Outland Min Install

Outland Min Install is the minimum gateway package for connecting to Outland, the mid-1990s graphical multiplayer game network for Macintosh users run by Outland Inc. of Palo Alto, California. The submission notes describe it as "the minimum set of files necessary to connect to Outland" - the client only, with no bundled game software.

What is Outland

Outland was a graphical multiplayer game network for Macintosh users available over the Internet via MacTCP, by Telnet from a Unix or Delphi shell, or by dial-up to modems in Palo Alto. Available titles at launch included Spaceward Ho, Chess, Reversi, Galley, Hearts, Backstab, and a graphical BBS.

Min vs. full install

The Min Install ships only the gateway client. Game binaries had to be downloaded separately, either from the same archive that hosted this stub or from inside Outland once a session was open. A full "Outland-complete" archive bundled the games for offline install.

Requirements

A 68020 or better Macintosh, System 7.0 or later, and either MacTCP, a Telnet client, or a 2400+ baud modem. The package itself is a minimal Gateway install intended to be cheap to download over a dial-up line.

Contact

The submission lists the period contacts: 1-800-PLAY-OUT and info@outland.com, with developer inquiries welcomed. Outland's per-hour metered model (around $2.50 / hour) shut down later in the 1990s, leaving the client of historical interest only.