One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

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webowl
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One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#1 Post by webowl » Fri Jun 18, 2021 6:31 am

In 1985, Softalk Publications released an Apple II game called “One Step Beyond” by the Chiang Brothers as part of their Softdisk Rich ‘n Famous series. I have an original diskette of this graphics adventure game, but it is unlikely that it will play because of the way a now deceased person stored the diskette during the last 20 years. I have no further details regarding the game.

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Strident
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#2 Post by Strident » Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:24 pm

I remember spending quite some time researching Anthony and Kenneth Chiang last year and disappearing down a bit of a rabbit hole. I don't think I spotted that game mentioned... but it's sometimes hard to spot a lot of the disk-based mentions unless you're specifically looking for them.

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#3 Post by webowl » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:38 am

While filing some of the computer game documentation from my brother's estate today I found the retail package insert cover for the Apple II disk of "One Step Beyond" by the Chiang Brothers (1985 game). I have attached a picture of this. There is no other paperwork for this game.
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Strident
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#4 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:54 am

Interesting. Cool inlay, too.

I have been keeping my eyes peeled for any "One Step Beyond" references, but I've not come across anything yet. It's such a common phrase that it doesn't stand out as much as some titles. I have seen some of the "Rich and Famous" game series mentioned in the past, though.

The 1985 copyright date at least narrows down the search window a bit, when it comes to trawling through the Softdisk disk magazines.

Perhaps, trying to contact Anthony or Kenneth might be one way of proceeding. I think this entry refers to the same Anthony Chiang https://www.mobygames.com/developer/she ... erId,1819/ ; it looks like he now works in film & TV https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4897221/

Edit: This is probably him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinesespareribs/

What information were you after, about the game?

(As an aside, I wonder if you noticed this question on one of your other posts? viewtopic.php?p=10123#p10123 )
Last edited by Strident on Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#5 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:56 am

One thing that I hadn't noticed, until glancing at the listing from Man-eng today...
https://archive.org/details/a2_Man_eng_ ... g_Brothers

...is that the Chiang Brothers were actually Anthony, Kenneth and (sometimes) Samuel.

Samuel Chiang is already in the database for Baseball Adventure
http://solutionarchive.com/game/id%2C53 ... nture.html
which is described as Chiang Mini-Adventure #4.

There are obviously plenty of other games by the various members of the Chiang family that we don't currently have listed.

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Garry
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#6 Post by Garry » Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:00 pm

This is what I know...

It appears that the Chiang brothers (Anthony, Kenneth & Samuel) originally published under their own company (Chiang Brothers Software), then some of their games were included on Softdisk. (Softdisk was a disk magazine for the Apple II family.) However, this is purely conjecture on my part and requires further research.

The following text adventures are known to exist. I have the ones preceded by an asterisk (*):
*Baseball Adventure (Samuel Chiang), Chiang Brothers Software, 1983 (Chiang Mini-adventure #4)
*High School Adventure (Anthony Chiang), Chiang Brothers Software, 1983
*Incredible Shrinking Man, The (Kenneth Chiang, Anthony Chiang), Softdisk, issue 15, 1982
*Man-Eng: Master of Evil (Samuel Chiang, Anthony Chiang), Chiang Brothers Software, 1983
One Step Beyond (Chiang Brothers), Softdisk, 1985 (Rich & Famous series)
*Raiders of the Lost Crown (Anthony Chiang, Kenneth Chiang), Chiang Brothers Software, 1985
Space Gorn (Anthony Chiang), Softdisk, issue 8

Some of their games were ported to the C64 and published on Loadstar, a disk magazine for the C64 published by the same company. The following games are known to exist:
*Baseball Adventure (Samuel Chiang), Loadstar, issue 6, 1984
*Space Gorn (Anthony Chiang), Loadstar, issue 20, 1986

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Strident
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#7 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:24 pm

Very useful summation as part of the general Chiang Brothers research, thanks.

I've come across mentions of all of those before, except Raiders of the Lost Crown so I'll add a placeholder for that in the database. (It's been added to MobyGames since I last looked, https://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/r ... lost-crown )
*Baseball Adventure (Samuel Chiang), Chiang Brothers Software, 1983 (Chiang Mini-adventure #4)
Baseball Adventure was definitely on Softdisk 35 too.

Mini-adventure #4 seems to suggest there were more in the series... but many of the other titles could easily be classified as "mini-adventures".

(I've added links between the three Chiang Brothers, which will make it easier for people looking for their games)

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#8 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:46 pm

Going on the listing of Space Gorn, which is given on this page...
https://archive.org/details/riag_005_Volume_115_-_Games

Space Gorn is "Chiang Mini-Adventure #1".

EDIT: I've also messaged (an) Anthony Chiang on Facebook.

EDIT2: It is him. :)

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Garry
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#9 Post by Garry » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:32 pm

It's nice to know that you've found him. I wonder how good his memory is?

More importantly, how the hell do you download an Apple II disk image from the Internet Archive?

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Strident
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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#10 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:36 pm

Anthony says:
Chiang Brothers Software only had its work distributed through Softdisk. We always considered game development as a fun hobby to occupy our time in the early 1980's and never sought out self publishing.

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#11 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:40 pm

Garry wrote:
Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:32 pm
More importantly, how the hell do you download an Apple II disk image from the Internet Archive?
They're normally if you click on the "show all" link on the right you can spot a disk image of some time in amongst the other files. Bit of a nightmare trying to find specific Softdisks on their, due to the way they've been archived and tagged.

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#12 Post by Strident » Mon Jan 24, 2022 5:38 pm

From Anthony:
FYI, One Step Beyond was the name of the compilation disk featuring some game. It was not a game in itself.

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Re: One Step Beyond by Chiang Bros.

#13 Post by webowl » Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:11 pm

I had always wondered if this was a reissue of an old game with a different title. A tactic often done in the entertainment and publishing world. Now we know.

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