 PolarWare
The company was called Penguin
Software Inc until late 1985.
All the PolarWare adventures were written with a development
system called Comprehend. This system was completed about at the
same time as the name change, and all the games released under the
PolarWare name were written using Comprehend and marketed as
"Comprehend Interactive Novels".
Mark Pelczarski was in
charge of the company until Talisman was released. PolarWare was
bought up sometime around 1988.
Packaging information
The original PolarWare games, plus the rewrites in Comprehend,
were in top/bottom boxes (7 1/2" X 9") with foam inserts and were
a little more Infocom-y in their packaging elements (impressively
so, considering how cheap they sold the games).
PolarWare has a homepage at http://www.magictree.com/.
For more information, see Penguin Software Inc.
Transylvania
Type: Graphics
Written 1985 by Antonio Antiochia in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: This was the first Comprehend game released and was a rewrite
of the Penguin
Software release of the same name.
This version had a few puzzles different (the nailed coffin, a
moved cross) compared to the Penguin Software version.
For more information, see Penguin Software Inc
Transylvania II: The Crimson Crown (aka The Crimson Crown: Further Adventures in Transylvania)
Written 1985 by Antonio Antiochia and Dallas Snell [animations] in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: This game was never released by Penguin, but was the first
Comprehend release.
The Apple II version comes on one 5 1/4" disk. It comes with a
12 page parchment Journal, as chronicled by His Majesty's
Loyal Chamberlain Mikhail and a 15" x 11" fold-out parchment
map "Courtesy Wallachian Chamber Von Commerce".
Comments: First half takes place in the much the same world as
Transylvania I. Along with playing the hero of the first game,
you also take along the Princess Sabrina and her brother,
Prince Erik, in this one. Destroy your arch nemesis, that
pesky vampire, before he learns the secret of the Crimson
Crown and becomes the ruler of Transylvania.
The Coveted Mirror
Type: Graphics
Written 1986 by Eagle I. Burns and Holly Thomason in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: This is a rewrite in Comprehend of the Penguin Software game of
the same title. Some of the puzzles are different in this
version, compared to the Penguin version. It has a different
title sequence and the arcade sequences are removed
altogether.
The package contains a star chart, a recipe card for an
Invisibility Potion, and a manual, The Legend of the Coveted
Mirror.
As of 1987, it was only released for the Apple II. A 1987
PolarWare catalogue states that it's soon to be coming to
other platforms, but it doesn't say which. One of PolarWare's
outside programmers broke an agreement, walked away with the
advance payments, and left them with nearly finished but
unreleasable versions of the game for Amiga, Atari ST, and
Macintosh.
For more information, see Penguin Software Inc
 Oo-Topos
Type: Drawn graphics
Written 1986 by Michael Berlyn, Muffy Berlyn, Raimund Redlich [graphics] and Brian Poff [graphics] in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: This is a rewrite in Comprehend of a text-only game of the
same name published by Sentient Software.
Comments: After being captured by space pirates, you must find a way to
avoid the aliens, locate your ship and escape.
For more information, see Sentient Software
Talisman: Challenging the Sands of Time
Written 1987 by Bruce "Xerxes" Hoffman, Raimund Redlich [graphics] and Brian Poff [graphics] in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: Package contains a "Rub Me" lamp button, Muhammad's Market
catalogue, and a gold Arabian Express credit card.
Comments: During the Persian Empire, you and your trusty vizor sidekick,
Abu, must find an ancient Talisman that has the power to
destroy an evil genie who is devastating the land.
Transylvania III: Vanquish the Night
Written around 1988 by Antonio Antiochia in Comprehend.
Runs on:
Notes: This was the last Comprehend release.
Frank and Ernest's Adventure
Type: Graphics
Written by Dav Holle in Comprehend.
Notes: Based on the comic strip by Bob Thaves. This was never
released.
Margaritaville Adventure
Written by Jimmy Buffett in Comprehend.
Notes: Jimmy Buffett has a movie planned and although PolarWare had
the storyline for the game all set, the film people wanted to
wait on the contract until the movie was set and unfortunately
that never happened.
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