HYPERBOLE ANNOUNCES WORLD'S FIRST INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA NOVEL

The Madness of Roland is the world's first original interactive multimedia
novel. This ground-breaking CD-ROM will be the first major release by
HyperBole Studios, which has been publishing HyperBole, the Art of Digital
Storytelling, a multimedia magazine, far almost two years. Optimized for
Apple Computer, Inc.'s Macintosh series, the CD-ROM will be produced with
assistance from Sense Interactive, a newly formed multimedia publishing
group.

Based on the medieval French legend of the Paladin RoLand, the story is
told from several different points of view, which the reader can move
between at will. Every character tells their own version of the story's
events. In addition to these character layers, or "leaves': two layers of
commentary are accessed via sun and moon pictographs. This layering
technique is one of the many ways Roland takes advantage of the unique
strengths of interactive multimedia. "The sun level is a place of verbal
commentary; very historical and intellectual. Always textual," said the
novel's author and designer, Greg Roach. "The moon levels, in contrast,
take the reader to the visual realm." These visual elements, which use
QuickTime video (converted to PACo Producer for the one-bit monochrome
version), are intended to evoke rather than illustrate.

Book One of The Madness of Roland (Chapters 1-7) has been serialized in
HyperBole since January 1991. This original novel is constructed in
layers, with a rich, full interface. Roland makes extensive use of
256-color graphics, animation, original music, QuickTime movies,
hypertextual links, professional "radio-theatre" narration, and a complete
soundtrack. According to Roach, "The expanded capabilities of the CD-ROM
format allow the exceptional multimedia aspects of the novel to be more
fully realized."

There will be three separate versions of The Madness of Roland available on
the same CD-ROM: a twelve-inch color version, a thirteen-inch or larger
color version (both in eight-bit ), and a black and white one-bit version.
"Each of these is designed to take advantage of the Macintosh Computers on
which they will run," Roach said. "We're very lucky Apple is coming out
with all this new technology right now. Roland will feature the latest
QuickTime technology, and we're very excited about harnessing the
increased capabilities of the new Macintosh IIvi and IIvx machines as
well. In addition, Roland will be compatible with the new Apple CD 300.
The new CD-ROM capabilities are a real boon for multimedia developers.
Projects like The Madness of Roland can be greatly enhanced by the
increased throughput capabilities."

The actual release will be held until November, but until then advance
others are being accepted for The Madness of Roland, through HyperBole
Studios. The sale price of the CD-ROM will be $59.95, and Roland will be
distributed exclusively through Compton's New Media.

HyperBole Studios, 1412 West Alabama, Houston, TX 77006
713-529-9696

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