DOS Days

Old PC Computing Resource

Fremont, CA, March 20, 1996 -- Micronics Computers, Inc. (Nasdaq; MCRN) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Orchid Technology, today announced a strategic alliance with 3Dfx Interactive, Inc. to develop an integrated system solution for the arcade game industry and peripheral products for the personal computer market. Orchid Technology will develop its "Righteous 3D" TM graphics accelerator card based on the 3Dfx Voodoo chipset and Glide API. The Voodoo chipset delivers high quality, three dimensional graphics performance for the next generation of 3D arcade games.

Orchid Technology also plans to introduce a PCI-bus based add-in card featuring the Righteous 3D technology to the personal computer market. "Arcade games have traditionally enjoyed more realistic and superior 3D graphics capability. This is the first step in moving this level of 3D graphics to the PC platform. Orchid has been a leader in introducing 3D sound to the PC platform with the highly acclaimed NuSound TM PnP 32 sound card. The Righteous 3D accelerator is a natural evolution in bringing other pieces of 3D technology to the personal computer" added Weiss.

Micronics and 3Dfx will be hosting Immersion '96, an interactive developer's conference for this 3D technology. The two companies also plan on exhibiting at the Computer Game Developers Conference in Santa Clara, California.

Micronics Computers, Inc. is a leading independent supplier of high performance system boards for the personal computer market. Orchid Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Micronics, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of multimedia peripherals including, audio, graphics and 3D accelerators. The Company's products are widely recognized for their quality and reliability. Based in Fremont, California, Micronics markets its products worldwide to computer system manufacturers, system integrators, value-added resellers, and the distribution channel. The company's toll-free sales number is (800) 577-0977."
Micronics (Orchid) Press Office, March 20th 1996

FREMONT, California, October 7, 1996 - Orchid Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of Micronics Computers, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRN), has begun shipping its highly anticipated Righteous 3D™. This revolutionary 3D graphics accelerator delivers true arcade quality graphics at full motion frame rates for full screen 3D applications on the PC. Righteous 3D is the first retail product to market based on 3Dfx Interactive Voodoo Graphics™ chipset . The product is a 3D-only, pass through graphics subsystem that operates transparently with 2D graphics adapters. Righteous 3D features a unique dual 64-bit memory architecture with 4MB of EDO DRAM memory for the PCI-bus.

"Orchid Technology is proud to offer PC game enthusiasts a new level of 3D performance and capabilities with Righteous 3D. Based on the same technology used by arcade companies like Williams Entertainment, the creators of Mortal Kombat™, Righteous 3D sets the performance benchmark today that other 3D accelerators will be compared to tomorrow," said Bill Crouch, vice president of sales and marketing at Micronics Computers, Inc./Orchid Technology.

Designed for Windows® 95 operating system, Righteous 3D features plug and play operation and support for Microsoft® Direct3D™.

"Widespread support for Direct3D by the software community has made Windows 95 an industry leader for 3D game development. The combination of Righteous 3D's advanced features and Direct3D support will deliver incredible performance for even the most demanding game enthusiast," said Kevin Dallas, DirectX group product manager at Microsoft.

Righteous 3D has an estimated retail price of $299 and is bundled with software titles which take advantage of the product's advanced 3D features and is immediately available worldwide.

The Power of 3D Acceleration With Enhanced Visual Realism

Righteous 3D is the first graphics adapter of its kind that delivers true arcade quality graphics at full motion frame rates. The product incorporates critical 3D features which are essential for visually realistic texture-mapped entertainment applications. Advanced filtering and anti-aliasing techniques produce smooth textured images. High precision 3D accuracy generates realistic three dimensional objects. Transparent and translucent effects like fog, smoke and haze create stunning atmospheric conditions. In addition to its core capabilities, Righteous 3D incorporates some of the most advanced features ever designed into a 3D accelerator including unique special effects like texture compositing and morphing, per-pixel atmospheric effects and texture animation. These features dramatically enhance the visual realism necessary to create a radically unique gaming experience. Righteous 3D's comprehensive feature set includes:

• Perspective correct texture mapping
• Bi-linear and advanced filtered textures
• Level of Detail (LOD) MIP Mapping
• Double and triple buffering
• Gouraud modulated textures
• Z-buffering
• Alpha blending
• Anti-aliasing
• Per-pixel fog, smoke and haze effects
• Texture composition and texture morphing
• Texture animated and modulation

Righteous 3D simultaneously delivers these features with the triangle and fill-rate performance necessary to achieve full motion frame rates in real-time.

"All of us at 3Dfx are excited Orchid will be the first company to deliver Voodoo Graphics to the retail market. Last year at Comdex, Bill Gates played the Valley of Ra in the Orchid booth on a quarter of a million dollar SGI Reality Engine based Voodoo Graphics simulator. That same real-time 3D graphics performance is now available to PC consumers for $299 from Orchid. That's Righteous!" said Ross Smith, founder and vice president of marketing and sales at 3Dfx Interactive.

Dedicated 3D Acceleration Without Compromising Performance

Unlike other competitive 3D product offerings, which replace the consumer's current VGA/Windows accelerator, Righteous 3D is a dedicated, 3D-only, pass through device designed to operate transparently with 2D accelerators. The product accelerates 3D games and applications and leaves basic VGA and 2D operations to the consumer's existing Windows accelerator. Righteous 3D is uniquely positioned to address consumer concerns about compatibility issues associated with PC add-in products and complaints about "throw-away" investments in PC systems.

Software Bundles and Development Support

Righteous 3D is bundled with 3D games that take advantage of the exciting and unique technology features found in the 3Dfx Voodoo Graphics chipset. These titles include:

• MechWarrior® 2 including NetMech eight player pack by Activision®
• Descent™ II: Destination Quartzon™ 3D by Interplay™
• Whiplash™ 3D by Interplay™
• VR Soccer '96: Semifinals™ 3D by VR Sports™
• Hellbender™ Trial Version by Microsoft®
• Monster Truck Madness™ Trial Version by Microsoft®
• Scorched Planet™ Trial Version by Criterion Studios™

"Interplay is thrilled to have our 3Dfx enhanced versions of Descent II: Destination Quartzon and Whiplash bundled with Orchid's Righteous 3D", said Susan La Sky, Senior OEM Manager at Interplay Productions, a leading publisher of entertainment titles. "With the performance capabilities of Righteous 3D, consumers will enjoy new levels of realism and interactivity," added La Sky.

Righteous 3D supports a wide range of today's leading 3D APIs including Windows 95 Direct3D, Intel® 3DR™, Argonaut BRender™, Criterion™ RenderWare® and Gemini Technology OpenGVS™. Orchid has partnered with 3Dfx to provide leading edge software companies the development tools to create stunning 3D applications designed for Righteous 3D. More than a hundred developers have joined Total Immersion, the 3Dfx Interactive developer program including Activision, Argonaut, Criterion Studios, Eidos Interactive, Electronic Arts, Gremlin Interactive, Interplay Productions, Micro Prose, Ocean, Playmates/Digital Dialect, Psygnosis, Spectrum Holobyte, 3D Realms, Trilobyte and Virgin Interactive.

"Righteous 3D significantly enhances Scorched Planet, and Criterion is delighted to be working with Orchid, one of only a handful of companies who are truly expanding the gaming experience for consumers" said Mike King, vice president of marketing at Criterion Studios.

Many software developers have endorsed Microsoft's Direct3D API as their development platform for future 3D software titles. Direct3D is the latest addition to the highly regarded and successful DirectX interactive media API family from Microsoft. Righteous 3D takes full advantage of Direct3D's rich features to deliver a new performance baseline for 3D.

Orchid Technology

Orchid Technology, a leader in multimedia solutions for the personal computer market, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Micronics Computers, Inc. Orchid develops, designs manufactures and markets a wide range of industry leading multimedia technology including audio, graphics and 3D accelerators. Orchid's 24-hour Bulletin Board Service number is (510) 651-6837 or visit Orchid on the WEB at http://www.orchid.com. Orchid sales can be reached at (800) 577-0977."
Micronics (Orchid) Press Office, October 7th 1996