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Game on
By Tony Sapochetti
tsapochetti@pantagraph.com

Levi Burleson, 11; Hannah Setterlunnd, 13; and Andy Garcia, 11, play a game of Rock Band. (The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER)
Massive amounts of pwnage could be seen March 7 as n00bs and uber-l33ts were doing some hardcore fragging in a death match, while some were belting and rocking out to tunes from Bon Jovi and The Rolling Stone, all while trying to get a high score.

Those not necessarily into the FPS or rhythm scene took their turns on the DDR floor or waving a Wii-mote in the air as pixilated avatars were dancing or hitting a tennis ball back and forth.

Teenagers who understand that first paragraph may well have been attending the BNGamefest that Friday in the Bloomington Public Library.

The three-hour event brought together about 50 area teens to play several games on a few different video game systems and on the computer.

Two rooms were set up as projectors and big-screen TVs were hooked up for games such as Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution and Rock Band, while many computers were hooked up for multiplayer Unreal Tournament.

Video games are popular because they are "fast, flashy, they change a lot and there are so many different versions and iterations of them," said Bloomington Public Library Teen Librarian John Fischer. And events like BNGamefest are popular, Fischer said, because they give participants the chance to display their abilities in public.

"When they win at a game, they have the chance to publicly show it, and I think that builds self-confidence."

Ted Setterlund, 14, of Bloomington, was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to show his fragging (killing) abilities as he waited for a free computer to open up to play Unreal Tournament, a multiplayer first-person shooter game.

"I think I have been to every Gamefest since they started, and I will probably go to all of them until I graduate," he said. "I really get into it; I like to win."

Others were new to the event, trying their hand at some of the new forms of digitized entertainment.

"This is my first time ... and I will come back," said Darin Roberts, 14, of Bloomington. "I have a computer and Xbox 360 at home, but I've been trying some Wii Sports."

Fischer said these events began in January 2006 as a way for teens to come into an environment, play games and socialize.

The gamefest has evolved and offers about four events per year, often highlighting new games. Fischer said tournaments may be part of future Gamefests.

Fischer said the library, typically seen as being a quiet sanctuary for the studious, is actually a very good setting for the event, as it provides a safe environment, and some libraries carry the computers and video game consoles needed to play. Fischer said teens would often come in droves to rent movies or CDs, so this was an opportunity to have the teens spend more time at the library and possibly become more involved.

Fischer noted some video games promote literacy and have in-depth story lines and even have novels based on them, which may prompt a younger reader to pick up a book rather than a controller.

The March 7 Gamefest was only open to teens, and Fischer realizes that the generation that grew up with the original Nintendo Entertainment System or Atari 2600 may now be in their 20s and 30s.

Thus, specific Gamefests may begin that include families of all ages and even a possible senior citizens day.

Fischer said a strong majority of parents respond very favorably to the Gamefest, allowing their kids to come back again and again.

One such parent, Jim Pritz, who brought his 13-year-old son Jack and his friend Loraine Morris, 13, said he was happy his son found something he enjoyed so much.

"I think they are a lot of fun," he said. "Just as long as they don't do it too much."

The next Gamefest is expected to take place in June. More information about BNGamefest can be found at http://bloomingtonlibrary.org/use/teenzone/bngamefest.

Officials from Normal Parks and Recreation, the Normal Public Library and Bloomington Parks and Recreation all helped bring about the event.



Game on!



Some of the games played at the March BNGamefest include:

Xbox 360

• Halo 3

• Rock Band

• Project Sylpheed

• Devil May Cry 4

• Turok

PlayStation 2

• Guitar Hero 3

PC

• Unreal Tournament

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Take a look
Jennifer Wilt, 14, and Dylan Lyle, 15, both of Bloomington, play electric guitars against each other in a game of Guitar Hero III. (The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER)
Alex Butler, 12, and Ashley Keiser, 14, help out their friend Dimitry Taylor, while he plays a massive networked game of Unreal Tournament. (The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER)
A roomful of gamers play Unreal Tournament during the Bloomington Public Library's video game nights. (The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER)
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