Romtech

Last updated

RomTech was a software company based in Langhorne, PA, in the late 1990s. They released CD-ROM collections of clipart, games, and small office/home office (SOHO) applications sold at retail stores such as Walmart and Target. In December 1996, RomTech's Galaxy of Games bundle was the #1 bestselling software at a number of major retail outlets. [1]

Contents

History

RomTech made an initial public offering in 1995, at the same time as acquiring Applied Optical Media Corporation. It then acquired Virtual Reality Laboratories in April 1996. [2] [3] On March 1, 1999 Romtech changed its name to eGames and announced a new focus of developing PC titles. [4]

CD-ROM Titles

RomTech released a number of retail titles on CD-ROM [5]

NamePlatformDescription
Galaxy of GamesWin 98 / Win.95 / Win. 3.1Curated bundle of games [1]
Mars RoverSimulation software created in RomTech's VistaPro that used real images from NASA [6]
FileABCPC imaging and document solution [7]
FormWizardSoftware for scanning or importing documents to complete electronically and later print or fax [8] [7]
Exploring CivilizationsWin.95 / Win. 3.1Education software allowing players to explore ancient civilizations with Professor Diggs [5] [9]
VistaPro 4.0Win95 / NTLandscape rendering software [6]

Other software [5]

NamePlatform
Galaxy of Home Office Help: Print It!Win.95 / Win. 3.1 [10]
Amazing Mazes
Clipart 50,000Win.95 / Win. 3.1
PrintIt! 2.0 PlusWin.95 / Win. 3.1
Fonts 2,600Win.95 / Win. 3.1
Presentation Pictures & SoundsWin.95 / Win. 3.1
Custom CalendarWin.95
FindIt!Win.95 / NT
Student EssentialsWin.95
Galaxy of Clipart, 75,000 imagesWin.95 / Win. 3.1
PrintIt! 2.0Win.95 / Win. 3.1
Fonts 2,600Win.95 / Win. 3.1
Clipart 25,000Win.95 / Win. 3.1
Presentation PicturesWin.95 / Win. 3.1
Wav Sound EffectsWin.95 / Win. 3.1
Icons 8,000Win.95 / Win. 3.1
Custom CalendarWin.95
Clipart 25,000 Vol IIWin.95 / Win. 98
Christian DesktopWin.95 / Win. 98
Universe ExplorerWin.95 / Win. 3.1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari Jaguar</span> Home video game console

The Atari Jaguar is a home video game console developed by Atari Corporation and released in North America in November 1993. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it competed with the 16-bit Sega Genesis, the Super NES and the 32-bit 3DO Interactive Multiplayer that launched the same year. Powered by two custom 32-bit processorsTom and Jerryin addition to a Motorola 68000, Atari marketed it as the world's first 64-bit game system, emphasizing its 64-bit bus used by the blitter. The Jaguar launched with Cybermorph as the pack-in game, which received divisive reviews. The system's library ultimately comprised only 50 licensed games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TurboGrafx-16</span> Fourth-generation home video game console

The TurboGrafx-16, known as the PC Engine outside North America, is a home video game console designed by Hudson Soft and sold by NEC Home Electronics. It was the first console marketed in the fourth generation, commonly known as the 16-bit era, though the console has an 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) coupled with a 16-bit graphics processor. It was released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1989. In Europe the Japanese model was unofficially imported and distributed in the United Kingdom and France from 1988. In Japan, the system was launched as a competitor to the Famicom, but the delayed United States release meant that it ended up competing with the Sega Genesis and later the Super NES.

GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. As of January 28, 2023, the company operates 4,413 stores including 2,949 in the United States, 216 in Canada, 419 in Australia and 829 in Europe under the GameStop, EB Games, EB Games Australia, Micromania-Zing, ThinkGeek and Zing Pop Culture brands. The company was founded in Dallas in 1984 as Babbage's, and took on its current name in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TurboDuo</span> Fourth-generation video game console

The TurboDuo is a fourth-generation video game console developed by NEC Home Electronics and Hudson Soft for the North American market. The TurboDuo was test-marketed in Los Angeles in October 1992, before a nationwide rollout in May 1993. It is the North American version of the Japanese PC Engine Duo game console which was released in September 1991.

<i>Star Warped</i> 1997 video game

Star Warped is a first-person point-and-click adventure video game that parodies the Star Wars universe, specifically the original trilogy released between 1977 and 1983: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. It was created by Parroty Interactive, which was a division of the game's publisher, Palladium Interactive. Star Warped was released in the United States and Canada, for both Windows PC and Macintosh, in late 1997 as a follow-up to their debut Myst parody, Pyst. The game is no longer in release, as Parroty's parent company folded after being bought by The Learning Company in 1998. The game invited players to "Be seduced by the power of the Dork Side". Star Warped received mixed reviews from critics: some praised the game's variety, originality, and humor, while others dismissed it as lazy, unfunny, and dull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video game console emulator</span> Program that reproduces video game consoles behavior

A video game console emulator is a type of emulator that allows a computing device to emulate a video game console's hardware and play its games on the emulating platform. More often than not, emulators carry additional features that surpass limitations of the original hardware, such as broader controller compatibility, timescale control, easier access to memory modifications, and unlocking of gameplay features. Emulators are also a useful tool in the development process of homebrew demos and the creation of new games for older, discontinued, or rare consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GOG.com</span> Digital video game distribution platform

GOG.com is a digital distribution platform for video games and films. It is operated by GOG sp. z o.o., a wholly owned subsidiary of CD Projekt based in Warsaw, Poland. GOG.com delivers DRM-free video games through its digital platform for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux.

<i>Encarta</i> Digital multimedia encyclopedia (1993-2009)

MicrosoftEncarta is a discontinued digital multimedia encyclopedia published by Microsoft from 1993 to 2009. Originally sold on CD-ROM or DVD, it was also available online via annual subscription, although later articles could also be viewed for free online with advertisements. By 2008, the complete English version, Encarta Premium, consisted of more than 62,000 articles, numerous photos and illustrations, music clips, videos, interactive content, timelines, maps, atlases and homework tools.

<i>Putt-Putt Enters the Race</i> 1999 video game

Putt-Putt Enters the Race is an educational adventure game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment on January 1, 1999. The game is the fifth entry in the Putt-Putt series. This is the first of three games to feature Nancy Cartwright as the voice of Putt-Putt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari Jaguar CD</span> Peripheral for the Atari Jaguar video game console

The Atari Jaguar CD is a CD-ROM peripheral for the Jaguar video game console.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oculus Rift</span> Virtual reality headsets by Oculus VR

Oculus Rift is a discontinued line of virtual reality headsets developed and manufactured by Oculus VR, a virtual reality company founded by Palmer Luckey that is widely credited with reviving the virtual reality industry. It was the first virtual reality headset to provide a realistic experience at an accessible price, utilizing novel technology to increase quality and reduce cost by orders of magnitude compared to earlier systems. The first headset in the line was the Oculus Rift DK1, released on March 28, 2013. The last was the Oculus Rift S, discontinued in April 2021.

<i>Disneys Animated Storybook</i> Interactive storybook video game series

Disney's Animated Storybook is a point-and-click adventure interactive storybook video game series based on Walt Disney feature animations and Pixar films that were released throughout the 1990s. They were published by Disney Interactive for personal computers for children ages four to eight years old. Starting from 1994, most of the entries in the series were developed by Media Station. They have the same plots as their respective films, though abridged due to the limited medium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reality Labs</span> Virtual and augmented reality products company

Reality Labs, originally Oculus VR, is a business and research unit of Meta Platforms that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon Worlds. In June 2022, several artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives that were previously a part of Meta AI were transitioned to Reality Labs. This also includes Meta's fundamental AI Research laboratory FAIR which is now part of the Reality Labs - Research (RLR) division.

Madeline is a series of educational point-and-click adventure video games which were developed during the mid-1990s for Windows and Mac systems. The games are an extension of the Madeline series of children's books by Ludwig Bemelmans, which describe the adventures of a young French girl. The video-game series was produced concurrently with a TV series of the same name, with characters and voice actors from the show.

Several video games based upon Blue's Clues, a children's educational television series by Nickelodeon, have been released, educational video games and web browser games based on the show. Most of the PC CD ROM-format titles were developed and published by Humongous Entertainment.

<i>Imagination Express</i> Video game series

Imagination Express is an educational series of interactive storybook generator video games developed by Edmark, and announced on November 14, 1994. The titles in the series include Destination: Castle, Destination: Neighborhood, Destination: Rain Forest, Destination: Ocean, Destination: Pyramids, and Destination: Time Trip, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video game preservation</span> Form of preservation in video gaming

Video game preservation is a form of preservation applied to the video game industry that includes, but is not limited to, digital preservation. Such preservation efforts include archiving development source code and art assets, digital copies of video games, emulation of video game hardware, maintenance and preservation of specialized video game hardware such as arcade games and video game consoles, and digitization of print video game magazines and books prior to the Digital Revolution.

<i>3-D Dinosaur Adventure</i> 1993 educational video game

3-D Dinosaur Adventure is an educational video game by Knowledge Adventure released on CD-ROM for MS-DOS compatible operating systems in 1993. Versions for Macintosh and Windows 3.x were published in 1996. A 1997 re-release and an updated version for Macintosh and Microsoft Windows is titled 3-D Dinosaur Adventure: Anniversary Edition.

<i>Vid Grid</i> 1994 video game

Vid Grid is a tile-matching full motion video puzzle game originally developed by Geffen Records and published by Jasmine Multimedia Publishing for Windows on September 13, 1994. It was later ported to the Atari Jaguar CD by High Voltage Software in 1995, where it was included along with Blue Lightning as one of the pack-in games for the peripheral when it launched. It is the first entry in the series of the same name.

References

  1. 1 2 Clark, Allison. "RomTech Software ranks no. 1 at six major retail chains. - Free Online Library". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018. Buyers at Wal-Mart, Computer City, Target, Office Depot, Staples and Media Play reported that the Galaxy of Games CD-ROM series was holding the #1 spot at their stores in the value-line software category as of December 2. The 300-game collections have periodically topped the charts at individual chains, but this was the first time the series swept the no. 1 honors at all six retailers simultaneously.
  2. "SEC FORM 10-KSB Record". U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. Archived from the original on 26 February 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  3. "Rom Tech completes merger with Virtual Reality Laboratories Inc. - Free Online Library". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  4. Klein, Jerry. "RomTech, Inc. Changes Its Name To eGames, Inc. to Reflect the Company's Commitment to the PC Gaming Market". PR News Wire (Press release). Archived from the original on 2012-03-01. Retrieved 30 June 2018. The Company is changing its identity to reemphasize its commitment to the PC gaming market.
  5. 1 2 3 "SEC FORM 10KSB Report". SEC Database. EXHIBIT B. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  6. 1 2 Wilen, John. "All RomTech's mission to Mars requires is a PC with CD-ROM drive". Philadelphia Business Journal. Archived from the original on 31 August 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  7. 1 2 Falsetti, Joseph. "RomTech announces distribution agreement with Franklin Quest. - Free Online Library". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  8. Clark, Allison. "RomTech gains national distribution in Staples stores; agreement brings FormWizard into office environment. - Free Online Library". The Free Library. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  9. Romtech, Inc (1997). Exploring civilizations. RomTech, Inc. OCLC   40449082. Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2018 via WorldCat.{{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  10. "PC Museum". The Personal Computer Museum. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.