STB Systems Bundling Blockbuster Titles With the New Velocity 128 Multimedia Accelerator; Velocity 128 Preliminary Benchmark Testing Reveals Breakthrough Results.

RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 22, 1997--STB Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:STBI) Friday announced a generous new bundle of software titles to be included with the retail model of its highly anticipated Velocity 128 multimedia accelerator.

The Velocity 128 will include full versions of the popular games Interstate '76 from Activision, along with Moto Racer and FIFA Soccer 97 from Electronics Arts. The bundle will also include: VRCreator, a VRML authoring tool, and WIRL, a VRML Web browser, both from PLATINUM technology Inc.; and a limited edition of Simply 3D, a 3-D modeling tool from Micrografx.

It is common practice for leading multimedia-accelerator vendors to add software titles to their retail products. STB's approach to software bundling differs from its rivals and underscores the company's strategy of competing with performance and value-add.

While its competitors frequently opt for ``demo'' or ``shareware'' versions for their software bundles, STB is bundling full versions of popular games and application software titles.

``The Web is littered with free demo software, and most gaming magazines include a free CD every month with countless free sample titles,'' remarked John Gunn, director of marketing for STB.

``Other video-card vendors bundle sample products or OEM versions of games that contain only portions of the program. Shoppers who buy STB products can walk a few aisles over in the store and see the true value of the full versions of the popular game titles that we are giving them.''

Benchmark Scores Released

The preliminary benchmark results released by STB reveal that the Velocity 128 has the performance that is expected to put it at the top of the consumer 3-D graphics-card category. STB has incorporated a number of unique optimizations into its software driver to push the performance of the Velocity 128 ahead of competing multimedia accelerators in benchmark tests and real-world applications.

Using PC Magazine's 3D Winbench 97 on a Pentium 2-266 with MMX technology, the Velocity 128 PCI broke the 200 3D Winmark barrier and posted a score of 227 (a). This puts the Velocity 128 17 percent ahead of Diamond Multimedia Systems' 3DFX-based Monster 3D, which scored 193 (a) and is a solution that requires a second video adapter to operate because it lacks a 2-D VGA core.

The Velocity 128 was 333 percent faster than the new Matrox Millennium II, which scored only 68.8 on the same test. The AGP version of the Velocity 128 posted an even higher score of 230 (a). Since the drivers are still in development, all benchmark results are expected to be even greater before the expected ship date.

The Velocity 128's blazing speed is a result of combining a true 128-bit multimedia engine with 4MB of 128-bit SGRAM memory for maximum bandwidth and performance. Based on the NVIDIA RIVA 128, the Velocity 128 supports advanced 3-D rendering features like perspective correction, alpha blending/transparency, bilinear and trilinear texture filtering, Gourand shading, z-buffering and many more.

The Velocity 128 has the capabilities to output your display to a standard television via S-video or composite connectors and is MPEG-2-compatible to support DVD data streams. The 230 MHz RAMDAC supports flicker-free refresh rates up to 160Hz and resolutions of 1600x1200.

Interstate '76

Seventies funk grooves onto Interstate '76 -- an immersive first- person 3-D combat-action game. Behind the wheel of classic '70s-type muscle cars, players face off against a fierce gang of auto-terrorists intent on destroying the largest oil reserve in the United States.

Players choose from more than 25 far-out vehicles armed with dozens of customizable weapons as they embark on more than 25 real- time missions.

Featuring an original soundtrack of fresh beats, Interstate '76 is set in an alternate '70s universe where players cruise the highways of the American Southwest with funk in their 8-tracks and weapons under their hoods.

Moto Racer

Moto Racer is a high-speed arcade-style motorcycle racing game set in a detailed 3-D environment. There are four road courses and four off-road courses on which to race.

Moto Racer offers three modes of play: practice mode against the clock; single mode against 23 computer opponents; and multiplayer mode, which supports up to eight players over a network or four players over the Internet.

FIFA Soccer '97

FIFA Soccer '97 makes use of advanced ``motion blending'' techniques to deliver smooth, ultrarealistic player movement in what may be today's most impressive on-screen soccer experience.

The game makes use of advanced artificial intelligence to generate strategic game-playing excitement from both opposing computer- controlled teams and individual players. Modem and network play allows up to 20 players to compete head to head simultaneously.

VRCreator and WIRL

VRCreator and WIRL are cutting-edge VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) tools that allow both programmers and nonprogrammers to develop dazzling 3-D worlds that revolutionize the way individuals interact with data and applications.

VRCreator is an exciting and easy-to-use authoring tool that allows the user to quickly develop VRML-based 3-D content. WIRL is the ultimate product for experiencing virtual reality on the Web. WIRL sets the pace for delivering state-of-the-art interactive 3-D technology to the World Wide Web. STB will be shipping it as both a Netscape plug-in and as a Microsoft ActiveX Control.

Simply 3D

This 3-D graphics program for Windows is actually two products in one: a full multimedia training tool that teaches users how to add stunning 3-D effects to their 2-D work as well as the complete tool to create 3-D imagery and animations. With Simply 3D, users can extrude and stretch 2-D line art from any drawing program into 3-D or work with 3-D objects and scenes supplied with Simply 3D.

Once inside Simply 3D, users can apply textures like wood, stone or brick. With the built-in image editor, they can turn redwood into oak and stone into dinosaur skin. By adjusting lights, camera and objects, users can create their own animations in true 3-D space.

Visual Font, Micrografx's award-winning tool for creating 3-D text and flying titles, is included. It will allow users to extrude any TrueType font and bevel it on the fly.

Simply the Best!

STB Systems designs, manufactures and sells multimedia accelerators and other multimedia subsystem products for use in personal computers. STB has an established history of designing award-winning graphics controllers and writing specialized video drivers that provide maximum software performance and compatibility.

Manufacturing strength, engineering expertise and consistent quality make STB the leading supplier of multimedia accelerators to top-tier PC manufacturers. STB's products can be found in systems from Acer, Compaq, Dell, Gateway 2000 and IBM.

STB recently acquired Symmetric Simulation Systems Inc., a leader in the professional-class 3-D graphics market, which is operated as a wholly owned subsidiary. Founded in 1981 and having headquarters in Richardson, STB Systems also has facilities in Dallas, Houston, El Paso and Austin, Texas; Eugene, Ore.; Juarez, Mexico; Hopkins, Minn.; London; and Paris. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Interstate '76 is a trademark of Activision. VREAM is a registered trademark and WIRL is a trademark of Platinum Technology. Electronic Arts is a trademark of Electronic Arts in the United States and/or other countries. Moto Racer is a trademark of Delphine Software International. FIFA Soccer is an Official FIFA Licensed Product. All rights reserved. Used under license.

(a) All tests conducted on Gateway 2000 Pentium-2 266MHz systems at 640x480x16bpp; 75Mhz; 64MB system memory; Windows 95B, DirectX5 (final release). In each benchmark, all 3-D hardware features available through the driver were enabled. Diamond Monster 3D used driver 2108. Matrox Millennium II used the WHQL qualified driver number 3.51.

CONTACT: STB Systems Inc., Richardson

Brian Burke, 972/234-8750, ext. 2113

[e-mail]

www.stb.com