Freeverse

January 29, 2004

ToySight Updated To 1.01

Our Best Of Show winning suite of camera games, ToySight, has been updated to version 1.01.

Changes include:

  • NTSC Television Compatibility. If you are playing ToySight on a television, through a video out on your Mac, you may have noticed that ToySight's video mode runs in PAL mode. If you run the ToySight (NTSC) version of the app, it will run in NTSC mode, which is the normal mode for US Televisions.
  • Support for multiple video inputs. Some users found a problem that if they had TV cards installed on their Macs, this alternate video input was chosen by ToySight instead of their FireWire camera. If you hold down the Shift key when you start up ToySight, it will launch a video setup dialog so that you can select what video source you want to use. It also has the side benefit that you can play about with your camera's settings, such as focus, brightness etc.
  • Startup video mode fixed for 'odd' screen sizes. Previously ToySight may have had problems when first run if your Mac's screen didn't support 800x600 screen resolution. This version will find the next best mode available if 800x600 isn't available on the first attempt. (You can of course change the video resolution that ToySight uses in the Options/Graphics menu in ToySight).
  • Other bug fixes.

An updater for the retail version, as well as a new demo, is available at the ToySight download page.

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 12:01 PM [Permalink]

January 27, 2004

Burning Monkey Mahjong 1.1 Released!

At long last, we've updated our hit tile matching game, Burning Monkey Mahjong Solitaire, to version 1.1. There are lots of new features and fixes, so it's a recommended upgrade for all users!

Here's what's new:


  • New Layout Browser
  • Show All Moves option added
  • All tilesets returned to Shareware version
  • New tilesets added
  • More layouts added. Now up to 40 Layouts.
  • Tilesets converted to new TIFF file format, 40% performance boost
  • Difficulty settings changed to allow for more balanced games on default layout (Which is the only layout some people play)
  • New streamlined generate random layout
  • Support for layouts up to 16 layers deep.
  • Music playing bug fixed under Panther.
  • Crash on register bug fixed.
  • Warning dialog if you are running lower than 1024x768. Please note that for proper display, BMMJ requires you be running at 1024x768 or greater.
  • Flower and tile matching fixed up for new tileset layout
  • Fixes to the animation system.
  • Expanded use of the sound effects preference
  • Cookie no longer cleared if you switch away from the game
If you purchased the game in a retail store or otherwise have a boxed version, you will need to download the retail patch. Users of the shareware version should download the new shareware version at the BMMJ download page.

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 01:36 PM [Permalink]

Year Of The Monkey Sale

Freeverse Software immersed itself in Chinese culture last week during the lunar new year, learning from a restaurant placemat that 2004 is now the Year of the Monkey. To commemorate the occasion, the company announced a sale through February 6.

The Year of the Monkey sale features the following items:

Burning Monkey Casino - $14.95 (save $5!)
Whether your game is slots, blackjack, or video poker, the casino is open 24 hours a day with ultra-mod lighting and major payouts!

Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab $14.95 (save $5!)
Features color and shape-matching games, head to head internet play, and, of course, the odd incendiary primate.

Kickoff 2002 $4.95 (save $25!)
Throws the player head first into the pace and excitement of international soccer with a sprinkle of humour.

Payback! $4.95 (save $25!)
Lets you have all the fun of automobile thievery and random violence without any of the pesky life-changing consequences.

WipeOut 2097 $4.95 (save $25!)
A classic 3D aracde racer offering the most blistering race experience available for the Mac.

To take advantage of the sale, visit Freeverse's web store on the worldwide web at http://store.freeverse.com/

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 11:22 AM [Permalink]

January 20, 2004

Find Colin A Girlfriend!

This week, as a special Freeverse-themed contest at MacGamer, you have the opportunity to win yourself a bucket full of Freeverse swag. But how?

He's got a quick wit. He's handsome. His apartment is immaculate. He can handle a purchase order like nobody's business. Yes, Colin Lynch Smith, Freeverse Vice President, is practically every woman's fantasy - well, except for maybe the bluegrass obsession. Yet to this date, Colin has not found his special someone.

But you can change that, even if you have to make it up! MacGamer is looking for short personal ads for Colin, fictitious or otherwise, and Colin will be the judge. The winner will receive, among other potential prizes, a Sony DVD player and a working Powerbook 1400cs! Enter today!

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 10:30 AM [Permalink]

January 13, 2004

Solace 1.045 Released

Solace 1.045 has been released as a patch for both Mac and PC, as well as a new shareware install for the Mac. All related files are available on our downloads page.

Solace 1.045 includes bug fixes for a handful of bugs that were introduced in version 1.04. It is a free upgrade to all users.

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 05:30 PM [Permalink]

January 08, 2004

Freeverse Takes Two Best Of Show Awards!

Freeverse has won two Best Of Show awards for MacWorld San Francisco 2004!

ToySight - Best Game
BumperCar - Best Educational Software

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 03:35 PM [Permalink]

Freeverse Software to Distribute Northland, Divine Divinity for Macintosh in North America

San Francisco - January 8, 2004 - Freeverse Software and e.p.i.c. interactive announced today a distribution agreement that will make the award-winning games, Northland and Divine Divinity available to North American Macintosh users for the first time. Northland will be available from select Apple retailers toward the end of January.

Northland is the sequel to Cultures 2 - The Gates of Asgard, and continues the story of Hatschi, Sigurd, Bjami, and Crya, the four heroes who defeated the Midgard Serpent and saved the world. Loki seeks revenge for the slaying of the serpent, and his subsequent banishment from Asgard, so he decides to torment the four heores in hopes of sneaking back in. The realtime strategy game received the PC Action Gold Award and the PC Extreme Silver rating in Europe, and was called "the cutest buildup game to ever grace the Macintosh" in the November 2003 issue of the German magazine, Mac Life.

Divine Divinity is the story of the chosen one, who must save the legendary land of Rovellon from the clutches of the Lord of Chaos. Players can affect gameplay by choosing to play as a wizard, a warrior, or a survivor. IGN awarded the game "Editors Choice", "Surprise of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Music" in 2003, and prompted rpgdot.com to say "How can you not like a game that gives you quests to wash dishes, blow up supply trains, solve murder mysteries and poison wells?"

"Freeverse Software is proud to be working with e.p.i.c. interactive to bring great Macintosh titles to North America," said Freeverse Softwate Vice President Colin Lynch Smith. "Hidden gems like Northland and Divine Divinity belong on this side of the Atlantic, too."

About Freeverse
Headquartered in New York, Freeverse Software is a developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. More information can be found at http://www.freeverse.com/

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 10:59 AM [Permalink]

January 02, 2004

Backgammon Deluxe Released!

Freeverse Software is proud to release one last holiday present on its unsuspecting userbase - no, it's not Virtual Fruitcake, it's Backgammon Deluxe!

Backgammon Deluxe features beautiful graphics, Emotidoll technology, solid backgammon gameplay via GameSmith, and a great price tag of $0.00. It's a great addition to your games folder, so be sure to download it today!

(Note that Backgammon Deluxe 2.0 will contain fantastic AI for single player gaming, and have a shareware fee.)

Posted by Dan Dickinson at 04:30 PM [Permalink]