Play Meter

Don't be be afraid afraid to to Don't ASK QUESTIONS QUESTIONS ASK FROM THE EDITOR here are quite a few new buzzwords in the indus- here are quite a few newlike buzzwords in thereal industry these days. Things networking, time try these days.downloading. Things like networking, real time competition, Some of us scratch our competition, downloading. of us scratch our heads in awe that anyoneSome understands all that's heads in awe But thatwait! anyone understands that's happening. There are quite aall few of us happening. But wait! There are quite a few of us that don't have a clue. T T V A L E R E C O G N E V that don't have a clue. Even if we don't know exactly what's going on, Even if we don't know exactly what's going on, we agree that the industry is readying itself for we agree that the industry is readying itself for is offered. For a century, the coin-op enwhatever whatever is offered. Forhas a century, the coin-op entertainment industry taken pride in providing tertainment industry has taken in providing inexpensive entertainment forpride a coin. That basic inexpensive entertainment for a coin. That basic concept remains unshakable. concept remains unshakable. Kids love to play games Kidsalways love to play not the and will. It's games and always will. It's not the kids but the games that kids but Kids the games that change. who grew up change. who grew up on videoKids games and computonervideo games won't and computtechnology be satiserfied technology won'thoops be satiswith hoola and fied withdolls, hoola and will they be Barbie norhoops Barbie will they be happydolls, with nor mediocre games. happy mediocre better,games. faster, They with want They want better, faster, more exciting, and realistic realistic exciting, and more entertainment. Expectations entertainment. Expectations rise with each generation. riseNow withdown each generation. to the nitty gritNow down to the nitty gritty, Microsoft's proposals and ty,the Microsoft's proposals andof company's assessment the assessment thecompany's coin-op industry. At of the the coin-op industry. At Mipast several trade showsthe showsofMiseveral past crosoft wastrade the subject vircrosoft was the subject of virtually every conversation. tually every conversation. We were besieged by comWe were besieged by get com-all ments from "don't ments "don't get all starry from eyed just because it's justthing because Microsoft" to "thisstarry is the eyed greatest thatit's has Microsoft" to "this is the greatest thing that has to the coin-op industry." ever happened ever happened to the coin-op industry." y would a multi-billion dollar company like Why would multi-billion dollar company like inMicrosoft takeasuch an interest in the coin-op Microsoft take such an interest in the coin-op dustry. "We'd be nothing more than a pimpleinon dustry. "We'd be nothing more than a pimple on Microsoft's butt," was a comment heard from Microsoft's butt," was a comment heard from omeone asking that very question. someone asking that very James question. Plamodon tells us But then Microsoft's Butthe then Microsoft's James Plamodon tellsSure us that coin-op industry sells itself short. that the coin-op industry sells itself short. Sure coin-op isn't going to make or break Microsoft as coin-op isn't going to make or break Microsoft as a company, but why shouldn't it take a serious a look company, but why shouldn't it take a serious at an industry that could complement its relook at an industry that could complement its resources? sources? Microsoft is a mega company that has gotten Microsoft is a mega company hasideas. gottenIts that way because it wasn't afraidthat of new that way because it wasn't afraid of new ideas. Its expertise lies in assessing alternatives and diversiexpertise in assessing alternatives diversificationlies possibilities. Microsoft wasand invited into fication possibilities. Microsoft wasand invited at NANI from into there the industry by the folks the industry by the folks at NANI and from there decided to take a much closer look. decided to takecertainly a much closer look. anything out of Microsoft isn't doing Microsoft certainly isn't doing anything out of the goodness of its heart, and the company has the goodness its heart, the company to benefit has from made it quiteofclear that itand intends made it quite clear that it intends to benefitand from Miany plan. That said, how can the industry can the industry and Mihow That said, plan.benefit any crosoft from some type of collaboration? crosoft benefit from some type of collaboration? PLAY METER PLAY METER 10 10 Microsoft believes that the coin-op industry is Microsoft thatinexpensive the coin-op video industry is lacking inbelieves innovative, games. lacking in innovative, inexpensive video games. Microsoft has a list of game developers, many, Microsoft a listtoof game developers, many, break into coin-op. What was they say, has anxious they say, lacking anxious in to enticing break into coin-op. What was always game developers into always lacking in enticing game developers into coin-op was a viable platform on which to design coin-op a viable platform on which todesigned design games.was Manufacturers have traditionally games. have traditionally designed gamesManufacturers on their own individual platforms. games on their own platforms. Everything I'veindividual heard from Microsoft leads Everything I've heard from not Microsoft much willleads really me to the conclusion that me to theexcept conclusion that notcould muchpossibly will really change that operators have change except operators couldgames possibly have a wider rangethat of low cost video to choose a from. widerMicrosoft range of low video to for choose will cost supply the games platform game from. Microsoft will supply the platform for game designers. Microsoft will also arrange for designdesigners. Microsoft will also arrange for designand by ers and manufacturers to get together, ers and manufacturers to get together, by doing so will blanket the market with and its Windoing will blanket the market with its Wind sso program. dows program. at's in it for them? Microsoft will use coinWhat's in it for them? Microsoft will use coinop as an introduction to home games thus procuroping as precious an introduction to home games thus procurshelf space in retail markets. And, of ing precious shelf in retail markets. And, of sellspace Windows. course, it will it will sell Windows. course, It sounds like a plan whose time has come, but It sounds like a plan whose timetohas but questions that need become, addressed. there are still there are still questions that need to be addressed. A major point is a comment from a long-time inA dustry major point is a who comment from a long-time inveteran claims that there simply dustry veteran claims that who there simply aren't that manywho game designers could even aren't thatamany designers who "Microsoft could evenis develop gamegame to work in coin-op. develop a gamethat to work exaggerating point,"inhecoin-op. claims. "Microsoft is he claims. that point,"that, exaggerating When addressing Plamodon says that When addressing that, Plamodon says thator perhaps there aren't thousands, but even if five perhaps there aren't thousands, but even if five 10 designers could adapt really great gamesorto 10coin-op, designers couldthe adapt reallybenefit great greatly? games to wouldn't industry coin-op, wouldn't the operators industry benefit greatly? aren't going to give In the long run, thewhere long run, operators aren't to give will a In darn the games come from,going but they a give darn awhere gamesare come but theygames will darn the if there no from, inexpensive give a darnIfifa there no inexpensive games game isare developed on the Windows available. available. developed on who the Windows platform Iforaagame SegaisTitan platform, ultimately platform or anoSega Titan platform, whoeveryone ultimatelyin cares? It's secret that just about cares? It's no secret that just about everyone the industry has been bemoaning the lackinof the industry hasmajority been bemoaning thecanlack of games that the of operators afford. games that the majority of operators can afford. How many Alpine Racers can conceivably be How many Alpine Racers can conceivably be placed in street locations? locations? street in placed Although the idea of a universal platform has Although the idea of ait universal platform has wasn't deemed a reality been suggested before, been suggested before, it wasn't deemed a reality because no specific platform was associated with because noand specific platform was with the idea it seemed like pieassociated in the sky. But the idea and it seemed like pie in the sky. once Microsoft and its Windows platformBut garonce Microsoft and positioning, its Windows nered center stage theplatform idea tookgaron a nered center stage positioning, the idea took on ait life of its own. Would it work? Why shouldn't life of itsWhy own.would Would work? Why shouldn't it weitwant it to work? When can work? work? Why would we want it to work? When can they get started? they A getmanufacturer started? summed it up like this: "All A manufacturer summed it up like this: "All the planets are going to have to be lined up just the planets aretogoing have toMicrosoft be lined up work.to" Maybe hasjust misright for this right for this work." Maybe Microsoft assessed theto coin-op industry, maybehas not.misFor assessed theread coin-op industry, maybetalk not. right now, everything written, to For your right now, read everything to your fellow operators, and don'twritten, be afraidtalk to ask quesfellow operators, and don't be afraid to ask are gotions. It's those unanswered questions that questions. It's those unanswered questions that are going to determine how this pans out. A ing to determine how this pans out. A DECEMBER 1996 DECEMBER 1996 1 1 1 4 .. l ..