FEBRUARY 25, 2004 = i Command & Conquer Generals >> EA games Grade: A Generals place you in command of three varied armies as they fight each other for global supremacy in the near future. The Global Liberation Army (GLA) is a generically Middle Eastern terrorist orga- nization, while China is a communist superpower and the US is, well, the US. The three sides are quite varied, thought not so much as in Starcraft. The GLA is resourceful but weak, China relies mostly on vast numbers of units, and the Americans throw down with a small num- ber of expensive, yet powerful units. The main single player game is composed of three seven-mission campaigns, one for each faction. The missions are reasonably varied, although a light tendency towards “build a base and destroy everybody else” type of mission is evident. The graphics are fully 3-D, and the camera is entirely mobile, including zoom and rotation, as well as scrolling. The units are nicely detailed unless you zoom in real- ly close, at which point some detail is lost. Explosions in the game are well done, with vehicle parts and occupants flying in every Anti-Anti Propaganda So what’s the problem if the labels direction, accompanied by a fair sized fire- ball, All of this eye-candy comes at a price, however, You need quite the computer to run this game with any settings at high lev- els. The AI in the game is a mixed bag, The computer opponents present a decent challenge, but your units often have trou- ble finding their way around. The multi- player mode is also of high quality, which is nice to know when you tire of AI and want to challenge actual people. Overall, Generals is superb, but the flawed unit AI drags it down a notch or two. I give it an A. - Brad Command & Conquer Generals Zero Houra >> EA games Grade: A Zero Hour continues the theme of the original, adding a number of new and improved units, some new campaigns, and an intriguing new game type. As is normal with expansion packs, Zero Hour makes a number of additions to the arsenal of each faction. Some of the new units are merely different versions of units from Generals, many connected with the new game type, but a fair number are itrol-Alt-Delete: Games genuinely new- Zero Hour also includes three new cam- paigns of five missions each, one for each faction. The new missions are as well con- structed, and possibly more varied than those of Generals. Also included is the new General’s Challenge mode. There are a total of nine Generals, three from each fac- tion, and each of whom has some special- ization. You select one general, and then take on each of the other generals on their home map. Once you have beaten the other eight, you can then play as your gen- eral online. In terms of graphics and sound, Zero Hour does not stray far from Generals. Everything remains essentially the same in the expansion. Also unchanged is the unit AI, unfortunately. Overall, Zero Hour is a great expansion pack to an already great game. I give it an A - Brad Disciples Il Dark Prophecy >> Strategy First 2002 Grade: A For those of you who were as disap- pointed with Heroes of Might & Magic IV as I was, you'll like this game. Following a tradition of turn-based strategy games, Disciples II is an excellent game. This game allows players to take on the role of one of four kingdoms: humans, dwarves, demons or undead and rule them in their eternal quests - whatever they may be. This game is jam-packed with more creatures then you can shake an Cutrure 14 exploding chicken at. Creatures come in all sizes from the lowliest of goblins to the tallest giant. Exploring the map is a major part of this game and you can go turns without encountering your rivals. Another unique feature in this game is the non- internet hot seat battle, feature that was last seen in pre-millennium games such as Heroes IV. The only real flaw in this game is - that the experience point requirements to advance to the next level is too high for a player to actually obtain during their life time. In addition to that, your powerful creatures can be defeated in combat by equally powerful creatures, wasting all that time you spent upgrading them. This is an excellent example of a turn-based strategy. I recommend this game to those of you who didn’t like Heroes IV and those of you who enjoy fan- tasy strategy games. 4 stars. - Walter The path you choose can make all the difference. By Earson Gibson What’s the problem with the WTO!?! What’s all the riot about? Isn’t global trade helping people out? After all, Americans based corporations abroad bring jobs to the countries where they need them the most, where everyone is so poor and desperate that a sixteen hour shift behind a sewing machine for ten cents an hour looks like good work! If they don’t want the job, twenty thousand other people will happily take their place, and smile while they do it. Those people deserve the jobs they get for putting on such a good work face. But seriously, why should methods of production disturb us? Didn’t the war in Iraq lower gas prices significantly all over America? Actually, it didn’t, but let’s pretend. As the free American Canadians we are, we don’t have to care about any other people in the world. It’s in our Charter of Rights! Well, not , really. The point is that it isn’t there, so we don’t have to do it if we don’t want to. in our shirts are sewn on by a pregnant thirteen year old in Malaysia? How else can she make money to feed the kid? So what if prostitution pays better because the market of wealthy travelling businessmen support it? That’s supply and demand, baby. ECON 101. If she gets old and ugly and the sex trade doesn’t pay anymore, at least she can get a job at a cigarette rolling factory. Did I mention that you have to be a smoker to apply? But hey, this is capitalism, baby. .To be happy, we : have to ignore the crimes behind our perverse luxury or be labeled as clinically “anti-social”. You have a choice about whether or not to be part of the US, and if you can’t make up your mind, ask your doctor for something to make you better. They have wonderful options for people who get depressed by what they see on TV. How about a chemical lobotomy pill that heightens your sex drive? Bachelor of Technology Degree Programs At BCIT we offer a unique blend of academic learning and applied skills — a different path of learning. A degree in Construction Management gives you the education to become a construction management professional or to broaden your knowledge if you are already a manager. A degree in Environmental Engineering prepares you to work in the areas of water treatment, hydrogeology, contaminated sites, solid waste, air quality and resource management, You can choose either a planned program or part-time studies. Prerequisites: a technology diploma or equivalent plus acceptable experience. For more information go to www.construction.bcit.ca Information Sessions Environmental Engineering Tuesday, March 2 6:00 pm BCIT Burnaby Campus Building SW2, Room 166 To register for this free event: 604-451-6906 palvinder_moses@bcit.ca Construction Management Tuesday, March 9 6:00 pm BCIT Burnaby Campus Building NE1, Room 408 To register for this free event: 604-412-7469 mary_sadowski@bcit.ca A POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION