+Torrax Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Will dig through my disks and TI stuff and find out where -- it may take some time. But I do know it's one of the three distributers I mentioned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 great. thanks any info welcome (and saved) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globeron Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Hi, do you remember from which company the "software specialities" were released ? According to this page "DataBiotics" and "Software Specialties Inc" is a company as well (Inc - Incorporated): http://gamesdbase.com/all_system_games-texas_instruments_ti_99__-47-__4a.aspx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Torrax Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Looks like I got the compilations from Tex-Comp in 1988 when I bought my CorComp 9900 MES system (still have most of my old receipts). The disk was called Arcade Special and contained most of the games by Software Specialties Inc.. It was missing only the original Micro Pinball. I added this to my backup play disk a few years later along with a different loader -- did not like the flashing GPL simulator and menu Tex-Comp used on their disks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 According to this page "DataBiotics" and "Software Specialties Inc" is a company as well (Inc - Incorporated): http://gamesdbase.com/all_system_games-texas_instruments_ti_99__-47-__4a.aspx Hi, thanks for another list I could pull some interesting facts out of it, adding it to my list. i.e. the "Secret Mission", I didn´t have.... was it an adventure on tape ? And I added all the given publishers to the carts in my list, i.a. "Williams" "Konami" .... And I was able to confirm or add some years to my data-entries But what about this 2 first entries, "Adventure Series" and "Adventure Serie 13+" by TexComp... were these adventures coming from cassette ? Or cartridges ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 The Adventure Series disks were Tex-Comp disks with the first 12 Scott Adams adventures on them, along with Knight Ironheart. They had a licensing arrangement with Adventure International to allow them to release those that way, and they sponsored the porting/release of the Quest Probe adventures from Adventure International to the TI as well. Tex-Comp was often right at the bleeding edge of what was permissible with their disk issues. Some were fully above-board, arranged with the IP owners, others were much murkier. They sold "backup disks" for cartridges that were no longer readily available, and made copies of the various TI utility disks/manuals based on their status as an "Authorized TI Distributor." TI Never pushed it, but they probably could have made an issue of it if they'd still been interested in protecting their rights by then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) The Adventure Series disks were Tex-Comp disks with the first 12 Scott Adams adventures on them, along with Knight Ironheart. They had a licensing arrangement with Adventure International to allow them to release those that way, and they sponsored the porting/release of the Quest Probe adventures from Adventure International to the TI as well. Tex-Comp was often right at the bleeding edge of what was permissible with their disk issues. Some were fully above-board, arranged with the IP owners, others were much murkier. They sold "backup disks" for cartridges that were no longer readily available, and made copies of the various TI utility disks/manuals based on their status as an "Authorized TI Distributor." TI Never pushed it, but they probably could have made an issue of it if they'd still been interested in protecting their rights by then. Do you know if Adventure 13, "Sorceror of Claymourge Castle" had graphics on the TI? I ask since I noticed on eBay it said on the back of the box that cassette versions of the game were plain text, while the disk versions had graphics. Was wondering if this was true for Sorceror of Claymourge Castle. I don't see the disk version come up too often, the one from Adventure International and not Tex-Comp, so I don't know if anyone has an original copy of the Adventure International disk version of this one for the TI. Edited August 7, 2015 by Toucan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 maybe just a hint: This here tells about "insert disk", and seems text-only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I bought one of these from the Dhein's hoard last year, although I didn't think to check if the box was disk or cassette, as I already had a copy of the program so I didn't need to open the box to dump it. I'll take a look soon to see what mine is, Toucan. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 maybe just a hint: This here tells about "insert disk", and seems text-only. sorcerer.JPG While true, that 1988 date on the screen makes me think this could be a Tex-Comp conversion possibly? I know the original was from 1984 by Adventure International when sold for the TI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Ah, here's an auction for one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-NOS-Texas-Instruments-TI-99-TI99-4A-Game-Sorcerer-of-Claymorgue-Castle-Disk-/221538386312 If you read the back of the box it says "Scott Adams' Graphic Adventure" and in terms of graphics it says "yes on disk versions, no on tape versions, unless otherwise noted on the package". For $94 I might scoop this one up as it's a good price as far a boxed new Adventure International TI-99 games go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 As noted though--Adventure International didn't sell the TI versions directly. Tex-Comp had an exclusive arrangement with them back then, and ported the program files to a TI disk/format and sold them through their catalog. I don't think the SAGA engine needed for the graphic mode was ever ported--and the box won't tell you, because it was originally prepared for some other system and converted to a TI disk afterward (similar to the Infocom games Asgard released). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toucan Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) As noted though--Adventure International didn't sell the TI versions directly. Tex-Comp had an exclusive arrangement with them back then, and ported the program files to a TI disk/format and sold them through their catalog. I don't think the SAGA engine needed for the graphic mode was ever ported--and the box won't tell you, because it was originally prepared for some other system and converted to a TI disk afterward (similar to the Infocom games Asgard released). Oh, well in that case they would most likely be text based. I didn't realize they were aftermarket releases put out by Tex-Comp. That's probably the reason for the 1988 copyright on that screenshot above since I guess that's when Tex-Comp put them out. Edited August 8, 2015 by Toucan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Torrax Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 The screenshot looks like it's from Infocom's Sorcerer, which was disk based only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.