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Most Recent Dr. Rudy News - 15 March 1998

New version of Dr. Rudy (1.40) released!

I thought version 1.35 would be the last, but apparently the new, super-fast Pentium machines are wreaking havoc on Dr. Rudy's old speed calibration algorithm. One person wrote to me saying that she couldn't play Dr. Rudy on her new computer because it runs too fast! So I felt compelled to make a new version to fix this problem so that the game will run fine on these new computers. The result: Dr. Rudy version 1.40!

I got rid of the old speed calibration method entirely and used the same technique for speed that I used in "Dr. Rudy 2," the sequel game. So now there's no calibration to bother with at all! But I also realized that some people may want the game to run slower or faster than I like because they find the game too difficult or too easy -- so there is a way to select from one of three speeds: Slow, Normal and Fast.

One cautionary note: just moments before releasing this version I discovered a small problem: on an old, slower machine running Windows 3.01, this new version runs too slow. Perhaps DOS emulation in the old version of Windows was not very good -- it does work fine if you exit Windows and run Dr. Rudy from DOS. (It also works fine from Windows 95.) So keep this in mind, especially if you are thinking about upgrading from a previous version of Dr. Rudy. If you have an old, slower computer, and you like to run Dr. Rudy from Windows 3.01, you might want to keep the old version. If you have a new, super-fast computer, then this new version 1.40 is probably best.

Click here to download Dr. Rudy v1.40 now!
Click here to download Dr. Rudy v1.35a now!
Click here to download "Dr. Rudy 2" v1.10 now!

What's in store for the future?

What's the future for Dr. Rudy? In my last newsletter I mentioned the possibility of a Windows version. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'm going to have the time to make one. (I also discovered that Visual Basic is too slow and that I'd probably have to buy and learn Visual C++.) But even now in 1998 I'm still getting registrations from people all over the world who love the game, so it seems as if the game has become an enduring classic! And as long as Microsoft keeps DOS emulation in Windows, you'll be able to play Dr. Rudy for years to come!

Versions and Changes

As a quick reference, here's a table of the major changes that have been made in each recent version of the two computer games that I have written.

Dr. Rudy:

   1.40 - Game now runs at correct speed on Pentium systems (LATEST VERSION)
   1.35 - Added ability to save a game in progress
   1.33 - Fixed problem when game reaches level 32; Added doc. viewer prog.
   1.30 - Added limited network support; Fixed pill handling @ top of bottle
   1.24 - Fixed major bug which caused occasional program crash in VGA mode
   1.23 - Pause key added; Fixed 2-player pill lookahead
   1.21 - Name in high scores screen expanded from 3 to 11 characters
   1.20 - Simultaneous 2-player mode added (for registered users)

Dr. Rudy 2:

   1.10 - Windows bug fixed; new graphics & demo game (LATEST VERSION)
   1.00 - First full release
   0.60 - Preliminary beta-test release

Can I get a two-player code for Dr. Rudy by Email?

Not at this time, due to security considerations. However, this may change in the future.

Can I get a private version of "Dr. Rudy 2" by Email?

Yes, if your mail program supports MIME file transfers. In fact, since I don't have to mail a disk, the cost is only $10. You still have to send me a check in the regular mail, though. For more details, send a message to me at "kjnorthNOSPAM@provide.net". (Delete the characters NOSPAM from the Email address before sending.)

Why are you now spelling out your middle name?

I discovered that there are at least two other Kevin J. North's in the world. In fact, one of the Kevin J. Norths has his own web page, and it's also on GeoCities as mine is. With the Internet linking everything in the world together, the potential for name confusion is sure to grow in the future! So I not only changed my name in the game, but also on my bank account and other things.

What is your current mailing address?

Click here for my current address and telephone number.

You can use my older Oklahoma address, but it will take longer.

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