THE TOWERLIGHT - Baltimore Student Media

More documents

Recommendations

Info

NOT JUST FOR ATHLETES...!!! Please join the TU Athletic Department and the AACC for an informative lecture/panel discussion entitled “Coping with Injury: Life After Athletics” GUEST PANELISTS Dr. Craig Bennett, MD - Team Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Bruce Herman - TU Counseling Center Terry O’Brien - TU Head Athletic Trainer Tuesday, February 19, 2008 7:30 PM • Minnegan Room 3rd fl oor of the Field House/Unitas Stadium For more information email mtversky@towson.edu or yhardy@towson.edu Log onto thetowerlight.com and check out video footage of this spring and many other exciting events happening around Towson! is looking for videographers! Stop by University Union, Room 309 to apply VIDEO The Towerlight February 18, 2008 21
The Towerlight February 18, 2008 22 Music gaming gains popularity Rhythm games evolving, giving players an escape from reality Courtesy ign.com “PaRappa The Rapper” is often considered the genesis of modern rhythm games like “Guitar Hero.” Tyler Waldman Columnist TYLER TECH Until a few years ago, gamers who wanted their games with a side of rhythm had it rough. Outside of Konami’s Bemani games (“Dance Dance Revolution,” “Karaoke Revolution”), early Harmonix games like “Frequency,” and the occasional niche title from Japan, music gaming was really a small market. Fast forward to 2008, and it’s one of the biggest trends in gaming right now. “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” games are scorching sales charts. How that Anybody happened is a long story, but here are a few classics in between that deserve second looks. attentio notice all th “PaRappa The Rapper” (PlayStation 1, PlayStation Portable) is often considered the first modern rhythm game. Following the “Simon Says” game play model, the player takes control of the titular two-dimensional paper canine and guides him through a set of rap battles. In case you didn’t figure it out while reading that sentence, this game was developed in Japan. I’ve noted s Sega’s “Rez” (Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Xbox 360) has game play that feels more like “Panzer Dragoon” meets “Tron” and Harmonix’s “Frequency” on an extended acid trip. The player floats through five different levels, shooting attackers and hacking a network while the onscreen action essentially remixes the game’s awesome trance music on the fly. Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the brain behind recent hits like “Lumines” and “Every Extend Extra,” produced it. The game was recently given a second life on the Anybody paying attention would notice all the games I’ve noted so far are quirky and Japanese. But in recent years, Americans have been starting to claim the throne, most of them at Bostonbased Harmonix Music Systems. Xbox Live Arcade. Considering the game goes for far more on eBay, 800 Microsoft Points ($10) is the bargain of the century. “Elite Beat Agents” (Nintendo DS) was an unlikely hit in America. Based on the Japanese game, “Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan,” “EBA” has players take control of three well-dressed agents, not unlike the “Men in Black” or “The Blues Brothers,” as they use their talents to help people in need. Targets pop up onscreen, which the player hits to the rhythm. Higher difficulties will have players tapping furiously at their screens to the tune of Western hits (covers) from acts like Jamiroquai, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones. Anybody paying attention would notice all the games I’ve noted so far are quirky and Japanese. But in recent years, Americans have been starting to claim the throne, most of them at Boston-based Harmonix Music Systems. “Frequency” and “Amplitude” (PlayStation 2) can be considered parents to “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band.” The player uses the controller to assemble beats in tracks of a song. In a sense, the multiplayer mode of the two games, where each player controls the track for a single instrument, can be considered the beginnings of “Rock Band.” 2005’s “Guitar Hero” launched a phenomenon and became a pop-culture sensation. The premise is pretty simple. But the game’s addictive qualities and charm turned fan euphoria up to 11. The series was such a success that everybody involved, developer Harmonix and publisher Red Octane, was later bought out by bigger companies. Harmonix’s new bosses at MTV then put them to work on the music game world’s newest hit: “Rock Band.” See TECH, page 23 LIFE <strong>Student</strong> juggles life, work, success MBA student heads consulting firm, recognized for entrepreneurship Courtesy jssolutions.com Graduate student Justin Jones-Fosu, 26, the founder and CEO of JS Training Solutions, was recently honored by Ebony magazine. Angela Young Contributing Writer Well-dressed with a briefcase in hand Justin Jones-Fosu exhaled a sigh of relief after a long day at work and fighting traffic on I-695. But the University of <strong>Baltimore</strong>/ Towson University MBA student and entrepreneur kept a positive outlook. “No matter what happens, or how my day goes, someone would love to have my bad day. People would wait in line,” he said with a smile. Though he is busy juggling his responsibilities as the CEO and founder of JS Training Solutions, a T. Rowe Price training coordinator and graduate student, Jones-Fosu, 26, is in love with life. Jones-Fosu was recently named one of Ebony Magazine’s “Young Leaders Under 30 on the Rise,” an award to honor entrepreneurs age 30 and under who are making a mark in the corporate world. Jones- Fosu said he was both honored and humbled by the nomination. His response when he learned of the nomination: “Wow—to even know that someone thought enough of me to send in my information,” he said. “Just that someone noticed the positive I was doing and the impact it was having [is humbling].” Jones-Fosu said he was even more honored by the nomination after learning about what the others on the list had accomplished to earn them the nomination. “There are more people on this earth who could have been included before me,” he said. In addition to his work, Jones- Fosu stays busy by working towards his masters through the UB/TU MBA program. He is also a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. Although he has a 3.68 grade point average, Jones-Fosu still pushes himself to work harder. “I’m not too happy with that. I got my first B last semester,” he said. But Jones-Fosu’s ambition and mark in the business world can be seen through his work with his training firm, which offers services See AWARD, page 23
Page 1 and 2: Alex Plimack Arts Editor Nick DiMar
Page 3 and 4: THIS WEEK @ TU campus calendar www.
Page 5 and 6: The writer’s strike is over, Bara
Page 7 and 8: Andrew Fortier taff Writer As anoth
Page 9 and 10: PAW PRINTS Forty bins added to Towe
Page 11 and 12: Web site chronicles students’ sex
Page 14 and 15: The Towerlight February 18, 2008 14
Page 16 and 17: The Towerlight February 18, 2008 LE
Page 18 and 19: SOFTBALL ignore the individual abil
Page 22 and 23: life AWARD: Magazine honors student
Page 24 and 25: m u Jack Johnson Sleep Through the
Page 26 and 27: elations, Anne’s prowess at manip
Page 28 and 29: BABYSITTER NEEDED Seeking reliable
Page 30 and 31: MEN’S BASKETBALL NOTES TU knocks

THE TOWERLIGHT - Baltimore Student Media

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?