Sierra On-Line and White Flower Farm Announce New Product; Updated LandDesigner 3D releases

Business Wire, July 3, 1997

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 3, 1997--Sierra On-Line and White Flower Farm announce today the release to retailers of LandDesigner 3D, version 4.5. The graphical know-how of Sierra On-Line couples with the content and expertise of White Flower Farm to give gardeners the most comprehensive landscape design software tool available.

LandDesigner 3D, version 4.0, is currently the top selling landscape design product on the market and has received immense critical acclaim. With the release of LandDesigner 3D, version 4.5, White Flower Farm assumes an increased role, providing additional content, authoritative guidance and over 45 years of gardening experience.

White Flower Farm is a family-owned nursery in Litchfield, Connecticut, and is regarded as one of America's premier nurseries. Since 1950, White Flower Farm has offered a wide range of annuals, perennials, shrubs and houseplants to gardeners throughout the United States and Canada. White Flower Farm is committed to gathering and offering the best varieties of ornamental plants from around the world. In the March 1997 issue a leading magazine for consumers, White Flower Farm earned high praise as it was listed as the top-rated mail-order nursery.

This version of LandDesigner 3D incorporates many new features

and updates, including:

Five new garden plans

Connection to the world wide web via an Internet toggle

75 new edible plants from Shepherd's Garden Seeds with

corresponding new recipes

Toro sprinklers and outdoor lighting, and the ability to create

Toro shopping lists

Import and export designs between LandDesigner 3D and CustomHome

3D

Improved speed and performance with updated 3D textures to offer

even more realistic graphics

75 new plants from White Flower Farm added to LandDesigner's

extensive 2,150 plant encyclopedia.

Version 4.5 of LandDesigner 3D gives gardeners an opportunity to create the garden of their dreams. Features such as the ultra-realistic 3D walkthrough allow users to see exactly what their landscape plan will look like before planting a single plant, seed or bush. LandDesigner 3D also contains "grow" and "bloom" features so that users can see how their design will change and mature over all four seasons and over the years.

Besides containing over 55 instant landscape and garden templates to aid in visualizing design choices, a complete set of drawing and editing tools, and an expanded comprehensive plant encyclopedia, the product has an extensive multimedia reference section containing handy gardening tips and techniques. Over 2,000 full color photo images are present, including a vast selection from White Flower Farm. The easy-to-use interface allows users to quickly create their first virtual garden. LandDesigner 3D includes more than 200 recipes that users can prepare using the herbs, fruits and vegetables they've grown in their gardens.

Novice landscapers will love LandDesigner 3D -- the product offers numerous aids in getting started with the landscape creation process: online help, wizards and multimedia design advice guide users through every step--from soil preparation to maintaining a healthy yard and garden. Automated cost and material features help with budgeting, and an extensive symbol library includes hundreds of icons for outdoor hardscape materials (stepping stones, fences, decks, etc.) and landscape choices (plants, trees, vegetables, etc.).

Newly developed technology allows users to integrate LandDesigner 3D designs into CustomHome 3D, Sierra On-Line's home design and remodeling software. A complete White Flower Farm catalogue is a bonus in the new version of LandDesigner 3D, as is an immediate Internet connection directly to White Flower Farm, the ability to order seeds directly from Shepherd's Garden Seeds, and the capacity to download additional 3D plant models. Toro, the well-known garden tools provider, is also present within LandDesigner 3D, providing a variety of sprinkler and outdoor lighting options. The Toro shopping list even includes Toro part numbers!

LandDesigner 3D, on CD-ROM for Windows, carries an estimated street price of $54.95. The product is available now at most software retailers, as well as through Sierra Direct at 800/757-7707.

LandDesigner 3D is a member of SierraHome, Sierra On-Line's division dedicated to providing premium titles in home productivity and family software.

Sierra On-Line is one of the original developers and largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment, productivity and educational software. The company recently merged with CUC Int'l, a technology-driven, membership-services company that provides access to travel, shopping, auto, dining, home improvement, financial and other services to 68 million consumers worldwide. The company's common stock is traded on the NYSE under the symbol CU. Sierra's corporate headquarters are located in Bellevue, WA.

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SierraWeb at http://www.sierra.com .

CONTACT: Susanne Hill, 425/649-9800, ext. 5345