Curio May/June Edition 2012

7/31/2019 Curio May/June Edition 2012

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CURIOSITY

CURIOWrittenbyStudents.ForStudents.The Degree

Changes...A conversation

with Jason Paris

+ Sally Sara,

Mass Effect III,and the great

device debate.

May/June 2012

Revamped Issue 1


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CURIOPDFIT!

All the CURIO content.

No paper.

2012. Curio is not a registered trademark of anything but

if it was this is where we would put that information.

If you like reading random drivel and

want to take it with you visit:

http://www.theucsa.org.au/
http://www.theucsa.org.au/http://www.theucsa.org.au/


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CURIO

Features

4 Degree Changes and how they effect you.An in-depth look at the changes to the communication

degrees at the University of Canberra

6 Sally Sara.Foreign Correspondent visits UC and offers advice to those

interested in joining the crazy world that is the journalism

business. (Plus her top 10 tips for staying in the business alive.)

2 Editors

Welcome

3 Inbox

8 Music

9 Jeremy

Stevens

10 Tech Support.

Dealing with the

device debate.

13 Mass Effect

III all its cracked

up to be?

15 Game of

Thrones.

16 UC Write

A poem on the

Lighthouse

experience.

17 Loves Hard.

How to get over

that heart-

crushing breakup

19 Ali Ardern.

Doing whats

right.

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F r om t h e Ed i t o r

So this is it; my first column as Editor. My firstand perhaps only chance to make an impression that

lasts, or and more likely, the first thing you read inthat line after picking up the magazine to just pass

the time. (No judgement; Ive done it too.)

So Ive spent all my budget on the red layout and all

of my personal paycheck on that photo with Karl

Stefanovic and Richard Wilkins, now what?

I guess the main point of this, well drivel, is to

explain that this isyourpublication. Im merely the

person that puts it together, procrastinating my time,

and extending my university experience by doing so.

This is not a personal blog from the UCSA. There

will be no in-jokes, and no prejudice when it comes

to content. If you want to submit something ... you

do it directly to me, because everyone deserves a voice.

Everyone deserves the right to have their say.

Email me and I will do my best to get back to you.

While not everyone can write with ease (I know

because I struggle) everyone wants to be heard and

perhaps needs just a little guidance. Your work is

what drives Curio so I will do my best to help you,

guiding your work getting help myself along the way.

My email address is: [email protected]

Your submission deadline is: Thursday May 24th

2012

Get writing!

- David Sharaz (Ridiculously out of my depth.)

ABOUT ME:

Im a journalism student;

The word no is my least favourite;

I love things wrapped in brown paper;

My dream pet is a Golden Retriever,and I plan to name mine Walkey;

I will one day be a Foreign

Correspondent for a national network

(just a heads up) like my idol Anderson

Cooper;

I am the most feminine straight-man youll ever meet, and I make no

apologies for that;

Im adopted;

I have Welsh and Indian in me.Ironically, the same ethnicity of my

adoptive parents (luck or fate, you

decide);

I want a Range Rover, like thepretentious guy I am; and lastly

Humour is the most important thing

to me.

Today Work Experience 2011

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Inbox

So theyve appointed a new

Editor, does this mean that

the content will improve

also?- Dave Wales

I can already spot a typo.- Cree McRae (departing Editor)

The ABC wont return my

calls, so I thought Id

complain elsewhere. Your

publication offends me.- Anonymous

Good luck as Editor David!

Im not holding my breath

though; Ive seen how lazyyou are.

-Jean Sharaz (Davids lovingmother)

It would be lovely if this

student magazine

contained less in jokes, and

less random drivel now that

there is a new person in

charge.- Name omitted per request.

Im sure youll do a great job

as Editor David, but what

about having some actual

student news with the

revamp?- Sam

Write to us!

Editor: [email protected]@DavidSharaz on Twitter

[email protected]

Tweets

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Holy smokes Batman, theyve changedmy degree and didnt tell me!By David Sharaz (Journalism Student)

As you step through the

University of Canberra Student

Associations glass doors and

into their newly tenanted office

space, you start to feel angst.

There has been so much talk of

late about their consultation with

the university in relation to therestructuring [removal] of

many degrees that the mere

mention of their name is tainted,

and tarnished beyond belief. But

as a journalist were taught to

find the truth, and that there are

two sides to every story.

In steps Jason Paris, who by

name, has been mentioned a lot

of late. With his casual attire and

jovial attitude, its hard to believe

this man could be the centre of

any accusations. Stepping

through the green office he

delays our interview when a

student steps through the door

needing his attention. He has

recently relinquished control of

the UCSA by stepping down as

President (something Im assured

has nothing to do with the recent

theatrics by the media) but

remains as Advocacy Officer for

students at the University of

Canberra. If a student needs help,

hell delay a chat with the media,

which made sense, as my pen

never goes dry.

My Postgraduate in Education

meant doing three jobs was

impossible. I had to pass the

torch onto someone worthy

which is why Harry Mott was

voted in. It was unanimous, Mr.

Paris said.

If I continued the UCSA would

suffer because my full attention

couldnt be given and I didnt

want that. It was time for

change.

I could write an entire novella on

the appointing of Mr. Mott as

President, but that wasnt why I

was there. I was there to talk

about the accusations made to

Mr. Paris while he was President,

and the changes to the journalism

degree. (Something relevant to

myself.)

In case you werent aware the

university has decided to make

some changes, significantly to the

Journalism Degree where 12

units (practical units) are being

cut down to six. Now while this

might seem non-significant the

changes also coincide with the

renaming of the journalism

degree changing it to a Bachelorof Communications (majoring in

Journalism), something relevant

to any communications student.

The degree means many

communication-based degrees

are losing their official title. For

example: Bachelor of PR will

become Bachelor of

Communication in PR. Which

causes many students to believethe changes diminish the quality

of their degree and hard work

over three to four years of study.

But Mr. Paris believes differently,

The Bachelor of

Communication in Journalism

actually broadens your scope of

employment which I feel is a

greater issue to students.

When questioned on the changes

and the retirement of specific

practical units in the degree Mr.

Paris points out something I

believe personally. Now, while

Ive known Ive wanted to be a

journalist since I was 14-years-

old not everyone feels the same

way. Some have entered the

journalism degree because they

needed to pick something after

high school. Mr. Paris aside, and

as a student myself, if I had

finished three years of study and

knew I didnt want to be a

journalist (which lets face it, not

everyone wants to be) I would be

upset if my degree only meant I

could start out in a small

publication, or a small media

outlet getting coffee for those

higher up. In my personal

opinion some people want to

have a degree that allows them a

broader scope of employment.

Ive spoken to past students,

present students, and media

outlets. They all agree that the

changes better reflect that of the

industry, Mr Paris says. But

when questioned on who those

people were Mr. Paris steps back

into his Student Advocacy

position. We as the UCSA have

to respect the rights, and privacy

UCFEATURE


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of students. Which is why Im told

the exact consultation participants

wont be released.

The fact of the matter becomes clear

over my time with whom Ive started

to call Jason, the university had

decided that they wanted to change

the degrees before even consulting

the UCSA. Sadly however, both the

UCSA and Mr. Paris got caught in the

crossfire. Its important to remember,

as I found out, that the UCSA and theuniversity are completely separate

from each other.

Personally, I believe that cutting

practical units, or changing the name

of a degree wont stop anyone who

wants to make it. A degree is a degree

in the media industry, and its only

through hard work, a dogged

commitment, and a hell of a lot ofluck that youll make it in the

industry. I know this because Ive

been knocked back again and again

and Im still fighting. If you want to

become a journalist, truly want to

become a journalist my advice to you

is this: Finish your degree, and get as

much experience as you can.

DEGREECHANGE

Dear Student

In 2013 the Faculty of Arts and Design will introduce a new suite ofCommunication courses. These changes, outlined below, are the resultof extensive internal and external consultation, and reflect the changingnature of the communication industries.

Each degree will have a strong spine in your chosen professional field.The new degrees will give students the foundational and specialistskills to thrive in industries that are facing rapid technological change

and convergence, such as advertising, journalism, public relations, andpolitical communication. The revamped Communication Studies unitsalso mirror the way different communication professionals worktogether in their careers and often move between communication fields.

These changes are reflected in the new degree titles, which willdemonstrate to employers that you are a communication professionalwith a strong industry specialisation.

The important thing for you to note is that you have the choice to

remain in your current degree. Or you can choose to convert to thenew degree. From 2013, new students will be able to enrol only in thenew Bachelor of Communication degrees.

A copy of the new course structure is available on the Journalismmoodle page. More information about the single and double degreecourse changes, transition plans and how to transfer to the new degreewill be made available on 1st June 2012.

An information evening has been scheduled for Wednesday 8 August2012 at 6.00pm in Building 9, level A, room 01.

If you have any further enquiries about the changes to the

communication degrees at UC, please contact the Faculty of Arts andDesign, Student Liaison Officers [email protected].

Sincerely

Professor Lyndon Anderson

Current degree New degree

Bachelor ofAdvertising andMarketingCommunication

Bachelor ofCommunication inAdvertising

Bachelor ofJournalism

Bachelor ofCommunication inJournalism

Bachelor ofCommunication andMedia Studies

Bachelor ofCommunication inMedia and PublicAffairs

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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B r i e fing

Running, running, running. Every single stepcould be the last. Every single stepfor your life.Every single step in order to getthe truth.Knowing youre being watched, and possiblychased in the middle of a warzone inAfghanistanthat,is the dream job.This time last year, that was Sally Sara. At thepeak of the Australian BroadcastingCorporation(ABC) journalists, she was reporting as a foreigncorrespondent in Kabul, Afghanistan.Since her homecoming she has recently guestlectured to broadcast journalism students at theUniversity of Canberra (UC).Friend of Sara,andconvener of the broadcast journalism units at UC,

Julie Posetti (ex-radio and television journalist with

the ABC),alsoopened the rare opportunity to thepublic.I invited the general public and the wider UCcommunity because I think Sally's story has appealbeyond journalism groupiesgiving them theopportunity to learn more about the machinationsof contemporary journalism", Posetti said.A member of thegeneral public, Terri Landford,said it was interestinghow technology has madelone, self-sufficient journalism a reality.Sara explained in the lecture that in a world of

modern-day journalism information comes inquicker on Twitter than on the news wires inAfghanistan.Shesaid there had even been Twitter warsbetween security representatives of differentcountries.She then highlighted the importance of computergear and how it has shaped journalism. There isnow smaller, lighter and more powerfultechnology to report from, even in remote areas.

Sara said, field reporters must be geeks.Broadcast journalism student, Nip Wijewickrema,said she also taught us that you make things

work, no matter where you are and whatequipment you have.Sara inspired students to persevere and make themost of any situation.I thought she gave the journalism students very

sensible and helpful advice, and we were amusedthat she never finished her journalism degree,Landford said.Admitting she didnt complete her undergraduatedegree at UC, Sara encouraged students to driveforth in their journalism endeavours, no matterwhat or who may set them back.It was inspiring, as she is so down to earth andnormal, said Wijewickrema.Posetti said during the lecture that you cant be aSally Sara without working outback.

The hard work and passion of Sara, from startingin regional Australia, has led to her19 years withthe ABC, even after being knocked back by theorganisation three times prior to success.She said the workload in Afghanistan involvedreporting for 11 radio and television programs,ABC online and ABC News 24. Which meant heraverage workload in one day would be to reportone TV story, three to four radio stories and astory for ABC News 24. On average, this equates

to a 15-hour working day and being awake for 34hours straight.Sleep was a luxury, something that trauma couldtake over. It was an act of covering trauma andconcealing your own.Sara said, what you see and what you broadcastare often two very different things.Although working alone meant she had flexibility,it also brought upon loneliness in the foreign land.Sara described the gym as her mental health unit.Wijewickrema said, shes faced so many things,

and is so well planted. She acknowledges shes nota robot and needs to take measures to debrief and look after herself and her mental health.

Sally Sara.A lesson in tenacity.

By Charlene Broad

@charlenebroad

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Posetti said by inviting Sara to guest lecture shehoped to bring the inspiring and challengingrealities of foreign correspondence and multi-platform reportage into the classroom.Students and public alike were awed, as opposed

to frightened, by the fact that you could be killedby a bomb in Afghanistan that costs merely $10 tomake.As part of a military family it was especially ofinterest to me to get an insight on Afghanistanexpressed by a journalist and how she dealt withthe fears and sights she encountered, saidLandford.No matter what background people came from,the 600 people who filled up the Boilerhouselecture room at UC were thoroughly enthused by

Saras lecture. Her passion forherjob, her career,her life;flowed through the air and enteredpeopleas they watched and listened to her speak. As aforeign correspondent, Sara said, people are sodesperate to tell their stories, they want you toget close into their world. Those words in someway inspired every person in the room to takeaction in whatever field they were in.

Sally Saras top ten tips for

becoming a successful journo:

1. Be the best journo in Dubbo.

Wherever you are based, no matter how small orbig the community, be the best in that community.The local paper can follow you!

2. Never be afraid to play catch up.

If you missed a story, dont freeze, continue on.

3. The best way to get a story is to do a

story.

No-one can find the story for you, but you. Everystory can lead to something else.

4. Dead journos dont write many story

stories.

There is a fine line between risks. Is the storyyoure writing worth it?

5. If you experience trauma, get some

help.

Trauma will only ruin your work and your health;

two of the most important things to uphold as ajourno.

6. Beware of the 27 Blues.

When you reach the age of around 27, dont fret ifyou are not based in Kabul. Chances are none ofthe other 27-year-old journos are either.

7.Remember the two books contacts and

diary.

Call your contacts even when theres nothing

going on. And, keep organised and on track.

8. Resilience, resilience, resilience.

Be patient and persevere. Dont stop trying. Ever.

9. Look for the gaps.

What stories arent being reported?

10. Reputation is everything.

The way you deal with people is important.Everything feeds into that be respected.

Quotes that make you go,nawww.

Were all put on this planet for apurpose and we all have a differentpurpose. Its our Journey.- Ellen DeGeneres.

I dont believe in failure. Its notfailure if you enjoyed the process.-Oprah Winfrey

Nobody in life gets exactly whatthey want. But if youre kind, and

youre open, amazing things willhappen. Its just true.

-Conan OBrien

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Early in the Morning.Worthy of my Morning, Afternoon, or Evening.By Dave Wales

James Vincent McMorrowsdebut album Early in theMorning shoots chills down yourspine as his falsetto voice fills

your mind. McMorrow has beenasked to perform with the likesof Al Green, Tracy Chapmanand Bon Iver, and has done soopening shows and playingbeside some of the most famousfolk singers of modern times.There is no doubt he has thepower to break hearts and wowaudiences, but his appeal is

wider than that.

If you read my music rant youwill see folk is not my focus, ormy favourite music genre.McMorrow however has gone along way to change this, or atleast has given new life to the

folk genre in my musiccollection. TechnicallyMcMorrow is listed as a pop-folkartist, which I cant really get myhead around as his EP's, andnow album are very much folk.In trying to think of somethingcomparable I thought ofsomething ... not. Listed as aIndie Folk group from LondonMumford and Sons are what isee as pop-folk. Not to belittlethem, they are a fantastic bandand brought out an incredibly

popular album.

None of this however takesaway from the sheer enjoyment igot from McMorrows album,Early In The Morning. Playingthe album to a group of mypeers i found fans of all genres

willing to leave the entire albumto play gently swaying ortapping their feet to the morelively tracks like Sparrow & TheWolf and just sit and listen toothers. From start to finish thealbum didnt have any lulls ordisappointing tracks with eachsong having something a littledifferent yet special.

The lyrics are simple butexpertly delivered and the musicis beautifully crafted, standing

up well to my personal love ofdrums and chilled out melodies.I definitely recommend thisalbum to anyone that likes Folkmusic or are looking forsomething a little bit different totheir usual listening experience.

UCMUSIC

@yay101

As a twenty-something male I like to think my taste in everything has been refined and developedthrough my life so far. Saying this, 360, the Australian hip hop artist is my current favourite music artist. Iguess you could say he just gets me. Or, perhaps I get him? I dont know, nor care. This alone will make alot of readers dismiss what I have to say thinking I have a narrow music palette. Feel free to check out mylast.fm account, davidjwales to prove yourself wrong and see I have an appreciation for all types of music,or just to see what else I enjoy as much.

DAVES RANT

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Music Roundup; or something to that effect.By Jeremy Stevens

UCMUSIC

At 4pm yesterday - the day beforedeadline - Curio editor DavidSharaz sent me a tweet asking howmy article was coming along. I toldhim Id have something for him bythe end of the night.

Its now 2.30am, and Im finallystarting. Luckily, like most unistudents, my poor time-management skills are balanced by adisregard for normal sleepingpatterns, so its okay.

Anyway, I told the Editor I was keento write about music. He thoughtthis was a cool idea, and told me Ihad a page and I could do whateverI wanted with it.

Sounds like a pretty easy job, right?Its actually the equivalent of yourlecturer giving you an essay, but thequestion, word count, and markingcriteria are all a secret. Also peoplewill laugh if you mess it up.

I have no idea what Im doing, but Ihope you like it.

@jeevens

Splendour announces its 2012 line-up;

people openly weep in the streets.

In case you missed everyone banging on about it onFacebook, Splendour in the Grass recently

announced their line-up for 2012.

Theyve assembled an interesting array of artists thisyear, with Jack White, Bloc Party, SmashingPumpkins, and the newly-reformed At The Drive-Inall making appearances, alongside a handful of otherinternational acts and a bucket-load of Australianones. Though what possessed them to putWolfmother on the bill, well never know.

This is probably the closest event Australia has to

something like Coachella, and from the reactions Iveseen, many seem more attracted by the idea of aweekend festival than the actual music itself.

Regardless, for those interested, youre looking atabout $450 for a 3-day ticket with camping. Add ontravel costs, plus festival-priced food and booze, and

youre looking at a fair amount more.

If you survive selling your spare kidney, Splendour isheld from July 27 to 29 in Byron Bay. Check outsplendourinthegrass.com for the full line-up.

Groovy Baby

If were mentioning Splendour, it only seems right to remind everyone that Groovin The Moo is rapidlyapproaching...

Sunday May 13 will see City and Colour, Public Enemy, Kaiser Chiefs, Matt Corby, 360, and whole bunch ofother excellent musicians play UCs The Meadows (that big field of grass out the back).

For those of you who dont know, GTM is a one-day, all ages music festival, and its not to be missed. Its also atthe very end of week 14, so theres no excuse not to come along. Unless you hate fun.Anyone who didnt catch hypothermia last year will tell you it was amazing, and anyone who was stuck oncampus listening from the outside will tell you it was excruciatingly painful.

Next month... Youll get your GTM roundup!9


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UCTECHRemember when a phonewas just a phone?Me either.By Dave Wales@yay101

With great devices comes great debate, and some ofthe most debated modern devices are mobile phonesas almost everyone has one, or at least an opinion onone. It is my hope to deliver a clear conscious guideto choosing a phone operating system which is rightfor you, and not just most popular. Only the 3 mainoperating systems are to be included, so if you are

hoping for Bada or Meego devices to be included Iwill have to apologise.

The feature sets of each operating system overlapquite a lot so like any good article I have made up atable to present the differences visually. This article isbased on the latest versions of each operating system.

Feature Android iOS Windows

Multitasking Full Service Based Cached

Recent App View Yes Yes Yes

Folders and Sorting Yes Yes Yes

Spell Checking (not auto correct) Yes System Apps No, coming inwindows 8

Widgets Lockscreen andlauncher

Notificationdrawer

Launcher

Gestures OEM dependant System wide System wide

Accessibility Blind and visuallyimpaired support

Blind andvisuallyimpairedsupport

Blind and visuallyimpaired support

Camera Support Video and photoeffects

Only with 3rdparty apps

Basic or through3rd party apps

Near Field Communication Yes No, iPhone 5onwards

Yes

Wifi All modes All modes All modes

Cloud Yes Yes Yes

Available on a range of devices Yes No Yes

Open Source (only a benefit fordevelopers)

Yes No No

Store Apps, Music,Video, Books and

Devices

Apps, Music,Video and

Books

Apps

Sync Any MTP Itunes Zune

Mapping Google mapswith full voice

guidednavigation.

Mappingwithout

navigation.

Bing Maps

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TECHTHISBy going through the main features ofeach you can see they all cover the basics,whether through the system or through 3rdparty apps there is very little left to want.Once you see the features outlined like thisit is clear there is no single winner onfeatures alone.So instead below i have outlined eachoperating system as simply as possible,starting with windows phone, perhaps themost appropriate operating system for theaverage person.

Windows phoneIdeally windows phone is marketed ateveryone, much like the Windows PC OS.And feature wise it is probably theOperating system that should be mostwidely used. It is easier than any of theothers to navigate and use and is veryintuitive. Because of this only the hardcoreMac users should think twice, instead mostapple users would be happier with windowsphone, and its similar walled garden

approach but simplicity in everything else.Much like Apple microsoft has gone thesoftware package method for syncing andtransferring files, thankfully the softwarethey made to do so was refined well beforeany windows phone devices were releasedavoiding all of the issues early iphoneadopters had to deal with. The Zunesoftware for syncing is not only welldesigned and attractive but also easy for firsttime users. Sadly the Live store only offersApps and games currently putting it behindits rivals as to market content.iOSApple really took the world by storm with itsiOS operating system on the first iphone.Realistically the original iphone was nothingspecial technology wise, it was the operatingsystem that set it apart, even as crippled andrestrictive as it was, and is, it was far betterthan the touch support hacked onto

Symbian, Nokias then operating system.Well that and the millions of people whowill buy anything with a Apple logo. Herewe are many years and generations of iOSlater and it is still a viable option on themarket, and the favourite of many.

The walled garden approach of lockingpeople into a ecosystem has worked verywell for apple, securing previous Itunes andIpod users and now users of previousiPhones. iOS is a great general purposeoperating system whose real downfall is howlocked down the market is and the lack ofdevices available, having just one phone andtablet option available each generation.iTunes and the market attached to it areseen as one of the largest and mostcomplete online stores.

Android

Google's Android operating system singlehandedly destroyed the rich business andpersonal partnership Google and Apple hadin the early to mid 2000s. Seeing it as arival Steve Jobs was quoted to have damnedandroid and that he wished to destroy iteven if it is the last thing he did. Havingfailed, Android is the most popularoperating system today on thousands ofindividual devices giving it a massiveadvantage and accessibility not seen by any

other smartphone platform. This gives theuser a massive range of choice as to phoneprovider and device. This in turn allowsdifferent devices to be sold at different pricepoints all having the one unified operatingsystem. The Play Store, previously known asthe android market is very robust offeringApps, Music, Movies, Books and evengoogles own nexus range of devices forpurchase right on your android device.Androids large drawing card is definitelythe tie in to google's own services, includingthe google drive, google's own cloud.Realistically if you are a developer or in theICT business and you arent using a androiddevice you are missing out. The developertools, IDEs and community make buildingapps and tools easier than any of its rivals.

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TECHAHOLIC

The breakdownWindows Phone is for everyday people, your mum,

your dentist, maybe even you. It is for people whowant a device that just works and will rarely touchthe app store. It makes even more sense if you are awindows desktop fan, as the experience with windows8 will be seamless between devices, both running thesame programs and capable of the same things albeiton different scales.

iOS is very much the OS X (Mac) users phone

choice, you like the lack of options and see it as apositive not a negative. You like being told what youcan do with your phone and dont even care for what

you cant. You love using itunes and like theuniformity Apple products give.

Android is for the people who jailbroke their iphoneand love being able to play with the settings thatallowed. Or anyone that loves googles services andwant a phone that ties them in flawlessly. Cheapandroid devices make great first phones as they are

feature rich but cheap and easy to replace, allowingan easy upgrade when the users are ready.

Android is just as easy to navigate as iOS howeverwindows phone beats both when it comes tosimplicity. All three are targets for developers howeverandroid usually has more free or ad supported apps.Windows phone will receive more productivity andenterprise apps windows users are used to thanks to itbeing a microsoft product.

Three superpowers all wanting your business nexttime you get a new phone, so please, go and look atthe range available before deciding on your nexthandset. You may just find a new favourite.

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15/21

Theepicconclusiontoahalf-decadelongstory,MassEfect3

showseveryonehownarrativeandchoiceshouldbehandled.

By

Nathaniel

Crouch

Mass Effect 3 is the kind of

game that comes around once in a

generation; maybe once in a lifetime.

Mass Effect is franchise entirely

encapsulated within a single

hardware cycle that captured the

hearts and imaginations of gamers

worldwide. The franchise made huge

promises in regards to size, scope and

the revolutionary impact of an

individuals decisions. Its been five

years five long, yearning years, but

finally the trilogy is at its close. Mass

Effect 3 is arguably the most

anticipated game of the year, and the

catalyst for the fulfilment of a fiveyear promise. Lucky for us all, then,

that Bioware have created a

monolith of unparalleled

proportions, showcasing possibly the

very best game design and narrative

of this generation. Playing Mass

Effect 3 is an experience you will not

soon forget.

For those not caught up with

the story so far, Mass Effect 3 joins

Commander Shepard on Earth,

placed under house arrest following

the events of Mass Effect 2s Arrival

DLC. Despite repeated warnings

about the oncoming Reapers, the

galactic government is slow to act

and are ill-prepared when the

omnipresent, sentient machines

return to the galaxy and begin their

reign of terror. Their mission: To

eviscerate all life-forms across the

galaxy and start anew, just like they

have every 50,000 years since the

dawn of civilisation. Shepard, and

his (or her) crew onboard the

Normandy must set out across the

galaxy and unite all together under

one common flag to repel the

invasion and save all sentient life.

The impacts of Shepards

journey across Mass Effect 3 and the

decisions made along the way are

mind-bogglingly huge. Centuries-old

wars and vicious prejudices are

assuaged to unite under a common

banner and fight for survival.

UCGAMING

Nathaniel CrouchTakes a look at MassEffect 3 for our newlyrevamped edition ofCurio.

@Nat_Crouch

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For long-term fans of the

series, there is an incredible sense

of accomplishment to be derived

from helping to solve these massive

struggles that have dictated theactions and personalities of dozens

of characters over the course of the

entire franchise. This has always

been where Mass Effect has

thrived, with deep, branching

options of gameplay dictating the

future of the series in incredibly

differing ways. It makes you feel as

if the choices you make are truly

important. Gameplay has been

tightened in some very important,

key ways. As it was with the jump

from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2,

the shooting element has been

tightened even further making it

feel less like dice rolls behind the

scene is dictating damage and

more like a solid, third-person

action game. I genuinely love the

action in Mass Effect 3 the tight

integration of shooting and special

powers still feels incredibly unique

to the series and gives players a

type of visceral action not available

from other shooters or RPGs. I

played as a soldier, a character

archetype focussing more on the

guns and leaving my allies to use

their different tech and biotic

powers to eviscerate enemies, and

never felt as if I was missing out on

any key features. It controlled well

and was entertaining to play.

CombatinMassEfecthasbeenrevamped,withanincreasedfocusonmeleeattacks.

Outside of combat, other little

tweaks have been made to help simplify

gameplay and restore some of the

RPG roots that were lost in Mass Effect

2. Powers are now more customisable,

with upgrades presenting players with

a series of choices, diversifying the way

they will affect combat. Would you

rather a concussive shot affect a greater

area, or hit a single target harder? It

allows for a deep customisation of the

way you enter into combat and how to

approach different enemy types.

Additionally, weapon management has

been edged further towards the original

Mass Effect days, with players choosing

two attachments for each gun to go

into battle with. This buffs weapons in

a variety of fairly key ways, changing

everything from clip size to adding a

piercing power to bullets. Armour

management is fairly similar to Mass

Effect 2, but with a far wider variety of

parts and armour types. It was cool to

see the DLC armour packages from

Mass Effect 2 available at the different

shops across the Citadel for sale it

was a nice legacy touch.

The absurdly high quality of

the writing and the story arc of almost

every character you interact with

across the length of the series makes

them feel like more than just regular,

forgettable NPCs.

I guess, then, that those moments are

the kind of thing Ill take away from

Mass Effect 3: the incredibly poignant

moments that only exist because of the

time and care I placed into my

Shepard and his galaxy. Things like

saying goodbye to my favourite

characters; solving galaxy-wide

conflicts that have lasted decades; even

something as simple as staring at the

memorial to the various men and

women that were lost in the war

against the Reapers onboard the

Normandy. These are moments that

couldnt be fostered in any other

medium, or in any other franchise.

When this incredible writing is coupled

with punchy, well-balanced combat

and even more phenomenal visuals, its

hard to look at Mass Effect 3 as

anything short of masterful.

Closing Comments:

Mass Effect 3 is gaming perfection in

my eyes: it is exactly what a game

should set out to do to the player from

the get-go. The story is heart-

wrenching and inspiring all within thesame breath, the combat is intensely

satisfying and the pay-off for five years

of gaming is easily the most rewarding

gameplay experience Ive ever had. It

will take an absolute juggernaut of a

title to make me feel like I did playing

this game. This is as close as weve ever

been to the pinnacle of gaming, in my

humble opinion.

5 Stars.Nat Crouch is a writer for

AustralianGamer.com.

14


17/21

UCREAD

I like many before me have jumped on thebandwagon, but who can blame me the televisionseries is a hit and it features perhaps the mostdevious creations of imagination, TyrionLannister. Spanning close to 800 pages, George R.R. Martin's, A Game of Thrones, is not for thefaint hearted. If you are a fan of Tolkein-esqueepic fantasy, it is definitely worth the challenge.Martin frequently strays into long-windeddescriptions of the history of noble families, or thelandscape, and so for those with a short attentionspan the television series will probably be morepreferable.At the core of the novel is ambition, Martin

documents several noble families engaging in astruggle for control over the Iron Throne of thefictitious kingdom of Westeros. Ned Stark, a closefriend of King Robert Baratheon, is drawn intothe conflict from his isolated Northern domain,

and finds he is ill-equipped to handle thecomplexity and duplicity of court life. Across theocean the remnants of the deposed royal line areamassing an army of barbaric horse-lords to claimtheir throne. Underlying the political tension is aconstant threat of the destructive power of nature.Winter is approaching, and believe it or not, it isworse than Canberras. Winters in Westeros canspan generations, and with the longest recordedsummer drawing to a close, it will be catastrophic.Despite this very real threat of the starvation of

their people the nobility are more concerned withtheir deceptions and power plays.Martin's mastery lies in his ability to create a cast

of complex characters. The only happy endingsare payed for during sojourns to the seeminglyabundant brothels littering Westeros. Martinseems to relish unleashing a variety of brutal andgraphic fates upon his creations. Label me asadist, but I believe this is also part of the appeal.Despite the fantastical setting of this novel, Martin

provides a realistically brutal world in which the'good guy' rarely wins. This is an interestingchallenge to the fantasy formula. A Game ofThrones is a promising start to a series that iscomplex and challenging enough for a discerningfantasy-lover.

A Game of Thrones - A Song of Fire and Ice Pt. 1Lord of the Rings with more sex and violence.

By Rebecca Davies

5


18/21

UCWRITE

Wednesday night has come around

It's time for us to go

On our weekly pilgrimageTo where tequila flows.

Goon pong comes before the trek

Through that pitch black park.

Line up, line up to get it

For the toilets and the bar.

Toga tied or Traffic Light,

Shit Shirt or Tequila Night,

Feel our shoes stick to the floor

As we dance away the night.

Chat u that guy from chemistry

Play 'Spot the Drunk RA'

Think about going home

Getting McDonald's on the way.

Start to feel those Mother Blues

And swear 'Never again'

But when wednesday rolls around

We'll be back, my friends.

LIGHTY TONIGHTY

ByYsabelle Moriarty

Why Curio?

Are you an amateur writer? Getting published is what sets you apart from your writing

peers, and thats where student publications can help you. Curio gives you the chance to

have your work seen, and gives you clippings to promote yourself in the field.

Email us to have your work published:

[email protected] or [email protected]


19/21

UCADVICE

It happens so quickly and if you blink youll missit. The moment when you finally let go, acceptand move on from someone close to you. Thetough thing when a relationship, anyrelationship, ends is that sense of waste. Yourealise that youve lost a little portion of your lifeand youre never going to get it back. Youve

wasted time, energy, respect and sometimes lovethat could have been used on someone else orsomething else. You start to question yourself, buteventually youve got to accept that everything

just happens for a reason. Whether its afriendship, a romance, or a television showgetting cancelled you ultimately have to get toknow yourself again and its tough. Who am Iwithout that person in my phone? Who do I talkto about my problems? (Unless youre like me,

and a perfect specimen without any problemswhatsoever. Im pretty darn cool I know. Feel freeto ask me for tips and Ill make something up.)

There are moments of darkness duringbreakdown of a relationship. Mainly because

youre too down to get that bloody light bulb inyour room changed, meaning that you spendmany a night guided by the flickering of yourlaptop screen to get things done. Sometimes yousleep on your floor. Sometimes you distract

yourself by eating as much Nandos as possible(even though that jerk Erin messed up yourorder each time. Im sorry Erin; I snapped anddidnt mean it). There are times when you startto question yourself, what youve done, and whythe takeaway containers are starting to pile up on

your desk Its a tough time! Its hard becauseyoure forcing yourself to accept, to realise thatyou just werent supposed to be with that person,that it just wouldnt work. But no one likes toquestion his or her own judgement. We spend somuch time in our lives sifting through the crappypeople in this world that its hard to accept thatweve got it wrong at least once. Friends,girlfriends, boyfriends, employees, and pets (sorryBailey, I just wished you liked me a little more.

Youre close to Mum. What did I do wrong?).Sometimes we just get it wrong its okay, wereonly human.The stages of grief are pretty simple, and itsonly upon looking back that you realise you wentactually went through them in this instance. Forthose lucky people it happens quickly, and for

others its long and tremendously tiring.

Shock & Denial:Well obviously I can make this situation work.A sentence we often repeat to ourselvespromising well change, theyll change, or thesituation will change. You cant trick yourself tobelieve the situation will work. And when werealise that we get to move on, to the next stage.

Pain & Guilt:What did I do wrong? You didnt do anythingwrong, but you surely do think you did. Was Inot handsome enough? Was it my eyes? (No thatcant be it. My eyes shine like diamonds.) Was itmy taste in daytime television? Was it my dreamof one day hosting daytime television? Was I too

jealous? I knew I shouldnt have got my hair cut.We start to feel sad and question everything. WasI too romantic? Not manly enough? (Again, notme. And why is that funny!) Once this stage is

complete we inevitably move on to the nextstage, and the more childish stage of grief

The man thats never dated anyone offers advice on relationships when they end.

(Think of it like an overweight person telling you how to eat properly.)

By David Sharaz

@DavidSharaz

Bailey

7


20/21

ANIDIOTSGUIDEAnger & Bargaining:I hate her so much. You dont, and youre

being a child. You think you do. You want to;you really cant as she did nothing wrong, shejust wasnt in the right space. It wasnt you. Youdidnt do anything wrong. This stage is perhapsthe most stressful of them all because you start tobecome someone youre not really a fan of a

jerk. You start to trick yourself into believing thatyou hate the person, or the creators of LOST forcancelling the show, and angry text messages andemails (or if youre 50-years old inside, the oddfax) are sent. Your main hope is to, deep down,

hurt the person as much as theyve hurt or arehurting you. But it doesnt work and you realisethat its cruel. I wish I could show you a fewemails Ive sent over the years but to protectmyself in the future and to remain popularamong housewives when I get that midday show,I wont. I know it was mean and youll be

pleased to know I have since apologised to theperson Ive sent those messages to.

Depression, reflection & loneliness:This is another stage thats pretty darn hard toget through, as its a time when you really have toget to know ourselves and that can be tough. Itsa sad time that often involves a lot of romanticcomedies (for the women, I dont watch thatcrap), crying to Taylor Swift songs (sadly, I dothat one), and binge eating of chocolate, icecream and my new favourite diet Nandos oncea day only. This stage often includes us isolatingourselves from the world not wanting to get hurt

again and its only when youve got great supportaround you can you get past this stage. If yourecurrently in this stage I want you to know that itdoes get better, youll be okay. Hang in there!

Reconstruction:Much like renovating the house again Dad Imso sorry I cant be there to help I really wanted to

this stage involves rebuilding. You start to lookat yourself and decide a few things have tochange so youre not hurt so badly next time

around. Your emotional guard is put back upand that wall is strengthened with industrial,emotional concrete (available at all goodpsychiatrists). You promise yourself that nexttime, youre not going to let someone in so easily.Theyll have to work for it, and hard.

No more flowers for random people, no morebeing nice to people when they dont reciprocate

it, and no being the sweet guy! Sweet guys suck.

Acceptance & hope:This is my favourite stage and for the simplereason that all of the aforementioned becomesabsolutely moot. Sure you still have thatemotional guard up, as concrete is pretty tough,but youre not going to change the person youare; its our uniqueness that makes us all humanafter all. You realise youre not perfect but

youre also a great person and have finally

accepted that fact. Youve moved on fromwanting to have that person back in your life.You want them there of course, as caring forsomeone never goes away, but you know deepdown that being friends is better off. Its better toend things nicely, than end them with resentmentand angst. Its great seeing someone that youused to have a hard time seeing and feelingpeace. Youve accepted that that was a learningexperience that that relationship, whatever it was,is gone for the better, and you can learn fromthat. Its not a mistake; its life experience. Itreally is my favourite stage of grief (as apart frombeing the last one) it involves hope. Youre readyto move on (you have moved on) and youre backto sifting through the crappy people to find theright person for you. And right person is outthere for you. This goes for friends, pets (sorryBailey), and television shows too if youve lostone of those in your life.

18


21/21

UCHELPBecauseIwantedtohelp.Sometimescharitycomesfromtheheart.

ByCurioStaf

Its not the gorgeous smilefrom her face, or the radiation of joy

that oozes out of her, rather its her

passion and genuine care for those

less fortunate that makes Ali Arderns

cause something worth supporting.

So often you hear ofindividuals raising money to travel

overseas and you want to scream,

Why bother, just send the money

instead of paying for flights! But as I

recently learned from Ali after

meeting with her at a local fundraiser

the money she raises is directly spent

on the cause.

The cause, Children on theEdge, an organisation that exists to

help marginalised and vulnerable

children, by providing a safe haven

Shop] send over a few employees to

the project in East Timor, Ali says.

My flights are paid for, and

Im just trying to raise enough money

to buy toothpaste and toothbrushes

to teach the children about dental

hygiene. As in the past when I have

travelled to developing countries, thatwas something that was lacking.

Her last fundraiser, a

combined effort with the Body Shop

and local bands who waived their fee

to support the cause, saw her raise

over $1200. However Ali says she

doesnt want to stop there and will be

having another event in June. I just

dont want to leave anything to

chance, these children need our help

and Im going to do my best to raise

as much money as I can.

Charity is one of those things

where every little amount helps, and

whether that be one-dollar or

thousands, every little bit helps.

If you want to help Ali and

Children on the Edge

Visit:

www.childrenontheedge.org/east-

timor-child-and-community-

centre.html

Or email:

Ali Ardern

[email protected]

Documents

Curio May/June Edition 2012