__________ ____ ____ __ ___ / ____/ __ \ / __ \/ __ \/ |/ / / / / / / /_____/ /_/ / / / / /|_/ / / /___/ /_/ /_____/ _, _/ /_/ / / / / \____/_____/ /_/ |_|\____/_/ /_/__On-line! Your Multimedia PC Resource! * WELCOME TO CD-ROM On-line! * """""""In This Issue:""""""""" * From The Editor ............ Keep Getting Better and Better! * CD Discoveries ............ Magazines On Disc * Reviews: Entertainment ............ Burn:Cycle MAZE * Reviews: Reference ............ Stretch-ercise Home Improvement 1-2-3 * Reviews: Education ............ Making Music * Best Seller List ............ Top Twenty CD-ROM Titles. * Log Off ............ Let us hear from you! .................................................................... CD-ROM Online * A NSI Media Publication * Vol. 1, Issue 8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Publisher.................................................NSI Media Editor..........................................Scott R. Garrigus Contributing Writer.................................Rose Atiyeh Contributing Writer............................Peter McCarthy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >From The Editor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's that time again to make a few changes here at CD-ROM Online. Well, more like improvements rather than changes. Just a few more ways to keep our readers well-informed. One of the improvements, is our NEW ADDRESS: http://www.nsiweb.com/ Here you can download all of our past issues as well as find valuable other CD-ROM resources. Another improvement, which you may have already noticed, is that we will be listing the Web addresses of each product's publishing company. That way if you'd like to get more information or even try a demo of the product, you'll know where to look. Please stop by and have a look around. Then drop us a note to tell us what you think! I'll see ya next time, Scott R. Garrigus ___ ___ ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ________ / ___/ _ \ / /__/ // / Discoveries: Magazines On Disc \___/____/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Magazines. They're everywhere. In print, in e-mail, on the Web and yes, even on disc. Magazines on CD-ROM is not a totally new concept but it IS one that's catching on very quickly. You can even find them on the stands alongside their brethren in-print. PC World Interactive is one such magazine and an excellent one it is at that. Inside you'll find a full year of PC World Magazine (print version); all the text from every article and screen-shots too! More than 100 shareware programs; only the best. Instant links to over 400 web sites as well as an integrated web browser. AND in the issue I reviewed (Vol. 1, Num. 1), there is the Top 20 Interactive which lets you choose the features of your next PC system and it finds the perfect computer for you. There are also over 500 Windows tricks and tips contained in the more than 2 hours of full-motion video. Too much information to talk about here! PC World New Media, 1-800-483-1855, http://www.pcworld.com ___ ___ ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ === REVIEWS === ENTERTAINMENT: -------------- [ Burn:Cycle, Philips Media, http://www.burncycle.com ] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $39 by Scott R. Garrigus The game is set in the year 2043. You play the role of 21st-Century data thief, Sol Cutter, a former investigator for Softech Corporation. After failing at an attempt to rip-off your former employer, you discover that a deadly computer virus (Burn:Cycle) has been downloaded into your brain and you have just two hours to find a cure. Throughout the game you'll encounter puzzles, mazes, and questions of the universe that need to be solved. You'll also have to keep yourself alive by shooting your way through an army of enemies who are trying to end your existence prematurely. Oh, and just a hint here... when you're through playing Psychic Roulette be sure to pick Nanoware out of the five selections that you get at the bar. This is the only object that Zip will take for trade. What's that supposed to mean? Don't worry you'll figure it out. I didn't have any trouble installing or running this disc. Gameplay was smooth, accurate, and very immersive. Yes, you DO need 8 meg to play it but then all good games require that amount of memory nowadays. Excellent graphics, awesome interactive gameplay, wonderful music/sound effects (you even get a second CD with the game soundtrack on it), and live cinematic action make this a very special groundbreaking title. If you don't have it already, get it... because you're missing out. +++++++++++ [ MAZE, Meca Software ] (Windows) -- Street Price: $27 by Rose Atiyeh MAZE is a fascinating CD. The premise is that the user might want to experience the intricacies of working through some of the mazes that have been built around the world from the earliest times. There is a history of mazes in general and a section that includes some legends related to mazes. In addition, there's a tour of mazes from around the world including China, Japan, quite a number of European countries, the US and Canada. Each site includes 1-4 pictures of the featured maze, a brief history, the type and level of difficulty, and the address and phone number should you wish to visit there. What? You don't think you'll be hopping onto the next plane to try one out? Not a problem. Included on the disc are approximately 20 3-D recreations you can navigate from the comfort of your computer. 'Doom' enthusiasts may be disappointed that there are no enemies to shoot but all should enjoy the hunt for the center of each maze. I really like the fact that the program can be run directly off of the disc... no installation hassles, no space-consuming directories added to your hard drive. I don't like the fact that it must be run in a 256 color display even if you're already running in 16-bit color and the music can be a bit annoying. The content is great though and well worth the minor hassle. All in all, a pretty cool program! =-=-=-=-=-= REFERENCE: ---------- [ Stretch-ercise, IMSI, http://www.imsisoft.com ] (Windows) -- Street Price: $49 by Scott R. Garrigus You've heard of carpal tunnel syndrome, right? It's one of the many repetitive stress injuries that millions of people have to deal with everyday. The cause? Most often it's computer related. Either too much typing at the keyboard or too much clicking with the mouse. The cure? Exercise. "But how do I find the time?", you ask. Well, IMSI has the answer with its new Stretch-ercise title. Created by Dr. Robert Gamburd, team physician for the San Francisco 49ers, Stretch-ercise is a safe and entertaining exercise tutorial for anyone who uses a computer. Focusing on neck, back, shoulders and hands, this program demonstrates the proper exercises to prevent repetitive stress injuries. Included are more than 35 therapeutic exercises in full-motion video format. The program runs in the background and video clips pop up periodically throughout the day. These 'exercise breaks' are activated based on the number of keystrokes, mouse clicks performed, or length of time between exercises specified by the user. Prevention techniques along with tips on ergonomically correct furniture, posture and seating, etc. are also provided. But does it work? Absolutely! Before I started using the program I would find myself sitting at the computer for hours at a time just trying to get my current project completed, which is definitely not a good idea. Now that I have Stretch-ercise, I get a nice friendly reminder to stand up and stretch every once-in-a-while, along with some very excellent exercise instruction. If you spend a big part of your day pushing phosphor, then do yourself a favor and start it with a little Stretch-ercise. +++++++++++ [ Home Improvement 1-2-3, Multicom, http://www.multicom.com/ ] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $34 by Peter McCarthy Being a home improvement aficionado, so to speak, I thoroughly enjoyed this title. From the experts at Home Depot, Home Improvement 1-2-3 uses video, animation, illustrations, photographs and narration to instruct anyone how to master a variety of home improvement and repair projects. By providing tips and techniques for over 150 household projects, this disc covers more than 10 major topics including plumbing, electrical, doors and windows, cabinets and countertops, shelving and storage, etc. Overviews of each topic are provided with full-motion video. Informative slideshow presentations guide you through each step of the way and the Skill Scale provides information on the skills and techniques necessary for each project as well as how much time it takes to complete. You are also provided with expert advice from the "Home Depot Professionals" on the safety and proper use of the hundreds of tools found in each section covered. And for a little comic relief, you can check out Homer's Hindsight where Homer the cartoon handyman gives you humorous tips based on his home fix-up experiences and mistakes. If you're into home improvement, then you'll love Home Improvement 1-2-3. Just be careful because instead of getting the job done you may find yourself spending all your time playing with this disc. =-=-=-=-=-= EDUCATION: ---------- [ Making Music, Voyager, http://www.voyagerco.com ] (Mac, Windows) -- Street Price: $39 by Scott R. Garrigus Well, they've done it again. Voyager has come up with yet another truly unique and entertaining product which joins their expanding line of kids titles. Building on the metaphor of picture painting, Making Music by widely commissioned and recorded composer Morton Subotnick, allows kids (and beginning adults) to explore and experiment with music without any prior notational knowledge. They can let their imaginations run wild. In the Central Composition Space, notes can be entered just by drawing on the screen. Rectangles replace regular notation. Through the combination of length, horizontal and vertical placement, and color, the rectangles represent duration, rhythm, pitch, and different instruments. Notes can be turned upside, backwards, etc... and each of the functions is denoted by very intuitive graphical icons such as a cartoon head who is shouting, which of course, is the loudness. There are four other sections on the disk including Building Blocks which teaches structure and repetition; Flip Book which teaches melody, rhythm, and instrumentation; Melody & Rhythm Maker which provides comparison learning; and Games. So if your child has a budding interest in music, he/she will enjoy this title immensely. If they don't, then after playing with Making Music for a while, they will. ___ ___ ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >Best Seller List: Top Twenty CD-ROM Titles/May 1996 < >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < 1> War Craft II: Tides of Darkness (DOS) < 2> Mechwarrior 2 (DOS) (Windows, Mac) < 3> Full Throttle (DOS, Mac) < 4> Monopoly Multimedia (Windows, Mac) < 5> Bookshelf '96 (Windows, Mac) < 6> Encarta '96 (Windows, Mac) < 7> Fury by Microsoft (Windows, Win '95) < 8> MYST (Windows, Mac) < 9> Quicken 5.0 Deluxe (Windows, Mac) <10> Astronomica (Windows, Mac) <11> Star Trek Omnipedia (Windows, Mac) <12> Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2 (Windows, Mac) <13> Information Underground (Windows) <14> Hexen (Dos) <15> Phantasmagoria (Windows) <16> Wing Commander IV (Windows) <17> Nascar (DOS) <18> Command & Conquer (DOS) <19> New Groliers Encyclopedia '96(Windows, Mac) <20> Planet Shareware (Windows) ___ ___ ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----- /Esc\ Log Off: Let Us Hear From You! ----- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CD-ROM On-line invites you to write in and let us know what's on your mind. 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