Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 7, 1995, Winnipeg, Manitoba Vancouver atom 26 s Victoria Toronto from 1 98 pm it Ait Mem new Art pm Var Tara Tow Mil 9822800 Winnipeg free press entertainment Section Morley Walker 6977307 b1 january addictive Deal new role playing card games test imagination by Treena Khan staff reporter they Call it crack for and in the science lounge of the University of a dozen students Are huddled around a playing with it costs Money for a starter to for a Booster but nobody gets Hurt and nobody its just a card its called magic the gather and since it hit stores in August its become the biggest role playing game since dungeons and dragons in the local game dealers in a Day and age where it seems More children know Don key Kong than and imagination seems Only a luxury for those too Young to know bet role playing and storytelling games have a Small but dedicated following of teenagers and like the Vampire characters of the game Vampire the Masquer the so called gamers live among somehow finding hours upon hours every week to step into their characters and flex their metaphysical if i had to id put the numbers in the says Dallas a sales clerk at a Dufferin game room store and a member of no less than five Dif Ferent gaming role playing games gained notoriety in the 1970s and 80s after several reports in the Media where violent crimes and suicides were linked to Church groups also criticized the games because of their use of gods and sorcery in their i have several friends whose parents told them not to says Brian but some of them gave their parents several such As i could go out to the bar or i could be out stealing is a computer science student by he becomes a wizard in magic the gathering at least once a in at least a dozen Stu dents in the u of is science department can be found in the lounge playing magic every he a social thing and the Campus gaming Challenge corps of which John son is the Secretary More than doubled its membership from 70 two years ago to 150 last year students play magic in a of science magic is the biggest role playing game since dungeons and dragons after the game came people like it because the rules Are explains John it really is a social and its great stress magic is a trading card the with colourful and detailed depict types of creatures and different Levels of spell casting the name of the usually played by two is to Cut Down the opponent wizards 20 life Points to 0 by casting As with All role playing part of magics Appeal is the fan Tasy of being someone with Spe Cial Johnson but the game is faster paced than its pre a game can be played in 15 minutes to two hours while a dungeons and dragons game can last and equally exciting to gamers is the trading Market magic has wizard puts out new card packs with the rarest cards fetching up to us on the trading John son Johnson sold his cards on the internet when he moved onto the More challenging jihad card game this fetching Between and for his invest he a Portage Avenue Hobby also carries framed artwork from the and in a novel based on the game hit the game has already spawned copycat trading card including a Star trek card Mccutcheon Bradley Erika play it Tot All those who play i games such As magic Are computer science Johnson he Points out that he has never worn a pocket protector in his the simplicity of the game attracts gamers from seven to says Pendragon Bruce magic also appeals to women More than other role playing which come with complicated rules and foreign terminal he the game is bringing girls into says it gives girls something to do with their boyfriends and not feel Larissa a University of Winnipeg geography has never Felt stupid when it comes to role playing Shes been gaming since she was and while she likes she says it has its it lacks theres no interaction Between she its a Point of Pride making the live action in role playing games As robust As pos addict although she admits to being a computer she says the games Appeal most to creative such As writers and you have to use your imagine its like theatre you have to create worlds and a Bunch of accountants in d d just she another game attracting women is Vampire the Masquer which first came out in 1992 from the White Wolf in one of the Mccutcheons gaming about half of the 10 members Are its a romantic says Wayne Glowacki Winnipeg free press the groups game Bil it int All about killing your not entirely the games premise is that there Are vampires who live among with their own clans and political each player assumes a charac Ter or and with a game master verbally providing the social and physical Environ the characters each fighting for its own Jester As in other gaming Vampire players each have Char Acter sheets with her or his characters weaknesses and with those guide they determine How their characters will Mccutcheons Jester character is a Malkasian who wears bodysuits and because she cannot express her after feeding on a blood doll a human being who allows himself to be fed upon he informs her that her Ivan has just been what will she do once a Mccutcheon and her gaming group meet and play out the sometimes until 2 or 3 in Mccutcheon is in two but it is just a she and the line Between fantasy and reality is Clear for everyone so do they believe vampires really exist or not its Mccutcheon but its More comforting to think they fans flock and Rock to 60th Bash for Elvis Lyk Baraniuk performing in his Elvis by John Lyons music reporter organizers of a party to Mark Elvis Presley 60th birthday this weekend Learned one thing at last years birthday dont be cruel to a fan that we thought we would have a few 20 or 45 people were on the stairs before we opened up the they were not talking about their favorite Elvis but about How Many times they had been to organizer Robert Slade says of last years first local Elvis birthday organizers had planned several Tongue Incheck events last year including a seance but cancelled them at the last minute because they decided it would offend the devoted fans in the we determined the mood of the crowd would not be receptive to people would find it Sarile Slade this the birthday party will again be held at venue upstairs at Mother tuckers on Don Ald the party is tonight at 8 and tickets Are at the Elvis would have turned 60 on that Elvis Faith Ful can head to the West end cultural Centre at 1 that when the Elvis cover band Lyle e style and the Memphis deliverance takes the stage for three sets spanning the Young the 1966 and the Las vegas tickets to tomorrows West end show Are Lyle the 23yearold Elvis Impersonator who fronts the won an Impersonator contest last year at Slades All Mem Bers of his six piece band Are in their and All Are Elvis everyone in the band has Elvis but i think in the Only one to have been to Baraniuk lifelong fan though Only a child when Elvis died in Baraniuk says he has been a lifelong the reason i took up guitar is because of he was like the coolest Man he could die and his music lives his you could never get sick of Baraniuk and rhythm guitarist Curtis Beyak met nine years ago when both attended a residential instead of being we became Elvis Baraniuk while they Are both hosting Elvis birthday is As differ ent from Baraniuk As Young Elvis is from Las vegas Slade Doest even own an Elvis i Call myself a big but i certainly appreciate the Impact the Man had on the music Slade Slades event tonight will feature an Elvis As Well As performances by impersonators of Elvis last 100 people showed up for the if More show up this the event will spill Over into the Macaroni downstairs from venue for a two Storey Elvis Baraniuk says its difficult to explain the reasons for Elvis time less you have to go to Graceland for something like its almost a religious its unbelief you can say Elvis in any part of the world and people know who he Baraniuk talk of a religious experience and Slades talk of Sacri lege not Early this year a British to documentary likened Elvis devoted fans to religious a the two Kings Light heatedly likened Elvis to at any Elvis remains a hugely common Media figure 18 years after his death in last Elvis lives stories remained popular tabloid while main Stream press informed readers of the fact that Ripley believe it or not purchased Elvis underwear for fans at Graceland were interviewed for their opinions on the marriage of Elvis and Michael a s questions into his a death received abundant Al a attention a Tennessee review resolved in september that the Coroner investigating Elvis death didst lie when he said Elvis died of heart the late has kept on putting out albums at a prodigious a two cd amazing Grace his greatest sacred performances was released before while heart and soul classic love songs Ria is due out later this that in addition to its now or never the tribute to Elvis Mer which was released before Christmas and featured performances from such diverse artists As Dwight Bryan Adams and Tony Elvis remains popular among record says Blair manager of the Portage Avenue Musi plex ;