User:Austriancurls

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Austriancurls is often overwhelmed with the number of things to do in real life. However, she had a very active online persona in the years between 1993 and 2003 as Karen Zierler. Although intensely involved in studying for her doctorate in biophysical sciences, she found time during this time span to become engrossed in the gaming scene. She co-developed the first large gaming online Manual using HTML and Mosaic, was a gaming reviewer and subsequently Managing Editor for the Traveller's Inn, the CRPG section, at the online magazine Games Domain Review until their acquisition by Theglobe.com. Her online publications, which she has archived and some of which can still be found online can be used as resources for those researching computer gaming and the gaming scene from this time period, included in this archive are the following (please note, scientific publications have been added at the end). Those wishing access to the archived articles as citation references for Wikipedia should use the "Talk" contact. All of these articles were published and in public domain under GDR and thus can be quoted and referenced. Each article has a date and GDR signature. See the talk section for "Shogo" as an example of how these references can be used to support statements in various Wiki articles.

[edit] XPilot

The Xpilot Newbie Manual, 1994 (co-editor)

[edit] Games Domain Review Publications Archived

GDRoundup Issues 1-30 (June 29,1998-March 22, 2000)
Usenet summaries taken from comp.sys.ibm.pc.games newsgroups of real gamer gossip.

News Articles
Various news item entries from March to June 1998.

Interviews

Herself, interviewed by Farah Houston on women and gaming (March 1999).
The Markers of The Ring: The Legend of the Nibelungen, includes Guillaume de Fondaumière, Stephen Carrière, Nicolas Frucus, and Beryl Chanteux of the developer Arxel Tribe (February 1999).

Inn the Works editorials (2000)
Monthly editorials for Traveller's Inn CRPG section discussing current developments.

Editorials - General

The day the games died (Oct 1998) - an explanation to the text accompanies this article.
The Full Monty (Sep 2000) - written with the pseudonym "Lady Bear" - discusses nudity (tongue in cheek! :P)
Online Gaming: Money and Mouth (Apr 1998) - pre MMORPG discussion about monthy payment schemes for online gaming.

E3 Reports (1999, 2000)
As part of a roaming reporter team, coverage from the Electronic Entertainment Expo in California two years running, includes previews to games such as Ultima X).

RPG/Adventure lists (1998-2000)
Lists of RPG and Adventure game titles that were in development at the time. Includes their status and expected release dates. These were published as a service at GDR Traveller's Inn, and contain a short blurb describing each game. These development lists include games never released and give a snapshot image of the status of the gaming industry at specific times.

Review and Previews
Review articles at GDR meant the game was played to completion and a thorough, long critique written describing the game with the reviewer providing an opinion about the product. Previews were usually written after testing a beta version of a game sent by the developer. Previews give no conclusion rather a brief discussion on gameplay, graphics and the games style or feel. Reviews and Previews are archived in two catagories, those written by Karen Zierler herself, and those submitted for editing by freelance writers. All of these articles were at one time published and archived at Games Domain, and although cannot be reproduced here in their entirety, they can be examined for content, used as research material, quoted and used as references. Each article is archived in its original GDR format with date and author and in most cases screenshots. Keep in mind that several games that were previewed were never realized by their developers and publishers.

Reviews and Previews written by Karen Zierler

AD&D Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands, TEN/Junglevision/TSR Inc./SSI, Inc. (Oct 1998) - Review
Adventure Hall of Fame, Interplay (Oct 1999) - game pack
Allods: Sealed Mystery, Nival Entertainment (April 1998) - Preview
Ancient Evil, Silver Lightning Software (July 1998) - Preview
Atriarch, TBA (Oct 1999) - Preview
Baldur's Gate, Bioware(Sept 1998) - Review, received GDR Gold Medal
Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, Interplay (Sep 1999) - Review
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Bioware (Oct 2000) - Review, received GDR Silver Medal
Clue: muder at Boddy Mansion, EAI Interactive/Hasbro Interactive (Nov 1998) - Review
Dark Ages, Nexon (March 1999) - Preview
Darkstone, Delphine/Gathering of Developers (July 1999) - Preview
Deus Ex, EIDOS (Dec 1999) - Preview
Diablo 2, Blizzard Entertainment (July 2000) - Review, received GDR Gold Medal
Faust, Cryo Interactive (Nov 1999) - Second Opinion Review
Hecules & Xena: Alliance of Heroes, Simultronics (Jul 1998) - Review
Hexplore, Heliovisions Productions/Ocean/Infogames (Sep 1998) - Review
Icewind Dale, Interplay (Jan 2000) - Preview
Infinite Worlds (Mordor II), Interplay/Black Isle Studios (Dec 1998) - Preview
Invictus: In the Shadow of Olympus, Interplay (Jan 2000) - Preview
Links LS 2000, Microsoft (Nov 1999) - Review, Second Opinion
Myst III: Exile, Mattel (June 2000) - Preview
Of Light and Darkness: the prophecy, Interplay (May 1998) - Review, received Gold Medal
PGA Championship Golf, Sierra Sports (Aug 1999) - Review, received Silver Medal
Planescape: Torment, Interplay (Jan 2000) - Review, received Gold Medal
Pompeii, Cryo Interactive (Jan 2000) - Preview
Rage of Mages, Buka Entertainment/Nival/Monolith (Nov 1998) - Review, received Silver Medal
Rage of Mages II: Necromancer, Monolith (Oct 1999) - Review
Return to Krondor, PyroTechnix/Sierra Studios (Oct 1998/Jan 1999) - Preview/Review
Septerra Core, TopWare Interactive (Jan 1999) - Preview
Shadows of Reality, Nevolution (Apr 1999) - Preview
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, Monolith (Nov 1998) - Review, received Silver Medal
Silver, Infogrames (Apr 1999) - Review
System Shock 2, Looking Glass Studios (July 1999) - Preview
Technomage, Sunflowers (Nov 2000) - Preview
The Creed, EA and Midas Interactive Entertainment (July 1999) - Review (and Preview)
The Lady, The Mage & The Knight, Larian Studios/attic (Oct 1998) - Preview
The Legend of the Prophet and the Assassin, Arxel Tribe (Aug 2000) - Preview
The Residents: Bad Day on the Midway, iNSCAPE (June 1998) - Review
The Ring: The Legend of the Nibelungen, Cryo Interactive Entertainment (Jan 1999) - Review, received Gold Medal
Tiger Woods PGA Tour Collection, EA Sports (Nov 1999) - Review
Underlight, Lyra Studios - Multiplayer Online Game (April 1998) - Review
Unknown: Quest for the Golden Dragon RPG, Ross Systems (Sep 1998) - Preview
Wheel of Fortune, Hasbro Interactive (March 1999) - Review

Reviews and articles by other authors edited by Karen Zierler and published on GDR:

Arcanum, Sierra / Havas (Aug 2000) Preview by Chris McMullen
Arcatera - The Dark Brotherhood, Ubi Soft (Aug 2000) Review by Farah Houston
Asheron's Call, Microsoft (Sep 2000) Preview by Farah Houston
Asheron's Call, Microsoft (Dec 1999) Review by James Kay
Atlantis 2, Cryo Interactive (Feb 2000) Review by Steve Metzler
Avernum, Spiderweb Software (Aug 2000) Review by Tim Chown
Aztec, Cryo Interactive (Oct 1999) Review by Kate Glanville
Blair Witch Project, Gathering of Developers (Oct 2000) Review by James Kay
Blair Witch Project, Gathering of Developers (Oct 2000) Second Opinion by Bruce Pulver
Blair Witch Volume 2: The Legend of Coffin Rock, Gathering of Developers (Nov 2000) by Bruce Pulver
Blair Witch Volume 3: The Elly Kedward Tale, Gathering of Developers (Nov 2000) Review by Bruce Pulver
Blaze and Blade, SouthPeak Interactive (March 2000) Review by Nolan Boulanger
Crusaders of Might & Magic, 3DO () Preview by Bruce Geryk
Dark Ages of Camelot, TBA (Mythic funded by Abandon Software) (Nov 2000) Preview by Jed Norton
Darkstone, Delphine Software/G.O.D. () Review by Richard Greenhill
Darkstone, Delphine Software/G.O.D. (Feb 2000) Second Opinion by Tim Chown
Demise, IPC Software (March 2000) Review by Sean Barenz
Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan (Mar 2000) Review by Sean Barenz
Deus Ex, Eidos Interactive (Jun 2000) Review by Tom Chick
Deus Ex, Eidos Interactive (Jul 2000) Second Opinion by Lars Andersen
Diablo II, Blizzard Entertainment (Jul 2000) Second Opinion by Brett Benyo
Discworld Noir, GT Interactive (Jan 2000) Second Opinion by Rehan Ali
Dracula Resurrection, DreamCatcher Interactive (Jul 2000) Review by Nolan Boulanger
EverQuest: Ruins of Kunark, Sony (Jun 2000) review by James Kay
Evil Islands, Fishtank (Oct 2000) Preview by Mike Smith
Fallout: 3 Years Later By Trent Lucier
Faust, Cryo Interactive (Nov 1999) Review by Steve Metzler
Final Fantasy VIII, Eidos (Nov 1999) Preview by Mike Smith
Final Fantasy VIII, Squaresoft (March 2000) Review by Chris McMullen
Final Fantasy VIII, Squaresoft (March 2000) Second Opinion by Jeff Kang
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned, Sierra Studios (Dec 1999) Review by Steve Metzler
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned, Sierra Studios (Dec 1999) Second Opinion by Chris McMullen
Homeland: The Stone of Night, Spiderweb Software (June 2000) Review by Brett Benyo
Icewind Dale, Interplay (June 2000)) Preview by Keven Mander
In Cold Blood, Ubisoft (Aug 2000) by Chris McMullen
Martian Gothic, Take 2 (Apr 2000) Preview by James Kay
Martian Gothic: Unification, Take 2 (June 2000) Second Opinion by Nolan Boulanger
Might and Magic 8, 3DO (March 2000) Review by Chris McMullen
Might and Magic 8: Day of the Destroyer, 3DO () Second Opinion by Brett Benyo
Nethergate, Spiderweb Software (May 2000) Review by Brett Benyo
Nomad Soul, EIDOS (Nov 1999) Review by Kevin Mander
Omikron: The Nomad Soul, Eidos Interactive (Dec 1999) Review by Farah Houston
Planetscape: Torment, Interplay (Feb 2000) Second Opinion by James Weiner
realMyst, Mattel Interactive (Nov 2000) Review by Cliff Daigle
Resurrection, Nebula (Oct 2000) Preview by Bruce Pulver
Sanity: Aiken's Artifact, Fox Interactive (Oct 2000) Review by James Kay
Sanity: Aiken's Artifact, Fox Interactive (Mov 2000) Second Opinion by Michael Gonsalves
Sea Dogs, Bethesda Softworks (Dec 2000) Review by Michael Gonsalves
Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator, Monolith (Nov 1999) Review by Farah Houston
Soulbringer, Infogrames (Jul 2000) Review by James Kay
Star Trek: Hidden Evil, Activision (Dec 1999) Reviewed by Mike Smith
Star Trek: Hidden Evil, Activision (Jan 2000) Second Opinion by Michael A. Gonsalves
Terminus, Vatical Entertainment (Jul 2000) Reviewed by David Williams
The Longest Journey, Funcom (Nov 2000) Review by Cliff Daigle
The Longest Journey, Funcom (Dec 2000) Second Opinion by John Brandon
Thief 2: The Metal Age, Eidos Interactive (Apr 2000) Review by Nolan Boulanger
Thief 2: The Metal Age, Eidos Interactive (Jun 2000) Second Opinion by unknown author
Traitor's Gate, Daydream Interactive (Oct 2000) Second Opinion by Bruce Pulver
Ultima IX: Ascension, Electronic Arts (Nov 1999) Preview by Mike Smith
Ultima IX: Ascension, Origin/Electronic Arts (Dec 1999) Review by James Weiner
Ultima IX: Ascension, Origin/Electronic Arts (Mar 2000) Second Opinion by Nolan Boulanger
Underlight, Lyra Studios (Jun 2000) Review by Nolan Boulanger
Vampire The Masquerade, Activision () Preview by Jed Norton
Vampire:The Masquerade - Redemption, Activision (Jun 2000) Reviewed by Orchun Kolcu
Wizards and Warriors, Activision (Oct 2000) Reviewed by Farah Houston
Wild Wild West, SouthPeak Interactive (Jan 2000) Reviewed by James Kay

Editorials by other authors edited by Karen Zierler for GDR

Editorial by James Kay (Nov 2000) - Summary of Industry status
Darkmoor Dragon Editorials including: Strong Words (Sep 2000), Much Ado About Nothing (Oct 2000), Atriarch Chat () Aug 2000) and A Horse (Apr 2000)