Joyce's Column February

Well shortly after reading this many of us will be getting ourselves ready for a visit to the Irish Gaming Show, in Dublin, which is the one show I really look forward to. A warm welcoming show, with a great variety of equipment, smiling faces both from exhibitors and visitors and of course Irish craic, what more could one want. I will be there for sure, will you?

Now for more jottings from the recent EAG show

It was great to meet up with ex industry journalist Peter Rubin who came to see me for the day and see some of the companies that were still around from his days in the industry and he also made some new contacts for his radio show he presents. We enjoyed our day together as one can see from the photo of the two of us enjoying a bottle of Tattinger champagne at lunchtime, a right couple of Champagne Charlies!!

I was out at dinner on the first night of the show with HC Terminals Bob Hepworth and 7’s Above Ian Pawson, John and Macauley and there was another gentleman in the party and this turned out to be Karl Taylor, Richard Taylor’s son. Richard is a name that will be synonymous with us veterans of the industry from the Alca and Associated Leisure days, and in fact Richard and another ex Alca employee Frank Daniel formed Data Leisure a company based in Shaw. Frank has now resigned from the company but Richard is still hanging on in there which is great to know Richard. Karl is very much at the helm these days and at dinner he kept us all amused with some of his stories.

As you all know I am always on the look-out for pens and my usual 2 suppliers of these NSM and E-Service didn’t fail me, but this time I got an unexpected one from Dransfields, and this is a novelty pen with a pull out scroll which advertises their Dart Shark their state-of-the-art interactive darts unit with traditional board, photo attached.

Gary Newman of Newmans Sales had 2 new machines on Electrocoin’s stand Race Away and Planet Blaster which created a deal of interest. Race Away is a twin 2 player video racing game easy control and a simple driving game. Offering a choice of numerous locations and tracks and a range of cars and it becomes a different experience every time the game is played, there are also many obstacles and surprises each time the game is played, thus adding to the enjoyment of the player/s. This game is offered to pay out redemption tickets or just play for fun and enjoyment.

Planet Blaster a twin two-player gun game, ideal for a family Shoot Em Up Game in ticket, capsule or just for fun game. At the start of the game the player has 5 different planets to choose from which they have to conquer, and at the end of each one there is a Master who you have to beat before you can move on to the next planet, and making the final planet which can only be achieved when you have fought your way past the first 5. There are a constant stream of Aliens attacking you from all directions during the game and this really makes for a great family fun game plus using your skills to achieve your goal.

Have I whetted your appetite about these 2 new games, well why not come and see them for yourself at the forthcoming Irish Gaming Show where Gary has both machines on his stand.

It was also nice to see Gary’s lovely wife Gloria at the show and to be introduced to their children and grandchildren.

I bumped into John Slattery of G3 at the show, I haven’t seen John for quite a few years, but I have to say he looked the picture of health and still supported that infectious smile that he has.

Here is something apart from EAG, this is concerning HC Terminals Bob and Joe Hepworth who are both entering a 109km charity bike ride in March around the Cape Peninsula, South Africa on behalf of the charity Net vir Pret. Bob says this will be tough for him but not so for Joe. This year there is an E-bike class and he will be riding in this class whilst Joe will ride in the standard race bike. Net vir Pret is a charity providing rural education provision which uplifts the lives of disadvantaged children in extremely deprived areas of South Africa. Some photos and further information are attached for you all to see and there is also a Just Giving Fund Page which is as follows: https://www.justgiving.com/page/bobandjoe

Further information on the charity can be found on https://netvirpret.co.za/

Wishing you both good luck and great fund raising, so come on now all you dig deep in your pockets and give our Bob and Joe your support.

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19 February 2025

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