Amiganoid - not by Digital Illusions

[TCD]

Hi folks,

found an odd disk that has an Arkanoid like game on it :



Haven't found any info about a non Digital Illusions game with the same name, so any hints would be great. I can upload the ADF if necessary.

[s2325]

Is it DOS disk? How about some text files for more info?

[TCD]

No text files s2325. That's what I look for before asking here

Here's the content of the disk :

pic2                       25284 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:42:22
devs                         Dir ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:41:45
pic1                       25284 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:42:02
pic3                       25284 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:42:33
demo                       16644 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:48:13
pic4                       25284 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:42:42
sound                      29352 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:43:29
1bit                         240 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:43:07
backgroundc                12618 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:43:16
rahmenc                     9793 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:43:38
STAGEG                      6080 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:40:21
s                            Dir ----rwed 24-Nov-86 16:18:00
STAGEE                      6080 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:49:36
STAGED                      6080 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:40:29
STAGEC                      6080 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:40:33
STAGEB                      6080 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:40:37
.fastdir                     990 ----rwed 24-Nov-86 16:26:07
libs                         Dir ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:53:31
intro                       6800 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:53:16
echo                         560 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:38:44
fonts                        Dir ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:55:22
demo2                      16652 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:48:09
STAGEA                      6080 ----rwed 01-Jul-87 20:28:58
pic5                       25284 ----rwed 01-Jul-87 20:27:04
pic6                       25284 ----rwed 01-Jul-87 20:26:48
usi.data                   23693 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:53:46
sin                        74828 ----rwed 03-Jan-89 13:53:38
c                            Dir ----rwed 24-Nov-86 16:26:59
23 files - 5 directories - 787 blocks used

[TjLaZer]

Yes please, Can you zone it?

[TCD]

In the zone now. Please post any additional info you find.

[andreas]

This must be a game from a GERMAN-SPEAKING developing company.
How can I say this?
Well, TCD, you did see the filename rahmenc on the disk, didn't you?
For the others: "Rahmen" is the German word for "frame" or "outline" (depending on context).

MAGIC SOFT (aka "Software Agency") were a developer and publisher affiliated with Software 2000:
http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_publisher=777

If we're lucky, you have uncovered another rare SW 2000 game

Bravo!

[TCD]

Right... so you don't have any additional info then Andreas. Was hoping that someone might actually have seen the game or does know anything first hand, rather than pointing me to the obvious clue that was given with 'Magic Soft presents'. Might be one for Cody indeed.

[andreas]

Well, whatever!

Chances are that it is a game demo, not a full game because the main executable is indeed called "demo".
(In worst case, it's another stolen preview...remember the Gem'Z story!)

[edit] The demo bit seems right, because the intro text gives some more info...

 -C5- AND CHRIS (U.S.I) PROUDLY PRESENT THE FIRST AND ONLY OFFICIAL DEMO-VERSION OF   A M I G A N O I D  !!  THE FINAL VERSION WILL HAVE: SUPER-SOUNDS, MORE AND OTHER BACKGROUND PICTURES AND MUCH MORE OTHER THINGS. AMIGANOID WAS WRITTEN BY -C5- (064/46 26 61/ SWITZERLAND). PROGRAMMING SUPPORT BY CHRIS. IF YOU WANT TO USE BOTH RACKETS THEN PLUG A SECOND MOUSE IN PORT TWO OF YOUR AMIGA. BUT FIRST A MESSAGE TO ALL FANS OF INSANITY FIGHT (IF THEY EXIST). IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER 1987 . IT HAS COMPLETLY NEW GRAPHICS AND SUPER SOUND.   BUT HERE COMES THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS INTRO --> THE GREETINGS TO: TYTAN 2112, SWISS CRACKING ASSOCIATION (MY AMIGA IS ALIVE!)<snip>

The game mentioned in there, Insanity Fight, is a game developed by LINEL so "Chris" mentioned in the intro giving "programming support" can be no other than Christian Haller! This means it's rather not a SW 2000 game, but apparently a game originally meant to be published by LINEL.
(However, it should be noted that even SW 2000 and Linel have a sort of relation because they collaborated for the unreleased game "Schatz im Silbersee".)

Also, I found out that 064 is an old area code in the Swiss canton Aargau (now merged with 062), so that's where the programmer lived or still lives.

[TCD]

See, that is what I was talking about Will ask Cody to have a look then.

[andreas]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

See, that is what I was talking about

Talking about what?

[TCD]

That you have a look at the disk itself and find any useful info ""

[andreas]

So this is not yet useful or what?

What did you write:

Please post any additional info you find.

ANY additional info. That's what I did. What else do you expect then to get satisfied?
Harrumph, now you've lost me.

[TCD]

Meh, you don't get it. You posted some general info that wasn't helpful, so I said that I need some more specific info to get anywhere. Then you posted something from the disk itself that is useful and I said 'See, that is what I was talking about '. Got that now?

[andreas]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Meh, you don't get it. You posted some general info that wasn't helpful, so I said that I need some more specific info to get anywhere. Then you posted something from the disk itself that is useful and I said 'See, that is what I was talking about '. Got that now?

Yeahhh, I do, but the was easy to misread as:

"See that is what I was talking about. (You still haven't managed to come up with anything useful, even not in your follow-up post.) Will ask Cody to have a look then (because you didn't give any useful info)"
At first read, this appeared a little presumptuous to me. But you know, short sentences are prone to be ambiguous, that's their nature, so misunderstandings may occur
Glad this is settled.

...Back on topic, less talk...

So I hope that these "bits" from the intro may at least narrow down the area where to search for more info.
Besides, that "area code" stuff was not posted just for fun: someone from that region might read this many moons later and maybe even have known one of the guys involved (if we're lucky, that is)

[CodyJarrett]

Okay, here's what I found out.

-C5- is René Straub, developer on games such as Rolling Ronny, Leonardo and Insanity Fight.

This is actually an early version of Crack. You can see some similarities in the interface, such as the bar on the left.

René can't remember why the name was changed but it may have been the similarity to Arkanoid.

[TCD]

Thanks Cody

[andreas]

Amazing! Thanks Cody!
Let my quote myself (for vanity purposes, yeah right ):

This means it's rather not a SW 2000 game, but apparently a game originally meant to be published by LINEL.

You guys can't deny I was close, can you ?

Since Crack is a Linel game! Ça colle ! (as the French put it)
Lazy me should just have taken a look at the additional screenshots! Since the Crack DBS looks a lot different from the one you posted, TCD. The reason is very obvious: that "cheap" font used in the preview version really gives the panel an *entirely* different look, so one may need 2-3 glances at the thing until the similarity becomes obvious.

Hmm, I'd suggest to actually put this in HOL as a preview title.
(If there are no objections, that is.)