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1994-03-14
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Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1902 17:57:30 GMT
From: frerichs@well.sf.ca.us (David Frerichs)
Subject: NEW-PROD: KPC announcment (long)
Organization: The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Contact
Sam Cece Teri Bruno
Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. Visions of Reality
(408) 727-8100 (714) 433-7400
Cynthia Lempert Richard Lee Goldberg
Rourke & Company Digital Equipment Corporation
(408) 453-9102 (508) 467-8009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kubota Pacific Signs $11 Million OEM Agreement with
Visions Of Reality
Kubota's 3D Graphics Workstations, Based on Digital's High-Performance Alpha
AXP Processor, to Drive Virtual Reality Entertainment Centers
NEW YORK CITY, Toy Fair; SANTA CLARA, Calif.; SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.; MARLBORO,
Mass., February 14, 1902 -- Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. (KPC) and Visions of
Reality Corporation (VOR) today announced an $11 million OEM product agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement -- the first in a series -- Kubota will
supply VOR with high-performance three-dimensional (3D) graphics workstations
based on Digital Equipment Corporation's Alpha AXP microprocessor.
Visions of Reality, creator of the world's most realistic virtual reality
adventures, will use hundreds of Kubota Model 3300 3D graphics workstations to
drive its virtual reality experiences in VOR family entertainment centers.
During 1902, VOR will open multiple centers in malls, amusement parks, and
casinos throughout the United States, as well as in London and Paris.#012#"We
were
looking for a solution that could give us great graphics, a truly distributed
computing environment, and terrific price/performance," said Ken Stone, project
administrator for VOR. "We found it all in Kubota's leading-edge 3D graphics
workstation, a system that allows us to bring virtual reality to life. These
high-performance workstations provide extremely detailed 3D graphic images
which make our adventures look startlingly lifelike -- at an affordable price
that will let us build entertainment centers throughout the world."
"Our 3D graphics workstations help VOR make its vision a reality," said Jeffrey
W. Dunn, vice president of marketing for Kubota Pacific. "This is a strong
endorsement for Kubota's product quality, for VOR has become known for
demanding the best technology and the most creative use of graphics in the
entertainment industry."
Virtual Game Playing: "Pods" Immerse Players in Realistic 3D Images
Each of the new VOR entertainment centers will feature from six to thirty-six
spaceship-like "pods", each of which is a seat for the virtual reality
gameplayer. Each player sits in a 7 x 8-foot pod, wearing a head-mounted
display for viewing the game's virtual reality images. The system immerses
players in realistic 3D images, allowing each player to interact with other
players and characters who are part of the game.
In each pod, Kubota Model 3300 3D graphics workstations will control the play
and render the graphics of several different virtual reality adventures, such
as the first game to be introduced: "Cybergate(tm)". The workstations are
networked via Ethernet, allowing multiple players to participate in one game.
Because Kubota's products have the fastest image processing and graphics
rendering available today, they provide the fast frame rate (more than 30
frames per second), highly detailed graphics, and realistic motion necessary to
make players feel as if they have entered into and are interacting with another
world.
In addition to providing 3D graphics workstations, Kubota's engineering staff
also assisted VOR with the Cybergate space adventure game. Kubota's resident
experts helped VOR take advantage of Kubota's lifelike graphics, making the
game more exciting to play. With Kubota's optimization, images move faster and
more realistically.
Virtual Reality Workstations Powered by Digital's Alpha AXP Microprocessor
Kubota Model 3300 3D graphics workstations are the first to feature an
architecture that combines hardware optimized for both high-speed graphics
rendering and image processing. Kubota's workstations include an advanced
architecture combining integrated hardware support delivering high-end texture
mapped scenes. "As the highest performance RISC chip on the market, Alpha
gives us the speed we need to create our extremely detailed, full-motion 3D
graphics," said Dunn.
"This important partnership with Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. and Visions of
Reality signals at least three major shifts in our industry," said Digital
Equipment Corporation's Component OEM Vice President Jim Willis. "First, it
clearly demonstrates the power of the Alpha AXP architecture in securing new
emerging markets; second, it shows Digital Equipment Corporation's unmistakable
commitment to the worldwide OEM product and services business; and third, it
positions Digital and our important OEM partners to compete effectively against
older technology vendors to meet a whole new range of challenging application
demands."
"The real-time high resolution display of full motion video, together with the
multiplayer interaction and game calculations makes tremendous demands on
computer technology. VOR's entertainment system is proof that the Kubota 3D
graphics workstations, based on Kubota's high-performance graphics technology
and the Alpha AXP microprocessor, are the best solution for satisfying these
demands at the best price," said Dominic Ricchetti, director and principal
analyst, workstations worldwide for Dataquest .
About the Companies
Kubota Pacific Computer Inc.
Kubota Pacific Computer Inc. (KPC) develops and markets high-performance 3D
graphics and image processing workstations for design, engineering, technical,
and entertainment applications. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California,
Kubota Pacific is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kubota Corporation, a $7 billion
multinational corporation.
Centers such as VOR's underscore Kubota's focus in the location-based
entertainment market segment. Kubota's 3D graphics products are already widely
accepted in markets such as MCAD (mechanical computer-aided design) for product
design and modeling, and imaging, which includes medical, defense/intelligence,
and geoscience applications.
Visions of Reality Corporation
Visions of Reality Corporation (VOR) is the brainchild of virtual reality
visionary Dan K. Rice and The Black Diamond Group, who jointly developed the
concept of multivenue virtual reality family entertainment centers and pulled
together industry players Angel Studios, Digital Equipment Corporation,
Greystone Technology, Kaiser Electro-Optics Inc., and Kubota Pacific Computer
Inc. to develop the most sophisticated and realistic virtual reality
experiences the world has ever seen.
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation is the world's leader in scalable open
client/server solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide
information systems. Digital's Alpha AXP platforms, storage, networking,
software and services, together with industry-focus solutions from business
partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global marketplace.
# # #
Note to Editors: Alpha AXP, Digital, and the Digital logo are trademarks of
Digital Equipment Corporation.
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