Arcade Page #5

VOICE (O.S.)

(booming, metallic)

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

Everyone turns. The voice came from...

ARCADE:

It's up and running now. The inside panel emits an eerie green light.

From speakers inside the compartment we can here BREATHING...the same

breathing we heard earlier. Coming from a machine like this, it's creepy

as hell.

Even Finster is impressed. He releases the boys and stares at the

machine.

LAURIE:

(a whisper)

Jesus...

ANOTHER VOICE (O.S.)

Not bad, huh?

A MAN steps out from behind the ARCADE machine. He grins happily, dressed

to kill, sporting a SLIP-STREAM ID tag. This is DIFFORD, P.R. man for

SLIP-STREAM.

DIFFORD:

Hi, kids.

(nods)

Mr. Finster...

The ARCADE machine continues to breathe, inhale, exhale... The eyes in the

face are glowing now, in unison with the breathing.

Difford draws closer and indicates the machine behind him with a nod.

DIFFORD:

(smooth as silk)

We're glad you people could make it, and

we're anxious to have you try out our new

product. We think it's going to be a big

seller. But you're the people that make it

happen. You're the market share everyone's

tearing each other apart to get at. It's

your opinion that's going to make or break

us.

NICK:

So what's so different about Arcade? You

guys've been talking about it for months.

Difford turns to Nick and salutes him.

DIFFORD:

A man after my own heart. Straight to the

point.

(to everyone)

What's different about ARCADE is the way it

reacts. It responds like a human does. It

learns. It adapts. Each time you play, it

changes its strategy.

NICK:

That's impossible.

DIFFORD:

(taking the bait)

Is it? Why don't you see for your self?

Difford reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a quarter. He tosses

it at...

NICK:

who snags it out of mid-air and grins.

GREG:

Go for it, Nick.

Difford steps aside and waves Nick to the machine. The rest of the kids

crowd around.

ARCADE:

isn't just your typical video game. First of all there are three

screens...front, left, and right...which provide a panoramic view while

playing. Second, the player wears "data gloves" (which provide an actual

sensation of touch) and stereoscopic goggles which in turn are wired

directly into the machine. The results give the user the feeling that

he/she has actually entered the video game universe.

Difford thinks he has a hit on his hands, and his excitement shows.

DIFFORD:

(indicating equipment)

The CyberGloves are keyed into the game's

response mechanism. You'll be able to pick

things up inside the world...tools, weapons

... it'll feel like they're really in your

hands...

Nick pulls on the gloves, securing them with velcro straps.

DIFFORD:

(continuing)

The goggles heighten the experience. When

we said "Reality will never be the same",

we weren't kidding.

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