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CONTACT US THEY SAIDIT THOMAS HUXLEY: “It is not Story ideas? Questions? Comments? who is right, but what is right, E-mail us at gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com that is of importance. “ ROLE-PLAYING GAMES TAKE CAMEL-OT BY STORM I ~ PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK This “Dark Age of Camelot” screenshot shows improved graphics from previous MMORPGs. The game takes place just after King Arthur’s death as anarchy spreads across the land. Internet a haven for gaming fans BY ANDY EVANS THE GAMECOCK Welcome to the world of massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs): traditional role-playing games with a huge online player base. MMORPGs are growing so successful that they’re bechming. big investments, jobs and careers, as well as high-quality ehtertainment. To play an MMORPG, you simply buy the game’s software and install it on your computer. The software will contain a way to log on to the game’s server, where you create a character and a place for yourself. You can then play with and against other people from all over the countryon the server. Most MMORPGs charge a monthly fee of about $10-$13 to play. Your characters are saved on the server, so you can always pick up where you left off. MMORPGs are hard to classify and judge; to get the full effect, you need to experience them for yourself. They usually let you choose your character within a fictional fantasy type of world. Perhaps the most interesting (or frustrating) thing about MMORPGs is that they don’t actually have endings. The games’ creators are always developing them to keep players entertained and happy, and the many character choices, races and classes create innumerable possibilities and outcomes. Every new MMORPG claims improvements, graphics and options the others don’t. Every MMORPG constantly struggles to keep its player base entertained. MMORPGs are more concentrated in the PC gaming industry. But with the introduction of new technology that will allow gaming console users to connect to the Internet, MMORPGs aren't for just computer users anymore. One major developer, Square, is developing its next “Final Fantasy” series to have MMORPG capabilities and play exclusively on PlayStation BY ANDY EVANS THE GAMECOCK “Dark Age of Camelot” is one of the newest MMORPGs on the market. The game takes place in the Arthurian Era, just after Kinp Arthnr’Q 2. With the use of broadband connections and ethemet links in the gaming oonsoles, you’ll be able to play your favorite video games with and a^inst people from across the nation and the world. Plan tn enn fVmon death. Chaos is rising across the three realms of Albion (humans), Midgard (trolls) and Hihemia (elves). Each realm has its own central problems, and other realms always pose a threat to their forts and relics. Each realm has two relics that new games hit home a lot harder in the years to come. o* r'' *■ • Because the game never ends (a defining feature of MMORPGs), “Dark Age of “DARK AGE OF CAMELOT” Mythic Entertaiment ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ Camelot” has no definite end goal. It offers a great variety of races and classes, and each realm has its own. You choose your character’s focus: power, professional excellence or world domination. Whatever your goal, it’s impossible to achieve it without cooperating with the other players on the server. You advance through the game by doing quests and killing monsters. In doing this, you gain experience, which lets you gain levels. As you gain levels, you get specialization points to put in different areas. Once you hit level 5, you’re given the chance to join a specific class guild. Starting at level 15, every time you hit a five-level increment, you’re sent on epic quests from your trainer; these quests appeal to your class and give you more reason to go kill that monster or evil person. The graphics and landscape are beautiful, and it’s easy to waste your time simply wandering around looking at everything. The environments are realistic, with snow, rain, sunrises and sunsets, but what’s really stunning is seeing spells cast.; What makes “Dark Age df Camelot” fun are the real-life players you meet. You get fb make lots of friends and hint with them. Player guilds," associations and alliances form. For a lot of players, it’s the; people in their guild who make their game experience worthwhile. The camaraderie is the game’s best part. With its almost endless replay value, this game is highly recommended. RPG picks up after Arthur’s death ♦ The Gamecock WANTS and NEEDS you this Valentine’s Day! ♦ SEND US THE STORY OF YOUR WORST VALENTINE’S DAY EXPERIENCE, AND WE WILL RUN THE MOST HORRIFYING ON WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13. Stories must be 100-200 words typed with name, phone number and e-mail address, and are due by Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. They can be e-mailed to gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com or dropped off at RH 333. The Deadlines 5. “BLOODSPORT" Sneaker Pimps 6. “PERMANENT STRANGER” EP Masters of the Hemisphere 7. “PLAYING WITH MY FRIENDS...” _ Tony Bennett 8. “THE ANNIVERSARY AND SUPERDRAG” The Anniversary and Superdrag 9. “SONGS FOR THE FRONT ROW..." J)cean Clour Scene 10. “ONE AMAZING KID” One Amazing Kid WUSC Top Ten Albums FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 21-28 1. “I’M WAKING UP TO US” Belle and Sebastian 2. “MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE ‘OCEAN'S ELEVEN’" Various Artists 3. “SONGS IN THE KEY OF YOU” Huntingtons 4. “FASHION OVER FUNCTION” CD REVIEW Hank III doesn’tfill country boots “LOVESICK, BROKE AND DRIFTIN’” Hank Williams III out of ☆☆☆☆☆ BY WILLIAM MILLS ■THE HAMBCOCK A picture in the booklet of Hank Williams Ill’s new album, “Lovesick, Broke and Driftin',” accurately defines his musical style. He’s entering a club wearing a cowboy hat (a tribute to his country heritage) and a Misfits shirt (a symbol of his punk-rock tendencies). His newest release, however, is filled to the brim with country tracks, keeping the tradition of good ol’ country twang that the name Hank Williams is known for. His father and grandfather left some pretty big shoes to fill, and it seems young Hank has turned more toward his grandfather's style on “Lovesick, Broke and Driftin'.” ' On this album, Hank III uses a blend of upbeat and slower songs. He occasionally even breaks into a yodel on “One Horse Town” that makes your head turn. When he isn’t yodeling, his lyrics comprise mainly generic country music subjects such as a wife who left, his dog dying or a lonesome cowboy. The third track on the album, “Cecil Brown,” has a Wild West twinge and sounds as if it should have been on the soundtrack for “Young Guns.” Other songs, such as “Lovin' and Huggin’,” will probably be played frequently in country line-dancing clubs. This upbeat, harmonica-driven song makes you want to grab your belt buckle and give a “yee-haw.” Hank III uses a variety of instruments besides the harmonica to persuade listeners that he’s as much of a cowboy as his grandpa was. A stand up bass, steel guitar, fiddle and mandolin are just a few of the instruments he uses to create his old fashioned country sound. Among the 13 artists who play on the album is Klayton Roberts, whose biography can be found inside the album booklet. Roberts plays the stand-up steel guitar on the album, and has played with country music legends such as Dolly Parton and Randy Travis. ■ Famous country musicians, family or otherwise, have clearly had a lasting effect on this rock-‘n’-roll cowboy. This album’s music, however, seems a little forced. Hank III tries too hard to be country and ends up with somewhat superficial songs. The twang in his voice and the shallow lyrics make the entire album seem fake. Maybe this is because he sounds like a completely different person without his hard-rock voice. This contrast becomes as clear as night and day at one of his concerts, where he often plays a country music set and then a punk-rock one. Once he fixes on one musical style, he will still grow as a musician. But he definitely won’t be as interesting. CD REVIEW ‘Six Degrees’pays homage to fans - ^ j “SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE” Dream Theater ★ ★*outof#tfr**<r BY MIKE LUKE THE GAMECOCK Just by looking at the length of the songs on Dream Theater’s new double album, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence,” you get the feeling they don’t really care what I or any other journalist has to say about the album; it’s all about the fans, and progressive bands such as Dream Theater have always relied on their fan base rather than reviews and videos. This is Dream Theater’s newest studio release since 1999’s “Scenes from a Memory.” Off the top of your head, what’s the longest song you can think of? Classic rock fans might think of Yes’ “The Gates of Delirium,” Pink Floyd’s “Echoes,” The Allman Brothers’ “Mountain Jam” or Rush’s “2112.” The first thing that will grab your attention about this album is the 42 minute title track, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence,” which is the only song on Disc 2. The song comprises eight parts and tells the story of a girl’s descent into insanity. Part four, “The Test That Stumped Them All,” is arguably the album’s best music. The song, in its entirety, is strangely more entertaining than some of the 13-minute songs on Disc 1. Though the structure of the vocal melodies isn’t as strong or catchy as it was on previous albums, the lyrical content makes up for it. As far as understanding the lyrics, you’re on your own. But for those of you who like your brain to hurt when you listen to music, Dream Theater should still be your band of choice. “The Great Debate” is a song about stem-cell research, of which the band obviously takes a negative view. The song’s haunting introduction is laced with news clips about the research. This album, which is much darker than any of the band’s albums to date, finds .Tamps T.aRrip sinpineless and erowlinp more, a style that is quite possibly more appropriate for Dream Theater’s music. The three-part, 14-minute “The Glass Prison” is a great representation of Dream Theater’s essence: progressive rock that never stays in one groove long enough to bore you, with unfathomable guitar from John Petrucci and intricate, thunderous drumming from Mike Portnoy. The album’s other songs, “Blind Faith,” “Misunderstood” and “Disappear,” are much the same, but the backward tracking and production on some of the songs make me wonder how easily this album will be reproduced live. Overall, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” isn’t as strong an album as “Scenes From a Memory,” but it remains much better than all the other albums in the Dream Theater catalog. Plus, the point the band has reached in its career «is one in which creative inspiration doesn’t have to battle corporate demand^ for a marketable album.