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Freeverse Software

Words by Keoni Chavez

Lineform is Freeverse's answer to Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia's Freehand. It's a vector-based illustration application that seems to be taking the lessons of those aforementioned programs and making the entire interface much less complex.

Having used both Illustrator and Freehand previously, I can vouch for the ease of use Lineform affords; I was able to get up and creating multi-path artwork immediately. The feedback line at the top of each window is a fantastic way to control the user experience. As each tool is selected and used, text guides the process, describing how each tool is used, along with its modifier keys.

Additionally, there are a ton of fun features available for each function. For instance, choosing the Fill palette displays an option called Image, which allows you to select a photo from your hard drive and manipulate it in a wide variety of ways. There's an Artistic option in the Stroke palette that provides some organic looks to whatever stroke you choose. The Effects palette offers great control over opacity and shadows.

Lineform is a fantastic and affordable alternative to the Big Two.

Sound Studio 3 offers easy-to-use editing of most audio formats, including streaming audio from the Internet. You can also save files in most of the popular formats, including MP3, MPEG-4, Wav, and even a tab-delimited text file. Other tricks you can perform include cross-fades and converting CD audio. It's a solid, non-flashy little app that does just what you need it to do.

The Best of Original Mac Games bundle is a collection of fantastically fun Mac-only titles, featuring the following:

Active Lancer: A vertically-scrolling shooter in the style of arcade classic Xevious, Active Lancer is fun and addicting, but really hard on the fingers after a while. Featuring a basic, yet engaging storyline, Active Lancer will provide many hours of enjoyment.

Airburst Extreme: I'm reminded of playing Warlords on the old Atari VCS more years ago than I care now to admit. The gameplay is similar, though updated: you control a cute anime-like character, sitting on a cloud of poppable balloons. A ball flies back and forth between you and your three opponents, popping bubbles, unless prevented from doing so by your shield, which you rotate around your cloud to deflect back to your adversaries. The character still floating on its cloud is the winner.

Enigma: Based loosely on the famous Enigma cryptography engine invented by Germany during World War 2, this game requires the player to unlock a briefcase using crypto logic and codes. Very cerebral and enjoyable, but it's unknown how much replay value this game holds.

Kill Monty: Freeverse's version of the classic arcade action/shooter Smash TV. This game lets you play as Jen, the non-simian Freeverse mascot, trapped in an arena and beset by hordes of enemies entering from all sides at once. The action rarely lets up as you collect weapon power-ups while trying to maneuver Jen around the crowded floor. It can be fiendishly difficult trying to move and keep track of your targeting reticle at the same time, but there's no finer adrenaline rush to be had.

Deep Trouble 2: The sequel to the solid underwater vehicle shooter, this game puts you in charge of a weaponized submarine, exploring alien structures, encountering alien ships, and destroying them.

Starbase Defender: Another paranoia-inducing game that requires you to, well, defend your starbase. The mouse controls the targeting reticle, and the object is simply to destroy all oncoming ships and projectiles before they make off with your cargo.

Freeverse continues to be the reigning champs of Mac gameplay, and soon they'll be known for much more.