This isHORME[om Ilfloic Edoe...

...an interactive pilot fantasy withthe power to knock your halo in the dustand make you one of the biggest,baddestflyboysthe heavenshave seen.

Sleek as a teardrop and designedwith strength and quality, HORNET-1delivers thrill after thrill of supersonicen te r ta inmen t

SETTLf BACK into HORNET-1 's cockpit

and crank down your flight harness.

Verify your instruments, adjust yourheadset check your throttle...but don'tget too comfortable: once the canopycloses, you'll find yourself face to facewith deadly bogeys who'd be just ashappy to blow you away.

YOUR SQUADRON COMMANDER haS

cleared you for take-off. Take adeep breath and putthe throttle tothe firewall. Wipe the sweat offyour palms.

Then launch.

LEVEL OF and go feet dry as you hugthe ground to avoid detection. You'relined up just right with your first groundtarget, a command and control facility.You relax a little and think, "Maybe thiswill be a milk run"-after all, the F/A-18

you're flying is one of the fiercestfighters in the skies.

SELECTYOURWEAPON, a Sidewindermissile. Your heads-up displayindicates you're locking on target

Suddenly your view is obstructed bysmoke from anti-aircraft fire exploding in

your path! In your headset the voice ofyour Squadron Commander is tense ashe instructs you to take immediateevasive action.

YOU NOSE DOWN and break right jottedagainst your seat by G-forces. There'sno time to escape-enemy flak piercesyour fuel tank! Losing altitude, yousearch frantically for a place to land.There'sa runway to the west but youmay not make it You begin to glide,concentrating hard to keep your wingslevel. The terrain below, pastoral farmland from 20,000 feet now rushes up as

a rugged tfireat Lower your landinggear and lock. You say a prayer as youstruggle to keep HORNET-1 steady. Wrtha thud you hit the dirt and slowto a stop.

YOUR CANOPY OPENS and youwelcome the cool air rushing in.You smile and make a quiet pactwith yourself to even the scoreon your next mission.

THIS IS ilHGIC EDGE...

AN INNOVATIVE COMPANY THAT HAS

HARNESSED THE HOTTEST TECHNOLOGIES

TO BUILD A FLAT-OUT FANTASTIC PRODUCT.

THE MAGIC EDGE~ FUGHT SIMULATOR IS A

MACH & ROLi COMBINATION OF MOTION,

SOUND AND REAL-TIME INTERACTMTV

THAT IS UNSURPASSED IN EXCTTEMENT

AND QUALTTV. EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT

MAGIC EDGE-CALL US TODAY AND SEE WHY.

MAGIC EDGE, INC.

257 Castro St, Suite 219Mountain View, CA 94041415-965-8819 Phone

415-965-2703 FAX

Copyright 1993 Magic Edge. inc. All Rights Reserved.Screen images courtesy ol Computer Explorations, Inc.

Photography: Mark Leet Photography with specialattention Irom Jeannine Black Cclde.

Design: Rotiinson Lew Design, Palo Alto.Specifications subject to change without notice.

MHGIC EDGE INCLIGHT VEHHG HHEflD

The Magic Edge Capsule'" is a fully interactive, full motion, flight simulator unique in its quality and design.

mum HDTIONThe motion platform provides realistic, fluent motion entirely unlike the bumps and jolts felt in other simulators.

SyPEHGHLDCIIC GRHPHICS

Real-time and interactive, the game permits pilots to navigate and control their own individual adventures.

SUPERSONIC 3-D SOUND

High fidelity surround sound boosts the impact of the experience.A 4-channel system plus sub-woofers combine for heart-pounding sound.

UNIVERSRL NETHDRRINGAllows up to six pilots to compete against one another or fly as teams in the same world.

SPRCERGE DESIGN

Open architecture takes advantage of the best new technologies in hardware, software and artware.

Qoher requirehents7.5 HP hydraulic power unit each20 amps at 220 volts, 3 phase" Graphics computer (per six capsules);30 amps at 110 volts, single phase' Graphics projector, sound generation system,motion control computer, lights and controls(per capsule): 20 amps at 110 volts

0RFETV FEATURESEmergency release in capsuleExterior proximity sensors4-point safety harnessEmergency stop buttonSmooth, contoured and padded inners u r f a c e s

BOhPUTER SPECIFICATIONSSilicon Graphics Inc.Onyx RealityEngine2Including:64 MB ECC Add-on memory2 GB SCSI system disk

Brpsule construction39" wide X 26" high screenSteel inner support structure7.75" Timken roller bearings on roll axis4 channe l su r round soundA W S c e r t i fi e d w e l d s

Joystick and ThrottleVinyl seatFiberglass shellA l l s tee l cons t ruc t ion mot ion baseAll rotation joints-high tensile spherical bearings

BIX UNIT CONFIGURATIONFor typical layout of six capsulesCeiling height of 13'(4.0m) recommended1,800 square feet, (298 square meters)

Brpsule ovNRhics32 inches vertical motionRoll: +/- 60 degreesNose up pitch: 45 degreesNose down pitch: 25 degrees

Brpsule oinensionsWeight 4,000 lbs.7 ' 8 . 5 " w x 1 5 ' 6 " l x 7 . 0 ' h2.3m w X 4.7m I x 2.2m h

(7.0'h in resting position)

-COPVHIGHI 199! HIIGIC (06E IIC IILL fllGHIS GESEflVED HU GEGLIIV ENGINES GRE TRflOEHRRHS OF SILICON GIOPHICS INC. SPECIFICOIIIIIS SUBJECT 10 CHANGE HITKOUT NOTICE.

NflGIC EDGE INC

NfiCH fr ROLL WITH HU OHN HRGIC EDGE'" ENIERTfllNMENT CENIER...ERGILY CONFIGOREO FOR IKEHE PRRR OR SIRNO RLOKE INSIRLLRIIONG

THE PRE-SHQH

Squadron commanders take guests through a realistic, edge-of-the-seat briefing on missionsranging from low level strikes and air-to-air combat to rescue missions and air races.

THE FLIGHTGuests are led through a highly themed environment to the hangar deck where they board their

capsules for the ride of their lives...banked curves, rolls, 45 degrees of pitch...3-D sound and the excitedradio calls of their fellow pilots create a virtual experience unsurpassed in excitement!

THE DEBRIEFExhilarated guests arrive in the post-show area. What did they do right? Where do they need work?

What flight tricks can they learn to give them the edge next time?

Anxious to work on new skills, guests may practice maneuvers in non-motion simulator bays.

OFFICEH'S CLOB'"Guests can kick back and revel in their triumphs as they sip on a cold one and watch

the current action presented on big screens.

MAGIC EDGE ENTEflTfllNMElIT CENTED LflVODI8,000-10,000 square feet (1,322 square meters) per Magic Edge standard layout of 12 Capsules.

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Magic Edge FlightA m u s e m e n t C e n t e r

Mountain View, California

Magic Edge FlightA m u s e m e n t C e n t e r

Mountain View, California

§an 4Frann5co <£|)roniclc FRIDAY, JUNE 2,1995

Virtual Reality BecomesSure-Fire Hit in Mtn. ViewEmployees work off stress in mock dogfights

B y B e i \ i a m i n P i m e n t e lC h r o n i c l e P e n i n s u l a B u r e a u

On ordinary days, Steve Tate is justanother grim-faced Silicon Valley engineer, concerned mainly with flow chartsand corporate reports. But once he enters the darkened hallways of MagicEdge in Mountain View, be assumes adi f ferent ident i ty — a f ighter p i lo t ,dashing and daring, engaging enemyaircraft in do-or-die dogfights.

Tate indulges in this fantasy as one ofthe regulars at the flight simulationamusement center, which has becomeone of the Peninsula's major attractions.

"It's the video game for us big kids,"quipped Tate, 38, who wore a white shirtand tie as he practiced his maneuvers ona ground station training deck.

Since it opened in August, MagicEdge, which is operated by the NamcoCybcrtainment, has attracted more than40,000 members, including corporatetypes who go to the center to unwindand feel the simulated thrill of highspeed flight.

"It's a very intense experience," saidLeslie Lodestro, Magic Edge's directorof marketing. "It's an adrenalin rush."

Magic Edge is open seven days aweek, as late as 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Wannabe fighter pilots pay a $2membership fee and $7.50 to $19.75 perflight, depending on when and how longthey play.

The building was designed to look —and feel — like an aircraft carrier,named the U .S .S . Marauder. The wa l l sand walkways are gray, and the temperature is constantly cool. Blue and redlights flash in some cabins, and men andwomen in flight suits and with headsetsare always walking briskly along dimlyl i t c o r r i d o r s .

"The center is designed to get youdeep into the experience," Lodestros a i d .

The experience begins with tacticalorientation, in which players learn theb a s i c s f r o m a fi v e - m i n u t e v i d e o a n dtheir "squadron leader." They're toldabout their aircraft, the X-21 HornetPlane, a futuristic version of the F-18.

Fliers then proceed to the readyroom for a briefing on their mission.They learn how to distinguish betweenenemy and friendly aircraft, what weapons to use for ground or air targets andhow to at tack.

MAGIC: Virtual RealityNow a Sure-Fire Hit

PHOTOORAfHS BYPETeit DA SliYA/THS CHBONICIE

Bob Quinn (above) of Sun Microsystems played pilot on a Mogic Edge flightsimulator, while in the briefing room (top left), squadron leader Tami Weeklydiscussed flight tactics with Quinn's colleagues on their company outing

"Just keep firing until you see thetarget explode," said the squadron leader, code-named Ride, who spoke with urgency. "Remember, you are far outnumbered, but you have a superior aircraft."

After the briefing, the fliers areready to hit the sky.

They proceed to the launch bay,where they enter 12 full-motion gray,blue and purple capsules and put onheadse ts t o commun ica te w i t h t he i rsquadron leader and each other.

Once they take off, a squadron lead-MAGIC: Page P4 Col. 4

From Page PI

er d i rects the miss ion f rom theCombat In format ion Center. Butonce the fight begins, the fliers areo n t h e i r o w n .

The capsules are full-motiondevices, turning any which waythe flier directs a Joystick, givingthe pilot some sense of flight. Thecenter discourages pregnant wom-

- en and people who are intoxicatedo r h a v e h e a r t c o n d i t i o n s f r o mplaying. Squadron leaders also usea small TV monitor to check thefacial expressions of individual pil o t s .

Lodestro said that of about 160,-000 flights, only six people havegotten sick. One had the flu, andanother had been drinking.

But the majority of fliers, shesaid, simply have fun, shootingdown planes and blasting groundtargets. Those who really get intoit can even start shooting downt h e i r c o m r a d e s .

"She Devil, keep that nosedownl" one squad leader orders.

"Fire, Matador, fire!," he commands another fighter. "You gotit. Matador! Nice shot!'

The flight is 12 to 20 minuteslong — but the adrenalin rusheslasts longer.

" I t w a s a b l a s t , " s a i d M a cMcClung, a 44-year-old field services manager for Hewlett-Packard."The high point was shootings o m e o n e e l s e . "

McClung was part of a group ofHewlett-Packard employees on aspecial corporate event package.Dan Muse, a 31-year-old engineer,said they orga^zed the trip to"give people a chance to relievet e n s i o n . "

Lodestro said some companiesspend as much as $10,000 to havetheir employees come to MagicEdge. "It's a real natural team-building thing," she said. "(But) ifit's a bunch of salesmen, they Justwant go in and kill each other." .

" I

• Son Jo*o Mwfcury himtn ■ WodnoorfRy, S«p(nmt>«f 21, 190<

Above, Robin Jones and other flighl-'suitedemployees schedule flights in the lobby of MagicEdge, entering "top-secret" code names chosenby customers. At right, Mark Delia Maggiora sits

strapped Into a motion simulator, ready for afantasy flight, as general Manager Clay Lingo

stands by The 12,0(X)-square-foot Magic Edgecenter opened last month in Mountain View. It's the

latest in "location-based entertainment" centers,the computer industry's buzz phrase for

high-technology playgrounds.

n Y C H I S TA I . C U O K a i A n NS]H<rliil til (lie Mcn iiry Ncwr

Once strapped in, tliere's no turning back.

Ail a wannabe fighter pilot can dois grab the throttle, push it forwardand prepare for battle. The sweatbegins to trickle, and the heart'sthump starts to quicken. A lump inthe stomach grows exponentially a.sthe pilot awaits take-off.

From tl\e moment a person stepsthrough tl\e stecl-girdered lobby atMagic Edge Center in MountainView, which boasLs an "unforgettable visceral experience" in flight .simulation, the emphasis is on fantasy.

Indeed, as customers fill out applications for the .$2 lifetime membership at the front desk, thunderingengines of fighter jets blast overhead. Flight-suit clad employees refer to pilots by the "top-secret" nicknames of their choice: Blackjack,Grease, Red Dog . . .

The flight commander is a militaryman on video by the name of MaxPower. He briefs all "pilots," tollingthem they'll be flying the X-21 Hornet, a fully-loaded, supersonic dreammachine that can fly through the eyeof a needle, pull 8-G maneuverswithout breaking a sweat and flyfrom here to Hawaii in a heartbeat.

AM pilots have the choice to wearw'hat. they have on or a real flight

s u i t ."We want to completely immerse

you into a different world," co-fouhder Mike Chan said. "This Is anenvironment where they leave thereal world behind and have a fanta.s-tic flight. It's not just a ride."

The 12,000-square-root MagicEdge center opened last month in anondescript office building in an industrial park full of similar buildingsnea r t he Sho re l i ne Amph i thea t renorth of Highway 101. It's the latesti n " l o c a t i o n - b a s e d e n t e r t a i n m e n t "centers, the computer industry'sbuzz phrase for high-tech playgrounds.

Japan-based NAMCO, creator ofthe popular video game Pac Man,bought the first franchise from Magic Edge and funded this modernistichaven geared toward adult aerobatics enthusiasts. Paradigm SimulationInc. of Sunnyvale, producers of military flight simulation software, developed the game, which NAMCOt h i s s u m m e r i n s t a l l e d a t a s i m i l a rcenter in a Japanese amusementpark.

Once pilots make their way to tlicflight deck, each is strapped Into anenclosed, one-pi lot pod, completewith a large color monitor, joy.sticka n d f a u x - i n s t r u m e n t c o n s o l e . T h r e etypes of weapons are Issued, includ-

See MAGIC, Page 19

i I I > ■ ( » ' > ) )

Simulator iueis flights of iaiitasy at liigh-tecli playgrouiia■ M A G I Cfrom Page 13ing radar-guided missiles and las e r c a n n o n s .

After take-off, pilots fly up to40,000 feet above a rc.iHsticgraphic world of canyons, oceansand eer ie rock format ions.

On board, each pilot gets aheadset, to keep close contactwith a flight captain at a controlpanel and fellow airborne hotshots. And before they know it,the words "game over" will appear on the screen, and It's timeto get back to reality.

Flight adventures come compliments of a powerful operatinghub, the Onyx Reality Engine, a5 - foo t - t a l l , ha l f -m i l l i on do l l a rblack box from neighboring Silicon Graphics that keeps the flightfantasy rolling seven days aweek. The machine allows up tosix pilots to fly simultaneous missions, spot each other on theirscreens, even shoot one anotherdown for extra points.

Within the center Is an 8()-seatdining room and bar, completewith a viewing deck for guests.Visitors can buy an array of logo-ridden clothing, aircraft postersand flight paraphernalia.

At noon, the lobby is filled withlunching would-be pilots, mostlymale and including frequent visitors from the Silicon Valley computer circuit, hungry for that realistic flight experience and willing to dole out $12.76 for thee i g h t - m i n u t e v i d e o g a m e"flights."

Since the center's Aug. 27 opening, several aeronauts have repeatedly returned to compete fora spot on the "grccnie" chalkboard, where the highest-scoringcompetitors vie for the top sjmt.So far, "Akula" has racked upmore than 650,000 points, compared with a typical 50,000 poiiit

For self-proclaimed computer'junkie Steve Novikoff of San' Jose, the game has evolved intoan afternoon addiction. He hasalready comj)lcLcd more than 15advanced-level missions and purchased a Magic ICdge T-shirt.

"I'm here every other day,"said Novikoff, an Intel Corp. programmer, wlio is third place onthe grcenie. "I love to fly. If itwasn't for my glasses, I'd be in,the Navy right now."

He objects to the game's policyo f a w a r d i n g e x t r a p o i n t s f o rtricky maneuvers, such as dipping your craft through a tunnelor swooping beneath a bridge,since top-scoring pilots limitthemselves to fancy flying.

"This (game) needs to go on apod-kill return," he said. "Youcan get a million points flyingthrough a tunnel, but that's nof u n . "

Like anytliing else, however,the game has its potential for thedoldrums. "I'm getting burnedout," Novikoff said. "I've been allover the data base already. I go in

• for the combat edge now."

In the orientation room, Mike Gilbert gels Power" lells him he'll be flying a fullya briefing for his first flight by watching a loaded, supersonic dream machine thaivideo in which flight commander "Max can fly through the eye of a needle.

PRESS RELEASE MAGia V PRESS RELEASE MAGM > PRESS REEL

F O R L M M E D I AT E R E L E A S EF o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l :L e s l i e L o d e s t r o : 4 1 5 - 2 5 4 - 5 5 5 0

MAGIC EDGE CELEBRATES FIRST MONTH; 7000 MEMBERS

Mountain View, California, October 1, 1994— Magic Edge, Inc. today announced ablockbuster first month of operations with over 15,000 missions flown and a membershiproster boasting over 7,000 pilots. The new 12,000 square foot facility located at 1625Shoreline Blvd. in Mt. View incorporates a dazzling combination of special effects, thrillsand cutting edge cuisine. The attraction was designed from the ground up by Magic Edge,Inc. and the project was funded by billion dollar game maker NAMCO. NAMCO owns the U.S.site along with an additional Magic Edge installation in Tokyo, Japan which opened July 16,1994.

"In researching some of the world's top entertainment venues and theme parks we havedeveloped a format which captures a spirit and excitement that really surprises andcaptivates people" enthuses Don Morris, president and founder of Magic Edge.The Magic Edge experience begins the moment guests walk across the diamond plate steelfloor to the check-in counter where they are issued their flight suits. An orientationdelivered via laser disc in a highly themed briefing room is followed by a question andanswer period with a Magic Edge squadron leader. Guests are fully briefed on the

capabilities of the X-21 Hornet™, a 21st century super-cruise, multi-role strike fighteraircraft. As guests step through the steel girder and column portals to the hangar decktheir senses are overwhelmed by a multitude of lighting and sound effects including 8,000watts of 3-D Doppler effects. They actually feel the thunder of fighter jets passingoverhead. Twelve full motion X-21 aircraft hover in the fog. Guests ascend the gleamingmetal steps to their aircraft and strap into the fully equipped cockpit. Networked togetherand under the command of their squadron leader, they embark on an interactive sortiecomplete with barrel rolls, where they duke it out in the air with each other and explorehundreds of miles of beautiful landscape chock full of challenges. After the flight theydebrief with their squadron leader who guides them through their triumphs and tragedieswith an instant replay video.

— m o r e —

Page 2, Magic Edge

Their missions may be complete but their Magic Edge experience is not. Guests may refuelin the Officer's Club™, a high-tech, futuristic restaurant and bar. They can trade tales ofadventure over one of the many unique micro-brews offered or Splash Down™ with apersonal wine tasting by the glass. They will enjoy vicarious thrills as they watch the liveaction of current missions on giant color screens. The Officer's Club menu offers suchculinary delights as Spicy Mandarin Duck Salad or Rosemary Cornish Game Hen.

On the way out guests may browse through a complete line of custom merchandise in theMagic Edge Base Exchange™ store. Magic Edge has signed an exclusive merchandisingagreement with Sony Signatures, a Division of Sony to develop a high-end line of goodsunder the Magic Edge label. The products include a stylish line of clothing adorned withthe company's trademark logos, unique glassware products and collectors items. Many ofthe products have been further designed to complement the current aviation themeplanned for the first Magic Edge Centers.

The opening of Magic Edge marks huge technological advancements for the entertainmentindustry. Taking virtual reality to the next level. Magic Edge is making use of the SiliconGraphics Onyx Reality Engine™. A four processor rack with multi-channel option boardsnetwork 18 different capsules, allowing six capsules at a time to interact with one another.The Onyx machine also delivers the ultra-realistic graphical images the players interactwith inside the cockpit. Paradigm Simulation Inc., a leading developer of real-time toolsand gaming software, developed the game for Magic Edge. The game is based uponParadigm's Vega™ product and is a major breakthrough in networked gaming, guaranteedto challenge the most discriminating video addicts. These landmark technologies, theimmersive, full-motion flight simulator together with the detailed theming and specialeffects of the environment promise to set the standard for out-of-home entertainment inthe Bay Area and beyond.

Founded in May of 1990 Magic Edge is privately held company with headquarters in Mt.View, California. For more information about Magic Edge please call 415-254-5500.

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