From: csm1@cec2.wustl.edu (Christopher Scott Macri)
Subject: W Industries Introduction to North America, a personal report.
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 91 00:29:30 -0600



Hi Bob,

	I hope you remember me, I am the overzealous undergrad from 
Washington University in St. Louis who asked you a few months ago
to come to the HIT Lab and look at VR up-close. Luckilly for me,   
situations have changed since then. As luck would have it, the
American Licence holder for the W Industries VR system is Horizon
Entertainment, a division of Edison Brothers, headquartered in downtown
Saint Louis. 

	 I knew about the aquisition of the units months before but was 
told to keep quiet on sci.v-w until it was formally introduced, which      
occured about one month ago. From what I read on the newsgroup, It seems
that the cat is out of the bag. I would now be happy to tell the newsgroup
what I know and make myself available for futher information. Feel free
to post this letter on the newsgroup.

	The units are called "Virtuality". If anyone saw the ABC "PrimeTime"
segment a few months ago, the W Industries units are similar to the ones
that were brought here (a sit-down unit, with two pedals, a steering wheel,
an up-down joystick with a button, and an adjustible HMD). The software is
variable, the game that I played was where I was a biped robot and I tried
to blast my biped adversary (another player) within a square playing field.
The other games available is "Laser Storm", which is the game that they 
showed on "PrimeTime", and a driving game. The illusion was complete and 
I would have played all day, if there weren't kids lined up around the      
corner waiting to pay $3.00 for a 4 minute experience. Marketing surveys
so far are very promising for all age groups and plans to put the units
in bars (like Dave &  Busters and American Sprorts Grills). Hopefully,
people won't be too drunk when they play, the experience is so convincing 
that robot bipeds my lose their lunch when they are flying!

	I think the units sell for $65,000 but leasing is an option. If
anybody requests further information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Chris Macri
csm1@cec1.wustl.edu
(314)-863-2693