`Tachyon: The Fringe' Touches Down; NovaLogic's Epic Space Adventure Arrives in Stores.

Entertainment Editors

CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2000

NovaLogic Inc. today announced that "Tachyon(TM): The Fringe(TM)" is now available in retail stores throughout North America.

"Tachyon" combines its fast-paced space combat action with adventure game elements to produce a rich, story-driven, single-player experience. Multi-player also goes much deeper than in other space combat games; "Tachyon" features Base Wars, a game that emphasizes strategy and teamwork alongside combat action, and Arena Match, a deathmatch-style free-for-all.

Multi-player games can support more than 100 players per game via NovaWorld(R), NovaLogic's free Internet gaming service.

"Tachyon's" single-player game drops the player into the sizable space boots of Jake Logan(TM), a respected mercenary fighter pilot who's been framed for a crime he didn't commit and banished to the fringe of colonized space.

As he attempts to salvage his reputation and his fortune in his new home, Jake meets up with the Bora, the rebels who colonized the Fringe and are locked in a bitter war with Galspan, a galactic mega-corporation bent on controlling the region's resources. It'll be up to the player to decide which jobs Jake will take and how he'll spend his pay on fighters, wingmen, dozens of available weapons and system upgrades -- and even the slot machines at the Vegas starbase.

Since "Tachyon's" story can be experienced from either side of the conflict, the player will also have to determine whether the Bora or Galspan are more worthy of Jake's skills.

Jake's voice is provided by actor Bruce Campbell, known to science fiction and fantasy fans as Ash, the hero of "Army of Darkness" and the "Evil Dead" movies, and for his recurring role as the King of Thieves in the "Hercules" and "Xena" TV shows. Campbell currently stars in television's "Jack of All Trades," and his unmistakable voice is a perfect match for Jake Logan.

The centerpiece of "Tachyon's" multi-player is Base Wars, a team-oriented game worthy of being a stand-alone product. Base Wars divides players -- more than 100 per game -- into Bora and Galspan factions and challenges them to build and defend their home starbase by destroying enemy pilots and gathering crystals. Kills and crystals translate into credits, which can be cashed in to increase the base's technology level.

Higher technology levels bring new base defenses online and make new weapons and systems available to pilots. The ultimate goal is to reach Level 10 to gain access to Helios Rockets, the only weapons that can destroy the enemy base, then make a final, death-defying assault to win the game.

A pilot ranking system helps raise the stakes even higher -- as players gain experience, they rise through the game's ranks, and the performance of their chosen fighter increases accordingly. High-ranking pilots are also high-value targets, since players earn more points for destroying a Star Lord than for a Space Cadet.

Teamwork is the order of the day, and "Tachyon's" built-in Voice-Over-Net(TM) technology makes it easy, letting players speak to each other rather than typing messages in the heat of battle.

Key Features of "Tachyon: The Fringe" include:

-- Starbases and warships so big they can become tactically

useful terrain during the game's frenetic space battles

-- Free-form single-player game lets you act as your own boss,

choosing your own missions and outfitting your fighters with

dozens of weapons and upgrades

-- Epic story line can be played from either side of conflict

-- 11 flyable ships include five each for Bora and Galspan, plus

Jake's original fighter -- all with distinct strengths and

weaknesses

-- Wingmen-for-hire have their own distinct fighters and business

connections

-- Jake Logan has more than 800 lines of dialogue supplied by

cult hero Bruce Campbell

-- Multi-player support for as many as 120 players via NovaWorld

in Arena Match and Base Wars

-- Voice-Over-Net communication lets players speak to each other

-- 3Dfx and Direct3D hardware support for gorgeous visuals

Founded in 1985, NovaLogic is a leading developer and publisher of entertainment software. Subsidiaries include NovaLogic Systems, based in the company's Calabasas headquarters, and NovaLogic Ltd. in London.