Play Meter

s u c e N BULLETIN BULLETIN PC GIANTS GIANTS LAY LAY OUT OUT PLAN PC FOR COIN-OP COIN-OP FUTURE FUTURE FOR At aa confidential confidential meeting meeting held held last last month, month, executives executives At and Microsoft met with more than 100 represenfrom Intel from Intel and Microsoft met with more than 100 representatives from the coin-op industry to lay out specifics ofaaproprotatives from the coin-op industry to lay out specifics of PC-based game platform. posed posed PC-based game platform. Speakersincluded includedthree threevice vicepresidents presidentsfrom fromIntel, Intel,signalsignalSpeakers ing the company's commitment to the coin-op market. preing the company's commitment to the coin-op market. AApreliminary specification for the proposed coin-op platform, inliminary specification for the proposed coin-op platform, inCPU, disc size, and RAM, was presented. But officials cluding cluding CPU, disc size, and RAM, was presented. But officials Microsoft and and Intel Intel have have not not commented commented publicly publicly on on the the atatMicrosoft details of the specification or any other aspect of the meeting. details of the specification or any other aspect of the meeting. ofthe the major majorcoin-op coin-op manufacmanufacAttendees-includingmost most of Attendees-including PC game game publishers, publishers, and and even even aa representarepresentaturers, several several PC turers, ofNANI-were NANI-were also also sworn sworn to to secrecy secrecy and and required required to to tive of tive agreement barring them from dissign a non-disclosure sign a non-disclosure agreement barring them from disofthe the presentation. presentation. cussingany any details details of cussing The crux of the message was not notunlike unlikewhat whathas has already already The crux of the message was been discussed discussedpublicly: publicly: that that 3-D 3-D technology technology currently currentlybeing being been PC market can be used advantageously by developed in the developed in the PC market can be used advantageously by the coin-op and location-based entertainment (LBE) industhe coin-op and location-based entertainment (LBE) indusmade possible possibleby bythe the tries to to increase increase profitability. profitability. This Thisisismade tries an open platform and common design elements inherent in common design elements inherent in an open platform and the opportunities opportunities for for integrated integrated marketing marketingwith with the the home home the game business. business. game The impetus impetusfor for delivering delivering the the message message last lastmonth month was was aa The and the promise of new mulnewly developed 3-D platform newly developed 3-D platform and the promise of new muland Intel that will retimedia technologies from Microsoft timedia technologies from Microsoft and Intel that will reand surpass the performance of dedicated portedly catch up portedly catch up and surpass the performance of dedicated hardware in in the the next next few few years. years. hardware Implementing a scaleable platform that that incorporates incorporates the the Implementing a scaleable platform (PC to LBE) will deliver a tengame industry from top to bottom game industry from top to bottom (PC to LBE) will deliver a tenfoldsystem-wide system-wideprice/performance price/ performanceratio ratioimprovement improvementininthree three fold years, attendees at the meeting were told. Such a scaleable platyears, attendees at the meeting were told. Such a scaleable platform would would include include mainstream mainstream home home computers, computers, high-end high-end form beused usedfor forlow-end low-endcoin-op coin-op home computers computersthat thatcould could also alsobe home games, and high-end coin-op and LBE game platforms. games, and high-end coin-op and LBE game platforms. Underthis this scenario, scenario, coin-op coin-op and and LBE LBEwould wouldbecome becomethe the Under and leading edge conproving grounds for 3-D technology proving grounds for 3-D technology and leading edge conPC.As Aspart partofofthis thismodel model tentbefore beforeititmigrated migratedto tothe thehome homePC. tent the industry would be able to leverage brand for success, for success, the industry would be able to leverage brand name recognition from coin-op in the home market, as well name recognition from coin-op in the home market, as well as work out any problems through user feedback at the payas work out any problems through user feedback at the payfor-play level. level. for-play supportingthis, this, Intel Intelbriefly briefly discussed discussed aa plan plan As a way As a way ofofsupporting that would provide early availability of development systhat would provide early availability of development systems, favorable pricing for deployment systems, technical tems, favorable pricing for deployment systems, technical support, and and co-marketing co-marketingto tothe the coin-op coin-opand and LBE LBEindustries. industries. support, As one operator, who was not at the meeting but hasbeen been As one operator, who was not at the meeting but has following the theissue issue closely, closely, put putit: it: "In "In the the best best of ofall all worlds, worlds, II following be able able to to purchase purchase next next year's year's $3,000 $3,000 hardware hardware for for would be would $2,000 this year." $2,000 this year." PLAYMETER METER PLAY Anotherissue issueraised raised atatlast lastmonth's month's meeting meetingwas was the the need need Another an open platform and the abstraction of software develfor for an open platform and the abstraction of software development, which whichruns runs in inlonger longercycles cyclesthan thanhardware hardwaredevelopdevelopopment, ment. Abstraction Abstraction would would allow allow developers developers to to run run their their ment. on the hardware most suited to their software, not the games games on the hardware most suited to their software, not the one they "chose" at the beginning of the development cycle. one they "chose" at the beginning of the development cycle. Abstraction,which whichcan canbe beachieved achievedthrough throughthe theuse useofofMiMiAbstraction, crosoft's DirectX, DirectX, would would usher usher in in aa new new business business model model alalcrosoft's lowing games to support last year's and next year's standard lowing games to support last year's and next year's standard makes sense, sense, according accordingto to members members of ofthe the PC PC hardware. ItItmakes hardware. industry, even if a coin-op company continues to develop industry, even if a coin-op company continues to develop dedicatedhardware hardwarebecause becauseititlets letsdevelopers developers"choose" "choose"their their dedicated hardware after the game is completed. hardware after the game is completed. be following following up up with with Microsoft and and Intel Intel will will reportedly reportedly be Microsoft manufacturers who attended the meeting, seeking to find manufacturers who attended the meeting, seeking to find companies that will partner with them in implementing their companies that will partner with them in implementing their by the the plan. Software Softwarefor forthe the proposed proposed platform platformisis expected expectedby plan. second half of this year. (Look for more on this issue in next second half of this year. (Look for more on this issue in next month's edition.) edition.) month's AMOA RESTRUCTURES RESTRUCTURES ITS ITS AMOA WASHINGTON OFFICE OFFICE WASHINGTON The management management firm firm which which provides provides administrative administrative The stafffor for the the Amusement Amusement and andMusic MusicOperators OperatorsAssociation Association staff will no longer represent the association in Washington, D.C., will no longer represent the association in Washington, D.C., reportsAMOA AMOAgovernment governmentrelations relations committee committee chairman chairman reports JimStansfield. Stansfield. Jim However,Stansfield Stansfieldsaid saidthe theassociation associationhad hadnot nottotally totally However, "Ifan an closed the door on Smith Bucklin's Washington office. closed the door on Smith Bucklin's Washington office. "If to come up and we needed them we would go issue were issue were to come up and we needed them we would go them,"he he said. said. back to to them," back the meantime, AMOA's affairs affairs in in the the nation's nation's capitol capitol In In the meantime, AMOA's will be overseen by Wayne Vallis with the lobbying firm Valwill be overseen by Wayne Vallis with the lobbying firm Vallis & Associates, which was brought on board several years lis & Associates, which was brought on board several years ago to to help help move move the the legislative legislative ball ball during during debate debate over overthe the ago dollarcoin coinproposal. proposal. dollar Attempts to to pass pass dollar dollarcoin coinin in 1995 19 9 5 were were unsuccessful, unsuccessful, Attempts GOP takeover of Congress, which was expected despite a despite a GOP takeover of Congress, which was expected to bode well for the coin-op industry's longstanding legislato bode well for the coin-op industry's longstanding legislative agenda. agenda. tive "We can't can't afford afford to to keep keeptwo two or orthree threepeople peoplein inWashWash"We ington and get these kinds of results," Stansfield said. "It's ington and get these kinds of results," Stansfield said. "It's very frustrating." very frustrating." SmithBucklin Bucklin also also manages managesAMOA's AMOA's main main office officein in ChicaChicaSmith go, and a number of AMOA officers said the decision touse use go, and a number of AMOA officers said the decision to Vallis in Washington in no way affects the association's relaVallis in Washington in no way affects the association's relationshipwith with Smith Smith Bucklin BucklinininChicago. Chicago. tionship JKR/CHILDROBICS MERGER MERGER COMPLETE COMPLETE JKR/CHILDROBICS The now-complete now-complete merger mergerof ofJust Just Kiddie Kiddie Rides Rides and and ChilChilThe drobics will will allow allow the the two two companies companies to to offer offer one one of of the the drobics widestarrays arrays ofofproducts productsand andservices servicesfor forthe the amusement amusementininwidest dustry: kiddie rides, soft modular play, videos, redemption dustry: kiddie rides, soft modular play, videos, redemption 33 JANUARY1997 1997 JANUARY