4 feature
thecollegian
Dec. 1, 2017
Game rooms bring entertainment to Stockton at the movies or a night bowling or something but we’re different enough Managing Editor that we’re not like those places.” Like all of Updraft Ventures infant Stockton, a city plagued by a lackluster entertainment scene, is soon to be a projects, Stockton Escape will begin home to blossoming new form of the with the three games that has been proven to be Updraft Ventures most game room. Stockton Escape is one of four group- popular games: The Study, The Galbased escape room venues opening up in lery and Ex Machina. In The Gallery you play as an art Stockton that have been inspired by sensational flash games that can be found enthusiast investigating the sudden disappearance of Kate Matheson, an online. The objective is to work with a group artist being showcased at the Gallery. to solve puzzles with or without clues to In The Study, you play an investigatescape from one of three different sce- ing agent looking into Lucius Roberts, an evil scientist with a plot he’s narios, all within an hour. “It was originally used for team hoping to put into action and finally building, because as you play in a group in Ex Machina you come across an you bond in a way that’s pretty unique old Victorian era room, with clunky actually. I have a lot of fun doing it, brass machinery and a large vault especially with strangers … you don’t door you have to open. “We all start with the same games know where they’re from, you don’t know if they have family but you have because these games have been tested this connection with them. It’s kind of multiple times, we already have people cool,” said General Manager Elizabeth playing them, we know they like them. All of these factors that go into makMorgan. Stockton Escape is partnered with ing sure opening is successful and then Updraft Ventures, a Rhode Island-based once we’re open we have the option to organization dedicated to providing a make our own games,” said Morgan. The games offered to players are solid foundation to entrepreneurs speset different levels of difficulty in each cializing in escape games. Morgan’s Stockton Escape will be the room is a computer gives players clues organization’s fourth location, with the to help if they’re stuck or to move on others in Maryland, Texas and North with the story. The process is done subtly, in real Carolina. Stockton Escape will not be the time over Microsoft PowerPoint with only escape room in Stockton as the a small tone alerting the players to the escape concept has become increas- clues arrival. “Each game has a different success ingly popular. Limitless Escape Games in the Lin- rate, so that there is a different difficulcoln Center is currently under develop- ty level depending on how many peoment, and another, The Excape Adven- ple are in each room and what kind of ture has already opened it’s doors this puzzles are in there. So, say the Gallery - which is a ten percent room has Top, Madison Kilcoyne, sits in the control room where the staff feeds clues to escape room year on 1019 E. March Ln. “Its grown [escape rooms] pretty a lot of little puzzles. So, if you look participants. Bottom, the second room of the Study where participants begin to put together rapidly. I want to say it started in [2001] around there’s a bunch of locks, but the antagonist plan. PHOTOS BY KILLIAN BARNHART overseas actually. It’s evolved here, and they’re not particularly hard wherewe feel like every time you get a clue Updraft Ventures. they are - again four in less than a year as if you walk into Ex Machina, you Stockton Escape will be open at - they are becoming very, very popular. might only see four locks, but each of it’s breaking the environment and we’d The closest right now are Modesto and those puzzles will take you up to ten very much like you to feel like you’re in the earliest Dec. 1, 2017 in the ColElk Grove, not to mention the Bay,” minutes to get further along. We try not this Gallery and being left alone,” said lege Square Shopping Center at 959 said Morgan. “It’s very similar to a night to give away too many clues, because Madison Kilcoyne, a field installer for W. March Ln.
By Killian Barnhart
A culture’s history explained through literature By Francina Sanchez Feature Editor
Most students take a history course to learn about different societies in the world, including their own cultural backgrounds. Delta College offers Chicano Literature under English 35 during the spring and fall semesters and gives student the opportunity to learn in depth Chicano history. The course information describes the class as “a critical survey on the literary periods of Chicano Literature from the Pre-Columbian, Hispanic, Mexican, Transition, Interaction, and Chicano.” A Chicano is defined as a man who comes from Mexican decent but the course expands a little further than Mexico ans also educates on Latin America. The course was initially introduced about 40 years ago and continues to thrive. English Professor Pedro Ramirez has been teaching the course for 13 years and is passionate about teaching the culture of Mexican Americans. “Chicano Literature is about our cultural background in written form,” said Ramirez. According to Ramirez the course is all about what it is like to grow up as a Mexican and Latino Americans in this country. In the class students are challenged by having conversations of social issues that come up for Chicanos. Ramirez discusses the importance of knowing
important events in history such as the Bracero Program. Signed in 1942, the Bracero Program, or manual labor, was an agreement signed with Mexican government to import Mexican men to the states for cheaper labor in efforts to restore the economy in the United States after the World War II. “In 1942 my dad was imported to the United States as a Bracero. Between 1942 and 1963 there were more than 2.5 million imported Mexican men imported to the United States ...We are those workers who hold up the economy. All these industries need our labor,” said Ramirez. In the course there are primarily Mexican and Latino American students and Ramirez aims at letting them know that they are not “minorities” but that they belong here in the United States. He also encourages anyone to take the course to network and gain cultural awareness. “I think it’s a good class to have because then we all can learn about the actual culture and not just the stereotypes we are known for,” said Lisbeth Barocio. Through the cultural lectures and writing he hopes to help students with issues of identity, because knowing where we come from is fundamental to understanding who we are. Students will be challenged to become better writers explained Ramirez. English 35 is CSU and U.C. transferable and is open for registration.