Chris and Matthew stall from their Dead Week responsibilities to gaze into the future. Peek at their previews for the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Chris and Matthew stall from their Dead Week responsibilities to gaze into the future. Peek at their previews for the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo.

In this week’s Gaming Week in Review Podcast, Christopher Berg and Mathew Brock discuss recent leaks concerning Microsoft’s plans for the new Xbox One model. They also share their thoughts on the possibility of PAC 12 including eSports in the future.

In this week’s Gaming Week In Review, Christopher Berg and Matthew Brock cover the untimely ends for Disney Infinity and Project Spark. Before long, they break down the new generation of YouTube celebrities, and the many complexities of Pokemon starters.

Emerald writers Christopher Berg and Mathew Brock tackle the issue of spoiler culture in cinema and video games.

Typically, the Lillis Business Complex is a dull place to spend a Friday night, but on Jan. 15, it was brimming with digital energy.

Programmers, designers and artists flocked to the complex for QuackHack, a 40-hour “hackathon” in which teams took a simple game idea and turned it into a workable prototype by the end of the weekend.

“We want to promote innovation on campus,” said Kate Harmon, a program manager at the University of Oregon business school. “Partnering with Lillis gives students an easy pathway to take what they create here and turn it into a business.”

Throughout the course of the event, participants ate and slept where they created.

While hackathons are a popular way for software developers to create, last week’s event was the “first-ever collegiate gaming hackathon in the U.S.” Members of the UO community and beyond were welcome to attend and compete. Over $3,000 in prizes were up for grabs, a mix of cash awards and cutting-edge tech.

Here’s one team’s journey through that weekend.

DAY 1

Dhruv Khurana, Bryan Varga and Drew Balog with their finished project. (Submitted photo.)

During the first night of the event, developers gather to form teams. They’ve come with fantasies of amazing games, and they’re searching for talent to make them real. Some of the ideas are modest, like a version of Risk that only takes 45 minutes. Others aim higher. One developer pitches a role-playing game that interacts with 3D-printed figurines. As the characters move along a real-life board game, digital recreations of their adventures happen simultaneously on screen.

Unlike most of the students participating, Bryan Varga and Drew Balog don’t have any experience in programming; they’re students in the UO’s product design department. They pitch a multiplayer game about debate, pitting two candidates against each other for a mock presidency. It’s a loose idea, but it catches the room’s interest. After they present, the team moves to a corner of the auditorium to see if they have any takers.

One of those interested is a high schooler from Washington state named Dhruv Khurana. He’s attracted to Balog and Varga’s debate concept, and he brings needed coding experience to the table. Immediately, a team forms. All three love the idea of debate, and from there, they work to gamify the concept. Balog brings up text-driven games like Papers, Please and Undertale as inspiration.

To make their idea into a game rather than a “fancy chatroom,” Khurana introduces the notion of a live audience that can judge the performance of the debaters. Within a 10 minute conversation, Balog and Varga’s idea for a presidential debate simulator has refocused on one core concept: an app which allows users to watch, judge and engage in active debate. The team retreats deep into Lillis, and starts a long night of work.

That night, Ted Brown, the founder of local indie game studio Oreganik, gives a speech on managing the scope of projects. The presentation sounds like an intervention, reminding the room of eager dreamers that their grand ideas might not be feasible in QuackHack’s 40-hour time limit. Rather than aim for the big picture, he pushes teams to focus on one element of their game and “make it magic.”

“Don’t make a Swiss Army Knife,” Brown said. “Make a blade.”

The team works until 3 a.m. before retreating for sleep  — reckless enthusiasm and Monster energy drinks can only get them so far.

DAY 2

The next morning, the sweet smell of Off The Waffle catering fills the atrium. Every spare chair in the facility has become a makeshift work station, with participants cracking away at their projects. Downstairs, a Super Smash Bros. tournament offers a needed distraction.

The University of Oregon Quack Hack event took place January 15-17 2016. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)

For Varga, Balog and Khurana, progress is slow. Varga has put together a solid interface, but can’t make it run on a phone, and Khurana is having difficulty connecting players online.

The Saturday session continues deep into the afternoon before Varga and Balog face facts — with their experience, they can’t make an app in a weekend.

Balog sets his expectations low for the following morning’s deadline.

“I think what we’ll have — good favors permitting — is a working menu,” he said.

The frustration is inescapable. Struggling to realize their vision on a phone, the team crafts a card-based version of the game. Players draw topics, argue it out and other players vote on the outcome. While Khurana types away at a web-based version of the revised game, Varga and Balog rush out to get supplies for their new physical creation. The deadline is now just over 12 hours away.

DAY 3

Students de-stress with Super Smash Brothers Brawl at the University of Oregon Quack Hack. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)

After a long night of caffeine-fueled creation, the teams spend Sunday morning putting the finishing touches on prototypes. Green tables dot the floor, each one host to an original concept that arose over the long weekend. There’s a game of virtual reality Tetris, a board game about viral infections and even an app to teach you how to salsa dance. In the mix is Discourse, the final form of Varga, Balog and Khurana’s work. A piece of posterboard explains how the app version of the game could play, while a deck of physical cards allows passersby to play a round themselves. Questions range from “Sideburns or Mutton Chops?” to contemporary political topics like gun control.

Discourse didn’t have enough substance to win over the judges. The event’s victor was Game Full Of Animals, a multiplayer platformer that allowed phones to connect over Wi-Fi for control. The judges praised it for being one of the most technically impressive demos of the weekend and having a concept with the best shot at mainstream success.

While the judges didn’t connect with Discourse, the game found an audience.

“A lot of people showed interest in the app and card game, several suggested using Kickstarter. So although we may not have won, we have a feasible goal that we may be able to produce in the future,” Balog said.

As QuackHack closed, the team was more relieved than disappointed.

“We were just happy we could take a nap after being awake for 32 hours,” said Varga.

The post Hacking All Night: UO students compete to create a game in one weekend appeared first on Emerald Media.

On an unassuming Thursday afternoon, superheroes entered RiverBend Hospital.

Straight from the pages of a comic book, Captain America and Batman roamed the halls of the eighth floor pediatric ward. The area’s typical mood of somber healing was uplifted by acts of simple heroism, not acts of superhuman strength or a billionaire’s gadgets. All it took was a handful of donated toys and comic books, some crafty costumes and a strong desire to spread cheer to those who need it most. This group is part of an invasion of cosplay culture into our community that culminates at this weekend’s long-awaited Eugene Comic-Con.

Continued below.

Allan Quick and Ryan May cosplay as Adam West-era Batman and Captain America in RiverBend hospital, where they brought Comic-Con to children in the pediatric ward. Photo credit: Natsumi Seki

Heroes and villains from the worlds of comic books, anime, movies and more will be taking to the Lane Events Center for “EuCon” on Nov. 14-15. The event will bring genre actors from shows like The Walking Dead and Supernatural to Eugene, but the highlight will be the nerd-dom it brings out in the local community.

For event organizer Royce Myers, getting EuCon started has been a year-long labor of love.

“I just thought that Eugene hasn’t had a locally produced Comic-Con in ten years,” Myers said, “We deserve something local, and something great.”

The RiverBend visit was a way to include everyone in the EuCon festivities. It was organized by the Portland Superheroes Coalition, a cosplay group out of the city that organizes various events to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network.

“How often do you get to bring Comic-Con to those that can’t go?” said Allan Quick. He’s dressed in a full Batman suit, modeled after the 1960s TV series starring Adam West.

Alongside him is Ryan May, wearing a Captain America costume modeled after his Winter Soldier appearance. As they walk through the hospital, they incite a sense of awe. The kids are shy and reserved, but May and Quick’s commitment to character melt away the somber atmosphere.

But the situation is naturally absurd, and once they leave the hospital, the reaction is different.

“Hey Cap, where’s your shield?” a passer-by jokes.

“Lost it in battle!” May replies.

Continued below.

Ryan May posing as Captain America. May is part of the Portland Superheroes Coalition, a group that organizes charity events like this visit to RiverBend hospital. Photo credit: Natsumi Seki

May has been with the group for nearly two years, which also often includes an Iron Man, Joker, and other characters from movies and comic books. The props and costumes are usually hand-made, meeting strict quality standards before they go out to the public. The Coalition often makes appearances at Comic-Cons, movie theaters, and even University of Oregon events, all while collecting cash for charity.

“It’s my way of giving back and contributing to the community,” May said. “I’m a people person, so it’s great to put a smile on a kid’s face.”

May and Quick are members of a growing community known as cosplay. On the surface, it’s simply the act of dressing up like a beloved character from any form of media. In the modern nerd climate, however, cosplay has become a movement. For countless fans, it’s a way to embrace their hidden personality and showcase creative talents. It’s just as much about making the costume as it is about showing it off.

UO senior Caitlin Nelson has been doing cosplay for years with her hometown friends in San Diego.

“It’s fun, a mix of dressing up as characters you identify with, and taking on some of your personality,” Nelson said. “There’s also an element of being able to say ‘Look what I did!’ ”

She and her friends have done Sailor Moon group cosplay in the past, and her most recent costume is from the animated web series Bee and Puppycat.

She often commissions out pieces of outifts, but is always quick to give credit where it is due.

“If you didn’t make it, you can wear it – but you can’t take credit for it,” Nelson mentions.

Often, cosplay is an act of finding oneself through a fictional character. For Nelson, it’s the personality and story of a character that drives her to cosplay as them. She brings up the character of Mami Tomoe from the anime Puella Magi.

“She’s an older sister to the group, and had to stay together while taking the weight,” Nelson said. “I really identify with that, and want to bring it to life.”

This form of escapism has even become a career for some. Vegas PG is a popular professional cosplayer who, like her superhero alter-ego, prefers to keep her identity a secret.

After Vegas PG’s first Power Girl cosplay went viral online, she saw a flood of attention and invites from other local cons to make appearances. She now has hundreds of thousands of Facebook followers and a thriving business doing what she loves.

Vegas PG was invited to the Eugene Comic-Con to help judge the costume contest. As for what ‘professional cosplay’ entails, even Vegas PG will say she “still doesn’t quite know.”

“It’s been an incredibly exciting ride,” she said.

Vegas PG has been a life-long comic book fan, and loved going to small conventions with her parents as a kid.

“I remember being one of the only girls, and hardly anybody would dress up,” she said.

In the time since, she’s seen the convention scene explode in popularity.

“With geek culture being more widely accepted, fans are less scared to show off their fandom,” Vegas PG said. “It’s a safe space to be excited about the things you love.”

EuCon will be hosting stars from Ghostbusters (Ernie Hudson), Supernatural (Jim Beaver), Power Rangers (Jason David Frank), American Horror Story (Naomi Grossman), and more. Cosplay contests, panels, and the show floor promise a packed weekend of locally sourced nerd love.

After nearly a year of planning, the event is finally ready to kick off.

“It’s been really exciting, even when it meant putting in a lot of long hours,” Myers said.

It’s an event that will be bringing the best of cosplay culture to Eugene, and it’ll be a sight to behold.

“I’m excited to see the weirdness of Eugene meet the weirdness of cosplay, and see what happens as a result,” Nelson said.

For a certain generation of gamers, Halo defined the first-person shooter. The original groundbreaking games inspired hours of obsession. Halo 5: Guardians doesn’t live up to all of those nostalgic standards, but it introduces enough new magic to relight the passion.

Halo prides itself on its lore, and Guardians promised a thrilling narrative in its pre-release marketing. But while the eight-hour campaign is fun to play and boasts plenty of replay potential with four-player co-op, the story feels numb. Anybody new to the series will be lost, and even casual fans may need a refresher by the end.

But it’s hard to care about the story when the game plays this good. Halo 5 is a dream in motion. The acts of driving, jumping, and popping off shots feel intuitive and sharp. New mobility enhancements and the ability to aim down the iron sights of any weapon make for satisfying combat that shines brightest in multiplayer.

This is a pure Halo experience. Most game modes are back for Guardians, and there’s a great set of game maps. You’ll pick up new guns, mow down foes in vehicles, and keep watch for weapon spawns to get the upper edge. A few fan-favorite modes aren’t available at launch (namely Infection, Forge, and Big Team Battle), but the biggest loss is split-screen multiplayer. My favorite Halo memories all involve a couch full of friends, and it’s a shame those won’t happen again with Guardians.

The most ambitious addition is Warzone, a 12-on-12 multiplayer mode that introduces multiple objectives in a massive team battle. It’s a race to 1,000 points that can be earned by killing enemy players, taking down bosses, or capturing control points. With so many variables in play, it’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had in Halo multiplayer.

Weapon and vehicle spawns are where things get tricky in Warzone. Rather than have them scattered throughout the map, players spend cards to spawn in their gun, vehicle, or boost of choice. It adds stress to each respawn, as you know the tide could be turned with the use of a few rare cards. These can be bought in packs for either real money or in-game currency, which is plentiful. Within a few games I felt like I had too many cards, though I could see dedicated players feeling the need to pay. The cards don’t break Warzone, but they do hold it back.

Guardians is a return to style for the Halo franchise. The core gameplay has never felt better, and it looks stylish as hell. While some core elements are sorely missed, the highs it hits will make you fall in love all over again.

When a massive power in the technology business sees an exciting startup with the next big idea, it will strike with a fast, fist full of cash. It’s how Google ended up with YouTube, Microsoft with Minecraft and Facebook with Instagram and Oculus. So on Nov. 2 when Activision-Blizzard (Destiny, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft) announced the purchase of King Digital Entertainment (creator of Candy Crush Saga and other wildly popular mobile games) it seemed like a fairly everyday occurrence.

Until news of the price tag dropped — $5.9 billion dollars.

For perspective, here are some other recent major acquisitions in the entertainment world:

• Amazon’s purchase of game streaming service Twitch — $970 million
• Facebook’s acquisition of virtual reality startup Oculus — $2 billion
• Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars license — $4.05 billion

It’s a sum of money that seems almost impossible. Activision’s purchase of King is either the bargain of the century or a legendary disaster lying in wait.

Activision didn’t arrive at the magic number overnight. King Digital Entertainment (KING on the NYSE) has a market value of roughly $4.72 billion, largely based on their success with Candy Crush. The simple puzzle game is a dominant force in every app store under the digital sun, contributing over a third of the company’s reported $600 million revenue in the first quarter of 2015. It wouldn’t take long for Activison to recoup their investment – just over five years. But in gaming, five years is a long time.

Think back to the mobile scene in 2010 and one name comes to mind — Angry Birds. Swedish developer Rovio’s hit physics puzzler was at the top of every chart and the tip of every tongue. Birds and pigs were on every screen in America overnight. But cut to today, and the picture looks bleaker. In 2014, Rovio reported a 73 percent decline in revenue due to falling popularity of their mainstay franchise. This year, they released Angry Birds 2 to a fraction of their old audience, laying off staff shortly afterwards.

Zynga, creator of FarmVille, has walked this same path. Five years ago, The New York Times predicted they might become ‘The Google of Games.’ Their revenue has fallen 42 percent since May 2012.

So what makes King different? I’m not some brilliant industry analyst, outsmarting the guys in suits who get to handle ten-digit checks. But this sale seems so clearly overvalued on a company following the same trajectory as all the burnouts. One of the biggest entertainment technology conglomerates in the world just tossed down a massive paycheck in exchange for their future. I have to assume there’s some magic sauce behind King that separates it from the rest of the fads. Or perhaps history is doomed to repeat itself until someone finally learns from it.

October is the season of thrills: it’s time to grab some friends, a big bucket of popcorn, and subject yourself to something scary. But rather than watching Halloween for the sixth time, why not try one of these modern horror hits?

5. Resolution

The less I say about Resolution, the better. This indie thriller concerns two friends in a woodside cabin as one holds the other captive to get him sober. The two leads have a great dynamic, and the film slowly builds up a chain of threats that climaxes in something astonishing. It’s a one-of-a-kind, mind-bending story, worthy of going up on the shelf next to Primer and Videodrome.

4. Evil Dead (2013)

For better or worse, remakes are a core part of the modern horror landscape. Major studios with the rights to classics too often produce forgettable takes on already brilliant films. But sometimes even the worst-laid plans can go perfectly right, as with Fede Alvarez’s remake of Evil Dead. The Sam Raimi original is a classic, yet this adaptation doesn’t concern itself with prestige. It’s a focused and brutal take on a premise that launched a million tropes, and it doesn’t flinch in its execution.

3. V/H/S 2

The anthology format has been a favorite of horror storytellers for generations. From the collections of Steven King to The Twilight Zone, short stories are perfect for the concept-dense genre. Found footage has been the most distinct trend of the modern horror generation, encouraging filmmakers to write the camera into the story itself. The first two V/H/S films perfectly meld these two concepts, bringing together the best in indie horror for brilliant collections of shorts. For the sake of the list, I’ve picked V/H/S 2, which features everything from an Indonesian cult ritual to a nefarious attack on a children’s slumber party.

2. The Babadook

This little-seen Australian import is driven by its performances. It’s a bare-bones story, focusing on a grieving widow and her young son as they are taunted by a ghastly children’s book. The Babadook succeeds because the element of horror feels supplementary. The core emotional journey of loss and struggle is powerful enough, with the supernatural working as a fully realized metaphor. Davis and Wiseman are persistently compelling, drawing the audience deeper as the darkness surrounds them.

1. The Conjuring

Horror has always ran on atmosphere; in order to make an audience feel uncomfortable, you first need to make them feel comfortable. The Conjuring understands this and executes it with perfection. A sleepy ’70s farm house is slowly converted into a den of horror, yet it never strips the humanity from the family that resides within. Horror films often rely on detestable characters the audience will enjoy seeing chopped to bits. The Conjuring goes the opposite direction, giving personality to every on-screen presence. James Wan already proved himself a horror phenom with Saw, but The Conjuring proves he doesn’t need to show a moment of gore to send a shiver up your soul.

Follow Chris Berg on Twitter, @Mushroomer25