No comments about Microsoft FrontPage 98.

No comments about TurboCAD Mac Deluxe 2D/3D V.4.

3 comments about Rise & Fall: Civilizations At War DVD-Rom.

1. This game, in my humble opinion, is much, MUCH better than your average review you'd read on GameSpot or IGN, etc. Hero mode is truly revolutionary. The campaigns are extremely fun to play and are useful as a learning tool and make up for the lack of insight imparted by the tutorials alone.
   
   The only complaint I have is that it requires a very powerful computer to play it smoothly. I'll see how it runs on Vista.



2. Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War has the look of a great game, but once you start getting into the mechanics of it, it's surprising how many fundamentals of RTS fall flat. I recently re-played StarCraft, and I can see how many things that were new then, have been much improved upon since. Oddly, Rise and Fall seems to have missed the boat on a lot of these basic important things that would make the gameplay good. For example, in the Tutorial mode it's not always clear what your exact objectives are--you might think you're accomplishing a goal and discover you forgot to follow a step or buy an upgrade. That's not good for what is supposed to be the easiest part of the game. Units can be produced for different purposes (e.g., skirmishers are not the same as archers, who are in turn not the same as cavalry), but none of them seems to have a different skillset. In other words, in a game like Age of Empires, archers need to stay behind cover or at a distance from cavalry, who will run them down. Foot soldiers have to charge quickly if they are going up against mounted enemies, preferably while archers are letting fly from a distance and your own mounted units are on the way to provide reinforcements. Games like Warhammer 30,000 reward you for digging into trenches for cover, or taking higher ground to rain damage down upon your enemy. In Rise and Fall, units just fling themselves at each other until it's over. Or at least, they would if they could follow simple instructions. I typically have to tell units more than once to go fight an enemy before they'll move. When they get there, they might just stop fighting and watch the enemy go hack down my walls. Or--worse--they can get stuck on the landscape and fumble against rocks while the bad guys crawl through dense trees and somehow breach my walls. All of this gets more difficult when you can't see your units--unlike any other RTS game I've played, units leave no silhouettes for you to find them when they step into the woods or go to the other side of a wall: I was often drawing lassos, grabbing everybody, and returning them to a clear area so I could sort them back out, sending stray peasants back to work and ordering individual units back to their own kind.
   Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War also offers a new play mode, similar to Faces of War: "Hero Mode" lets you take control of your powerful hero and complete some quests in a first-person, WASD-mapped way. When I was up close and personal with Alexander, I was amazed at how beautiful the environment looked: deep water, green trees, and overall gorgeous landscape almost took my attention away from the goals. Almost. Unfortunately, I had to pay very close attention to Alex, as he seemed very clumsy and fumble-footed under my direction: sometimes he couldn't walk down a slope unless I gave him extra clearance to either side of him. Using the bow and arrow was rather nicely done, but swinging the sword was much like the old classic "Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown" - click the button like mad and watch the enemies throw themselves on your sword.
   Overall, this could have been a great game. Unfortunately, the poor experience of trying to get anything done draws it down. Single-player action modes are boring, organizing your armies is pointless, and RTS-style clashes are frustrating adventures in cat-herding. Add long load times--even for the DVD-ROM version--and you have a game that's not really worth the current posted price, low as it is.



3. I knew this one sported StarForce (thanks to Amazon Reviewers with brass ones - and not intimidated by the gaming industry hyenas); yet, I found it in a electronics megamarket bin for $3 and could not resist. (Goes to show what the value of ridiculously "protected" games becomes in less than a year).
   
   StarForce aside (and after subtracting 2 stars for its intrusive risk to our systems), this RTS seems undecided as to what it aimed for.
   Trying to combine strategy with action is not new, WARCRAFT 3 (for one) did it much better. You have your hero (Alexander or Cleopatra) and then you build up your army to complete the corresponding campaign.
   You build your base and your workers gather wood and gold. When strong enough you go (or get thrown) into battle - to earn the third resource: glory. All three are needed to advance to the next eras.
   
   The graphics can be adequately good if run on high settings; low settings are pretty disappointing. The units are well designed though, and their movements and spilled blood give a realistic taste.
   
   The controls will take you some time to get used to as, not only do they take up quite a chunk of the screen, but are temperamental in responding as well. Selecting units, especially in the heat of the battle, can be tricky too, as more often than not, workers receive by mistake the order to run into the front line and fight hand-to-hand with the armed enemy: an expensive short-lived sight.
   
   The only thing that keeps this game afloat is, well, its naval warfare. Most RTS avoid them as too messy and complicated (haven't seen a solid effort since C&C: RED ALERT 2), however R&F:CaW demonstrates well designed ships, historically (more or less) accurate naval warfare techniques and quite enjoyable animations.
   
   All in all: not a bad game that, unfortunately, is hardly worth the StarForce trouble it brings to our systems.

4 comments about Bryce 6.

1. I have tried so many different 3D programs with very limited success but Bryce has NEVER failed me. I've been through Bryce5-Bryce5.5-and now Bryce6. I thank all the People @ DAZ for their great efforts,this is truly a "worth while" investment.



2. I am a professional multimedia artist, and have been using Bryce and Poser since they were first released in the early 90's.
   
   Bryce was the first affordable 3D landscape and rendering tool available to the masses. I played around with it and was most impressed by the interface. As I design user interfaces for software applications, I know quite a bit on the topic. Bryce, in my opinion, still has one of the best interfaces of any 3D software I have ever used. Newbie's and pros alike will enjoy the simple and elegant interface. Once you get used to it, you will be slightly annoyed that others have not followed it's design.
   
   With the release of version 4.0, Bryce became more than an interesting 3D tool, it became a serious contender among 3D applications. It must be said that Bryce is not a 3D modeling tool, per se, I have seen amazing things modeled in Bryce, by extremely patient people who fully utilize the Boolean functionality. I do my modeling in other programs and then import them into Bryce for rendering. Many 3D artists use multiple tools to get the job done and Bryce is a excellent addition to anyone's 3D toolset. Most notable in 4.0 was the addition of animation.
   
   With the release of version 6.0, two major things have happened, the rendering engine has improved dramatically, making render times much better and now it is seamlessly integrated with DAZ Studio, which could eliminate the need for preparatory work in Poser, as DAZ Studio is free! Now you can prep your figures in DAZ Studio and simply click on the Bryce icon to switch over to Bryce!
   
   I can't say enough about this program, I use it for 95% of all my 3D projects, for rendering and animations. See my website for dozens of examples.
   
   I have rendered scenes ranging from forests and deserts to space... the only limit with Bryce is your imagination. There are other landscape software packages like VUE, that can do some things much better, but for the price, versatility and ease of use, Bryce is still a heavy contender.
   
   For my part, Bryce will always have a place among my 3D arsenal.



3. Bryce is one of the most difficult and daunting 3D programs I've ever used. It's interface is non-intuitive and a bit long in the tooth and it's rendering engine slow. Landscapes created with it have a distinctive "Bryce" look and don't achieve the level of realism that a program like Vue 6 can offer. Content import is iffy at best, textures have to be tweated to get them to look right, it is also prone to crashes. Don't get me wrong, I've seen some beautiful work done with Bryce, but if you want a better, more intuitive landscaping software buy a version of Vue 6 instead. The only downside with Vue is that it requires heafty system resources. If your computer is not the most up to date without a ton of ram, Bryce may work better than you. It also has the ability to import Poser Figures, but the process is easier in Vue.



4. I have been using Bryce since version 2.1. For edition 6, DAZ rewrote the core code that dated back from MetaCreations time (1998), so there are few novelties. The one feature that is interesting in this release is the IBL (Image Based Lighting) renders. They look excellent provided you choose a good HDRI map.
   Render times are long, as they have always been with Bryce and the quality is still very high. Expect excellent antialiasing and silky smooth reflections even at low render settings. Bryce is still superior to Vue in that respect and its scene display is also better (adaptative degradation with far less flickering). With similar quality settings and output, Vue is as slow as Bryce, and dreadfully so when handling reflection/refraction. What Bryce still lacks (and what DAZ should add in edition 7) is object instancing and a realistic atmosphere model. At the moment, Vue rules with its ecosystem function and its spectral skies, but the price tag is higher, especially if you want to have all the bells and whistles. And Vue 6.5 is at least as unstable as Bryce 6.0, especially when handling large scenes with low system resources.

5 comments about Art Explosion Greeting Card Factory Deluxe 5.0.

1. This is the third Art Explosion product I've owned. I agree with the user who said the "canned" cards could be better, but if you're a user like me who likes to design your own projects, this is a fantastic program. It doesn't make me feel like I'm locked into presets with my hands tied, banging against a program that's not as imaginative as I am.
   
   It's got lots of art, finally searchable in this version! The best of it loads to your hard drive, the rest is available on the disks. The art is divided into vector and raster images, one being "fine art" and the other clip art. Also, there are photographs and the ability to import your own graphics and photos. You can tint, fade, control transparency, crop, draw, even freehand...just great versitility. There's even a sentiment library to provide you with words for your occasion.
   
   I've NEVER seen a program that has better text editing. There are preset galleries to automatically affect your text, or you can make your own using drop shadow, line and character spacing, fill with texture, three different controlable gradients, two shaping option dropdowns...it's just about limitless.
   
   And it's so much more than cards! There are 15 major menu choices that proceed to the subfolders of choices for projects, both preset and blanks. I used the preformatted web slide shows to put together our family photo greeting for the holidays, again, easy and versitile and not a glitch in the web experience.
   
   If there's one drawback I'd like to see Art Explosion improve on, it's the font selection process. It comes with a lot of fonts, but with no viewer or way to make a selection of which ones you want to install except to tediously wade through folder after folder of alphabetized font files, opening them to the famous "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Other than that, this software's nearly perfect and only as limited as you are.



2. I have used Greeting Card Factory Deluxe for quite awhile and just upgraded to 5.0. I frequently like to send electronic greetings and have done so with no problems in the previous version. In 5.0 I went to a lot of trouble to design my own electronic greeting but when I went to send it there was no option to do so. The instructions say that the option to send such a greeting is under the file menu as it was in previous versions. However, it isn't there. It isn't just greyed out. It isn't there at all. This is a disappointment to me.



3. Very pleased with the program. It was quick and easy to install, and after just a few minutes I was able to print out my first card. Although I have not gotten past using the basics, I am looking forward to trying out more of the options. The selections are really nice and have a great variety of NICE cards and is not overpowered with SILLY ones. I also used the the t-shirt selection and was delighted with the results.
   Thanks for a great product.



4. This product is amazing! I have been using it steadily since the day it arrived and my friends and co-workers can't believe it when I show them the finished products. Using my own digital photos, I've been able to make greeting cards, photo cards and even electronic greetings. I'd recommend this product for anyone interested in creating their own cards using the graphics that come with the program or photographic images of your own.



5. I love making my own cards & personalizing them. I was disappointed when my American Greeting card program quit working and found they no longer made it. So, I gave this a try and it is just as good, if not better.

2 comments about Arcsoft DVD SlideShow.

1. Excellent DVD slideshow software. Easy to use and lots of transitions.
   Easy to add music to your slideshow.



2. This is an ideal way to visit, share, and preserve memories. I created a DVD from old photos, added music, and even copies of documents using this program. It was easy to understand and made a wonderful gift for family members. The program allows you to view and edit your project as you create. I evaluated other programs but did not find another that allowed the same freedom of creation and options. Arcsoft DVD SlideShow has free customer service if you purchase a copy and the best place to purchase this item is right here on Amazon. I highly recommend this product.

2 comments about Microsoft Visio 2003 Standard Upgrade [Old Version].

1. This software is very flexible, and can be used in very many different ways. I have been a Visio fan for some time, and my husband is the one that uses it the most and he is very high on this software.



2. Seems to be a real improvement over Visio 2000 and well worth the upgrade on that basis alone.

5 comments about M-Audio Izotope Ozone 3 Mastering Suite Plug-Ins.

1. Finally, someone developed a suite of plug-ins for "mastering" that really work. The audio performance is fantastic and they are really simple to use. Great presets, great customer service, great everything. I can not give any assessment attribute anything less than a 5.
   
   I have been producing audio for a good number of years and putting the polish on a mixdown has always been, well, lets just say less than easy, until I discovered this software. Hours of work, and hit-and-miss frequency tweeking, etc. are accomplished with a simple selection and a little fine tuning.
   
   Even making custom presets, that incorporate established equalization curves, is a snap.
   
   The most difficult thing is saying the complete name of this software in one breath.
   
   I'd recommend trialing it and if you are like me, you'll be hooked.
   
   Ted Gitzke
   FreeTime
   We Write Right Music



2. This, dollar for dollar, is the VERY BEST MONEY I'VE EVER, EVER SPENT on recording software plugins. I love the interface, ane the inoffensive green theme. The controls are fairly intuitive and the results are impressive and immediate. I use it for everything from overall mastering to livening up indevidaul tracks and moving instruments "back" or changing their placement without moving them in the mix. Ozone is awesome for scattering things all over the eq spectrum. The reverb is tastey, simple, and effortless. The maximizer is intelligent and flexible. The EQ is powerful and self-explanatory. And yes, I admit, I like to download and teak the presets people make up. All plugins should be so powerful and affordable.



3. After days of frustration - and with little help from the customer support department at Izotope - I was finally able to get this product to funtion properly. I was unable to change the rating above, but in fairness, I will give this product three stars. For the money, it does quite a bit. My main useage is to bring up, or "maximize" the levels of my final mixes which Ozone 3 does fairly well, but not quite as good as the comparable Waves L1. Izotope needs to address its customer support department. No one should have to be on hold for an hour and then be disconnected at their closing time as I was.



4. great for home recording- need a boost? use this! need that shine to your home recording? Use this! Love it!



5. iZotope Ozone 3 is a godsend to the amateur and advanced home recordist. Lots of great features, an intuitive interface, and great product support (they have a mastering guide on their website). Used correctly, this software will put that elusive sheen on your recordings and give you a more professional finished demo or product.

3 comments about AutoCAD LT 2009 - 5 users.

1. The program and feature layout in nice, but AutoCad needs to stop publishing software with bugs that effect basic functions. For example, after running for a week or so, trying to use the "File' drop down menu crashed the program! Their website acknowledged this and the 'fix' was to turn off the last file used function (when you click file you see the last XX files opened). Ok, so now it doesn't crash, but you have to go to File/open/and search for the last file you used. Irritating!
   
   For 1100 Bucks I would expect more from a company.



2. Charles,
   
   In regards to your post "Mostly good, some unbelievable problems" as the head of AutoCAD Quality Assurance I am very sorry you have experienced this problem. As the solution http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS1069915 stated, it is caused by the incorrect version of a Microsoft DLL file MFC80U.DLL installed on your computer by some other application. It affects not only AutoCAD LT but many other non-Autodesk products and can be fixed by either installing the correct version of this DLL or disabling the Most Recently Used list through the Options dialog. The exact steps are listed in the solution.
   
   Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience this issue has caused you. If you still are unable to use Most Recently Used list in the File menu, may I suggest using Menu Browser in AutoCAD LT 2009? It can be accessed by clicking on the big letter A at the left upper corner of the application and presents you with the number of options in regards to the most recently used files.
   
   Misha Belilovskiy
   Sr. Software QA Manager
   AutoCAD Test Development
   Autodesk, Inc.



3. Item offered was a legitiment AutoCAD LT 2009 product. It cost less than purchasing it directly from AutoDesk.
   
   The product functions perfectly.

5 comments about Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer 7.0 [OLD VERSION].

1. This is a helpful tool to get the creative juices working.



2. I was hoping for something more than a floor plan to 3D generator. I wanted to print out structures in the vertical and I wanted to design some arbors, sheds, and gazebos. Not with this program. What it does it does very well - none better. It is just more limited than I was hoping for.



3. This is a great product for someone who really enjoys "playing" with a variety of design techniques. My few "issues" with it are the somewhat limited selection of materials and the fact that it can be a bit cumbersome to get detailed design plans to work out "just right."



4. The product performs as advertised and comes with a decent tutorial disc. It made me realize I needed the next product level up in order to remodel both the house and the design of the lot the house sets on. For a small amount more the added features of the Suite 7.0 became important for what I wanted to do.



5. This product was ok but I was really disappointed by the inadequate graphics available and that this program does so few of the things that they show on the tutorials. If it is this limited they should advertise it as such so it isn't necessary to buy it, reject it and then have to buy the next step up, which I'm reluctant to do because this was wasn't what I expected so I hate to spend more money on the same brand.
   
   On the other hand, it is very easy to learn and use if you just want to design some space and don't need good graphics or want to change your terrain from a flat lot.