Special E3 preview! Argos Gameware teams with National Wildlife Federation to transform America's most famous nature photographs into ArtApart on-screen jigsaw puzzles

Business Wire, May 14, 1997

MAYWOOD, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 1997--Argos Gameware and the National Wildlife Federation have announced a new enhanced version of ArtApart, the fun jigsaw puzzle-making CD-ROM, which will feature powerful color photographs from America's most renowned nature photographers along with informative, educational text.

"Now, with just a click of a mouse, challenging, new color jigsaw puzzles can be made on-screen from some of the most beautiful photos and pictures ever seen on a PC," said Andy Schmidt, head of sales and marketing for Argos Gameware. "The new National Wildlife Federation version of ArtApart will challenge the best strategies any jigsaw puzzler can muster. It provides bold new game play features, like fully rotatable and interlocking pieces made from extraordinary images of nature."

PLEASE NOTE: The new National Wildlife Federation version of ArtApart will debut at E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, June 19 - 22, at the World Congress Center in Atlanta. Argos Gameware will be showcasing the new CD-ROM jigsaw puzzle game in Booth 1315 in the Micro Central Pavilion. Additional demonstrations will take place in the HomePC Booth 2608, on Thursday, June 19 at 10:00 AM, and on Friday, June 20 at 10:00 AM.

The new wildlife photo jigsaw puzzles will include twelve galleries with more than 100 pictures total in the categories Whales, Big Cats, Wolves, Wildflowers, Frogs, Fish, Butterflies, Feathers, Backyard Birds, Shells, Penguins and Leaves. Contributing photographers include the popular Frans Lanting, Flip Nicklin, Art Wolfe, Jim Brandenburg and John Netherton. The National Wildlife Federation researched the "fun facts" for photos and galleries, addressing the unique qualities and importance of these species, plants and nature.

Since 1936, the conservation of wildlife and other natural resources has been the primary goal of the National Wildlife Federation. The new ArtApart is a reflection on nature's beauty and the accompanying text underlines the importance of preserving endangered animals and protecting vital wildlife habitats. Argos Gameware is proud to support the National Wildlife Federation in promoting wildlife and conservation education.

In addition to the supplied National Wildlife Federation galleries, computer users can import their own colorful photos into ArtApart to make fully playable jigsaw puzzles from their own scanned images, or photos taken with digital cameras. The ArtApart CD-ROM puzzles are solved with realistic 3D-style interlocking pieces (using sophisticated anti-aliasing technology) that can be rotated, dragged and dropped anywhere on the PC's screen. You can pick any size and number of pieces. Dynamic cutting and jumbling of the puzzles makes each game different.

An image of the finished puzzle can be kept right on the screen while you solve the puzzle piece by piece. You can work on each puzzle at your own pace as unfinished puzzles can be saved for completion later. When you connect pieces, unique sounds for each puzzle action enhance the multimedia experience. An original CD-Audio quality score is provided as well for background music. From a few large pieces for kids to solve, to more than a thousand random pieces for older jigsaw puzzle aficionados, ArtApart provides hours of challenging fun for puzzlers of all ages.

In addition to ArtApart ($39.95 SRP), Argos Gameware titles include Jelly Drop, Ungaria and Entertainment Digest, Volumes I and II. Argos Gameware titles are distributed by Micro Central and Navarre.

The ArtApart CD-ROM provides both a 16-bit version of the game for users of Windows 3.1, as well as a 32-bit version for Windows 95. System requirements include an 80486/50 PC or higher, with 8MB of RAM (12 MB of RAM recommended) and 8MB of available hard-disk space, a mouse, SVGA monitor with 256 colors, an MPC compatible CD-ROM and sound card.

Argos Gameware, a division of H&M Systems Software Inc., a privately held corporation, is dedicated to providing non-violent, entertaining software for the entire family. The products are designed to be suitable for children, while still providing stimulating and challenging game-play for adults.

Review copies of ArtApart, and color screen images, on 35mm slides and on diskette, are available upon request.

Argos Gameware corporate headquarters are located at 25 East Spring Valley Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey 07607-2150, phone: 201/845-4569, ext. 20; fax: 201-845-4638, e-mail: aschmidt@gameware.com .

The National Wildlife Federation may be reached at 8925 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va. 22184-0001, phone: 703/790-4100; www.nwf.org . Media contact is Abrams Creative Services, phone: 818/343-6365, fax: 818/343-6366; www.abrams-creative.com .

CONTACT: Abrams Creative Services

Al Abrams

818/343-6365, 818/343-6366 (Fax)

www.abrams-creative.com