THE RETRIEVER SEPTEMBER 30, 1986 PAGE 3 ENTERTAINMENT Photon brings video game to life

by William Ward A science fiction movie? A book? A game. keeps in contact with your chest com- writer's hallucinations? All wrong. Afterwards, warriors are equipped puter by radio. You get 10 points for with 20 pounds of high-tech gear, I stalked silently through the dark This is the world of Photon, the disrupting (hitting) an opponent and including a sensor filled helmet, which mist, Phaser clutched tightly in my "high-tech participatory space battle 200 points for disrupting the enemy right hand. I was on a catwalk above game," located off beltway exit 41 on includes radio frequency receivers; a base (a basketball sized half-globe Northpoint Boulevard. chest computer pod that contains fitted with lights). If you hit one of the enemy base, and below I could see microprocessor chips that register the some of my comrades, working in Photon is played in a two-story, your own team members you lose 30 12,000 square foot, indoor complex, players score; a power pack belt; and points. When you are hit by an enemy twos, as they took their turns disrupt- the Phaser gun, which uses a light ing the glowing base-globe. that is filled with ramps, bunkers, warrior you lose 10 points, and your beam to disrupt enemy opponents. A sudden movement to my right! halls, tunnels, and plenty of fog. The phaser is rendered inactive for 5 se- arena is equipped with discothesque After selecting aliases (the names, The telltale red glow of an enemy conds. Each shot of your Phaser is used by the players in the game) the helmet! He was mine. I quickly raised lights, and a sound system that conti- accompanied by an appropriate laser game starts. Players on two teams, my Phaser, waited for the red tracking nuously pipes in the digital sound sound from your helmet's stereopho- with up to 20 warriors on each, dash light to lock, and squeezed the trigger. track created exclusively for the game nic speakers, and there are cor- through the darkened maze of corri- A hit! He frantically turned, seeking by Los Angeles sound engineer Ken responding sounds for hits on oppo- his attacker, but he would never see Caillat. dors, ramps, and bunkers in an at- nents and teammates. After the game me. I had shrunk back into one of the All players have to be at least four tempt to out-score the other team. you can enter the lobby to see how you many cubbyholes that dotted the feet seven inches tall and must sign a Scoring is kept by the main com- fared on the large screen projection complex. waiver of liability before playing the puter in the Photon complex, which TV that displays the scores of the last game played. For those who don't want to play, there is an observation deck where they can practice your markmanship The News is better than Huey with coin operated phaser stations. by Dominic Valentine ful. These vocal harmonies are also The Photon facility in Baltimore, used in other cuts from the album like which has been open since May, is one As much as I hate to admit it, Huey "Whole Lotta Lovin" (No relation to of only eight in the country. Photon is Lewis and the News have come up Led Zepplin) which is a bluesy tune the brainchild of George A. Carter III, with a quality follow-up album to much like Sportt'"Bad is Bad." a Dallas inventor who thought of the their smash hit album Sports. It has Local harmonies in Motown style game while watching the laser battles taken them three albums and years of are rare to find in today's market. in Star Wars. It was the Photon East hateful syntho pop music, but the Fore contains a large diversity of Limited Partnership, acting in con- News' fourth album entitled Forel music than previously released by junction with Prodigy, Inc., that (appropriately) is a well produced Huey Lewis and the News, which is a brought the game to Baltimore. According to them, Photon is "one of A wise Photon warrior shields himself from an enemy attacker who is poised album containing their best material pleasant change. to seek and destroy his foe. to date. The biggest problem with the new the hottest things since McDo- A year ago I would have cursed this Huey Lewis and the News album is nald's." band for their wimpy pop style. Their Huey Lewis. The band and writing "We've got action figures coming last album lingered around and burnt have by far reached a peak, but Lewis out, a Saturday morning cartoon corrective and they get positive rein- more, slated to open within the next my ears off with squeaky pop music. vocals are as dull as ever. With excep- based on the game, a home version of forcement for doing well," said the year. At nearly $1,000,000 a shot, However, Fore! is a step in the right tion of "Naturally," Lewis' voice is the game, and other Photon related inventory of the game in a news confidence in the game must be high. redundant. This directly results from- release. This is his way of saying that direction. merchandise. It's going to be a big Michael Whittaker, President of The News are by all means still Lewis' limited vocal range which Christmas item." said one representa- the game is fun...and addictive. tends to make one song sound like Prodigy Inc. said: "We acted quickly aimed directly towards the Top 40 tive of the Photon East Limited One (Jamma warrior (a player who to obtain and build this franchise so charts and I would not expect listeners another. (Hey Huey, try a scream or Partnership. two.) has scored over 1000 points in one Baltimore could be one of the first to start waving Pro-American flags Apparently, the game is highly game) who calls himself "R2D2," says cities in the country to experience this Overall, Huey Lewis and the News after listening to "Stuck With You." popular. he comes up at least three times a phenomenon. We firmly believe Pho- None the less, the band is tighter than are on top of what type of music is "People have come from other sta- week. Playing an average of three ton will be the largest attraction in ever. The songs are uniquely arranged marketable. Their obvious improve- games a day (each game is $3.50) that Baltimore since the opening of Har- and encompass a variety of playing ment will at least broaden the quality tes just to play the game. We even had eleven people come from Toronto to amounts to more than $30.00 a week! bor Place. styles never used before. of pop music. The sound quality is He assured me that it was well worth play," said the representative to a "The exciting thing about Photon is Fore! takes a few chances resulting excellent and is produced by none the cost, and that discount tickets small group of college reporters. that it is a game where people who in a polished color to their newly other than the band themselves, a job could be purchased for two thirds the "Video games were popular aren't physically adept can excel. It inspired music. For once the band well done, guys. Considering their price. sounds like they are feeling the music Songs like "Doing It All For My large following and past success in because they put youngsters in com- gives people the opportunity to crawl rather than popping from tune to tune Baby" and the purely vocal "Natural- combination with pop tunes like mand of a highly sophisticated system The popularity of the game here inside the workings of a video game with no enthusiasm. ly" are performed in Motor Style. "Stuck with You" and "I Know What requiring development of interactive and abroad has led to contracts for and experience the action for them- They have added horns to a few "Naturally" is an impressive acapella I Like," both of which are getting strategies and responses. They get 130 franchises around the world, selves. Once you try it you'll be tunes which adds greatly to the music. arrangement which is short and soul- airplay. immediate feedback, which is self- including one in Northwest Balti- hooked."

HELP WANTED NEED... LEGAL The Physical Plant Department is accepting ADVICE? applicationsforemployment in Come See Us... Student The Student Work Legal Aid Office Force

Duties include, but not limited to: -Moving furniture/fixtures -Special event set-ups -Off campus activity set-ups ■Assisting with University activitites as required

May require some weekends and evening work hours HOURS... Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Hourly rate: $4.00 per hour 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Apply at Physical Plant Office: Tuesday, Thursday 10 a.m. -11 a.m. 12 -4 p.m. Ms. Susan Bosley - x3218 Director's Hours... Mr. Gordon Wright - x3212 MWF12-2