|
It 's wet, colorful and it tends to ruin clothes if you are not careful
Paintball involves a lot of skill and strategy.
By Matthew Gatesy
Ferris State Torch
Shoot 'em up
Senior John Barela sits quietly ina tree for his chance
to paint up his opponents.
Photo By: Dan Gellasch
Photo Editor
At some time or another, we have all wanted to shoot someone we know. Now, we all have a safe and fun alternative to actual violence: paintball.
Paintball is a game in which two teams try to eliminate each other by shooting balls filled with paint at the other team.
The game of paintball originally started in 1981 with the Forest Service, which used guns to shoot balls of paint to mark trees they could not reach. The guns could only fire one shot before they needed to be recharged. About that time, some farmers also began to use paintballs to mark their cattle.
The first game of paintball included ten people. Legend has it the winner of the game won without firing a single shot.
The game has evolved much since then. Guns no longer fire only one shot, but contain up to 32 ounces of carbon dioxide that can last all day long.
Why play paintball? This was a question posed to Dave Engels, owner of Hanna Hoa Paintball in Big Rapids. Engels has played paintball for five years.
"You get a major rush of adrenaline. You're always worried about who is going to be around the corner," Engels said.
Engels' employee Scott is also a five-year veteran of paintball.
"I love the feeling of teamwork I get from it," Scott said. "You must have complete trust that your teammate has your back and he must trust you to have his."
In order to play paintball, you only need to know a few basic rules. Of course, all rules are subjective and vary depending upon where and with whom you play.
First, keep your mask on. You can only take your mask off in designated areas and never on the playing field. This includes not only the mask that covers a player's eyes, but also his or her mouth and ears.
Each gun must have a barrel plug. This is a piece of plastic that fits in the end of the gun to prevent it from accidentally firing. The barrel plug must be in place when a player is not on the playing field.
The speed of paintballs should be regulated. The speed should remain somewhere between 285 to 300 feet per second.
All of these rules are for the safety of everyone playing. When the rules are followed, paintball is one of the safest sports. It has even been said that paintball is even safer than bowling.
If you have never played paintball before and are interested in joining a game, Dave Engels is always looking for new players.
"There is always a game and always room for more people in it," Engels said.
The best way to get started is just to dive in and try it. Hanna Hoa offers some great deals. A player can rent all of the necessary gear for a full day for only ten dollars.
The only additional cost is for the paint. Prices of paint vary from $10-17 dollars for 500 rounds.
"The difference in paint is the cheaper paint can jam a gun or cause the paint not to fly straight. The more expensive paint won't jam your gun and will fly straighter," Engels said.
The difference is in the design of the ball. The cheaper paintballs are often oblong instead of round, which can lead to the problems Engels mentioned.
"The cheap paint isn't good for everyone, but it's great for someone who's never played before and just wants to experience the game," Engels said.
It seems as if 500 rounds would go quickly, but most casual players will not go through that much paint in an entire day. Tournament players are the exception, and can go through over 2,000 rounds of paint in a day of games.
Hanna Hoa can also help get new players set up with their own equipment at reasonable prices. A starter-level semiautomatic gun will cost about $60-70 dollars.
The only additional piece of equipment a player needs is a mask.
"The mask is the most important piece of equipment for a player," Engels said. "If you can't see, you're not going to be any help to your team. I would take the best mask and the worst gun over the worst mask and the best gun."
The difference in masks is the thermal lining included in some masks. A mask can be purchased at any local retail store for $20, but a mask like that will fog up during play, clouding the players vision. Since a player cannot remove his mask during play, a player with a cloudy mask will be forced to play that way.
A thermal mask prevents the clouding issue, keeping the players vision clear. A thermal mask only costs about ten dollars more.
"I try to match the prices I see on the internet," Engels said. "If someone thinks my prices are too high, I will negotiate with that person to find a price that works. I'm very flexible."
The clothes a player wears for paintball are not too important. A player will not want to wear something too nice, but the paint will wash out of clothes. Many players choose to wear camouflage to help blend in and give them an advantage.
Tennis shoes are perfectly acceptable, but many players recommend wearing cleats.
"I was at a tournament one time where I slipped in the mud right off the go signal. Ever since then I always wear a pair of soccer cleats," Scott said.
If you already have a full complement of equipment, Hanna Hoa does not charge to play in a game. They only ask you respect the rules and your fellow players.
Besides Hanna Hoa, the Empty Hopper offers paintball services in Big Rapids.
Paintball is also favorable for a lot Ferris students. Some students are pushing for Ferris to start a paintball club on campus, according to John Barela, a senior in business administration.
"There are a lot of schools across the United States that offer paintball, either as a team or a student organization," Barela said.
Some other schools in Michigan that have paintball available for students include Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, University of Michigan, Hillsdale College and Western Michigan University.
According to the National Collegiate Paintball Association's web site (www.college-paintball.com) a total of 103 schools offer paintball for students.
Hanna Hoa has upcoming games on Oct. 5 and Oct. 13. If participants are interested in playing, contact Hanna Hoa at 769-4044 for directions and times.
The Empty Hopper can be reached at 598-2991.
T he roles have been announced for the musical "Guys and Dolls."
By Mary Gurnee
Ferris State Torch
Catch me
Brandon Ashton supports Julie Laus during this rehearsal scene.
Photo By: Dan Gellasch
Photo Editor
A musical romance is making its way to Ferris State's Williams Auditorium. The FSU Theater Department has picked the musical "Guys and Dolls" to perform this year.
After the stellar performance of last year's musical, "Chicago," there is high expectations for "Guys and Dolls."
"It is a wonderful story, and I think that everyone should go see it," Don Schweihofer, a sophomore in music industry management, said.
Performances will be Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. The final performance is on Nov. 3 at 2:30 p.m.
This production of "Guys and Dolls" is based on playwright Damon Runyon's story and characters. The book "Guys and Dolls" was written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.
Directing this year's theatrical production is Associate Professor of Theater Katherine LaPietra. The technical director is Gretchen Potter.
The other members of the production staff include Matt Pistilli (vocal director), Scott Cohen (orchestra conductor) and Emma Shansky (choreographer).
The singers and dancers in "Guys and Dolls" will be performing to music and lyrics by Fran Loesser.
The stage manager is Kurt Zettel, who will be assisted by Scott Dreyer and David Stout.
The story line for "Guys and Dolls" follows Sky Masterson, who is played in this production by Karl Hartley. Masterson is a gambler who is struggling to find a place of his own to have a craps table.
During the process of looking for the right place to conduct his gambling, Masterson gets himself involved in a bet that he just might lose.
While following through with this bet, Masterson falls in love with the prim and proper Sarah Brown, played by Meghan Ryan.
Then there is "good old reliable Nathan Detroit," played by Anthony McPherson Jr., who is not so reliable to his longsuffering fiancée Miss Adelaide, played by Nicole Foco.
Other roles included in "Guys and Dolls" are Nicely-Nicely Johnson, played by Tom Davis, and Benny Southstreet, played by Jared Frank.
Rusty is played by Rachel Prusi, while the role of Arvide Abernathy is played by Kyle Kowalczyk.
The list continues with Robert Smith as Harry the Horse and Mike McCarthy as Big Jule. Lt. Brannigen is played by Keith Bogucki, and Gen. Matilda Cartwright is played by Deidra Ryan.
For the prim and proper, there is the Mission Board, played by Sarah Boynton, Elizabeth Ward, Eren Berry, Mary Thorp and David Pierce.
For the not-so-innocent audience members, there are the Hot Box Girls, played by Sara Stolarski, Becky Schneider, Renee Kaufman, Gerilynn Pearce, Anne Allward and Julie Laus.
Working along side of the Hot Box Girls are Joey Baltimore, played by Chris Folts, and the Master of Ceremonies, played by David Mirfin.
The gamblers for "Guys and Dolls" are played by Doug Isanhart, Brandon Ashton, Damon Fletcher, Marcel Gooden, Luke Glashower, David Meier, Sunil Malapati and Mirfin.
The Gamblers are served by a Cuban waiter, played by Luke Glashower. The featured Cuban dancer is played by Gerilynn Pearce.
Isanhart, Ashton, Fletcher, Gooden, McCarthy and Berry also play the Cubans.
This year's production of "Guys and Dolls" is coming together with the hard work of many people, some of whom are graduating this year.
"There are a couple people that are helping us that are good and will be graduating this year," Potter said. "There are also some that are going to be with us for a few more years."
Check out next week's edition of the Torch for a feature about senior Sarah Boynton in the A&E's "The Making of 'Guys and Dolls.'"
It's time to go to war
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault brings "Saving Private Ryan" to the PC.
By Matt Cherry
Opinions Editor
This game came out in January, but I only picked it up recently. What can I say? First-person shooters aren't really my thing, let alone historical ones.
At least, that was the case until "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault."
After playing this game for longer than my wife would have liked me to, only a few words came to mind. Some of those words were such great sayings as "wow," "awesome" and "dude!"
Of course, the fact that I watched the terrific film "Patton" before I played this game really helped set the mood.
"Medal of Honor: Allied Assault" starts like a movie, and ends just the same. It has an extremely great movie feel, helped by cinemas perfectly woven into the gameplay.
This is a computer game, which makes it a little difficult to rate, as the sound and graphics are only going to be as good as your audio and video cards.
However, even with the 32MB video card I have, the graphics were terrific. Each level is a feast for the eyes and connects beautifully to the next level. Whether you're fighting in Africa, France, Norway or other locations, it looks like you're really there.
The characters are also really well done, even though most soldiers are basically the same models per type. One Allied ground troop looks pretty much like any other Allied ground troop.
One of the graphical masterpieces of this game, however, is the realistic weapon animations. Take, for instance, the Allied basic rifle, the M1 Garand.
This weapon's one problem was that you couldn't reload it until the clip was empty. When the clip was emptied, the rifle would automatically eject it. "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault" (or MOHAA) added this fact for a more realistic feel.
Also, the sound is simply spectacular. My sound card isn't the best, but the sound effects still blew me away (sometimes literally, like when I heard the clunk of a hand grenade next to me).
Every weapon has its own distinct sound. For instance, the Allied Springfield '03 sniper rifle makes a "kakow" sound, while the Axis KAR 98 makes more of a "pow" sound.
One of the greatest sound features for this game is the voices. When you're part of a squad and you get ambushed, you hear your men yelling enemy positions and other such commands. And the best part about the voices? Simple.
The Germans speak German. Not English with a German accent, but German.
But don't worry if you don't speak German. The main character of the game, Lt. Mike Powell, is fluent in it.
That means that anything important said in German is translated for you in subtitles on the screen.
The musical score for this game is absolutely exemplary, although you can only really hear it in the menus. No matter how many times I tried to listen for it in-game, I was too involved in playing the game to notice.
And that brings us to our next topic: gameplay.
Using the standard keyboard and mouse combo, this game is really user-friendly. And as with most good games, you can always change the controls to fit your style.
This game is a real dream. Menus and controls are easy to figure out, and the instruction booklet highlights all of the important details you'll need to know.
For me, the most important part of the gameplay is the mood. And this game gets the mood perfect.
Right in the first level you have to watch your comrades-in-arms get mowed down by German fire.
And then there's the Normandy level. One can't say much about the D-Day invasion other than, to be polite, "wow." Remember the landing in the first few minutes of the movie "Saving Private Ryan"? Take that and plop yourself down in the middle of it.
Another great part of this game is the multiplayer function.
First off, there are four different modes: free-for-all, team match, round-based match and my favorite, objective-based match. The names are self-explanatory.
For example, in one objective-based match, the Axis side has to blow up a bridge, and the Allies have to protect that bridge at all costs.
MOHAA is an absolutely wonderful game and I suggest that any WWII fan or FPS fan should buy it-especially since the expansion pack is coming out soon.
But more than anything, this game helps me gain a respect for those who served in WWII.
And while I hope that something like that war never happens in my lifetime, it's always good to remember the past.
On my usual ten-point scale, MOHAA garners a very respectable 9.5.
P rofessors M and N spray a cow with milk
Thimble Full of Theater brings entertainment to FSU.
By Aaron Carriere
Copy Editor
Sickly cow
Paul Chapman (cow) curls up in pain after he was beaten
to the ground by "lactose intolerants."
Photo By: Dan Gellasch
Photo Editor
Throwing milk? Blue jumpsuits? A cow? Look no further than the Quad at Ferris State University and "Thimble Full of Theater."
What is Thimble Full of Theater?
"We describe ourselves as a theater group. We do a lot of improv and write our own scripts," Paul Chapman, president of the group, said.
The group's purpose is to entertain FSU students.
Chapman, a sophomore in biology education, along with students Beau Carnes and Robbie Phillips, didn't see anything on campus that really appealed to them.
According to the website, www.thimblefull.com, the idea originated when Carnes and Philips bought two matching blue jumpsuits from Goodwill.
Then they added matching blue hats, but the group felt that something was missing. Chapman suited up in a cow costume, and "Thimble Full of Theater" was born.
After the first performance, the trio decided to develop the idea into a Registered Student Organization (RSO) at Ferris. Many thought at first that the group was part of a fraternity.
"We got yelled at because people thought we were hazing," Chapman said.
The group is far from hazing. One of the most entertaining acts that the group put on involved a milk-throwing incident last semester.
"We gathered a bunch of milk from Mascar and headed out to the Quad dressed as a cow," Chapman recalled.
"Then I started handing out milk to students passing by," he added.
Destined to stop the cow from "spreading evil" were Carnes and Phillips, dressed as Professors M and N, in their traditional blue jumpsuits.
"Professors M and N ran out into the Quad screaming 'Don't drink the milk, it's poison!'" Chapman explained. Before long, the cow started throwing milk at Professors M and N.
"Some were open, some were closed; there was a lot of milk thrown," Chapman said.
Carnes, vice president of the organization and a sophomore in television production and digital media, added, "The milk was splattering everywhere, but the cow got away."
That's the kind of quality entertainment that FSU students can expect from Thimble Full.
Many students have been drawn to the performances.
Got Milk?
Paul Chapman (cow costume) gets attacked by freshman Greg Koteskey
(right), Aaron Jameson (center) and Karl Sanford (left) on Thursday
Photo By: Dan Gellasch
Photo Editor
"Last year, near the end of the semester, we had tons of people watching," Chapman said.
The group has big plans in mind for this year.
"We plan on having one large skit per month, and each week perform a random improv skit somewhere on campus," Chapman said.
Last week's short skit in the Quad featured the cow attacked by two random assailants, who claimed to be "lactose intolerant."
The cow slowly limped back to his dorm after the incident.
For the main performances, the group plans on putting up flyers around campus to encourage students to attend.
"All of the main performances will be outside in the Quad by the Woodbridge statue," Chapman said.
The memberes sign out the Quad for each performance, and they will be distributing flyers throughout campus.
Carnes also added that the main performances will be segments of an ongoing series throughout the year. The group is also going to introduce some new characters to the students of Ferris.
"We have a bee, a cow, two jumpsuits and two cheeseburgers," Carnes said. He also added that the group "might make a deal with Sempliners" for new costumes.
Thimble Full is also planning on bringing back one of its founding members, Phillips, for guest appearances at the main performances.
Philips left Ferris to attend a different university this fall.
The group also had success at this year's Bulldog Bonanza.
"We had a lot more people than expected show up," Carnes said. "We have six or seven new members this year."
Interested in joining Thimble Full? Everyone is invited.
"We'd like members to be interested in theater and willing to perform, but anyone can join and help out with script writing and costumes," Chapman said. "There's a lot more to do than just perform."
The group currently has about 15 members.
Members are now focusing on improvement for their skits.
"We're planning on bringing in speakers to talk to the group about improving our improv and acting skills," Carnes said. The group is also looking to a new member for guidance.
Freshman Karl Sanford has an extensive theater background.
"He's helping to train us in stage fighting," Chapman said. Both Carnes and Chapman agreed on the long-term goals for the organization.
"We're trying to change Thimble Full this year. When the founding members are gone, it'll last longer than three years," Chapman said.
Carnes also added that he is working to make the group "more organized and structured."
To become involved in Thimble Full, attend one of their meetings every Monday night in Helen-Ferris Hall at 8 p.m.
For more information, visit the website or e-mail the group at contact@thimblefull.com.
New fashion in Orlando
Customized jeans give consumers a new option.
By Lisa Glass
The Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Fla. - She saw it as soon as she walked into the store- table strewn with frayed, cut-up, spray-painted jeans.
There were ripped logo T-shirts adorned with brightly colored writing and denim skirts with pinned-on corduroy pockets. Holly Freeman's eyes lit up.
Until a recent Friday, Freeman could only envision the perfect pair of jeans-snug in the hips, just the right length, with frayed cuffs and ragged pockets.
Something that would set her apart from her fellow students at Lake-Sumter Community College.
Freeman finally found her dream jeans at American Eagle Outfitters in Florida Mall, where on weekends customers can use the tools of the fashion trade to customize their jeans for free.
"It's basically just a way to provide a customer a unique experience," Jennifer Watkins, manager of the store, says. "It's all about having your own look."
Watkins' is one of 400 American Eagle stores across the United States that offers customization stations.
And customization is popping up on the Internet too.
Companies allow Web surfers to design a pair of jeans, choose pants that are tailored to their exact measurements or pick out a pair of custom-colored shoes with their name emblazoned on the heel.
At the American Eagle, Freeman, 19, ran a hand through her streaky blond hair and looked on as American Eagle's designated customization guru, 18-year-old Bailey Spaseff, used a seam ripper to remove a back pocket from Freeman's new $38 whiskered hipsters.
"This is so fun," Freeman, who let Spaseff do the work instead of taking scissors to the jeans herself, said. "I'm going to be back here tomorrow for more."
Shoppers gathered at the window as Spaseff shook a can of blue spray paint above Freeman's jeans.
With a whoosh, she painted an AE where the back pocket once was.
Then she took a pumice stone and frayed the jeans' hem, roughing them up even more with a "Dremel," a rotating tool that acts like a file, ripping through denim with force.
Like many teens, Freeman craves clothes that speak of her individuality.
"At my school everyone pretty much dresses the same," Freeman, who boasts 24 pairs of flip-flops, one of which she wore to her senior prom along with a purple dress and feather boa, said. "I like to try to do stuff that not everybody's doing. I think people can tell a lot by the way a person dresses."
The personalized look is already out there, with glitter-spattered, patched-up, bleached and distressed clothing appearing on the runway and on shelves at hip clothing stores catering to the back to school crowd.
American Eagle Outfitters got its customization idea directly from customers, who often requested custom jeans like the ones in the stores' windows or catalog.
"The customization tables just take it a step further to let you make your clothes exactly how you want them," Watkins says. "Everyone is trying to be unique; not everyone wants to be a cookie cutter."
Adults don't have to be "cookie cutters" either.
According to the trade group Cotton Inc., women try on an average of 16 pairs of jeans before they find one that fits their body and matches their taste.
But Internet surfers can find their perfect fit at the click of a computer key.
Interactive Custom Clothes Company- www.ic3d.com-offers Internet customers several types of denim; multibutton, lace-up, and zip fly styles; flare cut, boot cut, straight leg and taper; and even a choice of button and thread colors.
Using a computer program, "IC3D" creates a personalized pattern for every customer's body, says IC3D co-founder Peter Del Rio.
Customers send in a series of measurements including waist, thigh and knee length and then IC3D creates a pattern that is accurate to the tenth of an inch, Del Rio said.
IC3D's jeans cost between $75 and $100, but specialty orders like leather pants can cost upward of $300.
Del Rio says customization is about freedom of choice.
"What you envision as cool is totally different than what I envision as cool," he says. "Consumers are not getting something where everywhere they turn they're going to find someone else wearing the same thing. They imagine it; we make it. The consumer is the designer."
Nike is also cashing in on customization. On www.nike.com, customers can virtually design one of 23 sport shoe styles in minutes.
For $10 more than regular retail price, shoppers can create a pair of stylish basketball shoes that matches their school's colors.
"It empowers people, to help create something they're going to wear," Nike spokeswoman Beth Hegde said. "They like products more since they have a say in it. They have more pride in the product that they wear because they had a hand in the design."
Customers can also put their own personal ID on the shoe-it can be anything from a nickname or a favorite team to a motivational word or two to get you going while you lace up those sneakers before the big game.
"Putting your goal (running) times on your shoes-that's a huge statement," Hegde said. "People put funny things like 'Eat my dust,' something that, if they had a magic marker and it looked good, they would write it on there."
Nike's newest innovation is the Pegasus ID, a popular running shoe that can now be customized according to performance features, like width, midsole density and outsole specifications (you can pick soles for trail or road running).
The Nike ID site, launched in November 1999, has grown slowly but steadily and now makes a profit, Hegde says.
"Customization has been coming for a long time," she says. "Customers have wanted it; it just took a while to figure out how to do it. We're getting to the point where we say 'What do you want to do with your shoe?' and say `OK. Here. You can do it.''"
|
ayne State's offense too much for FSU