Yoot Tower Press Release

(This is from the archived version of YootTower.com):

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD; LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN "YOOT TOWER" Sega PC Builds On The Classic "SimTower™" With "Yoot Tower" For Mac

REDWOOD CITY -- (November 24, 1998) -- Sega¨ PC today shipped the strategy/simulation game "Yoot Tower™" for the Macintosh. Created by Yoot Saito, the mastermind behind "SimTower™" by EA/Maxis, which won the Software Publisher's Association (SPA) Codie award for "best simulation game" and sold almost one million copies worldwide, "Yoot Tower" gives gamers familiar with the series an entirely "remodeled" experience. "Yoot Tower" for Mac is available at retail stores nationwide or online at www.yoottower.com. For a limited time, a free t-shirt and $10 discount are available to those buying the game online.

Gamers can now build upon two new locations including Kegon Falls and Tokyo. For the first time in the series, the company expects to deliver unique "plug-in modules," which include new gameplay elements. The content from the plug-in modules can be saved to players' hard drives and become a part of the original game. A resort location, Waikiki, is packed-in with the game.

True to the series, a focal point of the game is to keep the people happy. "Yoot Tower" takes this to an all new level with an improved character AI that is so advanced, the people now feel stress, leave hotels with bad service and boycott stores with high prices. With the most advanced level of options seen in the series, gamers must not only choose the kinds of restaurants, retail stores and movie theaters to include, but also the menus, prices and types of movies shown.

Best known for its quality PC translations of Sega arcade and character-based games, "Yoot Tower" marks Sega PC's first venture into the strategy/simulation genre. Analyzing the computer gaming markets, Sega PC saw the opportunity to realign its product line-up, focusing on the biggest segments in the market. With strategy and simulation as top genres for PC gamers (Computer Gaming World study) and the market for Macintosh games at more than $200 million annually, "Yoot Tower" is a big opportunity for Sega PC.

"Yoot Tower' pushes gamers' strategic thinking sky high, giving them a completely fresh, challenging experience," said Matt Wolf, executive producer, Sega PC. "This game brings together the creative talents of two leaders in the interactive entertainment industry to deliver a totally new simulation experience for PC/Mac gamers."

The Strategy An involving simulation of the complexities of high-rise development and management, "Yoot Tower" challenges gamers to build the ultimate five-star establishment and steadily increase the population of the structure. Given limited funds, players must construct and develop a balanced, profitable commercial property by leasing space inside for hotels, offices, movie theaters, restaurants and shops

"Yoot Tower" pushes strategy to a new dimension of complexity, challenging gamers to perfect the process of where and when to place things and how to make them work. With the addition of new locations, gamers must consider the consequences in building a particular structure in a location. Don't build an office building in Waikiki; the people want to play. Instead, consider hotels with key tourist-type restaurants. Players must keep in mind the water level and seasons when building at Kegon Falls, and consider what to do in the off-seasons.

The Population Because the people are smarter this time around, gamers must go a step further, checking their satisfaction level and thinking of ways to make their lives easier and happier. Gamers now have access to a "stress meter," which reflects the reactions of people in real- time and can be used as a key tool for improvement. People leave the buildings at sun down, so players must constantly think of how they will get them back in the morning, by making additions to restaurant menus, adding better "A" movies to theaters or finding retail stores that fill a gap in what is available.

Life in Yoot Tower "Yoot Tower" breathes real-life and authenticity to other areas of the game. Just like being in a busy city or resort, "Yoot Tower" is buzzing with realistic sounds ranging from honking horns, to moving elevators, to crashing waterfalls. People travel in families, kids goof off and run around the buildings and mothers try to track them down, just like in real-life. As an additional dose of realism, players must be more frugal than ever because the improved elevators and sky bridges are expensive.

Elevator management is key in "Yoot Tower" and gamers must be smart and efficient in plotting out traffic flow. They must know how many elevators will be needed and where, when to use escalators or people movers, and when it makes sense to construct a sky bridge between two twin towers -- all in an effort to make life easier for the people. For, with too much traffic in the building, the stress level of the people will rise and they will leave. Therefore, gamers must think strategically and strive for the easiest navigation possible.

Unlike other strategy/simulation games, "Yoot Tower" doesn't emphasize winning or losing, allowing for rewarding gameplay on all levels. With a focus on thinking smart and multi-tasking, players are not pressured to keep score. Gamers are also constantly rewarded with additional stars and thus, additional options to make their buildings even better. As an added bonus, "Yoot Tower" is filled with hidden elements, or "Easter eggs," for gamers including VIP rockstars that visit your establishment in limos.

"Yoot Tower" is available at retail stores nationwide and online at www.yoottower.com. The game operates on a minimum specification of PowerPC 601 with system 7.5 and 16 MB memory. For a limited time, a free "Yoot Tower" for Macintosh tee shirt is available with purchase online (while supplies last), in addition to ten dollars off the retail price of $39.99 (online only). The game will also be available for the PC in January.

YootEntertainment is the U.S. affiliate of OPenBook9003. OPeNBooK was founded in February 1994 by Yoot Saito, and released several diverse CD-ROM titles including: "Moments of Truth™," a documentary CD-ROM of a big air crash in 1985; "Macintosh Legends™," which includes interviews with inventors of Apple Macintosh originally done by Yoot Saito for Mac World Magazine Japan; "Tower™," which nearly one million units worldwide under the name of "SimTower™" in the United States and Europe. OPeNBooK9003 inc. was formed as a merger of OPeNBooK and 9003 Inc.

Sega PC delivers original and customized Sega content in leading genres of the PC gaming market. Leveraging Sega's arcade leadership and library of game content, the company is committed to redefining the PC gaming experience with titles featuring high frame rates, 3D characters and environments, high polygon counts, detailed texture mapping, multiplayer online gaming and emotion-triggered gameplay that is unmatched by competing PC games. Sega PC is a unit of Sega of America.