Thanks to Worthpoint saving information from old eBay listings, I've been able to find a few page scans from the Fall 1987 issue of IRIS Universe at
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/silicon-graphics-computer-system-sgi-1905260909 (archive.is link:
https://archive.is/3nCTK).
The eBay listing it archives dates back to 2018, and is still hosted on ebay.ie (minus pictures), but not ebay.com:
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/352274689499 . Note that this ONE issue sold for FORTY-THREE DOLLARS! I knew old copies of IRIS Universe are hard to find, but even so!
Front cover:
Back cover:
Pages 2 and 3 - sadly not all of the text is legible, unless your eyes are sharper than mine!
Pages 16 and 17 (though, again, not all of the text is legible):
Now, those of you familiar with my previous postings may note that
this issue is the particular one I've been trying to track down, and Pages 16 and 17 above contain the information and screenshot I've been looking for, showing an X-Wing in the modified version of *flight*. Clearly the copyright lawyers hadn't yet made their voices heard, as back in 1987 SGI were willing to send out the new version, X-Wings and all, to anyone who wrote to them.
And, importantly, this article identifies the author as one Shannon McKenzie, of the University of Toronto. I've been searching, and have actually been able to track McKenzie down! I'd very much like to get in touch with him, and ask if he still has the old source code and if he might be willing to upload it anywhere. And maybe answer a few questions about the mod!
Sadly, there's a problem. The only ways I have to make contact would have to be through Facebook or LinkedIn, as these appear to be his only online presence:
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mckenzie-9498801
https://www.facebook.com/shannon.b.mckenzie.9/
Facebook is out - I do not have and do not even
want to have a Facebook account! As for LinkedIn... I could create an account there, but I've always been a bit uncomfortable with having to upload practically my entire CV on a social media website. Recruiters find me just fine via email and phone, and I'm willing to send my CV to
them, but I still don't like making that information visible to all and sundry online.
So... this is a request to anyone with either an LI or FB profile. Could you message Shannon McKenzie on there, and ask if he still has the source for this version of
flight? Or at least a compiled IRIX binary? And if he'd be willing to upload it, so that people could try to get it running on their SG boxes or more modern machines?
Thanks!
PS. From what I can see of his Facebook page, he's been looking for work since October 2021, despite a long and varied career in game development, so if you know of any suitable Canadian software firms who are hiring (or other game dev companies who might be willing to pay for relocation) maybe you could let him know?