
RAH Humor Review: Opus 'N Bill On The Road Again
by Dave Bealer

Screen savers are big business -- Berkeley Systems made a fortune off
their industry standard After Dark package.  Another Berkeley is now
getting into the act.  Berkeley Breathed is the cartoonist who made
his name in the 1980s with "Bloom County."  The second screen saver
featuring Bill the Cat and Opus the Penguin, the twice unsuccessful
Meadow Party presidential ticket and stars of "Bloom County," is now
on the shelves of your favorite software retailer.

Opus 'N Bill On The Road Again is published by Delrina.  It uses
Delrina's Intermission display engine for Windows.  Systems equipped
with a sound card can produce the sound effects that are available
with most modules.  Intermission also displays After Dark modules for
those who cannot do without their Flying Toasters.  A few O&B modules
display over whatever Windows had on the screen when Intermission
activates.  My favorite in that category is Bill and Opus (in tutus)
skating around the screen.

Most of the O&B modules are full screen, replacing whatever was there
before.  A few of the funnier ones are:

"Uneasy Riders" - you are in a blue Mercedes tooling down the highway
behind the motorcycle-mounted title characters, Bill (complete with
skull and crossbones helmet) and Opus, who are occasionally accompan-
ied by an insect.  Opus and the insect take turns falling off and
usually end up on your windshield.  When that's not happening Bill is
hawking up hairballs, which always splatter on your windshield too.
This module sets the tone for the classiness of this product.

"Butthead Bill" - this ode to flying toasters features flying hearts
(of the valentine variety).  "Buttheaded Bill" and Opus, in the guise
of cupid, share the screen with the hearts.  Opus shoots down a heart
with his bow from time to time.  Opus, who has no visible quiver,
always has another arrow available immediately.  AD&D players may
recognize this syndrome.

"Tax This" - shows a jeans-clad Opus walking around on a sheet of
uncut dollar bills.  The wacky penguin draws some graffiti on one of
the bills, moons the viewers, the scampers away as an IRS patrol car
shows up.  The car disgorges two suit-clad, mop wielding Feds, who
clean up the mess.

"Pistachios" - our heroes sit watching the tube, Opus munching on
pistachios.  He gives Bill a suspect pistachio to try - Bill's out-
landish reaction confirms the penguin's suspicion.

"Dancing Opus" - Opus does his best Fred Astaire impression in an
attempt to cheer up a dejected Bill.

"Bugs" - insects have infested your screen.  Our heroes deal with the
problem in their own ways.  Opus uses a swatter, while Bill prefers
to swallow the pests.

"Information Highway" - A dazed Bill attempts to cross a multi-lane
highway without being struck by any of the computer equipment cruising
along at different speeds.  The whole thing is reminiscent of the
ancient video game Frogger.  Whenever Bill gets run over, an
ambulance notebook scoops him up and rushes him off the screen.

"Opus In Space" - really a primitive version of the video game
Defender.  You control Opus's ship as he tries to destroy the
invaders.  I'm as lousy at this game as I was at Defender.  I'd love
to blame my problems on the Pentium processor (not inaccuracies, just
the speed) in my system, but the truth is I'm just a klutz.

"Opus Of The Jungle" - finds Opus residing in a thatched hut on a
tree limb far above the jungle floor.  He periodically comes out and,
providing he remembered to wear his loin cloth, starts zooming around
on vines until he smashes into something.  Sometimes Opus has company
- a really stacked human female (obviously a flightless seabird 
fancier).

"Hairball" - Bill coughs up a hairball (trust me, it's not nearly as
disgusting as the real thing)  Opus tries to clean it up, but it gets
loose and starts chasing Opus around the screen.

The really funny part is how much time I spent sitting in front of my
computer cataloging these silly saver modules.  At least I had the
excuse of having to write a review.  I've seen whole groups of people
sitting around offices watching the antics of a new screen saver.  I
can't wait to read the results of the first serious study (government
funded, no doubt) of how much office productivity is lost while
people watch their new "Star Wars: Jedi X-Wing Toasters Strike Back"
screen saver.                                                   {RAH}
                                                                   
