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^Cby
^CJay Wilbur

^C"Give me a fast computer and I'll give you the world."


    When personal computers were first introduced, a small handful of software
 developers decided to write software that mimicked real life experiences in as
 much detail as they could.  This software, known as simulation software, was a
 hit.  Sub Logic's Flight Simulator, for example, put you in the seat of a
 small aircraft that you flew anywhere you wanted without ever leaving your
 desk. It was a great program for its time.  It was the only real simulation
 program of its time.

    Of course back then the graphic shapes were hokey wire frame 3-D. The 
 software ran slowly and it lacked a certain fluidity that reality provides.  
 But that was then and this is now.  Simulation software has grown up quite a 
 bit since those early days.  In fact I would advise you to hold onto your seat 
 with some of the newer titles.  They are nothing less than amazing! 

    The wire frame 3-D shapes are a thing of the past.  Today's software uses
 polygon based 3-D images.  This is where the world and all the elements within
 are made up of solid shapes.  The shapes are nothing more than thousands of
 polygons positioned to make whatever shape is needed.  Using polygons you can
 make planes, cars, cows, landscapes, kiwi fruit, the list goes on forever. 
 It's the same very powerful graphics technique that is employed in the serious
 flight trainers used to train both commercial and military pilots.  Only now
 it's available for you to use in your home or office (just don't let your boss
 catch you).

    If cars are your bag, I would advise you to check out Test Drive III
 (Accolade), or Stunts (Broderbund).  The former follows the theme of the
 original Test Drive titles.  You must go from point A to point B with the
 fastest time.  The car roster includes such machines as the Lamborghini
 Diablo, Chevy's prototype CERV III estimated to cost $400,000, and the
 Pininfarina MYTHOS whose list price is (hang on boys and girls) $2,516,250.

    TD III shines above its predecessors by allowing you to drive anywhere you
 want to in the world supplied.  If you want to take your $2,000,000 MYTHOS out
 for a little 4-wheelin'--GO FOR IT!  If you want to follow the train that just
 went by, turn onto the tracks and follow it.

    Of course the police still chase you down if you run a red light or you get
 caught doing 170 mph in a 55 mph zone.  The traffic that plagues your fit for
 speed is also there.  Nothing like slamming head on into an 18 wheeler at 150
 mph. If you feel like racing, pull up one of the computer controlled cars and
 let'er rip.  When you want to put a friend in his place use the head to head
 option and burn rubber.

    Stunts is a driving simulation with a twist--and a loop the loop, and a few
 jumps.  You got it, you have to negotiate stunt tracks.  If you've ever seen
 Hard Drivin', or Race Drivin'(Atari) in the arcades you know how these games
 play.  You hop in your car and rip down the course trying to beat the best
 score.  For your first few outings the high score will be just a dream, your
 goal will be to stay alive long enough to finish.

    The car roster in STUNTS is a motor-head's dream.  They have everything
 from the Porsche March Indy cars to the Acura NSX.  In between are Corvettes,
 Lamborghinis (even the 4-wheel drive LM-002), and Ferraris.  The roster totals
 out at eleven dream machines.  If you were to go out and buy these moving
 violations waiting to happen it would cost you a mere $164,420,000. Of course
 the first insurance payment would put most of us into the poor house.

    Included on the disk are opponents and tracks of varying skill.  You can
 select opponents from the likes of "Squealin" Bernie Rubber, who is still
 trying to figure out what a standard transmission is, to Skid Vicious, who
 will show you the true meaning of "Eat My Dust".  The game has a number of
 different tracks and provides a way to make your own when (if) you master the
 ones supplied.  This game will keep you going for hours, or in my case weeks.

    Both of these simulators provide an instant replay camera allowing you to
 go back and see your most awesome crashes and victories from any angle at any
 distance.  Stunts even lets you save the best runs for later review.

    Simulators sure have come a long way since the days of wire frame 3-D. I
 almost expect to see a lawsuit between the Grand Architect of the Universe and
 some software company because they infringed on his divine right in the use of
 reality to create worlds.

 See you in 30,
 J
