. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
@BEGIN_FILE_ID.DIZ*** EDGE MAGAZINE 10 ONLINE/TEXT ***
Includes: NINTENDO 32BIT & 64BIT INFO
JAGUAR GETS A BOOST          
BIG INTERVIEW WITH TRIP HAWKINS/3DO
REVIEWS/RATINGS FOR GAMES
Typed By: 2TUFF/CRYSTAL!
@END_FILE_ID.DIZ

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% The EDGE magazine issue 10 (online/text version) %
% Typed in by 2TUFF/CRYSTAL                         %
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

***************************************
**  Nintendo: 32BIT machine for '95  **
***************************************

Nintendo like surprises, and a press release issued from their Kyoto
headquarters in mid April packone one that few could have predicted.
According to the release a 32bit dedicated virtual reality games
machine will debut in the spring of next year.  Not to be confused
with project Reality, this new system is already in its final stages
of development and is set to make an appearance at the `Shinsakku
Soft no Tenjikai' or `New Software Exhibition' taking place in the
middle of November this year. <2tuff>

The most unusual feature of this new machine is that it will enable
the player to experience the sensation of virtual reality without
using a conventional Television screen or head mounted display (HMD).
Quite how Nintendo hope to do this is the centre of the whole mystery
Nintendo Japan are refusing to comment any further, with President
Hiroshi Yamauchi offering simply, `We're going to open up a new
field for entertainment.' <2tuff>

The only real clue is that Nintendo are collaborating with an unnamed
US company for the picture hardware and virtual reality software.
EDGE has heard this unnamed company already has dealings with Project
Reality partner, Silicon Graphics. <2tuff>

Priced at a fiercely competitive 125, the system is rumoured to be
based around the NEC V810 or V820 chip.  One popular rumour floating
around is that the system has a built in laptop or Apple Newton-style
screen.  However, some form of projection technology is a possibility
that's not being ruled out. <2tuff>

Whatever the case, `2D Virtual Reality' is a phrase the Japanese have
been known to coin from time to time.  And already, sceptics are 
claiming this is a stop-gap product rather than a product to carry
Nintendo through the next generation. <2tuff>

Some insiders even claim it was set to be scrapped before a counter
attack was needed to fight Sega and Sony.  A low cost VR system is
unlikely to interfere directly with Sega or Sony's plans, but Nintendo's
philosophy has always been to look towards new and exciting developments.

Of course, the horrible delays and costing problems that the big `N' 
is allegedly experiencing with Project Reality might be another factor
that's spurred this announcement. <2tuff>

Nintendo claim that the new VR software for the system will cost less
than current Super Famicom software.  With the Japanese games market
proving fiercer than ever, software pricing is likely to become an
issue on which the new battles will be fought. <2tuff>

Just how good this machine will be and what exactly it will mean for
gamesplayers isn't clear, but at least it confirms suspicions that
Nintendo were `up to something' all along. <2tuff>

Meanwhile work continues on Nintendo's real assault on the videogame
market - Project Reality.  It's this system, and not their VR system,
that will become the successor to both the NES and SNES and a 
potential rival to Saturn and PS-X.  Following on from news last
month about Rare's Killer Instinct game, Nintendo have just announced
the cooperation of respected Scottish development team DMA Design -
the guys behind Lemmings and Walker. <2tuff>

DMA founder, David Jones comments: `I have had the advantage of 
viewing early stages of virtually every next generation game machine
being developed in the world, and there is no question that Project
Reality is in a class by itself.  Nintendo has a commitment to gameplay
that we haven't seen from any other publisher.' <2tuff>

Whether DMA will be developing for the arcade version of Project Reality
is unclear, but it's unlikely they'll need reminding that their only
involvement in this area - a version of Lemmings from Data East -
bombed without a trace. <2tuff>

Nintendo's Project Reality, will first be shown on an invitation only
basis at this Summer's CES in Chicago with their arcade game hardware
debuting behind the scenes at this years JAMMA show in August. <2tuff>

After a long period of silence and apparent inactivity, the Nintendo
games machine seems to be back on the rails again.  Let's hope it
stays that way for the forseeable future. <2tuff>

****************************
**  JAGUAR gets BOOTED up **
****************************

`Anything you can do, we can do' seems to be Atari Corporation's way
of thinking these days.  After the recent announcement of the PC Card
that will allow you to run 3DO software from your PC, Atari have just
announced that it has exclusively licensed its Jaguar technology to
Sigma Designs to deliver a similar PC Card incorporating both the
Jaguar technology and Sigma's own Reel Magic full motion capabilities.

This seems a bit of a desperate move by Atari, who's Jaguar hasn't 
pounced as impressively as they'd first hoped.  And Sigma's Reel-Magic
card is also guilty of the same crime.  Released in October last year,
the Reel-Magic card has yet to become an essential part of the PC's
make-up.  And the biggest problem is that there doesn't seem to be 
enough software using the Reel-Magic card to make it a worthwhile
investment; perhaps this explains the urgency of the hardware merger.

Atari president, Sam Tremiel, emphasised this: `Knowing there would 
be great demand for Jaguar on personal computers, we designed the
system to talk easily to the leading computer architectures.  This
has allowed us to move quickly to partner with Sigma Designs to
make this happen before Christmas this year.' <2tuff>

This deal will obviously expand the Jaguar's user base - there are
already 10 million PC users - but that's only if enough PC owners
buy the new card.  Julian Nguyen, vice president Sigma Designs 
reckons, `Jaguar's 64-bit technology will be extremely attractive
to the MPC customer base of more than 10 million users.  By combining
Sigma's Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) technology with Atari's
3D animation, we look forward to bringing the hottest video game
technology and software titles to the desktops of users worldwide.'

Sigma's Jaguar Reel-Magic card will be available around the same 
time that Atari plan releasing the official Jaguar CD-ROM unit 
later this year.  No definite price has yet been set, but it would
be surprising if this new board will sell for less than the current
Reel-Magic card price of 400 pounds. <2tuff>

The cynically-inclined might suggest that all this is a bit pointless.
Especially when the Jaguar's future is counting so highly on the 
conversion of quality PC games like Doom and Alone in the Dark.  What
can the Jaguar give the PC in return?  It'll need more than 
Crescent Galaxy... <2tuff>

**************************************
** Is TRIP Hawkins still DREAMING?  **
**************************************

At 40, Trip Hawkins is one of America's hottest new entrepreneurs.
After ten years of building Electronic Art's into the world's
largest entertainment software company he went on to convince some
of the world's largest investors that a new unproven format would
be the future for interactive entertainment. <2tuff>

But already, dark clouds are hanging over 3DO's plans.  How will a
delayed UK launch and the impending threat of Japanese giants spoil
the 3DO campaign?  To get some answers, Edge talked at length with
Trip at the Spring ECTS. <2tuff>

EDGE .. Do you really think there'll be room for yourselves, as well      
	as Sega, Sony and Nintendo, in the interactive entertainment
	market? <2TUFF>

TRIP .. WELL, THE MARKET'S GOING TO BE VERY BIG.  AND THERE'S NEVER
	BEEN A STANDARD IN THE INTERACTIVE INDUSTRY.  IT'S JUST THAT
	IN THE LONG RUN, THE CONSUMER WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF THE
	INDUSTRY EVOLVED INTO A MORE STANDARDISED APPROACH. <2TUFF>

EDGE .. And that standard should be 3DO? <2TUFF>

TRIP .. WE'RE THROWING OUR HAT IN THE RING AND SAYING WE'D LIKE TO
	BECOME A STANDARD - BUT YOU HAVE TO EARN THAT.  MAYBE THERE'S
	A MARKET THAT'S DOMINATED BY ONE TECHNOLOGY, OR MAYBE ONE
	THAT'S SPLIT UP BY TWO, IT MAY HAVE THREE; IT MAY HAVE TEN.
	THE MORE DIFFERENT FORMATS THERE ARE, THE MORE IT DIVIDES UP
	THE EFFORTS OF THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY AND THE MORE IT CREATES 
	CONFUSION FOR THE CONSUMER AND PROBLEMS FOR THE RETAILER TRYING
	TO STOCK EVERYTHING. SO IN THAT SENSE, IT'S A NOT A GOOD THING.

	ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A STANDARDISED MARKET
	BASED ON A PRODUCT THAT'S NOT ADEQUATE.  SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
	COMPETITION UNTIL THERE'S A CLEAR WINNER THAT HAS THE RIGHT
	TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THE RIGHT BUSINESS CHARACTERISITICS. <2TUFF>

EDGE .. And 3DO is good enough? <2TUFF>

TRIP .. WE THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT STARTING POINT.  IT'S NOT REALLY FAIR
	FOR ANYONE TO COMPARE OUR 1993 PRODUCTS AGAINST THEIR PLANS FOR
	1995.  WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY ANNOUNCMENTS FOR OUR PLANS FOR 1995.
	BUT WE'RE FAIRLY COMFORTABLE THAT OUR NEXT GENERATION HARDWARE 
	WILL BLOW EVERYTHING THOSE GUYS ARE DOING OUT OF THE WATER!

	NOT ONLY THAT, SINCE WE STARTED EARLIER AND WE KNOW OUR HARDWARE
	CAN BE BACKWARD COMPATIBLE.  FROM DAY ONE OUR NEXT GENERATION
	SYSTEM WILL RUN ALL OUR EXSISTING SOFTWARE - SO THAT GIVES US A
	HEAD START.  NONE OF OUR COMPETITORS HAVE EVER MADE TWO SYSTEMS
	THAT RUN THE SAME SOFTWARE. <2TUFF>

EDGE .. So you're working on a replacement system rather than an 
	upgradable one? <2TUFF>

TRIP .. THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN APPROACH THAT.  FOR SOMEBODY THAT
	BUYS THE CURRENT PLAYER, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF EXPANSION
	CAPABILITY FOR IT: THEY CAN ADD MPEG, THEY CAN ADD MORE MEMORY,
	THEY CAN ADD A MODEM - IN THE FUTURE THEY CAN ADD OTHER 
	PERIPHERALS LIKE A DISK DRIVE OR A PRINTER; THEY CAN PROBABLY
	EVEN ADD A (DVD) OPTICIAL DISK PLAYER IN THE FUTURE.  SO THERE'S
	A CONSIDERABLE GROWTH PATH THERE. <2TUFF>

	ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU GO IN AND CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTAL 
	PROCESSING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MACHINE, IF YOU WANT TO GO
	TO MUCH, MUCH HIGHER PERFORMANCE LEVELS YOU CAN'T.  SO PROJECTS
	LIKE THE (MARS) ADD-ON FOR THE MEGADRIVE, WON'T BE AS POWERFUL
	AS THE SEGA SATURN.  AT SOME POINT YOU'VE GOT TO RESET THE
	HARDWARE. <2TUFF>

EDGE .. Do you have a timescale for this new machine?

TRIP .. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE AT THIS POINT.  WE FEEL THAT
	RIGHT NOW WE'RE THE ONLY COMPANY THAT'S SUPPLYING A REALLY
	ADVANCED (CD) SYSTEM - AND THAT'S GOING TO BE TRUE FOR THE NEXT
	SEVERAL MONTHS.

	WE WANT TO MAKE AS BIG A MARKET AS WE CAN WITH OUR CURRENT 
	PRODUCT.  WE DON'T THINK WE NEED A NEXT-GENERATION PRODUCT
	UNTIL THERE'S MORE PRESSURE IN THE MARKETPLACE.

EDGE .. How scared do you think Sega and Nintendo are of 3DO?

TRIP .. COMPANIES LIKE THAT DON'T GET SCARED.

EDGE .. They must be aware of what you're doing?

TRIP .. THEY'RE NOT SCARED, BUT THAT SUITS ME.  THE WAY COMPANIES
	HANG ON TO THEIR MARKETSHARE IS BY BEING SCARED.

EDGE .. Are you worried by the advent of consoles like Saturn and the
	PS-X, which seem so much more powerful than 3DO?

TRIP .. SEGA AND SONY ARE ANXIOUS, AND THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MESS
	UP OUR PLANS AS BEST THEY CAN BY PROMISING THE WORLD EVERYTHING.

EDGE .. But noone can ignore a company as big as Sony.  How do you see
	PS-X competing with 3DO?

TRIP .. SONY HAVE HAD A GRAPHIC WORKSTATION BUSINESS; THEY UNDERSTAND
	POLYGON RENDERING AND HAVE SPECIAL CUSTOMERS THAT DEMAND IT.
	BUT I THINK WHEN SONY COME TO MARKET THEY MIGHT DISCOVER THAT
	THEY'VE UNDERESTIMATED HOW IMPORTANT TRADITIONAL CELL ANIMATION
	IS AND OVERATED THE IMPORTANCE OF POLYGON RENDERING.

EDGE .. But surely polygons are important?

TRIP .. POLYGONS ARE FASHIONABLE AT THE MOMENT - PARTICULARLY IN THE
	ARCADES.  BUT REMEMBER, WE DESIGNED OUR SYSTEM IN 1991.  NONE
	OF THE MICROPROCESSORS SONY AND SEGA ARE USING IN THEIR SYSTEMS
	WERE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME WE DESIGNED OURS.  THEY'VE SIMPLY
	PICKED A HIGHER BENCHMARK IN PERFORMANCE.

	BESIDES, GAMES LIKE TOTAL ECLIPSE AND JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL 
	COMBINE GREAT TEXTURE-MAPPING  AND POLYGON RENDERING, AND
	THAT'S A PRETTY SATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW.  I'M NOT
	SAYING THAT MORE PERFORMANCE WOULDN'T BE BETTER - ALL THESE
	TECHNOLOGIES ARE GOING TO GET BETTER - THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
	BETWEEN FIRST GENERATION AND SECOND GENERATION.  WITH OUR
	NEXT GENERATION HARDWARE, POLYGON RENDERING WILL PROBABLY BE
	AN AREA WE'LL GET MORE HEAVILY INTO.

EDGE .. But there's still a danger that people will hold off on 3DO
	now simply because they know the Sony machine's coming out?

TRIP .. THERE'S A BASIC PRINCIPLE ABOUT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS: IT GETS
	MORE POWERFUL ALL THE TIME AND IT GETS CHEAPER ALL THE TIME.
	THAT'S TRUE OF ALL TYPES OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS.

	IF YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING BETTER, YOU'D
	NEVER BUY ANYTHING, RIGHT?  WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE DEAD IN 
	100 YEARS, SO IN THE MEANTIME IF YOU WANT TO USE THE MOST
	ADVANCED SYSTEM THIS YEAR, THEN YOU HAVE TO BUY A 3DO.

	BUT IF YOU BROUGHT A MACHINE LAST YEAR, YOU'RE NOT GOING 
	TO BUY ANOTHER SYSTEM THIS YEAR - NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS.
	SO THE GUY THAT WE'RE REALLY TARGETING OUR SYSTEM AT THIS
	YEAR IS ONE OF THE GUYS WHO BROUGHT A 16BIT SYSTEM THREE OR
	FOUR YEARS AGO AND HAS PRETTY MUCH HAD IT WITH THAT, AND HE'S 
	READY TO BUY SOMETHING NEW.  MAYBE IN THREE YEARS TIME HE'LL
	BUY SOMETHING ELSE.

EDGE .. What happened to 3DO's plans to enter the arcades?

TRIP .. WELL, THERE ARE THREE COMPANIES RIGHT NOW WORKING ON ARCADE
	MACHINES BASED ON 3DO'S.  AMERICAN LASER GAMES ARE INFACT VERY
	CLOSE TO RELEASING THEIR FIRST 3DO PRODUCT.  ATARI GAMES ARE
	ALSO WORKING ON A COUPLE.  ELECTRONIC ARTS ARE ALSO EXPLORING 
	THIS AREA.

EDGE .. What's happening with the UK launch of 3DO?

TRIP .. WELL, WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGES, AND WE'RE GOING TO 
	RELEASE THE PRODUCT IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.  THERE HAD BEEN SOME
	DISCUSSION ABOUT DOING IT SOONER, BUT BASED ON THE SUCCESS
	WE'VE HAD ALREADY, AND THE LAUNCH OF THE PRODUCT IN JAPAN,
	EVERYONE CONCLUDED WE SHOULD TAKE OUR TIME AND MAKE SURE WE 
	HAVE ALL THE RIGHT ELEMENTS IN PLACE TO DO A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
	LAUNCH.  WE DON'T THINK IT WOULD REALLY ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
	TO GO OUT SOONER THAN THAT.

EDGE .. You mentioned Japan.  What about companies like Konami and 
	Capcom?  When are they going to start delivering some `killer'
	software on the 3DO?

TRIP .. WELL, SOME OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE HAVING PRETTY GOOD DISCUSSIONS
	WITH US RIGHT NOW.  I SHOULDN'T SPECULATE A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEIR
	PLANS ARE BECAUSE EVERY COMPANY FEELS DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WHEN TO
	ANNOUNCE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH 3DO.  BUT AS FAR AS VIDEOGAMES
	ARE CONCERNED, I THINK WE'VE GOT VERY STRONG SUPPORT IN GENERAL
	THERE ARE A LOT OF SOFTWARE COMAPNIES AND NOBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO
	GET ALL THE PROGRAMMERS TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO A NEW MACHINE;
	YOU HAVE TO EARN THAT KIND OF LOYALTY OVER TIME.

	BUT WE ALSO THINK THAT WE'VE GOT MORE QUITE ALOT MORE SUPPORT
	THAN ANY NEW FORMAT HAS EVER HAD.  OBVIOUSLY THE GUYS THAT HAVE
	BEEN THE MOST LOYAL AND THE BIGGEST SUPPORTERS OF NINTENDO,
	MOVED PRETTY SLOWLY TO SEGA, AND THEY'LL MOVE SLOWLY TO A FORMAT
	LIKE 3DO.  THE SAME IS TRUE OF GUYS THAT ARE COMING FROM A 
	DOMINANT EXPERIENCE ON OTHER FORMATS LIKE THE PC.

EDGE .. Are you happy with the software support you've received so far?

TRIP .. THE ONLY PROBLEM WE'VE HAD IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT'S TAKING
	PEOPLE TO DEVELOP TITLES.  WE STARTED SUPPLYING DEVELOPMENT
	SYSTEMS ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, SO I THINK THATS A PRETTY GOOD 
	INDICATION OF WHAT THE SEGA AND SONY LAUNCH SCHEDULES REALLY
	ARE.

	IT TAKES ABOUT THAT LONG BECAUSE YOUR NORMAL DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
	IS GOING TO BE LENGTHENED - YOU HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO LEARN HOW
	THE MACHINE WORKS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT.  AND INITIALLY,
	A LOT OF COMPANIES AVOID TRYING TO MAKE A REALLY RADICAL NEW
	KIND OF TITLE FOR A NEW SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD INVOLVE
	LEARNING A NEW MACHINE AND LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THE NEW TITLE
	AT THE SAME TIME.

	SO MOST DEVELOPERS SAY TO THEMSELVES; `LET'S TAKE AN EXISTING
	TITLE AND LET'S LEARN THIS NEW MACHINE WITH IT'.  WHAT THAT
	MEANS INITIALLY IS THAT YOU HAVE ALOT OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE ONLY
	SLIGHTLY BETTER GAMES IN THE SAME GENRE ON ANOTHER MACHINE -
	AND THE TITLES THAT REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MACHINE COME
	ALONG LATER.

	WITH 3DO, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 18 MONTHS, AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO
	SEE, INSTEAD OF A TRICKLE, A FLOOD OF REALLY GOOD PRODUCTS.
	EVERY WEEK OR TWO SOMETHING NEW IS COMING OUT.

EDGE .. You said that the Japanese launch was a success.  Why wasn't
	it as successful in the US?

TRIP .. IN JAPAN, WE HAD THE RIGHT PRICE, WHICH WAS AROUND $500.  WE
	ALSO HAD GOOD SOFTWARE IN THE KEY CATEGORIES AND MORE FOCUS
	ON THE GAMEPLAYING CAPABILITY, SO MORE OF THE MARKETING EFFORT
	WAS TARGETED AT GAME CUSTOMERS.

	THE DISTRIBUTION WAS ALSO GEARED TOWARDS STORES THAT COULD
	DISTRIBUTE BOTH SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE, SO THERE WAS MUCH BROADER
	DISTRIBUTION INITIALLY AND MORE EFFECTIVE PROMOTIONAL AND
	MERCHANDISING EXECUTION.  IT WAS JUST BETTER PREPARATION BY
	EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED WITH 3DO.

EDGE .. So can we expect the UK launch to be as successful as the
	Japanese one?

TRIP .. WE'LL LOOK AT THE JAPANESE LAUNCH AS A MODEL AND ASPIRE TO HAVE
	THINGS GO AS WELL AS THEY DID OVER THERE.  AND THAT'S PART OF
	WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IN THE US - TO JUST STRAIGHTEN
	OUT THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD.

EDGE .. How many 3DO units are there now in households worldwide?

TRIP .. IT'S APPROACHING 100,000

EDGE .. How many do you expect to sell by this time next year?

TRIP .. CERTAINLY OVER A MILLION.

EDGE .. How many units will Panasonic have to sell to be in profit?

TRIP .. I DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE.  THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT IS
	TO SPEND WHAT NEEDS TO BE SPENT INITIALLY TO BUILD A LONGTERM
	BUSINESS, AND THEN MAKE PROFITS IN SEVERAL YEARS.  SO I DON'T
	THINK PANASONIC HAVE A SPECIFIC PROFIT IN MIND.  THEY'VE SAID
	THAT THEIR FISCAL YEAR ENDS NEXT MARCH, AND THEY WANT TO SELL
	MORE THAN A MILLION MACHINES IN THAT 12-MONTH PERIOD.

EDGE .. Which launch do you think will prove most successful for 3DO 
	as a concept?

TRIP .. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL
	IN JAPAN.  OBVIOUSLY SEGA'S STRONGEST MARKET IS THE US, SO
	IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IN COMPETING WITH SEGA TO BE STRONG IN
	EUROPE AND TO BE STRONG IN JAPAN.  THOSE ARE THE MARKETS THAT
	WE CAN MORE EASILY CARVE OUT A MEANINGFUL COMPETITIVE
	POSITION.  AND WITH RESPECT TO NINTENDO, HISTORICALLY THEY'RE
	THE ONLY GUYS WHO ARE GOING TO SELL ANYTHING IN JAPAN.  SO
	THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A GOOD MARKET GIVES
	US A GOOD CHANCE TO HAVE A MUCH MORE DIVERSIFIED INTERNATIONAL
	BUSINESS RIGHT AWAY, AND THAT'S VERY ATTRACTIVE TO SOFTWARE 
	DEVELOPERS.

EDGE .. Which units can we expect to see in stores and when?

TRIP .. FOR THIS FALL IN THE US, YOU'LL SEE AT LEAST TWO MODELS FROM
	MATSUSHITA, ONE LOW END AND ONE HIGH END ONE.  AND MACHINES
	FROM SANYO, CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND GOLDSTAR, PROBABLY.

EDGE .. How important do you see MPEG?

TRIP .. FROM A COMPETITIVE STANDPOINT, SINCE PHILIPS HAS IT, WE CAN'T
	CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE IT.  BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT IMPORTANT
	TO BE QUITE HONEST.

	I COULD SHOW YOU A COUPLE OF TITLES THAT ILLUSTRATE THIS - YOU
	CAN GET PRETTY GOOD SOFTWARE VIDEO WITHOUT IT AND IT'S 
	REASONABLY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE IT.  IT'S NOT GOING TO REPLACE 
	YOUR VCR; YOU DON'T GET THE QUALITY OR THE PLAYTIME FOR IT
	REALLY TO BECOME THE NEXT MOVIE FORMAT.

EDGE .. What do you think of CD as a format for your software?

TRIP .. I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD FORMAT BECAUSE ITS VERY INEXPENSIVE
	THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS DRIVEN THE COST OF CDS DOWN TO NOTHING.

	ALTHOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE
	OF CD SYSTEMS GENERALLY, I THINK THERE'S A CHANGING AESTHETIC
	ABOUT GAMEPLAYING, AND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS PEOPLE
	WILL START TO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY 
	CAN DO WITH 3DO.

	AND GAME DESIGNERS WILL GET CLEVERER AT INTEGRATING VIDEO, SO
	IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A TOTALLY DISEMBODIED SEPERATE FEATURE
	WITH NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GAME IT'S USED IN.

EDGE .. Do you think that the `killer-app' is a myth?

TRIP .. I THINK FOR THIS KIND OF MACHINE IT COULD BE BECAUSE THERE
	ISN'T ANY ONE THING THAT EVERY CUSTOMER UNIVERSALLY WANTS
	TO DO.  IT'S LIKE TV OR A VCR, THERE'S SUCH A RANGE OF THINGS
	IT CAN DO, AND THERES NOT ONE THING THAT WILL APPEAL EQUALLY
	TO EVERY CUSTOMER.

EDGE .. Why did you drop the price?

TRIP .. WE WANTED TO BUILD OUR MARKET MORE QUICKLY.  WE HAVE A CERTAIN
	AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE SEGA AND SONY ARE SHIPPING PRODUCTS AND
	WE WANT TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

EDGE .. How much potential do you think there is for the price of 3DO
	to drop in the next six months?

TRIP .. WE'VE ALREADY ACCELERATED THE PRICE DROP TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
	SONNER BY DOING A BUSINESS DEAL WITH MATSUSHITA, SO THERE'S A
	POSSIBILITY THAT THE PRICE COULD COME DOWN EVEN FURTHER BY 
	FALL - BUT NOT BY VERY MUCH.

EDGE .. How do you see the PC and 3DO getting along together?

TRIP .. I THINK THAT IN AROUND FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, A STANDALONE CD
	SYSTEM WILL BE SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN A PC FOR PLAYING
	GAMES.

	IT WILL BE SO INEXPENSIVE THAT THE IDEA OF PLAYING GAMES ON
	A PC - WELL, NOBODY WOULD CARE ABOUT DOING THAT ANYMORE...

	I SEE THE PC MARKET AS A TRANSITION STEP.  TODAY, FROM THE 
	POINT OF VIEW OF THE CUSTOMER, YOU CAN HAVE A VIDEOGAME
	SYSTEM THAT HAS CERTAIN LIMITATIONS, OR YOU CAN HAVE A PC.
	BUT IN TRUTH PC IS NOT REALLY SUITED FOR PLAYING GAMES AS 
	SUCH.  IT'S JUST THAT IT'S CHEAPER TO DEVELOP ON A PC THAN
	ON A CARTRIDGE-BASED MACHINE.

EDGE .. The main critiscm of the 3DO hardware so far has concerned
	the CD drive.  Will you or Matsushita tackle that issue?

TRIP .. YOU'VE GOT TO SEPERATE HARDWARE FROM SOFTWARE.  ON THE 
	HARDWARE SIDE, OUR CD IS TWICE AS FAST AS PHILIPS CD-I AND
	TWICE AS FAST A MEGA CD.  IT'S MATCHED UP WITH A LOT 
	MORE MEMORY IN OUR SYSTEM AND ALOT HIGHER PROCESSING POWER.
	WHEN YOU LOOK AT SPECIFIC SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS.  I THINK
	DEVELOPERS ARE JUST NOW IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING HOW TO
	MASTER LOAD TIMES TO UTILISE THE CD CAPABILITY EFFECTIVELY.

	TYPICAL VIDEOGAMES TODAY TAKE UP ABOUT TWO MEGABYTES OF DATA
	AND WE HAVE THREE MEGABYTES OF MAIN MEMORY IN THE 3DO.  SO
	IF YOU DON'T WANT TO USE THE CD, 3DO STILL HAS A LOT MORE
	MEMORY THAN ITS RIVALS, IN CASE YOU JUST WANT TO LOAD THE
	GAME UP IN THE SYSTEMS RAM.

	THE MAIN POINT ABOUT GAMS DEVELOPMENT IS THAT YOU WANT TO 
	USE ALL THE CAPACITY THAT YOU CAN IN ANY SYSTEM, BUT YOU
	DONT WANT TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WILL SLOW THINGS DOWN
	TO MUCH WHEN THE APPLICATION IS ACTUALLY UNDERWAY.  DOING
	ALL THAT ON 3DO IS A GRADUALLY LEARN HOW TO DO BETTER.

	ON A MORE GENERAL LEVEL, CONSUMERS HAVE TO SEE MORE AND 
	MORE EXAMPLES OF GOOD SOFTWARE BEFORE THEY'RE GOING TO
	BE CONVINCED CD IS A BETTER SOLUTION TO CARTRIDGES.  THEY
	ALSO NEED TO SEE PRICES COME DOWN, BECAUSE THERE'S NO 
	REASON WHY IN THE LONG RUN THAT CD'S WILL COST ANYWHERE
	NEAR WHAT VIDEOGAME CARTRIDGES DO.

	IF YOU LOOK AT THE MANUFACTURING COST AND LICENCE FEES OF
	A CARTRIDGE, THE TOTAL COST IS OVER $20; AND THAT'S WHY
	RETAIL PRICES ARE SO HIGH.  WITH A CD SYSTEM IT'S JUST A
	FEW DOLLARS FOR MANUFACTURING AND LICENCE.  SO YOU'VE GOT
	THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MUCH LOWER AVERAGE PRICES TO KEEP
	REDUCING THE PRICE TO KEEP THE PRODUCT IN THE RETAIL STORES.

  * THERE WERE A COUPLE MORE QUESTION'S BUT I AM TOO TIRED TO DO 'EM *

**************************
**  GAMES REVIEWED ETC  **
**************************

SUPER WING COMMANDER
--------------------
   Format: 3DO
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Origin
    Price: 50 pounds
     Size: 1 CD
  Release: Out Now (US)
   Rating: 7/10

PACIFIC STRIKE
--------------
   Format: PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Origin
    Price: 50 pounds
     Size: 9 disks
  Release: Out Now 
   Rating: 8/10

SOS
---
   Format: SNES
Publisher: Vic Tokai
Developer: Human
    Price: 60 pounds (import)
     size: 8 Megabit
  Release: Out Now (US)
   Rating: 7/10

F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1993 HEAVENLY SYMPHONY
--------------------------------------------
   Format: MEGA CD
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega Japan
    Price: 65 pounds (import)
     size: 1 CD
  Release: Out Now (JAP)
   Rating: 4/10

THE 7TH GUEST
-------------
   Format: CD-I
Publisher: Philips
Developer: In-House
    Price: 50 pounds
     size: 1 CD
  Release: June
   Rating: 5/10

WINDJAMMERS
-----------
   Format: NEO-GEO
Publisher: Data-East
Developer: In-House
    Price: 175 pounds
     size: 74 meg
  Release: Out Now (US)
   Rating: 5/10


Typed in by 2TUFF/CRYSTAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

