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Final Projects

Athens Online: Bringing Gaming to Athens

Jessica Atwell on Twitter: “via https://t.co/98pdxsd95m pic.twitter.com/6BC05ogOW6 / Twitter”

via https://t.co/98pdxsd95m pic.twitter.com/6BC05ogOW6

It’s quiet. There is a heavy sense of focus and purpose in the room. There is no noise except for the clicks of mice and keyboards and hushed whispers from spectators. It is an intense kind of peace in the room lined by softly whirring computer systems, large PCs and some of which dwarf their users. A voice breaks through the air announcing the next event and asking teams to prepare for competition. A small group materializes from across the large room and takes their seats side by side while exchanging smiles and last-minute well-wishes and advice. One round ends, and the losing team slumps in defeat while the winners clap each other on the shoulders. The next two teams roll back their shoulders, eyes glued to their screens, and begin their own battle of wills.

This is Athens Online, the UGA eSports’ event held the weekend of March 17, 2017.

Confusing, isn’t it? It sounds like a sporting event, but there is talk of computers and screens. It is a world almost unknown to most but rapidly growing in the world, the Unites States and right here in Georgia.

Esports, the official spelling as recently announced by the Associated Press, has seen enormous growth in recent years. Esports refers to the competitive and spectated gaming events and competitions hosted on platforms ranging from PC, which accounts for 56 percent of frequent gamers’ use according to the ITA, to PlayStation to even the Wii. The most famous of these events incorporate classic shooters such as “Call of Duty” and “Halo” as well as newer multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) such as “SMITE” and “League of Legends.”

According to the International Trade Administration, video games have become a $100 billion industry. Esports alone was expected to see earnings at around $621 million globally in 2016. On eSports and Twitch, the largest platform and community for the industry, 45 million gamers log on monthly. By 2019 the United States is expected to be the largest market at $19 billion.

Gaming in Georgia

Interested in a surprising fact? Georgia has become a hot-bed for this new and booming industry.

“I couldn’t imagine building my mobile gaming studio anywhere other than Georgia. It has everything you could want – top-tier colleges to recruit great talent, a bustling city and international airport, a thriving entertainment industry and it’s a fantastic community for me and my team to raise our families,” said Jeff Hilimire, CEO of Dragon Army, as quoted by Digital Entertainment page on the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s website.

According to the Digital Media Industry Report, Georgia ranks seventh in the nation for tech employment growth having seen 7,300 new jobs in 2015. As the eight largest tech talent market, companies are drawn to Georgia, specifically metro-Atlanta and other centers of education such as Athens, to create start-ups or scout talent from colleges.

“The state’s entertainment incentives have supported our efforts to build an exceptional, Georgia-grown game development studio. We have relocated over a dozen experienced game industry professionals to Georgia and put them in mentoring positions with talented new graduates,” said Todd Harris of Hi-Rez Studios as quoted by the GDEcD.

Hi-Rez Studios is arguably the largest gaming company in Georgia. Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, the company has expanded to add new offices in Shenzen, China and Brighton in England. The Alpharetta location employs more than 200 “gaming enthusiasts” according to Hi-Rez’s website. In October 2016, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Hi-Rez planned to expand in metro Atlanta starting with 75 new positions and a new 9,000 square-foot-lease in Alpharetta.

Hi-Rez Studios’ fame has come primarily from its MOBA “SMITE” which has created quite a presence in the esports scene with multiple notable Twitch streamers and spectated matches as well as an official tournament in which teams across the nation and overseas compete.

In an example of the money, large market, and sense of community to be found in the gaming world, the “SMITE” community raised over $36,000 for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to combat the intense flooding in Louisiana in 2016 according to a press release featured on the GDEcD Exports webpage.

Athens Online and eSports

But what does this mean for Athens?

According to Jacob Sumpter, the Internal Communications Chair for UGA eSports and a lead planner of Athens Online, the club began preparations for the event in August 2016, eight months before the event’s expected date. The entirety of the planning was done by the eight board members while regular club members participated in fundraising events and volunteered at the event. They began by selecting a preferred time range, in this case February or March, and then began communicating with UGA and the Classic Center to choose a location. In the end, there was no available location on the UGA campus capable of hosting the event, so the club moved forward now partnered with the Classic Center for a March date.

To raise money for Athens Online, the club held multiple fundraisers and paired with local businesses. They held percentage nights at eateries such as Chipotle, but one business went above and beyond. Athens Wok agreed to provide the club with Thai tea and fried rice in return for advertising. Each Thai Tea and Fried Rice fundraiser held outside of Tate provided the club around $400 each for each of the four events.

By January, ticket sales had opened, and the UGA eSports began to receive news that teams from as far as Texas and the West Coast planned to attend. Where would these teams stay? In hotel rooms already put on hold by the club at local hotels such as the Holiday Inn Express. Entire suites were reserved by

the club to fulfill the needs of the attendees, and those same people filling the hotels turned to other local businesses over the weekend for one particular need: food.

In an effort to boost local businesses, especially their partners from fundraising events, each Athens Online attendee was given a map upon entering of downtown Athens with local eateries highlighted.

On the day of the event, competitor after competitor filed in carrying entire PC units. Teams organized, prepped, and took their seats in anticipation for the day’s event to start. Bracketed competitions existed for “Call of Duty”, “League of Legends”, and “Overwatch” among others.

Besides partnering with local businesses to suit the needs of the event’s attendees, UGA eSports was also able secure giveaways and prizes from approximately 18 non-local sponsors including large corporations and companies, according to Sumpter. UMG Gaming was the largest sponsor and aided in organizing the event in coordination with the club. Razer, a general technology company geared toward gamers, as well as Immortals and CLG, which are smaller gaming tournament professional teams, were among some of the leading sponsors. ELEAGUE, the first television broadcast aimed specifically at esports and airs on TBS, provided $2,500 in exchange for advertisement at the event. DreamHack, a Swedish digital festival that recently opened a sister event in Texas after seeing the size of America’s gaming market and community, donated approximately $3,000 worth of four-day passes and a booth to the club for the DreamHack event. DXRacer, a gaming chair company, provided 16 chairs in the price range of $300-$400 each to giveaway. Lastly, NVIDIA, a company that makes graphics processing units (GPUs), also provided an estimated value of $5,000 in giveaways.

 

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/912021612625133571

 

“The [VIP ticket] wasn’t too developed… however, I did meet a large CEO of a multinational gaming company, and he gave me a free controller that was worth three times what my ticket was”, said Hunter Wallace, a non-competitive Athens Online attendee.

How did this happen? According to Sumpter, getting partnerships and sponsors was difficult at first. The club did not speak to many of the larger companies with enough time before the annual “wrapup reports” done by most companies; however, the club was able to persevere by using LinkedIn and persistent emails to CEOs and other company chairs. Securing UMG was the act that tipped the scale, and it is believed that the club could receive so much more support for the event because of the relative rarity of collegiate gaming events.

“I think the event was pretty well set up. UMG brought a special trailer just for CoD with 32 consoles and controllers”, said Tristan Mcintosh, a member of the UGA CoD team and winner of the CoD tournament.

In the end, an average of 628 people attended the event per day. UGA eSports hopes to see an increase in attendance next year as word spreads and sponsors, including Hi-Rez Studios, continue to flood in following the event’s wake. Events such as this encourage a rise in the presence of the gaming community in downtown Athens and lead to businesses catering to gamers setting up shop downtown.

Exercises

Exercise 13: Rewrite Top Story

Original Story: “U.S., Russia tensions rise after strike against Syria” by The Washington Post

  1. BREAKING: U.S. airstrikes on Syrian base raise tensions with Russia. Read here.
  2. U.S.-Russian tensions on the rise
  3. U.S.-Russian relations become strained following the U.S. airstrike on a Syrian government-held base accused of storing and launching the chemical weapons involved in the attack on a rebel-held town earlier this week. President Trump elected to fire on the base after hearing the extent of the death toll of the chemical attack. Russia suspended an agreement with the U.S. meant to help avoid mid-air collisions of fighter jets in the airspace above Syria. Read the full story here.
Business, MOTS

Boutique Business in Downtown Athens

Attracting customers to boutiques in downtown Athens, Georgia, is highly dependent on the boutique’s ability to attract customer attention and provide positive shopping experiences to retain them, according to an informal poll recently conducted by University of Georgia students currently enrolled in Journalism 3190.

The majority of the dozen individuals interviewed stated that they began shopping at their preferred boutiques because the displays caught their attention.

Savannah Guethner, a sophomore at the University of Georgia, said she found her favorite store, Community, while “just walking around.” She said that the display caught her eye by showcasing unique items as well as advertising local fashion designers.

Savannah Guenther, a student at UGA

While the initial attraction of customers to a boutique relies on the displays, keeping customers requires customer service. Interviewees rated their favorite stores’ customer service around an average of 9.14 out of 10. Many highlighted the importance of customer service in their shopping experience.

“They greeted me as soon as I walked in the door,” said Julie Walker, 45. The staff in her preferred store “explained how everything was in the store.”

A polite and friendly greeter was a notable quality many mentioned during their interviews.

“They are super helpful, but not overly annoying,” said Ivey Thompson, a third year student at UGA, when asked why she rated Cheeky Peach a nine out of 10 for customer service. “They’ll show you things you might like or what to pair together or stuff in your price range.”

Cheeky Peach on Twitter: “Check out our denim collection and see how CP wears denim!Shop the collection here: https://t.co/OIGoTJaQ4F pic.twitter.com/rHlHeGapIo / Twitter”

Check out our denim collection and see how CP wears denim!Shop the collection here: https://t.co/OIGoTJaQ4F pic.twitter.com/rHlHeGapIo

When asked about if they believed stereotypes existed about boutiques and whether or not their shopping experiences supported these claims, almost every interviewee mentioned pricing.

Boutiques tend to offer better customer service and be more expensive, said Thompson, who added, “In Athens I feel like the stereotypes are matched.” That view was shared by Ashton Morrison. “Some of them are a little overpriced, always have been in my opinion,” said Morrison, a University of Georgia graduate who now works in a nearby town.

Gitte Thrysoe, on left, and Samantha Becker, on right, are also two students interviewed from UGA.

For others, pricing was less of an issue because of the type of products the stores carried.

“The prices are a bit more than I would like,” said Guethner, but explained that the handmade and detailed work of products in her favorite boutique made the prices worth it.

Many of the graduate students or non-students said that some stores catered to younger individuals.

“Some of them are a little sorority-ish,” said Morrison.

“A lot of the boutiques I don’t go into because I see them as being for younger students,” said Gabrielle Fuentes, a graduate student.

Backgrounder, Business

All-American Brand Macy’s to Close Athens Store

Macy’s has long been a household name in the United States. Every Thanksgiving, the streets of New York City are filled with life and celebration during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is one of many stores well-known to Americans nationwide and seen as an example of the American way of life. Yet this may change here in Athens, Georgia.

The Macy’s at Georgia Square Mall will be one of 68 Macy’s department stores slated to close early this year. It is also the only store in Georgia that will be closing.

This move is part of a larger plan by Macy’s to close 100 stores nationwide over the next few years. This represents about 15 percent of its total store base according to Business Insider.

Nearly 4,000 employees will be affected as a result, and while some will find employment at nearby stores, most face losing their jobs completely as reported by the Athens Banner-Herald’s AthensOnline.  IT IS ACTUALLY ONLINE ATHENS – TWO WORDS – It also reports that further restructuring in the company will see the loss of an additional 6,200 jobs nationwide.

Why? Macy’s has faced hardship in the recent economic downturns. The company’s net income, meaning the total remaining after subtracting the various costs of running the business from the total profits of the company and thus its total balance with which to begin the new year, last year was $1.07 million. In 2015 and 2014 it was approximately $1.53 million and $1.49 million, respectively. This would mean a loss in net income around $450,000 between the years 2016 and 2015, a stark contrast to the still relatively small gain of $460,000 between the years 2015 and 2014. Recent economic downturns have impacted multiple large companies and department stores around the country.

This year’s breaking announcement from Macy’s also sets a very different tone than previous announcements. Six years ago, Macy’s announced the roll-out of its Backstage Pass program that relied on QR technology to bring costumers exciting fashion and industry tips from high-brow names and designers as well as a chance to win a daily $500 shopping spree according to a press release through Business Wire in 2011. Six years before that, Business Wire covered Macy’s launch of its Star Rewards program in 2005. This was also aimed to increase the customer’s shopping experience and promote customer loyalty, but as the funds have dried up, so has Macy’s customer outreach programs.

Mr. Auguste ✨🌹 on Twitter: “Dear @Macys you’re not allowed to aggressively hang banners about “nothing held back” then discount merch at ur closing store at 10-20% nope pic.twitter.com/FQpHrIW2uU / Twitter”

Dear @Macys you’re not allowed to aggressively hang banners about “nothing held back” then discount merch at ur closing store at 10-20% nope pic.twitter.com/FQpHrIW2uU

One shopper, among many others, took to Twitter to voice his opinion on a Macy’s store’s closing.

“All I can say is, that’s bad news,” Online Athens quoted Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Jerry NeSmith when asked about the mall’s store closing. Online Athens also quoted the marketing director for the mall, Monica Hawkins, as saying, “The mall is actively in discussions to buy that space from Macy’s with the intent of backfilling it.” No further news about Macy’s successor has appeared.

This will mark the first time since 1981 that the 121 thousand square feet space will not be the home of a Macy’s department store.

Exercises

Alternative Lede Exercise Atwell

Imagine going into work, turning on your workspace computer, and opening multiple videos transferred from mini SD cards sitting haphazardly on your desk. For the next few hours, you explore crawlspaces, hunt lizards, and risk crossing roads all from the point of view of a common household cat, all in the name of research.

 

Researchers from UGA and National Geographic created lightweight, waterproof cameras that record high quality video equipped with LED lights for night activity, break-away collars, and a radio-tracking device. These “Kitty Cams” were attached to 60 free-roaming pet cats in Athens-Clarke County for 7-10 days over the course of the year so as to catch data during all four seasons.

 

The researchers tracked “cat predation on wildlife” and found that only 44% hunted wildlife at the average rate of approximately 2 items per 7 days of roaming. Carolina anoles (lizards) and Woodland Voles were the cats’ favorite prey species. 85% of the captures were during warmer months such as March- November.

 

The most common risks to the cats observed were crossing roads, encountering other cats, eating and drinking substances while not at home, exploring drain systems, and entering crawlspaces.

 

4 of the 60 cats were observed entering another household for food or affection. “Archie got a whole other family”, says Amy Watts of Athens whose two cats, Archie and Booker T, were part of the study. “I feel like one of those women on the talk shows: ‘My husband has two wives,” she continues, “My cat has two families.”

Exercises

Inverted Pyramid Practice

An apartment fire occurred on Thursday night at Windfair in Athens, GA. No one was injured in the fire according to reports from the fire department. A member of the fire department said that foul play is not suspected although the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Of the 25 units on the site, 10 were destroyed. The fire department reports that approximately 25 renters have been displaced as a result.

Firefighters arrived on the scene around 9:05. “Flames were bursting through the roof and residents were gathered outside on the sidewalk,” Athens-Clarke County Fire Department Capt. Mary Smith said.The 25 renters lost the majority of their possessions.

Thomas Jones, a renter of three years at Windfair without renter’s insurance, said, “I lost everything. I am not sure what I will do next.”

Jones was able to take his two cats, Gingersnap and George, with him while he evacuated the apartment. Others still search for pets that went missing during the evacuation.

Exercises

Art You Wear: T-Shirt Design

Creating t-shirts is an art pivotal to many organizations, especially in the college domain. The sorority apparel chair of Sigma Delta Tau, Claudia Miller, said the process begins by meeting with the event planner to brainstorm ideas for the design.

After deciding on a concept, the designer must research companies to select which is most suitable for their event. This decision is often based on the desired look of the final product depending on whether the desire is to be “artsy”, “cheesy” or something in between.

Finally, a design is selected and approved by the organization, and the t-shirts are ordered. “It’s very rewarding,” said Miller, “People really end up appreciating your work.”

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Contributors

Shayla Strange

Shayla Strange is a third year journalism major who is enjoying her second semester at the University of Georgia after transferring from Valdosta State over the summer. She was born on May 22 in Macon, Georgia and will soon be traveling far from home for the 2017 Prague: Travel Writing study abroad program. She aspires to be a radio personality and is currently interning at WUGA, a local radio station, as well as pursuing a minor in communications. She tweets at snstrangee.