                _____ _             
               |_   _| |__   ___      
                 | | | '_ \ / _ \
                 | | | | | |  __/
                 |_| |_| |_|\___|   
                _____ _____ _____                
               |     |   __|  _  |  _____            
               |  |  |   __| |_| | |_____|                 
               |__|__|_____|_____|
      ______                             __________                  
     / ____ \                _____      |____  ____|   ____          _
    | /    \_|___  |\     /||__ __||\    | ||  |  _   |    \  |\    | |
    | |      /   \ |  \_/  |  | |  |  \  | ||  |/ _ \ |  ~ /  |  \  | | 
    | |     _| O | | |\_/| | _| |_ | |\ \| ||  |  __/ | |\ \  | |\ \| |
    | \____/ \___/ |_|   |_||_____||_|  \__||__|\___\ |_|  \_\|_|  \__|
     \______/
                                   E-MAG
                                   
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                      The Neo-Comintern Installment 21
                        We are The 5th International   
                               May 31st, 1998
                            Editor: The BoSS MC         
                                  Writers:                  
                                    BMC

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                                "VIDEO GAMES"
                 Reviews, Interviews, And Other Assorted Views

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                        Featured in this installment:
                              BoloBall v1.0- BMC 
                                  Onics- BMC
                                 Popstar- BMC

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                                BOLOBALL v1.0
                                   By BMC

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


        "When some deny it defy it, I swing boloz" -Chuck D

        This is just a little something about one of the three games which
have been a lasting source of entertainment over the last 6 years.  Nope,
it's not Popstar or Druglord (AKA RapBlord).  It's the other one.

        Boloball.  This game was made back in '92, one of the greatest years
of my life.  I remember that some of my early sexual experiences were in
prime force in that year, "The Year of Sexual Awakening", as I call it.
The interesting thing was that I had played Boloball with many of my then
"girlfriends".  Reminiscing back, it was often a game of Boloball,
immediately followed by

        Anyway, this game has lasted me 6 years, and that is a lot
considering that most games last 6 minutes, and good ones last a couple of
weeks or months.  Boloball is the type of game that you don't need
instructions for.  Even a first time player has a decent chance against the
computer.  Over time, though, you can hone your skills to the point of
beating the computer by extremely large amounts.  It is a constant challenge,
because there is a high score list, and as humans we always strive to be
better.

        Here is a quote from the boloball DOC. that will enlighten you about
the play of the game.
     
   
      "The objectiveth of Bolo Ball is quite simple.  Starting from the top
row thee try nigh unto push thy 29 balls down an maze thus that they reacheth
the bottom row.  The farther down thee can get them, the higher the score.
Thee play against the computer who will play the Red balls and thee will play
the Blue.  The game board is an 29x18 grid. In this grid hither art several 
different obstacles that thee will want nigh unto use nigh unto thy
advantage.

      They are:
   
      Blue Arrow Tiles:     These art ramps that will make the ball 
                            travel in the direction of the arrow. 

      Purple Tiles:         These purple tiles (ramps on level three
                            of the long game version), rotate randomly. 
                                
      Yellow Bonus Tiles:   These will add ten points nigh unto thy total 
                            score.  
                                   
      Black Holes:          Hither art fiveth tiles that art called 
                            Black Holes. If an ball hits one of these 
                            black and white tiles, it will disappear 
                            and resume its journey from another one 
                            of the four remaining Black Holes." 
   

        Yes, this game design itself is ingenious, but there is one more
element which makes this game the chess of the 90's.


      Gray Tiles:           These tiles will stop the ball if they 
                            obstruct the ball's path. When all the 
                            balls hast been pusheth by both players, 
                            these gray tiles will be removeth and the 
                            balls that art above them will continue 
                            nigh unto gather points as they descend toward 
                            the bottom row. (The game is won or lost 
                            in most cases by the points gaineth once 
                            these gray tiles art removeth!) 
   

        Can it be so?  YES!  This is where the true mindwork comes in.  Did
god himself create this program?  It is simple, yet so extremely brilliant.
I don't know if Soleau designed this game alone, but I give him and his crew
their rightfully deserved credit as geniouses.

        Boloball is a dos game and probably will screw up in WinBlows.
That's good news to me, because anyone who can't run dos dosen't deserve to
play this king of a game.

        The most amazing thing about this game is the subtle way it eludes to
capitalism.  It is a game which pits two players against another and forces
them to do anything to screw the other one.  There is no option to play for
combined high score.  It is not a group effort, showing the ruthlessness of
the capitalism (AKA fascism) controlled world.  It is about time someone
taught this lesson to the masses in a very easily digestable format.

        One very strange thing about this game is the fact that the writers
refer to the green balls as "blue".  Is this some type of metaphor?  For I
have eyes, and they are most certainly not blue.  Is Soleau colourblind, and
nobody has ever had the heart to tell him of the error in his program?  Every
person I have ever played the game with in the past 6 years (and there have
been literally dozens) has commented on the ball colour.

        It dosen't matter, though, the colour of Soleau's balls.  All that is
important is that the shareware is masterful and can be easily found on the
internet.  Play it a few times, and before you know it, every time the wind
blows, it will call "booooloooooballllllll".  At least it does for me.  

        Oh, by the way, here's an interview I did with William Soleau about
a week after I wrote that article:


        William Soleau, what inspired you to create the great game of
Boloball?  How did the idea come to you, and where did you get the name from? 

        "Wow... Bolo Ball is an old one!  I guess I got some inspiration for
the game from when I was a little boy and my parents took our family to the
beach.  We used to make paths in the sand dunes for ping-pong balls to roll
down.  I guess I just took that idea a step further.  As for the game name
Boloball, I used the name Bolo in alot of my early games like Bolo
Adventures, Bolobox...  The name from when I was in summer camp and instead
of calling me Billy Soleau (Solo)  they used to call me Silly Bolo as my
nickname.  I guess the name stuck."


        Some critics have called Boloball the chess of the 90's.  Is this, in
your mind, accurate?

        "I don't think any game can compare to chess in terms of pure
strategy.  I've never heard that comparison before, it's nice company
though."


        Do you have any future plans for further development of Boloball?

        "Actually I did release a Windows game based on Boloball called
Rollem.  It's basically the same game with a few twists.  As for further
development of that particular game I'm not really sure.  Perhaps one of
these days I'll get around to adding more elements to the basic game."


        In the game, you call them blue balls, when in reality, the balls
are green.  This has been questioned by hundreds of thousands of game
players.  What is the reasoning behind this?

        "As my wife always says I'm color blind when it comes to blue and
green.  When she says I'm wearing a blue sweater I'd swear it was green...go
figure."


        I have had several games where I have beaten the computer by over 1
thousand points, and I have had scores at 3,683.  Is this impressive?

        "I don't know what the highest possible score is, however, your score
is VERY good indeed."


        There has been rumour that there are uncirculated alternate versions
of Boloball.  For instance, I have heard of Boloball prototype with a
different type of tile added to the gameplay.  Can you substantiate any of
these rumours?

        "Never heard them." 


        I have had experiences which had linked Boloball to sex.  I'm sure
people often tell you this.  How do reports like this make you feel?

        "Again... never heard that one.  Boloball and Sex ?  Humm..... I'd
tell those people to get a life."


        Are there any secrets (hints or tips) within the game of Boloball?

        "In the sequel to Boloball (Rollem for Windows) go to the Soleau
Information page by clicking on the SOLEAU button.  Then click on the "by
Soleau Software" in the upper right hand corner for a surprise!"


        Boloball has been among my top 3 favorite games for the last 6 years.
The other games are Popstar (Rockstar) and DrugLord.  Are you familiar with
these games?  Do you have anything to say about them?

        "I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with those two games.  I really
don't play that many games myself.  I guess I like creating them more then
playing them.  The only game of mine I actually play regularly is Isle
Wars... However, I still prefer Chess over most anything."


        Boloball is undoubtedly one of the best games of all time.  Is there
anything else in the SoleauSoft archives that can compare with it?

        "I never thought of Boloball as being so popular.  I've created over
100 games in the past ten years.  In terms of similar games I guess Mice Men
and Balloon Challenge could compare with Boloball.  These games however are
very old DOS games and I have only been writing for Windows and Mac for the
past several years."


        The idea of shareware is, in a way, a form of socialism.  Does
shareware work as well in practice as it does in theory?

        "It allows programmers like myself to get my software to alot of
people without the associated cost of trying to go the retail root.  Without
the Shareware model, I would never have gotten into producing games and there
would be no Soleau Software.  I was able to make the Shareware idea work for
me, however, if for example people actually registered the games they played
I'd be rich.  Usually less then 1% actually register the game even though
they play it regularly.  It's that 1% that allows me to continue writing
games."

 
        In the future, do you think there will be a new Boloball?

        "One never know :-)"



        ...So, with that last enigmatic quote, "One never know", William
Soleau concluded the interview and gave us all something to think about for
the next 6 years until he makes Boloball II like we all have been praying
for for the last 6.  One never know, one never know....
                                   
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                                    ONICS
                                    By BMC

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               
        I'm here with you today to discuss with you the recent impact a
file has had on me.  The amazing thing is, it's a utility.  However, it is
without a doubt the best text utility ever created.

        The name of the game, erh, utility, is "Onics", programmed by Jim
Knopf (AKA Jim Button).  It is much more than a utility, though.  It is pure
unadulterated fun.  Here is a description of the program as printed in the
Onics readme file:

        "ONICS takes a text file and translates it based on language rules
which it finds in another file.  The resulting output can be quite humerous,
and it's fun making up new language rules files. It's also a great deal of
fun translating miscellaneous text files that you might have sitting around."

        So true.  Once you have the program, the possibilities are only
limited by your own mind.  You will get a language or two with the file, and
once you observe the programming of them, you will understand how easy it
will be to create your own language from your own slang, or from the slang
of another region.  The Onics program is capable of supporting any
sub-language you can create.

        One thing that bothers me, however, is the fact that the program is
made for WinBlows.  I would much prefer a program made for dos.  If it could
function in WinDoze too, that would be great for the housewives and the
elite group called the "computer illiterate", but most of us don't care
either way.

        The game's programmer, Jim Knopf, recently subjected himself to an
interview with The Neo-Comintern:

 
        Jim Knopf, I have recently used your utility, "Onics", and I find
that it is perhaps the greatest program I have ever used.  What inspired 
you to make this particular program?

        "Only the greatest program?  I had a lot of time on my hands when the
`ebonics' thing came out regarding the Oakland school district.  I was amused
by the flap, and wanted to make something that would allow ebonics, utahnics,
canadaonics, and other scary types of onics."


        I noticed that there is no "register me" message.  Is this
truely free ware?

        "Truely. Frankly, I'm getting a little p.o.'d at the directions
shareware authors have taken in the past few years.  Everything I do now is
freeware."


        Do you have any programs more exciting than Onics?  Is it
possible?

        "You're the only person who was ever excited by "onics"... Hey, now
that I know there's a potential audience out there, I'll see if I can top
Onics.  Actually, a lot of people have expressed pleasure with my "badlibs"
program.  It's great fun for the junior high school crowd."


        What, in your opinion, are the 5 best freeware/shareware programs in
history?

       "PC-File
        PC-Talk
        PC-Write
        PK-ZIP
        Paint Shop Pro
        and now, Onics"


        When you were referred to as "Father of Shareware" in 1985, how
did you respond?

        "I read it in a magazine, and never responded. Of course, I agreed
with it."


     Your webpage says you are a member of the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy".
What exactly does that mean?

        "Whatever Hillary Clinton meant when she said it, I guess that's what
it means.  Anyway, since she seemed to be against it, that automatically made
me `for' it."
 

        Have you ever heard of a "Monster Labour Camp", a place where 
dissidents and society's undesirables will be sent to perform hard labour
under close supervision of hideously mutated Sea and Space Monsters?  What
are your thoughts on this boon to society?

        "Everyone should feel needed. This includes dissidents, undesirables,
and hideously mutated sea and space monsters.  Maybe I could sell them
something."


        If you could live in any dimension, including this one, which one
would you choose?

        "Many of my acquaintances would argue that I have not lived in this
one.  I don't know, though. This is a tough choice. I think I choose one of
the others. That one over there."
 
                
        Jim Knopf's "Onics", and other great programs are availaible for free
at http://www.halcyon.com/knopf/jim  Patronize his site, enjoy his games, and
give him feedback on his software.



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                                 POPSTAR
                                  By BMC

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Yes, Popstar is one of the best games ever made.  It was created in
1989 by a crew of geniouses in Scotland.  Dubbed by the team as a
"Psychadelic Extravaganza", this is a game which at first glance seems to
be ancient.

        Shareware, once again; the software which many took for granted as
being "lacking" in certain things, such as graphics and technology.  Though
this ANSI-based game appears to be just that, keep in mind the level of
graphic technology at that time.  Instead of making a CGA game with poor
control, Wizard made a text game with a message instead of a poorly
programmed end boss.  It is a no frills game which is still relevant in the
1998 society. (If you want to take the word of an ASCII E-Mag writer)

        The game was made by visionaries under enigmatic code names:
        Sleepy Cat Summer, Wayward Wardrobe, Lord B Dog, and Big Mac

        -By the way, these are four personal heroes of mine

        In this game, you play an aspiring Scottish pop star, trying to climb
the international music charts.  This is a lucrative, and occasionally
nerve damaging game.  Your goals are to top the charts, pack the stadiums,
and get #1 records.

        How do you do it?  You have to record singles and albums, make
videos, write songs, and do radio and TV interviews.  It's not all work,
though, as you will find out as you pick up groupies, go on long holidays,
and indulge in drugs.  Too much of anything will kill you, though, so make
sure you balance your life or you will surely die.

        This game is easy to play, but it will take time before you develop
a strategy that gives you the win every single time (as I have).

        Oh well, it's fun to play the game, it breaks monotony, and there
are several side games you can play along with Popstar.  When you play it,
you will notice that if you register it, you will get the enhanced version,
which they call "Rockstar".

        Umm, in 1993, the game Popstar was replaced in the shareware market
by Rockstar.  Except for the save game feature, it seemed to be nearly the
same Rockstar that was described in the 1989 game.  Rockstar has many more
options, and there are certain benefits to the game (i.e. it runs at normal
speed on modern computers).  Anyway, the other difference is that you can
sign contracts with recording companies in this one.  What is next for
Wizard?  Who knows?  Maybe Megastar will become shareware, and we will be
coerced to buy some new Intergalacticstar game, or something like that.
Maybe there will be a game called "Ronstar" where you have to make porno
movies.  I'm not sure either way.

       At any rate, I recently had the experience of talking to Sleepy Cat
Summer on the weeb, and this is what we talked about:


         I've played some othew Wizard games.  Is there anything close to
as good as this one?

        "There is nothing LIKE Rockstar or comparable with it in our back
catalog - we planned to do a whole series of comedy adventure games, but
demand for Rockstar was so poor that we moved into sports related games
(mainly soccer) to pay for our computers and beer (etc)."



        How old were the guys who made these games?

        "I was 26, going on 15  when I wrote Rockstar....."



        Did you ever hear about the "enhanced game", where you buy a bag
of dope and a bottle of wine, then you drink and smoke reeds along with
the game?  Would you like to play it with me if I ever go to Scotland?

        "I've played this game before - and sure I'll play it again!"



        I have never seen Megastar.  Is it eventually going to be released as
shareware, or are the shareware days of Wizard winding down?

        "Megastar was never finished (lack of demand, lack of time etc), but
it will almost certainly be completed before the Millennium (better ten years
late than never?) - the latest delay is caused by

A) having to work long hours to scratch a living (whatever happened to
Shareware?)

B) desire to convert the existing (incomplete) Megastar into a multi-player
net-based game......

It may be shareware, may be freeware, may be subscription only....."



        It is a well known fact that this game is one of the three top
games of all time, along with Druglord and Boloball.  Are you familiar
with these games?  

        "never heard of either - can you send me copies?"



        Do you have any advanced Rockstar strategy for readers of the
N-Com?

        "believe it or not this game has so many variables and random
elements that I don't know how to consistently get the better of it myself:
however,
	- don't let the drugs get a hold on you.....
	- don't do the Eurovideo contest under ANY circumstances
	- take regular holidays
	- make lots of records
        - enjoy"



        There is a personal hero of mine: A Whale.  Can you tell me if
he is coming out with any albums in the near future?  

        "yes, A Whale comes up with some excellent songs - a new one every
year as he heads south to his mating grounds in the Caribbean..... did you
notice the excessive fishy theme in the artists and titles - this was
intended to add a surreal element to the game...."



        I have played "enhanced games" where I could not stand up when I
finished the game.  How does this make you feel?

        "like I have succeeded"



        Would you ever consider making a a Popstar-like game based on
the life and career of Ron Jeremy?  Why or why not?

        "who is Ron Jeremy?"



        Being from Scotland, can you verify the existance of Loch Ness?
Our government has denied the existance of it in the past.

        "aye - I have walked along its bonny shores many a braw bricht
moonlicht nicht - you could say I am on talking terms with Nessie, but that
would be just a flight of fancy....."



        If there was a full scale war which pitted the good guys against
the bad guys, which side would you fight for, and why?

        "I would hide away until they had all killed each other - maybe this
would give me the time to finish Megastar?"



        Anyway, as we now know, there is no Megastar availiable yet.  Popstar
and Rockstar are worth getting, though, so go and get them off of the net.
There is a Wizard site, but it is not worth visiting.  They don't have
anything availiable for download, and even if they did, you already have
Popstar, so why do you need another game?

        Anyway, Komrades, until next time remember, "Don't take any drugs and
take lots of holidays".

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  Copyright (c) 1998 Comintern Publications and The Boss MC 
  All Rights Reserved.                            #21-5/31/98
