The big screen is coming to the green with video games and a clip to welcome students to campus. Vandals can come spectate and play Nintendo classics on the Theophilus Tower Lawn free of charge and risk. At 5 – 7 p.m. on Saturday, the screen will open to those to show their skills and have fun.
Using the same LED screen from past events including the Moscow drive-in, the large screen opens opportunities to take advantage of, Vandal Entertainment Supervisor Laurel Meyer said.
“Because of COVID-19 precautions, the welcome activities we normally do have had to change a lot,” Meyer said. “We still wanted to do something.”
The screen will be put up for a welcome presentation during the beginning of Vandal Walk and is too big of an opportunity to pass up. Along with video games and a welcome clip, the screen will be used for screen on the green Friday and Saturday night.
“We should come up with something to utilize while we had it available to us,” Meyer said.
The team wanted to pick games that were equally fun to play and watch. Students can compete with eachother playing Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart. Both these games are well recognized and not too complicated that people will feel uncomfortable getting up and joining, Meyer said.
“We thought it would be really fun to promote our eSports a little bit, but also give people something to do,” Meyer said.
Games will be played on a Nintendo Switch and controllers will be available. The game’s inmput will be split onto a separate TV for players and the big screen for viewers. Switch controllers only have a 40-foot output and would require players to sit close to the screen. For the player’s comfort, a smaller screen will be available to watch the game instead of cranking heads to view the large screen.
While switching off players, people will follow disinfecting protocols. The controllers will be disinfected in between turns, and the hard plastic and buttons will be easy to clean. Among CDC guidelines and COVID-19 protocols, patrons will be required to wear a mask and social distance at the event. Washing hands afterward is recommended.
“This is the first time we’ve done anything like this and we’re pretty excited to see how it goes,” Meyer said.
Those who were unavailable to join the event are in luck because student involvement is hosting another video game night at 6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday. The event is open for all and everyone is encouraged to join. The same games will be up and ready to play at the ISUB on the first floor.
Emily Pearce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce.