History of rhythm gaming
From "beatmania" to "Dance Central"
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From "beatmania" to "Dance Central"
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>All semester I have been thinking about this column, my last one. I was wondering what I could say that would resonate with the readers. How could I make it poignant, make it really affect everyone? Then I remembered that I write about video games. With summer break and a lot of free time for most of you, I decided I would give you a list of things to do this summer to become a better gamer. If you do all of these things, not only will you have more gamer street cred, but you might even stumble upon a few new games you love.1. Play a classic for the first time.With the advent of digital distribution and services like Virtual Console, it is easier than ever to legally get your hands on some of gaming’s all-time classic games. There are also plenty of modern classics like “Resident Evil 4” and “Beyond Good & Evil” out there. With so many games borrowing the game play and mechanics of their predecessors, it is always great to see where it all started. My personal recommendation would be “Super Metroid” for the Super Nintendo.2. Play a genre you wouldn’t normally play.A lot of people play “Madden” but would never touch “Dragon Age II” or vice versa. I never was one for survival horror, but I finally broke down and started the remake of “Resident Evil.” While I might not play another survival horror game, I can finally at least appreciate the genre. With all of the cross-genre games out today, it is easier than ever. “Borderlands” and “Mass Effect 2” blend the lines between RPG and shooter while “NBA Jam” offers something different from a sports simulation.3. Finish a game you started and quit.We have all done this. We start up a game and then never finish it. It can be for a number of reasons, like difficulty or time, but it just sits there on the shelf gathering dust. Dig down deep and power through it. Not only will you finish what you started, but you might remember why you liked the game in the first place.4. Play a favorite childhood game again.I have so many favorite games from my childhood: “Ocarina of Time,” “Donkey Kong Country” and “Super Mario World,” just to name a few. If it has been a while since you last played your favorite, the experience is great. There is something magical about feeling nostalgic but at the same time experiencing everything anew. The more you play, the more you remember secrets, puzzles and tricks. It’s like seeing old friends for the first time in years; you still recognize them, but it feels like you are just meeting for the first time.5. Buy new whenever you can.This might seem a bit out-of-place compared to the other things on this list, but it is probably the most important. The video game industry is just that: an industry. Ultimately, money decides what games get made. Fantastic games like “Beyond Good & Evil” have languished without sequels for years because they didn’t earn enough. Every time you buy a used game, the developer doesn’t see a dime of that money. On the Double Fine website in 2007, “Psychonauts” designer Tim Schafer said his critically acclaimed game had sold only 400,000 copies in two years. In comparison, a new “Call of Duty” game does a few million sales in the first few weeks after launch. I know living on a student’s income makes it hard to buy everything new. However, it helps, especially for games from smaller, independent developers.I want to thank everyone who read my column during the semester for allowing me to play video games and get away with the excuse “it’s for work.” If you follow my five steps up above, I can guarantee you will have a lot of fun. In parting, the last thing I want to ask is that you never quit playing. Games aren’t just for kids and college students anymore.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last week I finally broke down and bought “Pokémon White.” As I was checking out, I was amazed that the clerk, who looked like he was in his 20s, was into the game. It made me wonder if somehow Pokémon had become cool again.When I was younger I got really into Pokémon. I played the games through “Ruby” and “Sapphire” and also got into the anime, trading card game, toys and even a board game. If something had Pokémon on it, I probably had it. As I got older, specifically during middle school, Pokémon stopped being cool. It became less than cool; it was for kids, and if you liked it, you were a kid. At this point I began to keep my interest in it secret.High school was even scarier than middle school. In middle school, a casual mention of Pokémon might have gotten a few laughs, but it would die off quickly. In high school, the gossip mill would grab it and never leave the student body consciousness. It was a secret kept from everyone. Friends and girlfriends could never know my dark secret, that I spent my nights training my Tyranitar and battling for badges.When I got to college, I quit playing Pokémon, mostly because I didn’t have a DS at the time. That brings me to today, when I have fallen back in. Now I don’t feel compelled to hide the fact that I like Pokémon. I am putting it out there with my name and picture next to it. I’m not the only one either; at some point it became okay to like Pokémon again.The nostalgia value certainly helps. Retro and the 1990s are in right now. Wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt is cool and Pokémon is the same way. It was a cultural phenomenon that directly targeted our generation. Anyone my age can recognize Pikachu and probably many more of the original 151. The first generation of the series was as much a part of our childhood as the Power Rangers or Super Mario.Really, though, I think I just don’t care anymore. College breaks the tight social network of high school. If someone in the Union sees me playing Pokémon, there is a good chance neither of us knows each other and we may never see each other again. Sure, they may laugh or make a joke to themselves, but it isn’t like all of my peers will know by tomorrow.It is also easy to like Pokémon when I look at the other entertainment my generation enjoys. I mean, Pokémon has to be at least of the quality of “Jersey Shore.” On the video game side of things, it has to be about the same as “Call of Duty,” considering that neither of them has changed much in the last decade.If this was middle or high school I would never let this get published. Instead, all of us Pokémon players would simply play in secret. Now we can come out of hiding and into the light, which is a good thing because I need some people to trade with.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I loved both “Mass Effect” games and “Knights of the Old Republic.” BioWare has always been high on my list of favorite developers. However, after playing through “Dragon Age: Origins” and “Dragon Age II” during the last month and reflecting on their previous gaming experiences, I have come to a realization that I have denied for a long time. BioWare is pretty average to poor in the gameplay and game design departments. I know, it hurts for me to put it on paper, to commit it to an archive where it will become forever linked to me, but it’s true. During its most recent games, these issues have become even more evident. Compared to BioWare’s top-notch writing, their design is inexcusable. Look at the original “Mass Effect” and its side quests. There were four dungeons in the original “Mass Effect”: spaceship, mine, science facility and warehouse. Each time the layout was the same and the location of encounters was the same. “Dragon Age II” has larger dungeons and sections off the dungeon so the layout feels different, but looking at the mini-map shows the same layout for every cave or city underground in the game. “Dragon Age II” at least tries to justify the monotony by having the game take place during 10 years in the same city and outlying region, but it all just screams lazy level design. Beyond level design, the gameplay suffers as well. The vehicle sections in the original “Mass Effect” controlled terribly. Even after learning the controls, it was still difficult to drive. Of course, “Mass Effect 2” decided to remove the vehicle sections completely, which seems like a good idea until you tried the replacement. The planet scanning in the second game was tedious at best and rage-inducing at worst. I didn’t buy the game to become a galactic surveyor. “Dragon Age: Origins” had terrible combat. The MMO style combat made a simple battle in “World of WarCraft” seem exciting. Eventually I had to turn the combat difficulty down to the easiest setting, not because the game was too hard but because I wanted combat to end as quickly as possible. The most annoying aspect of BioWare’s games is the menu system and inventory management. In “Mass Effect,” the inventory system was unwieldy due to both the accumulation of useless equipment and the poor comparison system. In “Origins,” the inventory was cluttered. Items were not grouped together by type or equipment slot, but instead were all crammed under headings such as armor or usable items rather than utilizing subheads such as potions or helmets. Rather than fix these issues in the sequels, BioWare simplified the games under the guise of “streamlining” them. In “Mass Effect 2,” it completely eliminated the inventory management system, and in “Dragon Age II,” it made armor only able to be equipped on the player character. That is what ultimately bothers me about BioWare games when looking at their sequels. Instead of fixing issues, BioWare removes them. The idea of exploring uncharted worlds in “Mass Effect” was a good one, just poorly executed. Instead of improving it in the sequel, they removed it and replaced it with the even worse planning scanning. In “Dragon Age II,” rather than modify the menu system and allow you to equip your party, it removed armor for party members. “Mass Effect 2” is still my game of the year for 2010, and I still anxiously await “Mass Effect 3.” “Dragon Age II” was a pretty good game, and I am excited to see what comes next for the franchise. But if BioWare continues on its current trend, I may be disappointed with some of the decisions it makes in the name of “streamlining the experience.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Dragon Age II” is as much a reboot as it is a sequel. It is a more streamlined and simple game than “Dragon Age: Origins” was. Players take on the role of Hawke, a refugee of the previous game’s events. There is now a conversation wheel, armor can only be equipped on Hawke and the combat is more action-oriented. The game feels more fluid and plays better than “Origins.” But the plot and level design drag the experience down. Instead of dealing with a worldwide threat, Hawke must deal with politics. While the game tries to make the consequences seem far-reaching, it never feels like Hawke’s actions affect the entire world. Players will visit the same dozen or so locations and dungeons several times during the game’s 35-hour quest. “Dragon Age II” may not satisfy gamers looking for a deeply tactical experience, but even with its flaws, it is a solid restart to the franchise.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I know what I am about to say probably won’t go over too well with the environmentalists, but I don’t want to lose plastic cases for my games. Music has almost gone completely digital, and movies and games are taking steps in the same direction, and it really bothers me. I see so many reasons, some more selfish than others, for why keeping physical media is the best option.I’m a collector. Some people collect coins and stamps. I collect games. I have a shelf dedicated and filled with my gaming collection. I take the time to organize it exactly the right way.“Dragon Age” comes first because it is a traditional role-playing game, then both “Mass Effect” games because they are also developed by BioWare and then “Fallout: New Vegas.” After that come the first-person shooters, organized in terms of realism, obviously organized by system as well. The point being, I take care of these like any collector takes care of his or her collectibles. I can’t collect game files in the same way. I can’t set out memory sticks for each game on a bookshelf (if I can get it onto a memory stick).The package of the game can be a great bonus when done well. Nintendo does the best job (although Microsoft does a good job with “Halo,” too). The manuals with Nintendo games are colorful and full of information. At the other end of the spectrum, Ubisoft gives you a black-and-white folded piece of paper that instructs you to go online or look in-game for the full controls. I know trees are being cut down and plastics are bad, but it isn’t like my cases and manuals are ending up in a landfill. I use them. I keep them. I read them.Beyond the collectability of games, there are more practical reasons to keep physical media around. It is almost impossible to transfer ownership of digital property. If I want to play “Halo: Reach” at my friend’s house, I grab the game and go. I can borrow games, sell them and trade them. I actually own these games.Ownership is the most important reason to keep physical media. With digital games, ownership is limited or nonexistent. Invasive digital rights management limits the number of installs of a game, and many DRM-protected games require an active Internet connection to verify the user or the game won’t run. Beyond the DRM, gamers are also at the will of the content providers. Most download services let players re-download games they have already purchased for free. However, if the content service de-lists the game or is shut down, that opportunity disappears. When the original Xbox Live was canceled in 2010, players lost access to all content from the service, including downloadable content from original Xbox titles.While PC hard drives are easily and affordably upgraded, console hard drives are expensive, and in some cases extremely hard to install. With most retail games weighing in at about six GB and the cheapest Xbox 360 coming with only a four GB hard drive, this creates storage problems.Digital distribution works well for music. High-quality audio files still take up relatively little space, especially compared to high-definition movies and games. Music files download quickly, even on a poor broadband connection (which I have). On the other hand, a one GB download on Xbox Live can take almost an hour on that same connection, and an unbearable six hours for a full Xbox Game on Demand. Some costs are associated with packaged games, but they still have plenty of tangible benefits that can’t be ignored. Plus, I really like looking at my bookshelf filled with games.
Meet four of the best players of MMOs at IU.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The “South Park” episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft” had the stereotypical image of the MMO gamer. It showed an overweight, balding, middle-aged slob. The view of MMOs and their players by the general public is similar to the one seen on “South Park.” Of course, as with so much on television, there isn’t a lot of reality in that image, and in fact most of what you know about these games probably isn’t true. So let’s go on a quest to bust some MMO myths.Myth 1: All MMOs are high fantasy games.This is a case of popular bias. The most popular MMOs are high fantasy games, including “EverQuest” and “World of WarCraft.” However, that isn’t all that is out there. “Champions Online” and the recently released “DC Universe Online” are both superhero themed. If you are looking for sci-fi, you can find it in “EVE Online” or the upcoming “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” Even more niche genres exist. “World War II Online: Battleground Europe” allows players to actively battle for control of WWII Europe as members of the Axis and Allied powers.Myth 2: All MMOs are MMORPGs.Similar to the first myth, the most popular MMOs are role-playing games, so the popular conception is that all of them are RPGs. However, almost every genre of video game has an MMO. “PlanetSide” and “Tribes Universe” are first-person shooters based around persistent conflicts with huge numbers of players on each side. “Need for Speed: World” and “Drift City” are MMO racing games. Even sports games have MMOs, with “Quick Hit Football” carrying the NFL license.Myth 3: MMOs are expensive.Many MMOs require a monthly subscription fee, but there are also plenty of high quality free-to-play alternatives. The free-to-play model has gained a lot of steam in recent years with many formerly subscription-based games becoming free-to-play. “The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar,” “Dungeons & Dragons Online” and “Champions Online” were all switched to free-to-play later in their life cycles. These games still feature options for players to pay for advantages and content, but the core game is accessible for free. In addition to these retail games, hundreds of browser-based games are completely free.Myth 4: MMOs take huge time commitments.To reach the upper echelons of competitive or cooperative content takes considerable time. It takes practice like any other skill. Players can still see, experience and enjoy a lot of content in these games even if they can’t put in 30 hours a week. Browser-based games such as “FarmVille” and “ESPNU College Town” provide MMO experiences that only require the player to play for a few minutes a day. Even more hardcore MMOs such as “WoW” have attracted a huge number of casual players and have made the games more accessible. “WoW” created a separate version of endgame raids that are easier and require fewer players to allow more casual players to experience all of the content in the game.As broadband penetration increases, MMOs will continue to become more popular. Even now, people playing games like “FarmVille” don’t realize that they are playing an MMO. With the sheer number of games out there, anyone can find a game for their tastes. Online games provide a unique experience in the gaming world, and it is worth experiencing once, even if it is just for a month.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Your mom will hate “Dead Space 2.” At least that’s what Electronic Arts’ marketing department wants you to believe. EA released a series of videos leading up to the game documenting several mothers’ reactions to some of the more violent and gore-filled segments of the game. The reactions are all very similar. Each mom is disgusted, and many question who would play or make a game like “Dead Space 2.” For an industry that has struggled recently with its depictions of “mature” content, an ad campaign like this represents and focuses on an image that video games have been trying to shake.Video games have come a long way in showing “mature” themes. Games like “Heavy Rain” and “Red Dead Redemption” have shown that the medium can create mature, developed characters that aren’t simply super soldiers. Whereas mature once meant blood and guts, it now also encompasses games that deal with concepts like how far you would go to protect your family or reforming and atoning for past sins. “Dead Space 2” and the accompanying advertisements play on juvenile notions of maturity gamers have worked hard to change.The bigger issue with the campaign is that it comes in the wake of gaming’s fight to avoid censorship. Recently, the Supreme Court heard arguments concerning a California law that would require stores to ID anyone purchasing a mature game and face harsh penalties if they sell to a minor. While it sounds good in theory, the finer points of the law, specifically the definition of which games would be considered “mature” is subjective and unclear. Much like the film industry, the gaming industry understands that self-regulation and rating of content are to the industry’s benefit. How is the industry supposed to defend itself when one of the biggest releases in 2011 uses a marketing campaign that trumps up the violence and gore in the game?This ad campaign is indefensible. Even as the industry tries to argue that it doesn’t market age-inappropriate products to children, it directly markets a mature game to people not even old enough to purchase it. After all, who else would care if their mom didn’t like a game? The “intended” audience of the game, according to its rating, is players 17 or older. However, I don’t know of any 18-year-olds who base their entertainment decisions on whether or not their mother disapproves.EA’s hypocrisy makes the situation even worse. When developer BioWare released “Mass Effect” in 2007, controversy surrounded its sex scene. Fox News aired a segment falsely accusing the game of allowing players to engage in graphic sex. In response to these glaring inaccuracies, EA defended BioWare, arguing in a letter to Fox News that the game “requires players to develop complex relationships before characters can become intimate” and that the content of the game is no worse than what someone would see on the Fox network. EA defended the artistic value of “Mass Effect,” yet it depicts “Dead Space 2” in the same light that it fought against.As the second largest video game publisher in the world, EA should be concerned with the industry’s image. Instead, it has published a game where the main selling point isn’t gameplay, plot or characters, but violence and gore. The campaign is irresponsible, and while it might help “Dead Space 2” earn sales in the short run, the long-term repercussions it could have on the rest of gaming are much more severe.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last year’s “Red Dead Redemption” by Rockstar Games was released to critical acclaim and proved that a great Old West video game could be made. Western titles in the modern video game era have been solid games at best and poorly designed at worst. “Red Dead Redemption”’s greatness as a Western doesn’t come from its polished gameplay or even its great writing. Instead it comes from a recognition that the most important part of creating a Western is recreating the iconic version of the Old West.“RDR” presents a vast West to explore complete with beautiful red rock mesas off in the distance and deserts with cacti and tumbleweeds rolling through. Technological limitations were certainly a barrier to creating a vast landscape during the last generation, so game design played a bigger role. With the exception of “Gun,” Western games were linear first (and a few third) person shooters. “RDR” gives you miles of terrain to explore while other games had the ever-present “invisible wall” to keep players from leaving the confines of the level. The grandness of scale and the sense of wonder inherent in depictions of the West are limited when games try to keep players on the tracks and ignore everything outside of the level. By going the sandbox route, “RDR” effectively recreates the epic scope of the Old West.Getting the scenery and scope of the game world right is only part of the equation. “RDR”also excelled at creating a vibrant living world. Traditionally, Western first person shooter games have been standard corridor shooters skinned with period clothing and weapons. It is near impossible to make the game world feel alive when the player is always running down a linear path and shooting nameless enemies.“RDR” dots the landscapes with towns, ranches and vistas, each with their own cast of characters. The missions are given to you by characters who feel real.Even when traveling through the world, you encounter different people. Some are strangers — non-player characters that have their own optional storylines and quests. Others are people in need of help, bandits ready to rob you or bounty hunters looking to collect.The final piece to the puzzle is variety. Westerns are more than just cowboys shooting bad guys, and “RDR” offers up several different ways to occupy your time. Just a few of the different tasks available to the player are taming horses, hunting wild animals and horse racing. While you are in town, a group of bandits can ride in and attack the town, leaving the decision up to the player whether to help or not. Out in the desert, people may need you to find and bring back their runaway horses. The game even features one of the genre’s most common activities: poker. Get too lucky and win a little too much at the table, and one of your opponents might challenge you to a duel in the center of town.Other Western games have tried to implement these kinds of activities (“Dead Man’s Hand” featured a poker game between levels to win health and ammo), but they always felt tacked on. “RDR” presents all these activities in a way that makes them feel like part of the game rather than needless extras.While Western films have been acclaimed for years, “RDR” is the first Western game to get a similar level of critical praise. That praise is a direct result of Rockstar’s study of what makes a Western. While future developers don’t need to copy “RDR,” they do need to get the same understanding of the genre. If not, the result won’t be “Red Dead Redemption.” It will be “Call of Juarez.”
BioWare's latest sci-fi epic holds sway
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Rock Band 3” is simply the best. It is the best “Rock Band” game and the best music game. The addition of Pro mode, where the game teaches you music using realistic instruments, is the most innovative feature of a music game since the original “Rock Band” introduced the drums. Beyond the addition of Pro mode and the keyboard, it is the subtle changes that make “Rock Band 3” so sublime.The game’s Career mode is now integrated into every facet of the game. Any song played at any time counts toward the career, which means no more toiling away in pre-made setlists of boring or overplayed songs. All Instruments mode features up to a full seven-player experience and is enhanced by the addition of drop-in/drop-out multiplayer, allowing players to join or leave the game at any time. The game also revamps the song selection process, making it easier than ever to browse through the “Rock Band” platform’s more than 2,000 songs.With the “Rock Band” library constantly growing and the monumental changes to gameplay, “Rock Band 3” is the music game to own.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Roger Ebert wrote a blog post last April titled “Video games can never be art” and instantly set the internet ablaze. Gamers rallied to defend their medium, and eventually Ebert posted another column where he admitted his mistake. “I would never express an opinion on a movie I hadn’t seen. Yet I declared as an axiom that video games can never be art,” wrote Ebert. At this point the damage had been done, and the debate over whether or not video games can be art had more fuel added to the already roaring fire. Gamers fought tooth-and-nail to defend their pastime as art, forgetting that games are about having fun.A quick glance at the top selling games of 2009 shows “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” “Madden NFL 10” and “Halo 3: ODST” were among the top sellers. These games are all hugely popular for their gameplay, not for being works of art. Players ultimately flock to those games that present strong gameplay. Games with strong gameplay can go on to become immortal, such as “Super Mario Bros. 3,” while those without it are doomed to obscurity. The most important aspect of a video game is the gameplay; that is where the developer should focus rather than on trying to make some big artistic statement with their games.“BioShock” was one of the more recent, and more commercially successful, “art” games. “BioShock” received universal critical acclaim upon its release, but most of that acclaim was directed toward its story and atmosphere, not its gameplay. It was lauded for its presentation of Ayn Randian objectivism. Without those nods, “BioShock” wasn’t a fantastic game. It was a good, not great, shooter which borrowed almost all of its gameplay straight from its predecessor “System Shock 2.” Standing up on its gameplay alone, it falls flat behind “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” another shooter released just three months later.Bungie said it best when it revealed its “30 seconds of fun” philosophy on development. The basic idea is that if it can continually recreate the same 30 seconds of fun without boring the player, then the it has made a good game. Fun games, from “Super Mario Bros.” to “God of War,” all excel because they can give the player the same feeling of fun for the entire course of the game.The problem with these “artistic” games is the developers too often forget they are still making video games. Their ultimate priority should be to deliver a top notch gameplay experience. In the future, games might be able to effectively meld gameplay and artistic vision together, but it hasn’t happened yet. At best, the artistic statements and elements seemed tacked on and unnecessary to the experience, and at worst, those elements are used to cover up lackluster gameplay. As gamers and developers continually push for more respect for video games, don’t forget to ask one question — what is wrong with games just being games?
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fall is a great time to be a gamer. The slow summer release schedule is over and publishers start pushing their holiday titles out the door. The marquee titles of the year are finally ready to be released alongside a slew of others. There are enough games out there to make any gamer overwhelmed. Here are a few of the games to look out for this fall and holiday season.“Call of Duty: Black Ops,” Nov. 9 (PS3, 360, PC, Wii)Here’s another November complete with another “Call of Duty.” The series steps away from the familiar settings of modern war and World War II and instead moves into the Cold War. Developed by Treyarch (“Call of Duty: World at War”), the game’s single-player mode promises to bring all of the action and explosions of a Hollywood blockbuster. Treyarch is also upgrading to the game’s popular multiplayer mode to include a currency system that can be used to purchase weapons and clothing during matches. Perhaps most exciting is the return of the cooperative zombie mode last seen in “World at War” that pits up to four players against wave after wave of a zombie horde. As the biggest title of the season, this is sure to satisfy fans of multiplayer shooters.“NBA Jam,” Now Available (Wii, 360, PS3) “NBA Jam” brings all the catch-phrases and arcade action into the modern NBA. “Remix Tour” mode will give the game a single-player mode complete with boss battles. In addition, several NBA legends are unlockable, including Karl Malone and Hakeem Olajuwon. Of course, “NBA Jam” wouldn’t be complete without the president, and he delivers. Players can play as Republican and Democrat teams and answer the most important question from the 2008 election: Would President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden defeat Senator John McCain and Sarah Palin in a game of basketball?“Medal of Honor,” Now Available (PS3, 360, PC)EA reboots its classic shooter franchise and brings it into the modern age. The game didn’t shy away from controversy, using a modern Afghanistan setting and until recently, a playable Taliban in multiplayer. Controversy aside, gamers should take note; the multiplayer portion of the game was developed by DICE, the same studio behind the stellar “Battlefield: Bad Company 2.” For shooter fans looking for an alternative to “Call of Duty” this fall, “Medal of Honor” hopes to deliver.“Rock Band 3,” Oct. 26 (PS3, 360, Wii)Backwards compatibility with the music and DLC from all previous “Rock Band” games (except “The Beatles: Rock Band”), a song library of close to 2,000 songs and classic tracks such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Cold as Ice” would be enough to get anyone excited about “Rock Band 3.” Developer Harmonix goes above and beyond with both a keyboard and the game’s new Pro Mode. The keyboard is MIDI compatible and features 25 full-sized keys as well as the ability to wear it as a keytar for rocking out to those ’80s hits. Pro Mode finally attempts to turn “Rock Band” skill into musical skill. Gone are the colored rectangles representing notes. Instead, the game will slowly teach players how to play each song, and Expert Pro Mode has the player playing a completely transcribed version of the song. To use Pro Mode, players need a new cymbal set for drums, a new 102 button guitar controller or the six-stringed Stratocaster controller that doubles as a real electric guitar.“Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood,” Nov. 16 (PS3, 360) Feb. 22, 2011 (PC)“Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood” serves as a direct sequel to “Assassin’s Creed II” and continues the story of Ezio as he tries to reorganize the Brotherhood in Rome. Central to this is the new ability to recruit and command novice assassins. Sending assassins on missions to gain experience ahead of time will help players when Ezio calls on them later for assistance in combat. The biggest addition is a multiplayer mode, a first for the series. The Wanted Mode in particular is intriguing. Each player is given another player to kill and must do so without being seen by anyone else. With a refined single-player experience and a promising multiplayer component, “Brotherhood” looks to be a winner.“Epic Mickey,” Nov. 30 (Wii)It may be a Mickey Mouse game, but don’t let that turn you off. Disney is looking to rebrand Mickey in the 21st century and has given acclaimed game designer Warren Spector (“Deus Ex,” “System Shock”) plenty of freedom to do so. “Epic Mickey” is a dark platformer based heavily on the classic film “Fantasia.” The game includes classic Disney characters re-imagined in the dark world of the Cartoon Wasteland. Characters include a robotic Donald Duck and the lesser known Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. On top of all this, Disney has allowed Spector to show off Mickey’s mischievous side, one not seen since his early days.“World of WarCraft: Cataclysm,” Dec. 7 (PC)Twelve million players and near complete domination of the MMO market haven’t stopped Blizzard from working hard on “World of WarCraft.” The third expansion, “Cataclysm,” finally introduces Goblins as a playable race and raises the level cap to 85. Goblins join the horde while the werewolf-like Worgen join the Alliance. In addition to the new races, the main area of the game world has been redone. New quests, locations, dungeons and a few returning favorites make this the largest and most ambitious expansion to “World of WarCraft” to date.“LittleBigPlanet 2,” Jan. 18, 2011 (PS3)“LittleBigPlanet 2” is a huge game. With a literally endless supply of user-created levels, plus backwards compatibility with most of the content from the first game, players could play countless hours without ever stepping foot into a level designed by developer Media Molecule. The platforming gameplay takes place in a 2.5-D world with three layers of space the player can occupy. After spending some time playing around in other users’ creations, the game’s expanded and advanced creation tools allows for anyone to try their hand at creating the next masterpiece. With new gameplay styles, more advanced level creation tools and planned DLC, “LittleBigPlanet 2” looks to improve on the original’s all ready solid gameplay.“Fable III,” Oct. 26 (360) TBA 2010 (PC)The “Fable” series has largely been unable to live up to the grand aspirations of designer Peter Molyneux, but the games were still both fun to play and at times quite funny. “Fable III” promises to offer the biggest decisions in the series to date. In addition to a streamlined action RPG experience, the second half of the game has players ruling an entire kingdom and making difficult decisions that affect the subjects’ lives. Tax an area too heavily and it will become visibly poorer on future visits, the buildings eventually crumbling. With the promise of world-changing decisions and a menuless and refined combat system, “Fable III” may finally deliver on the series’ promise.“Portal 2,” Feb. 9, 2011 (PS3, 360, PC, Mac)After using “The Orange Box” as a tool to test out “Portal’s” success, Valve has pulled out all the stops for the sequel. Taking place hundreds of years after the first game, GLaDOS is “still alive” and is rebuilding the Aperture Science facility. Players will have to solve more physics-based puzzles using the trusty portal gun as they try to stop GLaDOS again. New for “Portal 2” is a two-player cooperative mode. Each portal gun fires its own set of portals, and the cooperative test rooms are supposed to be much more challenging to compensate. “Portal” was the surprise hit of 2007, and while “Portal 2” won’t be sneaking up on anyone, it should still be a hit.“Fallout: New Vegas,” Oct. 19 (PS3, 360, PC)“Fallout: New Vegas” sees the “Fallout” series return to the West. Taking place in the aptly named New Vegas, the latest “Fallout” game was led in development by Chris Avellone, the lead designer on the original, cancelled “Fallout 3” project, code-named Van Buren. The game adds a robust weapon modifying and crafting system, different currencies for each faction and a system for issuing orders to your companions, all in addition to the V.A.T.S. combat system and open-ended gameplay of “Fallout 3.” Players seeking an even greater challenge can try the new hardcore mode where the player needs to eat, sleep and drink, and currencies and ammo weigh the player down.Some other games to check out:“Costume Quest,” Oct. 20 (PSN, XBLA)“Costume Quest” is a turn-based RPG from Tim Schafer’s studio Double Fine where the character’s powers are based off the Halloween costume they are wearing.“Donkey Kong Country Returns,” Nov. 21 (Wii) Similar to the “New Super Mario Bros.” series, “Donkey Kong Country Returns” hopes to bring back the classic platforming series for a new generation.“Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1,” Now Available (PSN, WiiWare, XBLA) Sega finally gives fans what they have been asking for with a new 2-D “Sonic” based on the classic Genesis games.“Vanquish,” Oct. 19 (PS3, 360) “Vanquish” is a futuristic third-person shooter from “Resident Evil” creator Shinji Mikami. It has been called a cross between “Gears of War” and “Bayonetta,” so there should be plenty of action.“Kirby’s Epic Yarn,” Oct. 17 (Wii) We finally have a new Kirby platformer with one of the cutest and most visually stunning art styles coming out this fall.“GoldenEye 007,” Nov. 2 (Wii)A remake of the N64 classic starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, the game will feature updated maps and areas from the 1997 game, including multiplayer favorite the Facility.“Duke Nukem Forever,” Early 2011 (PS3, 360, PC) After more than 12 years in development and becoming the butt of jokes everywhere, Duke finally shows up to the party after being saved by “Borderlands” developer Gearbox. Expect a loud, crude and offensive shooter similar to the classic “Duke Nukem” games.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even a band running late couldn’t slow down Saturday’s WIUX-sponsored Culture Shock.Best Coast, the festival’s headliner, was about a half-hour late and had to cut its hour-long set short.Despite the setback, Katie McKenna, WIUX special events director, said the rest of the festival was a success.“There were a few delays,” McKenna said. “But you will have that with any show.”The day-long festival in Dunn Meadow gave students and Bloomington residents the opportunity to see local, regional and national bands for free.The bands — Best Coast, Light Pollution, Clovers, Native, Osteoferocious, 2 Mics and a Kit and Prayer Breakfast — spanned several genres, from hip-hop and rap to indie rock.There were also artists selling paintings, T-shirts and blown-glass jewelry. Several tables were also set up to promote other events such as the B-town Throwdown, “Fruits of Labor” release party and the recent release of this year’s “Live From Bloomington” album.The weather and free live music attracted a large crowd, and by 4 p.m. the meadow was filled with blankets and music lovers enjoying the sunshine and sound. Some students brought picnic lunches with them as they watched the bands play.Freshman Julian Maxedon said he enjoys student-run events such as Culture Shock and is glad the University has several throughout the year.“It’s cool that they have all this free stuff for the students to do,” he said.The bands that performed also had praises for the festival. Roy Waterford, known by his stage name R-Juna, is a member of 2 Mics and a Kit and praised the professional nature of the festival.“This was real official,” Waterford said. “I do shows all over the place, and this was the most official.”The day went relatively smoothly until there was a bit of a scare when headliner Best Coast did not arrive for its 9 p.m. set.The performance, which closed the festival, was cut to about 30 minutes because of time constraints. Best Coast thanked the festival-goers for staying even though it was so late.Junior Lizzy McGrevy said she did not attend many events like Culture Shock during her first three years in Bloomington but after attending Culture Shock, she intends to change that.“I will definitely try to come to more events like this,” McGrevy said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Chris Martens and the cast and crew of “Unplugged” arrived at Skinquake on East Sixth Street on Sunday to film their short for the second annual IU Campus MovieFest. As the cast ran through lines and the camera equipment was set up, the director frantically searched through his bags.“Where is the shirt?” Martens said to his cast and crew.They exchanged puzzled glances but no one had the answer. The missing black shirt brought production to a standstill. After realizing he left the shirt at home, Martens rushed off to get it, determined to avoid a continuity error within his film.Forgetting costume pieces is just one of the problems Martens and students faced as they filmed movies this past week.CMF is a competition in which teams of two or more made five-minute short films that are then judged and awarded prizes. Every year, teams around the nation are given a laptop, digital camcorder, cell phone, training and support for the contest.Martens returned with the all-important black shirt in hand. Junior Gabe Willey, the lead actor, quickly put it on.With the equipment ready to go, the cast got in place, everyone waiting on Martens to say the magic word. He framed the scene between his thumb and index fingers, visualizing how it will look on film. The director then joined senior Austin Hart, his director of photography, behind the camera. Everyone waited.“Action,” Martens shouted.Take oneThe cast ran through a scene in which Willey’s character, Jake, and junior Emily Harder’s character, Chelsea, go to a tattoo parlor looking for information about the person who robbed them earlier in the film. After the take, Martens directed his actors and crew.“Run through your lines again,” Martens said.“I know my lines,” Willey said back.He said he felt confident he was prepared.“I need to fix audio,” Hart said.The sounds of the tattoo parlor, the buzzing of tattoo needles and music playing in the background made it hard for Hart to pick up dialog. Willey, Harder and sophomore Ross Schneider, who portrays the tattoo parlor clerk, ran through their lines a few times. Hart signaled to Martens he was ready for another go.Take threeAction.They ran the same scene once again. Martens stopped, wanting to discuss the kiss between Harder and Willey.“So should I kiss his cheek?” Harder said.“We’ll try the cheek kiss to see how it looks,” Martens said.“I think the kiss needs some tongue,” Willey replied.Take fiveAction.The take went smoothly. Martens said he was happy with the shot and the rest of the crew echoed his sentiments. With another scene finished, they moved one step closer to finishing filming. From there it fell to Martens, with some help of others, to edit the film.The repetition of scenes until they are perfect is a large part of the filmmaking process. Martens said he will spend about 40 hours on the five-minute movie. The scene in the tattoo parlor is only 30 seconds long, but the crew shot 10 minutes of footage. Martens said he likes having a lot of footage to choose from when he edits, which is a time-consuming process.“All this doesn’t matter if the editing isn’t done well,” Willey said.Martens said he will spend 12 hours editing the film into its final cut. Martens said he does it all for his films — writes the script, directs, produces and edits. While the editing is tedious, he said producing presents the most challenges.“Very few people want to produce,” Martens said.The producer’s duties, Martens said, include casting, involving as many people as possible and finding locations. Martens spent three weeks working with Skinquake to finalize the filming plan. He said the size of his cast and crew is between 20 and 30 people.That’s a wrapThe shoot moved outside — it was time to film the last scene for the day. This time, instead of the sounds of a tattoo parlor, motorcycles randomly interrupted takes. The last scene that needed to be filmed occurs after Chelsea and Jake leave the tattoo parlor to go to a thrift store.There are a few problems with lighting outside, Hart said. The sunlight washed everything out on film. After taking a few seconds to think, they decided Willey and Harder should stand under the awning to get shade on their faces. After a few takes, Martens said the three words that excited everyone to no end.“That’s a wrap.”But while everyone briefly celebrated the end of filming, Martens’ work was far from over. He needed to return home and begin editing the film — it was already after 3 p.m. and the film needed to be submitted to CMF by 6 p.m. Monday. Martens and the rest of the CMF teams have been grinding away at their films all week.“No one’s sleeping,” Martens said. “Everyone is shooting all day and editing all night.”But the rewards are worth it, Martens said. Last year, Martens’ film “The Whistler” won the wild-card award, given to the best movie that doesn’t fit into one of the three main categories: picture, comedy and drama. But even more important than winning, Martens said, is the experience. Martens built his own major — film directing and producing — and knows the experience from CMF will help him in the future.“It is a good learning experience, working on a high intensity production,” Martens said. “It’s also fun.”Watch Marten's winning video from 2009, "The Whistler."
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The bus approaches the psychology building and a voice blasts over the speaker.“How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?” the driver asks.“One,” shouts a student in the back.“One, that’s right,” the driver replies. “But only if the light bulb really wants to change.”Curt Cox, 63, drives the Bloomington Transit 9 route and incites an uproar of laughter on the bus. He is informally known throughout the student community as the “funny” bus driver. He tells jokes and has casual conversations with students while transporting them from building to building.“I don’t know anything about him,” said junior Nathan Haffner, a self-proclaimed frequent rider. “But I recognize him by his hat and his aviators.”Students might not know his name, but for many, his signature green army hat and sunglasses indicate an enjoyable bus ride. Cox has been driving for Bloomington Transit for 10 years, creating a legacy. Past and present students recognize him even when he isn’t behind the wheel.“We have been at Circle Centre in Indy and someone yelled, ‘It’s the bus driver,’” said Jeanne Cox, Curt’s wife of nine years. “Everywhere we go someone says, ‘It’s the bus driver.’”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With so much attention on Vancouver and the medal count, it can be easy to forget another group of hard-working athletes. Since 1968, the Special Olympics has provided an opportunity for children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities to compete on an international level in many sports.Special Olympics Indiana, the state branch of the international organization, was founded in 1969 and now serves 10,000 athletes across the state. In addition to the international and national games held every four years, there is a yearly statewide competition. Athletes can compete in both the summer and winter games, though Indiana cut the winter version this year.“Those were cancelled in 2010 due to the budget, but we plan to reintroduce winter games in 2011 on a bigger scale,” said Amanda Shelley, public relations and marketing manager for SOI. SOI athletes participate in 22 sports including basketball, flag football, horseshoes and bowling. The individual athletes and teams are placed in different divisions based on skill level, gender and age to ensure fair competition.In 2009, SOI introduced its 22nd official sport: ballroom dancing. Shelley said SOI is the only Special Olympics program in the world to offer ballroom dancing as a sport. Bowling is the most popular sport in the state, she said. SOI will send 116 athletes and unified partners to the 2010 National Games in Lincoln, Neb.For an athlete to be eligible for the Special Olympics, he or she must be diagnosed as having a cognitive delay, which is when the brain does not transmit information at a normal rate and can be coupled with or cause physical disabilities. Once an athlete has been declared eligible for the Special Olympics, they are always eligible regardless of worsening in condition. The Special Olympics offer wheelchair competitions for athletes who have a physical disability in addition to an intellectual disability.SOI also offers volunteer opportunities for college students. Lindsay Lambert, SOI manager of volunteer services, said the most popular volunteer choices for college students are coaching and being a unified partner. Lambert said coaches do not have to be a star in the sport they want to coach, although some experience with the sport is a plus. The 2009 Summer Games had 996 coaches for 2,500 athletes.Unified partners are volunteers who play on teams with Special Olympics athletes. Only 15 of SOI’s 22 sports offer a unified partners program. Sports offering a unified partner program include basketball, softball, volleyball and cycling.“All the sports start as traditional sports,” Shelley said. “Given the popularity of the sport, we then add a unified aspect. An athlete can participate in singles bowling, traditional doubles, unified doubles or a team of athletes and unified partners.”Unified partners give more skilled athletes an opportunity to play against higher level competition and a chance to interact with people without disabilities. One hundred seventy-five unified partners competed in the 2009 Summer Games, and there are rules to ensure unified partners cannot dominate the competition. “You might end up with 8 gold medals because there are 8 divisions,” Lambert said.Prospective volunteers must fill out an application that is available on the SOI Web site. If the volunteer is 18 or older they are also subject to a background check. Once accepted as a volunteer, there is a brief orientation they must attend.Sports seasons are eight weeks long, so coaches and unified partners must make an eight-week commitment when signing up to volunteer, Lambert said. Volunteers can also sign up for single-day events held throughout the year.