IMG 93 04 Reactor Inc

Sneak Peek: A Visit to Reactor Inc. by Tuncer Deniz Note: Screen shots and information presented in this article are based on a pre-release version of Screaming Metal and Virtual Valerie II and are therefore are subject to change. This article is not a review. IMG recently visited Reactor in Chicago, the company that pioneered the Macintosh CD-ROM entertainment industry with releases like Virtual Valerie and Spaceship Warlock. While Virtual Valerie did raise some eyebrows, it wasn’t until Spaceship Warlock’s release that Reactor became the front runner in the CD-ROM industry. Since its debut, Warlock has sold over 20,000 copies and is currently the best-selling CD-ROM title on the Macintosh. Quite an accomplishment for former Marvel Comics illustrator and founder of Reactor, Mike Saenz, who in four years has built his company into a multimedia entertainment software giant (by Macintosh game standards, that is). As IMG found out from talking with Saenz, what makes Reactor and his software titles such a success is his uncanny gift for recognizing trends and meeting the needs of the Macintosh gaming enthusiast, like you and me. The Evolution. Saenz began his love affair with computers in 1983. In 1985, a year after the introduction of the Macintosh, Saenz released the first computer-generated comic book entitled Shatter, which went on to sell over 100,000 copies. While Shatter might have broken all kinds of records, Saenz saw floppy disks as too limited in terms of storage for what he envisioned as a true interactive entertainment experience. He had known about CD-ROMs since 1985, but held back from developing CD-ROM software until, as Saenz explains, “CD ROMs became a reality in the Macintosh industry and there were tools that would allow me to develop them.” In the meantime, Saenz worked in multimedia design and development for a few years, where he gained valuable knowledge and experience that he would later use to develop CD-ROM software. In 1989, with one hand on his Mac and the other on his credit cards to finance a CD-ROM project, Saenz developed Virtual Valerie, which became an instant success. With some much-needed cash on hand, he went on to create Reactor and a more sophisticated game, Spaceship Warlock. Spaceship Warlock was released in 1991. It is a science fiction adventure that has over 125 megabytes of graphics, animation, music, and sound. What was unique about Warlock was that it featured hundreds of scenes, 3D animation, continuous audio, and a “save movie” function. The Macintosh community loved it. It was one of the first interactive movies on CD-ROM for the Macintosh, and it gave Reactor the credibility and fame it enjoys today. Although Saenz gives credit to others for pioneering CD-ROM entertainment, he does admit that Reactor “pioneered very large scale, cinematic graphic adventures on CD-ROM. We do this by, essentially, applying a real solid work ethic that comes from our background in comics.” In fact, everyone in the…