Play Meter

TRADING PLACES .-Dave DaveMyers Myers will will be be leaving leavinghis his post post as as vice vice president president of of sales and marketing at Merit Industries to take on a new posales and marketing at Merit Industries to take on a new poofsales sales for for Betson Betson Enterprises. Enterprises. Said Said sition as as vice vice president president of sition Merit president Peter Feuer, "Dave's good people as far as Merit president Peter Feuer, "Dave's good people as far as but we have Merit is concerned. We're sorry to see him go Merit is concerned. We're sorry to see him go but we have aa be working working closely closely with with terrific relationship relationship and and will will still still be terrific Dave." At press time there was no announcement yet on Dave." At press time there was no announcement yet on Dave's replacement. Regarding the change, Dave said, 'Tm Dave's replacement. Regarding the change, Dave said, "I'm so excited excited about aboutthis this opportunity." opportunity." so .Jim Belt is moving from sales salesmanager manager at atBromley Bromley Inc. Inc. Jim Belt is moving from to aanew new sales sales position position at atKonami Konami America. America.Jim Jimhas hasbeen been in in to the coin-op industry for over 19 years and has experience in the coin-op industry for over 19 years and has experience in and sales. Prior to his term at manufacturing, marketing, manufacturing, marketing, and sales. Prior to his term at Bromley he logged years at American Laser Games, Taito Bromley he logged years at American Laser Games, Taito America, and and Williams Williams Electronics. Electronics. America, PLAYNET LAUNCHES LAUNCHES TOURNAMENTS TOURNAMENTS PLAYNET PlayNet Technologies Inc. announced last last month month the the PlayNet Technologies Inc. announced of its first nationally networked game tournament launch launch of its first nationally networked game tournament and its its first first tournament tournament sponsor, sponsor,Yamaha Yamaha Watercraft. Watercraft. Each Each and of PlayNet's summer monthly tournaments will feature of PlayNet's summer monthly tournaments will feature aa GP1200as asthe thegrand grandprize. prize.Prizes Prizeswill will YamahaWaveRunner WaveRunnerGP1200 Yamaha alsobe be awarded awardedfor formonthly monthlyregional, regional, city, city, and andlocation locationwinwinalso ners. Events Eventswill willrun runthrough throughSeptember. September. ners. of sponsored tournaments, PlayNet Play Net ininBeyond its slate Beyond its slate of sponsored tournaments, of its entertainment tends to expand the features and content tends to expand the features and content of its entertainment "Wehave havetested testedour ourproducts productsextensively extensivelyininthe thefield field network. "We network. and are are confident confidentthat thatwe we are arebringing bringingrobust robustsystems systemswith with and the tightest tightest software software to to the the market," market," said said Mouli Mouli Cohen, Cohen, aa the and president of PlayNet. For more tournament infounder founder and president of PlayNet. For more tournament information, call (415)217-3600. formation, call (415)217-3600. EXPRESS CAPITAL CAPITAL JOINS JOINS WITH WITH GREYSTONE GREYSTONE EXPRESS Express Capital Concepts Inc., a firm organized as as aa Express Capital Concepts Inc., a firm organized Corp. to merge or acquire a privately-held compaDelaware Delaware Corp. to merge or acquire a privately-held company,has has signed signed aa non-binding non-binding letter letter of ofintent intent to to enter enter into into aa ny, San business combination with GreyStone Technology, business combination with GreyStone Technology, aa San Calif.,-based developer of 3-D interactive software. Diego, Diego, Calif.,-based developer of 3-D interactive software. notbeen been finalized, finalized, the the companies companies Although the the terms termshave have not Although Capital's issued and outoutanticipate a reverse split of Express anticipate a reverse split of Express Capital's issued and of common stock to 480,000 shares of the standing shares standing shares of common stock to 480,000 shares of the new venture. This will result in 97 percent ownership of Exnew venture. This will result in 97 percent ownership of Express Capital Capital by by GreyStone GreyStone shareholders, shareholders, as as well well as as warrant warrant press andoption optionholders. holders. and "GreyStone's technical technical strengths, strengths, skill, skill, and and reputation reputation as as "GreyStone's an award-winning developer of 3-D software products is well an award-winning developer of 3-D software products is well known," commented commented Earnest EarnestMathis, Mathis, president presidentof ofExpress Express known," Capital. "This transaction represents an opportunity for our our Capital. "This transaction represents an opportunity for shareholders to to participate participate in in the the growth growth of of an an exciting exciting enenshareholders software industry." tertainment tertainment software industry." "Inthe the entertainment entertainmentsoftware softwarebusiness, business, networked networked interacinterac"In is a fast-moving key technology trend," tive 3-D digital media tive 3-D digital media is a fast-moving key technology trend," added GreyStone chairman and CEO Richard Smith. "We beadded GreyStone chairman and CEO Richard Smith. "We bebesuccessful successfulin inthis this lievethat thatthe thecompanies companiesthat thatare aregoing goingto tobe lieve market are are those those that that are are able able to to get get out out in in front front of ofthe the key key market applications." trends and really add value with their software trends and really add value with their software applications.“ Q-ZAR MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT BUYS BUYS CO. CO. SHARES SHARES Q-ZAR Tom Butler, Butler, chairman chairman and and CEO CEO of of Dallas, Dallas, Texas-based Texas-based Tom Q-Zar, confirmed that he has signed signed laser tag manufacturer laser tag manufacturer Q-Zar, confirmed that he has a new agreement on behalf of a management consortium to a new agreement on behalf of a management consortium to McCarthy Corp. of 7.3 million secure the purchase from the secure the purchase from the McCarthy Corp. of 7.3 million McCarthy Corp. Corp.was wasthe thelargest largestsingle single shareholdshareholdshares. The TheMcCarthy shares. er of Q-Zar stock. "I am pleased that the deal has been finaler of Q-Zar stock. "I am pleased that the deal has been finalon a positive footing and that the Q-Zar shareholding ized ized on a positive footing and that the Q-Zar shareholding the hands hands of ofthe the company's company's management," management," said said block isis in in the block McCarthy chairman Rory McCarthy . McCarthy chairman Rory McCarthy. Q-Zarhas has also alsocompleted completedaaprivate privateplacement placementof of$15 $15milmilQ-Zar Onehalf halfofofthe thenotes notesare aresecure secureand and lionin inpromissory promissorynotes. notes. One lion 2000.The Theother otherhalf halfare areunsecured, unsecured, convertconvertmatureininJune mature June 2000. of Q-Zar Q-Zar at at any any time time commencing commencing March March ible into into shares shares of ible 1998 if not previously redeemed at a price based on the 1998 if not previously redeemed at a price based on the market price of Q-Zar's shares at the time of conversion. The market price of Q-Zar's shares at the time of conversion. The notesare areredeemable redeemableby byQ-Zar Q-Zarat atany anytime. time. The Thecompany company notes expects to replace this short-term funding with the proceeds expects to replace this short-term funding with the proceeds this year. of a long-term bond issue later of a long-term bond issue later this year. MCGREGOR LAUNCHES LAUNCHES WEB WEB SITE SITE MCGREGOR McGregor Enterprises of Pittsboro, N.C.,recently recently introintroMcGregor Enterprises of Pittsboro, N.C., www.videogaming.com/ feaduced its new Web site (http:// duced its new Web site (http://www.videogaming.com/))feaofthe the company's company'snew newproducts, products, as as turinginformation information on on all all of turing wellas asservice serviceinformation, information,industry industryand andtrade tradeassociation associationupupwell andlinks linksto to suppliers, suppliers, customers, customers, and and friends. friends.McGreMcGredates,and dates, of information on aa gor feels that only through the exchange gor feels that only through the exchange of information on timely basis can the industry grow as a whole. The company timely basis can the industry grow as a whole. The company by operators operators both both in in North North hopes its its Web Web site site will will be be used used by hopes Carolina and across the country and welcomes feedback. Carolina and across the country and welcomes feedback. DALLAS PAPER PAPER PROFILES PROFILES GAME GAME PLATFORM PLATFORM DALLAS The Dallas Morning News published an article last month month The Dallas Morning News published an article last profiling the emergence of Microsoft as a player in the coinprofiling the emergence of Microsoft as a player in the coinThe software giant's coin-op evangelist op arcade industry. op arcade industry. The software giant's coin-op evangelist the paper paper that that Microsoft Microsoft sees sees the the emeremerJason Robar Robar told told the Jason of a PC platform as a way to help the computer game gence gence of a PC platform as a way to help the computer game community. "If I am opening up the door for development development community. "If I am opening up the door for I have done them a service," them into a whole new market, them into a whole new market, I have done them a service," he was quoted as saying. However, representatives of tradihe was quoted as saying. However, representatives of tradigame companies companies expressed expressedsome someskepticism skepticism tional coin-op game tional coin-op to the paper about the plan. "What Microsoft is trying to do do to the paper about the plan. "What Microsoft is trying to is get people interested in playing a computer game in an aris get people interested in playing a computer game in an arcade,"the thepaper paperquoted quotedNamco NamcoAmerica's America'sLucinda LucindaBender. Bender. cade," "I haven't heard our distributors saying this is the greatest "I haven't heard our distributors saying this is the greatest bread." thingsince sincesliced slicedbread." thing PLAY METER METER NEWS NEWS NOW NOW ON ON THE THE INTERNET INTERNET PLAY For the most current look at the coin-op amusement and and For the most current look at the coin-op amusement FEC industry, check out Play Meter "News Now" on the InFEC industry, check out Play Meter "News Now" on the Internet. Play Meter's Meter's Web Web site, site, located located at at (http://www (http ://www ternet. Play is now updated on a weekly basis! ~ .playmeter.com), ·playmeter.com), is now updated on a weekly basis! A PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION. The editors are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. PLAY METER PLAY METER MAGAZINE, (ISSN 1048-8243) AUGUST 1997, Volume 23, No 9. Copyright 1997 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE is MAGAZINE buys ALL RIGHTS, unless otherwise specified, to accepted 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 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 AUGUST 1997