June 17, 2019
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Former Chartwells employee charged with recent murders of transgender woman, two other people CINDY FOLEFACK Editor-in-Chief
THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM
Dallas police have arrested and charged former Chartwells worker Kendrell Lavar Lyles in the deaths of three people including Muhlaysia Booker, a transgender woman whose attack made national headlines in April. Lyles — who worked at UTD as recently as spring 2019 — is currently in police custody. The former employee was taken into custody June 5 after police received a tip about the May 22 murder of Leticia
Police said Lyles’ car matched Grant. Police also have a the description of a vehicle witness claiming to have Booker was seen entering on seen Lyles shoot and kill May 18, the last time she was Kenneth Cichocki durseen alive. ing a drug transaction on Student Government presiMay 23. dent and former Chartwells Booker, who is believed employee Ayoub Mohamto be one of Lyles’ victims med released a statement in according to a police affidavit, gained attention KENDRELL response to the discovery of Lyles’ previous employment. in April 2019 after a video LYLES “First, I would like to conshowed her being beaten by demn the heinous acts recently a mob in downtown Dallas as onlookers yelled homophobic slurs. committed by Kendrell Lyles in the Dal-
las area,” he wrote. “I can confirm that Kendrell worked on campus as a dishwasher for Chartwells but do not have any details regarding his hiring or employment with Chartwells. You would need to speak with Chartwells for any information regarding his employment.” Lyles is currently a person of interest in the murder of Chynal Lindsey, a transgender woman whose body was found in White Rock Lake on June 1. University officials and Chartwells representatives were unable to comment prior to publication.
university students, faculty gather in dallas to celebrate
PRIDE
CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | GRAPHICS EDITOR
STORY BY: ANIKA KOTARU | MERCURY STAFF PHOTOS BY: AMINA HUSSAIN | MERCURY STAFF
This month, members of various LGBTQ organizations at UTD participated in the Dallas Pride parade for a third consecutive year. UTD’s participation in the June 2 event was organized by the Galerstein Gender Center and represented by QuTD, the university’s LGBTQ employee resource group. Matt Winser-Johns, the assistant director of LGBTQ programs, helped organize UTD’s walking group. “We were one of the groups that did not have a particular vehicle or float, so we all marched along with a UTD banner,” he said. “There were about twenty of us: students, faculty, and staff. It was very encouraging that we (were) all there together.” QuTD’s website states that their mission is to increase visibility and encourage involvement of LGBTQ and allied staff within the campus community. The Dallas Pride website also highlights the importance of Pride and its recognition around the Dallas community. Winser-Johns said Pride Month was a time to talk about the history surrounding LGBTQ rights as well as the movement’s future. “I think Pride Month is a moment to reflect on the progress that we have made for LGBTQ people, but also it is a moment to realize that progress still needs to happen,” he said. “It is a celebratory moment, but it also serves as a need for our community for in-
clusivity in the country and the rest of the world.” On June 26, 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized in all 50 states in the US. Because of this, June was officially declared as Pride Month, where LGBTQ members and allies celebrate different sexual orientations and gender identities. These celebrations often take place in an annual pride parade that occurs across the nation. The first pride parade occurred in Dallas in 1972 after the Stonewall Riots, and involved up to 300 people marching in downtown Dallas to promote LGBTQ rights. Despite the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, Winser-Johns said there’s still progress to be made. “Right now, especially here in Dallas, there is so much discrimination and violence against our transgender communities of color. As a white, gay, cisgender male, it is my responsibility to highlight the needs specifically for our communities of color and our trans communities,” he said. “I am one of many identities that were reflected in the parade on Sunday. That’s why I think the parade was so important.” According to the Human Rights Campaign, Muhlaysia Booker, a Dallasarea transgender woman who was shot and killed in May was one of ten black transgender women killed this year.
→ SEE PRIDE,
Assistant director for LGBT programs Matthew Winser-Johns walks alongside members of the UTD community at the Dallas Pride parade on June 2.
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The majority of those walking behind UTD’s banner were members of QuTD, the university’s LGBT employee resource group.
June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
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THE MERCURY UTDMERCURY.COM Volume XXXVIV No. 43
NEWS
UTD PD Blotter
Editor-in-Chief Cindy Folefack
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Managing Editor Emaan Bangash managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287
Copy Editor Andrew Barlass
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C
May 21 • A man was arrested for criminal trespassing at 1:24 a.m. in the Visitor Center.
A
May 21 • A student reported their bicycle stolen at 4:04 p.m.
B
June 8 • A Chartwells employee reported her cell phone stolen at 12:13 p.m.
C
News Editor Marco Salinas
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Life & Arts Editor Ayoung Jo life@utdmercury.com
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Contributors Sarah Besserer Jenna Cherrey Amina Hussain Ruhma Khan Anika Kotaru Sarah Streety
LEGEND
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VEHICULAR INCIDENT
THEFT
DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD | COURTESY
CORRECTIONS
1
INCORRECT NAME OF ALUM The April 29 issue of The Mercury incorrectly reported the name of an alum providing free electronic repairs to students. The alum's name is Joseph Vetlen. The Mercury regrets this error.
Media Adviser Chad Thomas
chadthomas@utdallas.edu (972) 883-2286
Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road, SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688 Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601 The Mercury is published on Mondays, at two-week intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every four weeks during the summer term. Advertising is accepted by The Mercury on the basis that there is no discrimination by the advertiser in the offering of goods or services to any person, on any basis prohibited by applicable law. The publication of advertising in The Mercury does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the newspaper, or the UTD administration. Opinions expressed in The Mercury are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily the view of the UTD administration, the Board of Regents or the Student Media Operating Board. The Mercury’s editors retain the right to refuse or edit any submission based on libel, malice, spelling, grammar and style, and violations of Section 54.23 (f ) (1-6) of UTD policy. Copyright © 2019, The University of Texas at Dallas. All articles, photographs and graphic assets, whether in print or online, may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without express written permission.
The Mercury is a proud member of both the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
2
INCORRECT TITLE OF PROFESSOR An article on the third page of the April 29 issue of The Mercury incorrectly reported the title of a professor in the criminology department. Denise Boots is a professor of public policy and political economy. The Mercury regrets this error.
June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
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NEWS
Ph.D student to conduct research in national lab Candidate earns position in federally funded program to study crystal growth in furnaces for first time in campus history
AMINA HUSSAIN | MERCURY STAFF
Ashley Weiland, a third year chemistry Ph.D student, uses a microscope to inspect crystals at Julia Chan’s Solid State Chemistry Lab, where researchers study quantum materials and actinides. MARCO SALINAS News Editor
After finishing her second year of graduate school, one UTD student became the first in the school’s history to earn a position on the Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program. Chemistry Ph.D student Ashley Weiland was one of 70 students from across the country to be awarded a three-month position at a national lab. Weiland will be conducting her research at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.
The application, Weiland said, has three parts: merit, letters of recommendation and a written proposal. Part of the criteria for the written proposal, she said, is that the research must be something a candidate cannot complete at their university, only at a national lab. Weiland currently works at Julia Chan’s Solid State Chemistry Lab. Chan is a chemistry professor and the principal investigator at the lab. The lab studies crystal growth and quantum materials, Weiland said. “So what we do is we grow crystals,” Weiland said. “We take the raw metals … and then we combine them at really high tem-
peratures in furnaces — it’s 4000 degrees Fahrenheit … to grow these crystals.” Weiland said she will be using the synchrotron beam at Argonne to further the research she has done at Chan’s Lab. “What we do is fundamental research,” Weiland said. “It’s figuring out underlying processes so that we can use that information to design materials… that will be technologically important.” Weiland said she will be using the synchrotron at Argonne for in-situ high-intensity X-Ray diffraction. “What (we’re) doing is we’re using a synchrotron beam … it’s kind of like a
particle accelerator.” Weiland said. “It’s this giant circle, like football field size, and they take electrons and shoot them around the circle and you utilize the energy that’s coming off of these particles to do high intensity X-Ray diffraction.” UTD currently offers X-Ray diffraction equipment for researchers on campus, but does not have in-situ X-Ray diffraction, Weiland said. “In-situ means as a reaction is happening,” Chan said. “If you’re cooking something in the oven, you can take it out and take a peek … but you can’t do that at high temperatures.”
Weiland said the synchrotron will allow her to track crystal growth while the crystal is inside the furnace. The machine will allow her to track the electron density surrounding the atoms and, using calculations, deduce a molecular structure. The things Weiland will learn at Argonne, Chan said, will help Chan’s lab design quantum materials. “She’s an excellent student,” Chan said. “She just finished her second year as a graduate student. She already has several papers published; I think she has two and we’re about to submit two more. That’s unusual for a graduate student to be so far along.”
Esports department gives back through summer camp Coaching staff, players to provide training to attendees on popular competitive games EMAAN BANGASH Managing Editor
With the inaugural year of UTD’s esports department ending, the teams decided to help out the community through an esports summer camp. From June 17 to July 28, the department will host three 5-day sessions in the Sector 7 Energy Gaming Arena. The camp is open to the public and people of all ages. Currently, the list of games available for people to learn are as follows: “League of Legends,” “Overwatch,” “Super Smash Bros.,” “Fortnite” and “Apex Legends.” Head coach Greg Adler led the organization of the summer camp and recruited other students and UTD esports players to help participate in teaching people at the camp. Ten people will be involved in training campers, with one to two players devoted to instructing within each game. “It’s something that we’ve seen done at a lot of other camps at universities across the country and it’s just something that provides the opportunity for those out there in the community that may have never had an opportunity to do something like this,” Adler said. The camp will involve individual and group sessions to hone skills and gauge what participants need to improve in their gameplay. Participants will sign up with a game in mind that they want to improve in and will get training focused on that game specifically. “A lot of it has to do with having the campers play their games, have us watch and see what they can improve upon and then implement those things, set goals for them, watch back videos of their gameplay,” Adler said. “We want it to be very individually tailor-made to the people that will be attending, and we want them to be able to get a good experience and get something that they can remember and help them improve as a whole.” Computer engineering sophomore
UTD NEWS CENTER | COURTESY
James Bartlett gives remarks at summer 2018 doctoral hooding ceremony.
Longtime BBS professor passes away at 70 years Faculty reflect on his life, academic achievements RIOT GAMES| COURTESY
The summer camps will take place over three 5-day periods in June and July.
Ryan Kennedy “TPPC,” who plays for the UTD “Overwatch” team, plans to help train people who are interested in improving their skills in “Fortnite” and “Apex Legends” specifically. Although Kennedy has played “Overwatch” since its release in 2016, he said he had a lot of interest in battle royale games for years and has an opportunity to share his knowledge with others on those games. “I know a lot of people tend to request help from players on the team but because our schedules don’t allow for it, this is a way for us to give back,” he said. Kennedy said he wants to give people the tools they need to go forward and get better. He said this mostly involves instilling a positive mindset within participants and helping them understand that improvement will not happen overnight. “You’re not going to be able to improve from just casually playing the game to com-
peting at a super high level in a five-day camp,” Kennedy said. “I want to change their mindset into one that helps them selfimprove, one that can help them recognize their mistakes, one that sort of removes any sort of toxic behavior that’s holding them back, and maybe give them exercises that they‘d be able to continue to do regularly that, over time, would get them to the point that they’re wanting to be at.” Kennedy said he’d like the campers to enjoy themselves while training to make the improvement process easier. “I just want the people in the camps to have fun most of all because I feel like that’s a very good way for them to want to keep improving at the game,” Kennedy said. “Making that process enjoyable for them to improve while still having fun is significantly more likely to get them to the level they want and make sure that they are successful in their endeavors.”
ANIKA KOTARU Mercury Staff
Faculty, staff and students are mourning the loss of a longtime professor in the school of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. James Bartlett, a professor of cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psychology, passed away at the age of 70 on June 1. He was a UTD faculty member for 44 years. Bartlett received his bachelor’s degree from UT Austin in 1970 before receiving a Ph.D at Yale in 1975. He started teaching at UTD that same year before being promoted to a UTD professor in 1990 and delivered the keynote speech at the Summer Hooding Ceremony in 2018. Sandra Bond Chapman, the chief director at the UTD Center for BrainHealth and a Dee Wyly Distinguished University Professor, started working with Bartlett in 1986. “Dr. Bartlett was actually one of my key mentors when I was getting my Ph.D. He was one of my dissertation professors and
later became my colleague,” Chapman said. Bartlett conducted a 2012 study where he discussed whether an expert chess player’s analysis of a board is similar to the attention paid by most people to new or familiar faces. In the study, Bartlett and the other researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the reactions the players have while playing chess. This study made Bartlett one of the first researchers to study holistic memory processing, or how people interpret nonverbal communication and expressions. Bartlett served several roles during his time at UTD, his most recent including chair of the UT System Faculty Advisory Council from 2004 to 2005, head of the cognition and neuroscience Ph.D program from 2004 to 2015 and interim dean of BBS from 2015 to 2018. He was also a member of the American Psychological Society, Psychonomic Society, the Southwestern Psychological Association
→ SEE PROFESSOR,
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LIFE&ARTS
June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
Artists find creative haven in west Dallas warehouse Building serves as hub for creatives to express themselves through aerosol art, freestyle rapping
CINDY FOLEFACK | MERCURY STAFF
An artist spray paints a design on the ceiling of the Fabrication Yard building, a structure in West Dallas that is open to the public and serves as a safe space for artists and creatives to gather. CINDY FOLEFACK Editor-in-Chief
Nestled in a small West Dallas neighborhood lies a building that’s impossible to miss. Covered in graffiti, the makeshift art gallery serves as a gathering place for local artists, musicians and creatives. The Fabrication Yard, owned by Dallasbased investor Butch McGregor, is managed by local artist Eder Martinez. Although the space became open to the public as a park in 2012, Martinez said the idea received backlash from the Dallas City Council due to the negative stereotypes surrounding graffiti artists, also known as aerosol artists. After the gallery’s opening, Martinez said he hoped it would serve as a hotspot for creative expression in the local community. “The original idea I had for it all was to have all four elements of hip-hop involved in it, not just people who want to do art. That’s why we have people who come out here and do breakdance competitions or sometimes we’ll have (freestyle rapping),” Martinez said. “It’s nice to hear, it’s nice to see, it’s a place where you can one day be better at what you do. You can perfect your craft, in other words.”
The local community has also seen the impact of the Fabrication Yard through crime reduction, Martinez said. The alleys surrounding the building used to be rife with criminal activity. “Before we actually started painting here a lot, there was a lot of crime. There was a bunch of drug dealing, drug taking and prostitution going on around the corner,” Martinez said. “The neighbors and everybody was aware of what was going on at the time, but they couldn’t really stop it. We definitely put a stop to all that.” The gallery has also become a regular spot for city events such as Go Paint Day, which invites everyone from the local community to come spray paint together. However, the building still has its limits, Martinez said. Singer-songwriter Erykah Badu scouted the location as a potential spot for her birthday party, but chose a different location after learning about the building’s lacking infrastructure, which Martinez said is because of a lack of city funding. “We don’t have security or bathrooms, and that was a big thing, so we couldn’t have her party here,” he said. “We would’ve had her party here, but unfortunately the city looks around us and over us. They don’t
want to have a part of it right now; maybe one day they will.” Despite its impact on the community, Martinez said the Fabrication Yard still faces an uncertain future. The owner, McGregor, may decide to use the land for future property developments, he said. “Being that the Fabrication Yard’s future doesn’t look like it’s going to be here for much longer, it doesn’t really hold a future,” Martinez said. “We’re waiting for these people to demolish these buildings and get rid of them so they can build their condominiums and apartments, but that’s just the reality of what’s going on in this specific area.” In the meantime, Martinez and other local artists including Oxygen and Octet are working on a new development in Fort Worth. This gallery would be a multi-story building to allow more space for art as well was event, Martinez said. “There, you wouldn’t have trespassing charges set on you,” he said. “We’re also gonna make it better than the Fabrication Yard, meaning it’ll have air conditioning, heating and a floor for events like breakdancing competitions.” Martinez himself had run-ins with the law as a teenager for spray painting. He
CINDY FOLEFACK | MERCURY STAFF
Eder Martinez, manager of the Fabrication Yard, created a safe place for local artists and youth to express their artistic creativity through graffiti art, breakdance competitions and freestyle rapping.
said his experiences with law enforcement prompted him to create a safe haven for local artists and youths like himself. Despite the challenges he’s faced, Martinez said he will continue to maintain a safe space for local communities to express themselves without the risk of arrest. “The Fort Worth location will be aimed
toward everyone who has creative push and drive, and most of those people are the youth,” Martinez said. “Most of these kids, they don’t really have a direction or anything to do after school sometimes. It would be a better place, or maybe even the only place you could go to and just have fun and create something with your own hands.”
ATEC students showcase video game at Dreamhack Dallas event Team received feedback for “Sole Horizons” from consumers, playtesters RUHMA KHAN Mercury Staff
A team of UTD undergraduates showcased their game at the annual DreamHack event in Dallas. DreamHack is a Swedish production company that hosts video gaming tournaments and conventions. The DreamHack Dallas event took place on May 31 to June 2 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson convention center. ATEC production and design senior Jacqueline Nguyen was the lead producer of the game “Sole Horizons.” Nguyen said the 13-member team has worked tirelessly to make the game a reality. “‘Sole Horizons’ was first thought up and worked on two semesters ago after being pitched for game lab,” Nguyen said. “Every semester, students put together a pitch and they pitch in front of usually around three or four game staff professors.” The game was pitched by arts and technology seniors Brandon Blakemore and Enrique Rodriguez, who serve as creative director and lead programmer of the game, respectively. “Sole Horizons” is a grid-based, action roguelike game, Nguyen said. Rogue games are characterized by randomly generated lev-
els and permanent death. “Overall, the game was inspired by the ‘Mega Man Battle Network’ series,” Nguyen said. “You’re basically playing as this character named Kana. She has grey hair, a really cool outfit/armor, and as you play the game you just move up and down, left to right, dodging enemy attacks on the other side,” She said the development of “Sole Horizons” occurred in phases to streamline the creative process. “If you’ve ever had a game design class, you do your milestones. They’re called alpha, beta and then the third one is called gold, or release,” Nguyen said. “From the beginning to alpha, (you) are adding new features in the game. From alpha to beta you are not implementing any more new features but you are polishing all the features that you have already.” The game lab team was notified after the spring semester that they had made it into DreamHack and would be able to showcase their game. “It was awesome. Not only did we get in, we got to showcase the game on the busiest day, which is Saturday, from noon to 7 p.m.,” Nguyen said. “All they wanted in exchange was for us to volunteer a
little bit. I feel extremely blessed and very happy that they liked the game.” Nguyen said DreamHack was also a great opportunity for the team to receive feedback on the game. Industry professionals, video game design professors and gamers were able to playtest the game and critique the overall gameplay. “Typically, we try to set up a Q-andA quizlet or something like a feedback form that people can fill out,” she said. “A majority of consumers and playtesters, if they’re not professional playtesters, sit down and give feedback verbally instead of taking the time to fill it out, so we just had notebooks out and ready to go.” “Sole Horizons” is not yet available to the general public. The team is continuing to make improvements on the game and fine tuning any issues, Nguyen said. “Right now we’ve done a lot of changes, but the overall gameplay will be the same. Parts of it will be more streamlined so that basically from here on out, we’re trying to make it so that every choice or every change we make is an important one,” she said. “Moving forward, we’d like to be as efficient and clean as we can be.”
JACQUELINE NGUYEN | COURTESY
A team of ATEC undergraduate students developed and showcased their game, “Sole Horizons,” a grid-based action game that was created during game lab at UTD. The game was playtested and critiqued by consumers, industry professionals and video game design professors.
June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
NEWS
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13-year-old freshman to start classes at UTD in fall Incoming interdisciplinary studies major homeschooled since seven years old, serves as CEO of Texas-based company Kidlamity Gaming RUHMA KHAN Mercury Staff
UTD will welcome one of its youngest freshmen in the fall of 2019. Ian Schlitz, a 13-year-old from Keller will attend UTD as an interdisciplinary studies major. “You can go into almost everything with it,” Schlitz said. “Instead of majoring in a certain (field), interdisciplinary studies has a little more wiggle room to figure out what you want to do since I don’t know necessarily what I want to do. By majoring in interdisciplinary studies, I still have some options.” Schlitz was homeschooled by his parents from the age of seven. The homeschool experience was fun, he said, adding that he was able to learn more effectively by having his older sister there to help him. “My older sister helped me understand things I wouldn’t have understood. But thanks to homeschool she was actu-
→ PROFESSOR
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and the Configural Processing Consortium. “He was very high-standard and sophisticated with his research. His work was demanding, challenging and always imaginative. He looked at the biggest picture to the smallest detail. He was someone who was all about innovative thinking,” Chapman said. “Jim was so passionate about science and meaningful experiences in life from travel, music, art… He really embraced life and science in a very dynamic way, and he was
ally there to come and help me,” Schlitz said. “In public school they would be teaching me things I already know, basically wasting time. Homeschool provided me the leverage to get ahead in my classes.” Schlitz was a very dedicated student in high school, his sister Hayley Schlitz said. “My mom would give him instructions or the tutor would give him instructions and he would do it,” Hayley Schlitz said. “Sometimes students may have a hard time getting themselves to sit down and actually do the work. He never really had a hard time with that. I think dedicated is the best word for him.” Schlitz is also the President and CEO of his own company, Kidlamity Gaming. Based in Southlake, Texas, the company allows customers to host their own video gaming tournaments. Hayley Schlitz is the company’s chief operating officer. “It’s amazing to see my broth-
er’s dream become a reality. I am the COO but I’m just really just there to help. It’s really his company and he’s really taken charge of it and made it his own,” Hayley Schlitz said.“It’s exactly what he wanted it to be and it’s great to watch it play out.” Ian Schlitz said it’s not as challenging as it sounds to balance schoolwork and running a company. “It’s pretty simple because for school, it’s on weekdays. Monday through Friday, homework and all that,” he said. “Kidlamity is mostly hosted on the weekends, so it never really interferes with the work schedule.” Schlitz said he chose UTD for the variety of classes, learning environment and diversity of the campus. “The students there are amazing, the faculty’s amazing and the campus is just beautiful. I love all the diversity and different classes you can take,” Schlitz said. “It feels like they have basically everything to offer.”
a very close friend and mentor.” Bartlett’s publications include “True and False Recognition of Faces by Young and Old Adults,” which was published in 2014 and a chapter in “The SAGE Handbook of Applied Memory” titled “The Older Eyewitness,” which was published in 2014, among others. His publications were mainly focused on human perception and memory, as well as age-related differences. His biography on the UTD Endowed Chairs and Professorships website highlights Bartlett’s dedication in working with topics that weren’t often researched by many people. “I think way too often in
science people research things because other people are researching them. However, it is not that hard to just open your eyes and say, ‘Here’s a problem someone should be working on, even though no one is,’” Bartlett said in a statement on his biography page. “I want my research to help people, but at the same time, I’ve always had an instinctive desire to discover things. I tell my students it’s like Christmas morning when they come in with new data from a completed experiment. I don’t know where that comes from, it’s just instinctive — it’s the kind of thing that brings me joy.”
SCHLITZ FAMILY | COURTESY
Incoming student Ian Schlitz said he chose interdisciplinary studies as his major because of the freedom it provides.
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June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
104 DAYS OF SUMMER VACATION
ADVENTURES IN NYC
COMICS
JENNA CHERREY | MERCURY STAFF
O&B: ARTIST’S SIGNATURE
RYAN MAGEE | MERCURY STAFF
SARAH STREETY | MERCURY STAFF
OOPSIE DOOPISE
SARAH BESSERER | MERCURY STAFF
SUMMERTIME SUDOKU
SOLUTION:
CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | GRAPHICS EDITOR
OPINION
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June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
choose your adventure How choice-based video games help with real-life decision making MADISON YORK
Opinion Editor In life, we’re all faced with an almost overwhelming amount of choices. As technology — and, with it, game development — has advanced, we’ve been given yet another outlet to exercise our decision-making: choicebased games. With the number of choicebased games increasing in recent years — not to mention the December 2018 release of the interactive Netflix film “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” — the genre has gained both fans and critics. The benefits of these types of games, however, far outweigh any perceived drawbacks. In a way, choice-based games most closely parallel real life in how the player (or person) is able to navigate their own story. Now, one could argue that almost all games are choice-based. The player “chooses” to press a button, or pull a trigger or hit a simulated tennis ball with a tennis racket. They have a goal or objective, and they fulfill it. While these sorts of games can occasionally involve a good deal of strategy, they are based more on instinctual reflex and skill than on any moral decision-making. What’s more, any “choice” the player has is nothing more complex than “choosing” to keep playing the game. So, for the purposes of this argument, let’s define choice-based games as narrative-driven, (the game has plot), morally and/or emotionally engaging to players and having varied outcomes based on what actions players take. There are several valuable benefits to
choice-based games. First, they give the illusion of working under pressure. Although these stressful situations are fictional, a 2019 study from Cambridge University suggests that playing games provides practice with handling strong emotions like anger or fear. Video games that rely on us performing a certain way to achieve a good outcome teach us to perform well under stress. Despite the lack of any actual danger, the high stakes or emotional intensity can seem quite imminent and real. Choice-based games also allow us to exercise morality in simulated scenarios. A 2013 study published in Science magazine shows that literary fiction increases empathy and understanding towards other people. Can’t the same be said about narrative gameplay? What’s more, choice-based games like “Life is Strange” or “Detroit: Become Human” can give us practice with morally gray, seemingly impossible choices. Not only that, but 2015 research from the University of London suggests that video games can also improve moral decision-making and question our own biases. It’s likely we’ll never be faced with these exact situations in person, but experiencing them in a game can help us evaluate our ethics before putting them into actual practice. Finally, choice-based games force us to experience positive and negative consequences for our in-game actions. Sometimes, the outcome of choices can be straightforward; other times, the smallest actions can have farreaching repercussions. For example, “Until Dawn” — the 2015 PlayStation 4 game, arguably a large step for choice-based gameplay — touts itself for its use of the butterfly effect. Small actions, such as turning left or right
down a path can kill or save a character later on. At times, these unintended consequences can be frustrating, not unlike real life. Knowing how to learn from mistakes and how to deal with that frustration is a healthy skill to have outside of games. Some critics may argue that there isn’t any real choice in choice-based games. That is, even though players are able to choose their actions, the outcomes (however various) are already predetermined. A similar idea is proposed in “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch:” the viewer’s choices and outcomes are limited, so it’s possible to argue that they aren’t entirely “free” in their decisions. Yet, the same is often true in real life: our options aren’t always unlimited. Besides, no matter how predetermined the outcomes may be, the player still doesn’t know what they are. Hence, just like in real life, the player is essentially blind to their ending right up until they reach it. That’s as authentic as choice can get. Every day, we’re all faced with pressure to succeed, difficult decisions and the consequences of those decisions. Unlike video games, real life doesn’t have saves, checkpoints, replays or helpful countdowns to show when you need to make a choice. What playing more choice-based games can help with, however, is accustom us to recognizing and reacting to commonplace and extraordinary choices alike. So, consider picking up a choice-based game this summer; “The Stanley Parable,” the cult-classic “Undertale” or any of the games previously mentioned are good places to start. Choosing to play may just change your life story — a little, or a lot. CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | GRAPHICS EDITOR
POWER OUTAGE
RYAN MAGEE | MERCURY STAFF
COMET COMMENTS
The university recently turned 50. How has UTD changed in your time here?
Comets and Craters New campus eateries
“A lot of buildings have started being built … it’s cool to see the growth of it and the progress”
Nishika Jaiswal Neuroscience Junior
“There’s a lot more innovation and a lot more people willing to stay on campus.”
Aakshi Sanchorawala Biochemistry Junior
“I’m starting to notice the students around a lot more everybody just enjoying themselves.”
Cong Ottih Arts, Technology and Emerging Communication Senior
Smoothie King and Halal Guys franchises are coming to the upper level of the Student Union, replacing Ben and Jerry’s as well as Zatar.
Storm causes power outages On June 9, a severe thunderstorm hit the metroplex with 60-70 mile-per-hour winds causing power outages and a crane collapse in downtown Dallas.
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June 17, 2019 | The Mercury
8 → PRIDE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
A 2019 report from the International Lesbian, Gay, Trans and Intersex Association found that consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults was still criminalized in 68 United Nations member states around the world. A May 2019 NBC News report highlighted Alabama representatives who were forced to create new legislature allowing couples to obtain marriage documents without the approval of a
NEWS
judge after several conservative probate judges refused to issue licenses to samesex couples. Winser-Johns said the protection of LGBTQ rights is especially important in the South. “We are not always in a spot that feels inclusive to all identities. It’s important to highlight that LGBTQ people are your friends, your families, your coworkers, and your acquaintances, and it’s possible you might not know who identifies as LGBTQ,” he said. “It’s important to be careful who you hate, because it could be someone you love.”
Students and faculty gathered in the Visitor Center on June 14 for Juneteenth, a celebration of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Attendees enjoyed live music, played games and tasted treats from the annual staff bake-off.
PHOTOS BY: ANNA PHENGSAKMUEANG | PHOTO EDITOR
UPCOMING EVENTS FOUR DISCIPLINES OF EXECUTION Develop roadmaps to help overcome day-to-day challenges.
June 17, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m., AD 3.108
DISCOVER DOWNTOWN DALLAS Visit the Reunion Tower and Klyde Warren Park with other UTD students.
June 21, 3:10 p.m - 10:00 p.m., Visitor Center Atrium
METEOR THEATRE Watch “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”.
Bedroom to rent in a home within short walking distance to the UTD campus. The right female candidate will have use of bedroom and the rest of the home, to be shared with owner, a caring young working grandmother. Call/email for interview. (214)632-5059 piedmontcrest@yahoo.com
June 24, 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., SSA 13.330
LIBRARY TOUR Learn about the McDermott library in a guided tour.
June 26, 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m., MC Information Desk