title for the Jag?

ANDREW : Not yet actually, we did have a few of our titles on the list to convert, but some have been cancelled as they may prove too difficult to port over. You can expect more of our titles for the Jaguar in the future though.

Soulstar will hopefully be out March/April to coincide with the release of the JagCD. A review will follow in a future AEO, you can be sure. (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Inside The Core, Interview of  Core Design’s Andrew Smith past Thursday, Volume 4, Issue 3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 27 February).

Another Description

A very slick shooter done up with SGI-rendered sprites and a programming team that’s very keen on Jaguar. Out by summer they say, and a sure one to pick up. (From the Editors, Atari Explorer Online: Jaguar Voyagers, Travis Guy, Once Here, What then?, Volume 4, Issue 4 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE March 28, 1995).

Opening Demo – E3

There was a prerendered opening and demo… nothing more. For what it’s worth, the demo was pretty.  ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Sven! Reports From the Show, report by Christian Svensson (Sven!), Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Again, the Demo – E3

Another early demo, this time of Core’s Sega CD shooter game. All that was available at this time was the canned FMV of the opening sequence. A little exploring with the controller, however, allowed you to shift the spooled image and/or flipped it along the Y-axis. Cheap fun. B-) ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, The Jungian View, report by Robert Jung,  JAGUAR VR, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Complete Game – Spring ECTS 1995

None of the SGI intros were on display at the show, but at least the game was complete and fully playable. Upon close scrutiny, the graphics were sufficiently superior to the Genesis version, but at a distance, you couldn’t tell. All the levels were available to play, thanks to a level select (that will be left in the final game as a cheat) and we had the opportunity to see the space, tunnel and underground levels, all of which provided much desired variation. The SGI rendered sprites were all quite impressive, and the game provided much frenetic blasting action. I’m sure some people will say it was not an exceptional game, to which I agree, but as I said before, it -is- a good solid game. (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Report from Spring ECTS in London, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Update – September 1995

<Mark@AEO> I was looking forward to a large number of software titles have disappeared off the release list for the rest of this year, Soulstar CD, Freelancer 2010, Dactyl Joust, etc… What happened to them? GA

<Ted&Co(ATC)> Soulstar CD: originally developed by Core design… company acquired since and development teams were reconfigured at that time… the title was taken off the list because the development team has been split up. (Ted, Ron and Don on GEnie, Volume 4, Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE September 15, 1995).

Almost finished

I know a few people are looking forward to Soulstar from Core Designs. I had a brief chat with them and picked up the following bits of news. The game is almost finished and just waiting for any further ideas or FMV sequences that anyone can add before it goes off for the OK. The game has new FMV sequences, 16 bit colour sprites and has had enhanced depth cueing added over previous versions. On the downside the floor is slightly chunkier than the SNES version to keep the overall speed up but they freely admit that this is their first attempt at a Jag game so they’ve still done a pretty good job! I saw a demo a few months back and it was awesome! They don’t have any further Jag games planned at the present but haven’t written off the idea either so when the game’s released, don’t forget to vote with your pockets! (Penguins in an Oven: Iain at ECTS, by Iain Laskey, Volume 4, Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE September 15, 1995).

Space War, from Atari

No, it’s not the 2600 game… this game sported a split screen, right down the middle, allowing for two player simultaneous play. It was a pretty much “fly around and find ships and blow them up” game. Many sources have reported that this was originally going to be Star Raiders 2000 but it was too different from the original Star Raiders feel that they changed the name and decided to drop “Star Raiders”. What am I saying? Star Raiders will still come out later. There wasn’t much of a plot installed yet, just fly and shoot. The explosions looked rather nice, and the movement was smooth and detailed. I wouldn’t be surprised if the final version of this game used 640×480 resolution. Again, this was a fairly early version, showing off basically just the engine of the game. (AEO’s 1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Report, by Tal Funke-Bilu, GEnie, SCES 1994 Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 29 July 1994).

Update – January 1995

By this summer Space War 2000: In their intergalactic jousts, space knights vie for old-fashioned glory, honor, fame and fortune. As they emerge victorious from each battle, they procure such weapons as laser shots, missiles, shields and cloaking devices. This first-person perspective 3-D adventure, produced by Atari, is fun for single players and spectacular as a two-player game. “First-person gaming is reaching a new high, and Space War 2000 is positioning to be a contender in that wild and crowded race,” stated a reviewer at EGM2 (January 1995). (Atari Press Releases, Atari announces winning line-up of Jaguar titles for first half of 1995, Jan. 6, 1995, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Game Play

On the games front, prepare yourselves for Space War 2000 and Hover Strike in April. Both are looking very tasty indeed, here’s a quick summary of both of these tempting titles. Space War will be familiar to anyone who has played games such as Wing Commander, a game which bears more than a passing resemblance to SW2000. As a first person viewed space shoot-em-up, it is not the most original of games, but who cares? This game looks very interesting due to its splendid graphics, texture mapped polygon spacecraft, and the added bonus of a two-player simultaneous mode. From inside the cockpit you can change the views from left, right, front and back views (Elite anyone?) and you must use these views to pin down and destroy multiple space vehicles, then nick their cash and weapons if you get the chance. Oh yes, don’t bother to try and shoot the asteroids as they do weigh several thousand tons! In two player, the screen is split vertically and you engage in a one-on-one dogfight with a mate. Oh yes, and check out the babe on the presentation screens! (Cuppa with the Dooz, by: Darren Bates, Games, Volume 4, Issue 3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 27 February).

Play at Atari Fun ‘N Games Media Day – 1995

SPACE WAR 2000 was being alternated with Super Burnout, so it did not see as much floor time as some of the other games. The ships’ graphics are very nice indeed. Each ship is fully texture mapped and looks very nice. Upon exploding, the ships break into many different fragments that go spinning around, one either really likes or really dislikes the explosions. The framerate seemed fairly high at all times except very close (touching) encounters. There are several views included such as one behind the ship. The player can also purchase various weapon upgrades as he or she earns money. Split screen was handled through a vertical splice of the screen. There was one problem noted with the two player mode. When an enemy player is killed, he or she is forced to sit there until the other player finishes. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about the game, but I feel that is mostly due to amount of time available to play. Imagine sitting down and playing Wing Commander for just a few minutes, it wouldn’t give a fair estimation of the game. I’ll leave judgment of this game to a previewer/reviewer. Expected release for Space War 2000 is in September. (Fun ‘n Games (Media Day) at Atari, by Adam Urbano, Cart Games, Volume 4, Issue 5 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE July 20, 1995).

As a space knight, gamers vie for glory, honor, fame and fortune in this first-person perspective 3D adventure. With the proceeds from each successful intergalactic joust, players can procure multiple weapons to defeat the enemy and have their name cast for eternity in “The High Score Table”. (Fun ‘n Games (Media Day) at Atari, by Adam Urbano, Jaguar CD Games, Volume 4, Issue 5 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE July 20, 1995).

Star Raiders 2000

<[James] J.VOGH> Can you describe Star Raiders 2000? (this question seems terribly familiar for some reason 🙂 

<BOB-BRODIE> Hi James. I haven’t seen Star Raiders yet. It’s still in the “code” part of the project. I would expect something along the lines of what we did with Tempest 2000…take a very popular game, and update it to reflect the capabilities of the Jaguar. (Dateline: Atari! with Bob Brodie, Friday, June 3, 1994, Host Lou Rocha, Issue 9 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 6 June 1994).

Steering Wheel 

We then tested the steering and flight joysticks. The steering wheel was excellent, it had perfect tension on it, and it even had a pedal mechanism and gearshift. Everyone liked it, but the shifter was garbage, 2 gears, and very flimsy……The driving wheel was said to be $129.95. (Atari: Jaguar Focus Group Market Research, by Adam Urbano, Volume 3 – Issue 11 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 12 September 1994).

Thea Realm Fighters

Thea Realm Fighters combines the latest digital motion capture technology and nationally known martial arts fighters, including several used for both Mortal Kombat games, to create a super-realistic fighting game. Among the well-known martial artists used for the game. are:

Ho Sung Pak, who played Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat I & II, is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame and winner of the Grand Slam of Martial Arts in 1991, and served as technical advisor for choreography. Phillip Ahn, MD, is a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Dr. Ahn played Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat II. Katalin Zamiar played Kitana, Mileena and Jade in Mortal Kombat II. Katalin is a black belt in Okinawan style Karate. Daniel Pesina, who played Johnny Cage and the ninjas in Mortal Kombat I & II, is a nationally ranked martial artist in forms and weapons. There are a total of 25-plus characters to compete against in Thea Realm Fighters, including twelve main characters and twelve other special characters. The characters can compete in four different modes and with more than 30 different backgrounds, creating a wide variety of combat situations and scenarios. The release of Thea Realm Fighters is planned for the 3rd quarter. (Atari & Jaguar-related Press Releases, Jag Snags Big Titles for 1995, Jan. 6, 1995, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Demo – E3 1995

This was a demo that consisted of about four characters only one of which had any special moves. The backgrounds were spectacular but for now the character animation is a little choppy. I’m sure that this will be remedied later on. For now the game is just a little too early to comment on. The Thea Relm fighter actors were present and included Daniel Pessina (Raiden, Scoripion, Reptile, Subzero and Jonny Cage in MKI and II) and Ho Sung Pak (Lui Kang from MK I And II) and more (their show was also recorded on our tape). ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Sven! Reports From the Show, report by Christian Svensson (Sven!), Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Again at E3

FYI, UV and TRF were the only Mortal Kombat style games that I saw at the show. TRF was a very early demo a few fighters with limited moves and place holder graphics. The digitization was clean and the backgrounds were better then Kasumi Ninja…Personal Opinion: Too early to tell. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Through the Eyes of Jim, report by Jim Marteller, May 11th, 1995,  Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

And Again

Another one-on-one fighting game, from High Voltage Software (they have a LOT of entries for Atari at E3, if you haven’t noticed). The most notable feature so far is its use of several martial artists from MORTAL KOMBAT for its visuals. The game as shown was -very- early; animation was minimal, scrolling was jumpy, and players could beat the daylights out of each other indefinitely. I would advise giving this title a few more months before passing any sort of early judgment. ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, The Jungian View, report by Robert Jung,  JAGUAR VR, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

At Atari Fun ‘N Games Media Day – July 1995

As one of 12 digitized fighters, you must defeat all the others before facing SurRaider, a powerful warrior from another dimension. Four or more special moves and two “killer” moves will help you win your battles against hidden SubBosses and 5 secret characters. Defeat up to 21 characters in a single game or SurRaider will conquer the planet and add Earth to his vast empire. (Fun ‘n Games (Media Day) at Atari, by Adam Urbano, Jaguar CD Games, Volume 4, Issue 5 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE July 20, 1995).

Never Finished? 

None of those sound like games totally done to me, with the exception of Brett Hull Hockey. I don’t MKIII was far along, I’m not sure it was even STARTED.although Thea Realm Fighters MIGHT have been, It was bout 25% done. (Unfinished Games/Hyper Image, Posting on Jaguar Interactive, by Thunderbird (Doug Engel), in response to subject: More strange Jaguar rumors…That may be true!, 1/17/98,  Volume 2, Issue 1 JAGUAR EXPLORER ONLINE February 9, 1998).

Tiny Toon Adventures 

Based on the popular Warner Bros. characters, this platform game utilizes the vibrant colors and graphics to the utmost. The storyline follows Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny and Plucky Duck as they embark on a rescue mission to save the planet Aurica. Bad boy Montana Max has a new toy: an Acme TiToonium-Gold Converter. The only place to get TiToonium is on the planet Aurica. The removal of TiToonium is causing grave ecological damage to Aurica. Armed with Acme Crazy Net, our heroes try to shut down the Acme TiToonium-Gold Converter. The object is to navigate through each level, locate the TiToonium Extractor within each level and pull the plug on it. With a transport beam pad, one of our heroes can be selected to climb, jump and run through each level so in the end, the planet can be saved. (Delphi’s World of Games’ Atari Jaguar RTC, August 25, 1993, Courtesy: Delphi,  Volume 2 – Issue 15 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 4 September 1993).

(Jaguar Special Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 21 August 1993).

Another Description

Leap inside a real cartoon! Based on the popular Warner Bros. characters, this zany platform scroller is a true showcase of Jaguar’s rich animation capabilities. Bad boy Montana Max has a new toy: an Acme TiToonium Converter. But the only place he can get TiToonium is on a planet Aurica, and the removal of Titoonium is causing grave ecological damage to the Toon-filled universe. Armed with Acme Crazy Net, follow Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny and Plucky Duck as they embark on a mission to shut down the Acme TiToonium-Gold Converter – and save planet Aurica. (Upcoming Games, AEO Vol 3, Issue 1, January 22, 1994) .

Game Redone

<[Tal] EXPLORER.5> As for Tiny Toons, they submitted a final version to the ‘head guys’ and they were told to redo it cause it was only an average game. That’s why it got pushed back to October/November. It will fully take advantage of the Jag.

<[Aaron Leis] A.LEIS> Will it be a total redo, or just graphics?

<[Tal] EXPLORER.5> Both (AEO Roundtable Conference with the staff of AEO!!!, host Brian H. Harvey, Volume 3 – Issue 10 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 2 July 1994).

Game still in development

<Pat> Whats up with Tiny Toons? Will that ever make it out or will it suffer the same fate as Eye of the Beholder on the Lynx and never come out? GA.

<Tom @ Atari> Tiny Toons is still in development, and getting close to the test dept, I bet.

<Dan @ Atari> Tiny Toons is coming along from what I hear. It hasn’t hit test yet, but it should soon. ga  (Atari Holiday RTC, File Courtesy: GEnie Atari Roundtables, Wednesday Night Real Time Conference, December 14, 1994, Host- Mike Allen, Guest Speakers – Dan McNamee, Tom Gillen, Volume 3, Issue 14 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 18 December 1994).

Tiny Toons Remake

Sure has been a while since we heard about this one, eh? Well, it’s largely due to the fact that this game has undergone such a complete makeover that Phyllis Diller’s head would spin off her axle. And yes, facts have finally begun to trickle down about this reconstructed release.

Tiny Toons is, in fact, a platform game, and we can now announce that it’s due for release this Summer. While the details of gameplay are still secret, we can comment a little graphics-wise. Tiny Toons should be a looker, as we’ve found out that it will use characters somewhat larger than those found in Bubsy, and beyond that, they’ll be in beautiful 24-bit color. If the rest of the details of this game are as promising as this, the wait for this one may wind up being wonderfully justified after all. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Tiny Toons Tiny Bits, Volume 4, Issue 2 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 6 February 1995).

Final Comments

what happened?? this looked so great! i still have the screen shots for this game. was it produced? jaguar was showing this at the same time as avp.

After I finished Bubsy, Atari asked Imagitec if they were interested in doing Tiny Toons (I believe I would have been doing it) but after checking how much memory was required for map blocksets, it was discovered that we could have a map, some music, but no sprites or program unless we could increase the size of RAM – not feasible. (CyberChatter, Random topics about the Jaguar, Compiled from online public discussion areas, Andrew Seed, formerly of Imagitec, 10/30/98, Volume 2, Issue 4 JAGUAR EXPLORER ONLINE December 18, 1998).

Ultimate Brain Games, from Telegames

The popular Lynx mind bender comes to the 64-bit format. Test your moves against the only system qualified to accommodate all the CPU horsepower required for a real chess challenge. Work your way to master status on a full-scale battlefield with classic chess – and checkers, and backgammon. There’s a challenge here for every skill level and member of the family. Extended features – such as specific game set-up for the computer solution and digitized graphics – make this product a must for your video game library. (Upcoming Games, AEO Vol 3, Issue 1, January 22, 1994) .

Game Play

Ultimate Brain games Now don’t get put off yet, not only does this cart include versions of Chess, Backgammon and Checkers, it does them in style too. I have only seen the chess part of the game and can tell you it surprised me! The programmers have come up with a beautiful 3D chess game with thousands of colours and wonderfully detailed chess pieces. Not only that but the game will have plenty of functional sound FX and even a multi-level chess game to tax your brain that little bit more. Also, the two player option makes this one a bit more interesting than its title. Look for this in March 95.  (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Final Call

[JEO] What became of Ultimate Brain Games and World Class Cricket?

[TLG] Development was suspended when it became obvious that Atari was going to exit the market. The next question would be if they could be completed now. The answer to that question is the same that must be given regarding all future releases: it must be financially feasible for us to bring additional products to market. The sales results of the six announced products will determine if additional products are brought forth. (Terry L. Grantham CEO of Telegames,  Interview By: Clay Halliwell, Volume 1, Issue 2 JAGUAR EXPLORER ONLINE July 1, 1997).

Varuna’s Forces, from Accent Media

Getting back to Jaguar CD for a moment, a new game (from out of the blue) called VARUNA’S FORCES was going through various stages of its demo (work in progress). This looks like a 3D, FMV style shooter with awesome graphics (something like NovaStorm).  ( Joe Catedula, Tronix Multimedia & CIS VIDGAMES SysOp, reprinted with permission, Online Atari WCES Reports, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

At WCES – January 1995

One of the more interesting showings at WCES was the debut of a new game called Varuna’s Forces, described by some as similar to Novastorm. The terrific guys from Accent, who are developing the game, have been kind enough to lend us some preliminary details of the game: A little about our game. It is an action/strategy game where you command a team of 4 soldiers on various missions. You can control them from a commanders map screen or “jump into” each character AvP style when they need help. All of that is supported by FMV movies and CD quality dialogue. Look for more info on this CD game, which is due for completion in March, in a future column – as well as an inside look at these new developers. (The Jag Gains on Accent, Online Atari WCES Reports, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Game Play

Along with Hover Hunter and Phear, the game that made the biggest splash in the Jaguar booth at WCES was the upcoming JagCD game Varuna’s Forces, coming from Accent Media. Not much is known about this game, though they have a scheduled completion date of March. The people at Accent were gracious enough to supply us with a preview of this said-to-be astonishing game. So what’s it about, anyway?

Varuna is the name of the chief Vedic God, responsible for natural and moral order in the cosmos. After the Great War of 2028, technology developed during the war was put to use in the expansion and colonization of the stars. The human race, now united, began an inexorable spread outwards, encountering other races as it went.

For the most part alliances were formed and peaceful co-operation existed. As the great circle of human expansion grew, its pace faltered and stopped. The human federation had reached a zenith in its ability to control huge tracts of space. All around the ragged edge of the human controlled systems was a gray area, constantly involved in battles. Planets, systems, even whole clusters, changed hands almost daily. It is Varuna’s Forces that hold the great circle intact.

The game puts you in control of a team of four soldiers of The United Federation of Planets, Marine Attack Division, Nicknamed Varuna’s Forces. The team is equipped with helmet cameras and microphones linked via radio to your tactical command console. You see, on your command screen, views from each of your soldier’s cameras. Also at your disposal is an overall view of a plan of the area with your troops’ positions indicated. All the time you are hearing an overall audio track mixed from all of the soldiers.

Each soldier is equipped with a microphone to talk to each other and to you, the commander. All soldiers are constantly reporting back about what they see and what they hear. The soldiers report verbally about their stamina, weapons status, what they hear and see. Each soldier has his or her personal character, and sometimes command decisions must be made not just, upon the physical status of a particular soldier, but also upon his or her personal attributes. Some soldiers are gung ho fighters, scared of nothing and preferring direct brute force approaches; others are stealthy, smart, careful soldiers, useful in getting to a position for ambush without alerting the opposing forces. The object of the game varies with each scenario, but it generally involves achieving control over a particular area or capturing a particular room or piece of equipment, obtaining the release of a hostage, or occasionally capturing an entire area or base.

What Accent has described so far is lightyears beyond your regular CD graphic showcase: it’s obvious that the team behind this game has spent much effort in the strategic elements of this game, something not often seen. (And yes, I think some of us caught the nod to Star Trek. Let’s hope Paramount doesn’t.) Let’s move a little deeper into the guts of the game, Command and Control:

Each monitor displayed at your control center shows the view from each of your soldier’s helmet cameras. Before you is a view of the plan of the objective, superimposed upon a thermal infra-red image of the actual scene below, showing the current positions of your troops, and sometimes the positions of the enemy. Each of the combat helmet cameras provides a high resolution image that pans and swings around with the movements of the soldier.

You can at any time select any one of the combat cameras to zoom full screen to gain a larger, more detailed view of the action. Should a particular team member see something of interest or come under fire, he or she will toggle their voice link, on the tactical channel, and notify you of the situation. Automatically the video from that team member will enlarge to almost full screen. This gives you a clear view of what the situation is for that team member. He requires commands. You hear him say, for example, “I am under fire from the corridor to my right.” You instruct him to take cover in a side room, then call up a nearby team member to provide cover fire from the flank, finally returning to the soldier in trouble and instruct him to rush to better cover under the covering fire of his team mate. Each time orders are given the camera view of that team member enlarges to almost full screen.

The battle computer eliminates much of the work by automatically and intelligently bringing full screen any camera view involved in any action.

You can also “Become” any of you 4 team members. By bringing their view full screen you and move them directly with full 360 degree freedom of rotation. You can shoot at enemies, unlock doors, or move out of harm’s way. At this point, you are the soldier. The other soldiers don’t stop though. They are guided by your orders and will attack if they run into trouble. You can at any time, switch to another character or go back to the command screen to issue orders.

Again, deepest thanks to Accent Media for letting us peek at this work-in-progress. AEO will have further updates on this game as its completion looms nearer. (Surfing the Jagged Edge,by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, AEO EXCLUSIVE: Varuna’s Forces, Volume 4, Issue 3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 27 February).

Playable Demo – E3, May 1995

This game had a sort-of-playable demo running with a representative by the machine for much of the time…the demo was similar to the ones shown at previous shows, with the planetfall scenario, the character bios, and the pre-rendered fractal landscape fly-by. I still want to know more about this game as it looks like a quality effort. ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Sven! Reports From the Show, report by Christian Svensson (Sven!), Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Another Description – E3

I wanted to say lots about this innovative CD game; I especially wanted to talk about how it implements the “control four commando members separately while seeing what they do” idea. But I can’t, since the E3 version was fairly dated. The FMV opening, mission briefing, and character psychological profiles were available, but that was it – the game itself was unavailable. The Accent Media rep I talked to, however, was very optimistic that this game would be available with the Jaguar CD release. Looked nice, at least. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, The Jungian View, report by Robert Jung,  JAGUAR VR, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

And Again – E3

And last but not least, was Varuna’s Forces. Please don’t ask what this game is about, or what style of game it is, because all that was on display were the rendered intros and the FMV sequences. Where the game was, I do not know! Anyway, what was on show looked pretty good, the intro was excellent, and the FMV was used to introduce and explain each mission. It will be interesting to see what form this game takes when it is complete, at least the presentation side of things is top-notch. (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Report from Spring ECTS in London, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Game Description – Atari Fun ‘N Games Media Day

Varuna’s Forces is an action strategy game with elements of a “shoot ’em up”. You are in control of a team of four soldiers of the United Coalition of Planets, Marine Attack Division, nicknamed Varuna’s Forces. The team is equipped with helmet cameras and microphones linked via radio to your tactical command console. You see, on your common screen, views from each of your soldier’s cameras. Also at your disposal is an overall view of a plan of the area with your troops’ positions indicated.

Your soldiers have his or her personal characteristics and relationships with his or her teammates which change over time. Sometimes command decisions must be made not just upon the physical status of a particular soldier, but also upon his or her personal attributes. You are given a number of scenarios from which to choose, however, your objective is to successfully complete each one. You may need to obtain the release of hostages, or capture an entire area or base, or capture a particular piece of equipment. (Fun ‘n Games (Media Day) at Atari, by Adam Urbano, Jaguar CD Games, Volume 4, Issue 5 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE July 20, 1995).

Video Jukebox (VJ), from All Systems Go (ASG)

I had the opportunity to talk with some VERY nice people at ASG (All Systems Go) last week, and am sure you will enjoy the results. Many of you have seen their adds for their VJ (Video Jukebox) in various mags and have been quick to point out that they mention the Jaguar as one of the versions being made. This was quickly confirmed, but with a slight hitch. It seems they expect the Jaguar VJ to be completed by Christmas. That is fine, although they plan on distributing it to distributors only, most likely for use in Jag-kiosks for store displays. What about the end user? ASG mentioned that when the time comes, the die-hard end user could most likely order their own personal VJ from ASG directly. The MSRP will most likely be $49.95.  (64 Bits-Jaguar News, By: Tal Funke-Filu, GEnie: Exploere.5, Issue 9 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 6 June 1994).

Virtual Reality

A VR Helmet code-named the CyberMaxx is reportedly being made for several platforms, including the Jaguar. Rumored price range:$400-$500.  (Other Jaguar tidbits, Volume 3 – Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 23 April 1994).

Under Development – January 1995

Also planned for 1995 delivery is Atari’s virtual reality headset, now under development with Virtuality Group plc, the leader in virtual reality technology and arcade games. The two companies officially joined forces in October to create the world’s first immersive virtual reality games for the home market. The virtual reality headset should be available to consumers by Christmas 1995 with a targeted price of less than $200. (Atari Press Releases, Atari to expand Jaguar peripherals, Jan. 6, 1995, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Atari Press Release – E3, May 1995

The Jaguar VR, the world’s first fully immersive virtual reality game system for the consumer market, was unveiled today at E3. It is being developed jointly by Atari Corporation, developer of the world’s first 64-bit game system, and VIRTUALITY Group plc, the global market leader in VR systems. The Jaguar VR incorporates VIRTUALITY’s revolutionary new VR head-mounted display (HMD) and optional track joystick, offering unequaled display, audio, and tracking features. Atari’s Jaguar VR sets an impressive industry standard for home virtual reality systems and has been designed with the highest international health and safety regulations in mind.

According to Sam Tramiel, President of Atari, “There is not one consumer VR product that can compete with the Jaguar in terms of price, performance and quality. The Jaguar VR has been designed with human factors in mind and sets the standard for the industry to follow. We are committed to delivering great experiences and entertainment.”

The proprietary, ergonomic HMD weighs less than 1 pound and easily adjusts to comfortably fit users, with or without glasses. It features a custom-designed optical pupil projection system and a full-color active matrix LCD screen. In addition, the HMD’s 3D spatialized sound system has been enhanced by placing speakers at the player’s temple, with sound projected back to the ears allowing for peripheral hearing. A built-in microphone allows networked players to talk to each other. A docking station, which links the Atari Jaguar system to the HMD and joystick, houses the technologically advanced “V-Trak” infrared tracking. This is the fastest tracker ever developed for consumer application, reacting to real-time head and hand movements with no perceptible lag time in the virtual world.

In addition, Jaguar VR is designed to be used only when a player is sitting with the unit stationary on a flat surface. If a player attempts to walk around while immersed in the game, an automatic cutoff will be triggered.

Players who own an Atari Jaguar will be able to upgrade by plugging Jaguar VR into their existing system. The Jaguar VR has a targeted retail price of $300. 

Through a software licensing agreement, VIRTUALITY is developing immersive virtual reality games for the Atari Jaguar VR. Atari’s classic home and arcade hit “Missile Command” is being recreated in VR format by VIRTUALITY and will be available by the end of the year. In addition, the popular VIRTUALITY arcade title “Zone Hunter” will also be available for Jaguar VR with the system introduction. Discussions are also underway with a number of third-party developers for the creation of future games that take advantage of this unique technology to create new experiences.

Founded in 1987 in Leicester, England, VIRTUALITY Group plc. is the world’s leader in immersive virtual reality entertainment systems worth more than 80 percent global market share. VIRTUALITY Entertainment, Inc. headquartered in Irving, Texas, was established in 1993 as the U.S.-based subsidiary to oversee all North American operations, sales, market development and distribution for its parent company. (E3 Jaguar Press Releases, First Consumer Virtual Reality Video Game, Atari and Virtuality Preview Reality Game System for the Consumer Market at E3, Affordable 64-bit Jaguar VR sets industry standards; available by end of year, May 11, 1995, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Official Specs, Atari Press Release – E3

Head Mounted Display (HMD) – Less than 1 pound. Two degrees of freedom (DOF) tracking, stereo sound, and 52 degree horizontal by 40 degree vertical field of view. Uses a single 0.7″ TFT active matrix color LCD containing 104,000 pixels.

Optical System – Custom-designed pupil projection with htmlheric acrylic lenses, beam splitters, mirrors and thin film coatings. Large exit pupil size of 5mm x 14mm. Can be used by anyone with an interpupilliary distance between 45mm and 70mm.

Focus Adjustment – There is no need for focus adjustment because the optical system is highly tolerant, projecting a binocular image, aligned to infinity to both eyes.

Tracking Systems – “V-Trak” is the fastest tracker ever developed for the consumer market, with a sample rate of 250Hz and a lagtime of only 4 milliseconds.

Optional Joystick – Offers two of six degrees of freedom, allowing greater control over movements in the virtual world. Jaguar VR games can also be played with the standard Jaguar controller.

Docking Station – Houses “V-Trak” position sensing system, a joystick interface and high speed communications link to the Jaguar for transferring audio and visual tracking data. (E3 Jaguar Press Releases,  Jaguar VR – Official Specs, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Set up at E3

In Atari’s booth, three key elements seemed to capture the interest of people who attended. First, was the phenomenal breakthrough of VR technology. Technology that refines the best known infrared tracking systems, couples it with advanced VR firmware and software and packages in an add-on peripheral system for around $300.  (Don’s View of L.A., Don Thomas, Director of Atari Customer Service, used with permission, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Another Perspective – E3

As we’ll see later, the VR headset was the biggest draw in the Atari booth. But how can they get a VR headset done for under $300 when most VR equipment is considerably pricier than that? The difference lies within how the tracking is implemented. Within the various pieces of the VR equipment (the helmet and optional controller) are IR transmitters, which contain the hardware that do angle calculations and other number crunching. This is much more inexpensive a concept than that found in other VR equipment, which use variations on military motion sensing hardware. The added side benefit is that it’s actually =faster= than the high-end mechanisms, even faster than Disney’s stunning Magic Carpet VR (though not as graphically amazing).

I personally can’t wait to try this baby out on Missile Command VR…(And if you’re interested in specs, the VR helmet features a 7″ TFT active matrix display of 104,000 pixels and capable of 65K colors.) (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Kitty Tidbits From the Floor, Comments from E3 participants logging into GEnie from L.A., Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

And Another – E3

Our next interview was one of the most interesting. The CEO of Virtuality gave us a personal demo of the Jaguar Headset and VR tracking system. He explained all of the components and the additional hardware specifically. It is slated to be shipping “by the end of the year” for a retail price of $299.99. He stated that the tracking mechanism is the fastest in the world… over four times faster than their $60,000 arcade system’s mechanism.

The VR displays were running on HIGH END PC’s but in conversation with one of the Virtuality programmers, “the poly counts will be lower on the Jag,” but should not degrade the visual impact of the games dramatically. The game shown to the public was called Zone Hunter… a game remarkably similar to Virtua Cop. (But better due to the VR.) Missile Command VR was on Jaguar, and was only shown by invitation. ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Sven! Reports From the Show, report by Christian Svensson (Sven!), Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

And Again – E3

The JagVR was too cool. While it didn’t look like the early sketch that DHGF had a few months ago, it still looked sexy. We met with the President of Virtuality. During the on-camera interview (AEO video plug), he demonstrated the unit with a game, but not the game that everyone else outside was playing. Before I continue let me clarify. Outside of the Atari meeting rooms were two VR systems running the game “Zone Hunter” that attendees were able to play. These systems were the Virtuality ARCADE systems with different HMDs (Head Mounted Displays). Zone Hunter is going to be ported to the JagVR.

Anyway, back inside the secret meeting room, we were shown the prototype JagVR system. It was very impressive. The unit is a true VR system, unlike some VR systems only just out with a TV in a helmet. The JagVR uses an infra-red tracking system that is four times faster than anything on the consumer market. It’s great, I know that! The game that was demonstrated with the unit was Missile Command VR/3D/2000. I spoke with the game programmer and he said that he has only worked on it for two months. It looked damn good, for just two months’ work! The game is a 3 dimensional version of the original. Picture yourself on a high platform overlooking your cities, locating and destroying the falling missiles using your head to “aim” and the joystick (or regular Jag controller) to fire.

The unit will retail for under $300 dollars and is scheduled to be available for Christmas. Let’s hope Atari and Virtuality can keep the schedule. You’ve been extra good this year right?! Personal Opinion: I would have paid cash for it on the spot. ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Through the Eyes of Jim, report by Jim Marteller, May 11th, 1995,  Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Try it before you buy it – E3

This was Atari’s “big gun” product, and they made sure everyone knew it… The hardware is 98% finished, and final molds of the equipment were on display. The VR system consists of three parts:

(1) VR goggles. No stereo vision, but otherwise a snug-fitting headset. Works fine with glasses, too. Adjustable knobs for picture focus and head fit. Plugs into the expansion port of the Jaguar.

(2) Trigger controller. A lightweight hand-held controller with two buttons: a “trigger” and an “action” button. Plugs into the Jaguar controller port.

(3) Infrared receiver. Not used in the demo setups, but the final Jaguar VR set will use an infrared receiver to track the position of your trigger relative to your helmet.

The prototype VR gear works like a charm, and the tracking of your head and gun are perfect. For example, I stopped at the end of a hall, spun around, and blew away a mutant creeping up behind me, and didn’t feel any sort of discontinuity from the game. Suffice it to say that this is a solid product. I expressed some doubt that the $300 price tag might not make it worthwhile for players. The Atari rep I talked to quickly contradicted me: a LOT of retailers and sales representatives think there’s a HUGE market for a $450 ($300 headset plus $150 Jaguar) setup.

Atari’s very eager to get this out by Christmas 1995 as a result, and I can’t blame them. Final VR note: The current plans are to have at least two VR games available at the headset’s release: ZONE HUNTER and MISSILE COMMAND 3D. I managed to sneak a peek at MC3D (it wasn’t being shown to the general public), but the game was too early to get a feel for what was going on. At least coding has started… ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, The Jungian View, report by Robert Jung,  JAGUAR VR, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Another version

Recently Virtuality <http://www.virtuality.com&gt;, the designers of the ill- fated JagVR headset, began offering the VRV Reference Design, a head- mounted display for license to consumer product manufacturers. While it has no head-tracking capability, this product looks very similar to the JagVR headset.

Mike Adams of Virtuality had this to say “The same design teams were involved in both products. Other than that, and the fact that both are head mounted displays, the similarities are pre-dominantly cosmetic. The Jaguar product was designed to be a VR system with built in tracking, requiring specially written or converted games, sadly, for a variety of reasons unconnected with the product itself, it never made it to the consumer and of the software titles which were being developed, only Missile Command VR was released (in its non tracked form).”

Currently Virtuality’s VRV design is available from Takara Co, Ltd. as the Dynovisor. (Jaguar VR Reborn? Issue 3 JAGUAR EXPLORER ONLINE October 15, 1997).

Virtuoso, from Telegames

Virtuoso is a Doom-type shoot-em-up with a difference. The view is from behind your character who is a well-hard heavy metal dude with a shotgun. The game has fully rendered enemies and nice texture mapped corridors and overall is an eye pleasing game. The character you control has the added bonus of being able to put his back against the wall to avoid oncoming fire and shoot while hiding! (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Voice Modem, from Phylon

Everyone is wondering whether DOOM will be ComLynxable. Well, just stop using the term “ComLynx”. With DOOM you will be able to connect a minimum of 2 players and possibly 4. But here is the catch – DOOM will be compatible with the yet to be released VOICE MODEM to be shown by Atari at the SCES. That is right! For two player games, you will be able to call up your friend over the phone and engage in total carnage right in the safety of your own home! As if that was not enough, the VOICE MODEM will allow you to talk to your friend VIA THE HEADSET packed in w/ the voice modem, at the same time, using the SAME PHONE LINE. Let me say that again. Using one phone line, you will be able to talk to your friend (using the VOICE MODEM HEADSET) and carry on a game of DOOM at the same time. Unreal! In order for DOOM to be able to support 4 player gameplay, it will have to be connected over the Jag network (what has been referred until now as the ComLynx) using special cables to route them through your entire house. You will not have to keep your Jags right next to each other in order to enjoy multi-player games. (Tal Funke-Filu, Reports from Atari Shareholders’ meeting, AEO News Bulletin #4, Saturday, June 18, 1994).

Atari Press Release

Atari Corporation (ASE:ATC) announced today that playing Jaguar games with opponents over a single telephone line will be a reality in the 4th quarter of 1994. New technology, developed by Phylon Communications, Inc.; leaders in advanced fax/modem/voice technology, permits two users to play Atari Jaguar video games against each other. Utilizing the same phone line, they may speak to each other as they play. The game experience is truely shared by the two gamers although they may be miles apart from each other.

The Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator uses headsets for the players to hear each other speak as well as listen to the stereo benefits of the game being played. Users will also have call waiting indications, both at local and remote ends, to pause and resume a game due to an interrupting call in the middle of a game. Thus, this product can be enjoyed by the players without being a nuisance to others in the home.

“By offering our voice-plus-data technology to leading OEMs and systems manufacturers, like Atari, Phylon is pioneering multimedia communications technology on the dial-up network,” noted Dr. Hamdi El-Sassi, President and CEO of Phylon.

The first games planned to exploit the features of the Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator are Doom(TM), Club Drive(TM) and Iron Soldier(TM).

“Reports I have been receiving from Jaguar owners is that they are ready for this technology. We have it and we are going to offer it this Christmas,” announced Mr. Sam Tramiel, President and CEO of Atari Corporation. “By reviewing each game we have in development, we have been able to make certain each one integrates every bit of power we can put into it.”

The Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator is packed complete with stereo headset and is engineered for user friendly, plug ‘n’ go operation. Future software options will enable the Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator to access existing and upcoming online services on the Information SuperHighway. (Atari Press Release, GAMERS PLAY JAGUAR (TM) ON THE TELEPHONE, New System Based on Simultaneous Voice & Data Communications Technology, Consumer Electronics Show, June 23, 1994, Volume 3 – Issue 10 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 2 July 1994).

Debut – SCES

Mentioned only a week or two earlier in another AEO UPDATE, the voice modem (by Phylon) made its debut at the SCES. People could engage in modem Club Drive games to race against each other or participate in a game of tag. For those who missed it the first time around, I’ll explain it again: The voice modem hooks up to the DSP slot in the back of your Jag and allows you to dial up with another player in selected games and the two of you can then play over the phone lines. Don the included headsets, and the Voice Modem will transmit (and mix with the game audio) your voice. (AEO’s 1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Report, by Tal Funke-Bilu, GEnie, SCES 1994 Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 29 July 1994).

Use with Doom

Release date? IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, DOOM should be on the shelves at the end of August. Why such the wait when Wolf 3-D was ported over the weekend? The incorporation of modem and Jagcom compatibility. Jay stated that JagDOOM will be modem and Jagcom compatible. With two player modemability guaranteed, Jay was very optimistic in mentioning that they are shooting for four player connectivity via the Jagcom. (AEO’s 1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Report, by Tal Funke-Bilu, GEnie, SCES 1994 Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 29 July 1994).

Use with Club Drive & Jagcom

Apart from having a split screen view, Club Drive also has modem compatibility worked in. Jagcom networking will also be coordinated in the final release…All two player games can be played either with a split screen view, over the modem, or through a Jagcom. (AEO’s 1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Report, by Tal Funke-Bilu, GEnie, SCES 1994 Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 29 July 1994).

Use with Iron Soldier

Sean Patton was enthusiastic when discussing Iron Soldier and its multi-playerability. It seems that if no unforeseen problems arise, that Iron Soldier will allow you to do battle against each other over the modem and Jagcom. (AEO’s 1994 Summer Consumer Electronics Show Report, by Tal Funke-Bilu, GEnie, SCES 1994 Edition ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 29 July 1994).

Possible Price

The possible mentioned price for the voice-modem was $200.00. (Atari: Jaguar Focus Group Market Research, by Adam Urbano, Volume 3 – Issue 11 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 12 September 1994).

Update

<T.MCCOMB> I got here late and don’t know if this was asked… what’s the story on the Voice Modem? What games _will_ support it? Thanks!

<[D.Thomas] ATARI> We had intended to have the voice modem integrated in mes by now and we are still finalizing that technology. This is a long term R&D/development investment, and it’s to everyone’s benefit to have all the specs 100% from day one. We are there in the lab, but there are just some tiny little production issues to resolve.

<ARCHIVIST> Don, that’s good to hear. I know the Voice Modem is a very popular concept with the gamers here on-line. We’ll all look forward to it and the games to support it!

<[D.Thomas] ATARI> I agree. We expect the voice modem to be REAL big. That’s why the effort must be in it from the start. (as it is). (Jaguar Real Time Conference on GEnie, Hosts – Charlie Townsend and Lou Rocha, Nov. 30, 1994, Guests: Dan McNamee, Don Thomas,  James Grunke and Purple Hampton, Volume 3, Issue 13 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 4 December 1994).

Price Update

<[Bill@Atari] B.REHBOCK> The voice modem is in developer production and will be out 1st quarter ’95. The retail price is cast in stone at $99.95

<[Fugazi] F.KEYLARD> That’s the right price point for the voice modem, bravo!

 (AvP/Marketing Conference, File Copyright and Courtesy of: Compuserve Atari Forums, Moderator Ron Luks (SYSOP), Vol. 3, Issue 13 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 9 October 1994).

Call Waiting

The Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator allows players to link to each other over the phone. The new technology, developed with Phylon Communications, Inc., leaders in the fax/modem/voice technology field, not only permits two players to play against each other using the phone connection, but to speak with each other by using a headset. By utilizing a “call waiting” feature, users can also pause a game to answer a phone call. The Jaguar Voice/Data Communicator comes complete with a stereo headset and is expected to be available by the third quarter 1995 at a suggested retail price of less than $150. (Atari Press Releases, Atari to expand Jaguar peripherals, Jan. 6, 1995, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

Update – February 1995

In speaking with Phylon on the Voice Data modem project, they have stated that their part in the design is done, and the project has been in Atari’s hands for a while. Has Atari a projected release date and price for the Voice Data modem?  

Their part of the design is not done and they are currently working on it. We have not released a projected release date or price. As soon as we do it will be announced. (Laury Scott:  Building Atari, Interview by: Travis Guy, GEnie: AEO MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG, Volume 4, Issue 2 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 6 February 1995).

Use with Ultra Vortek

I spoke with Beyond Games earlier this afternoon. Here’s the word on the Ultra Vortex Voice Modem Situation, from our conversation. Beyond Games have not received a final version of the Voice Modem from Atari to ensure their modem code would work exactly the same as it does on the prototypes Atari has provided. As it stands, BG will be removing the code next week, and the game should be heading to manufacturing by the end of this month.

I was told that the code worked perfectly, the voice transmission was clear, all -is- fine. BG are taking this step to avoid having any problems crop up should there be some minor change in the voice modem itself between its current state, and its final one.  ( Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Voices From the Vortex, from GEnie post from AEO editor, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

More with Ultra Vortek

First up, and more recently, Our Esteemed Editor (he makes me write that!) spoke with Chris Johnson this week, and reports that the Gamers Beyond have been very busy of late. It seems that they’re working out some kinks in Ultra Vortek voice modem performance over long distance lines, and have fixed a awful glitch in the game that cut frame rate 60% on PAL systems. So take those very low European reviews you may have seen lately and toss them. Ultra Vortek should be “golden” next week, and unless something nasty happens, the VoiceData modem code should remain in as an Easter Egg. That’s one for the record books, kiddies. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, Up Close – Beyond Games, Volume 4, Issue 5 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE July 20, 1995).

Empty Promises

<Vernon> one of my interest in the jaguar is modem gaming. I can’t wait to battle via modem with BattleSphere! I’m not a real big fighter fan but since UV is rumored to have vmodem support I will get it. I am thinking about running… UV Modem Tournament. My question is what’s the status of the voice modem and games supporting modem play. The modem gaming market is open for the taking. Also, I like the idea of being able to browse the Web with my jaguar. GA

<Ted&Co(ATC)> Stand by… g> I sent three lines darn it… Vernon, We don’t think UV has modem support although we know BG toyed with the idea… We agree modem support is an area we need to cultivate and among many priorities on our plate… Today the CD-ROM, tomorrow the Modem and more! <g> GA (Ted, Ron and Don on GEnie, Volume 4, Issue 7 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE September 15, 1995).

Wayne Gretzy and the NHLPA All-Stars, from Time Warner Interactive

Today at the E3 Tradeshow, Time Warner Interactive, Consumer Games Division (TWi) demonstrated their new “Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars(TM)” title on four systems at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall, in Suite 309. Viewed for the first time were versions for the PC CD-ROM, Atari(R) Jaguar(TM), and Super NES(TM). A final version for the Sega(TM) Genesis(TM) was available and will ship May 26, 1995.

“Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars” is a result of TWi’s dual license: an exclusive three-year contract with Wayne Gretzky, all-time NHL scoring leader and four time Stanley Cup winner, and a license with The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) that brings professional hockey players’ names, profiles and statistics to the game.

“The sports market is very competitive — we’re going for winners, by pulling together the best technology, licenses, and talent,” commented Mark Beaumont, Senior Vice President Product Development and Marketing at TWi. “We have a lot of experience creating sports titles and we’re going out strong with ‘Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars.’”

Beaumont noted, “With two years of research and development on top of our three-year Gretzky exclusive, we’ve set the foundation for a winning line-up.”

“Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars” looks and plays realistically because professional gameplay was captured on video and in 3D rendered animations. To capture the real movements and character of Wayne Gretzky, Gretzky himself was filmed for use in the CD versions skating, passing, blocking, and scoring. The title features digitized film footage of NHLPA players to accentuate critical moments like face-offs, blocks and goal scoring. Video footage was taken, digitized and imported into a computer software package where character outlines or animated “skeletons” were constructed to recreate true movements and actions.

The title features over 600 professional hockey players including 26 North American teams and six International All-Star teams. Battery back-up lets you track wins and stats, trade players, edit team line-ups and names, and go for a full 84 game season with playoffs. Designed so that with just three pushes of the button you’re on the ice, “Wayne Gretzky and the NHLPA All-Stars” puts you at center-rink for a unique close-to-the-action perspective. Video clips of referees appear to keep order during play and digitized audio announces penalties and goals. Player animations are 20% larger than images in competitive hockey games and details such as backwards skating action and the sounds of puck slaps and stadium music add to the realism. (E3 Jaguar Press Releases, Wayne Gretzky & NHLPA All-Stars, May 11, 1995, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).

Wild Cup Soccer, from Telegames

The pseudo-sequel to Brutal Sports Football. Anyone who liked BSF will LOVE this one. In my opinion it is greatly improved over its predecessor, the side view of BSF has been replaced by a FIFA soccer-type view which gives the game a bit more depth. The scrolling has been improved tenfold and is now smooth as a baby’s bottom. The game is pretty much the same as before though, forget about the goals and just kill everyone instead, ace! Teams of eleven players will compete to win, anyway they can. Winning means money and money means more weapons and more weapons means more carnage! Yet again, the two player game is the best and will keep you maiming for hours. (Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995).

World Class Cricket, from Telegames

This action packed title (not!) will have plenty of options, slick presentation, save and replay modes so you can see your favorite six-hit over and over. The game may have some neat graphical touches such as zooming camera angles that pan round the pitch and follow the ball. This is another April release.  ( Cuppa with the Dooz, by Darren Bates, Volume 4, Issue 1 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 16 January 1995). 

The End

[JEO] What became of Ultimate Brain Games and World Class Cricket?

[TLG] Development was suspended when it became obvious that Atari was going to exit the market. The next question would be if they could be completed now. The answer to that question is the same that must be given regarding all future releases: it must be financially feasible for us to bring additional products to market. The sales results of the six announced products will determine if additional products are brought forth. ( Terry L. Grantham CEO of Telegames,  Interview By: Clay Halliwell, Volume 1, Issue 2 JAGUAR EXPLORER ONLINE July 1, 1997).

Zone Hunter

The software being shown was ZONE HUNTER, a shoot-everything-that- moves sci-fi game. It was currently running on a dedicated computer (unseen, possibly an IBM PC). A Virtuality rep I talked to says that work on the Jaguar game software has begun; the polygon count will probably be lower in the end, but they expect to make up for it by giving you a larger “virtual world” to play in.

Yes, I got to try the VR gear. B-) ZONE HUNTER is a simple game: you play a futuristic space Marine, who walks around, through, and under a high-tech city, blowing away all sorts of aliens and enemies. Grab powerups for your gun, avoid damage, and reach your checkpoints before time runs out. Nothing too complicated, but it was fun to play – think of it as VR DOOM, if you want (though not as fast). Graphics were plain polygons with a minimal amount of texturemapping; sounds consist of weapons fire and a “radio” voice from your headquarters. (Surfing the Jagged Edge, by Dimitri Mark LaBarge, The Jungian View, report by Robert Jung,  JAGUAR VR, Special Jag Edition E3 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE May 20, 1995).