text:
Excitement and adventure to take away
DYNAMIX * £34.99 * 1 meg * Mouse * Out now
It's been a long time since my buck was swashed, I can tell you. Yes indeed, missus. In fact, I think it's safe to say that the last game that even made my swash feel remotely bucked up was Monkey Island. And that was ages and ages ago.
So as you can imagine, my swash and buckle were both feeling a little bit down in the dumps. I tried to cheer them up. Y'know, get them swashing and bucking again. I watched all the Indiana Jones films. I even watched loads of those stupid black-and-white cliff-hanger Republic serials, but to no avail. My swash was all bucked out and my buck was swash-less.
So it was a great boost to my ailing adrenalin glands to receive Heart of China. My swash and buckle perked right up. You see, Heart of China is set in the 1930s. And it's all about rescuing a damsel in distress from a ruthless warlord. And it's got ninjas. And tanks, planes and trains. And all the characters are digitised from real life actors.
And for once, it's a game that's as good as it sounds. Swashbuckling and buckleswashing all over the place, I promise you.
It all starts when the ever-lovely Nurse Kate Lomax is kidnapped while doing lots of great work for charidee, by fiendish and thoroughly boo-worthy warlord Li Deng. Kate's dad and allround beastly property baron, one Mr Eugene Adolphous Lomax III, gets a bit narked byt his and so decides to force "Lucky" Jake Masters to rescue her.
Jake's our hero, a down-on-his-luck fly boy, and he also owes Eugene loads of dosh. And just to make sure that Jake doesn't refuse this mission, Eugene blows up Jake's house boat. Fair Enough.
Thus, Jake finds himself scouring the streets and bars of Hong Kong for the last remaining ninja mister. Zhao Chi Only Chi can guide Jake to Li Deng's fortress, and besides, it's always handy to have a ninja close to hand in a scrap. And here we must jump into Jake's shoes and find the ninja, rescue the dame, kill the bad guys and survive till the end credits.
The action is controlled in true graphic adventure-style, by using the mouse pointer to explore your surroundings, and select various actions. And the interface used in Heart of China is excellent. Although at first glance it seems a bit daunting, and unfortunately the manual doesn't make it sound any easier, you soon get the hang of it.
The good thing about this all-new control system is that it allows you to check out each location just by moving the pointer over anything that looks interesting, and so you can immediately get an idea of what options are open to you. This is because as the pointer moves over something of note, the pointer changes to show you what you can do with it. So over a person it becomes a speech icon, over a door it becomes an exit sign and so on. It means that you'll never be sitting around wondering which things you can interact with and which are scenery. Which is rather nice isn't it?
And for all the complete thickies out there in Complete Thickieland the manual rather helpfully contains a step by step guide for the first few puzzles and tasks, including how to find Chi and convince him to join you.
This should help even the most clueless player get the hang of things and set off on their own, and of course, for the clever-dicks, you can just try it without any help. And you deserve everything you get. Smarty boots.
So, this Heart of China lark, what's it like, eh? Well, unless you're blind - in which case you'll probably have trouble reading this anyway - you'll already have noticed that there's a whopping Gamer Gold plastered somewhere around here. And that might give you a clue as to what I think of this game. I like it, in case you hadn't guessed.
The graphics are stunning. Lush, colourful backgrounds are populated with digitised actors, who have been retouched to they blend in with the backgrounds - even if Jake still bears an uncanny resemblance to Kurt Russell.
This inspired blending of real people and hi-res backgrounds gives the game a wonderfully rich feel, and adds no end to the all-important atmosphere.
TO add to the sheer glossiness of it all, a lot of the scenes are animated with people walking about and so on, which takes this from being your standard "clicking on a pretty picture" adventure to being an "interactive movie-type experience sort of thing". A big thumbs up for the way the game looks, then.
Sound-wise, you get plenty of oriental mood music, although sound effects are fairly thin on the ground. Ultimately, the music is just there to give your ears something to do, and it helps to cement the atmosphere already created by the graphics. And let's face it, if you did have loads of FX the game would probably just slow down to a crawl, and nobody wants that, now do we?
In the end though, it's the variety that keeps you glued. Even once you've rescued Kate, that's only part of the game. You'll have to go on to adventures in Istanbul, Katmandu and even on the Orient Express before your quest is completed.
At least if the manual's to be believed. Plus! There are arcade sequences including a tank simulation and a fist fight on top of a speeding train. Blimey. Thank God for the Save Game feature, eh?
Now put on your serious hats while we try and find something to moan about (Quick head scratching session). OK, the biggest grumble I can come up with is that the whole caboodle comes on a mammoth nine disks. Nine disks!
You can play it from floppy, but be prepared to swap until you're blue in the wrist. Hard drive installation is best as it speeds things right up, but then not everybody has a hard drive do they?
So, the price for such a huge game is that the box weighs a ton due to the piles of disks inside. And you'll probably spend more time swapping disks than playing the game if you aren't blessed with a hard drive.
All in all, Heart of China is one helluva game. It's big beyond the boundaries of conventional bigness and it looks and plays like a rather wonderful dream. A definite "must buy" for hard drive owners, and a worthwhile purchase for the more patient floppy drive users. Get out there and swash with your buckle until it drops off.
Clear instruments, reasonable screen updates.
Just what can you do with a jet?
Play? Grrrr.
Like the real thing, long trips can be tedious.
Reviewed by Daniel Whitehead for Amiga Computing, pp.86-87, Issue 48, May 1992
It's not just in Bond and Indiana Jones moviews where the guy always gets the girl. In Dynamix's latest release, you're given the chance to play hero and get a sweetheart as well. Can't be bad!
The first thought that comes to mind is the sheer weight of the whole package. In fact, ripping it open you'd expect to find a massive novel-style adventure manual inside that needs reading to get even the faintest idea of how to tackle your impending task. Surprisingly though, there's only a small manual and a travel guide (more about this later). Oh yes - and the game itself , the source of the weight: a massive nine disks! Definitely a game for those with two drives, preferably four (the maximum you can have), but ideally, of course, a fast hard drive with around 7-8Mb of space. This is a mega game!
A view to a kill
Heart Of China is an adventure game, but with a difference: It uses a game-playing method, like its predecessor Rise Of The Dragon, called the Dynamix Game Development System (DGDS to its chums). But what does this mean to a gaming rookie? The DGDS allows you to interact with the background and other players as you would in real life.
The way it works is amazing. An intelligent pointer changes its shape as you move it around the screen via the mouse (or a joystick and keyboard combination) into various shapes indicating what can be done at each point. Whether you can exit the scene from that point, or push something are all indicated, with a very intuitive feel to it.
It's so easy to use, yet powerful, allowing you to do just about anything a wannabe-hero would want to.
In the game, the view you take is in the first person, i.e. what you see is what you get, unlike The Secret Of Monkey Island where you take a second-person perspective view. You see the world around you from your eyes, and if you want to pick something up, that is what you do. You just point to the object with your mouse and drag it towards you (a little effigy on the screen).
Communicating with people is easy. Just click on who yo want to talk to, and you'll swiftly find yourself in deep conversation (assuming the other party wants to talk to you, that is). No typing is required at any stage because the whole adventure can be controlled entirely by the mouse. Die-hard adventure fans needn't worry that this means you have less control. On the contrary, the game feels as if you really are in the thick of the action, and quick reactions are needed - which are often impossible on your standard text adventure.
Jake 'Lucky' Masters is like any other movie hero. He's been forced into the task of rescuing the beautiful Katherine Lomax, due to circumstances out of his control. The man with the gun at this head is Kate's dad, Eugene Adolphous Lomax the Third, a man of great wealth and power. Why? Money> In most things Jake is lucky, but when it comes to finances, he doesn't live up to his name.
Lucky's an air pilot by profession. At the time of Kate's kidnapping by the goons hired by the powerful Li Deng, Lucky had been operating a shady tour scheme, flying tourists around China for a living. Not being a very profitable business, he took out loans from EA Lomax, to keep it running. Lucky's the kind of arrogant person who would keep an operation running even if it was costing him, just for the sheer fun of it - he loved flying.
The DGD System allows you to do just about anything a wanna-be hero would want to.
I have a cunning plan...
Being one of Lomax's biggest debtors, and perhaps the most suited person in Lomax's books for the job, Lucky is given the opportunity to clear his debts and perhaps even earn a bit of money and respect. How? By rescuing his daughter, Kate, from the clutches of Li Deng before he has his way with her.
Before you can set off on your way to Li Deng's fortress in Chengdu, you must enlist some help. This help comes (if you can persuade him) from Zhao Chi, the only ninja in China at the time, who also owes Lomax money. He is given the same opportunity of cancelling his debts by aiding Lucky with his task. Be warned though - Chi can take some persuading...
However, once by your side, this is where your globe-spanning epic journey begins. Don't forget to take with you your travel guide (the little pamphlet in the box) then you will not go far wrong, because it contains some facts that might even give you a few pointers on how to proceed. But do not rely on it 100 per cent...
Playing Jake Masters can be an amazingly funny experience. The things you do can lead in all different directions, because the game doesn't actually have any predetermined course that has to be taken. As you progress, choices have to be made that affect the rest of the game. One good point of the DGDS playing method is that the game actually tells you when you have taken a path in the game that could have been taken differently. This plot indicator doesn't actually tell you what you've done, or what could have been done, but just that you had the option of doing tasks differently. This is most clearly indicated by how you treat Kate once (if) you have managed to rescue her.
When you are dealing with anyone it has to be done carefully, because all the characters have a long memory. They do not easily forget if you've been frightfully dreadful to them in the past, but they can be most willing to return favours if they are treated well. They behave just as you would expect them to and have their own kind of human nature. Do you trust everyone or no-one? Self preservation is the key, and sometimes this can be hard.
Feeling lucky tonight?
Getting other people to do some of your dirty work for you is an essential part of the game, and everyone has a price, but money is not always payment enough. In this story, the hero doesn't necessarily get the girl. It all depends on how you deal with your leading lady as to whether or not there is going to be any romance in the air.
Lucky and Kate have a love-hate, cat-and-dog sort of relationship, and when you're up in the skies, flying to a new destination, you can check how well the two are getting on by activating the 'Romance-o-meter'. This shows you their inner thoughts about each other and spending on the score you can decide whether to let Jake try out a bit of seduction. Or instead you can break the age old 'hero-always-gets-the-girl' tradition and do your own thing, if you're that kind of guy. It's up to you; such is the beauty of this game - you can do what you want (any old time).
The control is refined in the sections of the game where you are actually speaking to others. Instead of choosing to say something, you can choose where the general flow of the conversation is going via a simple multiple choice selector containing a few different responses.
Again it doesn't matter which way you choose to go (except at certain places), because the game gels itself around the options you choose. Although it's probably best not to be too arrogant and generally go with the flow. You could of course be totally obnoxious or sycophantic, it's up to you. You could still finish, but you might have a little less money. The longer you take, the less of a reward you'll get, with money literally flying away at a rate of £20,000 a day!
It feels as if you really are in the thick of the action - quick reactions are needed
Every picture...
Heart of China is beautiful. The graphics are absolutely superb, they have a painterly quality about them, with a combination of touched-up digitised graphics and excellent hand-drawn backgrounds. From a distance they look amazing, and close-up there's plenty of detail that adds an outstanding, realistic feel to the whole game.
It's not all static graphics though, as one would expect from any ordinary adventure, no, there are proper animation sequences that are spread throughout the game. These take the form of excellent 'meanwhile' sequence that show you what else is happening around you, or as a direct result of some of your actions. There are even a couple of arcade sequences in the game, with selectable difficulty levels to add variety to the game. These can actually be skipped if they prove too hard to handle.
The sounds in the game are something to write home about, with an atmospheric soundtrack that fondles your ears and reflect the current mood of the game, and first-rate effects to match. So good in fact, you should hear them on a hi-fi in stereo for full benefit.
In fact everything about the game is so slick and lifelike, that you'll often find yourself writhing with laughter when you do something funny that turns out, quite candidly, how you expected it to, or disappointed when you know you've made an erroneous decision that doesn't work out the way that you had planned it. It's wise to save your game regularly. It needs at least 1Mb of memory, but for those with more memory, the game fully utilises the extra space by loading in better samples, and to speed up the game in general, keeps as much in memory as possible.
All good things must...
The adventure-without-typing format is becoming really popular with a whole load of recent releases (e.g. Cruise for a Corpse). Dynamix have produced an adventure that is a dream to play. The story blends together around your actions so well, you'd misled into believing that things were meant to happen the way you choose them to. There is not actually much to fault Heart Of China, it's a joy to play. There hasn't been a game to get you hooked like this for quite a while now.
The only niggle is length. The game is massive - on nine disks it would have to be! Looking in the manual and seeing a list of credits for all the characters in the game shows you just how big the game is, with you only ever seeing a percentage of them in any game.
The thing is that a lot of the data is taken up with all this, all the multiple scenarios and different routes that could be taken, which means that the game is not as long as perhaps it could have been. It's also a bit too easy to complete. This is mainly because of the intuitive way that the game works, with a lot of your options being dead logical and some puzzles turning out to be not very difficult to solve due to the nature of the control system.
All in all however, it's a thoroughly enjoyable romp around the world, from China to Paris never looking back. Satisfaction guaranteed. Oh and by the way, I did get the girl. (Say no more! - Ed).
Heart of China
Dynamix/Sierra * £34.99
Intuitive and fast control system makes playing the game very easy.
The way you can do what you want makes the game very accessible and fun to play.
Very rewarding when things work out just right through all your own decisions.
Good long-term playability, with many 'what if'paths to go down and explore.
You'll want more of the same soon.
Reviewed by Asam Ahmad for Amiga Format, pp.56-58, Issue 32, March 1992
An sich ist es ja schon fast ein Sonderangebot: Sage und schreibe neun Disketten bekommt man hier für einen knappen Hunni - und ein richtiges Spiel ist sogar auch noch drauf! Wen stört es da, daß bei unserem Testmuster die neunte Disk kaputt war?
Bei der Masse des Gebotenen sollte man auch wirklich nicht kleinlich sein, vor allem weil hier - ganz im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen "Multidisk-Games" - die Spielbarkeit auch für Nichtfestplattenbesitzer einigermaßen gewährleistet ist. Trotzdem verbessert eine HD-Installation die Handhabung natürlich schlagartig, fallen damit doch etliche Kunstpausen unter den Tisch. Andererseits haben Pessimisten ja schon behauptet, das chinesische Herzchen könnte gar nicht vom PC umgesetzt werden...
Alles Kokolores, selbst als plattenloser Amigianer wandert man nun ziemlich problemlos (mit Maus, Stick oder Keyboard) durchs Abenteuerland, was allerdings nicht zuletzt an den vergleichsweise geringen Handlungsmöglichkeiten liegt. Überhaupt ist das Spiel nicht nur leicht zu bedienen, sondern auch relativ leicht zu lösen - und das, obwohl man hier gleich in drei verschiedene Rollen schlüpfen kann bzw. muß: Da wäre einmal der eigentliche Held, seines Zeichens Pilot und Bobby-Detektiv.
Es wird von einem geheimnisvollen Freund begleitet, der aufgrund seiner speziellen (Ninja-) Fähigkeiten bei manchen Passagen das Kommando übernehmen muß. Fehlt noch die Person, die für das ganze Unternehmen letztlich verantwortlich ist - Kate, Krankenschwester Tochter eines amerikanischen Großindustriellen und last not least Entführungsopfer.
Drei Digi-Tage hat man insgesamt Zeit, um Gegenstände einzusammeln, mit unzähligen Leuten zu quatschen, per Flugzeug oder Orient-Express durch die Gegend zu reisen und einige simple Actionssequenzen (Boxen, Panzerfahren) zu bestehen. Dabei staunt man weniger über die etwas schwachbrüstige Komplexität, denn über die spielfilmartige Präsentation à la "Rise of the Dragon".
Einmal mehr hat Dynamix echte Schauspieler gefilmt und anschließend in die gezeichneten Hintergründe eingepaßt - der Effekt ist schon mehr als beeindruckend! Der 32 Farben-Modus des Amiga wird voll ausgenutzt, das Scrolling ist sanft und die Animationen vom edelsten. Damit das Spiel auch in der höchsten Animationsstufe einwandfrei läuft, benötigt man allerdings ein volles Megabyte Chip-RAM (wie es z.B. der neue A 500 Plus hat), aber auch mit einem stinknormalen 1 MB-Arbeitsspeicher sieht die Sache nicht viel schlechter aus.
Die stimmungsvolle und ständig wechselnde Begleitmusik ist so oder so hervorragend, wenn auch nicht ganz so gut wie bei 'Rise of the Dragon"...
Kurzum, Heart of China ist ein simpel zu bedienendes Einstieger-Adventure, das vor allem Orientfans ins Herz schließen werden. Oder anders: ein wunderschöner Kinofilm zum Mitmachen! Und Hand auf's China-Herz - welcher Film dauert schon ewig? (mm)
Spezialität: 1 MB erforderlich, Zweitlaufwerk wird unterstützt, deutsche Anleitung.
Grafik: 92%
Sound: 80%
Handhabung: 74%
Spielidee: 70%
Dauerspaß: 59%
Preis/leistung: 68%
Red. Urteil: 70%
Preis: ca 99,- DM
Hersteller: Dynamix/Sierra
Genre: Abenteuer
Reviewed by Max Magenauer for Amiga Joker, p.96, Issue 02-92, February 1992
Let Sierra take you back to pre-WW2 China, a land of hired assassins, mysterious European exiles, and hot-headed young heroes like this 'Lucky' Jake Masters...
Ever wanted to play those new fangled CD-based adventure games? Well now you can, and without needing a CD drive or a single shiny disk either. Hey, wait there! I know you think I'm blabbering on incoherently, but give me a moment to explain. Imagine that if in place of photographed stills (as in CDTV games such as Psycho Killer - a really terrifying game, and no mistake), an adventure sort of thing were to use digitised graphics - with artwork for backdrops and real people in costume for the characters. It's a crazy idea, but one which just might work. And funnily enough, it just about has...
Sierra's latest first-person perspective graphic-adventure-novel, simulation-cinematic experience takes the game engine used in the earlier Rise Of The Dragon one step further.
Bolted onto this system is an adventure which recalls the wonderful days of Tales Of The Gold Monkey (an excellent-ish Indy-style TV series from the early eighties) and High Road To China (y'know, that daft Tom Selleck yarn) - weird when you consider that Rise Of The Dragon owed more than a little to Black Rain (another flick with a Chinese backdrop, this time moodily directed by Ridley Scott).
CLAM CHOWDER, REASON & PLOT
But anyway, back to the huge (i.e. hard drive very, very highly recommended) hulk of an adventure in hand. The plot (for plot is all important in these things) concerns 'Lucky' Jake Masters - an apple-pie eating, all-American xenophobic in the land of honour, humility and a thoroughly evil dictator.
This particularly unsavoury character has kidnapped Nurse Kate Lomax - a benevolent girl, whose mission in life is to help the Chinese peasants (and win a Nobel peace prize). The game commences at the dock, where you receive a directive from shady businessman Lomax (father of Nurse Kate, funnily enough) to check out a ninja guy by the name of Chi, before getting the hell out of town to rescue his daughter. Once the honourable Chi has been recruited, it's onto the airport, where Lucky's trusty plane awaits, ready to take the intrepid pair to the evil warlord's fortress, and deeper into action, adventure, and other dynamic words beginning with 'a'.
And so, in time honoured fashion, we come to the control system, Hearts Of China follows current trends by dispensing entirely with the laborious task of typing. Instead there are certain conversations where the player chooses one of selection of set answers, and others which flow without any input form the player.
Added to this is a pretty unobtrusive object manipulation system, allowing (say) a rope and grappling hook to be fastened together, clothes to be worn, guns to be held, etc, all using the mouse pointer. It's all remarkably user-friendly - there's nothing worse than a game engine which spoils the flow of play, and thankfully Hearts Of China doesn't suffer from this at all (which is more than can be said of the Sierra releases of a year or two ago). Although the linear nature of the game is often too evident, the feeling that you're actually taking aprt in a Boy's Own escapade is still pretty strong.
It feels like taking part in a Boy's Own escapade
YOU WILL FLIP OVER THIS ONE
Heart Of China not only uses all the established ideas of modern graphic adventures, but it even manages to build on them. Flipping control between the hot-headed Lucky and the calm and collected Chi is a cool idea, and it's not just a gimmick - many of the puzzles actually require the use of a particular character's abilities. The inclusion of action sequences, while not exactly original, seems to fit in better than usual too.
They feel like a natural progression for the game to take, rather than a tacky, crowd-pleasing add-on to the basic adventure structure. So what's wrong with it? Well, one thing I'm still not convinced about is Sierra's dedication to slider menus.
When the level of on-screen detail can be adjusted using one of these things I feel the degree of user-definability is getting just a little over-the-top. I can understand floppy drive users wanted less detail to speed things up a bit, but why the program can't program can't do this automatically, or simply have an on-off system. I don't know. It just smacks of an attempt to be flash.
Still, that aside, this is a very impressive game, I wasn't expecting to find a good yarn and solid playability behind the flash control system and digitized graphics, but life's full of nice surprises.
In my last review of a Sierra game (King's Quest V) I criticised the appalling plot, and suggested that if Sierra pulled their socks up in this area, their games would improve no end. With Hearts Of China they've made that turnaround, and we must applaud them for it.
As programmers get the hang of game systems, the emphasis is put right back on the story - Hearts Of China demonstrating it perfectly. For anyone with one meg and a hard drive this can be thoroughly recommended. If you don't relish the chance to play an arrogant bone-headed American egotist who gets all the best one liners you probably shouldn't be playing adventure games in the first place!
Game: Hearts Of China
Publisher: Sierra
Authors: Dynamix
Sierra are carving themselves a niche with this sort of thing. Almost European in style (Maupiti Island springs to mind), Hearts Of China offers an interesting diversion from the usual Lucasfilm approach to graphic adventures. Neat.
UPPERS Beautiful 'painted' backdrops, with just enough relevance and animation to make them justifiable, and a pretty sensible control system make Hearts Of China an enjoyable Far East romp. The good strong script is what really makes it all work, though.
DOWNERS The lack of speed, and the need for one meg and a hard drive, is going to irritate some, while the lack of real flexibility (despite the attempts at offering multiple pathways) is simply too apparent. The suspension of disbelief isn't quite sustained throughout. And there're too many sudden death situations for my liking.
Reviewed by Mark Ramshaw for Amiga Power, pp.44-45, Issue 10, February 1992
Jake Masters is one of those Americans who provide a strong case against tourism. Lud, self-confident to a ridiculous degree, and blessed with the silly nickname of 'Lucky', Jake's an adventurer, bankrupt importer, bankrupt importer, and self-appointed hero. Finding himself in Hong Kong in the 1930s with his Airborn Imports business deliberately destroyed by E.A. Lomax, a hardened rival, the former war ace decides to take up Lomax's 'offer' of a reward to rescue his kidnapped daughter, Kate.
Kate is a do-gooder nurse, snatched from the hospital where she was tending sick children - naturally - by the evil henchmen of Li Deng, the area's major crimelord.
Lucky's task revolves around freeing her from Deng's palace, but only recruiting the help of Zhao Chi, a local, Ninja. This is where Heart of China's major novely feature comes into operation: the player switches between Lucky and Chi (and Kate, once she's been rescued), because many of the situations within the game can only be solved by switching between the trio.
For instance, during a search for healing herbs, the shopkeeper, Madam Wu, is a xenophobe and refuses to sell them to Yankee Jake. However, by switching to Chi to make the initial contact any barriers will be broken and she'll talk to him. Oddly for a supposed hero, though, Jake takes a backseat to the actions of Chi and Kate later in the game.
The first stop is Li Deng's sinister Chengdu Fortress. This caomes as a slight disappointment as, after searching the building, with the exception of a few locations in the areas of Katmandu, Istanbul and the Orient Express, there's very little to see.
In addition, the lack of locations would be bearable if the puzzles offered any real challenge but, sadly, these are severally lacking, too. And this may leave some adventures feeling short-changed. To try to counter this, Dynamix have incorporated numerous ways of finishing the game, with a non-linear progression through it. Whenever the player makes a choice that takes him or her along an alternative path, a message pops up stating that you've decided to follow a particular plot branch.
In truth, there are very few chances to make 'alternative' decisions, but the idea is a nice one and will hopefully be exploited further in Dynamix's next release.
As with the company's previous foray with this system, Rise of the Dragon, HOC comes as a 1Mb-only game spanning an astounding nine disks. Unfortunately, single-drive users will find themselves swapping disks like there's no tomorrow and this interrupts the flow of the game enormously. Even with a hard drive, access time is far form quick, but is a vast improvement nonetheless.
Playing the game is simplicity itself, as the interface is a joy to use. All usable objects can be dragged around the screen, and icons at the bottom of the screen act as inventories. Clicking on Jake's portrait brings up either a quick inventory - which is used for manipulating objects - or the mains screen, which also includes a large shot of the character.
This allows you to wear items of clothing (important when infiltrating the palace) or activate weapons, and so on. This may limit the numbers of actions you can perform (even more so than Sierra's SCI interface) but, on the plus side, it makes playing the game considerably easier.
The period flavour of HOC is its strangest aspect, along with the Indiana Jones plot - although the pseudo-mystical and religious overtones are thankfully missing. Dialogue is a scream, and Lucky can't help winding up up people with his 'Oh, yeah?' attitude, while the usually silent Chi has a sardonic sense of humour.
If presentation is important to you, then this is the best adventure on the Amiga. The music, from dramatic scores to eastern tunes, sound superb when played through a stereo system, but my monitor fails to do it justice.
The graphical style works much better than in Rise of the Dragon, and from the intro sequence to the finale the game is a wonder to behold. The price for all this though - in money, access time and disk-swapping - is hard to justify in my opinion. Unless you're a total newcomer to the genre, I'd think long and hard before spending the money on Heart of China.
GETTING IN ON THE ACT
Heart of China's original incarnation on the PC featured the use of live actors for truly gasp-inducing graphic images. Over eighty actors were cast and decked out in period costumes, filmed in front of white backdrops. Their digitised images were then superimposed over painted scenery.
The shooting took well over a year, running simultaneously with the programmers' work of creating the actual game system. Despite the amazing success of the project, though, the filming wasn't without certain hitches: the actress playing Kate Lomax, Kimberly Greenwood, discovered she was pregnant a couple of months into shooting, and recasting and re-filming was deemed to expensive at that point. So tricks were used to hide her ever-apparent bump, to the extent of hiding it with cushions, retouching the images on computer, and so on.
Unfortunately, the Amiga palette doesn't run to these feats, so we're stuck with drawn representations of the actors!
SIERRA £35.99
Slender but visually stunning game...
Reviewed by for , , Issue ,
Sierra/Dynamix/Amiga/£34.99/Out now
Old Chinese proverb say: "Man who left heart in San Francisco incorrect. Man come to China and leave not only heart, but kidneys, liver and nail clippings also." Spook.
Amaya: When Dynamix's Heart Of China appeared on the PC last year, it was a magical mix of breathtakingly beautiful scenes packed with adventure, puzzle-solving, arcade action, a girl, a hero, a death-defying ninja and, not surprisingly, rather a lot of Chinese people.
The graphics were superb. Painstaking care had been taken to film real actors and their movements and digitize them into the game. Playing the game was akin to watching a film, except we were spared the likes of Jeff Bridges, Jane Seymour and David Yp (kindly slotting his part in between Brookside and a new series of The Chinese Detective). But I digress... because the burning question is: (no, no, not will there be a sequel to Jamaica Inn?) but is the Amiga version as rip-roaringly smart as the PC version? Well, I'm going to end this paragraph on a cliffhanger - i.e. you're going to have to read on to find out.
The place is Hong Kong, the year 1928. You start the game as Jake Masters, World War One flying ace and arrogant git. If anyone deserves a smack in the marth it's Jake and no mistake. He's also decided to throw caution to the wind and has taken to calling himself "Lucky". In addition old Chinese proverb say: "Never trust American with poncey haircut and furry jacket."
By a cruel twist of fate, Lucky has become a lackey (ho ho) to tycoon Eugene Lomax as Nurse Kate has been kidnapped by the tyrant Li Ding. He's offering a massive financial reward and Jake's massive er... debts make him the man for the job. However, old American proverb say: "Always get one of those cute, handy ninjas to do your dirty work."
So your task is to find a ninja so helpful he could rustle up a chop suey quicker than you can say Hong Kong Phooey. If you're as skill as I was, you'll find Zhao Chi no problem and convince him to ninja on down in hot pursuit of Nurse Kate. Getting him to set foot in "metal bird" (Mandarin for aeroplane) may prove more difficult.
Once achieved, the pair of you can then trek off to rescue Kate and the neat thing is you can swop between playing the loud-mouthed American or the astute Chinaman by simply clicking on the face icon at the bottom of the screen. Indeed you'll have to adopt this Psycho-like multi-personality if you're to have any chance of completing the game. And later on you'll even get to play Jane Seymour, er, I mean Nurse Kate.
The game has the possibility of several endings and a rather spooky signpost appears to warn you about a new plot branch. The control system is easy to master. Use your mouse to click on the response you want, click on the Lucky or Chi icon to call up their respective inventories or arm them and click around the screen to find useful objects or the exits.
My main reservation about this game is that it's not very difficult. Adroit adventurers may also find it lacking in the longevity stakes. However, it's a sheer joy to play if only to experience the cinematic graphics, atmospheric sound track, fab arcade actions sequences (which appear as a welcome surprise) and the imaginative touches like when Chi and a mate speak unintelligibly in Chinese.
I played this game from a hard disk but be warned, Heart Of China comes on nine disks so it's bound to be plagued by loading waits. Nevertheless, on the Amiga it's well worth its weight in yen. Ha soh.
GRAPHICS 90 SOUND 87 OVERALL
ADDICTIVENESS 88 EXECUTION 86 90
Reviewed by Amaya Lopez for ZERO, p.66, Issue 28, February 1992

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Ireland Hotels Mayo Belleek Castle
Garrenkeal, Ballina, County Mayo,Ireland. - 2.9km to City/Town Centre
St. Muredach's Cathedral 54.113207 -9.150456 St. Muredach's Cathedral - km
About Belleek Castle
Belleek Castle, County Mayo is one Ireland's historic stately homes, expertly restored as a hotel by Marshall Doran in the 1960's. The Boutique Hotel is a member of the prestigious 'Michelin Guide'. It is 40 minutes drive from Knock Airport and it is set in the middle of Belleek Woods beside Ballina, the Salmon Capital of Ireland. Belleek Castle is cosy & friendly, rich in antiquities with many open log fires to warm you by in the colder months of the year. All the charming rooms throughout Belleek are stunning to view creating a wonderful homely and tranquil atmosphere for all our guests not unlike the original setting of original Belleek Manor House in the 19th century. The rooms are individually furnished with antiquities and period decor such as the beautiful wood carved four-poster beds to keep the romantic spirit of the Castle alive. International golf courses, world-class salmon fishing & shooting, scenic walks, cycling and historic sites all close by. Local chef Stephen Lenahan leads the kitchen team at Belleek Castle and his philosophy is to use classic and imaginative cooking with local, seasonal ingredients from our land, sea and air combining a depth of flavor with the traditions of the castle. The elegance and splendor of our Library Restaurant is the perfect place for our elaborate 2AA Rosette cuisine. Belleek Castle is known for their award-winning food and their attentive and unpretentious hospitality winning the 'Best Customer Service in Mayo & Connaught' award at the Irish Restaurant Awards and 'Best Restaurant in Connaught' at the Good Eating Guide Awards in 2017. From 2014 to 2016 the Library Restaurant also won 'Best Hotel Restaurant in Mayo & Connaught' at the Irish Restaurant Awards. There is a Castle Tour available which includes an explanation of the history and origins of Belleek Castle. Learn about the Knox-Gore family who lived here in the 19th Century and the life of Marshall Doran who restored Belleek Castle to its former glory. You will get to see the Marshall Doran Collection where you will see one of the largest collections of antiques, Jurassic fossils and medieval weapons and armour in Ireland. See and feel up close the weaponry of the medieval soldier. Belleek Castle is famous as a magical wedding experience with various venues available for weddings and civil ceremonies. Weddings of up to 200 guests can be accommodated in the new ceremony room in the renovated 19th Century stables, which have been given a rustic design. The Medieval Banqueting Hall with its stone arched vaults and opulent decor sets the perfect scene for an Irish medieval banquet. The banquet can be enhanced with the addition of a pig roasted on the spit in front of the 13th Century fireplace. The wedding team makes sure that all wedding couples get full attention and a truly bespoke wedding day! For wedding enquiries email weddings@belleekcastle.eu for details.
St. Muredach's Cathedral ( km)
Tom Ruane Park ( km)
Rosserk Friary ( km)
Foxford Woollen Mills Visitor Centre ( km)
Killala Tower ( km)
Mayo North Family Heritage Centre ( km)
Errew Abbey ( km)


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Celebrating KMR's 30-year anniversary takes a back seat for team owner Jeff Stone. He has established a reputation for not only developing race cars, but also the drivers who race them.
Continuing that effort, Stone was on hand for the recent Formula 1 event at Silverstone which also featured the Porsche Supercup Championship. The visit was just another chapter in a relentless effort to foster the career development of KMR drivers, in this case 2017 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama champion driver Jake Eidson.
KMR has a well-earned reputation for looking for young talent and then continuing to help them throughout their career. Central to that progress is the role relationships play with both the parents of the young drivers as well as the sponsors and charity initiatives that KMR takes on to support them.
Racing for Children's is the centerpiece of the team's current championship-contending youngster Roman De Angelis, who has two wins so far in the 2018 GT3 Cup Challenge USA and had one win in the 2018 Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama, which wrapped up last month. His Porsche GT3 Cup machine carries the handprints of young patients as a symbol of the partnership with MPT and Children's of Alabama.
"Jeff (Stone) has been an incredible partner for Racing for Children's – he is 'all in' and we feel blessed to know him and to be involved," said Greg Hodges of Racing for Children's. "I think when he toured Children's of Alabama and saw what the kids were like, what they were facing, and the courage they displayed it just captured his heart. Ever since, he's done everything in his power to support it. You couldn't ask for a better partner-everyone there has been fantastic. (KMR Logistics Manager) Charissa (Cobb), there is no end to the list of what she's taken on to make this successful.
De Angelis is hoping to extend the legacy of KMR success and has already recognized the opportunities that the team has worked to develop for him.
The Children's of Alabama KMR livery that De Angelis races with is one that has an established record of success, having won the 2017 GT3 Cup Challenge USA championship with Eidson behind the wheel. Eidson, who earned the IMSA Hurley Haywood GT3 Scholarship from IMSA, Porsche and Yokohama to be able to run the 2017 season, is now working on building his way up the Porsche ladder in Europe.
The progression from winning the scholarship to managing a championship season to building a career in Europe is all part of Stone's guidance.
"Jeff (Stone) has taken Jake under his wing and has been more hands on and involved than other teams that Jake has worked with," said Jake's father Mark Eidson. "With other teams it was more of a business relationship whereas with Jeff it's more of a family relationship.
"One of the biggest things working with Kelly Moss that really stands out to me is that I feel like more than just a team member, I feel like I am a part of a family," said Jake Eidson. "It makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger. Jeff and everyone have made me feel like I am one of them which is really comforting. They have done a ton for me off the track that really strengthens that bond.
Eidson's success in 2017 followed the fortunes of 2016 GT3 Cup Challenge USA champion Jesse Lazare, who won the championship with KMR and then moved directly to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to claim a Rolex 24 At Daytona win in his very first race on board a Porsche 911 GT3 R.
"We were very clear about what we wanted—we knew what we had with KMR and we knew we wanted to have that professionalism and the knowledge he (Stone) brings," said Jesse's father, Gordie Lazare. "This is such an expensive sport, you can't make mistakes.
That decision paid dividends not only with the championship for Lazare, but also his approach as he moved up in the sport.
That passion for his drivers must be tied with performance, and that is another important tool that KMR puts to use.
With up to seven entries for some of event weekends, the KMR roster of racers once again sees a large group of motivated racers that are making the team their home in 2018. The roster includes Alan Metni in the No. 99 VICCI Car Auctions AM Motorsports/Kelly-Moss Porsche, and the No. 61 of Scott Welham in Platinum as well as four Gold Cup entries with Greg Palmer in the No. 44; Kurt Fazekas in the No. 52; Wayne Ducote in the No. 73 and the No. 85 entry of Brent Asplundh.
Each of them have continued to develop this season with KMR support helping every driver reach new goals including wins and strengthened championship campaigns.
With a long-established history of providing their drivers with everything they need for race weekends, the KMR environment supports development for every one of their drivers, whether it is their first race weekend or their 50th.
KMR has stayed true to its Porsche roots through the decades – having competed in every single GT3 Cup Challenge USA event since the series first formed in 2005.


Sometimes just renting a car is not enough as it is not enough to test a barbeque without a sault.
To give you a complex solution TravelCar has come up with a wide range of extra services which will make your trip easier and more comfortable. You can use the services either booking online or just request it at the counter.


text:
Foreign firms to face strict checks in Russsia
Moscow, October 25:
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that his government will strictly monitor all companies, including foreign ones, for environmental violations. Several Western oil companies that control energy projects in Russia have come under intense environmental scrutiny in recent months in what analysts say reflects a Kremlin drive to increase the state role in the strategic oil and gas sector.
Putin was asked during a live, televised question-and-answer session by a resident of the Far East city of Nakhodka about foreign-led projects on the Pacific island of Sakhalin.
Putin noted that "every developed country" faces the challenge of balancing growth and environmental protection, citing a costly government decision to reroute a planned Pacific oil pipeline away from Lake Baikal.
"We will preserve Baikal, you can't measure it in money terms, it's our national heritage. The same is the case with our work in other areas, this concerns both foreign and domestic companies," Putin said.
"Environmental agencies in collaboration with ecological non-governmental organizations will thoroughly monitor compliance with current legislation," he added. The foreign energy projects facing pressure include Sakhalin-2, a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas development in Sakhalin led by Royal Dutch Shell PLC.
Sakhalin-2 is one of a handful of major field developments signed in the 1990s by BP PLC, Exxon Mobil Corp., and Total SA.
The deals - called production sharing agreements - handed control of energy projects to foreigners as a way to get them going at a time when Russia lacked the money to get them.
Slow capital spending irks FinMin Paudel


We always love family shoots in Brooklyn Bridge Park and feel so lucky we get to "work" here almost every weekend! We feel especially lucky when our families return to see us year after year and we get to see the little ones growing up.
So fun to see this little guy and how much he's grown in the past year. Can't wait to see him next year as a big brother!
And it was a special treat to see this trio since the last time we saw them was at the Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester. They were on vacation in Brooklyn, and we're so glad they had time for some photos by the "cool big bridge" that their little one had been reading about!
This little guy was barely walking last time we saw him, and this year we could barely keep up with him!
So grateful to spend our weekends with some of the same families year after year. Can't wait to see you all again next spring!


An Amtrak chartered train carrying Republican Party lawmakers to an annual retreat in Virginia struck a truck killing one and seriously injuring another on Wednesday morning in the United States.
No Republican politicians or aides were harmed beyond minor injuries, but Arizona Senator Jeff Flake told CNN one individual in the truck was killed by the impact.
The crash occurred at 11:20 a.m. near Crozet in Virginia, some 180 kilometers southwest of the Capitol.
"There is one confirmed fatality and one serious injury," Sanders said.
Mr. Trump is due to attend the retreat on Thursday.
More details to follow. Image of the crash scene from WDSU New Orleans.


text:
PromotedWorkplace
The Old Way Isn't Good Enough
The importance of building security post pandemic
Propmodo Studio· March 22, 2021
The security landscape has grown and changed as society has evolved. Office security used to be just about door locks and guards with badges in the lobby. Then, connected devices created the need for cybersecurity teams and expertise. Now, IoT building infrastructures have brought physical and cybersecurity together and the past year has presented the latest function of security: the health-safety imperative that will be a priority for security teams for the foreseeable future.
At the start of the pandemic, the lockdowns called for us to work from home, isolate ourselves from others, and cancel in-person plans. Fortunately, the end of that is near with aggressive vaccine rollouts taking place in the United States. People will soon be trickling back into offices, shopping at stores, and cautiously returning to their day-to-day routines that were put on hold exactly a year ago. After the global pandemic we collectively experienced, the expectations about safety and security have changed and security teams and the buildings they manage need to be prepared to meet these new higher standards.
The old way of thinking about building security needs an update. Threats have evolved, people are nervous, and security and facility managers have the opportunity to create an environment that is not only safe and secure, but promotes productivity, collaboration, and success. Brivo, a cloud-based security and property technology company, recently released its 2021 Smart Security Trends Report. The report revealed that 75 percent of respondents see increased importance in security since the pandemic at their organization and that nearly 30 percent do not have centralized security solutions.
For a safe return to the office, new security measures need to be in place and building occupants and their employees are looking for them. These measures are an opportunity to bring back the workforce with confidence. New technology-enabled security measures can include access control, using mobile credentials, and using the cloud for ease of remote access. "COVID and the PropTech boom were unrelated but coincidental drivers that have pushed three things to the forefront: access control in general, mobile credentials, and cloud for everything," explained Steve Van Till, President & CEO at Brivo.
Especially after last year, building occupants and companies could use less worry. There's great value in getting ahead of security concerns before we start returning to the office enmass. Right now, specifically, physical security has tangible and immediate benefits, to both the confidence and health of people who are going to start coming back to work each day. Combining mobile access control with AI-supported surveillance technology can detect whether a person entering a building is wearing personal protective equipment such as a mask before they're admitted and enforce mobile self screening before access is granted. Visitor reporting enables security professionals to configure interactive COVID-19 screening processes such as a customized questionnaire regarding the visitor's health which can help determine if they pose a potential health risk. Occupancy tracking technology allows facility managers to set occupancy limits by site based on corporate or local restrictions and track the number of people inside a facility. These capabilities support safer environments for employees to come back to.
Source: Brivo Smart Security Trends Report 2021
The case for increasing security is a solid one, and judging by the survey results, an agreed-upon one, but adoption hasn't taken off yet. What are the barriers that companies are running into? "Our respondents noted a lack of budget as the main barrier to adopting new physical security technology," said Van Till. "There is a disconnect between the understanding of the critical importance of access control, especially as organizations prepare for returning employees back to the office and allocating the appropriate budget to make the upgrades necessary to protect businesses and employees health-safety."
For something that is at top of mind with urgency as offices reopen, the lack of agreement about budget to solve security issues can be confusing. "Within IT, cloud migration is typically one of the top priorities. IT leaders understand the cost and efficiency benefits of cloud services as well as the real-time security updates that can better protect their interconnected infrastructure," said Van Till. "However, the challenge comes with the allocation of dollars as many organizations have prioritized cybersecurity technology over physical security."
It's true, the issues of cybersecurity are nothing to ignore. The recent breaches of SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange have re-elevated the public's awareness of cyber vulnerabilities and the potential exposure of confidential and sensitive information. Vulnerability, at both company and individual levels, is something to avoid and while IT teams concentrate on the cybersphere, buildings need to manage what they are able to control. "I would argue that physical security needs the investment to modernize today, in order to meet the changing dynamics of the workforce amid COVID and what comes next," said Van Till.
The popularity of cloud access control has been on the rise for years and has only been accelerated by the pandemic. Buildings are connected and interactive environments now. People now use buildings differently and have different expectations for how they exist within them, especially post pandemic. Security practices and technologies need to evolve with them; the door readers and badges of yesterday simply don't cut it in today's modern and connected world. The level of security in buildings and the safety of those within them should be understood with comprehensive and real time data so employees and management know that everything possible is being done to bring back the workforce safely. It's been a tough year, let's reopen our doors to healthy and comfortable spaces and an enjoyable return to the office.
What the Supply Chain Mess Means for HVAC Repairs
Nick Pipitone· November 1, 2021
What's Stopping Innovation in Buildings?
The Overlay Approach to Building Operations and Management
Propmodo Studio· January 27, 2021
Why Commercial Real Estate is the Perfect Use Case For No-Code Tech
Travis Barrington· November 22, 2022


The San Antonio Spurs Roll Past Houston in the Playoffs, Golden State is Next.
Thursday night in the NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals, the San Antonio Spurs were missing two of their key components as they faced the Houston Rockets. Tony Parker ( who is out with a torn quadricep) and Kawhi Leonard (who sprained his ankle in game five). Do you think that made a difference?
Not one bit, the final score was 114-75. San Antonio came out firing, as big man LaMarcus Aldridge picked up the slack and scored a season-high 34 points while grabbing 12 rebounds. You would have thought that the Rockets facing elimination from the playoffs (down three games to two) would have the advantage since the game was being played in Houston. That was not the case, the Spurs had six players score in double figures and the Rockets only had three players putting up at least ten points.
Houston appeared to look sluggish and one would wonder was the Spurs defense that intense or did the Rockets give up. Out of respect for the Rockets and the fact that we are talking about the playoffs, I would say San Antonio stepped up on defense and let their offense take care of itself. The Spurs defense was so good that "The Beard" ( James Harden ) only shot two for eleven from the floor and finished the game 19 points below his average points per game (29.5). Harden's 10 points was a season low for him and after the game, he took responsibility for the loss.
The lone bright spot for the Rockets was Trevor Ariza stepping up and scoring 20 points (nine above his average per game) and playing all but 11 minutes of the game. Clint N'Dumba-Capela tried to help by contributing 15 points, but that was simply not enough. The Spurs looked like a well-oiled machine that could not be stopped. San Antonio took control of this game from the beginning leading 61 to 42 at the half and never looking back. Aldridge got plenty of support from Jonathon Simmons ( playing for the Injured Leonard) with his 18 points. Patty Mills scored 14, Pau Gasol 10, Danny Green 10 and rookie guard DeJounte Murray added 11 points off the bench.
The Spurs now face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference final and in order for this machine to continue rolling they will definitely need Leonard back. Sunday the San Antonio and Golden State tip off game one of the final in Oakland and without Kwahi, the Spurs don't stand a chance.


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text:
Coty Completes Sale of Wella Stake to KKR
Coty receives $2.5bn in cash and retains 40% stake in Wella
Coty's financial net debt to be reduced from $7.9bn to approx. $5.0bn by end of Q2 2021; economic net debt to fall below $4.0bn
Transaction completion follows Coty's return to profit in Q1 2021
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY) (the "Company") today announced the completion, on November 30, 2020, of the sale of a majority stake in its Professional and Retail Hair business – including the Wella, Clairol, OPI and ghd brands (together, "Wella") – to KKR.
As part of the transaction, Coty has received net cash proceeds of approximately $2.5 billion, and will retain a 40% stake in the business. Coty expects to utilize approximately $2 billion of the net proceeds to pay down its Term Loans A and B on a pro rata basis, with the remainder used for general corporate purposes, including initially paying down its revolver.
Following the Wella divestment – and with expected positive cash flow in Q2 2021 – Coty is expected to reduce its financial net debt from $7.9 billion to approximately $5.0 billion. Taking into account Coty's retained 40% Wella stake (initially valued at $1.3 billion), the Company's economic net debt will stand below $4.0 billion, a substantial reduction that will enhance Coty's flexibility to invest behind key brands and navigate a dynamic operating environment.
Commenting on the announcement, Sue Y. Nabi, Coty's CEO, said:
"Today marks an important milestone in Coty's transformation and the development of a stronger, more focused and flexible business that's set up for long-term success.
"As noted on our Q1 earnings announcement, we remain relentlessly focused on maintaining diligent cost control across the company and delivering on our financial commitments. As such, the Wella divestment reflects the excellent progress being made in improving Coty's leverage profile. This substantial debt reduction will, in turn, enable us to increase investments behind our strategic priorities, including strengthening our business in core markets and categories, while simultaneously fueling our new growth engines: e-commerce & DTC, skincare, prestige make-up and Asia.
"The Wella sale is also a key part of the simplification of Coty: streamlining our structure to focus on our two core businesses: Prestige Beauty and Consumer Beauty. Nevertheless, I am very pleased that Coty will still share in Wella's success through our remaining 40% stake."
Coty's Q1 results noted that Wella's net revenue grew by 7% as salons reopened and the retail hair and nail category performed strongly.
Wella's results supported Coty's broader Q1 performance, which showed significant improvement from Q4 of FY2020 in all regions and across both Prestige and Consumer Beauty businesses. The Company reported fixed costs savings of approximately $80 million in the quarter – putting Coty on track to deliver over $200 million of savings in FY2021, while still maintaining focused marketing investments. In addition, Coty grew adjusted operating income by 24% in the quarter and saw over 50% growth of total company earnings per share (EPS).
JAB remains Coty's largest shareholder, with 50% ownership in the company, while KKR and Coty's Executive Chairman Peter Harf are the second and third largest shareholders, with a 15% and 5% stake, respectively, following the expected completion of Peter Harf's purchase of a portion of KKR's Series B preferred convertible shares.
Certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to, among other things, the use of proceeds from the sale of the Professional and Retail Hair business, including the Wella, Clairol, OPI and ghd brands (the "Wella Business") and the investment by Rainbow UK Bidco Limited (("KKR Bidco") an affiliate of funds and/or separately managed accounts advised and/or managed by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and its affiliates (collectively, "KKR")) in connection with the standalone business (the "Wella Transaction") and the expected impact of the sale and the related transition services on the Company's remaining business, the Company's future operations, financial performance and outlook for future reporting periods (including the extent and timing of revenue, expense and profit trends and changes in operating cash flows and cash flows from operating activities and investing activities) , the Company's future operations and strategy (including the expected implementation and related impact of its strategic priorities) and ongoing and future cost efficiency and restructuring initiatives and programs,. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by words or phrases, such as "anticipate", "are going to", "estimate", "plan", "project", "expect", "believe", "intend", "foresee", "forecast", "will", "may", "should", "outlook", "continue", "temporary", "target", "aim", "potential", "goal" and similar words or phrases. These statements are based on certain assumptions and estimates that we consider reasonable, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual events or results (including our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects) to differ materially from such statements, including risks and uncertainties relating to:
the Company's ability to successfully implement the separation of the Wella Business and related transition services;
the Company's relationship with KKR, whose affiliates KKR Rainbow Aggregator L.P. and KKR Bidco are respectively a significant stockholder in Coty and an investor in the Wella Business, and any related conflicts of interest or litigation;
the impact of COVID-19 (or future similar events), including demand for the Company's products, illness, quarantines, government actions, facility closures, store closures or other restrictions in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the extent and duration thereof, related impact on the Company's ability to meet customer needs and on the ability of third parties on which the Company relies, including its suppliers, customers, contract manufacturers, distributors, contractors, commercial banks and joint-venture partners, to meet their obligations to the Company, in particular collections from customers, the extent that government funding and reimbursement programs in connection with COVID-19 are available to the Company, and the ability to successfully implement measures to respond to such impacts;
the Company's ability to successfully implement its multi-year Transformation Plan, including its initiatives to further reduce the Company's cost base, and to develop and achieve its global business strategies (including mix management, select price increases, more disciplined promotions, and foregoing low value sales), compete effectively in the beauty industry, achieve the benefits contemplated by its strategic initiatives (including revenue growth, cost control, gross margin growth and debt deleveraging) and successfully implement its strategic priorities (including innovation performance in prestige and mass channels, strengthening its positions in core markets, accelerating its digital and e-commerce capabilities, building on its skincare portfolio, and expanding its presence in China) in each case within the expected time frame or at all;
managerial, transformational, operational, regulatory, legal and financial risks, including diversion of management attention to and management of cash flows, expenses and costs associated with the Company's response to COVID-19, the Transformation Plan, the transition services related to the Wella Business, the integration of the King Kylie Transaction, and future strategic initiatives, and, in particular, the Company's ability to manage and execute many initiatives simultaneously including any resulting complexity, employee attrition or diversion of resources;
global political and/or economic uncertainties, disruptions or major regulatory or policy changes, and/or the enforcement thereof that affect the Company's business, financial performance, operations or products, including the impact of Brexit (and business or market disruption arising from a "hard Brexit"), the current U.S. administration and recent election, changes in the U.S. tax code, and recent changes and future changes in tariffs, retaliatory or trade protection measures, trade policies and other international trade regulations in the U.S., the European Union and Asia and in other regions where the Company operates;
disruptions in operations, sales and in other areas, including due to disruptions in our supply chain, restructurings and other business alignment activities, the completion of the Wella Transaction and related carve-out and transition activities, manufacturing or information technology systems, labor disputes, extreme weather and natural disasters, impact from COVID-19 or similar global public health events, and the impact of such disruptions on the Company's ability to generate profits, stabilize or grow revenues or cash flows, comply with its contractual obligations and accurately forecast demand and supply needs and/or future results;
restrictions imposed on the Company through its license agreements, credit facilities and senior unsecured bonds or other material contracts, its ability to generate cash flow to repay, refinance or recapitalize debt and otherwise comply with its debt instruments, and changes in the manner in which the Company finances its debt and future capital needs; and
other factors described elsewhere in this document and in documents that the Company files with the SEC from time to time.
When used herein, the term "includes" and "including" means, unless the context otherwise indicates, "including without limitation". More information about potential risks and uncertainties that could affect the Company's business and financial results is included under the heading "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020 and other periodic reports the Company has filed and may file with the SEC from time to time.
All forward-looking statements made in this release are qualified by these cautionary statements. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation, other than as may be required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking or cautionary statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of events, unanticipated or otherwise, or changes in future operating results over time or otherwise.
In this release, Coty presents certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe enable management and investors to analyze and compare the underlying business results from period to period, including organic likefor-like (LFL) metrics, as well as financial net debt and economic net debt. The term "like-for-like" describes the Coty's core operating performance, excluding the financial impact of (i) acquired brands or businesses in the current year period until Coty has twelve months of comparable financial results, (ii) divested brands or businesses or early terminated brands , generally, in the prior year non-comparable periods, to maintain comparable financial results with the current fiscal year period and (iii) foreign currency exchange translations to the extent applicable. Financial net debt (which Coty referred to as "net debt" in prior reporting periods) is defined as total debt less cash and cash equivalents, and economic net debt is defined as total debt less cash and cash equivalents less the value of the Wella stake. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures for Q1 to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measures are contained in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 6, 2020, which is also available on Coty's website. To the extent that the Company provides guidance, it does so only on a non-GAAP basis and does not provide reconciliations of such forward-looking non-GAAP measures to GAAP due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliation, including adjustments that could be made for restructuring, integration and acquisition-related expenses, amortization expenses, adjustments to inventory, and other charges reflected in our reconciliation of historic numbers, the amount of which, based on historical experience, could be significant.
About Coty Inc.
Coty is one of the world's largest beauty companies with an iconic portfolio of brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Coty is the global leader in fragrance and number three in color cosmetics. Coty's products are sold in over 150 countries around the world. Coty and its brands are committed to a range of social causes as well as seeking to minimize its impact on the environment. For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com.
Olga Levinzon, +1 212 389-7733 / olga_levinzon@cotyinc.com
Andra Mielnicki, +1 917 285 0586 / Andra_Mielnicki@cotyinc.com
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text:
/*
 * tc.h
 *
 * Tree Clustering.
 *
 * Implementation of Cluster Analysis using Decision Trees
 * by the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm.
 *
 * See README.md for API reference.
 *
 */

#ifndef TC_H
#define TC_H

#include <stddef.h>
#include <inttypes.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

extern size_t TC_SIZE[];

enum tc_param_type {
    TC_METRIC,
    TC_NOMINAL
};

enum tc_param_size {
    TC_FLOAT64,
    TC_INT64
};

union tc_value {
    int64_t int64;
    double float64;
};

union tc_valuep {
    int64_t *int64;
    double *float64;
    uint8_t *buf;
};

struct tc_param_def {
    enum tc_param_type type; /* Parameter types. */
    enum tc_param_size size; /* Parameter sizes. */
    union tc_value min; /* Minimum parameter value. */
    union tc_value max; /* Maximum parameter value. */
    double fragment_size; /* Fragment size. */
};

struct tc_tree {
    const struct tc_param_def *param_def; /* Parameter definitions. */
    size_t K; /* Number of parameters. */
    size_t size; /* Size of buffer in bytes. */
    uint8_t *p; /* Pointer to the end of the buffer. */
    struct tc_node *first; /* First node (for sequential traversing). */
    struct tc_node *last; /* Last node (for sequential traversing). */
    struct tc_node *root; /* Root node. */
    uint8_t buf[]; /* Buffer in which nodes are stored. */
};

struct tc_node {
    struct tc_node *parent; /* Parent node. */
    size_t nchildren; /* Number of child nodes. */
    struct tc_tree *tree; /* Reference to node's tree. */
    size_t param; /* Parameter number. */
    double *cuts; /* Cuts. */
    size_t ncuts; /* Number of cuts. */
    int64_t *categories; /* Categories partitioning. */
    size_t ncategories; /* Number of categories. */
    struct tc_node **children; /* Child nodes. */
    struct tc_node *next; /* Next node (for sequential traversing). */
    struct tc_node *prev; /* Previous node (for sequential traversing). */
    void *_aux; /* Auxillary data for any purpose. */
};

struct tc_opts {
    size_t nsamples; /* Number of samples to generate (excl. burn-in). */
    size_t maxiter; /* Maximum number of iterations. */
    double split_p; /* Probability of split. */
    double merge_p; /* Probability of merge. */
    double move_p; /* Probability of move. */
    double move_sd_frac; /* Move standard deviation as a fraction. */
    size_t max_segments; /* Maximum number of segments. */
};

extern struct tc_opts tc_default_opts;

struct tc_range {
    double min;
    double max;
    int64_t *categories;
    size_t ncategories;
};

struct tc_segment {
    size_t NX;
    size_t K;
    double V;
    struct tc_range *ranges;
};

typedef bool tc_clustering_cb(
    const struct tc_tree *tree,
    double l,
    const void **ds,
    size_t N,
    void *data
);

void
tc_param_def_init(
    struct tc_param_def *pd,
    const void *data,
    size_t N
);

struct tc_tree *
tc_new_tree(size_t size, const struct tc_param_def *param_def, size_t K);

struct tc_node *tc_new_leaf(struct tc_tree *tree);

struct tc_node *
tc_new_node(
    struct tc_tree *tree,
    size_t param,
    size_t nchildren,
    void *partitioning
);

int
tc_replace_node(
    struct tc_node *orig,
    struct tc_node *node
);

void tc_free_segments(struct tc_segment *segments, size_t S);

int
tc_clustering(
    const void *ds[],
    size_t N,
    const struct tc_param_def param_def[],
    size_t K,
    tc_clustering_cb cb,
    void *data,
    const struct tc_opts *opts
);

double
tc_log_likelihood(
    const struct tc_tree *tree,
    const void *ds[],
    size_t N
);

struct tc_segment *
tc_segments(
    const struct tc_tree *tree,
    const void *ds[],
    size_t N,
    size_t *S
);

void
tc_dump_tree_simple(const struct tc_tree *tree, const struct tc_node *node);

void tc_dump_segments_json(
    const struct tc_tree *tree,
    const void **ds,
    size_t N
);

#endif /* TC_H */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Maintaining Relationships When You Have Depression
Depression symptoms aren't just hard on the depressed person. They can take a toll on all the people in his or her life. Learn the importance of communication, understanding, and depression support.
By Chris Iliades, MDMedically Reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Reviewed: October 6, 2010
Depression symptoms like lack of energy, loss of interest, and withdrawal can make being in a relationship very difficult. Depression can be painful for the depressed person and for people who care about that person.
"A depressed person is very tough to be in a relationship with," says Irina Firstein, LCSW, a New York City psychotherapist with 20 years of experience treating depression. "There may be no joy or any kind of positive energy coming from them. It is hard to be with someone who is down, dark, and cannot see good in anything. The depressed person may lose interest in normal activities, sex, food, and relationships." Friends, family, and a significant other may have trouble understanding these changes.
The effect of depression on your relationship may depend on who is depressed. Women and men often respond differently to depression. Women tend to experience sadness, guilt, and a lack of self-worth, while men may react to depression with anger, frustration, or even abuse. How depression affects a relationship may also depend on the breakdown of responsibilities at home and work.
Firstein adds that the person in a relationship with a depressed partner often feels alone, helpless, and sometimes even angry. "It is not only that you don't really have a partner, you can feel like you are pushing a boulder uphill. Depression symptoms can make communication difficult."
Understanding Depression Symptoms
If you have depression, it's important for you and your loved ones to understand that depression is not anyone's fault. Depression is a medical condition, not a weakness. People who do not understand depression may react with anger or criticism. "I think that people who are depressed usually know it, and it is helpful if they can say to their partner that they are depressed, and that this will pass," says Firstein.
Here are some tips for communicating with loved ones about depression:
Share your feelings. Keeping your feelings inside creates distance.
Show you care. Let your loved ones know that even though you are struggling with depression symptoms, you still care about them. If you have lost interest in sex, your partner needs to know that he or she is still desirable.
Consider family or couples therapy. Your loved ones will learn more about depression, and therapy will reinforce how vital these relationships are for recovery. "It is important for the depressed person's partner to learn about the illness," explains Firstein. "It is helpful for them to go to the treatment and speak to the psychiatrist or therapist and be informed about progress or lack of it."
Set realistic expectations. Once your loved ones understand depression symptoms, it will be easier for them to accept that you will be struggling some days. Let them know what you can and can't do, and keep working toward recovery.
How Loved Ones Can Offer Depression Support
Let the people you care about know that you will get better, and ask them to be patient and help you through treatment. Ask loved ones to:
Offer encouragement and hope.
Invite you to social activities and to exercise.
Not push too hard. Comments like "snap out of it" or "get over it" don't help. Depression treatment takes time.
Take an active role in getting you through treatment, but not try to take over. You may seem overwhelmed, but you need to go at your own speed.
Never ignore anything you say about ending your life. These thoughts should always be considered significant, and they should tell your doctor or therapist about them even if you don't.
You can overcome relationship difficulties by helping your friends and loved ones understand that depression is a medical condition that will get better with treatment. Depression support is important for the depressed person and it is also important for their family members. For help finding treatment, information, and support, visit the Web site of Mental Health America.
Sign up for our Mental Wellness Newsletter!
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Originally a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), exposure therapy is now used to treat anxiety, depression, phobias, and more.
By Kathleen Doheny October 27, 2015


text:
Down The Drain - Pinball Arcade's Tables Through the Ages: The 90's (Bally)
Kinjhatman
Filed to: SixTAY Days of WritingFiled to: SixTAY Days of Writing
SixTAY Days of Writing
Screenshot: Farsight Studios (The Pinball Arcade)
As we remember from the late 80s post, Bally's pinball division was acquired by Williams Electronics. However, they kept the Bally branding for certain reasons. In a way, the '90s were Bally/Williams' years on top of the pinball world. Gottlieb would fold in '96. Stern (then Data East Pinball and soon enough after, Sega Pinball) would do a few branded tables at the beginning of the era but then get embroiled in one of the worst ideas of video gaming history - Tattoo Assassins (please note that modern day Stern has nothing to do with this, but rather they are now the people who own the rights to those bygone tables... I hope).
They had unopposed reign of the declining pinball arena, and it showed. Bally starts off the era with Dr. Dude and His Excellent Ray, probably a top contender for number 1 pinball table that did not age well. You play as a patient in "Dr. Dude's Kin-e-tic clinic" who is in desperate need of help to become "cool". Yes, that's right, it's a male makeover table that combines the worst parts of 1990s cliché. You get to learn "the gift of gab", learn how to play the electric gee-tar, complete an "I"-Test (which is just a bonus based off a ranking that goes from "I am a Geek" to "I am Way Cool", and all sorts of things on your quest to become cool. The main feature of the table is the Excellent Ray itself. Activating it causes your temperature to rise up, from Plain Dude to Super Dude.
Dr. Dude and His Excellent Ray
The table itself plays well, it's an extremely standard table with a short enough playfield to not cause extreme speed drains. The center targets are arranged in such a way that it can be extremely difficult to not drain immediately with a fast shot, so learning how to anticipate those and shake the table enough to prevent that is almost crucial. If you've played 70's tables, you should be familiar with the concept. The outer lanes leading to guaranteed drains are almost impossible to land a shot in, making for a table that's easy and fun to play, regardless of its subject matter.
We cannot say the same of its sequel, The Party Zone. The start of Bally-branded tables using Dot Matrix display and fancy programmed graphics, it's a shame that it's such a boring table in and of itself. The playfield is wide open, there's some shots that are questionable in their difficulty (as in it feels more a lucky break than skill when landing those), the outlanes are much more easily accessible, leading to much shorter playthroughs. I'm sure arcade owners and others who bought the machine loved that, but it sure as hell is irritating to play. Although you do get low-quality muzak requests including, of course, a licensed trashy rendition of The Who's Pinball Wizard. It's a delight for the ears.
Bally, much like their parent company Williams Electronics also flirted with licensed tables. One of the problems in this era is that, well, video games had evolved far beyond the measly platformers of the 80's. Hell, we had proper lightgun shooters back then as well - grabbing the interest of the regular arcade goer with an original concept pinball table was even harder than before. As games started to adopt Dot Matrix displays, most of them started to include a new feature to pinball - Video mode. Extremely simplistic video games that would allow the player to rack up points often based on left/right selections using the flipper buttons.
Another way to attract customers? Licensing. Tables featuring The Addams Family (which, interestingly enough, Farsight Studios had to do a Kickstarter for), extremely hot property Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Twilight Zone, Judge Dredd, Doctor Who, the Indy 500 and even the '94 World Cup (rebranded as World Champion Soccer in Pinball Arcade, due to the FIFA license expiring).
Of these, my favorite is Creature From the Black Lagoon - As opposed to just making a table based on the movie, they made a table based on watching said movie. All of the table is based on watching the movie in a Drive-in theater - with a backlit creature appearing from time to time in the center of the table. Playing it isn't bad, but I'm of the opinion that they made some of the features a bit too hard to reach. Activating K-I-S-S isn't hard, it just takes a while, and hiding a feature behind activating it 4 times? I'm not a fan.
I'm not saying that the other tables aren't good - all of them have their good gimmicks, especially World Champion Soccer (which somehow included Canada in their list of countries, even though Canada only participated in the World Cup twice... methinks Farsight screwed up on that one) with the goalie, just that conceptually, Creature From the Black Lagoon is my favorite. The Addams Family table, in my opinion, loses appeal after a few playthroughs because of the magnets hidden under the table that activate once "The Power" is unleashed, which send the ball flying off in unpredictable ways, though I've rarely seen it outright hinder the player. It's just unfun to actually deal with. I wasn't a fan of it on Fireball in the 70's either.
The last ones I want to bring up is Indianapolis 500 and World Champion Soccer. While conceptually, they're not exactly great tables (you run in the Indy 500, you're in the World Cup), they are extremely fun tables to play, with constant goals to strive for.
Williams didn't stop using the Bally name for non-branded tables either, but a lot of them had gimmicks that work againt them. Things like Safecracker, where you play as a thief trying to rob a bank, and you are timed. If you don't succeed in the alloted time, the next drain kills your game and the alloted time is very, very short. Just accessing the bank can take that long. It's a very interesting game otherwise, just that the idea that you can die in one ball is very frustrating. Contrasting that to something like Champion's Pub, a 1998 table that featured ol' timey fisticuffs in an olde englishe pubbe (I butchered that like I butchered Octopath Traveler's name in yesterday's article), where the mechanical devices that allow you to train in order to buff up your life as you take on boxer after boxer work... okay but aren't emulated correctly enough that you'll see some visual fidelity problems like the ball auto-correcting to a success after missing a jump rope. That's not counting the actual boxer/punching bag in the top-center that can send your ball careening into the drain fairly easily off a bad bounce, making it very frustrating to play.
It's hard to accurately describe these tables as most of them play very similarly - outside of their features and wizard modes, there's just not much to describe. Theatre of Magic, regardless of its fairly good theme and gameplay, is still very pinball like. Attack from Mars, though very cheesy, is also a pretty fun one that, if I recall correctly actually predates the movie Mars Attacks! by a year. Still, if you want to find original gameplay, you won't be finding it in those tables - They all play very well, don't get me wrong, but there's just not a lot of originality there. Plus, the "unofficial sequel to this table would actually transcend branding as many consider the cult classic Medieval Madness the actual sequel to this game. Where you want to look is in WHO Dunnit. A murder mystery pinball table complete with the deepest lore - The arcade flyer sent out to machine operators explained the whole timeline and why exactly everyone wanted to kill each other. As far as concepts are concerned, I'm on board. The table also plays very well, though fast drains are a problem. Where I take umbrage with the table is with the roulette feature. It's extremely easy, if you're playing for score, to just rack up the features, then gamble all of it onto a red/black scenario and then double your score right out of the gate, with no real skill attached.
The Bally branding, at least with the tables we have in Pinball Arcade, seem to be a sign of what many people believe to be good ol' pinball action just with varied themes. Other than Champion's Pub which features the boxing gimmick and the mechanical jumpers and punches for the speedbag, there's just not a lot of really out there complicated features. Those were, interestingly enough, reserved for Williams tables as we shall see in a few days from now.
And just to give you an idea how many tables I have to cover, I completely forgot to talk about Black Rose, with its cannon firing mechanic! Whoops. Other than that, the table just isn't really noteworthy unfortunately. But it is fun to score a broadside bonus when successfully loading the cannon, so... there's that? Music's pretty cool too, huh.
Writer's note: We're reaching the end of the SixTAY days of Writing challenge. I'm 9 articles away from the 60, and I have 3 more manufacturers to cover plus the modern era of pinball so expect this to be pinball week from me. I want to make sure that nothing I started in this challenge goes unfinished so at least 4 of these are going to be lengthy as fuck pinball articles. Sorry in advance.
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Three positions on the APNIC Executive Council (EC) became vacant in March 2006. An open election to fill these vacancies was held at APNIC 21 in Perth, Australia on Friday 3 March 2006.
Akinori Maemura, Che-Hoo Cheng, Vinh Ngo were all elected to positions on the APNIC Executive Council.
Online voting and proxy registration are now closed.