CompuServe Messages

Well, in regards to file conversion, like you said, PCX/IFF and 8SVX/?? files shouldn't present too much of a problem. MODS… I thought these can now be played on both IBM/Amigas? Maybe I'm mistaken. The trick is to find a killer multimedia tool (CanDo, AV, Scala, Director, etc.) on both platforms that offer compiled/runtime capabilities (I could be wrong about Scala, tho). I've already mentioned a few Amiga programs that fit this bill. Get something in the IBM world that's similar and you've eliminated your engine problem. Xfer over the data and you're all set. If you're talking actually programming an engine, then yes, you'll have to decide whether porting over and debugging code from one platform to another is really worth it. My opinion is nope. A phonebook directory with limited multimedia whiz-banging would be simple, I think. Of course, the person you're speaking with might shoot for the stars and that might mean narrowing it down to only 1 platform and even focusing tighter on who/what can run this CD-ROM. That's why I always shoot for material that could be presented, theoretically, in a kiosk. You're shooting for general purpose and there's still plenty of room for innovation there. The specialized stuff, while maybe more interesting, kind of defeats the idea of CD-ROM as Provider Of Gobs of Goodies for the masses, IMO. Maybe I'm just rationalizing since to be honest, I haven't been able to come up with any special apps for the CD-ROM market without having to invest a TON of money. Of course, the easiest way is to put all the data on the CD-ROM and have the actual program on floppy disk(s). Makes updating the software a heck of alot easier as well as encryption of the data. To answer your question regarding CDTV/CDI. No, I'm ignoring those platforms. 3DO, now that's a different story?! 8) My slant is that of a former MultiMedia nut whose sole claim to (in my head) fame has been producing an educational Laserdisc multimedia product with Commodore and Scholastic Inc. It's a great product (Ask Cathy Godfrey, over at CBM!), won a few awards, but of course with CBM's marketing and Scholastic's hatred of the Amiga (can you blame an educational publisher cringing at investing in a machine that has probably .1% presence in most elementary/high schools?), it's gone nowhere really. We sold around a thousand units or more but not enough to warrant our group getting rehired. If you saw it, you'd be blown away. It was such a departure (2 years ago) from your standard Hypercard stack, lame slide show stuff. Just using a genlock made all the difference in the world. Even the stuff Warner and Paramount are putting out now is not as cool. Informative, yes, but not dazzling, the way this stuff should be done. Now I'm the Technical Manager of another part of Scholastic, the Instructional Publishing Group (IPG) where I am King of the Macs. Soon to be promoted to Director of Tech/Art & Design where maybe all these kazillion ideas I have for CD-ROM/MM can bloom. I hope to sneak a 486 and a 4000T down the line. I've proposed a few things every now and then for the past 3 years, but either the investors weren't willing or my time is so full at work that I couldn't get it off the ground. My dream is have a gob of money thrown at me and let me manage a real neat CD-ROM project. Let me hire all the animators, programmers, testers, etc. I can do it, I know I can. Any takers? 8) Miguel ——– AP, AP, and away!