Piracy has always been a problem for PC game publishers and is now a growing issue with Sony PlayStation games. The Nintendo 64 suffers less than the PlayStation. It does not have the estimated 350,000 consoles that Sony has installed in Ireland, but more importantly perhaps, its cartridge format is tougher to copy than PlayStation CD-Roms.
Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamuchi said recently that the company's choice of cartridge rather than CD was the right one, saving Nintendo from the pirates. Nevertheless it is reported that the next-generation Nintendo console will use the latest CD format, DVD. Whether it does or not, piracy is already a major issue for game publishers.
The anti-piracy organisation Irish National Federation Against Copyright Theft (INFACT) says the number of pirated PlayStation CDs on sale here has increased hugely in the last few months. It estimates that pirate copies could account for up to 10 per cent of games sold. Sony is funding INFACT and would like game publishers to contribute.
It is no longer a case of a few amateurs selling pirated games from a car boot. Professional pirates using expensive duplication equipment can sell large quantities of a £50 game for as little £5. Two seizures of duplicating equipment before Christmas may have prevented a major influx of pirated games on the market - but that is unlikely to put the pirates off for long.
To play pirated and imported games, the PlayStation hardware has to be modified or "chipped", a procedure which invalidates the console's warranty. Pirated games have been known to damage the hardware, so it is a risky business. Getting a machine "chipped" costs between £5 and £30, or around £180 will buy a "chipped" PlayStation and 10 games.
The games industry says that the only winners are the pirates themselves. The cost of developing a game now averages £1 million and if too many sales are lost to piracy it will become increasingly difficult to justify that investment. Game publishers will lose, retailers will lose and ultimately game-players will lose.
Tiger Woods '99, Sony PlayStation, £39.99
Golf simulations produced by Electronic Arts (EA) - and endorsed by the PGA - are probably the best golf simulations available for the PlayStation. They are like playing the real thing, but with no need to worry about the weather.
In a similar leading position is Tiger Woods - - signing him up to help sell its latest Golf sim seems a wise move by EA.
There are five tournament players club (TPC) courses to play, including Sawgrass, plus nine modes of game-play, and the choice of playing as Tiger or one of seven other pros. An analogue controller can be used for a more accurate swing and those who break par on three consecutive holes are awarded the "Tiger charge" for some extra yards on each swing, while those who are struggling will find Tiger on hand with some tips.
Tiger Woods '99 is a great golf game but it is not perfect. There is nothing very revolutionary about it - passing all the tests with ease but excelling in few. EA, though, has been producing great golf games for a long time and the experience shows.
Superbike: World Championship, PC CD-Rom, £34.99
Unlike car racing, bike racing has had little success in shifting large quantities of video-games. Superbike is perhaps the first real attempt at a serious simulation of the sport, with all the real bikes, riders and tracks from the Superbike world championship featured. While it does have an arcade-like mode, the emphasis is on realism.
How real the action gets is up to the player. For instance, the rider can be placed automatically back on the bike after a crash or can be made to get the bike into position before jumping on and accelerating away. Another choice is whether to have all the rules enforced (such as black flags for taking shortcuts) or whether to have accelerator, brake and speed aid on or off.
For the first few (hundred) laps all help will be appreciated and just keeping the rider on the bike will prove difficult. Before worrying about the wear on the tyres or studying telemetry data from the bike, the main problem will be keeping your leathers off the tarmac.
Realism only goes so far, though. Engine failure can happen, but the bike doesn't get damaged by spinning off at 180 m.p.h. and those who like to see spectacular crashes will be disappointed. There are four camera angles and a replay option and, despite one or two minor glitches in graphics, Superbike looks superb.
This game is hard to flaw, but those who are not enthusiasts of the sport might find their patience tested once too often. They can always do a few wheelies. [Req: Pentium II 266/32MB/Win 9x]
games@irish-times.ie
