- Splook is, at first, an ambitious project to create a game on almost all the
existing operating systems. See : Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, BeOS, Java VM,
MacOS, OPENStep, OS/2, Windows 16 bits, Windows 32 bits (yes, strange, there is
not Unix/Linux, but it may come...). The first setting is going on BeOS. It
would be available a little after february 1998. Other settings are in
development.
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A game for all the platforms
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- A very precise description is done, it allows for all the developers to use
the same rules. Because, it is not migrations from one platform to others, but a
creation of the same game on different environments, using the specific
characteristics of each ones. The great coordinator of this big work is Gregory
Weston, for Bastion Products.
- At first ("basic" version), Splook is a very classical Ataxx game.
7x7 board, randomly and symetrical blocks. Blocks configurations may be created,
saved and choosen. Pieces, called Globs, are red and blue, with the usual
beginning positions.
- But Splook completly overflows the Ataxx games, by many parameters
which transform it as an other game. At first, it is possible to play on a 9x9
board, and in a limited time. Then some squares may be too weak to support the
weight of Globs. Then the blocks may have reactions, they move... And the
squares may hide artefacts with miscellaneous reactions. Finaly, there are some
devastating variations as tornado, hurricane... Happily, you may use some
potions and other helps to succeed.
Here are two artefacts. The Medusa will turn any glob landing on it to a
block. The disruptor will disintegrate any block.
- The computer levels are managed by "robots" that may be implemented
by different programmers.
- It is also possible to play between two humans, through a network
(modem or TCP-IP), and they may be on different platforms. Statistics on the
results are done, to mesure the level of the players.
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An other dimension of Ataxx !
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- What will be the success of Splook ? It is an ambitious endeavour to give a
new "arcade" dimension to this game, born as an arcade game, grown as a board
game.
- The BeOS version is ready ! Download it on this BeOS page
(1010 Kb).
