Question: What's the deal with Star Wars: Episode One Racer? [Julian James]
Answer: While our Press Contact at LucasArts was not available for comment (she's on vacation for the rest of the month), have have kept up a dialog with LucasArts concerning the development of Episode 1: Racer.
When we saw the game on display at Macworld, sound was not yet implemented, there were no enemies to race against, and only a few courses and pod racers were available. The game's core engine, however, seemed virtually complete. The game ran at a pristine frame rate on a standard Color iMac (with Rage Pro), which means that Lucas is taking time to optimize code for the ATI RAGE engine in addition to Voodoo support. That was in July.
At this point, we'd expect the development on Racer to be wrapping up. The Nintendo 64 and PC versions have both been released, which means that the only big project left for the Racer team is to finish the Mac version (the same team has worked on all three projects). As we hear more from Lucas, we'll be sure to pass it along to you in our News Pages, so keep it here!
Question: Hi. A simple question (I hope). Which joystick do you like best for the iMac? I'm new at playing flight sim games and would appreciate any help. Thanks and take care! [David Kantner]
Answer: The iMac's release marked a new era in computer gaming: the USB peripheral. Here at MacReactor, we have upwards of 20 different USB controllers of some sort floating around at any given time being tested by the various staff members. There are more than a few choices in terms of USB Joysticks these days. Companies such as CH Products, Gravis, Thrustmaster, and Suncom have all jumped into the arena.
In terms of joysticks, our pick at this point is Suncom's Flight Controller (pictured at right). It's not flashy. It's not translucent blue. But damned if our jaws didn't drop when we felt this sucker. It's heavy, it's solid, it's metal and hard black plastic. For flight sim fans, it's your #1 USB pick.
As for controllers, the playing field widens somewhat. We actually have two favorites: CH Products' USB Gamepad and Gravis' USB GamePad Pro. Both serve the action gamer well. For a more detailed report on USB peripherals in the Mac today, keep your eye at MacReactor. We will soon be debuting an entirely new section devoted to hardware and utilities on the Mac.
Question: I like to do multimedia applications with paint and animations. Will the next generation iBook and/or iMac be good enough to support my applications? I need a system to build my portfolio on. I make intriuging rhythmic patterns that have a lot to offer existing job markets. [Lance Butler]
Answer: This is something of a loaded question. The problem here is that we don't know exactly what Apple's next move will be concerning the iMac and iBook. We do know that the iBook's first revision will be to include more colors: hardly a hardware-specific revision. We wouldn't expect the next revision to come through for upwards of 6-8 months, but nobody knows what to expect at this point. As the iBook stands now, it is best suited for educators, students, and home users. We wouldn't suggest using it as a professional for a long term.
The iMac might suit you slightly better. It's cheaper, faster, and provides a larger screen than the iBook. Even so, the iMac's expandibility is severly limited in that its processor is non-upgradeable, it does not support additional video cards, and that its processing power at this point will probably not last the audio/visual professional for more than 3-4 years at the most.
Our suggestion? Skip the iMac and iBook. G3 prices are dropping QUICKLY with the advent of the G4. If you can't afford a new G4 (running as low at $1600), stop by your local CompUSA and see what kind of deals they have on their remaining G3 Macs. The price is excellent, the expandibility runs circles around the iMac and iBook, and it's tons faster.
If you insist on a laptop, head for the PowerBook G3, although we might suggest waiting until the PowerBook G4 is announced (possibly next January) when PowerBook G3 prices will also drop.
Question: HOW COME SOME MAC GAMES NEED WINDOWS & OTHERS DO NOT
Answer: And here, my children, is how not to ask a question. Please keep your grammar to at least a 7th grade level, think your questions through, and by all means, TAKE THE CAPS LOCK OFF!!!!!
Question: What's going on? Why hasn't MacReactor been updated in over a week? [Andrew Ramirez]
Answer: We have to make an apology here. The site's face hasn't been updated this week for a variety of reasons. We're working with our senior editors on getting brand-new sections ready for debut (look for new facets of MacReactor devoted to RPG games, Alternative Gaming, and Hardware/Utilities very soon). That in conjuntion with the fact that very few games have been released recently (developers are holding out for Christmas) has resulted in a temporary lull on the site. Rest assured, we're still working hard at the 'Reactor, and you'll be seeing some incredible stuff very soon now. If you want a preview of what's in store for the 'Reactor each week, sign up for our newsletter, the MacReactor Meltdown!
And that wraps it up for this week! Remember, if you'd like to submit a question, head back to the main Q&A page! Check back next Wednesday for an all-new batch of Questions and Answers!
