As part of this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration, Andiel Brown, the director of Gospel Choirs and Ensembles at the University of Oregon, and the UO Gospel Singers put on their fourth annual music performance in honor of Dr. King and his contributions to the fight against racism and discrimination.

Brown said the diversity that a performance like this represents the essence of the MLK holiday with people of different races, religions, ages and walks of life working together as one to create music.

“This is about solidarity, to bring people together under a common goal. To do something together. That bonds people more than anything else. When we’re all fighting for the same thing,” said Brown in an interview after the performance. “I’m grateful that we can celebrate our history. Black History is not just black history; it’s American history and it is great that we can come together to celebrate it.”

The performance was a spectacular interactive experience as Brown and the other performers actively encouraged audience participation in a traditional gospel fashion.

Before the main event, Dr. Johnny Lake, UO graduate and professor at Northwest Christian University, spoke to the audience about the importance of recognizing discrimination in one’s community, as well as urging them to mentor the youth in order to create a more accepting culture.

The first performance was by special guests Kati Hernandez, Bobby Wilmore, Afimayi Galarraga and Lázaro Galarraga, as they showcased Afro-Cuban culture through folkloric dance, song and use of percussion instruments. Several performers entered the theatre from the main entrance and danced their way through the crowd before taking the stage and enticing the audience to clap along to the beat of the music.

Afterwards, the main event started with Brown encouraging the audience to sing along to “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” a song commonly regarded as the unofficial black national anthem. From there Brown led the singers through several gospel songs, such as “My Name is Victory” and “My Desire,” while also actively encouraging the audience to stand, clap and participate in the singing.

Brown was pleased with the energy and excitement that the audience and singers brought during the performance, despite it being less elaborate than previous years, which featured a full band with saxophone and electric guitar accompaniment.

Admission to the event was free; Brown’s belief is since the civil rights movement was propagated by the power of Gospel music, no one should have to pay to be a part of the celebration.

Watch the video below, in which the UO Gospel Choir prepared for a national competition in 2011.

The post Review: UO Gospel Singers lead performance in MLK Day celebration appeared first on Emerald Media.

ESPN Opens eSports Division

On Wednesday, Jan. 14, ESPN launched its new eSports division known as ESPN eSports. The division includes several notable writers such as ESPN business writer Darren Rovell and former GameSpot editor Rod Breslau.

The division’s web page, which can be reached from ESPN’s main website, has sections dedicated to League of Legends, DOTA 2 and Hearthstone, as well as a feed of eSports-related articles written by ESPN staff members.

This is not ESPN’s first time hosting delving into the world of competitive gaming. ESPN 3 broadcast footage from Valve’s “The International” event as well as footage Blizzard’s Blizzcon competitions. Blizzard’s “Heroes of the Dorm” tournament was aired on ESPN 2 last year as well.

ESPN officials have been talking about the potential of eSports as a broadcast-worthy venture since the success of “The International” broadcast, which drew more viewership than The World Series and the NBA Finals, with 300-thousand viewers.

Psychonauts 2 Reaches Crowdfunding Goal of $3.3 Million

Psychonauts 2, the sequel to studio Double Fine’s cult classic Psychonauts, reached its goal of $3.3 million on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The crowdfunding effort was hosted through Fig, which Tim Schaefer, president of Double Fine Productions, co-founded.

Fig is a relatively new crowdfunding platform for video games that launched on Aug. 18, 2015. It allows for individual contributions from fans for tiered rewards, as well as investor contributions for a share of the profits.

The game is expected to release sometime in 2018. To celebrate the game’s successful funding, the development team hosted a Twitch live stream where they talked about the creation of the original.

Pokemon Ad Set to Run During The Super Bowl

As part of the Pokemon series 20th anniversary, Nintendo has purchased a commercial time slot for this year’s Super Bowl broadcast. No details have been given about the content of the commercial, but it will apparently encourage fans to “train on.” A 30-second Super Bowl commercial time slot is estimated to cost roughly $5-million.

The commercial is part of several events related to the Pokémon series’ 20th anniversary, which includes a digital re-release of the original games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, for digital download on the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo’s new mobile game Pokémon GO is also set to release sometime in 2016.

This will not be the Pokémon series’ first excursion into the world of professional sports. In 2014, the series’ most popular character, Pikachu, was elected to be the mascot for Japan’s team in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Each individual team member was also represented by one of the series many other Pokémon.

Perhaps you have a story to tell that you just can’t express with words alone. You could have an entire cast of colorful characters trapped in your head that are just begging to be released.

Maybe there’s a whole world waiting for you to shape it scene by scene and you just haven’t discovered the means to do it yet. The comic artists at Art Ducko, the University of Oregon’s comic magazine, might be able to help set you on the right path during their upcoming event “Head in the Gutter,” as they delve into the basic fundamentals of comic creation.

“Head in the Gutter” will be a discussion based workshop held on campus at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 19 in Lawrence 222. Jalan Ember, Art Ducko’s chief layout designer, will host the event and discuss many different aspects of comic creation.

The workshop will focus on the process of creating a comic with specific advice on writing characters, avoiding cliches and drawing. During his presentation, Ember will host an open discussion about creativity, inspiration and the fine line between plagiarism and inspiration as it applies to the creation of comics.

Ember, a digital arts major with a minor in comic studies and computer science, has his work featured regularly in Art Ducko’s print magazine and on his personal Tumblr account.

“Jalan was essential during the early stages of making the magazine. He has a lot of layout experience,” said Alex Milshtein, Art Ducko’s founder and editor-in-chief. “He assembled the first issue mostly by himself and can make adjustments fast when we need to. He is a hard worker and his own comic work is fantastic. It looks like it has a simplistic style, but it has a lot of thought put into it.”

The publication’s long-term goals are to create a community of comic artists and enthusiasts at the UO campus and to develop resources to help find jobs in the comics industry for graduates.

This is Art Ducko’s third workshop this term and its eighth workshop since it was established last fall. Each issue includes both comics and relevant scholarly articles. Physical copies are distributed for free around campus and to select businesses around Eugene, including Emerald City comics, while virtual copies can be viewed online on Art Ducko’s official website. The publication has plans to host more workshops throughout the year as to expand its presence on campus.

Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void is a standalone expansion for the hit title Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty, which was released in 2010. This means that the game runs on the same engine, but is a standalone title. Neither of the previous iterations of the game are required in order to play. The expansion features a new single-player campaign and three new game modes.

The new campaign has challenging gameplay and features a story that is compelling, though somewhat clichéd. The game stars Artanis, the hierarch leader of the psionic race known as the Protoss, as he attempts to unite his people in order to stop the end of the universe.

Between missions, players are given access to the Spear of Adun, a powerful ancient starship which allows users to customize forces, and it provides a wide array of powerful abilities to utilize in combat. This includes everything from orbital bombardments to temporarily stopping time for everything but friendly units. Players can also pick from one of three variants for each of the 10 unit types, which makes a total of 30 unique units to choose from.

The new feature that stands out the most is the new co-operative mode, where two players team up in order to complete a variety of missions and level up different commanders with unique sets of units and abilities. Each commander is unique and allows access to special campaign units that would be too hard to balance in competitive play. There are also plans to release new missions and new commanders later down the line.

In addition, there is the new Archon mode, where two players control the same army in competitive multiplayer, and the new daily tournament feature, where players can compete in randomized tournaments. Each of the game’s three factions has also received new multiplayer units to keep the online play fresh.

In terms of graphics, the game has minimal improvements over its first iteration. There is a noticeable improvement on brand new units and environmental props, but the game is beginning to show its age after five years of circulation. As with most Blizzard games, the music is superb and creates a perfect atmosphere for the game’s sci-fi setting. Blizzard also shows that its cinematic cut scenes are still some of best in the industry with its amazing animation skills.

Watch the StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void Launch Trailer below.

This game marks the first official ending to one of Blizzard’s three legendary game franchises. Fans of the series need not fret though because Blizzard has simultaneously announced its plans to release additional content for the game in the years to come. The first will be Nova’s Covert Ops, an 11 mission campaign that will be released in the spring of 2016.

It is also worth noting that the base Starcraft 2 game can actually be played for free by downloading the starter edition. This includes the game’s custom map arcade mode, select campaign missions, and all three factions in multiplayer.

Starcraft is available online or in stores for $40.

Psychonauts 2 Is Being Crowdfunded On Fig

Fans of the cult-classic platforming game Psychonauts have waited for a sequel since the first game’s cliffhanger ending. Tim Schaffer, of the game studio Double Fine, has announced that the long-anticipated Psychonauts 2 will finally become a reality thanks to contributions from fans through the company Fig – a new crowdfunding platform for video games that launched in August.

What differentiates Fig from other crowdfunding companies like Indiegogo or Kickstarter is that it offers the opportunity for investors to contribute to the fundraising campaign for a share of the profits, in addition to the more traditional tiered reward system that is used by other crowdfunding sites.

Fig operates on an all-or-nothing policy, so contributions will have to add up to all $3.3-million for which the developer asks if the project is to proceed into development. The fundraising campaign will continue until Jan. 7, 2016, with the game’s projected release date being fall 2015.

Anyone who donates $33 will get a digital copy of Psychonauts 2, as well as a digital copy of the original Psychonauts. The contributors’ names will also be listed in the credits once the game is released.

The Game Awards 2015

Last Thursday video game journalist Geoff Keighley hosted the The Game Awards 2015, in Los Angeles, California. The annual video game award show featured this year’s video game releases and game industry achievements. It also included live performances by Chvrches and Deadmau5, as well as several celebrity cameos such as Shaquille O’Neal and Conan O’Brien.

You can read The Daily Emerald’s full coverage of The Game Awards 2015 here.

The 2015 Video Game Holiday Sale Season Begins

Last weekend kicked off the 2015 holiday shopping season and with it the yearly bombardment of discounted video game sales from digital distributors such as Humble Bundle, Steam, and GOG.com. No matter what you are looking for chances are you will be able to find it dirt cheap during the upcoming month.

First up we have Humble Bundle, which has teamed up with Yogscast, a YouTube network of broadcasters, to do a series of live streams to raise money for various charities, such as The Mental Health Foundation and Fauna and Flora International. Anyone who donates up to $5 will receive a shout-out and some exclusive in-game items for Team Fortress 2, and anyone who donates up to $25 will receive a huge assortment of games. As with most Humble Bundle offers you can customize where the money you donate goes.

Next we have Steam’s upcoming holiday sale, which usually has a variety of deals that change up every day, as well as flash sales that pop up every few hours, and sales voted on by Steam users. The best deals usually return at the of the sale during a special encore sale.

Finally, if you are into retro and classic games be sure to check out GOG.com’s Big Winter Launch Sale, which has all manner of games on sale both new and old. They are also offering a chance to buy a mystery game for $3 and awarding free games based on how much you spend during the sale.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was one of the most anticipated movies of all time and legions of devoted Star Wars fans have gone to see it, all desperately hoping that it would be good. To the joy and relief of many the movie has been a major hit and has been well received by most.

Now that the dust has started to settle I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what the fans are saying. I’ve scoured the internet from Reddit and Metacritic to YouTube and Soundcloud to find the most common praises and criticisms that fans have collectively come up with.

The Good:

The new characters are interesting and relatable.

Most of the new characters in The Force Awakens are very likable and have personalities that are either entirely unique to the series or just familiar enough to tug at old heartstrings. Each character has, at least, one deliberate character flaw. This has many fans speculating about how these follies will affect the way they develop throughout the trilogy.

It has good humor.

Witty dialogue and well-timed references are this film’s bread and butter, harking back to the quirk of the originals. The film breaks up the tension with clever quips and subtle jokes. Many are saying that this style of appropriate comic relief is what the over dramatic prequel trilogy was truly missing.

The veteran cast members steal the show.

After nearly 40 years Harrison Ford can still dazzle his fans by playing the puckish rogue that is Han Solo. Long-time fans can hardly contain the genuine admiration and nostalgic sentiments they have for the returning cast members from the original trilogy. Seeing these legendary actors back in their old roles after so long has brought grins to the faces and tears to the eyes of many fans.

People want more Star Wars.

To say Star Wars is a monstrously popular series is an understatement. Fans have been clamoring for more since the first’s release and the latest installment is no exception. One thing that nearly all fans can agree on is that none of us will ever get enough of a galaxy far far away. The hype is only growing as we wait for the next installment,

The Bad:

They played it too safe.

The Force Awakens takes few risks when it comes to being a Star Wars movie. The plot feels too predictable and other than it’s modern feel it does very little to stand out from the rest of the films in the franchise. If anything, it’s a revival of the original tenets of an exceptional Star Wars installment rather than stretching its parameters.

The old Expanded Universe is gone.

Awhile back Disney announced that all previous Star Wars media outside of the original six feature films would no longer be considered part of the canonical story. This means that the events that take place in any Star Wars comic book, television show, novel or video game essentially did not happen. The entirety of the Expanded Universe was re-branded as Star Wars Legends and the new Expanded Universe will consist of media that respects the events of the new trilogy.

Many fans who are invested in the Expanded Universe are upset. Reactions range from simple disappointment to hostile refusal to acknowledge the new movies. It doesn’t help that much of the new Expanded Universe media has been poorly received and harshly criticized.

There were some jarring plot holes.

Some major plot points in the story seem far too convenient or just poorly explained. A movie only has so much time to tell a story, but a series like Star Wars is known for its obsessive attention to detail. In true Star Wars fashion, I believe we’ll be seeing a lot of plot-hole filling media coming out in the months to come.

Conclusion:

Most Star Wars fans love the new movie. It has its foibles and not everyone was completely satisfied, but it’s proven to be a terrific modern installment of a cherished franchise. Fans can’t wait for the next chapter.

You can check out The Emerald’s review of the film here.

2016 is shaping up to be a huge year for the gaming industry, and may even overshadow 2015 despite impactful releases from last year like The Witcher 3 and Undertale. Next year’s game catalog boasts many long-awaited sequels as well as exciting new properties that could shape the climate of the industry for years to come. Here’s a look at the most notable games coming out each month.

January: To kick off the year, we have several excellent RPG games coming out. The popular RPG Darkest Dungeon will be coming out of Early Access, and the cult classic Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen will be released on PC for the first time. Nintendo also brings new 3DS titles Hyrule Warriors: Legends and Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam.

February: If you like sequels and new installments of old franchises, this is the month for you. XCOM 2, Fire Emblem Fates and Street Fighter 5 bring modern installments to three of the most famous franchises in gaming history. Far Cry Primal puts a prehistoric spin on the gritty shooter series. Mojang’s long awaited side-scrolling shooter Cobalt is also set for a release sometime during February.

March: Remakes and remasters are the flavors of this month. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD and Day of the Tentacle Remastered are back and look better than ever, while Hitman reboots the infamous assassin-simulator franchise.

April: This month is all about the grim and dark, bringing the latest installment of the Souls series, Dark Souls III, and the visceral fantasy warfare of Total War: Warhammer. Sony fans will be excited by the re-imagining of the classic Ratchet and Clank as well as Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, the final chapter in the Uncharted series.

May: If you’re looking for a new kind of shooter, Battleborn might be up your alley with its colorful cast of characters and ability-based shooting combat. Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst re-imagines the cult parkour game Mirror’s Edge.

June: Survival and exploration fans will have lots to look forward to with the full release of the popular survival game Ark: Survival Evolved and the highly anticipated space exploration game No Man’s Sky. We Happy Few also shakes up the survival game formula with its focus on blending in with a dystopian society.

July-December: So far there have been few announcements of releases for the latter half of the year, but there are still a few titles worth mentioning. In July, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided brings back the classic series of infiltration and human augmentation. Fans of Banjo-Kazooie will see the spiritual successor to the series in November called Yooka-Laylee, which will bring back the classic 3D-platforming gameplay that’s too rare these days. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is set for a December release and should continue to define the modern computer-RPG genre.

Other Notable Titles:
Overwatch is Blizzard’s newest franchise and is set for a spring release. It’s a first-person-shooter that features a unique cast of superhero-esque characters and ability-based gameplay. World of Warcraft: Legion, the expansion to Blizzard’s powerhouse MMORPG World of Warcraft, is also set for a release by the end of the year.

Crowdfunding success Star Citizen looks to release sometime towards the end of the year. This ambitious title combines physics-based space combat and complex economics with first-person shooter elements.

The Final Fantasy series is finally getting a new installment. Final Fantasy XV will have an open-world environment and will feature new elements such as a day and night cycle and dynamic weather.

The Last Guardian is set to release some time this year. From the creators of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, this is an action-adventure game where you solve puzzles with the help of a colossal and unpredictable creature that is meant to simulate the instinct-driven behavior of a real animal.

The Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset device, is also set to release sometime this year for around $350.