EARL WEAVER BASEBALL V. 1.5

 Electronic Arts has done what few of us thought was possible: taken the best
and made it even better. The TEG review for version 1.0 of this game stated that
EARL WEAVER BASEBALL was the best sports simulation for any computer the
reviewer had ever seen. Version 1.5 extends this accomplishment even further.
(This review is based on the IBM-PC version; 1989 STATISTICS DISK notes for
Versions 1.0 through 1.5 follow.)

 In general, keyboard users of version 1.0 will find screen navigation
simplified in version 1.5. Instead of a mouse-style cursor, you can now easily
highlight options using the "light-bar" method. No more missing the option you
wanted, or wondering if you had the cursor positioned in the right spot; options
are either highlighted or they aren't, and it's very simple to tell the
difference. Additionally, each function key is assigned to a menu option,
allowing shortcut keystrokes to replace the "point-and-shoot" method employed by
the previous release. You can also easily toggle between keyboard, mouse,
keypad, or joystick control, assigning any one of the options individually to
each team selected for playing.

 The improvements most demanded by seasoned EWB players have been support for
EGA graphics and a quick-play option for pitting computer-controlled teams
against one another. Both of these options have been added...but that's not all.
The graphics in the game-playing portion of EWB have been improved to include a
50-50 split-screen showing the overhead view of the stadium on the left side of
the screen, and a catcher's-eye perspective of the pitcher-batter confrontation
on the right. Above the pitcher/batter you see the names of the pitcher and
batter, as well as something you didn't find in the past: the number of pitches
the pitcher has thrown, and the batter's number of homers and RBIs. Also, after
the first at-bat for each player, a summary of his game performance is displayed
when he steps to the plate (e.g., 1 for 4, 1 2b).

 When the ball is hit, the display instantly switches to a full-screen overhead
view (an expanded version of the left side of the screen). This is a little
distracting at first, but you quickly become accustomed to it. While playing and
managing, I found it much easier to hit the ball from this perspective --
something I was never quite able to get the hang of in the old version. Official
Scoring has also been improved; for instance, in the prior release, if a player
singled and took second on a throw home by an outfielder, he was credited with a
double. No more: Expect that player to be credited with a single in such cases.

 Players accustomed to the strategy menus of the old game will notice that the
"take" option for batters has been replaced by "leadoff" for runners. But be
careful: too big of a leadoff, and you'll fall victim to another added feature
of the game, the pickoff.

 In the new stats-only mode, you pick the teams you'd like to play, say "play
ball," and Earl takes it from there. A picture of the stadium is displayed on
your screen, along with the familiar scoreboard, but no players or fans. This
mode plays the game in less than half the time of a full graphics mode game.
Owners of the EWB COMMISSIONER'S DISK will be able to generate schedules and ask
Earl to "play out the schedule" for them. All you need to do is save the
schedule to disk, tell Earl the filename, when you want to start, and how many
games to play, and then sit back and relax. Earl plays every game on the
schedule, updating stats on the fly, and going on to the next game unattended.

 In other game operations, improvements are also evident. The stats display has
been enhanced for easier output control to screen, printer, or disk. You may now
specify the length of any list of stats you choose. You decide whether to view
the stats in highest-to-lowest or lowest-to-highest format. The general manager
mode now includes a full-screen player editor to replace the one-at-a-time
editor from the old game. You can control the colors of the uniforms for each
team. You have full control over a greater number of fence sections when
building your park. The list goes on and on.

 Of course, as in all new releases, there are a few problems. Gone is the
familiar WEAVER.SET file for controlling game configuration options. Now there
is a series of command-line parameters to adjust game options. These parameters
control the sound toggle, announcer on/off, mode of operation, graphics control,
etc. However, you may no longer choose default teams at startup, nor can you
choose to automatically default to the one-pitch mode. A few of the new features
are buggy, but nothing so devastating that it takes away from the new
functionality.

 EARL WEAVER BASEBALL V. 1.5 is a tremendous value, and well worth the price of
the upgrade for current owners. New players will find in version 1.5 just about
everything they could ask for in a baseball simulation. Yet because Electronic
Arts has numbered this version 1.5 rather than 2.0, one must wonder whether a
more advanced version is in the works. Even with all the improvements, there are
some very handy options that could be added. Will we be able to print secondary
positions and ratings on reports? Will we be able to retain season-by-season
player files and summarize to display career averages for players? Will the
baseball simulation fanatics of the world _ever_ get everything they want in one
computer baseball game? Only time will tell...until then, we've got EARL WEAVER
BASEBALL V. 1.5, and it's about as good as it gets.

 1989 STATISTICS DISK NOTES

 Each year, Electronic Arts and Mirage Graphics join forces to bring all of the
EARL WEAVER BASEBALL fans up to date with the prior season's statistics. This
usually occurs just before the beginning of the next year's real-time baseball
season. Although this is later than most of us would like to receive them,
they're usually worth the wait.

 The statistics are accurate, complete, and meticulously prepared. EARL WEAVER
BASEBALL, being a stat-intensive game, requires more statistics than the average
fan has at his fingertips -- and certainly more than anyone wants to take the
time to enter manually. All of the usual stats (AB, BA, HR, SO, etc.) are
combined with the more obscure split stats (performance versus
left-handers/right-handers) and ratings for each player in order to provide
realistic action with the EARL WEAVER BASEBALL simulation.

 The American and National Leagues are set up in the files included on the
diskette, with each team appearing in its proper division. The home ball parks
for each team are also included, as well as six other parks, ranging from old
time parks (the Polo Grounds) to Earl Weaver-designed parks (Weaver Stadium) to
imaginary parks (Mirage Stadium). One interesting omission, however, is the Sky
Dome in Toronto: Exhibition Stadium is included as the home park for the Blue
Jays, so the Sky Dome should have been included as one of the extra parks. (The
Jays moved to that park in the second half of the season.)

 The packaging is top-notch, in accordance with the redesigned packaging
Electronic Arts featured when it released version 1.5 of the game. Electronic
Arts promotes all of the EWB programs/utilities/statistics as "The System," and
packages them in such a way that they truly appear related. Also included is a
small manual explaining installation instructions, rating definitions, and notes
on statistics. There are two editions of the statistics files on the diskette:
one for Versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the game, and another for Version 1.5. Whichever
version you're using, you'll find the 1989 STATISTICS DISK a worthwhile addition
to your EARL WEAVER BASEBALL System.

 EARL WEAVER BASEBALL V. 1.5 and the EARL WEAVER 1989 STATISTICS DISK are
published and distributed by Electronic Arts.

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