Play Meter

Prototypes of RoboPrototypes of Roboand One-onOne-onGolf and Golf One Hockey have One Hockey have been previewed been previewed atat severaltrade trade shows shows several and tested in sports bars, a major and tested in sports bars, a major Bostongames gamesemporium, emporium,and andthe theSeSeBoston nior PGA tour at the Michelob 19th nior PGA tour at the Michelob 19th Hole.Without Withoutthe thebenefit benefitofofadvertising advertising Hole. or the veneer of a market-ready prodor the veneer of a market-ready product, they drew instant and overwhelmuct, they drew instant and overwhelmingly positive response. Everyone-kids, ingly positive response. Everyone-kids, game-phobic adults, golfers, and game-phobic adults, golfers, and groups-crowded around the games, as groups-crowded around the games, as interested totowatch watchasastoto compete competein in interested play. this revolutionruy form of this revolutionary form of play. RoboGolf won the Hammacher RoboGolf won the Hammacher Schlemmer Searchfor forInvention Invention'96, '96, Schlemmer Search a national competition that was feaa national competition that was featured on network TV and CNN. While tured on network TV and CNN. While I have been approached by Disney's I have been approached by Disney's Magic Kingdom , an international Magic Kingdom, an international cruiseline, line,Las LasVegas Vegasgambling gamblingconconcruise cerns, and Hammacher Schlemmer, cerns, and Hammacher Schlemmer, MAILBOX Inventorsees seesindustry industry Inventor as aaclosed closedsociety society as My subscription to Play Meter has My subscription to Play Meter has been guidedtour tourthrough throughthe thecoin-op coin-op been aaguided folmarket, warts and all. I have been market, warts and all. I have been following your columns with elation and lowing your columns with elation and frustration, for you seem to have the frustration, for you seem to have the of prophecy prophecy with with the the Cassandra gift of Cassandra gift curse of no one willing to believe it. curse of no one willing to believe it. Perhaps they'll read your words as Perhaps they'll read your words as mycompany, company,Robotic Robotic the lastrites ritesover overmy the last Entertainment Systems, the creator of Entertainment Systems, the creator of breakthrough products that might have breakthrough products that might have been aarevolution revolutionsuch suchasasvideo, video,had had been coin-op as an industry not been so busy coin-op as an industry not been so busy itsgolden goldengoose gooseto to mourningthe theloss lossofofits mourning check out a titanium alternative. check out a titanium alternative. developed and patented a new II developed and patented a new kindofofentertainment, entertainment,computer-opercomputer-operkind ated but non-video; sophisticated, cyated but non-video; sophisticated, cybergenic, handsome and naturalistic; bergenic, handsome and naturalistic; totally unprecedented yet less costly totally unprecedented yet less costly than most arcade games in place. than most arcade games in place. among others interested in buying among others interested in buying RoboGolf units, I have been met with RoboGolf units, I have been met with disdain and discouragement from indisdain and discouragement from industry manufacturers. If this new apdustry manufacturers. If this new approach to entertainment wasn't alproach to entertainment wasn't already a proven success, they didn't ready a proven success, they didn't wanttotoknow knowabout aboutit.it. want Instead of licensing my engineering Instead of licensing my engineering 11 The Alien Riien Arrival" Rrriv.3111 "The Faur Fo ur Great Great Sizes' Sizes! Spac:e Alien Alien Space []aU Pack Pac:~ Doll $150.00 $150.00 120 count c:aunt 120 Success Don'tbe beleft left Don't there this this outthere out "Alien Season" Season" "Alien Call Now! Call Now! S-ut:t:llSS 1-800-396-8888 1-800-396-8888 Plush, Inc. Plush, Inc. 10660 Kinghurst Drive • Houston , TX 77099 10660 Kinghurst Drive . Houston, TX 77099 PLAYMETER METER PLAY 10 10 anddesign, design ,I Ifound foundI Icould couldproduce produce and the games myself with a capital the games myself with a capital $75,000.RES RES investmentofofless lessthan than$75,000. investment games fulfilled the coin-op checklist for games fulfilled the coin-op checklist for success:fresh freshchallenge, challenge,new newskill skilllevlevsuccess: els, competitive, accommodates oneels, competitive, accommodates oneto-fourplayers, players,tournament-friendly, tournament-friendly, to-four easily customized, updatable in apeasily customized, updatable in appearance and play, plug-in play and pearance and play, plug-in play and reliability, promotes repeat business, reliability, promotes repeat business, appeals to a broad cross-section ... but I appeals to a broad cross-section ... but I couldn't further risk my home and couldn't further risk my home and intoindependent independentproducproducfamilytotogogointo family tion without a parallel sales and mar- tion without a parallel sales and marketing effort. keting effort. Distributorsand andoperators operators were exDistributors were exceptionally helpful as I conducted proceptionally helpful as I conducted prototype trials, but their interest quickly totype trials, but their interest quickly waned when when the the cash cash box box fitted fitted to to waned RoboGolf was less full than its neighbor, RoboGolf was less full than its neighbor, Cruis'nUSA. USA. Cruis'n Operators bemoan the cost of new Operators bemoan the cost of new machinesand andthe thedecline declineinintheir theirrevrevmachines enues, essentially beating the dead enues, essentially beating the dead video horse, when I'm here presenting video horse, when I'm here presenting themwith withan anautomobile. automobile. them Minds have to change before busiMinds have to change before business can grow again. Golf and hockey ness can grow again. Golf and hockey are only the first two incarnations of my are only the first two incarnations of my robotic concepts, just as Pong and Space robotic concepts, just as Pong and Space Invaders were just the launchpad to so Invaders were just the launchpad to so many more applications. many more applications. As Butch Cassidy said, "I have viAs Butch Cassidy said, "I have vision,and andthe therest restofofthe theworld worldwears wearsbibision, focals ." As Play Meter has said, "Enfocals." As Play Meter has said, "Entrepreneurship is what this industry is trepreneurship is what this industry is built upon. Those who don 't change, built upon. Those who don't change, who don't get creative or innovative, who don't get creative or innovative, won'tsurvive." sw-vive." won't After five years, I've gone back to a After five years, I've gone back to a day job as an engineer. My host of day job as an engineer. My host of golfers-BillClinton, Clinton,Bryant BryantGumbell, Gumbell, golfers-Bill the Terminator, and Angus MacMullithe Terminator, and Angus MacMulligan-have been unplugged. If there's gan-have been unplugged. If there's anybody out there with a littlefire fireand and out there with a little anybody market savvy, I'd like to know about it. market savvy, I'd like to know about it. Thereseems seemstotobe benone nonetotobe befound foundin in There the coin-op entertainment industry. the coin-op entertainment industry. DeanRowland Rowland Dean Robotic Entertainment Systems Robotic Entertainment Systems Newburyport, MA Newburyport, MA [DearDean, Dean,We Wesympathize sympathizewith withyour your [Dear Our industry needs to encoursituation. situation. Our industry needs to encourage creative ideas that enhance entertainage creative ideas that enhance entertainmentvalue valueand andexcite exciteplayers. players.Both BothRoboRoboment Golf and One-on-One Hockey were Golf and One-on-One Hockey were featured in our April 19 9 6 "What's featured in our April 1996 "What's New. ."" New understandthe themanufacturing manufacturingside, side, ToTounderstand we contacted Roger Sharpe, director of liwe contacted Roger Sharpe, director of licensing at Midway Games. Sharpe offers censing at Midway Games. Sharpe offers a unique perspective; his over 20-year ina unique perspective; his over 20-year industry career has included game design, dustry career has included game design, MARCH1997 1997 MARCH