History of Links
Part 4: Links LS
After four years of waiting
since the release of Links 386 Pro, Links LS 1997
Edition (or Links LS MS-DOS) finally graced
computer screens in the fall of 1996. With the promise of
totally immersing a player in their favorite game, Links
LS, or Legend in Sports, hit the mark.
Starting from scratch, the Links development team
created an entirely new terrain-rendering engine and ball
flight model that rivaled any golf simulation available. Users
could take their computer to the limits by setting video
resolutions up to 1600x1200 pixels, with up to 16 million
colors! With a resolution like that the terrain rendered
spectaculary and the ball rolled perfectly across the green.
Along with the high-resolution trees, crisp golfer animations,
and a pristine skyline, Links had finally reached
true photo-realism.
1997 Edition saw the addition of Arnold Palmer to
the Links franchise. Mr. Palmer's photo and signature
were prominently displayed on the box alongside the
Links logo. This version was also the first to use
Access Software's Virtual World technology, allowing
you to take a walk through Arnold Palmer's trophy room at
Latrobe Country Club or the Kapalua Plantation clubhouse.
Along with those two courses, Links LS included the
Village Course from the Kapalua resort.
With the popularity of Windows
growing and with the recent release of Windows 95, Access
Software decided to move to the Windows platform and make the
1997 edition of Links the last to support the MS-DOS
operating system. Links LS 1998 released in the fall
of 1997 and was the first true version of Links for
Windows. With the 1998 edition we saw realistic reflections in
the water, waving flags, and much faster redraws.
The next two and final releases
of Links LS were the 1999 and 2000 editions. The 1999
edition brought us the PowerStroke swing method,
3D Objects, the Mode of Play designer, and
the St. Andrews Links Old Course
(not to mention improved textures which brought about an even
more realistic look). Microsoft acquired Access Software in
the spring of 1999, and Links LS 2000 was the
first version of Links released as a Microsoft
product.
Links LS 2000
continues on today as Links LS Classic sporting more
than 20 courses. The newest version of Links,
Links 2001, was released in the fall of 2000 and has
been followed by two expansion packs, and a re-release titled
Links Championship Edition.
With Links 2001 we saw
a brand new rendering engine (which takes advantage of the
latest 3D hardware), the addition of the long-awaited
Arnold Palmer Course Designer, PGA pro Sergio Garcia,
LPGA star Annika Sorenstam, and much more! But it doesn't end
there. The future of Links is looking very bright.
New versions of Links are being worked on as I write
this, and you won't be disappointed! (Rumor has it there was a
"shadow" sighting somewhere in the Salt Lake offices!)
Don't miss the final installment of the History of
Links, Part
5: Links Tour.
