Play Meter

,•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• News Notes v GEORGIA GEORGIA REFORMS REFORMS REDEMPTION REDEMPTION LAWS LAWS V A set of reforms passed by the Georgia Legislature regarding regarding A set of reforms passed by the Georgia Legislature non-ticket redemption, redemption, which which went wentinto into effect effectJuly July 1, 1, should should help help non-ticket clarify the the way way operators operators can can give give out out prizes. prizes. The law also also stiffstiffclarify The law ens penalties penalties for for violations violations of of the the state's state's gambling gambling laws laws by by paypayens ing out cash. ing out cash. Amusement and and Les Schneider, Schneider, legal legal counsel counsel for for the the Georgia Georgia Amusement Les Music Operators Association, said clarifying the laws on redempMusic Operators Association, said clarifying the laws on redemption helps helps both both operators operators and and location location owners owners compete compete with with the the tion home entertainment entertainment market market for for revenue. revenue. "The "The industry industry has has to to home be realistic realistic when when looking looking at at merchandising. merchandising. We We did did want want to to be draw aa clear clear line line between between merchandise merchandise and and gambling, gambling, which which we we draw oppose." ose." opp The law law allows all ows any any coin-op coin-op machine machine which which involves involves some some The level of of skill skill to to award award replays. replays. Previous Previous law law limited limited the the number number level ofreplays replays to to 15 per game. game. Non-cash Non-cash redemption redemption prizes prizes are are limitlimitof 15 per ed to to $5, $5, but but aa provision provision that that the the award award cannot cannot be be worth worth 10 10 ed times the cost to play was dropped. Credits for prizes can also be times the cost to play was dropped. Credits for prizes can also be accumulated for for more more than than $10 $10 worth worth of of merchandise merchandise from from accumulated more than than one one play, play, and and prizes prizes can can include include certificates certificates for for mermermore chandise from from other other stores. stores. chandise Quartermaster of of LaVergne, La Vergne, Tenn., Tenn., also also reports reports that that its its two two Quartermaster newest games, games, the the skillstops skillstops Cherry Cherry'96 '96 and and Fruit Fruit Bonus Bonus '96, '96, are are newest as redemption games. The now allowed under Georgia's new law now allowed under Georgia's new law as redemption games. The companyholds holds exclusive exclusive distribution distribution rights rights on on the the machines. machines. company Jon P. P. Brady Brady(I), (I) , president president of of Brady Brady Distributing, Distributing , presents presents aacheck check to to Jon Michael Hooker, Hooker, chancellor chancellor of ofthe the University University of of North North Carolina Carol ina at at Chapel Chapel Michael Hill , establishing establishing aa scholarship scholarship fund fund in in Brady's name . Money for the the fund fund Hill, Brady's name. Money for wasraised raised on on Brady's Brady's behalf behalf at at the the AAMCF AAMCF Annual Annual Appreciation Appreciation Dinner Dinnerin in was March where where Brady Brady was washonored honored as as 1996 1996"Man "Man of of the the Year." Yea r." Scholarship Scholarship March recipients will will be bejudged judged on on ability ability and and financial financial need. need . recipients v WASHINGTON UPDATE UPDATE Dollar coin coin may may be be the the only only coin-op coin-op industry industry issue issue on on the the Dollar move in in Washington Washington during during this this political political season. season. Having Having been been move v AMOA AMOARESPONDS RESPONDS TO TO CONCERNS CONCERNS ABOUT ABOUT VIOLENT VIOLENT CONTENT CONTENT V In response response to to continued continued concerns concerns about about video video game game viovioIn included in in both both House House and and Senate Senate budget budget resolutions resolutions this this year, year, included than last last year's year's near near miss miss atatthe issue issue packs packs even even more more clout clout than the tempt to make it into the final budget. AMOA and AAMA are tempt to make it into the final budget. AMOA and AAMA are encouraging operators operators to to make make use use of ofthe the current current Susan Susan B. B. AnAnencouraging thony dollar in an attempt to draw down reserves. thony dollar in an attempt to draw down reserves. lence, AMOA AMOA sent sent letters letters to to two two U.S. U.S. Senators last month month assurassurlence, Senators last ingthem them that that the the industry industry was was continuing continuing to to work work toward toward aa uniuniing versally implemented parental The letter versally implemented parental advisory advisory system. system. The letter detailed the the AAMA AAMA advisory advisory categories categories and and the the interim interim advisoadvisodetailed ry sticker sticker program program developed developed by by AMOA. AMOA. "Due "Due to to the the Internet, Internet, ry well-informed players players and and location location management management have have strong strong ininwell-informed put on on the the selection of games games purchased purchased (by (by operators). operators). In In many many put selection of cases itit is is these these games games that that are are in in question." question." The The letter, letter, signed signed cases by AMOA AMOA president president Randy Randy Chilton Chilton and and sent sent to to Sens. Sens. Herb Herb Kohl Kohl by and Joseph Joseph Lieberman, Lieberman, went went on on to to say say that that AMOA AMOA "has "has formalformaland ly requested requested compliance compliance to to all all manufacturers manufacturers of ly of aa coin-operated coin-operated video game game in in our our industry" industry" and and "continues "continues to to encourage encourage the the video manufacturers to to include include the the parental parental advisory advisory in in the the attract attract manufacturers mode" of ofgames. games. mode" v ARACHNID ARACHNID DEBUTS DEBUTS OPERATOR OPERATOR PROGRAMS PROGRAMS Arachnid Inc. Inc. has has introduced introduced the the BullShooter BullShooter Dart Dart AssociaArachnid AssociaGalaxy dart dart tion designed to run leagues nationwide with the tion designed to run leagues nationwide with the Galaxy game and and modems modems to to lighten lighten the the load load of ofleague league administration administration game duties, plus plus aa new new marketing marketing tool tool--National Player Ranking Ranking-duties, -- National Player -operators using using the the Dartman Dartman 33 League League ManageManageavailable to to all all operators available ment Software. Software. Look Look for for more more details details in in the the August August issue. issue. ment v ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS AT AT SEGA SEGA GAMEWORKS, GAMEWORKS, SEGA SEGA ENTERPRISES ENTERPRISES V Sega GameWorks, Game Works, the the new new joint joint venture venture between between Sega Sega EnEnSega terprises Ltd., Ltd., Dream DreamWorks Works SKG, SKG, and and MCA-Universal, MCA-Universal, has has made made terprises the following following personnel personnel changes: changes: Barbara Barbara Nappi, Nappi, director director of of the of financial financial service; service; sales and and marketing; marketing; Jim Jim Welch, Welch , director director of sales David Stroud, Stroud, director director of ofoperations; operations; Tony Tony Maniscalco, Maniscalco, MidwestMidwestDavid ern regional regional sales sales manager; manager; Mike Mike McHugh, McHugh, manager manager of of marketmarketern v AFTER-HOURS AFTER-HOURS Q·ZAR Q-ZAR LEVELS LEVELS OLYMPIC OLYMPIC PLAYING PLAYING FIELD FIELD Competition in in Atlanta Atlanta will will be be stiff stiffwhen when the the Olympics Olympics come come Competition but every every athlete athlete will will be be on on equal equal ground ground to town town this this month, month, but to when they they enter enter the the 20,000-square-foot 20,000-square-foot Q-Zar Q-Zar laser laser tag tag facility facility when built in in the the Olympic Olympic Village Village Residential Residential Zone Zone for for the the sole sole use use of of built Olympians as as aa daily daily escape escape from from the the rigors rigors of of the the summer summer Olympians ing and and advertising: advertising: Kimberley Kimberley Walman, Walman, vice vice president president of of operopering ations; Rudy Rudy Lopez, Lopez, director director of of finance, finance , and and Ray Ray Hsieh Hsieh is is ations; manager of of operations. operations. In In addition, addition, Howell Howell Ivy Ivy has has been been named named manager president of of Sega Sega Enterprises Enterprises Inc. Inc. USA. USA. The The newest newest video video from from president Sega GameWorks Game Works is is Gunblade Gunblade N.Y., N. Y., aa fast-paced fast-paced aerial aerial combat combat Sega game with with 3-D 3-D graphics. graphics. Look Look for for more more on on the the game game and and the the game staffnext next month. month. staff v VALLEY VALLEY TO TO CENTRALIZE MANUFACTURING IN IN MICHIGAN CENTRALIZE MANUFACTURING MICHIGAN Valley Recreation Recreation Products, Products, which which recently recently merged merged with with TorTorValley nado Table Table Sports, Sports, will will consolidate consolidate both both Valley Valley and and Tornado Tornado opopnado erations in in Valley's Valley's Bay Bay City, City, Mich., Mich ., facility. facility. "There "There isis no no erations timetable to to make make the the move," move," said said Scott Scott Schroeder, Schroeder, vice vice presipresitimetable dent of ofmarketing marketing for for Valley, Valley, "but "but itit will will happen happen at at some some point point dent because it's it's just just more more practical practical to to centralize centralize our our operations operations because here." He He indicated indicated an an offer offer was was made made to to key key Tornado Tornado employemployhere." ees to tomove move to to Michigan. Michigan. In In other other Valley Valley news, news, the the company company that that ees been so so successful successful with with the the Valley Valley National National 8-Ball 8-Ball AssociaAssociahas been has tion will will turn turn its its league league promotion promotion expertise expertise to to the the Valley Valley InterIntertion Association, which which will will run run parallel parallel to to the the curcurnational Foosball Foosball Association, national rent Tornado Tornado foosball foosball tour. tour. rent games. These These athletes athletes will will be be the the first first to to experience experience Q-Zar's Q-Zar's new new games. iQ system. system. "It "It is is well well worth worth our our investment investment to to be be aa part part of of this this iQ great event," event," said said Q-Zar Q-Zar director director of of development developmentJohn John Cooke. Cooke. great FOREIGN TRADE TRADEMARKET MARKET Vv FOREIGN The Asian Asian Amusement Amusement Expo Expo '96 '96 in in Hong Hong Kong Kong doubled doubled in in ·· The terms of of exhibit exhibit space, space,jumping jumping from from 105 105 booths booths last last year year to to 210 210 terms booths at at this this year's year's show show co-sponsored co-sponsored by by IAAPA IAAPA and AAMA. booths and AAMA. There was was also also aa nine nine percent percent increase increase in in total total attendance, attendance, with with There broader scope scope of of visitors visitors from from over over 35 3 5 countries countries compared compared to to aa broader 20 countries last year. Turn to to "International "International Scene" Scene" for for more more 20 countries last year. Turn on AAE. AAE. on EXIME, the the AAMA-sponsored AAMA-sponsored trade trade show show in in Mexico, Mexico, has has .• EXIME, been canceled. canceled. In In order order to to maintain maintain aa presence presence in in that that market market been will instead instead host host aa one-day one-day seminar seminar and and tabletop tabletop the association association will the display Aug. Aug. 8. 8 . The seminar is is set set for for Noon-3 Noon-3 p.m p.m.; the exhibit exhibit 3 3 display The seminar .; the W.T. Glasgow, Glasgow, p.m.-9 p.m. For For more more information, information, contact contact W.T. p.m .- 9 p.m. (708)333-92 92. (708)333-9292. PLAY PLAY METER 3 JULY 1996 1996 JULY