Push What Boxes?!?

Due to the fact that our previously announced JAVA game Push Box didn't actually contain any boxes to push around, we felt a name change was in order. And since the main character is an orderly working in a hospital, we've appropriately dubbed our first JAVA game "Orderly." I guess the name Push Box came from this game's predecessor, Sokoban. In Sokoban, you had to push crates (or boxes) around in a warehouse.

Orderly is the first in a series of JAVA games that we plan to publish. So, it's important that we get feedback on how well it works on your system. Does it load up well? Run smoothly? And so on...

If you have any ideas for other scenarios to use in the Orderly game engine, let us know too. I was telling Tom (our Art Director) that it might be neat to do a construction site version of the game. The game graphics could include cranes, bulldozers, etc.

Be sure to send in your Report Cards with feedback and ideas! Speaking of Report Cards...

Online Report Cards

This month we've updated the report card to an "online" version. By that we mean, after you finish filling out all the info, you can send it to us across the Internet. Simply use your mouse and keyboard to enter data and then click the "Send" button at the bottom of the Report Card. And, presto... your electronic Report Card will be in our Editorial e-mail box in a matter of seconds. No more stamps to lick or envelopes to mail.

The "Send" feature of the Report Card does require that you're connected to the Internet and have your Web Browser set up to send e-mail. If this is not the case (or you prefer regular mail), simply select the "Print" or "Print Frame" option from the File menu after filling the Report Card out.

We're looking forward to reading everyone's comments, so be sure to give the new Report Card a try.

New, Improved Back Issue Store

It's been a busy month here at Softdisk. We have yet another new feature to debut on this issue, the new Back Issue Store. There's a version included right on the CD in addition to an updated version on our Server. The new version has been redesigned to load faster and surf more easily. If you're connected to the Internet, you can even purchase back issues right from the CD.

We're still working on some improvements to the CD-ROM version of the Store, such as a search routine. Although the online Back Issue Store located on our server features a comprehensive search routine powered by Excite(TM), providing a search routine on a web page of a local CD-ROM is a different story. We'll be looking into building one over the next month or so, though.

Meanwhile, if you need to make some searches, pop up to our online version of the Back Issue Store. It will always have the most up-to-date information as well.

Cool 3D Clipart

Tom went high-tech on us this month with the clipart. All the images have been rendered using 3D models in one of Tom's state-of-the-art graphics programs. Let us know what you think about this new type of clipart.

What's On This Issue

The issue start's out with PolyAtom, a fun puzzle game of atomic proportions. In PolyAtom, you have to build molecules out of various-shaped atoms. The next program name, Easy Personal and Business Inventory, pretty much explains itself. It's a nice program for keeping track of all your stuff. Elsewhere in the issue we'll just call it Easy Inventory :). If we had Editor's Awards on the issues, DeskTop Menu would probably get one hands down. It's an easy-to-customize menu bar to launch all your favorite programs and files from. Our QA department uses it daily. 3D Air Hockey will have you slamming pucks back and forth across a virtual air table. And rounding out the content is Orderly, our latest version of the Sokoban-style puzzle.

December 1998 DownloadStore "Back Door"

The DownloadStore "back door" for December 1998 is at http://softdisk.downloadstore.com/yearend/
Come through that door and you'll automatically save 20% off the regular price of any software program you download.

Enjoy the Issue

John Zucco
Technical Editor
Softdisk for Windows