Rare backgammon game (not in HOL's database)

[scifi]

I was browsing trough HOL's database, sorting out mine at the same time, and I stumbled upon a game that it isn't listed...

I found a box scan of the game in BTTR and I attach it here:

http://www.back2roots.org/View/Backg...x%20front%2C1/

Is this game available or is it M.I.A.?
Is it commercial?

[lilalurl]

Interesting find.

First, next time, please add links to the back cover too. It is useful because you can then check screenshots or some other info.

http://www.back2roots.org/View/Backg...ox%20back%2C1/

From what I checked (comparing with the existing screenshots for the entries), this game is not listed on HOL.


It is commercial. On the box scans (front and back, you can read preis (price in German): 39 DM (DeutscheMark, the former German currrency).


From the few info I can see (such as Nr. 213 on the front) I wonder if it was not a shareware/PD game published by a company specialized in such titles.

IIRC the exchange rate, 39 DM would be the price of a budget title (not in the cheapest category though).


On the back cover, the artist is listed as Armin Niggemann, for whom we already have an entry:
http://hol.abime.net/4896

A search online seems to show that he has published other similar titles (computer versions of card/board games) for Windows.


So I am pretty sure the game is MIA (probably not sold a lot, especially if onlyn sold in Germany). Some TOSEC members may have things to add (or a new game to look for).

[scifi]

lilalurl, thank you for getting into the trouble to search about it.. you're right I should have attached the back cover of the game, too. Next time!

So I was right, it's a MIA game... well I guess the HOL team should add it too and we should try to find more about it.. I also believe that it must be a shareware or a licenseware title. The name Stefan Ossowski is familiar to me! I am sure I have seen it before!

Yes it's definitely a German or an Austrian game cause it has a price tag in marks...

[s2325]

Stefan Ossowski is polish name but he is from Germany: http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?..._publisher=733

[scifi]

Yes, and as I can see from HOL his firm has issued 53 game titles for Amiga.

Edit: Well.. with the one that I posted... 54! :P

[scifi]

I believe that this thread should be moved now to the HOL's contributions forum.. right?
In order that someone from the HOL's team should add it to the database.

[lilalurl]

Well, yes, if a GM can move this thread, it could be useful .


As for the entry, supercontributor can do that too.
I have added it so that additional info. can be stored in the future:
http://hol.abime.net/5949

BTTR is a trusted source, at least for me.
Yet I am a bit bothered by doing some guesses only based on a box scans.

For instance, judging from the screenshots on the back cover, it seems the game is in German (only?) as I can read Spielesomething on top row and right of each player box.

I suspect the game was only released in Germany but for the time being I will leave it as worldwide.



Any additional elements would be welcome. I guess there were some ads for it in German magazines at one time or another.

[prowler]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

Well, yes, if a GM can move this thread, it could be useful .

Thread moved (eventually...)!

[scifi]

Well, according to this page, which appears to be Armin Niggemann's page (the coder), Backgammon is a commercial game made for Stefan's Ossowski's company, with Aztec C compiler...

http://www.whitedogsoft.com/about.html

http://www.whitedogsoft.com/Amigprog.gif

Here's a screenshot of the game:

http://www.whitedogsoft.com/banner/b...eluxegross.jpg

He also claims that he has programmed Skat and Rommé too for OASE.
Skat is already listed in HOL's database but not Rommé.. so you may include this one too!

Here's a screenshot of Rommé:

http://www.whitedogsoft.com/banner/amigarommegross.jpg

I believe that this was really useful... wasn't it?

[lilalurl]

Yes, useful it is (I would not have taken time to fetch his website).

Regarding screenshots, we only add "real"/"flat" screenshots.
Here, it seems these were pictures taken with a camera.

I will create an entry for Rommé this week-end.
I am not sure about the game name though. Checking the box, it could be Mau Mau: Rommé. Or is it Mau Mau, Rommé? Or perhaps both are separated games contained in the same box? Things are a bit confusing between the box picture and the text besides.


I took a quick look inside the site and I did not see anything that would point towards the Amiga games.

As you seem interested at least in the backgammon game, it might be a good idea to try and contact him to see if he is OK to release them and/or if he has additional details to give.

[Tweeky]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

Or perhaps both are separated games contained in the same box?

yes that will be, as Mau Mau and Rommé are 2 different cardgames

[lilalurl]

Oh and I thought that some Germans had gone original with an American/Japanese style title: "Moo Moo! The ultimate card battle at Rommé cowshed!"

Could have been a Moo Mesa spin-off :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moo_mesa


Oh well, thanks anyway . Just for reference:
Mau Mau has the same name in English:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Mau_%28card_game%29
Rommé is Rummy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rummy


Finally, I am even more confused now as I don't know if it deserves one entry or two. It could well be the two games on one disk each (separate) or one game with two sub-games (a bit like each table of the Pinball games).

[scifi]

The best way to find out is to email him... but I couldn't find his email... did you find anything lilalurl?
Yeah, I was thinking about asking him to kindly release the game for us or to provide further details about the obscure title of the card game and more!

By the way, you may need to add the box scans for Backgammon, from Back To The Roots...

http://www.back2roots.org/View/Backg...x%20front%2C1/

[mai]

There are probably a lot of low quality releases published by Wolf/Oase.
For example a boaed game with a french title, but in german language of course:
"Cafe du Globe"
There are covers on BTTR too.

[lilalurl]

You can try this one at the bottom of the page (info@...):
http://www.whitedogsoft.com/update.html

There might be other ones I suppose.
When you see games sold as shareware, you can be pretty sure that you have an email address somewhere (readme, about in the game menu or something else).


Ofc, don't mind asking our German members for a bit of help if you want your mail to him to be translated in German.


Regarding the scans, since they were not directly contributed to HOL, I don't know if I can add them.
I'll make a local copy (in case BTTR ever goes down).

But I will let the HOL top team decide if we can add those box scans or not.

[lilalurl]

Originally Posted by mai

There are probably a lot of low quality releases published by Wolf/Oase.
For example a boaed game with a french title, but in german language of course:
"Cafe du Globe"
There are covers on BTTR too.

I think German super-contributors are best fit to deal with those then .


I had the feeling that there were a lot of games released only in Germany (?) which were "simple" games (as in without story, "limited" graphics/animation etc...) probably sold at budget prices. Often based on existing board games.
I noticed that when I played Hirnriss and took a look at the games by the same publisher:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=63864
http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_publisher=733


I guess Oase/Wolf is the same. We have a few entries right now:
http://hol.abime.net/hol_search.php?N_ref_publisher=729
including a Poker and a Backgammon games (+ one miniature train simulator ).


Obviously all those games deserve an entry, but it is true that with limited information about them, it won't be easy and therefore probably should receive a lesser priority than all those we receive contributions about.

[scifi]

@lilalurl: Thank you for the info. I will write a mail to him and it would be a great help if someone could deal with the translation in German.
However, I am pretty sure that Armin will be able to read it just fine in English too, but it's a kind gesture to address to him using his native language.. when I'm ready I'll PM it to you, if you don't mind of course!

Regarding the scans it's a shame not to add them... it's a legacy for all the Amiga fans, isn't it?
After all, HOL is a distinguished database and it's a reference guide for everyone!

Yes, as it seems there are plenty of games waiting to be discovered, especially budget releases made for local markets!

[lilalurl]

Originally Posted by scifi

@lilalurl: Thank you for the info. I will write a mail to him and it would be a great help if someone could deal with the translation in German.
However, I am pretty sure that Armin will be able to read it just fine in English too, but it's a kind gesture to address to him using his native language.. when I'm ready I'll PM it to you, if you don't mind of course!

Sure, although I don't speak German so I can't help with the translation. You could also post here if you don't mind, this way a German-speaking member could help too.

At worse, if you make a long email in English, you should have in German a few words saying that if need be you can have someone translate the whole thing to German and have a quick summary (bullet point style for instance).
Even if it is via Google translate.

Originally Posted by scifi

Regarding the scans it's a shame not to add them... it's a legacy for all the Amiga fans, isn't it?
After all, HOL is a distinguished database and it's a reference guide for everyone!

Yes, as it seems there are plenty of games waiting to be discovered, especially budget releases made for local markets!

Well, I guess that the idea is that there is always hope that someone has/will find the game(s) and contribute "perfect" scans and disk images.