Pie in the Sky

[leilei]

They're back, but switched to the Android business

http://pieintheskysoftware.com

[blinkingboythe]

They're back, but switched to the Android business

http://pieintheskysoftware.com

It would be nice if there was a site (sans all the broken AOL or Geocities links!) that listed all of
the shareware Pie In the Sky games and places you can now download them from. There were
quite a few ,some good ones at that, which sadly seems to have been lost to the ages.

[MrFlibble]

Actually I was collecting the links to the Pie in the Sky games some time ago, not sure if I posted them here in the forums though. Here's a list I made (obviously incomplete):
http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/showpo ... stcount=16

Many links don't work now though, but you can try accessing their archived copies via the Wayback Machine. Also, the Classic PC Games Collection at archive.org has quite a few of those games, and some more can be found by thoroughly browsing cd.textfiles.com.

[Hallfiry]

Some can be found in my catalog, too:
http://www.kultcds.com/Catalog/index.ph ... &descr=&o=

[MrFlibble]

Ooh, cool

I've just located leilei's GCS page:
http://leileilol.mancubus.net/garyacord ... index.html

Also, here's another webpage about the GCS games (both DOS- and Windows-based).

And here's someone's attempt to catalogue all known GCS games:
http://gcsarchive.proboards.com/index.c ... &thread=13

Also check this thread.

BTW, since this thread has been revived, there's one thing that bothers me. Lethal Tender, the flagship Pie in the Sky engine game by the developers themselves, is said to be shareware, and the shareware version is available from several websites. However, none of the official Pie in the Sky Software websites actually mention the shareware version, and none offer it for download. Instead, the official website mentions a promotional free Christmas themed game, and a demo game called Industrial Killers that was apparently created as an example of GCS' capabilities. The download page describes this game as follows:

!!!!! NEW DEMO !!!!!!! Unlike our old GCSDEMO, this IKILLERS demo is multi-level, with an outside scenario, jumping, multi-height levels, and lots of variation! ALso included is a full menu with save/load, and a game with a point!

You can download a playable demo of a GCS created game for free! Included in the demo is a slide show of what it is like to make a game with the GCS, and lots of text information too.

The download link points to a file at an ftp which was not archived.

Furthermore, the brief history outline at Pie in the Sky's current website calls Lethal Tender "a 3D First Person Shooter for DOS sold in retail stores", which is exactly the opposite of a typical shareware game. The detailed account of the company's history doesn't mention Lethal Tender being shareware either.

However, there seems to have been a demo of Lethal Tender's sequel Terminal Terror.

[Hallfiry]

And here's someone's attempt to catalogue all known GCS games:
http://gcsarchive.proboards.com/index.c ... &thread=13

This someone is actually a friend of mine and happens to be the admin of diablo-evolution.net

[MrFlibble]

Heh, it's a small world!

Anyway, here's a couple more GSC games:

Some time ago I stumbled upon a seemingly unknown GSC game on a PSL Monthly Collection CD. The game is called SARGENT BLOOD ALIEN CHALLENGE (that's how the developers spell the title anyway). I didn't play it much but it seems decent. Here's a screenshot:


The download is a two-part archive: BLOOD1.ZIP, BLOOD2.ZIP

Another is a small game called Vendetta, which was created by UK-based shareware vendor Springsoft that distributed the 3D Game Creation System. One of the employees created Vendetta just to demonstrate the capabilities of GCS. IIRC there are only a couple of levels there. Download: vendetta.zip.

[MrFlibble]

BTW, since this thread has been revived, there's one thing that bothers me. Lethal Tender, the flagship Pie in the Sky engine game by the developers themselves, is said to be shareware, and the shareware version is available from several websites. However, none of the official Pie in the Sky Software websites actually mention the shareware version, and none offer it for download. Instead, the official website mentions a promotional free Christmas themed game, and a demo game called Industrial Killers that was apparently created as an example of GCS' capabilities. The download page describes this game as follows:

!!!!! NEW DEMO !!!!!!! Unlike our old GCSDEMO, this IKILLERS demo is multi-level, with an outside scenario, jumping, multi-height levels, and lots of variation! ALso included is a full menu with save/load, and a game with a point!

You can download a playable demo of a GCS created game for free! Included in the demo is a slide show of what it is like to make a game with the GCS, and lots of text information too.

The download link points to a file at an ftp which was not archived.

While looking for something else entirely, I just found a download of Industrial Killers: ikillers.zip

[DOSGuy]

Cool!

[MrFlibble]

Here's yet another GCS game, Android: android.zip

[MrFlibble]

Apparently the old GCS demo which was mentioned at the Pie in the Sky's website was a one-level demo called Meltdown. It can be found on this CD (thanks Hallfiry!).

[MrFlibble]

the official website mentions a promotional free Christmas themed game

Here's the game distributive: santa3d.zip

[MrFlibble]

Apparently the old GCS demo which was mentioned at the Pie in the Sky's website was a one-level demo called Meltdown. It can be found on this CD (thanks Hallfiry!).

It turns out that there are at least two different versions of this demo:
http://www.kultcds.com/Catalog/index.ph ... dn=&descr=

The earlier one has latest date stamps on files from Mar 4, 1995, and the more recent one from Mar 10, 1995. I've zipped up the more recent version's files found on this CD: gsdem2.zip

Not sure if the demo was originally distributed as plain files or as an installer.

There also seems to be a later version found here, but some date stamps are messed up on that CD.

[Edit] Here's the earlier version: MELTDOWN.ZIP

The early demo does not include the menu from which both the game and the slideshow demo of the 3D Game Creation system can be launched. Each of these needs to be run separately through different executables instead.

The later demo also adds more weapons and items, and generally feels more complete.

[MrFlibble]

An interesting piece of trivia: the textures and level design for Meltdown were created by Terry F. Hamel, who actually also worked on Blood. Here's his virtual resume (preserved by Google Groups):

SEARCH THE RESUMES OF THOUSANDS OF SKILLED CANDIDATES AT
VirtualResume <http://www.virtualresume.com/vitae/>

Name: Terry Hamel
Phone: 503-281-0148
E-mail: tha...@usa.net
Location: Portland OR USA
Relocation: not indicated

_ _ _

Terry Hamel
2814 NE 37th
Portland, OR 97212
(503) 281-0148
email:...@usa.net

PC SOFTWARE KNOWLEDGE

PhotoShop, Premiere, Deluxe Paint Animator, Fractal Design Painter,
Fractal Design Poser,
Corel Draw, PageMaker, Freehand, Word, AmiPro, Sound Forge, Cooledit, MS
FrontPage

RELATED WORKS

Developed layout and graphics for survey web site.
http://www.europa.com/~somervi/quake

Created and updated textures, animated characters, objects and segments,
splash pages and storyboards for Blood, a first person 3D action for the PC
developed by Q Studio's for 3DRealms.

Developed computer demo for Pie in the Sky Software, including sound effects,
textures and levels.

Developed character animations and background graphics for 2D side
scroller computer game The Comet's Tale.

Developed glamour videos for VentureVision Unlimited, including camera, editing
and syncing to soundtracks.

Developed external level (PWAD) for DOOM, Bunker. Featured on CDROM in the
book Tricks of the DOOM Programming Gurus by Sams Publishing.

Developed sound libraries for Ensoniq keyboards, including sampling of
instruments, field recording, and software tweaking.

15 year musician, primary instrument guitar, secondary keyboard and
percussion.
Studio musician for Trax Studios. Recorded material at Falcon Studios.
Created
demo of personal material using Alesis ADAT. Tasks included understanding and
implementation of microphones, sound enhancers, mixing board and sync tracks.
Created sequenced songs using Enqoniq EPS keyboard synced to 4-track.

Created original artwork and color seperations for t-shirts, hats and jackets
for Domino Printing.

Composed soundtrack, musical scores and sound effects for Halloween House.
Assisted in constructing sets, assembling lighting. Created prosthetics and
masks for costumes.

Installed and maintained hardware upgrades, configurations, software and network
for Hamel Hearing Aids. Developed promotional materials including
magazine ads,
fliers, brochures, catalogues and business cards.

References available upon request.

[MrFlibble]

Yet another game on the same engine: Chemical Warfare. Download: chemwar.exe