From:    ThomasSteiding epic@swol.de
To:      Petra Struck petra.struck@online-club.de
Date:    Mon, 09 Aug 1999 10:10:38 +0100
Subject: Preseerklärung

Press Release

Pagan Games and Epic Marketing are happy to announce a long term cooperation.
This cooperation means that Epic Marketing will publish all Pagan Games
developed in the next couple of years.

Says Vince Pike of Epic: "This will
be a strong cooperation where both partners can concentrate on what they
are doing best: Pagan Games can concentrate on delivering top quality
games and Epic on the Marketing aspect. We look at this as a very strong
partnership which will deliver high quality products to the Amiga community."

Jason Hayman of Pagan Games, one of the co-founders of the Pagan Group adds:
"Our relationship with Epic allows us a stable and supported base for future
development of all Pagan Gamesin the next 3 years. We see this as a long term
deal with Epic with a very promising future for us both. We are the largest
development group on the Amiga with over 20 members working on 3 projects -
and we are still hiring more!"

The first product to be released will be the Amiga title "Dafel:Bloodline",
an action based RPG game. "Dafel:Bloodline" has an isometric 3D POV, similar
to the "Chaos Engine" series and comes with a sound system called Full Sensual
Gaming (FSG) which will be responsible for the best possible atmosphere ever
in a computer RPG game.

The features of "Dafel:Bloodline" are:

* Extremely fast chunky to planar (c2p) graphics engine. RTG compatible.
  The game offers two resolutions to play in, 320 x 240 and 640 x 480.
  Both offer 256 colours on screen, with the 640 x 480 requiring a
  graphics card and a faster processor to run. The AGA version runs at
  25 fps. Both screen resolutions are RTG compatible working on CyberGFX
  and Picasso96 systems.

* FSG Audio System (Full Sensual Gaming) & CD Music/Effects.
  "Dafel:Bloodline" uses our own stereo sound handling system in the game.
  Using either Paula (or possibly AHI) we split the available channels
  in half assigning one pair to what we call Sound Objects (SO) and the other
  pair to Environment sound Objects (ESO). SO`s are used to create objects
  that can be tracked by sound alone. using advanced algorithms, the volume
  level of the sound is calculated in real timeso the closer you are, the louder
  the SO will be heard and the further away you are, the quieter the SO will
  be heard. In relation to the SO, the ESO`s are used to add atmosphere and
  ambedience to a level. In conjunction to background sound effects being
  played off the CD, ESO`s are used to add an extra dimensionto the
  audio set by trigger points on the game map.

* Game Engine

  in "Dafel:Bloodline" we have mixed two gaming elemnts together, action and
  adventure into one single engine. The action elemnts consist of Dafel
  attacking level enemies and end of level monsters. There are three ways
  Dafel can attack using his sword. The first basic way is called a "low swing",
  which inflects little damage, but allows a consistent flow of attacks.
  The second attack is a "medium swing", which allows more damage on the enemy
  but takes longer. The final attack is a "Full Swing", where Dafel slashes
  down from his head and inflicts the most damage, but also needs the most time
  to execute.

  The adventure and strategic elements arise from the solving of puzzles , the
  communication with other characters and the being of Dafel himself.
  Throughout the game there will be subplots that are relevant to the core plot.
  Dafel must find and complete these to progress through the core plot.
  The game has been designed in a non-linear fashionallowing the player
  to revisit areas and solve puzzles in any order. There are however
  key plot stages that need to be completed before advancing to another
  sub-plot. These key stages are always followed by a cut-scene to develop
  the plot further.
  Dafel must also live in the world and to do so he must maintain his armour
  and sword and also feed and drink himself. Strategic elements arise in this
  management role of looking after his equipment and hunting for food. Dafel
  can also visit blacksmiths or shops to maintain or improve his armour
  and sword.

* Enemy Artifical Intelligence

  Enemies that roam Dafel`s world can behave in 3 different ways. We have
  "roamers" who aimlessly wander through the maps attacking at pure will.
  We have "ambushers" who can lay in wait then attack and then we have
  "group-attackers" who only fight in groups. These 3 classes are subdivided
  into various attributes such as sight, hearing, smell and intelligence.
  An enemy with low sight will rely on smelling and hearing his enemy.

* Manga Style FMV and Cut Scenes

  Bloodline begins with a 5 minute FMV sequence based upon the prologue.
  The game also end with a FMV sequence.



The finished product can be expected at around the time of the Cologne
exhibition. A playable demo will be released in a couple of weeks.
Preorders can already be placed with Epic Marketing UK (Tel:01793/432176,
E-Mail:epicmarketing@dialin.net) or Epic Marketing Germany (Tel:07071/
400492, E-Mail:info@epic-marketing.de) for a special preorder price.


"Dafel:Bloodline" will probably remain the only product that will still
support the Classic 68k based Amiga.  The next project "Scavengers", an
action based but still strategic game in complete 3D which will combine
the best of Wing Commander and Command&Conquer into a new game, is scheduled
for release on Amiga MCC and might also be developed for Amiga PPC and 3D
graphic boards if there is enough demand for it.

More on this and other projects that Pagan Games and Epic Marketing are
currently working on can be found at these webpages:

www.pagan-games.com
www.epicmarketing.ltd.net
www.epic-marketing.de



-----------------------------------------------------------
EPIC MARKETING
HIRSCHAUER STRASSE 9
72070 TÜBINGEN

Tel: +49 (0) 7071 40 04 92
Fax: +49 (0) 7071 40 04 93
Mail:epic@swol.de 

From    Martin Baute solar@baud.de
To      Petra Struck petra.struck@online-club.de
Date    Sat, 07 Aug 1999 12:03:05 +0200
Subject Kriegs-Analogie
Name    Martin Baute


Hallo Petra,

auf ANN fand sich diese sehr treffende Metapher zur Situation, inklusive
einer Reaktion von Jim Collas. Ich habe beide für die Sonderseite übersetzt.

*** Deutsch, Englisch folgt ***

Posting von Paul E. Bell auf comp.sys.amiga.misc:

Hi Jim,

Nein, ich habe Deine Nachricht nicht zitiert, wie Gateway die
Informationen betrachtet, die Du ausgibst und die Leute, die Du
anwirbst und wie man sich wundert, was Du tust; oder Deinen Vergleich
mit anderen Firmen. Auf jeden Fall Dank Dir, daß Du uns diese Dinge
gesagt hast.

Verstehe das folgende nicht falsch, bevor Du alles gelesen hast:

Amiga und die Gemeinschaft befinden sich beide in einer schwierigen
Situation. Auf eine Art ist die Amiga-Gemeinschaft wie eine kleine
Armee, die jetzt schon seit Jahren von Notrationen lebt. Im Laufe
dieser Jahre sind Generäle gekommen und gegangen, und alle haben sie
Vollrationen und "echtes Essen" versprochen, gleich um die Ecke. Diese
Generäle haben auch neue Waffen versprochen, Verbesserungen der
jetzigen Waffen, und mehr und bessere Munition. Aber wir leben immer
noch von Notrationen, unsere Gewehre und Munition ist Jahre alt, und
unsere Stiefel sind durchgelaufen.

Jetzt haben wir einen neuen General, einen, der uns Vollrationen und
"echtes Essen" verspricht, gleich um die Ecke. Einer, der uns neue und
bessere Waffen verspricht, mit besserer Munition, und Fahrzeuge, nicht
weniger. Um dies zu erreichen, hat er sich mit einem Kommandostab
umgeben, wie wir ihn noch nie gesehen haben, auch wenn wir immer noch
nicht erkennen, wie diese Leute die neuen Waffen, Munition und Essen
heranschaffen sollen (etwas, was normalerweise von Forschern und
Entwicklern getan wird, und vielen davon), oder wie die
Nachschublinien zusammengestellt werden sollen (momentan scheinen wir
uns selbst zu versorgen, indem wir die umliegende Landschaft plündern,
zwischen spärlichen Nachschüben von Freiwilligenorganisationen und ein
paar Söldnereinheiten).

Der neue General versucht, näher bei seinen Männern zu sein, er
versucht, ihnen Einsicht in einige der Gedanken hinter seinen
Entscheidungen zu verschaffen. In der Zwischenzeit diskutiert das
Kabinet, was in aller Welt er da zu tun versucht, und warum er so
unorthodox ist. Sie machen sich Sorgen, daß der Gegner seine
Nachrichten abfangen könnte, und einen Gegenangriff startet, bevor die
kleine Armee ihre neue Ausrüstung überhaupt erhält. Der General hat
alle Hände voll zu tun, die Truppen und das Kabinet zur gleichen Zeit
zu beruhigen.

Wegen denen, die sich darauf vorbereiten, das Schiff zu verlassen,
sollte es vielleicht eine Navy/Admirals-Situation sein, aber das faßt
die Situation zusammen, exklusive den Abspringern.

Wenn ich es richtig verstehe, würde die Armee normalerweise von den
neuen Rationen erst erfahren, wenn sie da sind, nicht vorher.
Normalerweise wäre da vielleicht nicht einmal eine Armee, die auf die
neuen Waffen wartet, wäre es nicht eine alte, und hoch dekorierte
Armee, und eine, die einfach nicht aufgibt, selbst wenn ihre Anführer
sterben oder verschwinden.

Vielleicht verdient es diese Armee, besseren Nachschub zu erhalten, zu
wissen, daß besserer Nachschub unterwegs ist, oder zumindest
produziert wird. Auf der anderen Seite, vielleicht nicht.

Was wäre passiert, wenn Du bis zum Start geschwiegen hättest? Jene,
die das Schiff verlassen wollten, wären sowieso gesprungen; die, die
bleiben wollten, wären geblieben. Es gäbe immer noch Beschwerden über
den Nachschub, aber vielleicht hätte es weniger Verwirrung und weniger
Beschwerden über den General und seinen Stab gegeben.

Nachdem es gesagt wurde, können wir nicht mehr zurück, aber es sollte
uns klar sein, daß wir im Krieg sind. Vielleicht wissen wir nicht,
wen der General für den Gegner hält, aber es sollte uns klar sein, daß
es nicht gut ist, wenn wir selbst zum Gegner werden. Es sollte uns
auch klar sein, daß wir sehr kurz davor sind, jeden Tag. Ich weiß
nicht, was die Lösung ist. Ich weiß aber, daß ich, als Fußsoldat, die
ausgegebenen Informationen auf der Basis mußich_wissen_ beurteilen
sollte, und im Moment mußich_es_nicht_wissen_.

Was ist anders? Ich werde vom General nach meiner Meinung gefragt, wie
dieser Krieg zu führen sei, welche Waffen ich brauche, wie ich mein
Steak gerne hätte! Der General wird von Zeit zu Zeit von Soldaten in
den Schützengräben gesehen (wie macht er das), selbst spät in der
Nacht, oder in den Stunden der Morgendämmerung. Selbst einige hohe
Offiziere sind aufgetaucht, die Truppen zu inspizieren, Befehle zu
geben, Fragen zu beantworten. Ich kann mich nicht erinnern, daß dies
zuvor oft passiert wäre, wenn überhaupt. Ja, die Analogie ist nicht
wirklich wie die Realität, aber sie erklärt meinen Standpunkt:
Normalerweise gäbe es gar keine Armee; oder, wenn doch, wäre sie mit
Waffen und Nachschub des letzten Jahres gut ausgerüstet, und wüßte
nichts von den neuen Plänen.

Amiga ist eine sehr ungewöhnliche Firma, die offensichtlich einen sehr
ungewöhnlichen Führungsstil verlangt. Ich hoffe nur, daß die Risiken,
die Du uns zuliebe eingehst, sich am Ende auszahlen. Vielleicht werde
ich mich weiter beschweren, während ich Rationen des Gegners verzehre
und eine Waffe benutze, die ich von einem Gegner gekauft habe, den ich
auf Fronturlaub in einer Bar getroffen habe. Aber ich kann, und werde,
darauf warten, daß die neue Ausrüstung hier eintrifft.

Danke im Voraus.
--Paul E. Bell Email and AIM: wd0gcp@millcomm.com
ifMUD: Helios | IRC: PKodon, DrWho4, and Helios
(I'd put my webpage here, if it had anything on it.)

***

Jim Collas' Antwort:

In vielerlei Hinsicht sind wir tatsächlich dabei, einen Krieg
anzuzetteln, in dem wir erheblich in Unterzahl sind. Ich habe ein
neutrales Schlachtfeld gewählt, auf dem wir eine Chance zu kämpfen
haben (Info-Appliances und Computing Devices der nächsten Generation).
Ich habe mächtige Verbündete gebeten, uns beizustehen (Linux, Sun, und
viele andere). Wir bauen einige einzigartige und mächtige Waffen
(Amiga NG Technologie). Wir haben eine Startegie, die sie überraschen
wird (noch geheim). Macht Euch keine Sorgen über das Kabinet. Der
Präsident hat versprochen, uns bedingungslos zu unterstützen. Denkt
daran, es ist nur eine Analogie. ;-)

*** Ende Deutsch, Englisch folgt ***

*** Englisch, Deutsch weiter oben ***

Posting from Paul E. Bell on comp.sys.amiga.misc:

Hi Jim,

No, I didn't quote your message about how Gateway is looking at the
information you are giving out and the people you are hiring and
wondering what you are doing, or your comparison with other companies.
Thanks for telling us these things, though.

Don't take the following wrong before you read it all:

Amiga and the community are in a hard situation for both. In a way,
the Amiga community is like a small army that has been living on
K-Rations for years now. Over the course of these years, generals have
come and gone, all promising C-Rations and 'real food' just around the
corner. These generals have also promised new weapons, upgrades to
current weapons, and more and better ammunition. Still, we live on
K-Rations, our guns and ammo are years old, and our boots are wearing
out.

Now we have a new General, one who is promising C-Rations and 'real
food', just around the corner. One who is promising new and better
weapons, with better ammunition, and vehicles, no less. To accomplish
this, he has surrounded himself with a command team like none we have
seen yet, though we still don't see how these people are going to get
the new weapons, ammunition and food developed (something usually done
by R&D people, and lots of them), or how the supply lines are going to
be put together (currently, we seem to be supplying ourselves by
looting the surrounding countryside, in between sparce transports from
volunteer organizations and a few mercenary groups).

The new General attempts to be closer to his men, he attempts to let
them in on some of the thinking behind the decisions he is making.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet is deliberating what in the world he is
attempting to do, and why he is being so unorthodox. They are getting
woried that the enemy might pick up on his messages and launch a
counterstrike before the little army even gets their new supplies. The
General has his hands full, trying to calm the troops and the Cabinet
at the same time.

Perhaps with those who are preparing to jump ship, it should be a
Navy/Admiral situation, but that about sums up the situation, not
including the ship jumpers.

Now, if I understand it corectly, normally, the army would be told
about the new rations when they got them, not before. Normally, there
might not even be an army to use the new weapons, if it weren't for
the fact that it is an old army, and well decorated, and one that just
won't give up, even when it's leaders die or disappear.

This army may deserve better supplies now, it may deserve to know that
better suppliess are on the way, or at least being procured. Then
again, it may not.

What would have happened if you had kept quiet until launch? Those who
were going to jump would have jumped anyway, those who would stay,
would stay. There would still have been complaints about the state of
supplies, but, perhaps, there would have been less confusion and less
complaining about the General and his commanders.

That said, we can't go back, but we should be aware that we are at
war, we may not know who the General thinks the enemy is, but we ought
to realize that it does us no good to become the enemy ourselves. We
also ought to realize that we come very close to it, every day. I
don't know what the solution is, I do know this, as one of the
footsoldiers, I should consider the information given me on a
needto_know_ basis, and for now, Idon't_need_to_know_.

What's different? I get asked by the General for my opinion on how to
fight this war, what weapons I need, how I like my steak! The General
is seen in the trenches (how does he do that) by soldiers from time to
time, even late at night, or in the wee hours of the morning. Even
some of the top brass have shown up to inspect the troops, give
orders, answer questions. I don't remember this happening much before,
if ever. Oh, yes, the analogy is not quite what the reality is, but it
makes my point, that there wouldn't even be an army normally; or, if
there were, it would be well supplied with last years weapons and
supplies, and oblivious to the new plans in store.

Amiga is a most unusual business, seemingly calling for a most unusual
way of running it. I just hope the risks you take for our sakes are
worth it in the end. I may still complain, as I am eating the enemies
food and using a weapon I bought from an enemy soldier I met in a bar
on R&R one day, but I can, and will, wait for the new supplies to get
here.

Thanks, ahead of time, --Paul E. Bell Email and AIM:
wd0gcp@millcomm.com ifMUD: Helios | IRC: PKodon, DrWho4, and Helios
(I'd put my webpage here, if it had anything on it.)

***

Jim Collas' answer:

In many ways, we are indeed preparing to launch a war in which we are
significantly outnumbered. I have picked a neutral battlefield where
we will have a fighting chance (info-appliances and next generation
computing devices). I have asked powerful allies to join us (Linux,
Sun, and many others). We are building some extremely unique and
powerful weapons (Amiga NG technology). We have a strategy that will
take them by surprise (still secret). Don't worry about the Cabinet.
The President has promised to support us no matter what. Remember,
it's just an analogy. ;)

*** Ende Englisch, Deutsch weiter oben ***

Mit freundlichen Grüssen,

    Martin Baute          /// Amiga A1200 Towerhawk - PowerPC 603e / MC68060
 => solar@baud.de <=     /// Newsmaster & VersionWatch at http://www.baud.de
Member of Team AMIGA \\\/// Member of the Bielefeld Amiga Users & Developers
100% Microsoft free!  \XX/ Amigas are back, never been dead, only forgotten!

May The Source Be With You!
- John Gilmore