SPSU’s Student New Publication
Volume 67 Issue 5 || January 7, 2014
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NCG Marietta Cinemas
1050 Powder Springs St. - Marietta, GA 30064
Only 5 minutes from Southern Polytechnic State University
Showtimes and info available at www.NCGmovies.com or (678) 303-4845
Free Soft Drink & Popcorn Refills $6.00 Movie Tickets
Mon - Thur before 6pm, Fri - Sun before Noon and all day Tuesday to most shows!
(*Studio restrictions may apply. Not valid for 12:05 am special showings or Real D 3D tickets.)
Tuesday $2 Concession Menu $2 Off Any Concession Combo - $2 Candy $2 Small Popcorn - $2 Small Soft Drink Unfortunately, we are not able to combine this offer with any other concession coupon or discount.
This coupon is valid for a FREE 46 0Z POPCORN or $1.00 off any Larger Size Popcorn! No cash value - Limit one per day Expires 5-1-2014 - Coupon #95
Please check out our NCG Acworth Location also!
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
EDITORIAL BOARD The Sting’s Executive Board & Editorial Board READTHESTING.COM 678-915-7310 Editor in Chief - Randy Brown Jr.
sting@spsu.edu
Secretary to the Editor- Zuri Coleman
zcoleman@spsu.edu
Managing Editor - Desmond Hilson dhilson@spsu.edu
Treasurer - Trista Land
treasurer.sting@gmail.com
Copy Editor - Matt Strauss copyed.sting@gmail.com News Editor - Christopher Harris campusnews.sting@gmail.com
Opinions Editor - Jason Ramaley Features Editor –Tabitha Robinson features.sting@gmail.com
Games Editor - Connor Cobb Sports Editor - Joe Thomas sports.sting@gmail.com
Layout & Design Editor - Brandon Rich layoutdesign.sting@gmail.com
Creative Marketing Director - Desmond Hilson
cmd.sting@gmail.com
Photography Coordinator - Julian Plowden jplowden@spsu.edu
Web Development - Addison Wilson webd.sting@gmail.com
Advertising Manager - Joseph Pitts jpitts2@spsu.edu
Faculty Adviser - Prof. Jeff Greene jgreene3@spsu.edu
Administrative Adviser - Ron Lunk
rlunk@spsu.edu
The Sting is the student new publication of Southern Polytechnic State University www.readthesting.com
1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Georgia 30060 Located in A-246 of the Joe Mack Wilson Student Center The Sting is a monthly publication
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Create. Service. Our focus in the year 2014 is on creating more services for the SPSU community. With this we also want to emphasize that The Sting is a place of opportunity for students with creative minds. Yes, this publication offers a service to the student body, but we do it with a signature that is recognizable by all who view our work. Here’s to making the news fun again. Randy Brown Jr. Editor-in-Chief of The Sting
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
CAMPUS NEWS 5
We offer opprotunities in the following departments: Writing, Editing, Layout & Design, Marketing/Social Media, Video Production, Web Development, and Ad Sales
THERE ARE 3 SIMPLE STEPS TO JOIN: 1. Register with SPSU on Orgsync (use your school email) 2. Request to join as a member of The Sting (without password- click “dont know password”) Contact Us: sting@spsu.edu or 678-915-7310
3. Your request will be accepted within 48 hours. Dates for All-Staff meetings in A-216
Jan
Feb
Mar Apr
CREATE. 10 07SERVICE. 14 04 readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
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EDITORIAL
The new Sting By Randy Brown Jr.
Photo by Randy Brown Jr.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
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EDITORIAL 7
we will be recognized as such, The Sting SPSU’s student news publication.
M
any of you may h a v e noticed a small difference in format from our publication. In our November/ December 2013 issue we distributed The Sting in magazine format. We were presented with an opportunity to switch to a new printer. It has always been a dream of mine to give our designers the freedom to stylize pages within The Sting as they’d like; with a magazine-style format our designers have that liberty. For quite a while members of The
Sting have been using Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator to design pages for our publication. The problem has always been the final product in print. With newspaper print, we always ran the risk of not receiving the quality that we submit for print; the new magazine format changes this. Is The Sting a magazine now? No, but we are no longer a newspaper either. The Sting is still news on paper (technically)... only now, it is news on quality paper. From
now
on
we
will be recognized as such, The Sting SPSU’s student news publication. Our work is no longer solely for print media. Readers can now find our articles, breaking news, and more in print media, online at readthesting.com, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram.
representation of our hard work and efforts. We feel that we were able to accomplish that in our last issue, as well as this one.
Is print media still our number one priority? You bet it is. Switching printers and formats had as much to do with appearance as it had to do with value. We value the work that we put into this paper. We also would like for our monthly issues to be a physical
Presently, students from all majors are able to use this publication as a platform to practice their crafts in more than just writing (photography, videography, graphic design, marketing/ social media, sales and finances, editing).
We also recognize that our readers obtain information from more than one medium. It is our job to address the issue, and we did.
Here at The Sting we will continue to push the limits of how far we can go. Back in the summer of 2013 I had a thought that resonates more now than ever before: All I ever wanted to do was change the way my peers, the faculty, the administrators, and SPSU’s community viewed the student newspaper.
ETCMA Program Assistant, Sarah Wheldon reacting to The Sting’s newest issue in December 4, 2013.
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Photo by Desmond Hilson
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&
HOMECOMING EVENTS
SAT.
Jan 25
DATES
2-6pm Men and Women’s Basketball game
MON.
Jan 27
4-6pm Countdown to homecoming kickoff event
MON.
Jan 27
All Day 10% off SPSU clothing (bookstore)
TUE.
Jan 28
All Day Green Hornet (wear green)
TUE.
Jan 28
7:30pm Dodge ball tournament
Photo by Randy Brown Jr.
readthesting.com || January 7th, 2013
CAMPUS OPINIONS NEWS 9 WED,
Jan 29
All Day Voting for Mr./Mrs. SPSU
WED.
Jan 29
TBA Comedy
THU.
Jan 30
7:30pm Staff-student volleyball game
FRI.
Jan 31
4:00pm Yell Like Hell! (pep rally)
SAT.
Feb 1
11:00am Tailgate
SAT.
Feb 1
2:00pm Homecoming game (Royal court revealed)
readthesting.com || January 7th, 2013
10 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Meet Dr. Sakaris By Tabitha Robinson
D
r. Sakaris is an associate professor of Biology at Southern Polytechnic State University. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Stony Brook University, his M.S. in Fisheries from University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and a Ph. D in Fisheries from Auburn University. His research interests include studies of fish population dynamics, species interactions, population and community ecology in aquatic ecosystems, invasive species ecology, and the effects of hydrology alteration on the dynamics of exploited fish populations in regulated river systems. He is currently finishing up a research project that studied how prey fish native to Georgia river waters respond to their native predators. Rugaya Abaza, a Biology student in the Honors program at Southern Polytechnic State University assisted him in this project. Dr. Sakaris began the project in April of this year. Dr. Sakaris’ explained his initial idea for the project, “my first thought or idea behind the project that started all of this is when invasive species or exotic predators are introduced into a new system, some scientists hypothesize that the
prey fishes are naïve to that introduced predator and are more susceptible to predation.” He hopes that his preliminary findings will enable him to receive grants and funds to perform a larger experiment, “my hope is to use this preliminary data to get additional funds from a granting agency, like a national science foundation, to do a broader experiment, a larger experiment with multiple tanks, with both native predators as well as the introduced predators running at the same time.” Typically with grant proposals, you must present preliminary data and be able to prove that you can effectively run experiments, keep fish alive, and show documented data. This experiment used two tanks with two shoals (groups) of prey fish in each. The prey fish he used, the Redbreast sunfish, is native to Georgia rivers. The native predator used, was the large-mouth bass. One tank was used as the control tank and the other was used as the experimental tank.
Redbrest Sunfish - Image Courtesy of Brian Gratwicke (Flickr)
The control tank held two shoals of prey fish but no predator. The experimental tank held one shoal of prey fish, and a predator. Each tank was divided into two sections by a glass wall in the middle of the tank. The glass wall had holes in it, allowing the water to flow through each side, but keeping the fish from coming into direct contact with each other. Also included with each section of fish, were “hides” in the form of logs. The three response types monitored in this experiment were: morphological, behavioral, and physiological. Dr. Sakaris studied the prey fish to see if any physical changes occurred, in response to the predator. Prey fish often undergo physical changes over a period of time to defend themselves
There are no resources to perform more experiments on a larger scale.
against predators. For example, fish often develop deeper bodies, which makes it more difficult for a predator to consume them. Another common adaptation for prey fish is the development of longer spines. The spine refers to the dorsal fin, the larger the fin, the sharper the spine, which will deter predators. The results of this experiment proved that the prey fish exposed to predator fish water, behave differently than prey fish who have not been exposed to predator water. One difference between the two groups of prey fish, is the behavior they display towards each other. The prey fish in the tank with the predator were more aggressive towards each other than the prey fish who were secluded from the predator. Dr. Sakaris believes there may be a chemical response between the fish exposed
to predator water that caused this behavior. Even though the main part of the experiment is over, Dr. Sakaris’ assistant, Rugaya Abaza will continue monitoring the metabolic levels of the prey fish in each tank. Her job is to monitor the metabolic levels of control fish exposed to control water and then exposed to predator water, to see if any change occurs. Dr. Sakaris already has plans for future experiments related to this one, if he receives the necessary funding to do so. He would like to monitor the change in hormonal levels between control fish and fish exposed to predator water. Changes in hormonal levels, such as a spike in Cortisol, may imply stress responses by a fish. His ultimate goal is to perform the same type of experiment as described above, but instead of using native predators, expose prey fish native
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11 FEATURES11 FEATURES to Georgia rivers, to an exotic predator, such as the Flathead catfish. His ideal situation would be to have six different tanks. Three experimental tanks with an exotic predator and prey fish, and three control tanks with prey fish, but no predator. Dr. Sakaris said that at this time, there are no resources to perform more experiments on a larger scale. The data he gathered in the experiment he is finishing right now, may be his opportunity to receive the necessary funding to perform more experiments on a broader scale.
Largemouth Bass - Image Courtesy of Robert Pos (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
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The Storyteller
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By Randy Brown Jr. he Georgia Southern text on the band of his straw hat continues to fade beyond recognition. Saying the Canon 60D camera is an extension of his body is an understatement. We’ve been out and about for nearly five hours and he has yet to put it down. He cradles the device, as if it is a newborn, while finishing the final bites of his hash brown casserole.
Photo by Randy Brown Jr.
No matter where we are on or off-campus, everyone recognizes him by the hat or camera.
“You’re, Desmond, the guy that takes pictures for The Sting,” says a fellow student as we walk towards the architecture building.
at that hat, which is worn down from front to back. The straw holding it together no longer assembles to form one body. Depending on how he removes the cap, a straw or two may fall to the ground.
Desmond offers a sly grin. “Yea, that’s me.”
“What’s the behind that I asked him. wear that everywhere.”
story hat?” “You thing
We are later sitting on the concrete steps adjacent to the gymnasium. I stare
His eyes never leave his camera. He’s adjusting the ‘nifty thrifty’ lens before
snapping a few shots. You can tell he knows what he’s doing. Everything seems so fluid; his hands methodically twisting and snapping the lens into place. “I don’t go anywhere without it. I bought it when I was at Georgia Southern; wore it everywhere I went,” he explains. “I noticed that people recognized me by the hat. It’s different. How many people do you know that wear a straw hat?” Desmond Hilson is an interesting character.
He can talk for days if he has an audience. More than anything, he always has a story to tell. The irony is that he’s able to tell stories through his line of work. Desmond is a professional Videographer and Photographer for Simply Sir productions, a company he founded. Try balancing that with a part-time job and full-time student status. Hilson is known for his deep thought, and
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so I always wondered how he approached a story. Stories are all around us. As a writer, it is my job to identify the story; my job depends on it. I am a storyteller, but so is everyone else around. Directors of films, photographers, professors, painters, even chefs are all storytellers. How do these individuals manage to tell stories? In order to truly understand the storyteller we must first understand the story itself. For, their intentions, their audience, any element that may resemble a function of story revolves around understanding; an artist’s belief of what a story truly is. What is a story? Desmond Hilson explains, “A story is basically a reiteration or a creation of life, an event or occurrence of something that’s happened or has been created from your own imagination.” The audience experiences a story through the eyes of the teller. And so, we partake in the artist’s life experiences through a focused perspective, whether it has taken place imaginatively or in real time. What authenticates a story? As the reader or member of the audience, we all depend on an artist’s experiences. These moments in time justify the lens from which the story is viewed; but does this make a story real? Desmond believes that it “depends on who’s creating the story my reality is different. What I see may
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FEATURES13
not be real to others. If I’m telling you a story, yes I’m depicting how it unfolds in my own way. If it’s something I create, it’s real because it’s there. When we read we live in stories. Our minds are our universe.” And so, as a member of the audience, we depend heavily on the storyteller’s perspective, no matter their credentials, similar to eating at a neighbor’s for dinner. Some will reference an artist’s work as a way to support their credibility. Never the matter, audience members will still find reasons to be overly critical of one’s work. I, for one, tend to focus heavily on a story’s structure. Desmond is a photographer and the structure of a story seems to matter to him more than all else. After all, a story without proper structure has no validity, and then the artist’s credibility comes into question. “Story consists of different elements,” Hilson mentions. “Characters; stories are day dreams and the world is what I see it
Photo by Randy Brown Jr.
Every photo has a story to tell,” he finishes.
is dressed in a beautiful white dress, holding a small bouquet in one hand and her heels in the other. The man stands opposite her, dressed in what looks to be a tuxedo. One can only guess that they are the centerpieces of a wedding. They’re both sharing a laugh. My favorite part of the photo is the sporty flipflops on her feet.
He shows me this photo of a man and woman from a few months ago. The woman
I asked Desmond about the story behind this photo. “I was just walking around
“Meaning the story needs movement; it has to go somewh ere. Stories also have morals; the lesson at the end. Every photo has a meaning.
“His eyes never leaves his camera.” as. The wind blowing is a character. Locations and movement; you have to have movement, internal or external, responsiveness.” At this point he has placed his camera on the table. Now free to use both his hands as a means to gesture.
taking photos with a friend. We were headed to the Decatur A rts Festival,” he explained. “Walking by a hotel, I saw two people.” He smiles before shrugging his shoulders. “I looked and there they were. The couple looked like they just got married. I figured the man was either her husband, brother, or father; I’m sure it was probably her husband. Desmond goes
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went on to explain that the couple laughed when they saw him stop to take their photo. It was just one of those moments, you know? I call it After the Moment. She’s relaxed. It tells the story of what just happened. The ‘moment’ is the wedding. At this moment I realized that we all have the same approach; all artists. The same approach in that we’re all searching for the story first, and naturally it must have structure. Who or what is the main subject? Why is this happening? Movement, where is the story going? When did this take place? How is this happening? Somewhere along the way storytellers attempt to frame their work: beginning, middle, and end. Only, for some, a story never ends. Or do they? How do storytellers decide when to put the cap on a story? He immediately pulls a glass cup away from his mouth, stopping me mid-sentence. “Nope!” he shouts. I explain that I have not finished my question, but it’s already too late. Hilson is eager to explain to me why stories never end.
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“You read a book and even after the final words you never move on. You’re safe-trapped in that book. What happens next? What are the adverse effects?” he continues. “Photos are never complete. Videos are never complete. I could’ve done this better. It’s never complete. Who’s to say there’s an end? It can always go on or be more added.” I go on to explain, though there is so much to be fixed everyone must wrap it up. Perfectionists accomplish nothing because they hold on to their work for dear life. I am guilty of this myself, Desmond too.
I had to fight with him to finish this interview. Is it true? Are we all storytellers or has this title been reserved for writers only? Must your story be structured for it to have validity? Or can a story take us on a chaotic journey…as some of our lives have thus far? The great responsibility of any storyteller is to give the audience an opportunity to reflect on the story from their perspective. An artist’s work may be intentional, but what becomes of the final results often never does. Of all the questions in the world, the greatest lies directly in front of you. What is the artist saying? What is this work of art’s story?
Photo by Desmond Hilson
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
NON-TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO COLLEGE
You’re not alone By Aaron Johnson & Tim Adeyemo Is school just one of many break of 1 year or more responsibilities vying for - Military: active, reserve, or your time and attention? previous Do you have constant - Attending classes part distractions from work, time family, or other needs keeping you from focusing If any one of these factors on your schoolwork? Did applies to you, then it’s you return to school after official: You’re an adult a year or more away from learner! More specifically, school? Maybe you’re not a the more factors that apply traditional student. Maybe to you – the more “adult learner” you are. But what you’re an “adult learner”! does this mean? The reality There are many factors that is that there are plusses and make college completion minuses to being an adult difficult for anyone. For a learner. group of students called adult learners, however, Do you want the good school is one of a list of other news or the bad news significant commitments first? Let’s start with the that require time and energy. bad. Completion rates for students who fit into the Are you: above categories suffer. - Working 30 or more hours a week Nationally, 53% of nonstudents - Having dependents other traditional than yourself or your spouse seekivvng a degree never reach their goal. - Married - Returning to school after a
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FEATURES15
It’s a fact that it’s hard to pull all of it together to accomplish your degree when you’re an adult learner. Here’s the positive spin on this “bad news.” It’s really no news at all; you already knew it. You didn’t need me to tell you that being an adult learner is tough. No matter what variety of adult learner you are (single parent returning to school, married with kids, military service-member, or individual with any number of other combinations of life-events) you’ve already experienced the difficulties of tackling school on top of everything else. Now for the good news: you’re not alone. A significant portion (easily over 30 percent) of the SPSU student body fits this model! In addition, there are resources available to you. The Adult Learning program through the Adult Learning Consortium has a Facebook and Twitter page set up to connect you to other adult learners, special activities, articles, and other tools to help you finish school – while managing all of the rest of life. Connect with us via social media. When the semester really starts heating up - after this article is long gone – you will be prepared to meet your needs at school and at home.
“Nationally, 53% of non-traditional students seeking a degree never reach their goal.”
readthesting.com || January 14. 2014
16 MARIETTA SQUARE REVIEW
On the Square By Zuri Coleman
SPSU OFFERS OUR STUDENTS A CHANCE TO RIDE THE MARIETTA TROLLEY TO MARIETTA SQUARE EVERY WEEK.
P
ersonally I think the square has great options, as far as restaurant goes. Here is my first round of places to stop by on your next visit to the square.
Taqueria Tsunami Taqueria Tsunami is a great place to check out. They have a unique blend of Latin and Asian food. They have a list of more than 14 varieties of tacos, 3 different types of rice bowls and of course vegan and
vegetarian options. All of these food options blend the Asian and Latin food which is great. You can tell they put a lot of thought into the menu. This is a great spot to visit with a group of up to about 8 people as well.
They don’t have private rooms, this very laid back environment. The price for the food is reasonable as well as far as college student budget goes. They offer a Tsunami Trio deal which gives you two tacos and a side
Laziza Mediterranean Looking to just hang out off campus and chill with friends and smoke hookah then Laziza might be the place for you! Every Thursday is college night which is perfect for SPSU students that rely on the trolley.
College night means all you can smoke hookah for $10! They also serve food, have a tv and a belly dancer. Happy hour is from 8-9 which means specialty drinks and appetizers are half off. Now I’ve only eaten there twice
for $8.50. Each taco is regularly about $3.50 to $4 so getting this is the best option. I recommend the Rich Man’s Taco, BBQ Short Rib, Aloha Taco and the All American Bowl. Be sure to check this spot out next time you
hit the square! The picture doesn’t do the food justice. You have to check it out for yourself!
Photo by: Zuri Coleman
so I can’t speak on behalf of the food. But I’ve been there plenty of times to just simply hang out. So if you ever have a slow Thursday grab the trolley and some friends and have some fun. readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
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Johnnie Maccracken’s Looking to grab a drink with friends? Swing by MacCrakens for a few beer and live music most nights of the week. MacCrakens is a really chill environment. The staff is nice and they have a pretty good
selection of pub food. The fish and chips are great. They also sport a great selection of local beers. During the warmer season they have a great outdoor area with a fire pit. This is even a nice place to stop by during the day
readthesting.com || January 7th, 14, 2014 2013
to grab a quick bite to eat. For first timers I would recommend the fish and chips. The beer runs anywhere from $3 to about $6.
Photo by: Zuri Coleman
18 GAME REVIEW
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
By Josh Reed ssassin’s Creed has been one of my favorite game franchises since I played the first one several years ago. Since its initial creation, the series has had its ups and downs, but it seemed like the franchise was in a serious downward spiral since Revelations. Luckily, that spiral has been wiped away as Assassin’s Creed IV is probably the best in the entire series.
A
While I was not impressed with ACIII, I did enjoy the sailing sections. Ubisoft must have realized this and decided that creating an entire game based around that mechanic was the best course of action.
Assassin’s Creed IV is basically a giant pirate simulator. You have a big open ocean sprinkled with Caribbean islands ripe for exploring! You can’t hunt for treasure, get in open-ocean fights, and board other vessels and steal all their goodies! Plus, the free running and climbing mechanic used by all the Assassin’s Creed games makes running around your ship really run and exciting.
Far Cry 3. Another new feature is the underwater sections. Once you gain access to a diving bell, you can venture under the waves in certain areas in order to find more treasure and items. It can be fairly nerve-wracking at times since you are practically defenseless underwater and predators like sharks are a constant danger.
Along with the usual killing, sailing, and running of previous games, you also have to option of harpooning ocean animals like whales and sharks. This is surprisingly fun (if you’re into that sort of thing), and is how you upgrade your equipment and such a la
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dELWYN
The designers did their best to make the sharks and whales look terrifying, and they succeeded. I went from being a merciless killer to the bottom of the food chain in a split second during a dive, and I absolutely loved it! Overall, ACIV is the breath of fresh air this stagnating series needed. It was just released for PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4 (the PS3 and 360 versions were released last month) and I highly recommend picking it up.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
Assassin’s Creed IV is basically a giant pirate simulator.
20 GAME REVIEW
STATE OF DECAY By Josh Reed
T
here is an oversaturation of zombie games nowadays. It seems that every game that comes out has *something* to do with zombies. So why should you play a budget-priced game featuring yet another undead apocalypse? Well, because it’s fun. State of Decay is an RPG and RTS disguised as an action game. You control a group of survivors in a zombie outbreak and try your hardest to gather supplies and fend off the endless horde of cannibalistic dead guys. The game takes place in a small Midwestern town where you work with others to upgrade your home base and gather resources in a large open environment. The combat is quick and satisfying, as you beat zombies down with 2x4’s and baseball bats, along with a few firearms thrown in for good measure. You can also find various vehicles around the world and fix them up to safely traverse through towns and through zombie
hordes. If you’re playing on PC, I highly recommend using a controller since the keyboard and mouse controls can feel a bit cumbersome. Upgrading your home base is a large part of the game. You can use resources and influence to build workshops and dormrooms around your property to create a proper fortress for your survivors to live. There are several areas in the game where you can start settlements; however, you must also make sure that you have plenty of people living there to properly defend it or it could fall to the zombie hordes. During the game, you can control a large number of characters as long as they trust you. You can build up a character’s trust by doing things for them and gathering supplies they need. It’s important to have access to a lot of different characters because of one of the selling points of the game: permanent death. When your character dies, he or she is dead.
Image Courtesy of Tanya Grant
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GAMES 21 No respawns. Basically, if a character you really like dies, then you have to restart the game from the beginning. It brings a huge amount of tension to the combat and resource management. Running into a battle fatigued could mean losing a valuable member of your team so it is important to give your characters time to rest.
During the course of my playthrough, I did notice a fair amount of glitches, though none of them were very terrible or gamebreaking. Occasionally a zombie would get stuck in a wall or characters would have some weird janky animations. Of course, these nitpicks are fairly minor as the game is super fun to play.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
Honestly, if you’re in the mood to kill some zombies and are willing to spend 20 bucks, then State of Decay would be an excellent game to pick up!
Image Courtesy of Ganymedes Costagravas
22 GAME REVIEW
Top Bottom Five TOP FIVE: By Connor Cobb
5. F.E.A.R.
4. Serious Sam 3:BFE
Just barely meeting the criteria of “7th Gen game,” F.E.A.R was something of an epiphany for the FPS genre. Making many technological achievements in the realms of AI, graphics, and gameplay, F.E.A.R set the bar high for shooters in the new generation. The unsettling atmosphere and occasional fright the game dished out was merely auxiliary to tight shooting mechanics and rock-solid gameplay, backed up by the absolute best AI gaming has ever produced. F.E.A.R may have lured players in with the promise of jump scares, but it kept them playing with the spectacular gameplay.
The Serious Sam franchise has been satisfied to occupy the Old-School shooter niche for years, but the latest entry in the franchise caught me completely by surprise. Intended as a tribute to legendary shooters of yore, I couldn’t help but feel as though SS3 managed to surpass them in just about every way. The tried-and-true shooting mechanics call for 360 degrees of awareness at all times, making the gameplay challenging and exhilarating, and the variety of weapons and enemies ensures the games won’t get old any time soon. In a market dominated by shooters, SS3 was the one I had the most fun with.
3. Dead Rising 2/ Off 2. Fallout: New Vegas the Record If you desire a game that’s stupid amounts of fun, look no further. The original DeadRising was a great game with a few major issues, so when the sequel ironed (most of) those issues out, it should come as no surprise that the resulting product was nothing short of spectacular. …there are many different kinds of zombie games out there, but none are as much pure, unadulterated fun as DR2.
RPG’s should be measured by the sum of their parts.
1. Dark Souls Simply put, Dark Souls is a master craft of game design.
BOTTOM FIVE:
Whenever I play a game, I repeatedly go back to the question, “Am I having fun?” For These Games, that answer wasn’t just “No,” it was “Dear God No.”
1. Hitman: Absolution
2. Dragon Age 2
The rest of the games on this list are merely bad; Hitman Absolution is absolutely infuriating. The fundamental mechanics of hiding in plain sight simply don’t work, and the controls are absolutely miserable, to the point that merely playing the game becomes an annoyance. The series’ penchant for serious and poignant storytelling does a complete 180 into an awful schlocky grindhouse mess, and every single character is impossible to not hate. The push for a shiny new graphics engine running on 7-year-old hardware means that levels are linear and claustrophobic, and beyond that, the gameplay mechanics that aren’t completely broken are insultingly simplified. This all culminates a gameplay experience that is either unreasonably difficult or stupidly easy, and absolutely miserable to play either way.
Following up its critically acclaimed predecessor, Dragon Age 2 shows us what happens when you try to stretch a planned DLC into a full game. Whether it’s the dull gameplay, nonexistent plot, or graphics that would make an N64 blush, players will quickly discover that DA2 has almost no redeeming qualities. Its attempts to recycle the same three or so maps for the entirety of the game quickly gets old and DA2 actually managed to be the only RPG in which, save for Varric and Aveline, I actively hated every single party member. When I find myself wishing my companions would get killed off, something has seriously gone wrong.
3. Splinter Conviction
Cell: 4. F3AR
It’s difficult to follow up a stealth game that was as close to perfect as Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory was, but after the misguided but well-intentioned SC: Double Agent, it seems like Ubisoft just threw in the towel and decided to make it a half-hearted action game. Controls were clunky at best, the stealth was insultingly shallow, the story was just plain stupid, and the entire game was insultingly easy, save for the miserable and forced action sequences. Conviction fails to be an action game, it fails to be a stealth game, and it fails to be worth your time.
5. Max Payne 3
F3AR stands as a testament to just how far a series can fall in a few short years. The mechanics have been so diluted and simplified from its spectacular progenitor that the experience quickly feels like a generic paint-by-the-numbers FPS from the bargain bin. The best, worst, and indeed, only thing I can say about F3AR is that it was boring. In the end, isn’t that one of the worst things you can say about something designed to entertain?
Max Payne 3 doesn’t make it on this list because of its nauseating visual style, jarringly outof-place setting, reconning the near-perfect and bittersweet ending of Max Payne 2, the at-times awkward controls, or the 33 gigabyte install size that only serves as a prelude to the kind of abysmal PC port that Rockstar is infamous for. No, MP3 is here because it breaks the cardinal rule of gaming: Games are meant to be played. Roughly every two minutes of gameplay the game will grind to a complete halt for a likely arbitrary cutscene sequence, only to throw you back into the fray a few seconds later in order to repeat the procedure ad nauseum. The momentum of the game is constantly interrupted, and there is little reason to play a game that seems to want to play itself.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
GAMES 23
5. F.E.A.R
3. Dead Rising 2/ Off the Record
4. Serious Same 3: BFE
2. Fallout: New Vegas
1.Hitman: Absolution 3. Splinter Cell: Conviction
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
1. Dark Souls
2. Dragon Age 2 4. F3AR
5. Max Payne 3
24
OPINIONS
CONSOLIDATION
Last of A Dying Breed By Jason Ramaley Last semester we all got a taste of real world business ethics as our school Southern Polytechnic State University was blindsided and knocked down hard. But we all got up, dusted ourselves off, and came back to finish what we started. We all chose this school for a variety of reasons, and after we graduate we can look back and be proud that we were able to attend this little school before our little school is no more. Moving forward now that we have no choice but to accept what is going to happen, we cannot let it discourage us with whatever challenges come our way. We do have the advantage from having gone through this experience, and with that experience each one of us is a little bit tougher and wiser inside. Now more than ever we must
find ways to be more ethical, especially in the world of business. We cannot let the decisions of “the powers that be” hinder our vision to do things better. Before we get too busy this semester, take time to enjoy the moment of being a part of such a special university and campus. As we count down to our last semesters before we graduate, remember we are the “few and the proud” that were able to graduate from SPSU. We owe it to ourselves, and the history of SPSU to be better than ever before. We are the last of dying breed.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
OPINIONS25
“take time to enjoy the moment of being a part of such a special university and campus.� readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
26 NATIONAL SOCIETY OF LEADERSHIP AND SUCCESS
Campus Leadership Groups Soars By Beth Stutzmann The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) kicked off its fall semester at SPSU with Orientation Day on Saturday, October 19th and Leadership Day on October 26th. The NSLS is an honors-based leadership society, Sigma Alpha Pi that helps people discover and achieve their goals. Through SPSU, the chapter provides leadership training, student networking teams, community service, and live motivational broadcasts. The NSLS has successoriented students that meet in groups several times per semester to help one another succeed in meeting their goals. The Society has also served as a powerful force of good in the greater community by encouraging and organizing action to better the world. President Cyril Guobadia, Vice President Paulina Uscategui, Success Networking Teams
Coordinator Ishonna Baskerville, and IT Coordinator KarlLoic Kamdem, have all become involved with helping run this organization because they believe that the NSLS enhances lives. Baskerville states, “It’s made me more organized than I am with time and scheduling, especially being part of the E-board team. Now I speak more outside of class and am purposeful in networking with others. It gave me the confidence to be outgoing. I joined the NSLS because I wanted to get more involved in getting to know other students on campus. Networking was a main goal for me and the NSLS was a big group. This national honor society, Sigma Alpha Pi, is very cool.” The SPSU chapter advisors, Dr. Beth Stutzmann and Prof. Donna Colebeck, have both helped with all organizational aspects this semester. Prof. Colebeck said “The National Society
of Leadership and Success provides SPSU students the opportunity to be a member of the Sigma Alpha Pi national honor society. For each student the ‘value add’ may be different but all students who become members benefit from their engagement with leadership training that the program offers.” Dr. Stutzmann believes that the NSLS “provides a network and team support group for students who are held accountable for attainable goals that they create for themselves. It’s a great organization for students to develop management and leadership skills.” “We are dream supporters – we build leaders, support people in achieving their dreams, and better the world in the process. We get people to ask the allimportant question, ‘What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?’ and then help
them to achieve those goals” says VP Paulina Uscategui. Students are invited to join in the spring if they have not joined this fall. Events and times are managed through Orgsync.com. Video broadcasts are open to everyone on campus.
“We are dream supporters – we build leaders, support people in achieving their dreams, and better the world in the process.”
Note: This article has been reprinted, because it appeared in our last issue under the wrong byline. Thanks, Staff readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
27
SPSU’s Last Spring Commencement Ceremony May 10, 2014
SGA Awards Banquet (TBA)
Spring 2014 Homecoming Monday, January 27 thru Saturday, February 1
7
Things to Look Forward to in Spring 2014
SPSU Baseball Opening Day Saturday, February 1 vs. Lindsey Wilson College at 12:00 pm
By Randy Brown Jr.
Spring Break Monday March 3 thru Friday, March 7
With the new year comes a new semester. Though there are many events to be excited about, some manage to stand out more than others. Here are 7 things to mark on your calendars as we move forward in the spring semester of 2014.
SPSU Basketball Senior Night Thursday, February 27 vs. Auburn University at Montgomery. SPSU Women start at 6:00 pm. SPSU Men start at 8:00 pm.
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
Second Annual Southern Poly Women’s Day Monday, February 10
4. Main lobby of Q-Building
28
Nobody’s knocking the study spaces in the L.V. Johnson Library, but the seating in the Q-building’s main lobby is more comfortable (You could literally layout on a couch and read your textbook). The lobby’s grand, glass windows allow for the perfect amount of natural light, giving students an outdoor experience in an indoor environment. The place is also surprisingly quiet and offers a balcony, which gives you the perfect view of SPSU’s outdoor scenery.
4 3. Sycamore Grove
The canopy of trees in SPSU’s Sycamore Grove allows on streaks of sunlight to shine down onto the subjects below leaves from above cast shadows on the blades of grass below. Though some may travel through the haven of trees, on a brick layered path, students are typically left to study in peace. From the grove, students can view SPSU’s iconic Globe (which sits in between the Student Center and Administrative building).
w on rea
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
nly w;
Great Places to Study on Campus
29
By Randy Brown Jr. eing able to study on-campus is a luxury that all students have here at SPSU. And while there are spaces specifically designed for studying, there are others which offer the same functionality, but with a contrast in experience.
B
2. Hills of the outdoor amphitheater
The hills of SPSU’s outdoor amphitheater provide a surprisingly great place to break away and study. The hills descend toward a brick and concrete stage, neighboring Norton Hall. This space offers several plateaus of grass where students can lay in the shade or the sun (depending n the time of day) and catch up or review course work (or ad for pleasure).
1. President’s Garden The President’s Garden at SPSU is still the top hidden gem of them all. Tucked at the bottom of Stinger’s at the X (Dining Hall), the President’s Garden offers a serene feel of sorts. The highlight of the space is its fountain; water lightly cascades onto rocks and a pool below. A 3-sided brick wall secures privacy for anyone studying in the space...and what garden is complete without flowers?
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
Photos by: Desmond Hilson
30 Why did the SPSU Student cross South Marietta Parkway?
David Diamond Comic to SAVE MONEY on textbooks!
just past the W. Main Entrance in the Car Care Center
We are your LOCAL Off-Campus Alternative! readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
31 LISTS
Places to go for Feedback By Randy Brown Jr.
A
t The Sting we p e r i o d i c a l ly receive emails and social media messages about issues or concerns that students have with departments on campus. As a publication, we believe the best way to filter a lot of the concerns is to provide students with the proper means to give feedback.
feedback. In each issue of The Sting this semester we will provide students with the appropriate lines of communication to 3 departments/ university features (Ex. Dining Services. Ex. SPSU Mobile App).
Use these lines of communication wisely. These links are here to help you. It is only through your feedback Students, keep in (constructive) that an mind that constructive improved experience feedback is the best can be provided.
Photos by: Desmond Hilson
readthesting.com || January 14, 2014
1.
Dining Services: http://www.dineoncampus.com/spsu/show. cfm?cmd=comments
2.
Web Services: https://www.spsu.edu/webservices/feedback. htm
3.
SPSU Mobile App: http://www.spsu.edu/spsumobile/feedback.htm
It is time to renew your room!
Room renewals begin January 13! Live in the Apartments? Renew your same space & lock into your current rate for next year!
SAVE $200! Returning residents that sign their housing contract before April 4 will have the $200 processing fee waived.
Interested in joining the team as a Resident Assistant? Keep these dates in mind for RA Selection: Jan. 7 Jan.12 Jan. 17 Jan. 25
Info Session 5:00PM Info Session 2:00PM Application Deadline * RA Interviews
Ballroom B Ballroom B
*Applications & additional info can be found at www.spsu.edu/housing
DID YOU KNOW?
THE SOUTHERN POLY
BOOKSTORE MATCHES TEXTBOOK PRICES. Only applies to brick and mortar stores. Online retailers are not considered.
Load your HornetCard online! WWW.SPSU.EDU/HORNETCARD