Gamers move from their lair out into the open

Longview’s Gaming Club moves from their lair out into the open (Sean Kim/The Current).

by Sean Kim

Magic-wielding, sword-fighting, and dungeon mastery: these are the few of hundreds ways to be a gamer, and students can be all these in the comforts of the Gaming Club at MCC Longview. Can students be magic-wielders, sword fighters and a dungeon masters without a mighty lair? Without a lair, where would people place their epic items from a long quest?

Out in the open, where everyone can take loot.

As students walk into the Campus Center cafe to hang with friends, wait for class, or grab a bite to eat, people can watch Longview’s gamers  take part in their epic gaming, ranging from simple card games of Twenty-One and Black Jack to computer games like League of Legends and World of Warcraft.

This fall semester has been quite different for Longview Gamers. Over the summer a door and wall were  added to the space where they have traditionally met. The additions transformed the former gaming room in to a meeting space for clubs and organizations, which gaming students no longer have access to, unfettered and full-time. The room now  sits unused as the Campus Center waits for new furniture to fill the room. If students want access to the space, they will have to schedule time.

As of now MCC- Longview recognizes 12 clubs, including the Chess Club, the Engineering club, Longview Bible Study, and more. The college did not have a single room available to accommodate all of the functions of all the clubs. Thus the gaming room is being changed to meet those needs.

“We wanted one place, a club room where all clubs could meet,” says Kim Prosak, the Campus-life and leadership Coordinator.

Why the gaming room? “There were a lot of complaints of sounds. They gave us the door [for noise issues] but we can’t use the room,” said John Snow, long-time member of the Gaming Club at Longview.

Snow explained that he really liked the idea of installing a door and wall to the game room. He said the Campus Life and Leadership team explained to gamers  that some of the reasons for blocking the game room were to bar non-students from entering and using the facility.

“I was with them on this point,” said Snow. “This was a legitimate reason, but I’d feel better if it was used as a storage room, rather than being empty.”

Prosak said that the college wanted to model their club organizations on a four-year model, where there is one specific place where all clubs could meet. Several years ago, the gaming room served as an arcade room, but as years passed, the same students met there every day, until it finally became generally know as the game room.

“We wanted all clubs to have an equal chance and have scheduled room slots,” said Prosak.

Last semester the Gaming Club had 70 members rostered at MCC-Longview. The club set up multiple game days and tournaments for students to join throughout the semester.

“That wasn’t the official gaming club room….I’m not upset that they [made changes] to the room. I’m upset that they didn’t inform the students,” said Erin Jacks, vice president of the Gaming Club. “We definitely want to get more organized in the future and set up ground rules to obtain a room,” said Jacks.

When the room will be ready is unsure, but Prosak said that clubs can make arrangements with Campus Life and Leadership to have club meetings in the future club room. Campus Life and Leadership’s office is Campus Center 253.