PSU/PORTLAND NEWS: Mayor Adams and PSU President Wiewel to officially open Cycle Track downtown today, 2-3 p.m.

The official opening of a Cycle Track on SW Broadway marks a new phase in Portland's development as a world-class bicycling city and reaffirms Portland State's commitment to sustainability. A Cycle Track protects bike riders from downtown traffic by placing them in a buffered bike lane between the curb and on-street parking. This event will be celebrated with a press conference for the demonstration project.

Opening remarks will be given by Portland Mayor Sam Adams followed by Portland State President Wim Wiewel. Also in attendance will be Scott Bricker, executive director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

When:
Today, Monday, August 31, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where:
Portland State University between Neuberger Hall and Smith Memorial Student Union

Scott Gallagher
Office of University Communications
503-725-8789
503-957-7545

Football practice: parting shots

This post was written by Vanguard writer Allison Whited.

I have enjoyed my time at practice the past three weeks immensely. I watch so much professional football that it's easy to forget how important raw talent is and how some play the game just to play the game. I have been reminded how camaraderie can exist between two people striving for the same thing and how much we can learn from those teaching us if only we listen.

I'm very shy, so it takes a lot for me to get comfortable enough to talk to someone, but I would like to say that every time I have had contact with someone associated with PSU Athletics, it has been a very positive experience. I even met the athletic director one day and he was so genial that I instantly felt comfortable. I just want to say thank you to those few people I worked up the nerve to talk to between the beginning of spring ball and now. I have utmost respect for the coaching and training staff, the players themselves who work so hard and the folks who work in the athletics department.

Now just a few parting thoughts on what I've noticed in practice the past three weeks:
I love the secondary. The starters seem set to be Tracy Ford and DeShawn Shead at cornerback and Cody Worthen and Jordan Brown at safety. They are good, intelligent athletes and they create a stifling backfield for anyone under the gun. Even the players behind them in depth chart, guys like Mshaka Mitchell and Michael Williams and Denzel Davis, have shown plenty of skill, speed and intelligence. I like the way secondary coach Brandon Shelby coaches. He doesn't appear to be anyone's friend, but he's a great mentor. I really think this group will anchor the defense.

I think the quarterback position is solid in Drew Hubel's hands. His height is a great advantage over everyone else on the depth chart at that position. On some plays, and this happens more and more frequently, he has great—which is a word I try not to use frequently—touch on the ball. He puts it where it should be, softly, without letting it float dangerously. He will be called on a lot this year, but he seems confident enough to handle it. I also think Connor Kavanaugh is a good backup. He gives the offense an extra dimension with his scrambling ability and he seems to be settling into his internal game clock.

The freshman fullbacks have been such a pleasant surprise. We will have to wait for the season to begin to get a taste of offensive coordinator Jim Craft's play calling, but with backs like these as well as incumbent backs like Bobby McClintock and Nick Kalpin, it can't hurt to throw some more runs into the mix. Evans Okotcha and Ben Bowen have lit it up at times. The speed on both of them is great and they are good in pass protection. They are going to prove to be good investments in the future.

The linebacker group is solid. With senior linebackers Erik Pedersen and Ryan Pedersen returning as starters, it's a unit that gets things done. They have each spent at last a year under Glanville and know where they are supposed to be and what they need to do. There are rarely mental lapses and they really are too much fun to watch.

I still think the receiving corps needs another leader besides Aaron Woods. Woods is great to watch at practice. He is so aggressive and finds a way to the ball. I have the feeling he's going to get quite a bit of coverage this season and someone will need to show up to draw heat off of him. From all that I've seen at practice, I think Lavonte Kirven is the most likely. He has good hands and good field awareness.

The offensive and defensive lines have improved so much over just the past three weeks. It's difficult to tell what everyone playing those key positions is doing on every play and I know that I did not give those guys as much credit as they deserve. They work together well and the offensive line has gotten stiffer while the defensive line has gotten more punishing.

My final thought is one of thanks. I'm thankful I got to spend time watching such a talented group of athletes. I'm thankful no one trashed me for any negative comment I may have made. And I'm most thankful that anyone even read my drivel. I have to admit that I thought I was only writing for myself, but as time has worn on I have realized that more people read it than just me. Someone actually warned me that other teams could read this junk to scout out the team (do people really do that?). All I wanted to do was show my commitment to covering the team and give people an idea of what the team was doing. I hope that at the lowest level I have achieved that.
 

PORTLAND/PSU NEWS: Ice cream for bike lane builders

The Bicycle Business League is an association of Portland businesses that are organizing to promote bicycling and livable streets as an integral component to healthy business and commerce. Www.bicyclebusinessleague.com.

We are kicking off our new program titled, "Ice Cream for Bike Lane Builders!"

The Bicycle Business League just received approval yesterday from PBOT's paving crew to deliver free ice cream treats to the crew on SW Broadway tomorrow at 1 p.m. Icicle Tricycles, a member of the BBL, will be donating free ice cream treats to show appreciation to the PBOT crew creating the new cycle facilities.

Please feel free to join us and witness our appreciation to these great workers who are improving Portland's safety.

The SW Broadway cycle track will improve cycling safety through PSU's campus with an innovative design.

The BBL and Icicle Tricycles feel that showing appreciation to these hard working crews is necessary to continue the cycle of support for transportation facilities that are safe for all users.

Ryan Hashagen
Portland Pedalworks
www.icetrikes.com
360-510-1818
portlandpedals@gmail.com

PORTLAND/PSU NEWS: MAX changes

Beginning Sunday, August 30, MAX Yellow Line trains in downtown Portland will move to the new tracks on 5th and 6th avenues along the Portland Transit Mall. Also on Sunday, MAX Green Line trains will begin two weeks of test runs on the Mall and along I-205 before opening for service on Saturday, Sept. 12.

MAX service changes effective August 30

• Yellow Line trains will operate on 5th and 6th avenues in downtown Portland between Union Station and PSU. The Yellow Line will no longer operate on SW 1st Avenue, Morrison or Yamhill. Outside downtown, the Yellow Line will continue to operate north to the Expo Center.
• Schedules on all of the MAX Blue, Red and Yellow lines will be adjusted, with less frequent service in the early morning and late evening to offset a $31 million budget shortfall due to the continued recession.
• Green Line trains will begin two weeks of simulated revenue service, running every 15-30 minutes on its planned schedule between Portland State and Clackamas Town Center, but will not pick up riders during this testing phase.

For complete TriMet schedules and trip planning, or to receive service updates by email, visit trimet.org or call 503-238-RIDE (7433) weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.



Green Line

In addition to Green Line trains operating in simulated service on the Portland Mall and along I-205, operators will be testing schedules, coordination with buses and other MAX lines, signals and other systems. Construction work is wrapping up that includes final bus and MAX station elements being installed.

Mall safety patrols

With MAX trains operating on the Portland Mall starting August 30, TriMet is stepping up safety patrols to educate motorists and bicyclists about the dedicated transit and travel lanes on 5th and 6th avenues. On Monday, August 31, officers will increase patrols on the Mall, focusing on the area between Burnside and Jefferson. Violators disobeying a traffic control device will be subject to appropriate enforcement actions including citations.

Opening Day Sept. 12

The Green Line opens Saturday, September 12, with opening ceremonies in the morning at Clackamas Town Center TC and PSU Urban Center as well as celebrations at stops along the alignment, including Pioneer Courthouse Square and Clackamas Town Center. Free rides on the Green Line begin at 11:30 a.m. and continue through the end of service.

About the project

MAX Green Line, TriMet’s fifth MAX line, will add 8.3-miles of light rail between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center, and to 5th and 6th avenues in downtown Portland between Union Station and PSU. It is the first light rail extension into Clackamas County. It will serve the heart of downtown Portland and the busiest transit destination in the TriMet system—PSU. It will also help revitalize the Mall and poise the region for future rail extensions.

TriMet News

Contact: Mary Fetsch

503-962-6403

PORTLAND NEWS: Fourth Annual Portland Brain Tumor Walk, Sept. 12

Fourth Annual Portland Brain Tumor Walk Raises Critical Funds for Brain Tumor Research

Who: National Brain Tumor Society
East Coast Office: 124 Watertown Street, Suite 2D, Watertown, MA 02472

What: Fourth Annual Portland Brain Tumor Walk

When: Saturday, Sept. 12
Registration: 8-9 a.m.
Program and activities: 9 a.m. to noon.

Where: Willamette Park
6599 SW Beaver Ave., Portland, OR 97239 (on Nebraska off SW Macadam)

Fees: Free for ages 5 and under; $15 for ages 6-17; $35 for adults and on the day of the event. The registration fee includes an event t-shirt, food and beverages and full access to all event activities.

Register online at www.PortlandWalk.org or call toll-free at 1-866-455-3214.

Description: An inspirational fundraising walk and community day to support vital brain tumor research and patient services at the National Brain Tumor Society. All ages welcome. Form a team of family, friends, or co-workers and help make a difference in the fight against brain tumors! Optional 5K walk (wheelchair & stroller accessible) with food, music, prizes and more.

Why: Brain tumors have no boundaries; they affect individuals of all ages, ethnicities and health histories. Over 500 Americans are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor every day. That’s more than 190,000 people per year. Brain tumor research is under-funded, and greater public awareness of the problem is needed. Brain tumors are a leading cause of solid tumor cancer deaths in children and young adults. Brain tumors cannot be prevented because their causes are unknown.

Local: Hundreds of families in the Portland area have been affected by brain tumors. As patients, survivors or caregivers, these local residents comprise a community with a compelling story of survival and hope. Contact us to reach local spokespersons for overviews of their stories.

PSU/OREGON NEWS: September Oregon Archaeological Society Lecture

Dr. Cameron Smith is the featured lecturer at the September 1 Oregon Archaeological Society meeting. He will address the “Evolution of the Mind: An Overview of the Fascinating New Field of 'Cognitive Archaeology.’” How the physical brain evolved has been known for 150 years, but it has only been recently that archaeologists and psychologists are learning how the mind (what the brain does!) evolved. This presentation discusses how cognitive archaeology is different from 'evolutionary psychology', and what new discoveries have been made.



Smith, a prehistorian at Portland State University, has studied in England, Canada and the United States. His archaeological fieldwork extends from investigating the earliest hominids of Africa to underwater archaeology in coastal Ecuador. His publications include many scientific works, writing for magazines such as Scientific American MIND, and the book "The Top Ten Myths About Evolution", recently endorsed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The presentation is at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) at 7:45 p.m., and is free and open to the public. The talk is preceded at 7 p.m. by a general business meeting, which is also open to the public.

For more information:

www.oregonarchaeological.org

503-727-3507

Cameron M. Smith, PhD

Department of Anthropology

Portland State University

Portland, OR 97210

www.anthropology.pdx.edu

www.cameronmsmith.com

Football practice, Thursday, August 27

by Vanguard writer Allison Whited

I found time to attend both morning and afternoon practice yesterday, so there's quite a bit to report. The basic setup for practice was what it has been all week. In the afternoon though, the first offense took on the first defense which provided a better way to gauge the progress made this week.

Lavonte Kirven has been more of a presence in practice this week than he has been previously. He has good hands and runs a clean route. He seems in synch with Hubel and Kavanaugh and this led to some very nice catches.

The defense looked solid today. They were getting good penetration and the pass rush was steady and thrilling. Linebacker Ryan Pedersen got a hand on a couple of balls and even garnered an interception.

Defensive end Dereck Jester stood out today in a couple of ways. On one play, he rushed the offensive line and broke through with little trouble and on drills looked like he had a good combination of strength and speed. He is one of the smallest guys on the defensive line at 240 pounds but he plays heavier than that.

The offensive linemen took turns taking each other on this morning, and it is without a doubt one of the most fun and most informative drills that can be watched. They go one-on-one until one of them puts the other on the ground. The team gets into watching it and there are a lot of cheers. And for the loser of the match, there are a few up downs.

One particularly interesting matchup was between centers Tyler Staley and Jackson Dallas, who outweighs Staley by 30 pounds. Staley is a veteran of Glanville's team, though, and Dallas is a first year transfer student. This gap in experience allowed Staley to get one over on the bigger man. Dustin Waldron also had a good looking match up against Cole Giandomenico which he won.

In the heat of afternoon practice, everyone seemed a little more irritable. There was a bit of admonishment coming from coaches Glanville and Shelby. Cornerback DeShawn Shead got in some hot water for making too hard of a stop and cornerback Matt Ford was strongly chided for not staying with receiver Ricky Cookman and allowing a touchdown.

On red zone drills from about ten yards out, the secondary was everywhere. The quarterbacks had to run with more than a few balls because none of the receivers could shake his defender. When they switched to the long field, safety Cody Worthen had two of the best plays I've seen him make. On two back-to-back plays, he broke up passes from Hubel and one of them was even to receiver Aaron Woods, who is difficult to cover.

Kavanaugh further proved he is adjusting to the speed of the coach Craft's game today by throwing two consecutive bombs up the middle of the field to Woods.

One thing that stands out in comparison to the first week of practice is the decrease in mental mistakes, the biggest of which being off sides/false start penalties. There were more than a few during the first couple of weeks, and the linemen could often be heard grumbling about their mistakes on the sidelines, but that no longer seems to be much of an issue. This speaks to the discipline and commitment that the team has been working so hard.

 

Football practice, Wednesday, August 26

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Football practice followed the same structure that it has all week with the first team taking on the opposing second team, yet there has been a shift in the routine from last week. It seemed like last week the focus was really on fundamentals, but this week the focus is clearly on what to do after the snap. It really seems to be making a difference. With so many freshmen on the team, it might be impossible to give them enough looks across the line of scrimmage before the season opens.

Receiver Lavonte Kirven was on his game today and ran two beautiful routes up the defense's left side with a reception each time. He has a good sense of timing and looks for the ball at the right moment. Receiver Ray Fry dropped two balls that had his name all over them. He can be good when he's on, but for the moment, he doesn't seem consistent enough to be counted on.

Defensive lineman Siasu Matagiese got a piece of two balls today. One pass he simply reached up and hit, breaking it up beyond repair. On yet another pass that was low, he caught the ball that the quarterback threw. He is keenly aware of where the ball is after the snap, a skill that makes it difficult to believe that this will be his first year playing at the collegiate level. He is coming from Hawai'i with several accolades and he could become an important part of the line.

The punt/kick return drills today were more involved with more players taking part in them. Linebacker Jaycob Shoemaker was in on them as he was yesterday. On one return, he got to the receiver very quickly and the receiver let the catch go right through his hands and knees. Shoemaker covered it up and if it had been a real game, it would have given his team possession with great field position. It's this quickness and ability to react that would make him a key part of the return team.

Football practice, Tuesday, August 25

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

This morning, in the rain, the first offense and the second defense carried out 11-on-11 drills again and vice versa, just like yesterday.

The first offense is getting better at creating running lanes. Bobby McClintock had plenty of room to run and he had quite a few productive carries. Evans Okotcha and Nick Kalpin, who, in his second year, should see more playing time than Okotcha and fellow fullback and freshman Ben Bowen, both had space to make things happen.

Receiver Ray Fry looked good today, so it can be assumed that a nagging hamstring injury is no longer bothering him. Drew Hubel threw some balls his way and he had a catch for around 20 yards. He also caught a beautifully thrown pass from third string quarterback Nick Green.

Quarterback Connor Kavanaugh showed some progress in his game play patience today. Even under pressure, his internal game clock seemed to slow down and he patiently waited until he found an open receiver in Kalua Noa. Generally in a situation such as this, he scrambles and it was heartening to see him sit in the pocket and wait it out.

Freshmen defensive linemen David Gertson and Dereck Jester played the run fairly well. They pulled together for a great stuff of Kalpin.

Against the first offense, receiver Nevin Lewis had some good catches and even better yards after the catch. He repeatedly burned the defense's right side. Receiver Justin Monahan managed to find a rare hole in the middle of the field and made a great play on the ball.

It seems that there are two players guaranteed to do some blocking down field on kick and punt returns. Linebackers Jaycob Shoemaker and Colton Russi were the two constants during today's special teams drills. They seem to compliment each other well. Shoemaker seems a little quicker all around, but Russi seems to have the big hit capacity. Linebacker Kevin Takeno and fullback Kalpin alternated rounding out the group of three working this particular drill.

I try to keep my opinion out of these accounts, but there is something I have to get off my chest. I really, REALLY want to see a receiver, besides the very talented Aaron Woods, step up and tell Hubel he's the guy. The receivers all work hard at practice and most of them have decent hands and speed, but overall, besides Woods, they lack aggressiveness. I want to see them fight for the ball and push just a little harder to get everything they can out their catches. The offense will greatly benefit should anyone decide to make it happen.

Football practice, Monday, August 24

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

The cold temperature this morning really brought it home that football season begins in just 12 days. On cold, cloudy mornings like this one, it's hard to believe there is another place as beautiful to watch football practice as Stott Field.

The first offense took on the second defense and vice versa in this morning's 11-on-11 drills. The first defense and certain members of the second defense are making progress. They move together and help each other out when it's needed. The offense still appears to be a little patchwork at times, but, in all honesty, there is marked improvement from both spring ball and just two weeks ago when practice began.

Currently, safeties Cody Worthen and Jordan Brown are deemed to be the starters and it looks like a good combination. They seem to have very different styles of play. Brown is on the move quickly after the snap whereas Worthen employs more of a wait-and-see strategy. Brown is a constant presence in the ball's vicinity, but Worthen sticks with whomever he's covering.

Both seem to be holding back a bit at practice, which doesn't seem like a bad thing given the smattering of injured players on the sidelines. I have heard Worthen described as the "future of the defense" and Brown as a "team leader"—these two working together for the first time should be an anchor point for the defense.

Also on the defensive side of things, cornerback Denzel Davis did a good job of staying on his receiver, particularly on a pass to Nevin Lewis. Linebacker Ryan Rau also did a good job impeding receivers and had a strong stop on receiver Justin Monahan.

Punter Thomas Duyndam and his presumed back up Zach Brown had good practices. It's difficult to tell how strong their feet are as they only kick for a few moments and from a specific, constant range, but they both looked to have good control of the ball with decent hang time. Duyndam for the most part averaged about six seconds of hang time over a distance of 30-40 yards. He kicks the ball fairly high and seems to be able to put it where he wants it.

Drew Hubel threw a beautiful pass to Lavonte Kirven. On a long field, Hubel's pass was textbook. He put it out in front of the receiver, where only Kirven could get it. It was perfectly placed between the numbers and it came down soft, but didn't for a moment float dangerously. Perfection.

There are still errors made and there is no mistaking that this is a young team, but there have been some good practices recently that left little that was negative to report.

Football practice, Friday, August 21

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

There seemed to be heavy emphasis on the running game Friday morning, both from the offensive side and the defensive side. Early on, the offensive line repeatedly set about creating running lanes after the snap. The offense overall is pass happy and through other practices, the running game hasn't looked threatening.

That is beginning to change a bit though. There are a couple of freshman backs that will compliment returning starter Bobby McClintock very well. Evans Okotcha and Ben Bowen show good field awareness and an ability to make small cuts to gain a few extra yards on each play. They are also fairly adroit when called on to block for the quarterback.

There were two defensive plays that have to be mentioned. Ryan Pedersen is an intelligent linebacker and plays as much with his brain as he does his body. On one snap, the coach handling the ball as the quarterback created some misdirection that looked as if it fooled the entire defense, and, while everyone on his side of the ball went one way, Pedersen went the other and made a beeline to the "quarterback".

Another impressive play was made by linebacker Erik Pedersen. In an 11-on-11 drill where the run was being pushed, Pedersen patiently waited for a hole to open, which the defense created in just a couple of seconds, and drove straight to the running back with the ball. It was a strong defensive play and it showed the entire defense’s ability to follow through.

On the special teams’ side of things, the Vikes look good. There are two competing kickers, Robert Truax and Wade Penner. Both have a pretty good foot and both are usually on target. It seems like they take turns every day looking like the better option. On the whole, they both look good and give depth at a position that can make or break a game. The long snapper is Braedyn Eagle and he is consistently on target with his snaps. He is fairly imposing and should hold up well under pressure.

review: Battlestations: Pacific

Battlestations: Pacific is a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, the game has an interesting take on both the usual generic limitations of WWII as well as a unique approach to fairly limited offerings of available console strategy games. You can decal the nose of your favorite fighter with swell period pin-up girls for use in online dogfights. Taking command of a massively powerful battleship like the South Dakota class (armed with a full battery of 16” guns) feels undeniably bad ass.

On the other hand, the grainy, real-life film footage shown before each mission begins is, sadly, a little misleading. Pacific’s tactical-yet-arcadey combat may reach the tracer-saturated fever pitch depicted on the back of the box from time to time, but seemingly just as often the chaos of the Pacific theater’s large-scale naval, air and infantry battles (the last of which isn’t playable here) seem strangely muted.

Dive-bombing is often a key component to a successful aerial assault.
The game throws numerous scenarios at you in which you control, say, one or two cruisers or a destroyers, but rarely allows you access to the entire naval armada, instead seeing fit to dole out command of ships one to three at a time (and even then only as replacements for any vessels you may have lost). Carriers, which act as RTS-style bases, can produce fighter planes to help you maintain the offensive or defensive upper hand, but only allot one four-plane squadron each. The result is a campaign of island hopping support that, while enjoyably strategic, isn’t necessarily spread evenly and can feel somewhat sparse at times.

What’s baffling about Pacific is that despite a serious graphical overhaul and boost in available units, in some ways it’s a step backward from its predecessor, Battlestations: Midway. Covering the earlier part of the war in the pacific (including the battles of the Solomon Islands—where there’s some over lap with Pacific—and, clearly, Midway itself) Midway used a full blown narrative and the ability to choose which tactical maneuvers to utilize in order to crush the Japanese resistance.

Torpedoes can be tricky to use, but devastating to the enemy.
Aside from offering virtually no story aside from a spotty approximation of historical events (brought to tepid life by a cast of either bored or far too overzealous voice actors) Pacific has a penchant for tactically shoehorning you into using certain air or seacraft to accomplish various tasks (though it should be noted that additional units can be unlocked as you progress). The trade-off is that Pacific has a little over twice as much gameplay as Midway, complete with a full, alternate history Japanese campaign; beating both campaigns and unlocking everything will be more than enough to keep some of you coming back to this one.

Thankfully, despite a bit less tactical wiggle-room, Pacific’s arcade combat is still fun. Though controls and tutorials for the game’s dual sea and air fleets may seem a little daunting at first (the game even uses the two letter call signs actually used during the war to identify different types of air and sea craft), they’re streamlined so that even novice tacticians can enjoy the game. Letting off a volley of AA or dual-purpose guns is as easy as firing a gun in an FPS, and the intuitive targeting and formation systems can make even the most overwhelming battles manageable. Although you technically control units one a time, the game (mostly) lets you simultaneously carry out naval and air-based actions, issuing different commands while you control your preferred unit. This gives Pacific gives the overall feeling of a more hands-on RTS, which is pretty swell indeed.

Learn to love the tactical map; it'll save your ass on more than one occasion.
Pacific also has its fair share of moments that are a tremendous rush. Laying waste to an entire fleet of Japanese warships in minutes with a bombardment of long-range guns (not to mention actually watching the explosion of twisted metal from a damaged hull or magazine) never gets old, and dodging through an intense hail of AA fire to successfully deliver a torpedo or bomb payload is exhilarating. In short, these are the moments that will make you want to keep playing. The sheer number of different units is a great touch too, although in order to really use them effectively you’ll likely have to take some prep time to familiarize yourself with the catalog.

At the end of the day, Pacific earns its wings as a more than competent strategy-action hybrid. There are times when it may feel a little too straightforward and, let’s be honest, the story and presentation generally come off as worse than a History channel re-enactment. Despite some setbacks, if Eidos Hungary can learn from their mistakes I have faith they can really put out the complete package with their next Battlestations effort. Give it a shot if you’re in the mood for a different kind of war game. At the very least, it beats the hell out of yet another tired period shooter.

Battlestations: Pacific
Eidos
Xbox 360
$59.99
3.5 out 5 stars

review: Bit.Trip Core

Let’s face it: outside of clans, forums and fan communities, significant cultural memes sprung from the collective consciousness of gamers generally aren’t things you hear about every day. “Popular” modes of expression are usually limited to pop-culture commercialism, and even original projects (like, say, fan-made sequels to popular games) are often subject to intense cease-and-desist litigation.

On the other hand, I would argue that chiptunes don’t follow general modes of gamer expression. Using hacked Game Boys, Nintendo’s and the like, chiptune artists combine “chip” sounds, utilizing archaic hardware to compose electronic bleep-bloop melodies that hearken back to gaming’s infancy, creating a sound that is uniquely retro and modern at the same time.

Having stated this, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I learned that chiptunes play a central role in Bit.Trip Core. As the second of four Bit.Trip titles to hit WiiWare from Gaijin Games, Core (much like its B.T predecessor, Beat) revels in its hybridization of old and new.

Ostensibly, the game looks and feels like a cross between a multi-directional shooter and DDR, with a serious aesthetic fetish for all things Atari. Looking at it in terms of arcade history, it’s a natural progression from Beat, which basically reconstituted Pong, juiced it up and added a really crazy difficulty curve (as well as trippy chiptunes and visuals) for a unique retro-modern arcade feel.


Welcome to your Bit.Trip.

Continuing on the idea of gaming progress, Core then fully embraces the conceptual lineage of arcade shooters, mimicking tube shooters like Tempest, only on a 2D plane. The screen is marked with what amounts to a diamond targeting reticle—from the center of the reticle you can aim bars of light up, down, left and right. Your objective is to shoot the various dots, lines, arrows and boxes that fly across the screen when they intersect the path of your light beams. The more hits you get in row, the higher your combo chain and score.

Aside from its shooter-esque mechanics, Core also functions as a rhythm game—a notion
directly linked to its evolutionary ideology. Each successful shot produces an in-key tone, which accompanies the background beat or baseline of the level. As your combo chain grows higher, the music you create evolves from flat, static chipped sounds to full-bodied notes that compliment each track’s (and level’s) musical growth.

Screw up, though, and you’ll fall back down to “nether” status (the game measures your hit rate on four point-based tiers)—a stark, black and white (and one would assume, tongue-in-cheek) representation of the game featuring only the metronomic skeleton of the level’s track. On the flip side, should you actually reach “super,” (the highest) you can flex your musicality muscles by improving notes in the background to go along with the beat. Each note while in this mode nets you 1000 points, so it’s a good way to rack up high scores.


See where all those lines and vertices intersect with the cross hairs? You have to hit ALL OF THEM.

Not that it’s all that easy to stay in super. Core may start off by throwing relatively slow moving patterns of dots at you, but by the time you’re hurtling through the last level the visuals—and challenge—can be quite ridiculous. Patterned dots, lines and others will split off, multiply, rotate around the center of the targeting reticle, jump off in odd places, shift patterns suddenly, seemingly break the rules by traveling diagonally…you get the idea.

It can be quite a madhouse. (For more proof just click here ). The game does afford you one screen-destroying bomb per game, (I'd save it for the boss patterns, which can obviously be very tricky) but given the extremely limited availability of these, you'll mostly have to rely on your own wits and pattern memorization skills.


Pay no attention to the 3D geometric shapes behind the curtain.

But everything is meticulously calculated, and nothing is impossible. In the long run, it makes for a game you can beat based on repetition and perfection, such as throwbacks like Contra or Gradius. But with the obsession that’ll soon take hold in chasing each level's elusive perfect score, (not to mention the game’s fantastic tunes), this isn’t one for simply playing through once and then walking away. And for six bucks, how can you really go wrong?

Now, that just leaves me with one question for Gaijin: when do we get the soundtrack?

Bit.Trip Core
Aksys Games
WiiWare
$6
4.5 out of 5 stars

Football practice, Wednesday, August 19

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

This morning, the team was divided into offense and defense at opposite ends of the field. On the offensive side, it looked pretty good. The offensive line, without the formidable rush from the defense on every snap, was able to work together to keep the quarterback safe and create lanes for the running backs. Ben Bowen and Bobby McClintock benefited from this and as a result were able to get some good runs in. On one particular play center Adam Kleffner got a great block in on his man and gave McClintock miles to run.

Watching the offensive line practice can be challenging at times. There always seem to be numerous occasions when, if they could just stay with their man or get that block in, the whole offense would have the opportunity to run more smoothly. It's just little things here and there that would make a world of difference. Kleffner's block is an example of just what good can come about when there is complete follow through after the snap.

One of the new quarterbacks, Hank Taylor, had a relatively good morning. As I have previously written, he has a problem seeing the field. This morning he was able to find receiver Daniel Wolverton twice in a row on different routes. He did, however, botch a hand off to full back Nick Kalpin.

Punter Thomas Duyndam had company this morning. Coach Glanville had receiver Zach Brown punting with him. Currently, Duyndam is the only punter on the roster, and he is also currently the only international player. Brown was last year's back up punter and will obviously continue in that role this year. Brown did a fine job, but he can certainly benefit from watching Duyndam.

Offense met defense towards the end of practice where third down situations were played out. Quarterback Drew Hubel had a couple of beautiful bombs to receivers Zach Brown and Daniel Wolverton. He retained presence of mind in the pocket and patiently waited for them to get down field and he was rewarded with about 100 passing yards on the two completions. He certainly looked every bit the starting quarterback. Presumed third string quarterback Nick Green had a nice pass under pressure to receiver Ricky Cookman.

The pass rush was successful and relentless. Outside linebackers Ryan Pedersen and Ryan Reardon and defensive lineman Siasau Matagiese all had notable rushes that ended the offense's progress. Rearson and Matagiese are both freshman, proving that Glanville did a remarkable job of recruiting his freshmen defensive class.

The ball wasn't safe when it was out of the pocket either. Kavanaugh was picked by cornerback Tracy Ford and during Ford's return, he lateraled it to fellow cornerback DeShawn Shead and then threw a block for Shead so that he might continue to advance the ball. Teamwork at some of its finest.

In the counter teamwork file, there was some grumbling on the sidelines by the receivers about defensive end Travis Beckley's tendency to get a hand on the face mask. On one play where Beckley slapped a face mask, someone even yelled out, “That's 15 yards number 92!”

On a final note, there are a lot of players on crutches and with boots on. Receiver Ray Fry and offensive lineman Moses Punzal are the latest to walk the sidelines.

PSU NEWS: PSU hosts US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Senator Ron Wyden and Governor Kulongoski

A round table discussion regarding Veterans Affairs took place today, involving US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Senator Ron Wyden, Governor Ted Kulongoski, ASPSU President Jonathan Sanford and numerous student veterans and retired veterans.

Sanford and other panel members discussed the current GI Bill, PSU's role in better serving student veterans, what veterans need and the other ways in which veterans can receive assistance.

Photos and more details to follow in the Vanguard's Orientation Guide, out Sept. 14.

Football practice, Tuesday, August 18

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.



The offensive and defensive lineman practiced single man coverage this morning and it was intense to watch. Going against each other one-on-one, the defensive lineman would attempt to push his way past the offensive lineman to get to where the quarterback would hypothetically be.

During these drills, a couple of players really stood out on the defensive line. Freshman Shea Prince was lined up against center and fellow freshman Jackson Dallas. There is a 90-lb. disparity between these two in Dallas' favor, but to watch them you wouldn't have known it. Prince put himself in great position and got under Dallas' pads. From there, Dallas didn't have a chance and Prince just walked him backwards and out of the way.

Another standout on the defensive line was Conrad Davis. On one drill, he made contact with the opposing lineman and then gave a great spin move and got away. This all happened in a matter of seconds. Currently he is listed third in the depth chart at defensive end, but his abilities should garner him more playing time than that.

A standout offensive lineman this morning was Kyle Ritt. He looked strong through spring training and he continues to perform at a high enough level that he should start. Time again, regardless of his opponents size, he matched up perfectly and held them at bay. With him on the line, the quarterback should be able to breathe a bit easier.

While the lineman were sparring, the rest of the offense and defense set up against each other in mock 11-on-11 drills. The secondary was in top shape with two near interceptions by safety Jordan Brown and two back to back picks of Drew Hubel by DeShawn Shead and Tracy Ford.

One of the new quarterbacks who showed up last week is still having trouble seeing the field. Most of the time, he winds up running with the ball, but without passing, he's not gaining anything. Receiver and obvious team leader Aaron Woods took him aside and threw the ball back ands forth with him after one mean looking play. Hopefully this encourages him to keep progressing in the offense.

Speaking of Woods, what a great day he had. Towards the end of practice, with the team taking on the long field, he was Hubel's go-to guy. Two catches in a row, right up the middle, each for 20-plus yards. The thing that is evident when watching Woods on his routes is that he wants the ball. Whereas some of the receivers run their route and wait for the ball, Woods finishes the route, finds the ball, and then goes to it. This aggressive attitude is part of what makes him so dangerous to opposing defenses. He will without a doubt be exciting to watch this year.

Football practice, Monday, August 17

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Coach Glanville was running punt/kick return drills again this morning and time and time again, wide receiver Aaron Woods shined. He always keeps one eye on the ball and the other on the approaching defenders and manages to make this level of multitasking look easy. The ball always falls between the numbers and upon reception, he puts on a burst on speed and moves that make your head swim. He should continue to be an important part of special teams like he was last year.

It was not a great day for the Vikings' quarterbacks. Both starter Drew Hubel and the team's presumed number two, Connor Kavanaugh, left a bit to be desired in today's 11-on-11 drills. The drills were conducted on the short and long fields today with much the same results on both.

Hubel consistently overthrew his receivers all morning. One might be inclined to think the routes weren't finished or the defense was getting some good bumps in, but that just wasn't the case. Any receiver he threw to was too far away from the ball to make a genuine attempt at it. There were times when the ball was too low or too high. A well-positioned ball was nary to be seen.

There is no doubting Hubel's talent and this was apparently just a bad morning. He also has some timing issues to work out with his new group of receivers. Seven of the thirteen wide receivers on the roster are new to the team this year.

Kavanaugh didn't fair any better than Hubel at today's practice. However, where Hubel made some mistakes on the physical side of things, Kavanaugh made errors from a mental standpoint that were far more egregious than Hubel's errors.

It seemed as though Kavanaugh kept seeing things that just weren't there. On one particular play, the offensive line was very stiff and gave him plenty of time to find an open receiver and complete a pass. There was no pressure being applied to him, but all he managed was a weak, wobbly pass to receiver Daniel Wolverton that was only a completion because of Wolverton's athleticism. Time in the pocket like that only happens once in a blue moon and Kavanaugh must learn to make the best of it when it happens.

By far the most unnerving situation with Kavanaugh at the helm played out on the short field. All of his receivers were covered and instead of taking off with the ball like he is apt to do or being patient until someone came loose, he threaded the ball through a wall of defenders and wound up with an incomplete pass. If the secondary had been so inclined, it would have been an easy interception. A mistake like that at the goal line has the potential to lose a game.

Kavanaugh is a good athlete and imbues the Vikings' offense with a scrambling ability, but he has a bit more to learn about the game management side of things. It will without a doubt come with time.

Cornerback Michael Williams was a bright spot in the secondary today, breaking up several passes. He never takes his eyes off of the receiver and stays physical throughout the play. Fellow cornerback Denzel Davis also had nice coverage and broke up a pass. Both of these freshman players from Texas, and both at 5-9, look like they could offer some relief during the season to help everyone else at the position stay healthy.

Two a day practices start tomorrow and it will be interesting to see the progression of the team as practice becomes more concentrated.

Football practice, Friday, August 14

This post was written by Vanguard sports writer Allison Whited.

Today's 11-on-11 drills were conducted on a shortened field. It looked as though the team was practicing the red-zone offense. Last season, the Vikings were last in the Big Sky Conference in red-zone offense. Opportunities for progress are minimized in the red-zone. A good combination of running plays and passing plays were called.

It is noteworthy to mention the quarterback situation at practice. With Tygue Howland's injury, the Vikings have less depth at the position, with just Connor Kavanaugh and Nick Green on the roster. At practice all week there has been another quarterback working with the team and today there was yet another. It is obvious watching them that they aren't nearly as experienced as the other three quarterbacks, but offensive coordinator Jim Craft has been very patient with them. After every snap he pulls them aside to explain what went wrong. Time will only tell if they find themselves on the roster, but so far it doesn't look too good.

After a week of practice, it is impossible not to have tremendous respect for what secondary coach Brandon Shelby is doing with the team. He's a quiet presence--he can't be heard yelling like the other position coaches. Though he only joined the team in February, his presence can be felt all over the line. It doesn't hurt that the secondary is heavy with talent, but his impact is undeniable.

When the defense lines up, Shelby comes up behind his players and will slightly move them or point something out to them. With these small tweaks, he sets them up for success. Almost without fail, every time he does this, whomever he was speaking with is either responsible for or in on the stop.

The players buy into his coaching too. After they receive an adjustment from him, you can see them looking for key things indicative of what the offense is doing and they become more productive. The secondary consistently looks good and under Shelby's guidance it seems posed to continue to impress.