Play Meter

UPFRONT UP FRONT P P Mission: Mission: ·~\e e l b VoSS\U i Poss icturethis: this:our ourold oldfriend friendJim JimPhelps Phelpspicks picksup upaa depends dependsupon uponit. it. icture anunmarked unmarkedbrown brownenvelope, envelope,takes takesititto to tapeininan It'sdifficult difficultto toget getthrough throughall allthe the"positives" "positives"bebetape It's a private spot for a quick listen, and gets the ing thrown about at different booths and get to the core a private spot for a quick listen, and gets the ing thrown about at different booths and get to the core of his his team's team's next next mission. mission. In In exactly exactly five five details of details seconds the tape self-destructs, forever eliminating seconds the tape self-destructs, forever eliminating aa traceable connection connection to to the the mission. mission. traceable CDsand and But wait! This is the 80s. Jim hasgone goneto toCDs But wait! This is the 80s. Jim has TheIMF IMFteam team isiscompletely completelycomputerized. computerized. VCRs. The VCRs. Goneare arethe the8x10 8x lOglossies. glossies.All Allthe themoves movesininpreparapreparaGone tionfor forthe themission missionare areon ontape, tape,viewed viewedby byremote remoteconcontion trol. Some things don't change, however. The shiny trol. Some things don't change, however. The shiny ofaa game. game. Seasoned Seasoned operators operators know know what whattypes types of of of games appeal to their customers. They know what games appeal to their customers. They know what systemshave havehelped helpedthem themand andwhich whichones oneshave have not. not. systems what' 'holes'' exist at their different locaThey know They know what "holes" exist at their different locations and and are are looking lookingfor for games games to to fill fill them. them. As Asone one tions operator put it a few years ago, game takes quoted operator put it a few years ago, game takes quoted San Francisco Francisco arcades arcades don't don't help helphim himififhe he from big bigSan from doesn't have such locations. It's hit or miss anyway doesn't have such locations. It's hit or miss anyway youslice sliceit, it,an animpossible impossiblemission missionthat thatwe wewould wouldlike like you to make possible. to make possible. Afterviewing viewinggames gameson onthe thefloor floorfor forthe thefirst firsttime time After silverCD CDgoes goes up up in in smoke smokein infive five seconds secondsjust justlike like silver the old tape. A comforting reminder of the past. the old tape. A comforting reminder of the past. Back at at unnamed unnamed headquarters headquarters the the IMF IMF team team Back off to and playing them, it's helpful to listen to the remarks assembles, receives assignments, and takes assembles, receives assignments, and takes off to and playing them, it's helpful to listen to the remarks locations around around the the globe globe in in search search of of justice. justice. of players, other operators, and distributors. The inlocations of players, other operators, and distributors. The interactionamong among fellow fellowoperators operatorsisisone Whether on a rescue mission to free hostages, or oneof ofthe themajor major Whether on a rescue mission to free hostages, or teraction ofthis thismission. mission.Where Whereelse elsewould wouldaachance chance benefitsof smuggleaadeposed deposedhead-of-state head-of-stateout outof ofhis hishomeland homeland benefits smuggle present itself to hear what plays well for the other guy IMF team undertakes the imto political asylum, the to political asylum, the IMF team undertakes the im- present itself to hear what plays well for the other guy similar route? route? Attending Attending distributor distributor open open possible. They battle against the odds, utilize disguises with possible. They battle against the odds, utilize disguises with aa similar houses for a second look is always wise in gathering toconfuse confusethe theenemy, enemy, and andpull pull off offmany many aa "sting." ''sting.'' houses to for a second look is always wise in gathering more input to add to already formed ''gut'' reactions. Their missions missions always always turn turn out out successfully, successfully, more Their input to add to already formed "gut" reactions. We hope our mission turns out successfully, and we suspenseful to the the end. end. ul to suspensef We hope our mission turns out successfully, and we suspense waiting to see what the cashbox arealways alwaysininsuspense ofcoin-op coin-opwe wehave haveaasimilar similarmismis- are Hereininthe theworld worldof Here waiting to see what the cashbox sion. That Thatmission, mission, should shouldwe weaccept acceptit, it, isisto todecide decide sion. R.O.I. the which new games will give us the best which new games will give us the best R.O.I. ininthe of that mission involves gathermonths ahead. Part months ahead. Part of that mission involves gatheratcentral centralmeeting meetingpoints pointsto toview view ingtwice twiceannually annuallyat ing will bring. bring. Will Will this this game gamebe beaa two-week two-weekwonder wonderor or will year-long smash? smash? Are Are we we sitting sitting on on aa bomb bomb or or aa year-long another Double Dragon? Is it Hall of Fame time or another Double Dragon? Is it Hall of Fame time or will our ourgame game choices choicesbe be "also "also rans?" rans?" will Unfortunately,ififselections selectionsdon't don'tlive liveup uptototheir theirexexUnfortunately, manufacturers will will disavow disavow any any pectations, the the manufacturers quickly to to see see what what seminars seminars best best benefit benefit our our pectations, quickly the new crop of equipment, going over the program the new crop of equipment, going over the program ofthe thegames gamesand andclose-outs close-outswill willbe beappearappearknow ledgeof businesses, and anddiving divingheadlong headlonginto intothe thefray fray of ofsome some knowledge businesses, ing in in the the classified classified section. section. 180-plus booths boothsdisplaying displaying their their wares. wares. 180-plus ing Good luck, operators. Our headquarters in the fall is the AMOA Expo and Good luck, operators. Our headquarters in the fall is the AMOA Expo and ACME Expo. The place where the in the spring the in the spring the ACME Expo. The place where the action takes takes place place for for us usisis not notaa European European or orSouth South action Americancountry, country,but butexhibit exhibitfloors floorsfull fullof ofgames gamesand and American services pertaining to our livelihood. The array of services pertaining to our livelihood. The array of BonnieTheard Theard gamesand andthe the"hype" ''hype''may maybe beconfusing confusingso sowe wemust must Bonnie games our future take this mission seriously. After all, take this mission seriously. After all, our future Bonnie Theard PLAYMETER/Decembe MET ER/ December 1988 1212PLAY r 1988