F R E E P L A Y ! (Part One of Two)
Multiplayer Internet Gaming Newsletter
Vol 1.10 - Nov 18, 1996
Home Page - http://freeplay.home.ml.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Murphy's Law of Lag: You will always freeze as 
soon as you need to avoid something.

Murphy's Second Law of Lag: No matter how 
lagged you are, you can always be lagged more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editor - Mark Shnayer <freeplay@snet.net>
Associate Editor - Scott Grattan <scotti@wic.net>
Reporter - Andy Hartwell <phatso@world2u.com>
Webmaster - Orog Ork <ork@rz.uni-potsdam.de> or <orogork@cs.tu-berlin>

Sections
-----------
Announcement - The FreePlay Newsletter WWW being redesigned.
Editorial - FreePlay Newsletter generates traffic on WWW sites.
Ramblings - By Scott Grattan.
Gaming News - All the multiplayer news you can use.
Hot Links - Bookmark these now!
Updates - Game patches, updated beta tests,etc...
Previews - The Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Review.
Resources - To make multiplayer gaming a heck of lot easier
PBEM Games - No Play By Email Games this issue :(
Online Games - Multiplayer Internet Games you can play NOW
Humor  - Something to make you laugh while you are gaming
Details  - How to subscribe, back issues, legal junk
************************************************************************


Announcement - The FreePlay Newsletter WWW being redesigned.
------------
Orog Ork <orogork@cs.tu-berlin> or <ork@rz.uni-potsdam.de> has been
recruited to redesign and maintain our WWW page.
In the last issue of FreePlay(#9) I asked for help on the FreePlay WWW
page.
Orog volunteered to do the redesign of the web page which will be
uploaded in a few days. He has come up with some neat stuff I haven't
seen on ANY other WWW page. He is also doing the HTML conversion of the
newsletter for viewing online and has created online WWW indexes of past
issues.
There will also be a countdown counter to the time of the next distribution
of the newsletter. That's cool. I work best  under pressure!

Deron Staffen <dstaffen@the.link.ca>
Deron has created the new graphic logo for the FreePlay WWW page.
I am keeping his email address handy for future graphics design :)
*************************************************************************

Editorial - FreePlay Newsletter generates traffic on WWW sites.
---------
This is the first time I realized the FreePlay newsletter is really
starting to make a real impact on the internet in general and WWW
gaming sites and software in specific.
I guess we are getting to that 'critical mass' number of subscribers to
make a  difference in the internet gaming world!
In the PREVIEW section I reported on two games that 
I wasn't sure of the current status.
They were Gladiator - http://www.io.org/~liquid/gldtr.htm  and
War of Conquest - http://www.io.org/~liquid/wrfcnqst.htm

Here's the mail what I received from the President of Liquid Software:
----------------
"Unfortunately, both of those games have had trouble getting publishing
deals due to the current glut of games being produced.  They are
currently on hold but we hope to start work on them in the future.  If
you find them interesting, send a suggestion to a publisher. Maybe they
might take another look at them.
Thanks for your interest, 
Pedro Serrador
P.S.
"A quick question.  Where did you find out about our web site?  We've
had a lot of traffic recently and are curious as to where we've be
getting publicity."
--------------------

It sure is nice to know my subscribers are actually paying attention to
my scribbling! And that we are making an IMPACT on the WWW sites we
report on!

Forgot to mention some things in our last issue.
We broke our record again in Issue #9.
Nineteen games in the online section reported, and the newsletter was 
over 55k in size. Only two bounces generated because of email size
limits  for certain subscribers.

This Issue is 62.9k and split in two mailings.

And in the announcement I sent yesterday, I mentioned 23 new online games
for this issue. Well.....Not exactly. Turns out a LOT of the URL's I
collected thru email were Previews of things in the works.
Of course, they are in the Preview or Gaming News section.

*************************************************************************

Ramblings - by Scott Grattan
---------
Once again, I'm banging on my keyboard, trying to make a deadline that
I've known about for two weeks.  You'd think that all I do is play games 
or something.

Actually, I've been checking out some GREAT services on the 'net, all 
for the sole purpose of reviewing of course.  First, I'd like to tell you
about a free service, that isn't necessarily about games, but it is very
useful.  It's called Mercury Mail, and it's found at:
http://www.merc.com

You can customize your own news delivery, including delivery times, and
have your personalized news delivered via email.  Unfortunately, for 
some unknown reason, this only worked for me for the first day.  The 
second day I received a double delivery of a section, and the third day
I only received the weather.  It may be that I configured it wrong, but 
I haven't had time to get back to the site to check.  Anyway, the concept
is great, and the format is very useful.  If these guys keep it up, the
printed word will have some competition in the near future.

Another place I've been found hanging around lately is the Internet 
Gaming Zone.  Quite an original title, huh?  I hate to say anything good
about a Microsoft product, but this is a fun place to go to kill lots of 
time.  In my real life, I have a computer business, and we build and repair
all kinds of machines.  I got a friend of mine into a very cheap entry
level machine, and his first question about the internet was "where can
I play hearts?".  I told him that his machine would basically be under-
powered to play anything like that, but that was before I found IGZ.  Now
he's happy, and everything is again good with the world.  Amazing what a
little thing like that can do, ain't it?

Not only can you play most your favorite board games, the server is also 
setup to play Hellbender, Close Combat, and Monster Truck Madness! 
The online versions of the popular card and board games are very playable,
 and well done.  This site is going to get busy in the next few months, I
 hope Microsoft is more ready for it then they were when they decided to 
invade our TV's.  Time will tell...

SubSpace Subspace at http://www.vie.com/subspace is of course always 
improving!  Current version is v1.18, and here's
what the latest news.txt has to say about it:
Version 118.
Maintenance rev.
More anti-lag code.
If you get "warning no data from server" message just exit the game 
and it will save your ship provided you dont exit the subspace program.
Enemy message bug fixed.
Player accidental lock out bug addressed.
Set banner bug fixed. (it no longer deletes your arena.lst)
Save map function implemented. in the game type ?savemap saves it to a BMP file.
?savemap XXXXXX saves it to whatever name you specify (XXXX is your name)

***note to ed.  above seems familiar.. have I already reported it?***
(FreePlay: Yea, Scott, but I can't stop playing SubSpace either!)

And last but not least, my travels on the WWWW (Wonderful World Wide Web)
have  brought me to You Don't know Jack - The NetShow.  Here's what the
home page has to  say about it:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK the netshow is the online version of the award-winning,
irreverent pop-culture quiz show party game now showing on beZerk.

The netshow is no webpage! Complete with real studio audio sound effects,
seamless game play and wisecracking humor just like the CD-ROM game, now
with new episodes available weekly. The questions are hilarious
combinations of pop-culture with classic trivia all as challenging as
they are entertaining. It's time to put your knowledge to the test and
your ego on the line, online that is.

To qualify for the monthly grand prize you must play every week and
achieve a cumulative score above $75,000 for the November game period.
Play each week's game and score an average of $25,000 and you'll be
eligible for the Grand Prize Drawing! NOTE: The first time you play and
complete this week's YOU DON'T KNOW JACK the netshow 21 question game,
your score is recorded and stored in our database registered via your
user name and email address. 
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK the netshow is open for play 11am PST to 12am PST 
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK the netshow currently runs in Windows 95 only.
This show is currently in Beta.
You may experience some difficulties.
Thank you for your patience
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This thing is REALLY neat.  When you fire up their software, you really
get  the feeling that you're participating in a game show.  There's all
the back- ground chatter of people getting ready to air a TV show, great
sound and  hysterical comments.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get into
any actual games, but even the "PLEASE STAND BY" was enough to keep me
waiting around for awhile.  This site is definitely worth a look:

You Don't know Jack - The NetShow
http://www.bezerk.com/htmls/tuner1.html

Well that's all I've got this week gaming guys and gals!  I'm STILL
trying to  get MercNet (MW2: Mercenaries) to work.  Why Activision
designed something that  is so hard to get working in Win95 is beyond me.
Hope they get their act together real soon, because Diablo (Blizzard) is
slated for release in just a couple of weeks, and I have a feeling that
it's going to make a lot of people happy, and quite a few unhappy...
more on that next ish!  Good Gaming!
*************************************************************************


Gaming News - All the multiplayer news you can use.
-----------
In the last issue I told you EMAIL was the killer App of the Internet!
I have PROOF. Don't believe me? Then go argue with the Lord above or
go to http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/961111/tech/stories/plugged_1.html
for full text of this article.

Plugged In: Pesky E-Mail Robots And Reaching God
Monday November 11 10:08 AM EST 
(parts snipped for brevity)
By Russell Blinch 
TORONTO - E-mail has become so powerful you can now even reach God. 
No, God has not yet disclosed his e-mail address. But Virtual Jerusalem
Ltd. (www.virtual.co.il) is offering believers a chance to e-mail a
message to the deity, which they promise to leave in the Western Wall
for Him to read. "Placing a note in the Kotel (the Western Wall) lends
a permanence to your prayer; even after you leave, your prayer remains
at one of the world's holiest sites," according to a blurb at the
Virtual Jerusalem site. 


Battle.Net (Diablo and Starcraft)
http://www.battle.net
----------------------
I guess Blizzard had problems with their registered domain (DNS) for
battle.net or they were messing with  it. It works now that I checked
again.
But if you have any problem reaching http://www.battle.net in the future
use http://206.79.254.170/index.htm
Here is some news from Blizzard Entertainment.
(November 9)
Blizzard today released the Battle.net beta CD to operations. They will
be working over the weekend to manufacture CD's, and will start shipping
them early next week to our 1000 registered beta testers.
We'd like to thank all of our beta testers in advance for their help in
making Diablo the best game of the year.
 
And here's unconfirmed news from their WWW site forum:
Electronics Boutique has received its shipping
notice yesterday and this is what it said;  Diablo arrives Nov. 22, 
Red Alert Nov. 19 and Privateer Nov. 19.    The guy I know that works
there says that when a game makes it to this particular list, it means
its in manufacturing and always comes in with 24 hours of that day.  I
know your first inclination is to dismiss this as yet another false hope.
Take it or leave it, but this guy is not a flake, but far from it.  He
knows his stuff and has had lots of experience with this process.   We
all know that getting battle.net up and running is certainly not a 
pre-requesite to shipping Diablo and now that we know the beta of
battle.net is also shipping next week, the story seems more and more
accurate.  Like I said, take it or leave it, but for me, my calendar
has those two days circled in RED.  :)

And to balance it out heres the official news from the
"Unofficial Diablo FAQ" which is on the "Official" Blizzard site.
Now I'm really confused :)

When is Diablo expected to be released? The incorporation of several new
features, especially battle.net, has pushed back the release of Diablo.
Sound effects, music, AI, and bug fixes are amongst those added, but see
http://www.mcb.net/parsec/p_diablo.html for a complete listing.
Originally planned for the second quarter of this year, the PC version
of Diablo is now headed for a Fall 1996 release date, with a Macintosh
version planned for the summer of 1997. Look for the game to retail at
about $50 in stores. Let's hope that Blizzard makes up for the delay in
following through with an excellent game. 


Wilbur Hangs Up Nail Gun 
------------------------
Jay Wilbur, one of the original members of the Id team, has stepped down
as CEO.  Wilbur, who has decided to become " a full time dad", will be
replaced by Todd Hollenshead who will run the company alongside Id's
director of marketing and distribution Mike Wilson.
Hollenshead had previously been working with Id via his position at
consultancy giant Arthur Anderson.
Wilbur had been instrumental in the success of such as  videogame icons
as Doom and Quake


Sega Entertainment's "Virtua Squad" delivers gaming justice on the PC
------------------
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1996--Sega 
Entertainment Inc. provides PC gamers with equal opportunity to 
experience unparalleled arcade "shoot-em-up" action with "Virtua 
Squad", now available for the PC with two-player network gameplay.
   "Virtua Squad" is Sega Entertainment's third arcade title to 
ship this year, preceded by all-time arcade phenomena "Daytona 
USA" and "Virtua Fighter PC".
        
   "Virtua Squad" is based on the arcade hit "Virtua Cop", which 
continues to rank among the top 10 arcade games since its release in 
July 1994.  "Virtua Squad" brings its heated fast action to the PC 
with enhanced features that include two-player, single-screen play, 
and two-player network gameplay.  Customized graphics and control 
in the game takes optimal advantage of the technical power of the 
PC.
        
   To support the launch of "Virtua Squad", Sega Entertainment will 
conduct two contests; one for the trade and one for consumers.  The 
first will be an in-store contest, running from October-December 
1996, in which gamers compete at one of the 2,000 stores carrying 
demos of "Virtua Squad".  The players with the best average score 
wins a police ride-along and camcorder.


Imagination Network
-------------------
BURLINGAME, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1996--
ImagiNation Network, a leader in multiplayer games and immersive social 
environments, today announced an easy to use, downloadable online 
platform for eight of its most popular interactive games and 
entertainment titles.  The new platform is code-named GameXpress.  
        
   Due to be launched later this year, ImagiNation's GameXpress for 
Windows 95 is a user-friendly platform designed to be downloaded from
Internet service providers.  Consumers will play live multi-user 
games as they enjoy the interactive, community-building features that
define the ImagiNation experience.  
        
   Once connected to GameXpress, players enter special lobbies where
they can locate opponents and team-mates, launch games, and chat with
fellow gamesters.  Players can sign-up in advance for 
commercially-sponsored tournaments and online community-supported 
events.  Special charter sponsorship packages are available for 
advertisers interested in aligning their brand or logo with 
compelling online content.  

  Initial GameXpress content features games with classic appeal, 
including ImagiNation Poker, ImagiNation Spades, ImagiNation Hearts, 
ImagiNation Gin, The Incredible Machine 3 (TIM3), ImagiNation Bridge,
ImagiNation Backgammon and ImagiNation Cribbage.  Exciting new games 
are now in development for introduction throughout 1997.  Additional 
multiplayer content will be added regularly.  
        
   In addition to GameXpress, ImagiNation plans to debut its 3-D 
Internet-based games and entertainment platform called CyberPark 
later this year.  In CyberPark, players will be able to create a 
full-body avatar, move in and around more than 40 sites and 
buildings, interact with other players online, and participate in 
interactive games and entertainment.  


EPIC MEGAGAMES AND DMA DESIGN LTD. ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
--------------------------------------------------------------
The two companies are to share technology and development resources for
the creation of leading-edge games for PC, Internet and home console
systems. 

Rockville, Maryland - November 8, 1996 -- Epic MegaGames and Scotland-based
DMA Design have signed an agreement that calls for the two companies to
share their extensive resources and technology to create leading-edge
games for PC, Internet and home console systems. In addition, an
undisclosed number of shares have been exchanged.

The two companies have complimentary skills and resources. Epic brings
its highly touted Unreal engine and considerable experience in shareware
marketing and direct sales to the relationship, while DMA brings
extensive design and artistic resources, broad experience with home
console systems, and a slate of technology offerings of its own. The
companies plan to work together on product development, technology
exchanges and sales and marketing efforts.

Epic is currently working on several Windows 95 games for release
within the next 6-12 months: Unreal, an eagerly anticipated first-person
Internet-playable 3-D game for GT Interactive; 7th Legion, a real-time
strategy game; Jazz 2, a sequel to PC Format's Arcade Game of the Year
1994; Age of Wonders, a turn-based fantasy role-playing game with
Internet play; and an adventure game tentatively titled Curly's
Adventure.
Unreal, 7th Legion and Jazz 2 will all supports Intel's Pentium®
Processor with MMX technology.

DMA has a very strong 1997 line-up of products for several platforms:
Body Harvest, for Nintendo on the Nintendo 64; Grand Theft Auto on PC
and Sony Playstation for BMG Interactive; Space Station Silicon Valley
on Nintendo 64 for BMG; and Tanktics on PC and Sony Playstation for BMG.
In addition to the above titles, DMA has titles in development for GT
Interactive and has already begun efforts to port Epic's Unreal engine
to home console systems.

The two companies' combined resources include over 170 employees, two
audio studios, a digital video suite, a motion capture facility, and the
computing power of over 80 SGI workstations. Combined, the companies have
19 products in development for various platforms. Epic and DMA plan to
use their combined efforts to make games for the following platforms:
Windows 95, Apple Macintosh, Nintendo 64 and Sony Playstation.
These games will capitalize on new technologies, such as Intel's Pentium
Processor with MMX and Microsoft's DirectX.


Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
First Star Wars Title to Incorporate Network Play, 
Lightsabers and the Force
http://www.lucasarts.com
-------------------------
Driven by the phenomenal success of the award winning Star Wars title
Dark Forces, one of the best selling computer game titles of 1995,
LucasArts Entertainment Company will release the long awaited sequel,
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, a 3D, first-person, action adventure for
the Windows 95 and Macintosh CD-ROM platforms. In a series of firsts
for LucasArts, this original epic will incorporate highly anticipated
network play, and will enable players to battle the evil Empire with
lightsabers and gain strength through use of the Force. Jedi Knight
requires players to navigate through more than a dozen complex and
incredibly detailed multilevel mazes and environments as they face
powerful enemies and once-again fight for the Rebel cause. Cinematic
full motion video sequences punctuate the action and weave a compelling
new tale in the Star Wars universe. Jedi Knight will be available in
early 1997.

"The multiplayer features in Jedi Knight are exactly what Dark Forces
fans demanded the most in a sequel," said co-Project Leader Justin Chin.
"In addition, we've incorporated cinematic live-action cut-scenes and
the ability for players to use lightsabers and the Force, making this a
truly exceptional Star Wars experience."

While Jedi Knight is an exceptional single-player game, the new network
mode offers an amazing multiplayer/multisystem experience. Players can
battle it out in real-time with up to eight opponents in three
different modes: Total Combat, Team Combat and Territory Combat. Total
Combat pits individual players against each other in an all-out battle.
Team Combat allows players to choose sides, playing for either the Gold
or Red teams. Territory Combat can be played in either single or team
mode as players battle in a quasi "capture the flag" challenge to seize
territory belonging to their opponents.


X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
Battle Head-To-Head In X-Wings and TIE Fighters For First Time
--------------------------------------------------------------
San Rafael, Calif. -- The ultimate battle between the Empire and the
Rebel Alliance will be fought this winter with the release of the first
Star Wars network game, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, a Star Wars multiplayer
space combat simulation, from LucasArts Entertainment Company. The PC CD
ROM game can be configured in single player mode or multiplayer, which
will allow up to eight players to team up as a squadron or compete
against each other via modem or a local area network. 

"Technology has finally reached a point where we can offer networked
games without compromising gameplay," said Mary Bihr, director of sales
and marketing for LucasArts. "X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter will offer the same
compelling gameplay experience that single-player games have always
offered, with the additional thrill of real-time head-to-head combat
against other Star Wars pilots," reassures Lawrence Holland, head of
Totally Games, a development studio working in conjunction with
LucasArts in the development of Star Wars space combat simulations. 


Star General Release Date
From Bill Fawcett <Bfawcett@interaccess.com> on Usenet
Date: 1996/11/12
If all goes as planned (sigh) then we lock Star General Code Thursday 
and the game will be in stores just after Thanksgiving.  We're revving 
up the AI to the last, the only other concern is a smooth running 
multiplayer code for all the multiplayer options offered.  Today several 
of the testers lost to the AI, which may be a good sign or just an 
indication of how tired they are.  They've done a great job.  One 
promise:  We didn't adjust the game to give the AI lots of extra points 
each turn to balance the AI out.  That always frustrates me.  Ace SF is 
rereleasing The Fleet books, edited by David Drake and myself, which 
the game is loosely based upon.
Bill Fawcett
*************************************************************************

Hot Links - Bookmark these now!
---------

Doom II - Raven Levels 
http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m206/chasa001/raven/raven.html
----------------------------------------------------------- 
The Raven Levels have been voted one of the best add-on level series
for Doom 2. You can view the list of nominees, the latest winners, or
check out the best doom resource available at - The DoomGate Web Site.
Now Available: A single wad file containing all eleven Raven Levels is
now available for download - raven.zip.


The German Quake Home Page
http://www.cs.tu-berlin.de/~orogork
------------------------------------
Our Webmaster's own home page.
Lots of great Quake stuff here. Check it out.


~Souls of Chaos~ Alpha/Beta Testers
http://www.icomnet.com/~skuleton/souls.html
-------------------------------------------
Some of the best game players from around the world have united and we
are happy to bring you ~Souls of Chaos~ the greatest online game playing
experience on the planet. What is Souls? Well ~Souls of Chaos~ is an
organization of people from around the world who play and test online
games together and have a great time doing it.
Currently, we have 75 members
They also distribute a newsletter to members.


The Unreal Site Ring
http://people.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~morn/uring/
-----------------------------------------------
The Unreal Site Ring is a ring of web pages devoted to Epic Megagames'
Unreal. If you don't know what a web ring is: A web ring enables you to
browse through a ring of web pages devoted to the same topic (here it's
Unreal) via a small control panel which you can find on all the ring
sites. The Unreal Site Ring serves several purposes. It creates a
community of Unreal sites, enables users to see what other Unreal pages
are available and increases traffic on member sites.
(FreePlay: See description of Unreal in the Preview Section.)
*************************************************************************

Updates
--------

Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition & Plutonium Pak
http://www.3drealms.com/catalog/duke3d/plutonium.html#getpak
-----------------------------------------------------
I reported this in Issue #6 but they didn't have a release date.
Since then, 3D Realms has made some changes and additions.
Here's the official promo:
3D Realms is now taking pre-orders for the Plutonium PAK!
3D Realms has created an all new mission for Duke Nukem 3D, called The
Birth. You can get this new mission through the Plutonium PAK. 
The Plutonium PAK contains the following... 
Eleven all new levels by 3D Realms (with TONS of new art for the
specific level themes). Look for cool places to visit and DukeMatch in
like "Duke Burger", "Area-51" and "Babe World". 
New Weapon. You can add a new ammo type and hardware upgrade to the
good old Shrink Ray and turn it into the "Microwave Gun". When activated,
this weapon will superheat a player or bad guy until     they expand and
pop like an over-cooked egg in a microwave. Don't be too close to them  
when they go, or you'll take some damage too. 
The Plutonium PAK also includes some extra items like the following: TWO
Duke Nukem 3D Windows95 desktop themes complete with lots of new
exclusive DukeTalk (specific to the themes). In addition, you get the
Duke Nukem 3D Screen Saver & Entertainment Pack. 


Links LS Patch
http://www.accesssoftware.com/patch.html
----------------------------------------
Links LS update version 1.20 now available!
Changes and fixes in Links LS Version 1.20 from version 1.10
-Allows you to play courses from hard drive as needed 
-Fixes score verification problem on junior/ladies tees 


Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries 1.05 Patch Download Page
ftp://205.214.45.10/activision/mercs/merc105p.htm
-------------------------------------------------
This patch will upgrade your copy of Mercenaries 1.00 to version 1.05. 
Version 1.05 includes the following improvements: 
-The 'Mech Lab now functions properly 
-Extra weapons or weight no longer appear on your 'Mech after battle 
-CD-ROM changers and multiple CD-ROM drives now supported 
-Input device configuration screen improved 
-The "Prince Luthor" and "Clan Wolf Escape" missions are easier to complete 
-Connecting to the Internet server in DOS MercNet should go faster 
-'Mechs in DOS MercNet now checked for conformance to weight and equipment rules 
***********************************************************************

Previews - The Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Review.
--------

Dark Reign
http://www.activision.com/darkreign/
------------------------------------
Dark Reign: The Future of War is a multiplayer, real-time action/strategy
game that plays like a 3D combat simulation. Combining the best
features of current best-selling strategy games with never-before-seen
options and player-controllable artificial intelligence, Dark Reign
delivers an unprecedented gaming experience. 
Wage war against up to eight players over a LAN, head-to-head over a
modem, or against up to four players over the Internet! Create true
alliances by sharing resources and intelligence with other players.
Also includes gigantic playing maps, never-before-seen units, and dozens
of other features. 
The battle for freedom begins this Winter. 
(FreePlay: The graphic previews on the WWW page show this to be 
a Command and Conquer clone.)


Descent to Undermountain
http://www.interplay.com/games/dtum.html
----------------------------------------
Just released - DTUAVI.ZIP (8.7MB)
Descent to Undermountain non-interactive Windows AVI movie! 
Forgotten Realms: Descent To Undermountain is a fast-paced and compelling
360° 3D environment adventure that tests the player’s stamina against
Lloth, the Drow Elf Queen.. It is set in one of TSR’s most popular
"worlds," Forgotten Realms. The player’s task at hand is to destroy all
enemies he or she confronts, while trying to discover the powerful
flamesword of Lloth. It is a classic game of kill or be killed.

Featuring state-of-the-art graphics, this game utilizes a greatly
expanded enhanced 3D engine from Parallax Software that made Interplay’s
Descent such a large success. It is one of the first games of its kind to
use 3D polygon enemies, not the usual flat 2D sprites. Also, a key
element is that the AD&D characters are present with similar traits and
characteristics of traditional role-playing characters.

Features: 
With this powerful 3D engine, a player can literally view 360 degrees of
the dangerous caverns where the game is set. Descent To Undermountain has
been described as an AD&D game so real, the player can see drool on an
Orc’s chin. 
Multiplayer support is a key feature of this game, as well as an option
to play simultaneously with the screen map adjacent to the play screen.
This way, the player can keep track of where he or she has traveled
without having to interrupt game play. Descent To Undermountain will be
available on-line and for MS-DOS based PC’s in the fourth quarter of 1996.

Magic: The Game
http://www.acclaimnation.com/acclaimnation/twitch/interactive/magic/MAGICinter.html
----------------------------
Magic: The Gathering-Battlemage. In this ultimate war of the wizards,
players face off on one of 30 richly detailed battlefields. Choose from
a mystic armory of 220 artifacts, enchantments and creatures, enhanced
with stunning graphics cs. Every spell is unique and reacts differently to
every other spell, giving rise to more scenarios than you've ever seen.

Acclaim's Magic: The Gathering - Battlemage offers real-time, networkable,
strategic sorcery and a rich environment that will immerse players in the
vortex of magical warfare. Strategies such as using the terrain to
protect a weak flank from a sneak a ttack, or luring enemy forces into
a deadly trap, adds time and spatial dimensions to the game that don't
exist anywhere else.

Duel against the computer or against up to 3 other players over a local
area network, modem, or the Internet. Two PlayStation or Sega Saturn
based gamers can take advantage of the game's split-screen feature to
battle head-to-head.


Powerslave
http://www.playmatestoys.com/pages/pie/pwrslave.htm
---------------------------------------------------
As an armed forces specialist, you have trained for all forms of enemy
contact.
Nothing, however, can prepare you for the modern-day nightmare you are
about to enter.
The ancient Egyptian city of Karnak has been sealed off by enemy forces.
No military action has yet been successful in penetrating the perimeter.
The enemy possess firepower of unknown origin. There is a high
probability of ultra-human involvement. Your mission is to infiltrate
Karnak, discover the nature of the enemy forces, and respond with
maximum efficiency. Lethal force has been approved.
Command an arsenal of firepower including: hand grenades, flame throwers,
machine guns, and a magical cobra staff.
Capture an array of powers to become an unstoppable fighting machine.
Explore ancient temples, underwater grottos, and the realm of the undead.
Optional third person view from behind the player character.
Network support for up to four players in DOS version, eight players in
Windows 95 version.
Stacked sector technology allows you to move between multiple floors
within a single level!
Connect head-to-head via Windows '95 dial-up network.
Coming December!
Demo available for download (3.8 megs)


The Official UNREAL Home Page
http://www.epicgames.com/unreal.htm
-----------------------------------
I can't believe I didn't review this game in the newsletter.
I have known about Unreal for a while, but I scanned all the old issues
and somehow I overlooked it. So, here we go.

UNREAL is more than your average first person action game. It places
players in a stunningly lifelike three-dimensional world, where they can
practically smell the stench of dank dungeon caverns, feel the hot breath
of menacing creatures, and experience the sensations of falling,
swimming and flying.
Running on either Windows 95 or Windows NT, UNREAL delivers:
Highly detailed polygonal characters 
A True 3D environment 
Dynamic lighting and shadows 
Designed to be played in high resolution with DirectXTM technology
Special enhancements for the Intel Pentium® processor with MMXTM
technology 
The UNREAL environment is continuous. Though levels do exist, you travel
between them smoothly. The entire world, whether you're playing by
yourself or you're on a large network game server, is melded into one
continuous global environment.
(FreePlay: You just *HAVE* to see the graphic previews of this game
and, I couldn't find any info on a release date.)


Phoenix Armada
http://www.arcg.com/index.htm
-----------------------------
I almost never check the various Game WWW pages for new links. 
I have my own resources!
But...OK, OK, I admit it.  I scammed this one from the Online Games
Directory at http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/m041/fran0264/mpog/ 
Fran, How the heck did you find this one!
Here's the info.

The Phoenix Armada is a real-time 3D action/adventure game being created
by AlterNet Realities, that will be playable exclusively over the
Internet. Thousands will be able to simultaneously log on and enter this
world as they interact with the Phoenix Armada environment and each other.
The world exists on an apocalyptic fleet of ships traveling through deep
space.  See The Phoenix Armada World http://www.arcg.com/world.htm for
more information about the game world.

Using Microsoft's Direct3D and Intel's MMX technologies the game will
feature stunning graphics that create a world with unparalleled
interactivity.
The game will run on Windows95 and will most likely require a Pentium
100 and 16 megs of Ram. Using state of the art networking technology,
AlterNet Realities will offer this game with no latency to thousands of
users simultaneously over the Internet.


Shadow Warriors
http://www.3drealms.com/catalog/sw/
-----------------------------------
Coming Soon: The official release date is "When it's done", but we think
the shareware/demo version will be out early in 1997. Shadow Warrior is
an internal 3D Realms game using many of the same team members that
brought you Duke Nukem 3D as well as long time staffers Frank Maddin &
Jim Norwood. 
Game Play: Practically every cool feature you saw in Duke Nukem 3D is in
Shadow Warrior, plus more! 
System Requirements: Pentium processor and 16 megs of ram. (Apologies to
you 486'ers, but we have to move on with technology). 
Technology: Shadow Warrior is built upon the successful Build engine,
that brought you Duke Nukem 3D. We have added some interesting things
like: 
True room over room situations where you can have beams running over a
room and be above, below, or stand on the beam. Ledges, true bridges and
more are all possible, adding to the realism of the environment. 
8 player network and 2 player modem supported, featuring deathmatch and
co-operative play (including saving of net games). 
Fog effects, Colored lighting, SVGA mode support. 
Transparent water that you can see into and out of, as well as swim in. 


Warlords III
http://www.ssg.com.au/index_files/WLIII.html
--------------------------------------------
Strategic Studies Group has announced that it will be publishing the
next game in the Warlords series, Warlords III, with Broderbund.
Warlords III is due for release in the second half of 1997.

Warlords III is an eight player fantasy strategy game where the struggle
for survival and eventual dominance is played out on an epic scale.
Players start with a single city, and must explore and conquer their
surroundings, whilst building their economic base in preparation for the
intense conflicts to follow.

Warlords III is the successor to the highly successful and well regarded
Warlords, Warlords II and Warlords II Deluxe. All Warlords games have had
common elements which have ensured a highly addictive game experience
with maximum replay value. These elements include an intuitive interface
and easy gameplay, challenging AI, a multitude of game options, and deep
game design. The general fantasy setting for Warlords has given it the
widest possible appeal. Anybody with an interest in any sort of strategy
games will appreciate Warlords, especially consumers who enjoy games
such as Civilization.

Warlords III will add many features in order to improve the basic game
idea. Each side in a scenario will have it's own army set, allowing
greater differentiation in both graphics and performance between sides.
There will be different types of heroes with an expanded number of skills.
Heroes will be able to use new magic spells and items.

Multiplayer support will be an integral part of Warlords III. Network
play will have a real-time option, where all human players move
simultaneously. (The sequential turn option will be retained for
solitaire, and PBEM play.) A campaign mode will be introduced, and there
will be a greater range of game options and increased flexibility in
setting up scenarios.

A new, sophisticated diplomacy system will increase interactions between
players, and players will be able to ally with each other, and win
victories as an allied side, allowing for team play.

The minimum hardware spec for the PC version will be 486 100MHz, 8MB of
RAM, 256 color video card, double speed CD-ROM and Sound Blaster.
Warlords III will be Windows 95 only.
A Mac version of WLIII is planned but no dates or details are available
at this stage.
**************************************************************

Resources - To make multiplayer gaming a heck of a lot easier!
---------

BetaNets Beta Report of The Day
http://www.tipworld.com
-----------------------
As everyone who read last week's message, this issue is the last weekly
edition of BetaNet News.  In fact, it's the last issue of BetaNet News,
because starting next Monday(today), BetaNet's Beta Report of the Day premiers,
hosted by TipWorld, http://www.tipworld.com/.  You will all be receiving it
every week day.  If you don't want to, please visit TipWorld's web site for
instructions.  They may not have converted all of you into their subscriber
database, so if they haven't, give them a few days and try again. 


GameWeb - The Gamer's Search Engine
http://kmsinn.com/gameweb/index.html
------------------------------------
A gaming specific Search Engine. 
I found a lot of neat multiplayer game stuff with this searcher.


Gamezilla!
http://www.gamezilla.com/
-------------------------
A cool WWW Game Magazine. Loads of info and links.
Covers both multiplayer and non-multiplayer games.
Great previews, reviews, links, etc.
***************************************************************

Online Games - Multiplayer Internet Games you can play NOW
------------

Command and Conquer - Red Alert
http://www.westwood.com/redalert
If this site is busy(it is) try
The ChronoSphere - http://games.net-link.net/ladder/ra/home.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
With the release of Command & Conquer last year, Westwood Studios broke
new ground in the computer real-time strategy genre. C&C has been
heralded as one of the year's best, selling over 1 million copies to
date worldwide.
Thousands of people challenge each other daily, with the war raging over
phone lines and Internet as all strive for supremacy over their peers. 

Now, Westwood Studios prepares to once again re-define the real-time
strategy game with Command & Conquer: Red Alert. The prequel to C&C, Red
Alert probes deeper into the mystery of the C&C universe, giving the
player all new strategies and elements to further their conquests in solo,
LAN, and modem play. 
The story: World War II never happened. At least, not the way we think of
it. Hitler never rose to power and threatened all of Europe - something
more terrible happened: Joseph Stalin.
The Soviet empire is storming into Europe.
Towns are falling and countries collapsing before the overwhelming might
of the Soviet forces.
Does anyone stand a chance, or will the red storm engulf all of Europe? 

New Features for Red Alert include : 
Enhanced AI - The computer is smarter than ever! Base construction and
management are the smallest of the enhancements. New settings will allow
the player to set the difficulty of the opponent they want.

New Units & Structures - Thieves, Medics, Attack dogs, Spies, Land mines,
Tesla Coils, Mobile Radar Jammers, Saboteurs, Destroyers, Cruisers,
Bombers, Paratroopers, and Submarines... to name just a few. We won't
even hint at what the Chronosphere and Gap Generators do.

Improved unit control - Complete control over air, land and sea.
Formations control for those with specific tactics in mind, and waypoint
plotting for all those that want units to get to their destination in a
certain way.

Enhanced Multiplay - New Internet head-to-head and 8 Player IPX
multiplay. Improved chat interface that allows for longer messages and
more transmission of information to the player. New setup options make
starting a game even faster.

Skirmish Mode - Want a little practice? Take on one to five computer
opponents in a solo Multi-player game.

Detailed, interweaving story-line - an Allied and a Soviet path through
the game with 13+ missions per path. A large cast of characters,
including Stalin and Einstein, brings it all to life, drawing you into
the C&C universe.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
WINDOWS 95 VERSION - Pentium, Windows 95, 8MB RAM (16MB recommended),
30 MB HD space, Keyboard, 100% Microsoft Compatible Mouse,Double Speed 
CDROM or better, 1MB Local BUS, MS Direct Draw compatible video card 
(640x400 or 640x480 pixels in 256 colors)
DOS VERSION - MS-DOS 5.0 or higher, 486 DX2/66 or higher,8MB RAM,
30MB HD Space,Keyboard,100% Microsoft Compatible Mouse,
Double Speed CDROM or better,VGA compatible video card 
(320x200 with 256 colors)


Design Paradise
http://tqd.advanced.org/2111
----------------------------
A sim-city like game that simulates economic growth on the island of
Kauai in Hawaii.  Check it out, it's fun, and chalenging.  The site is
full of resources to improve game play.
So far, the site has been recognized as a national finalist in a
competition called Thinkquest and has been integrated into many web site
resources and has become the primary "textbook" for a class on economics.
Don't let the  academics scare ya though, it's still fun to play the game
even without reading. 
Game at http://tqd.advanced.org/2111/apply.html


Final Bell Home Page
http://www.sandbox.net/finalbell/pub-doc/home.html
--------------------------------------------------
Psst...Come here kid, Have I got a stock tip for you!
You create a fantasy $100,000 portfolio of stocks that they track.
I've always wanted an automated way to do this but never 
found an easy way. I ended up using MS Excel at work to track my
fantasy portfolio and it's a pain to keep up with the day to day
tracking and updating the spreadsheet.
Here's a great way to create an automatically updated portfolio.
Test your investment savvy with nothing to lose and much to gain.
Then again, I will win the contest, because as the casinos at
Las Vegas love to hear... "I've got a system!"
	Oh, did I mention a contest?
The person with the most dollars in their portfolio by
Jan 10,1997 becomes the champion investor and wins a prize.
As of this writing the highest person only has a measly $155,701.02

Here is the promo on their site.
"Buy low, sell high and trade stocks daily inside
the Internet's hottest stock market challenge.
You begin your ascent on Wall Street by selecting any
number of real-world stocks from the New York,
American or NASDAQ stock exchanges inside Play the
Market. It's your first step towards financial greatness as
you strive to become Final Bell's champion investor. "


MechWarrior 2:MercNet
http://www.activision.com/mechmerc/mech-net.html
---------------------------------------------
Destroy your friends and enemies with MercNet! 
MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries features the amazing MercNet technology
which allows you to host or join networked battles using your ISP!! 
Using the MercNet software, you can now host multi-player online
networks for free by simply connecting to your Internet Service Provider
(ISP) and launching the game. The game also features modem-to-modem,
Local Area Network (LAN), and serial connection gameplay! 
WIN95 MercNet patch coming soon - be on the look out!! 
Face your friends in over 10 action-packed missions throughout the Inner
Sphere now!! 


Monopoly
http://www.westwood.com/monopoly/monopoly.html(Parker Brothers)or
http://www.monopoly.com/networkplay.html(Hasbro)
----------------------------------------------
Westwood Studios and Parker Brothers have teamed up to enhance the best
selling game ever for the PC. If you think this is the game your parents
played, think again....

Westwood Studios' animators have worked for over a year to compile more
than twelve thousand frames of smooth 3D animation for Monopoly CD-ROM.
Players will instantly notice that each character comes to life with
it's own personality as they sail, drive, and hop around the multi-colored
properties of Atlantic City. Watch demolition crews blow up your houses
and build hotels, or simply get away from it all and take a ride on the
Reading Railroad. It's all there, it's all animated, and it's more
good-natured fun than you've had on your computer in a long time...
REQUIREMENTS: IBM 486/33Mhz or 100% compatible PC, 8MB of RAM, 
Windows 3.1+, Windows 95, Minimum 640x480 display 256 colors, 
Minimum 10MB non-compressed space, Double speed CD-ROM drive, 
Sound card highly recommended.  Multiplayer Internet play requires a 
PPP or SLIP connection to an Internet provider.


NCAA Championship Basketball
http://www.im.gte.com/ncaa/
---------------------------
It's NCAA Championship Basketball -- all the color and pageantry of
America's #1 college sport -- and you call the shots! Choose from one of
64 Division I NCAA teams and lead them to the National Championship...if
you've got the talent! The only basketball game available with
breakthrough artificial intelligence that will allow you to recruit and 
grow" freshman and turn them into superstar seniors. This game changes
with every season...can you keep your school on top? 
Features:
64 Division I teams and home courts -- all the authentic artwork, uniforms
and mascots you could want.  
Network and modem-to-modem play -- this means you'll get to see if you 
can stand up to your friends on the court.
Advanced artificial intelligence -- your players get better (or worse)
depending on how you control them.  
Extensive recruiting -- fill the holes in your roster with hot new 
freshmen, if you can get them 
3D Silicon Graphics(TM) backgrounds -- basically, we have the best looking
courts you'll find in a basketball game, anywhere 
More than 4,500 frames of animation -- our players move like the real
thing--none of this choppy stuff you'll see in other games 
Extensive team, individual, league and tourney stats -- if you have time
to track all the stats we've put in, you need to get a life 
Fill out the WWW form at http://www.im.gte.com/ncaa/nchdemo.html
to get the NCAA INTERACTIVE DEMO DISK FREE.
We will be giving away more than 10,000 interactive demo  -- with
interactive gameplay!  To get your FREE copy of the only cool NCAA
college game available, you must officially register by completing the
required contact/mailing information.


Nihilist
http://www.aimla.com/cdrom/nihilist/nihilist_info.html
------------------------------------
"If you must know, the only road to fame and glory these days is found
in the Kraal. It's where eager starfighters lock themselves into deadly
combat for the right to expand their races' empires in space...
"The rules of engagement are simple: you kill them before they kill you.
And if you win, you'll be rewarded. You can upgrade your fighter with
weapons and powers from cash you win in battle, all the while
increasing your rank to gain entrance into the more dangerous battle
zones. Do well, and your race will expand across the known universe.
Fail, and you'll just be added to the growing pile of fighter debris." 
Features:
Network play for up to 4 pilots 
ChromaDepth 3-D glasses included for cool 3-D effects (optional) 
29 levels (Kraals) with different objectives in each level 
Choose from 20 spacecraft and a variety of weapons systems 
Killer rock sound track featuring: "Dog Eat Dog", "Pop Will Eat Itself"
and "Sugar Ray" 
Fully 3-D rendered spacecraft, Kraals and pilots


Over The Reich - Review by Andy Hartwell
http://www.bigtimesoftware.com
------------------------------
	Over the Reich is a neat little wargame by Big Time Software. It
is not a  flight simulation like Red Baron, but  a tactical simulation.
In single player mode  you can command a squadron for the German,
British, or American. Play involves  commanding movement of planes,
choosing targets, and firing a variety of weapons.
	Multiplayer mode can be played on one computer or over the
internet via an IP  connection. It prompts you for an IP address when
you select internet game. The  multiplayer mode is a dogfight between
the opponents. There is no cooperative play.  Players can choose the
included dogfight scenario or create their own. There is no  play by
email option.
	For fans of WW II sims, this is a good strategy game. It is
worth the download  if you play the single player mode as well as  over
the internet. I do not think the  ten meg download is worth it only for
the multiplayer mode, as it does not have much  depth. I would have
liked to see a tour of duty where two players can work together.


Power Chess
http://www.sierra.com/entertainment/powerchess/
-----------------------------------------------
If you know Sierra, you know we rarely do things like the rest of the
pack. While everyone else has been trying to build a chess engine that
could beat the world champion, we set ourselves a different goal: to
build a chess engine that would be fun to play and make you a better
player.  The result was Power Chess, the game with two secret weapons: a
King and a Queen.
The Power Chess King is an adaptive opponent. He remembers everything
you've played against cocky him. He knows your strengths and your
weaknesses and plays accordingly-- not so much better that you can
never catch up, just good enough to make you stretch. 

Of course Sierra has included all the adjustability you expect from the
world's leading game company: stunning 3D and 2D rendered boards,
historical and contemporary chess sets, hand-painted character artwork 
(besides the King and Queen, Power Chess offers another two dozen
opponents), and rich SVGA color.
Features:Adaptive opponent 
Internet ready 
Spoken game analysis 
Stunning 2D and 3D sets and boards 
Powerful wChess engine 

If you have Windows `95, you can download a Free
Preview right now. You'll catch a sneak peek of the
spectacular graphics, chess sets and boards plus you'll hear
the Power Chess Queen's amazing game analysis and
narration! 


Scrabble(R) Home Page
http://www.scrabble.com/home.html
http://www.scrabble.com/cd/cd_download.html(download area)
---------------------------------
SCRABBLE CD-ROM is hot off the burner and  it's packed with realistic
game play! But better still,  you'll be able to play your favorite word
game against expert computer opponents or  against human players across
modem lines,  LAN's, or even across the internet.  We've included an
exclusive preview of the  game demonstrating all its features for you! 
Once you've downloaded the preview, you'll  understand how the game
will be an instant  phenomenon.  The preview is available for Mac or PC.
It takes approximately fifteen  minutes for you to receive it on a 28.8
modem.  Get the preview now for Windows or Macintosh.
Both versions are 2Mb, and download in approximately 17 minutes
using a 28.8kbps modem. 
System Requirements for Windows 
Hardware: Intel-based 486 or Pentium, 8MB of system RAM preferred,
640x480 256-color display and a mouse. 
System Requirements for the Macintosh 
Hardware: Macintosh or Power Macintosh compatible computer, with 68010
or higher microprocessor, 6Mb of application Ram, 640x480 256-color
display and a mouse.  Software: System 7.x, QuickTime 2.0 


Skynet Home Page
http://www.bethsoft.com/html/skynet.html
-----------------------------------------
Return to the apocalyptic world that is The Terminator. SkyNET delivers
all new single player missions and the most explosive multi-player
combat ever to grace a screen. Now take on the cyborg enemies in SVGA
graphics with all new options and weapons. Lob pipe bombs over walls to
bombard your enemies, or use the motion tracker and play a deadly game
of cat and mouse. In the single player mode, an intense storyline has
you chasing down a nuclear weapon across the country. Race across a
ravine in a jeep, destroy a nuclear sub and even infiltrate an enemy
base. The best feature yet is the multiplayer mode. Now you can play
against your friends in the ultimate deathmatch game. Chose from several
different characters, including a Terminator. Drive military vehicles
and run over your opponents, or even fly a captured HK and shoot
everyone from above! 
System requirements:
486/66Mhz IBM PC or compatible running DOS 5.0 or better;8MB RAM;2x
CD-ROM Drive; VGA compatible graphics card; 20+MB hard disk space;Microsoft
compatible mouse;Supports most popular sound cards including: Aria,
Microsoft Sound System, Ensoniq, Roland, SoundBlaster, and UltraSound. 
(download demo is 11.2 Megs)


Tomb Raider 
http://www.tombraider.com/index.html
------------------------------------
Currently this is not a MULTIPLAYER game!
I included it in the newsletter mostly due to rumors that they are
considering patching it to make it multiplayer. I sure hope they do.
And... It's a great game. I have been playing the demo and the graphics
are fantastic!
Tomb Raider is probably one of the most anticipated 3D Action
games to date (other than Unreal) since the release of Quake.

Game Features:
An intelligent 3rd person camera viewing system.
15 levels within 4 lost civilizations which include the Incan, Classic
Roman, Egyptian and Atlantean worlds.
Massive 3D real-time environments.
Evolving storyline packed with action and adventure like no other.
A variety of weapons including pistols, magnums, uzis, and more.
Perform a variety of fluid movements including somersaults, backflips,
jumps, and diving. You can even scale walls!
Rendered cinematic sequences between levels provide the essential clues
for level completion.
Solving puzzles, secret areas, and hidden traps provide hours and hours
of gameplay.
Life threatening wolves, bears, crocodiles, dinosaurs, and hired
mercenaries are a just a few enemies encountered.
Available for the PC, PlayStation, and Saturn
PC Minimum Requirements: Pentium 60 (Pentium 90 Recommended), 8MB RAM,
20Mb free hard drive space, SVGA VESA local bus graphics card, Dual
Speed CD-ROM drive; most major sound cards supported. Most major Game
Pads and Joysticks supported.


Web Games Home Page (Hearts, Backgammon)
http://www.eden.com/~springer/
------------------------------
Webgames version 2.2 is now available.
***If you've already got version 2.1 you can just pick up a small
50 kilobyte zipped patch file directly at URL:
http://www.eden.com/~springer/download/patch22.zip
You won't need to make a new account on the v2.2 server
Major new features:
o Improved recovery from internet packet loss.  What this means is
  that all chat messages and invitations are guaranteed to arrive.
o Hearts v1.1 - also now with guaranteed delivery
              - added insta-type so as soon as you start typing
                the keystrokes will go directly to the Hearts
                game scrolling chat box       
o For game developers - the webgames.dll online help documentation
  is available for download (100K) at URL:
  http://www.eden.com/~springer/download/webgames.hlp

BACKGAMMON will be the next game available on Dec 15, 1996
CRIBBAGE is in the works also.

Lot's of you have logged on but found no one else there at the 
moment and then leave in a few minutes.  If you stay around awhile,
especially in the early evening U.S. time, others will show up.

*************************************************************************

Humor  - Something to make you laugh while you are gaming

    Link Rot
 The process by which links on a web page became as
obsolete as the  sites they're connected to change location
or die.

    Crapplet
 A badly written or profoundly useless Java applet. "I just
wasted 30  minutes downloading this stinkin' crapplet!"

    World Wide Wait
 The real meaning of WWW.

    CGI Joe
 A hard-core CGI script programmer with all the social
skills and  charisma of a plastic action figure.

    Dorito Syndrome
 Feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction triggered by
addictive  substances that lack nutritional content. "I just
spent six hours  surfing the Web, and now I've got a bad
case of Dorito Syndrome."

    Under Mouse Arrest
 Getting busted for violating an online service's rule of
conduct.  "Sorry I couldn't get back to you. AOL put me
under mouse arrest."

    404
 Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web
message "404, URL Not Found," meaning that the
document you've tried to access can't be located. "Don't
bother asking him...he's 404,  man."

    Egosurfing
 Scanning the net, databases, print media, or research
papers looking  for the mention of your name.

    Graybar Land
 The place you go while you're staring at a computer that's
 processing something very slowly (while you watch the
gray bar creep  across the screen). "I was in graybar land
for what seemed like hours,  thanks to that CAD
rendering."

    Brain Fart
 A biproduct of a bloated mind producing information
effortlessly. A  burst of useful information. "I know you're
busy on the Microsoft story, but can you give us a brain
fart on the Mitnik  bust?" Variation of old hacker slang that
had more negative connotations.

    Cobweb Site
 A World Wide Web Site that hasn't been updated for a
long time. A  dead web page.

    Bookmark
 To take note of a person for future reference (a metaphor
borrowed  from web browsers). "I bookmarked him after
seeing his cool demo at  Siggraph."

    Nyetscape
 Nickname for AOL's less-than-full-featured Web
browser.

    Beepilepsy
 The brief siezure people sometimes suffer when their
beepers go off,  especially in vibrator mode. Characterized
by physical spasms, goofy facial expressions, and stopping
speech in  mid-sentence.

These are from THE ORACLE SERVICE HUMOR MAILING LIST
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (It's FREE):
To subscribe to the Oracle's mail list
send a message with only the word
SUBSCRIBE in the body (not the
subject) of the message to:
humour-list-request@lists.synapse.net
*************************************************************************

Details,details,details...
---------------------------
All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.  Mention of a product in this  publication does not
necessarily imply endorsement of the  product.

How to write to FreePlay:
Send your suggestions, comments, contributions to freeplay@hotmail.com

How to get back issues:
Back issues can be found at
http://freeplay.home.ml.org or
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Park/4874
If possible get them there to preserve the sanity of the editor.
You may request them thru email to freeplay@hotmail.com only if you do
not have www access of any kind.  One issue per email request please.

This document is copyright 1996 by Mark Shnayer. 

Re-distribution of it by any means is both permitted and encouraged 
provided that such action is for strictly non-commercial purposes, the
content remains whole, unedited and otherwise unmodified and  this
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Please send requests for permission to publish this commercially to
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