Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!lll-winken!uunet!coplex!disk!specter From: specter@disk.uucp (Byron Max Guernsey) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games Subject: Re: Lemmings Keywords: Lemmings, psygnosis, hard disc installable games Message-ID: <1991Feb27.223149.9853@disk.uucp> Date: 27 Feb 91 22:31:49 GMT References: <2370@odin.cs.hw.ac.uk> <1991Feb26.042347.26233@sat.com> Organization: The Alaskan Organization for Amiga Domination Lines: 47 I can relate with everything in the author of lemmings post except the necessity for so much memory. I guess doing overlays in ML must be very difficult or something? I can't help but think of a program that was over 4 megs in size on an old pdp-11 that used overlays of 32-64k. Overlays do slow down the execution of a program, but overlays on a hard drive are just barely noticable. The time it takes to load in the new code is virtually nil. I also see no reason to FORCE the user to get rid of the operating system. With the necessary provisions, overlays, and code optimization for size you would have no problem fitting it in 512k (YEa, thats a big assumptiuon on my part, i don't know a whole lot about the amiga). Users with less than a meg or so would have to play Lemmings without the operating system, but those with a meg could leave it in?>!?!?! Why not? Imagine the hysteria if that 4 meg program took over the whole pdp. My suggestion is to work out different versions with different options. 1 for the low-end user (1 or 2 drives, 512k, no opsys) and 1 for the high-end users (hard drive, 1 meg+, Multi-tasking). Label the package, "Amiga 1 meg+, hd installable, keyword protection". The other one, "Amiga 512k (1 meg optional), 1 or 2 drives, Soft-Protection, no OPSYS" Charge 25$ for the 512k version, 35$+ for the hdable 1 meg. (Or whatever the current going rate is- haven't seen it yet in our store, just the demo). The extra work warrants a higher price and most hd users would be willing to pay a little more to put it on their hard drive and multi-task it if they run a large system. I'll never forget seeing a system where the owner had 8 megs of fast ram and i think a meg or 2 of CHIP ram (On 3000). He ran a bbs (multi-tasking) and was able to run Sim_city in the background, Zork Zero, and several daemon type tasks. He got normal use out of the amiga while running a Public BBS simutaneously. Thats how a multi-tasking machine SHOULD be. Hail to those who allow multi-tasking/hd-installability even at the cost of speed. Remember, while the computer will get faster and be able to handle a "HOG-GAME" using alot of CPU, a game that takes over the system will never allow multi-tasking. Byron -- Byron 'Maxwell' Guernsey | /// //\\ specter@disk.UUCP or | /// // \\ uunet!ukma!corpane!disk!specter | \\\/// //====\\ "Great programs aren't written, they're fathered." \\\/ // \\ m i g a