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12 feet feet in in the the air. air. MaxFlight's MaxFlight's recent recent Cyber Cyber Coaster Coaster installainstalla12 tions include include Canada's Canada's West West Edmonton Edmonton Mall, Mall, Crown Crown AmeriAmeritions can's Logan Valley Mall in Altoona, Pa., and the Irvine Sepccan's Logan Valley Mall in Altoona, Pa., and the Irvine Sepctrum in in California California for for the the Geme GemeWorks trum Works Studio. Studio. DEBRUNO MOVES MOVES TO TO MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN COIN COIN DEBRUNO Sal DeBruno, DeBruno, aa well-known well-known figure figure in in distribution distribution who who has has Sal logged over 50 years in the industry, has joined Mountain logged over 50 years in the industry, has joined Mountain Coin Distributing effective Coin Distributing effective Sept. Sept. 1. 1. DeBruno DeBruno was was most most rerecently manager of the Betson West office in Las Vegas, Nev. cently manager of the Betson West office in Las Vegas, Nev. DeBruno will will work work out out of of Mountain Mountain Coin's Coin's Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz., Ariz., DeBruno office and the Southwest. office and handle handle sales sales throughout throughout the Southwest. DeBruno started DeBruno started in in the the industry industry at at the the age age of of 14 14 working working withhis his dad. dad. He He has has been been in in distribution distribution for for 17 17 years. years. Most Most of of with his coin-op coin-op career career was was spent spent as as an an operator operator with with routes routes in in New New his Jersey and and Arizona, Arizona, which which gives gives him him aa true true understanding understanding of Jersey of his customers. "I really love this business," said DeBruno, who who his customers. "I really love this business," said DeBruno, has aa simple simple philosophy: philosophy: "Take "Take care care of ofthe the operators." operators." has Elden Kingston, president of Mountain "We are Elden Kingston, president of Mountain Coin, Coin, said, said, "We are proud to have a man of Sal's caliber, with his wealth of expeexpeproud to have a man of Sal's caliber, with his wealth of rience in in the the coin coin machine machine industry, industry, coming coming on on board." board." DeDerience be reached reached in in Phoenix, Phoenix, (602)269-7596; (602)269-7596; fax fax Bruno can can be Bruno (602)278-3224. (602)278-3224. FERRIS DEVELOPS DEVELOPS UCB UCB FERRIS Ferris Productions Productions has has developed Ferris developed aa new new open open architecture architecture Universe Control Board (UCB) that will make it possible possible to to Universe Control Board (UCB) that will make it transform nearly any off-the-shelf PC game application into transform nearly any off-the-shelf PC game application into coin-op program program without requiring software aa coin-op without requiring software modifications modifications to the the PC PC application application or or operating operating system. system. to Ferris, the the Richardson, Richardson, Texas-based of highFerris, Texas-based developer developer of highthe out-of-home out-of-home entertainentertaintech products products and and systems systems for for the tech mentmarket, market, is is aa member member of of Intel's Intel's Open Open Arcade Arcade ArchitecArchitecment ture Forum Forum (OAFF). (OAFF). ture The company company integrates integrates the The the UCB UCB component component with with aa statestateof-the-art computer in an arcade unit. The simple-to-use of-the-art computer in an arcade unit. The simple-to-use Macro Software Software provides provides commands commands that that direct direct the the UCB. UCB. Macro Following the commands, the UCB controls the individual Following the commands, the UCB controls the individual game software, software, allowing allowing the the application application to to operate operate within within an game an arcade unit and yet be transparent to the user. arcade unit and yet be transparent to the user. Bob Ferris, Ferris, "The "The unveiling unveiling of of the the UCB UCB comcomSaid CEO Said CEO Bob pletely changes the PC arcade industry by opening the floodpletely changes the PC arcade industry by opening the floodgates of of PC PC game game software." software." Officials Officials at at Ferris Ferris believe believe that that gates many arcade arcade operators the only many operators feel feel this this approach approach is is the only way way to to finally get get the the PC PC arcade arcade industry industry off off the the ground. ground. Milind Milind finally Bharvirkar, president president of of Global Global VR, VR, an an adopter adopter of ofthe the UCB UCB Bharvirkar, for its virtual reality arcade products, said, "Software compafor its virtual reality arcade products, said, "Software companies have have been been reluctant reluctant to to invest invest in in major major changes changes previouspreviousnies ly necessary in order to have arcade-ready software." ly necessary in order to have arcade-ready software." Ferris and and other other manufacturers manufacturers plan plan to use the the UCB UCB to to deFerris to use develop and and manufacture manufacture virtual virtual reality reality game game systems systems and and PCPCvelop based arcade arcade game game systems. systems. After Afterlicensing licensing PC PC game game softsoftbased ware from from the the original original developer, developer, Ferris Ferris will will convert convert the the ware games into into either either virtual virtual reality reality or or arcade arcade quality quality systems systems ususgames ing the UCB to manipulate the software and maximize ing the UCB to manipulate the software and maximize its its functionality. functionality. PLAY METER MAGAZINE, (ISSN 1048-8243) SEPTEMBER 1998, Volume 24, No 10. Copyright 1998 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE is published monthly, except for the two issues in January. Publishing office: 6600 Fleur de Lis, New Orleans, LA 70124. MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184, USA Phone: 504/488-7003; fax 504/488-7083. Subscription rates: U.S. and Canada -- $60. Advertising rates are available upon request. NO PLAY METER Ferris has has aa patent patent pending pending on on the the UCB. UCB. The The UCB, UCB, Macro Macro Ferris and Commercial PC Licenses can be obtained Software, Software, and Commercial PC Licenses can be obtained from Ferris. Ferris. Turnkey final products products with UCB are from Turnkey final with the the UCB are availavailable from from Ferris Ferris or or an an authorized authorized distributor. distributor. For For more more inforinforable mation, contact Ferris, (602)470-1177; (602)470-1177; fax fax (602)470-1166. (602)470-1166. mation, contact Ferris, STRUHS STARTS NEW COMPANY STRUHS Mark Struhs, Mark Struhs, longtime longtime Dynamo Dynamo executive executive and and most most rerecently president of Dynamo Interactive, will enter the cently president of Dynamo Interactive, will enter the out-ofout-ofhome entertainment entertainment field field with with aa new new company company he he formed formed home is aa 20-year 20-year industry veteran. He He during the the summer. summer. Struhs Struhs is during industry veteran. has extensive manufacturing and marketing a a has extensive experience experience in in manufacturing and marketing wide range range of ofhardware, hardware, cabinets, cabinets, table table games, games, video video gaming gaming wide devices, ATMs, devices, ATMs, and and PC-based PC-based video video games. games. Struhs Struhs can can still still be reached reached at be at (817)284-0114, (817)284-0114, ext. ext. 202. 202. MERIT FORMULATES NEW STRATEGY MERIT A new structure is is being being formulated formulated by by Merit Merit A new marketing marketing structure Industries and and the the first first step is the the addition addition 6f Winters Industries step is of Scott Scott Winters to the the senior senior management management team team as as director director of of marketing. marketing. to Winters will will be be responsible responsible for for directing directing aa reorganization reorganization of of Winters all marketing-related functions. Merit Merit president president Peter Peter Feuer all marketing-related functions. Feuer explained, "This is aa real real departure departure from from the the way way we we have have explained, "This is been operating our business in the past. We now have been operating our business in the past. We now have in in place an an effective effective way way of of tying tying all all of of Merit's Merit's efforts efforts into coorplace into coordinated programs to dinated programs to increase increase market market share share of of current current prodproducts and drive Merit's future growth. We feel very fortunate ucts and drive Merit's future growth. We feel very fortunate to have have aa marketing marketing professional like Winters Winters teaming teaming up up to professional like with industry industry veteran of sales Lou with veteran and and vice vice president president of sales Lou Rudolph to the next next level." Rudolph to take take us us to to the level." Winters can can be be reached reached at at (215)639-4700; (215)639-4700 ; (215)639(215)639Winters 5346. Merit Merit maintains maintains two two Web Web sites sites (www.meritind.com) 5346. (www.meritind.com) and (www.scorpiondarts.com). and (www.scorpiondarts.com). INDUSTRY MOURNS MOURNS SCHUBERT INDUSTRY SCHUBERT Frank Schubert, Schubert, senior senior sales sales executive executive Frank for Coin Mechanisms of for Coin Mechanisms of Glendale Glendale Heights, Heights, Ill., passed passed away away suddenly suddenly July July 22. 22 . Frank Frank Ill., had been been with with the the company company for for 21 21 of ofits its 30 30 had years. He was a dedicated employee and years. He was a dedicated employee and tireless worker. tireless worker. "Work "Work was was his his family," family," said said a fellow employee. He was a familiar figure a fellow employee. He was a familiar figure at industry industry trade trade shows shows and and will will be be sadly sadly at missed by by friends and co-workers. In lieu lieu missed friends and co-workers. In of flowers, flowers, the of the family family requested requested donations donations to the the American American Cancer Cancer Society. Society. to Frank Schubert EUROPEAN MERGER EUROPEAN Deith Leisure Leisure Prague, Prague, aa subsidiary subsidiary of of Sega Sega Amusements Amusements Deith Europe Limited, and Comax Leisure have merged. Deith Europe Limited, and Comax Leisure have merged. Deith Leisure Prague Prague will will retain retain an an office office at at Comax Comax Leisure's Leisure's premispremisLeisure es. Comax Leisure will the Sega line and and other other prodprodes. Comax Leisure will distribute distribute the Sega line ucts previously previously handled handled by by Deith Deith Leisure Leisure Prague. Prague. Comax Comax ucts Leisure will support customers customers who who have have purchased purchased Sega Sega Leisure will support games, and will stock the entire range of Sega dedicated games, and will stock the entire range of Sega dedicated parts parts in addition Martin Zych Zych will will be be in addition to to its its existing existing parts parts business. business. Martin based at Comax Leisure in Deith Leisure/ Sega's office . .A. based at Comax Leisure in Deith Leisure/Sega's office. PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION. The editors are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. PLAY METER MAGAZINE buys ALL RIGHTS, unless otherwise specified, to accepted manuscripts, cartoons, artwork, and photographs. Periodical postage paid at New Orleans, LA 70113 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER Send Form 3579 to Play Meter Magazine, P.O. Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184. 4 SEPTEMBER 1998