Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 41

77k? Computer section jocs tntorscthto en Com outers Je'hal http:www.edmontonjournal.com mm 1 ti.ikii sLJij If ifii. -J. I 'i WW rfteffl LO llll 1 i B5 I i fe 2 Tl rw rj Ti nmn'lt'a -I'VH i "rift Looking Glass Technologies' British Open Championship Golf makes you feel as though you're a part of the Old Course at St Andrews Head out on the cyberfairway Hip and play in Hawaii, St. Andrews and Idaho in one glorious day STEPHEN BILODEAU Special to The Journal the Internet, with courses from all over the world made by fans. Jack Nicklaus 4 doesn't need to rely on the course designer to be a hit Its graphics are on par with Links LS 98's and include atmospheric effects like fog and reflective water.

Screen redrawing is noticeably faster, you don't spend any time waiting for the computer to draw the next screen. When you hit the ball, the computer will automatically switch views to show you where the ball ends up. A major consideration before you get this game, though, is your disk space. The minimum installation requires 150 megabytes of hard-drive room, and an average installation takes closer to loo. Accolade didn't put this on the box, so you should check that your computer can handle this massive program before you buy it Once you do, you'll find it's easy to install and to play, either single or multiplayer.

Again, Internet support has been built in. Sierra's Front Page Sports: Golf is the new kid on the block, even if its designer isn't. Vance Cook designed Access Software's Links titles before moving over to Sierra. He wanted to do something different and he succeeded. Every Edmonton There's one sport that lends itself particularly well to computer gaming, and that's golf.

There have been five major golf titles released in the last four months. Each has its own personality and its own focus on the sport. Access Software has been at the cutting edge of golf simulations for years. Links LS 1998 Edition is Access's latest gem, and it adds considerably to the company's pedigree. The graphics in Links LS 98 are so good, that you could put a photograph of the course next to the screen and have a difficult time telling which was the game.

One significant difference from the original Links LS is that the new version is designed for Windows 95 only. Links LS 98 captures the spirit of a day on the course and what a choice of courses. The game comes with four courses, three of which are in Hawaii. You can also buy separate addon courses; there are 20 available, including Alberta's own Banff Springs. LS 98 is much more serene than its competitors.

There are no announcers providing colour commentary, although your phantom partners will make the occasional comment. You can play this game solo or against computer opponents, including Arnold Palmer. Multiplayer support has been vastly improved with support for modem, network and Internet play. LS 98 still takes a long time to draw and refresh the screen. It's much better than the last version, and there is more complex detail now.

Animated flags that wave in the breeze, reflections on the water, hot air balloons that float over the course and other touches make an environment that is an absolute pleasure to experience. Accolade's Jack Nicklaus 4 has one major advantage over all of the other titles avail-' able. It lets you create you own golf courses with a built-in course designer. This is the same utility that the programmers used to create the five courses included with the game. As well, it lets you use the courses created with earlier Accolade golf games.

There are hundreds of these available on Accolade's Jack Nicklaus 4 (above) lets you create your own courses; Sierra's FPS: Golf (left) boasts the 'True Swing' Looking Glass Technologies has two aces up its sleeve. Its golf title is British Open Championship Golf, and includes players from the British Open. You'll play as or against Vijay Singh, Sandy Lyle and the rest of the tour. It's not just who you play, though, but also where you tee off. For the first time, computer golfers can play at the birthplace of golf.

Looking Glass has recreated the Old Course at St. Andrews as well as Scotland's Royal Troon course. Both are challenging, brutal even. Their looks are deceiving, though, since they don't have fancy waterfalls or quicksand hazards. Instead, their bunkers are deep and the rough is unforgiving.

I found British Open to be the most fun of the five games reviewed for one reason. You will feel as though you are actually participating in the tournament. The crowds lining the courses are animated with voices that reward and mock your performance. Camera booms dot the courses. The most important element to the experience has to be the commentary from television sport legend Jim McKay and English commentator Michael Bradshaw.

Though they are sometimes inconsistent, they do have more than 5,000 lines of dialogue. At the start of your shot on the green, and between holes, their comments offer assistance to your game. Besides this, they will also keep you "up to date" on the progress of other players in the tournament. It really makes you feel as though you're part of the British Open. The game is hampered by a curious lack of multiplayer support.

Also, there are only the two courses available. Now, if you play through the whole tournament you'll play each of the 18 holes five times. Perhaps by the time you finish, Looking Glass will have its first add-on courses ready. The graphics are sharp and high-resolution, though they may not appear as impressive simply because of the limited colour in the Scottish courses. Screen redraws are instantaneous.

Only a computer gives you the ability to tee off in Hawaii, Scotland, Idaho, Banff and still have time to do a memo. It may not improve your actual golf game, but at least computer golf will keep you out of the rain. other golf game reviewed here uses a "swing meter" to hit the ball. The player clicks to start the meter, clicks again to indicate how powerful the swing is, and then swings a last time to set the direction of the golf ball. Sierra has introduced "True Swing," a technique whereby the mouse becomes the golf club.

You pull the mouse backwards for your backswing, and the on-screen character will pull back. To make your swing, you move the mouse forward. The golf ball's distance and path will depend on the speed of your mouse movement, and how much you've moved it left or right This technique takes some practice, but after you're used to it, the game becomes a lot more interesting. FPS: Golf is a superb game. Play solo, with a computer-controlled Tom Lehman, or against other computer opponents.

Multiplayer support includes modem, network and Internet play. Sierra started its Sierra Internet Gaming Service which makes golf over the Internet incredibly simple. Environmental sound effects are present, and are quite good. The graphics are not as good as the competition's but they are still highly detailed and crisp. Also, you will immediately notice that the characters are computer rendered instead of the real life characters used in all the other titles.

FPS: Golf comes with two courses and, for a limited time, the beautiful Coeur d'Alene course. This Windows 95 title offers three courses, one of which is the famous Pebble Beach. There are also four add-on courses from its PGA 96 game that work perfectly with the new version. Authentic TV-style features include the multiple camera angles available to see your shot. One of the most fun is the "ball cam" which follows your golf ball through the air.

You can choose which of these views you want in either of your two optional picture-in-picture windows. There is colour commentary from an announcer, though I wasn't particularly impressed with his input Instead of giving tips to improve your shot he's just as likjely to tell you it's your second or third. Gee, thanks. EA Sports is known for its attention to detailed graphics, and this title is no exception. They have the nicest water effects of any of the golf games.

Water hazards are animated and actually ripple if your ball should drop into them. Flags flutter in the breeze, too, and the entire scene seems alive. This detail does not come at the expense of speed. Screen redraw time is lightning fast. This game is endorsed by the PGA, which means you can play against champions like Davis Love III and Tom Kite.

Their images have been captured so that when you see them on screen, it's actually them taking the shot The video captures are clean and clear, adding a lot to the experience. It's fun to hear the crowd moan when you blow a short putt, and to hear them cheer when you get a birdie. PGA Tour Pro has full multiplayer support llMlMIIMM I II Hill I III 111 If you are used to watching golf on television, you may prefer Electronic Arts' PGA Tour Pro. Electronic Arts' PGA Pro Tour is PGA-endorsed.