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On November 24, 2022, Math Blaster Episodes 1 and 2 became available on digital distribution for the first time ever, on the ZOOM Platform. While Episode 2 has a 32-bit Windows version that can be made to run on 64-bit Windows with minimal hassle, Episode 1 does not. As a result, it required WineVDM, a compatibility layer that allows 16-bit applications to run on 64-bit Windows.

There was, however, known to be a DOS version of Math Blaster Episode 1. Despite this, it was nowhere to be found in any corner of the internet I scoured. Worse, it was never released on CD-ROM in any form; only the Windows version was.

One day, I found an interesting auction: a sealed copy of Math Blaster: In Search of Spot. And it was the DOS version! I snatched it up, knowing that the disks inside were guaranteed to be pristine. Up to that point, I didn't bother with collecting games on floppy disk, preferring to get them from CD-ROM releases whenever I could. In this case, I made an exception to that...

UPDATE: Simpler archives that just contain the needed registry files and SmartHeap are now available. Obviously, the different Atlas engine versions can't just be mixed and matched because the games' personality files had to be built for a specific version.

It took some work, but I've released updates for Mega Math Blaster and Reading Blaster 2000, which will allow them to run in Windows 11!

Although the games themselves use 32-bit executables, the installers are still in 16-bit. These registry files allow you to put the needed settings to run the games without the need to run the installer.

It seems like someone at Davidson accidentally shipped a development file for Mega Math Blaster onto a retail CD!

That's right, my CD of Math Blaster Ages 6-9, a 1998 re-release of Mega Math Blaster that I got as a kid, contains a file called MEGAMB.APP. You can view it here.

I've been trying to reverse-engineer the Blaster series' engine, which is called Atlas Game Engine. I've posted my findings here, but here it is again:

The Atlas Game Engine is a proprietary game engine developed by Davidson & Associates for use in their games in the Blaster Learning System. It was originally developed for the classic Mac OS and Windows.

Much of the game data is stored in three game files that use the game's ID as the name. They contain the extensions DLL, BAP, and RES. The DLL file is referred to as the "personality". It...

I've just started a new decompilation archive for AGI games. Check it out here.

Now when you go to the root directory, you'll find all the threads in the news forum. Check back every now and then for adventure game-related news!

I'm planning to move the various resources over from SCIProgramming to the new board. I've been taking account of things that I could bring over...

Arcade
Doesn't work at all. Probably don't need it anyway.

Shop
Uses SMFShop. I can replace this with trophies, which are standard in XenForo.

Gallery
Uses SMF Gallery, can be replaced with XenForo Media Gallery... later.

Tools, Fan Games, Tutorials
XenForo Resource Manager can handle these easily. The AGI and SCI wikis have a wide variety of tutorials.