Players of a new generation of computer games are being transported to elaborate fantasy worlds of striking realism, far from the cartoon-like, clunky computer screens of games of yore.
Under a Killing Moon, a breakthrough interactive game from Salt Lake's Access Software, lets the player solve a mystery. The game makes copious use of video, enabling the player to manipulate characters portrayed by real actors, including Brian Keith and Margot Kidder.In contrast to many computer games that lock the player into a few predetermined paths, the player of Under a Killing Moon has complete freedom to choose what to examine, where to go, who to talk to, even what attitude the characters will take.
Myst, a game by Broderbund Software (see accompanying review), is another tour de force in virtual reality, which is setting the standard for games to come.
Although it runs primarily in a non-video format, more like a slide show, Myst's graphics are so sharp, the audio so real and the transitions so smooth that one cannot help being sucked into its world.
Players like Smithfield's David Edwards have experienced first-hand how games like Myst can, well - mystify.
Edwards was recently playing the game with his children when he left the room to discuss something with his wife. In his absence, his children continued playing the game and were soon shrieking in terror. It seems the children had become subsumed into the dark mood of Myst to such a degree that when a frightening object unexpectedly appeared they were scared out of their wits. The children refused to sleep away from their parents that night.
"They were having the time of their lives scaring themselves to death," Edwards said.
Despite its present position as a king of the hill, Access is far from resting on its laurels. Its workers continually use technology tricks they learned in developing previous games to make sure each new enterprise surpasses the last one.
As an example of how fast the genre is moving, compare the new games with Access' first big hit - Links: the Challenge, a computer golf game based on real golf courses around the country.
Access began building the computerized golf courses with a topographical map, then went through each course with a video camera and still photographer to take pictures of everything. If there was a bush by the sand trap near the ninth hole, you would find it on the computer as well.
"We send out preview copies to people who work on the courses," Conners said. "We've had them tell us they went to an obscure place they didn't think anyone knew was there and it was just the same."
Links: The Challenge begat Links 386 Pro. And now, Links CD is on the way. Each generation has blown away its predecessor technically.
But games such as Under a Killing Moon, Myst and Links are not alone in breaking out of the old gaming mold. This is an industry that, competitively, is white-hot, with technical advances.
"Within the next couple of years, I think we'll see a couple of games that will look like `Under a Killing Moon.' " said Aaron Conners, an Access writer and game designer. "One thing's sure - the slide-show presentation (of most games) will have to change. People pretty unanimously have said this is so far ahead of anything else."
*****
Additional Information
Myst is both subtle and sophisticated
Myst, Broderbund Software, Novato, Calif., Windows/Mac CD-ROM only, $59
Myst, a brooding computer game, escorts you through a fantastical and exquisitely detailed universe while giving you a vaguely sinister mystery to solve.
In contrast with many games on the market today, which have a simple-minded sword and sorcery mentality, Myst is subtle and sophisticated. It has eye-popping graphics, realistic sound effects and an original musical score.
Just hearing the strikingly real sound of a page turning is worth the price of the game.
Myst has been described as the first true computer game for grown-ups. Players will find it richly layered and the ultimate challenge. For those who tackle Myst and find themselves hopelessly stuck, Broderbund includes with the game a cheat sheet that contains three hints. The pamphlet, however, is clearly marked "Open only if in dire need."
Myst is primarily a game of discovery. The player is dumped upon an island with no instruction - he doesn't know what is there, what he should be looking for, what the object of the game is - nothing. He must simply explore.
Gradually it becomes apparent that a man, Atrus, has inhabited Myst and invented and built a number of curious structures there. Each structure contains inter-linked puzzles, the solution to which will transport the player to other worlds and ages of Atrus' creation.
But Atrus himself has, along with his entire family, disappeared under suspicious circumstances. What happened?
Ah, don't expect me to tell you. Go buy this outstanding game and find out for yourself.
- Alan Edwards