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FROM THE TIIE EDITOR EDITOR FROM WALK AAMILE IN THE TIIE OTHER OTIIER GUY'S GUY'S SHOES SHOES B B now you have probably made at least one tour yynow you have probably made at least one tour of the exhibit floor floor and and are areinin the the process process ofofevaevaof the exhibit ulous sellers. Hey, you may save a few bucks now, but ulous sellers. Hey, you may save a few bucks now, but what about the future future when when legitimate legitimate manufacturers manufacturers just just what about the can't afford to bring you new games and the copiers don't can't afford to bring you new games and the copiers don't have anything to copy. Where are you going to get games? have anything to copy. Where are you going to get games? Think about it. If you're buying questionable boards, is Think about it. If you're buying questionable boards, is for revenge? revenge? IfIf so, so, the the revenge revenge may may be be on on you. you. itit for Probably not, not, although although I Iwould would love love toto be be wrong. wrong. ItIt Probably seems that the equipment is flowing pretty heavy right seems that the equipment is flowing pretty heavy right now but, unfortunately, not all of it could be considered now but, unfortunately, not all of it could be considered the next Pac-Man and if that's what you want, you're the next Pac-Man and if that's what you want, you're probably disappointed. disappointed. probably We've allall wished wished for for aa magic magic crystal crystal ball ball toto predict predict We've what a fickle game player will like. No one knows. They what a fickle game player will like. No one knows. They just plain and simply don't know what will be a hit and just plain and simply don't know what will be a hit and what won't. Did you love Pac-Man when it was first preswhat won't. Did you love Pac-Man when it was first presented at a show? Not many did. It was called foolish, ented at a show? Not many did. It was called foolish, and certainly no one expected it to be THE hit of not and certainly no one expected it to be THE hit of not just the year or decade but of all time! Bally didn't expect just the year or decade but of all time! Bally didn't expect it. The industry didn't expect it. But it happened. Why? it. The industry didn't expect it. But it happened. Why? Because Bally Bally took tookaachance; chance; took tookaarisk risktoto invest investmoney money Because in a really different game. in a really different game. luating what you saw. Many of you may have come luating what you saw. Many of you may have come to the show expecting something new and innovative, someto the show expecting something new and innovative, something that would really knock your socks off. Did you thing that would really knock your socks off. Did you find it? find it? But give the games fair consideration. Just like your But give the games fair consideration. Just like your locations, every one isn't on the top and you don't really locations, every one isn't on the top and you don't really expect them to be. But even the mediocre spots make expect them to be. But even the mediocre spots make you money but you just don't expect as much from them. you money but you just don't expect as much from them. That's games, too; all aren't going to be certified hits. That's games, too; all aren't going to be certified hits. That's nothing new; you never did nor will you ever expect That's nothing new; you never did nor will you ever expect every game toto bebe aa tremendous tremendous hit. hit. But But most most ofof them them game every will make make you you money. money. will operator, all all you you have have toto do do isis decide decide not not to to AsAs anan operator, buy a game that doesn't live up to your expectations. buy a game that doesn't live up to your expectations. You can look at it, play it, say no thanks, and walk away. You can look at it, play it, say no thanks, and walk away. Now put yourself in the manufacturer's place. He's been Now put yourself in the manufacturer's place. He's been living with that game for months. He saw it at conception, living with that game for months. He saw it at conception, he followed it through to production, and he gave it life he followed it through to production, and he gave it life the marketplace. Contrary to what you may think, he inin the marketplace. Contrary to what you may think, he had a gut feeling that maybe, just maybe, the game would had a gut feeling that maybe, just maybe, the game would hit. All All the the while, while, hehe had had mega mega bucks bucks tied tied up up inin bebe aa hit. it. The manufacturer ·simply can't walk away. The company it. The manufacturer simply can't walk away. The company is at stake. Maybe every several games or so, he strikes is at stake. Maybe every several games or so, he strikes pay dirt when he introduces one of those elusive, certified pay dirt when he introduces one of those elusive, certified hits. This game will help him recoup investments on nothits. This game will help him recoup investments on not-so-great games and will insure his finances to bring more -so-great games and will insure his finances to bring more possible hits hits toto the the market. market. possible But it's not that easy anymore. When a manufacturer But it's not that easy anymore. When a manufacturer does have a special game, there's a copier rushing to does have a special game, there's a copier rushing to make copies to sell to unwary buyers. The copier counts make copies to sell to unwary buyers. The copier counts his money while waiting for the next company to have his money while waiting for the next company to have the next hit--no money out of his pocket. And sad to the next hit -- no money out of his pocket. And sad to say, there are always operators buying from these unscrup- say, there are always operators buying from these unscrup- And what what about about those those who who order order games games then then change change And their minds? minds? Manufacturers Manufacturers must must have have aanumber number totowork work their towards. If games are ordered, that's ·a commitment. So towards. If games are ordered, that's a commitment. So what ifif the the game's game's aa bomb? bomb? So So what what ifif it's it's aa hit? hit? II feel feel what pretty certain Bally never expected to have a production pretty certain Bally never expected to have a production run on on Pac-Man Pac-Man that went over a hundred thousand! Taito run that went over a hundred thousand! Taito was probably being conservative on Double Dragon. There's was probably being conservative on Double Dragon. There's just no way to really predict a game's success. just no way to really predict a game's success. There has always been and there will always be strong There has always been and there will always be strong opinions from our industry's two associations (manufacopinions from our industry's two associations (manufacturers and operators). The two may not agree on all industry turers and operators). The two may not agree on all industry issues, but but everyone everyone needs needs toto think think about about the the industry's industry's issues, future. AMOA may have been mad as hell that its president future. AMOA may have been mad as hell that its president was the focus of a raid. AAMA may be fuming that AMOA was the focus of a raid. AAMA may be fuming that AMOA hasn't taken a positive position on parallel imports. It hasn't taken a positive position on parallel imports. It doesn't mean mean that thatAMOA AMOA can't can'twork work with with AAMA AAMA anymore anymore doesn't on mutual problems--industry problems. If that's what isis on mutual problems -- industry problems. If that's what happening, it'saasad timefor forour ourindustry. industry.We Weneed needthem them it's sadtime happening, both. both. Val~cf~ erie Cognwich /1 Valerie Cognevich Cognevich Valerie Editor Editor