WHAT’S UP // ENTERTAINMENT
A Game Of Patience
HOW TO: TAXES RECOMMENDATIONS
A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT
By Marshall Hamel
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ideo games are among the most popular forms of media, especially among teens, allowing players to enjoy rich storylines, addictive gameplay, and clever core mechanics that keep them engaged, but what the average person might not take into consideration is everything that goes on behind the scenes, and the process of video game development. A few students at West Albany have taken the controller into their own hands, and are developing their very own game. “Me and a couple other people have been planning out and working on a game,” freshman Takoda Cunningham said. “I have no clue what direction it will go since the plan was only made a couple months ago.” The team, which has no name, consists almost entirely of freshmen, including Callista CwmCwlamare, Piper Drushella, Zhaine Raymundo, Charley Harrington, Freshman Callista CwmCwlamare designing charMina Clower and Rhylie Thepphilus. acters for their video game. A fundamental part of completing any project is setting aside the appropriate time for planning everything out, which requires the proper allocation of time and resources. This is especially true in the case of video game development, since there are multiple areas that need to be tackled. This includes the storyline, characters, gameplay mechanics, music, etc. “Everyone is still drawing characters right now, so I’m kind of just waiting until later on.” Cunningham said. “I’m not really designing any characters, but I’m planning on doing the coding or 3D modeling.” If all of this sounds like a lot to manage, it definitely can be, but working with a team makes everything a lot easier. It’s easy to imagine video game development as exciting and fun, but in reality it takes a lot of hard work and dedication from everyone involved in the process, and it can go by really slowly, Photos by Coral CwmCwlamare but this is no problem for Cunningham. “It’s gonna seem really slow at the start,” Cunningham said. “You have to take the time to create the characters and plan it all out, so don’t get discouraged.”
“The Stranger In The Woods” tells the fantastic true story of Christopher Knight, the last true hermit, who spent 27 years hidden away in the woods of Maine in complete solitude, without any human contact.
“Don’t Look Up” is an excellent take on the state of the nation, and sees two astronomers discovering a comet headed directly towards Earth that will wipe out humanity. The scariest part of all? Nobody seems to be taking them seriously.
“Wong’s Cafe” is the newest project from renowned Vulfpeck guitarist Cory Wong, and although Vulfpeck is still the backing band, this time around Wong takes the lead in songwriting, bringing his unique and upbeat style of rhythm and funk to the table for a joyfully groovy listening experience.
A GOLDEN LEGACY: REMEMBERING BETTY WHITE By Marshall Hamel
There are few household names in the world of comedy held in such high regards as Betty White. It’s not often that you see an entertainer bring joy and laughter to multiple generations for nearly ten decades, which is why she is and always will be an icon. “She was a beautiful actress in her younger days and was iconic in her role in Golden Girls,” math teacher Marcie McArthur said. Another reason White is so beloved in the eyes of many is because of her involvement in so many different activist movements. “She was also a huge animal lover and put much time, energy, and money into helping rescued animals,” McArthur said. Animal rights aren’t the only thing White was passionate about, as she was an outspoken supporter of people of color, especially having lived through the Civil Rights Movement. She received backlash for allowing Arthur Duncan, a black tap dancer, to appear on her
T H E W H I R LW I N D
variety show, ‘The Betty White Show,’ even being asked multiple times to remove him from the show, but refusing every time. Although younger people today didn’t see her in her prime, White is remembered by kids today for a handful of other reasons, including various cameos and television appearances, especially her fondly remembered Super Bowl commercials. “The first time I heard of Betty White was when I saw her commercial during the Super Bowl,” said freshman Finn Alan. “I didn’t really realize how awesome of a person she was until after she died.” White’s passing is an absolute tragedy, but it’s an understatement to say she will always live on in the memories of many as The First Lady of Television. Photo by Alan Light, licensed under CC BY 2.0
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FEBRUARY 2022
