Video games hit big screen

[Akasha]

Over 60 people join Cinefour's 'Halo' tourney

NORTH LOGAN -- Parents beware: If you didn't think video games could get more addictive for your kids, think again.

Cinefour theaters in North Logan started a new trend Friday night in video gaming in Cache Valley. Theater managers took four video projectors, set one up in each of four theaters with a Microsoft XBox video game system connected to it, and then let the fun begin for more than 60 people.

"Tonight blew our minds," theater co-owner Calvin Timothy said afterward. "We're definitely going to keep doing this."

The game Friday night: "Halo" -- a first-person shoot-em-up game in which four people can play on a team against four others. The evening was set up in a tournament format where 16 teams battled each other until the wee hours of Saturday morning to find out who the kings of gaming are in the valley.

Rick Shurtliff said he drove to Logan from Bountiful just to play in the tournament. He said he often plays four to five hours a night with his friends anyway, so to play it on a huge screen makes it that much better.

"This is going to revolutionize game play," he said.

If playing video games on a movie screen is going to revolutionize game play, Timothy said, Cinefour will be one of the first in the country to do it.

"According to the gal at the licensing company, we're the first theater ever to license XBox with them for a theater," Timothy said. "It took an act of Congress and a blessing of God (to get the license)."

To accommodate large gaming crowds, the theater purchased eight 34-inch televisions to put in the theater lobby.

The idea for the gaming came from Brady Walker, son of Kelly Walker, part owner of Cinefour and owner of Walker Cinemas in Brigham City.

Brady Walker said he brought a video projector home from school one day and asked his dad if he could take it to the movie theater and play video games on it.

The idea turned out to be a good one, and Walker said he wanted to expand it.

"I tried multiple ways to get money, then talked to Calvin, who put up the money for it," Brady Walker said.

Based on Friday's turnout, the idea is a success for Timothy and the Walkers.

Timothy said he would like to see the game tournaments expanded in the future, both within Cinefour and to the Brigham City theaters. When the sequel to "Halo" -- "Halo 2" -- debuts in stores later this year, Timothy said, it would be possible to connect the North Logan and Brigham City theaters and have the two battle one another over the Internet.

The best part of playing on a large theater screen, said gamer Anthony Stocks, is that you can actually see what you're doing.

"You've got room to move when you can see a bigger picture," Stocks said. "When you have (multiple) people playing on a small TV screen, you can't tell what's going on."

Timothy said tournament entry fees are $60 for a team of four. There is a $3 charge for spectators to watch the games. Right now, tournaments are scheduled for Friday nights at midnight, but preregistration is required. For more information on gaming tournaments at Cinefour, contact the theater at 752-8377.

Source : The Herald Journal

[boscolio]

wow. if i was good enough to play a halo tourny then i would be all over that. that's a pretty cool idea though. my friend and i had something like that in mind a long time ago. basically like a cyber cafe but serving alcohol during certain hours of certain days. there would be a kitchen open for most of the day and night, then a snack/coffee bar after hours. it would also have rooms for console systems and "rentals" that you could choose from. pay by the hour or pay for the whole night. we had a light business model made up and everything. but we weren't about to try try and get capital for something like this when we're still trying to finish school. :roll:

maybe someday. if it were in the right location it could rake in lots of cash.

[Akasha]

Damn bosc! That sounds like a pretty cool idea. I always envied my guild members in Korea and Hong Kong because they played at internet cafe's together. To me it enhances gaming more when your around other people doing it too. Then add food into the mixture.. I am so there lol! :D

[boscolio]

plus imagine the revenue from the console rooms alone. base price would include a system, 2 controllers, and 2 "rentals". if you have a full party you're looking at 4 controllers, 3-4 games at least, food, drinks and probably at least 3 hours of game time. we had it worked out the rooms would have a per hour charge. one party could net us decent cash.

that's not even including the PC area. :D

[Akasha]

I'll move to where ever you are and help run... I'll draw in like... twice as many because "ooooh there's a GIRL there" :D

[Magnus]

or you know.... scare them away because "ooooh there's a GIRL there"

Oh and very good idea Bosc, I've thought of something like that myself from time to time.