Apple Computer recently announced their Apple Design Awards for applications that take advantage of Mac OS X and its many features. The only game on the short list is Vektor3, a runner-up for Best Mac OS X Technology Adoption. This excellent chess application from Manfred Schubert is described as "a full-featured chess program with an innovative use of Quartz, Speech, and other Mac OS X technologies."

Many congratulations to Manfred on the award. If you're a chess fan who haven't yet checkout out Vektor3, head over to Macgamefiles.com now and for the 2.5 MB download. The shareware title is only $10 after a 30-day trial period.

Apple Design Awards

Vektor3

MGF: Vektor3 3.1.4 (2.5 MB)

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Inside Mac Games has posted a review by Christopher Paretti of MacPlay's realMYST. The game uses a state-of-the-art real-time 3D graphics engine to present Myst as it was originally intended: a tale of mystery and intrigue, set in an immersive, dynamic world. Wide-open gameplay allows players to walk and look anywhere they choose in real time with 360 degrees of freedom.

Here's a clip from the review:

While Myst was an overwhelming success, it was not exactly how Robyn and Rand had dreamed it should be. However, their ultimate vision for the game was not possible on the personal computers of the early '90s. This is where realMYST comes into play. This remake allows for actual real-time 3D movement, while the original was a series of rendered stills linked together. As this obviously makes Myst more advanced, it also alters a very successful formula created in the original. So, should you try to make a good thing better?

When you travel through the first linking book, and into the revamped island of MYST, the updated graphics are noticeable instantly. All of the scenery and buildings look fantastic, flaunting the new 32-bit color. Small touches, like the rippling water in the sea, butterflies that flutter into view, and the transitions from day to night are especially attractive. Watching dusk appear for the first time really makes you wish it was an available feature in the original.

IMG Review: realMYST

realMYST

Click to enlarge

The good folks working at the MacFalcon 4 web site have released version 4.0 of their ongoing Realism Patch project, designed to modify Falcon 4 data files to reflect more realistic values for the game:

New 3D Models: An124, C141, J5, J8, Tu160, C5, MiG29A, MiG29C, Su15, AH66, An70, S3, SA9, SA15, SA19

Updated 3D Models: Many included new updates from F4LE.

Updated TacRef: This version adds many entries in the TacReference section complete with new photographs to match.

Data Edits: The Unit rosters have been adjusted to help solve the crash problems some of you have been experiencing.

Mac Falcon4

MacSoft

Westlake Interactive

MacF4 Forums: RP 4.0 Released!

Realism Patch 4.0 (10 MB)

Today, Inside Mac Games released Game Doctor 1.3.5, the largest collection of hints, cheats, walkthroughs, and other game enhancements (called "prescriptions") available for the Macintosh.

Here are a few of the program's features:

• Over 1000 prescriptions, with more to follow!
  
• Over 100 game patches not available anywhere else.
  
• More than ten prescription types, including:
  • Text prescriptions with embedded sounds, pictures, files, and Internet links.
    
  • Patch prescriptions that automatically locate and duplicate the target file.
    
  • Progressive Walkthrough prescriptions that use the Universal Hint System.
• An open architecture that lets anyone create prescriptions using simple, intuitive editors.
  
• Automatic compression for smaller prescription files.
  
• Direct links to game publishers from within prescriptions.
  
• Comprehensive online help and help balloons.
  
• Commercial look and feel at a shareware price.

Game Doctor is available either as a full download or, for those with slower Internet connections, as a smaller download without the strategy guides and walkthoughs. A Game Doctor registration is $10 and can be ordered through our online store. Game Doctor registration is also included if you subscribe to the MacGames CD.

For current users of the program, a May '02 update is also available to grab and import into your current list of prescriptions. This update contains new prescriptions for many games, including:

• Airburst - Power Up Tip Sheet
  
• Beyond Atlantis - Hints
  
• Black & White - Easter Eggs
  
• Black & White - Hints
  
• Crystal Key - Walkthrough
  
• Diablo II: Lord of Destruction - Players X
  
• Diablo II: Lord of Destruction - Re-rolling the map
  
• Entomorph - FAQ
  
• Escape Velocity - Guide
  
• Escape Velocity Nova - Easter Eggs
  
• Escape Velocity Override - Tips
  
• Fallout - Tips & Fixes
  
• Feeble Files - Walkthrough
  
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Cheat Codes
  
• Knights & Merchants - Cheat Codes
  
• Myth III - Cheats
  
• Myth III - Easter Eggs
  
• Oni - Tips
  
• Oni - Special Moves
  
• Phantasmagoria - Walkthrough
  
• Return to Castle Wolfenstein - Cheat Codes
  
• Spider-Man - Cheat Codes
  
• Spider-Man - Tips

The May '02 update is only needed for users with an older version of Game Doctor. Those downloading the full version 1.3.5 will get all of these prescriptions included. Head over to our sister site MacGameFiles to begin downloading.

Game Doctor 1.3.5

Game Doctor May '02

A few weeks ago ATI and Inside Mac Games teamed up to give away an ATI Radeon 8500, and now it's time announce the winner. Congratulations to Kurt Caudill of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was randomly chosen.

We'd like to give our special thanks to our friends at ATI for providing the prize.

There is still time to enter another one of our fantastic giveaways. Inside Mac Games and Aspyr Media have teamed up for a month-long giveaway of their upcoming expansion pack, The Sims: Hot Date. To enter the drawing, you'll have to describe your "ideal hot date." What does that mean? Basically, if you were to take your girlfriend, or wife, or someone on a date, describe what your ideal hot date would be like. And please folks... let's keep it clean, okay?

Winners will be picked by the good folks at Aspyr Media based on your response! So put some thought into it, will ya? The prize? How about two movie tickets and a free copy of The Sims: Hot Date! One winner will be picked every week during the month of May.

IMG Giveaway

Radeon 8500

The Sims: Hot Date

Buy The Sims: Hot Date

Click to enlarge

Fans of the hit first-person shooter Star Trek: Voyager—Elite Force should be glad to know that GameSpot has posted a preview of the next installment in the series, Elite Force II. This time around, Activision has enlisted the aid of Ritual to develop the title, a switch from Raven, who developed the former game.

In case anyone is worried about the change in developers, take note of this:

Anyone concerned about the switch from Raven to Ritual can take some measure of solace in the fact that like Raven's team, Elite Force II's is composed of hard-core Star Trek fans. Level designer Kenny Thompson summed up the team's approach to the game: "We are going all out on the game and taking Elite Force to the next level. The environments are awe-inspiring, massive, and extremely detailed. We plan on having as many key moments and true Star Trek experiences as we can pack in. We want Star Trek fans and gamers alike to walk away from the game as psyched about Star Trek as we are."

Here's what they had to say about it:

The Starfleet Academy portion of the game will be more than just a pit stop on the way to Enterprise. As anyone who has seen the place depicted on the show will tell you, Starfleet Academy looks wildly different from any other locale in the Star Trek universe, with its bright colors and lush foliage. We were told that the portion of the game that takes place there is "part training, part story progression, and part looking around at [a] gorgeous environment no Trek shooter has ever explored."

The full preview contains much more information, so head over to GameSpot and read it now before it is removed from the free portion of the web site and becomes a "GameSpot Complete" feature.

GameSpot: Elite Force II Preview

Ritual Entertainment

Star Trek Elite Force II

Buy Star Trek Elite Force II

Click to enlarge

IGN PC recently posted an interview with Bill Roper, producer of Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming real-time strategy title Warcraft III. Though the interview covers a whole slew of topics, including discussions of the editing tools and the integration of the various races, the information most important in the minds of many gamers is no doubt the fact that Warcraft III is still slated for release at the end of next month.

Roper comments on Warcraft III's current development point:

We are definitely at the point where it's at the high polish stages. We're doing things like going through all the single player campaigns for example and just polishing the heck out of them — making sure things work really well, is very smooth. The biggest thing that we're doing is going through and making sure that the game does everything that we dreamed it would do. That's the easiest way to say it.

Those interested in a third party's opinions of the single-player campaign can find plenty at GameSpy's latest preview, which focuses mainly on Warcraft III's single-player experience. One of the new elements being introduced is the idea of side quests:

One of the key RPG elements is side quests, Pardo said. These give the player a break from what can be linear gameplay. The player is under no obligation to take on these quests, but accomplishing them can bring a useful piece of treasure, or make the missions easier to complete. The player can destroy any buildings or crates in the game in the hopes of finding treasure or magic items.

With any luck, gamers will soon be able to get their hands on this highly-anticipated title in another month and a half. In the meantime, be sure to check out the features at both GameSpy and IGN PC for more information on Warcraft III.

IMG Preview: WarCraft III

IMG Preview: WarCraft III Multiplayer Beta

GameSpy: Warcraft III Preview

IGN PC: Warcraft III Interview

WarCraft III

Buy WarCraft III

IMG's resident artist, Brad Custer, has made his weekly update, providing a new desktop for fans of Fly! II. The flight simulator from MacSoft combines realistic landscapes and aircraft with equally impressive graphics. Here's an excerpt from his update:

I've been getting requests for a desktop for Fly! II since its original release. With an open slot in my desktop schedule this week I finally had a chance to honor these requests. This week's selection was created from art supplied by MacSoft and is titled, "Aviator." I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. :)

IMG: Custer's Desktops

Fly! II

Buy Fly! II

Alex Metcalf has updated Ambrosia Software's progress log for the Carbonized version of Bubble Trouble. This Mac OS X application is very close to release now at the second final candidate. Assuming no show-stopping bugs are found, the application and its editor could be available soon. Here's the full update from Metcalf:

Final candidate 2 has just gone out to the testers. Only a few last minute changes, such as some credit updates, OS X icon changes, and one or two small bug fixes. General release is close enough to taste.

Bubble Trouble X Beta Shots

Bubble Trouble X Progress Log

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Korean gaming site Gamezone recently sat down with Jeff Tunnell, President of GarageGames, and asked a variety of questions about his career in the game industry. The interview, which is quite lengthy, addresses everything from Tunnell's beginnings with Dyanmix to his current stint with the Torque Engine.

The interview offers a nostalgic look at Tunnell's past, noting earlier titles such as Rise of the Dragon and Heart of China, games that should be familiar to older gamers. It goes on to discuss Dynamix's eventual sale to Sierra and the subsequent development of the now famous Tribes series, which leads up to the development of the Torque Engine.

Tunnell also reaffirms his commitment to small and independent developers:

GarageGames is dedicated to leveling the playing field for small developers. It is our feeling that small game developers have many great ideas, but can't implement them because it takes too long to create the base technology for a modern game.

One of the things that GG does is to remove the technology barrier by selling the Torque Game Engine for $100 per programmer. Now, developers can start using the indoor/outdoor terrain, award winning multi-player networking, scripting language, and mission editor to make a game right away.

Instead of worrying about how to make the technology, they can spend their efforts making a great game.

Gamezone: Jeff Tunnell Interview

GarageGames

The Gamesome Mac, the weekly Mac gaming radio show, will not be heard tonight, as a result of a hardware failure that occurred over the weekend in the MacTV Network's streaming radio server.

The Gamesome Mac will return next Monday, May 20.

Search for other Mac games news stories or browse our Mac Games News Archive.