Download issue cgw_37 - Computer Gaming World Museum

WASATCH FILE ON ROB SWIGART
(Designer of Portal)
Rob Swigart has been involved with
writing since college. His graduate studies
were in Comparative Literature. Additionally
he has pursued interests in Media
Studies, with a major emphasis on the film.
He has taught several film classes at California
State University in San Jose and currently
teaches classes in fiction writing.
Rob has published several books (Little
America, Time Trip, Book Of Revelations).
His most recent book is Vector, a biotech
thriller, published by St. Martins. He does
not like to have his writing classified as
science fiction. He describes his works using
the terms "Magic Realism" and "South
American Surrealism".
Rob has been involved with computers
since the early days of the "home brew"
computer systems. A friend of his had an
Apple I (ONE). He bought an Apple II
should check, your random access leads you
through a series of screens that gets tedious and
even somewhat annoying, especially if there is no
data or no new data available (Activision will be
making an outline or flowchart of data areas to
access that will make the reading much easier.); and
2) for the C64, there is a good attempt at an innovative
data access technique using the joysticks that
fails in its final implementation. It is minimally
documented and even with the practice tutorial
provided, it is still tricky in actual use. Far too often
I ended up doing things that were not my intent.
This would require me to repeat several steps
to amend my "error".
The interface on the Amiga, using the mouse, is
much more acceptable. The use of color is excellent.
However, data access is not that much quicker
and to save the current status seems to take much
longer than on the C64.
There are several access areas that only contain
statistical data presented graphically. These are data
profiles for several of the key characters in the
drama. These are nicely displayed and though they
add dimension to the story, there are so many of
them that after looking at a few of them they go
(SN# 73) in 1977. He got his copy of Easy
Writer I directly from John Draper (aka
Captain Crunch) and started right off using
his computer for writing.
The Portal project came to him out of
the blue. Rob had been talking with Electronic
Arts about various ideas, but they
were not getting anywhere. Then came a
call from Brad Fregger at Activision. After
some discussion, the work began on Portal.
Two years later, after several programming
changes and cutbacks on creative ideas,
Portal made it to the market. The product,
as you see it, is complete and well packaged.
A lot of time was spent working on
the user interface and graphic images, as
well as on the data and novel itself.
When not using his computer for writing,
Rob enjoys computer simulations, notably
Gato and Orbitor. He is currently working
on a new book to be printed in the traditional
manner, and has some ideas for a
possible sequel to Portal.
unnoticed.
The documentation is also very thorough in providing
dimension to the story, but lacking in substance
of useful interface information. One can
save one's current data access status, but I could
find NO reference as to how to leave the program.
I just remove the disk and turn off the computer.
The screen graphics, text display, and haunting
sounds are excellent. I think that this program adds
a new dimension to the computerized novel. Once I
got involved in the story, the awkward interface
only bothered me because it slowed my reading of
the story. This novel could not be presented in book
format and have the same impact (I am told that it
may be released as a book). The intriguing difference
is that the "story/novel" is built upon the data
found in the various databases.
BEGINNING READING
Portal begins with the entry of your DNA#
(something you are not likely to have) or your
name. The name you enter will be used to SAVE or
"bookmark" your place in the story. When you start
"new" from the beginning, a very artistic graphic
display sets the scene and puts you into the future