Boxoffice-July.1997

SPECIAL FORMATS
The Buyers Guide
w inch is never quite found. The developers
were probably striving to create a title that
would appeal to young kids and adolescents,
like the movie did. One failing is that
the game doesn't make much sense to people
who did not see the movie, which explains,
for example, that if a pirate receives
a paper with a "black spot" on it he will be
killed in the night.
Users are dropped into the — Benbow Inn,
where they hear a cry "the black
spot!"—without being told at the outset
the goal one is to accomplish. This makes
it hard for young children to figure out the
program. One good feature is the constant
presence of Stevenson the Parrot, who
will give some help when clicked on. The
muppets race around attractive, off-kilter
backgrounds with multiple perspectives,
like a Grandma Moses painting. The title
is technically advanced, so much so that
some computers may have trouble displaying
all the images and synching up
the sound and picture.
Thankfully, the movie's silly humor is
here. Click on a portrait of a motherly
type, and one hears: "Billy, did you remember
to say 'thank you' after stealing
the treasure map?" Some actions move
the story along, while others are diversions.
The format is more involved than
an electronic book but is more frustrating.
For example, a hint in the jewel-case
booklet reads: "In order to get aboard the
ship, you need to acquire the Seal of Passage
from Squire Trelawney, son of the
Bnstol's master shipbuilder. Before the
butler will let you in to see the Squire, you
must be dressed in a 'Monsieur Edouard'
original. In order to buy a Monsieur
Edouard original, you need to earn some
money. And the only way you can earn
some money is by helping Pops shoot pies
at pirates at Pops' Potpourri." Finding a
hidden treasure sure is hard work!
SCI Fl MOVIE MACHINE ^^1/2
TDC Interactive; Windows and Macintosh;
$34.95.
Computer users like to be active, at least
at the wrist. They don't like to watch long
expository segments—or at least that is the
accepted wisdom. Some developers have
found success in providing material or
structures that users can more freely manipulate.
For example, Davidson and
Associates' "Kid Works" series lets children
create their own stories and draw their
own pictures. A spate of music video CD-
ROMs have come out on various proprietary
platforms that let users assemble
video clips in time to a song. And "Steven
Spielberg's Director's Chair" (see our Oct.
'96 issue) lets CD-ROM users piece together
their own "movies."
"Sci Fi Movie Machine" is TDC
Interactive' s first title in its Cinemaker
CD-ROM series, which also includes
"Bimbo Movie Bash." The "Sci Fi Movie
Machine" has an attractive interface and
gives instruction, in the sci-fi theme of the
program, on how to use it. (The program
warns: "Online help android now activated.
Click here to annihilate sequence.")
Users just have to choose clips from within
the "preview bay" and drop them into the
"sequencer" in any desired order and then
watch the assemblage.
The CD includes hundreds of digitized
film snippets from actual sci-fi movies,
including footage of rockets, robots, dinosaurs,
aliens, scientists and spaceships.
There is no limit on the length or number
of movies someone can create. And, once
they are strung together, they can be
watched over and over again. Youngsters
will probably enjoy this title, especially
the feature that lets them speed up or slow
down the movie, but it's likely too simplistic
for adults, who won't feel they
have really created something but have
merely rearranged it.
ACE VENTURA ^^^1/2
7th Level and Morgan Creek Interactive;
Windows; $39.99.
Ace is back. Love him or hate him, the
Ace Ventura character has been transferred
intact from the movies "Ace Ventura: Pet
Detective" and "Ace Ventura: When Nature
Calls" to a CD-ROM game, complete
with a loud Hawaiian shirt, pompadour,
swagger and adolescent humor. Those who
love Ace have helped the Jim Carrey-starring
films to gross more than $300 million
worldwide. The "Ace Ventura" CBS Saturday-morning
cartoon series consistently
ranks high in the ratings.
Likewise, the CD-ROM "Ace Ventura"
is animated, not live action. But the development
company, 7th Level, is about the
best in the business when it comes to creating
humorous two-dimensional animation
for CD-ROMs. The color, speed and quality
of movement and expression of character
are excellent. The voice actor is not Jim
Carrey, but Michael Hall (who plays the
character on the TV show) mimics Carrey's
vocal style to a T.
The program does a good job of maintaining
the childishly irreverent humor of
the movies and keeping the action simple.
To move forward, players must do such
things as chcking on Ace to get a rope for
climbing down a mountain or click on
him for a key so that an apartment door
can be unlocked. It's quite do-able for
children or teenagers.
Although obnoxious. Ace has a good
heart and does his best to protect the furry,
four-legged and finned creatures of the
earth in brand-new scenarios. One can
travel to an underground Alaskan factory
on Ace's monster snowmobile to solve a
case of missing Huskies, or engage a deranged
whalenapper in an underwater
chase, swimming to avoid floating garbage.
The four villains (one is named
Phatteus Lardus) are all animal haters.
All told, butt-yodeling Ace and a monkey
named Spike take players through
three investigative cases comprising 34
complex scenarios in which one must collect
items and clues to crack the case.
Mazes must be navigated and puzzles
solved along the way as well.
I Ca// 1-800-972-6468
Willming Reams
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Willming Reams Animation, Inc.
325 East Ramsej Road San Antonio. TX 78216
210-342-2141 or 1-800-WR-ANIM8
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Custom Policy & Promotional Trailers
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Response No, 46