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'''— JK'''
=Educational Software - Sierra-Disney pact includes 3 cartridges=
Walt Disney and Sierra On-Line are cooperatively developing three software cartridges for the TI99/4A. As reported last month in the Compendium, the two companies had signed agreements with Texas Instruments to take over development and marketing of several cartridges that were under development by TI before it left the home computer market.
According to Terry Bochanty, marketing manager for Walt Disney Personal Computer Software, Disney had been working with TI to co-develop ten educational game cartridges. However, when TI quit producing home computers development of the software topped. Sierra On-Line has taken over where TI left off and now some of the cartridges will be completed and marketed, Bochanty said.
Five of the ten cartridges were in the development stage before TI dropped out, Bochanty said, with three of the cartridges on the verge of production. Those three are expected to be marketed sometime by mid-year, he said. Although titles had not been determined by mid-February, Bochanty said the games involve three subject areas: astronomy, chemistry and language arts.
All three cartridges utilize popular Disney cartoon characters.
The astronomy cartridge, for children ages 8-11, uses Peter Pan. The chemistry cartridge, aimed at children over 11 years old, features Professor Ludwig von Drake. The language arts cartridge, for children six years old and older, features Pinnochio.
Prices have yet to be determined. Bochanty indicated that the cartridges would be marketed through a catalog that will be mailed to some 1.2-1.5 million TI users.
The programs were originally
designed to take advantage of the
speech synthesizer, Bochanty said,
but require nothing more than a console
to operate. At this point there are
no plans to develop any of the remaining
programs, he said. However, that
could change depending on how well
the first three sell.
Disney has been producing educational
films and similar items for 30
years and, Bochanty notes, "we know
how to reach and teach kids."
