The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 44

E4 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN ARTS SATURDAY, APRIL 3,1999 uuncaii it cs Online socializing enhances fast-paced fun with acronyms tow Restaurant and Catering Easter Sunday 3 Sittings: 10 am, 12 noon and 2 pm Alcohol Drug Addicted? Empathy House offers a residential treatment program for women. We also provide affordable housing for post-treatment women who need ongoing support. CALL 730-7319 'set out to tour online game sites recommended by friends but Ti got past Acro- $8.95 V-r I 1 CHILDREN UNDER 10 PER PERSON 3 yeois undec FREE Once downloaded, you run the file and it installs the game to your machine and will even create a shortcut on your desktop. Each time you log into the game, you will need to input your password and nickname. There's a short download of update files.

But unlike on some other game sites, access is quick or sleeping. Finally, the commercials, which obviously pay for this site, fortunately, though they are repetitious, are blessedly brief and not too frequent. In other words, ASPTPFSMF A small price to pay for so much fun. Bill Provick is an assistant news editor involved in training and technology. He can be reached by e-mail at bprovickthecitizen.southam.ca Included art: Noab's Sunburst Cocktails for the adults and Chocolate Easier treats for the children 'phobia at ww.won.net.

That's the trouble with good games, they can be not only fun but embarrassingly addictive. I couldn't help coming lack the next night to play Noah's Fabulous Buffet Brunch Bill Provick Electronic Gaming Chilled jukes Selection of breakfast pastries Cold cuts Gourmet salads Mussels Marmara 10 different hot dishes Noah's famous dessert table ROAST TURKEY, HAM, ROAST BEEF CARVED TO YOIR LIKING JJJJJ .95 17-95 JL i PER PERSON Served from 5 pm to 11pm "CHILDREN UNDER 10 Full Course Family Dinner THIS LISTING IN EFFECT UNTIL THURSDAY APRIL S1999 Why park the MM? Use ax waerguiw partung and Choice of soup or salad Choice of roast turkey, maple ghaed ham or English cut prime striploin All main courses are served with Noah's market fresh trimniings Selection of desserts Tea or Coffee Limited A La Carte Dinner Also Available Reservations recommended, please call 782-2422 Mitito Place Suites Hotel Lyonalantier Free Underground Parking and easy. Once on the game site, you get to pick a room, many of which have their own themes. I played with the Over 40s, and what a friendly group they turned out to be. Automatic voiceovers provide instructions on playing the game, which can be easily skipped on subsequent visits, and there's an automatic audio host that helps run the game.

Once in the room, the upper portion is the game area, where the acronyms, and everything else appear. To the left is a list of nicknames for the people in the room and across the bottom there is a window for chat. For those not used to chat, this involves a field where players type in their comments and an area in which all comments appear in order of being submitted. Here, conversation, comments and often encouragement become a big part of the game. Acrophobia is not just challenging and fun, it's also a very social game, which probably explains why people are always commenting on how eventually they are going to have to leave the game to take care of some little chore like eating msi stamp yoti panoig SU) Kg we Ixm SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE AA DAILY 1 10 4.00 6:40 9:30 6fcep( Jhjrsday 1 1 0 4fl0 9:30 UR IS BEAUTIFUL (PG) Engteh SuUdes DAILY 1iM3f06J0S0 EDTVIAA) DAILY 9:40 FORCES OF NATURE IPG) QA1Y 12:40 2S0 S00 73010OI 20 DATES (AA) DAILY 12S0 31X) 5:10 720 920 SUCH A LONG JOURNEY (AA) DAJLY 1 .30 420 CRUEL NTENTIONS(AA DAILY 12:30 2:40 450 7:009:10 AU COEUR DU MENSONGE (G) QAJLY 650 9:15 FPU TO TUES MATS 12:453:40 LE DEMER SOUFFLE (13) DAILY 700 925 FPJ TO TUES MATS 1200 220 4:30 FORCES OF NATURE (1 3 DAILY 7:1 0 9:40 FPJ TO TUES MATS 120 4:05 LA MATPJCE fvj.

The Matfa) (1X daiy 6:45 9:35 FRI TO TUES MATS 12:30 320 JUGE COUPABLE (vj. True Crimes) (1 3) DAILY 9:40 ONLY FPJ TO TUES MATS 3:50 ONLY LES BOYS (G) DALY 7:15 ONLY FRI TO TUES MATS 1:15 ONLY AIVLYSE-MOI (Vi. Analyae THs) (G) DALY 720 9:45 TUES MATS 12:152:154:30 BABAR: ROf DES aEPHANTS (G) FRI TO TUES MATS 1 30 ONLY CRUEL NiEWnONS (13) DALY 7:05 9:10 FRI TO TUES MATS 330 ONLY HfSTOfRES CHIVER (G) FRI TO TUES MATS 100 ONLY SHAKESPEARE ET JULIETTE (wj. Shakespeare in Love) (G) DAILY 7:15 9:40 FRI TO TUES MATS 325 ONLY -ii i p. i LT-f-t-'i Jim pr-f- I EXPECT THE BEST! I 9 FORCES OF NATURE (PG) Ogtal DAILY 7Ub 9:45 FPJ TO MON MATS 120 4:10 MOD SQUAD IAA) 9.00 OM.l' FFJ TO MON MATS 1 30 420 CRUEL WTENTONS IAA) DAILY 9:1 5 ONLY BABY GENIUSES (PG) DAILY 725 ONLY FRI TO ED TV (AA) DAILY 6:45 925 FH TO MON MATS 1 DO 3:40 SHAKESPEARE LOVE (AA) DAILY 635 935 FRI TO MON MATS 100 350 2 for 1 Sneak Piwiew of Tever Been KjssecT Fn Apr.

2 a 7S0pm Stay and See "Mod Squad" 1 I The Most Romantic The Most Entertaining The Most Satisfying Movie of The Year Is Now The "Quirky movie, quirky BEST PICTURE OFTHE YEAR! Bruce Kirklai DOOG-S 1ST MOVE (FAM) DAILY 7:10 ONLY FRI TO MON MATS 1:50 420 CRUEL MENTIONS (AA) DAILY 920 ONLY MATRIX (AA) Oglta DAILY 6:40 9:40 FRI TO MON MATS1003S3 FORCES OF NATURE (PG) DAILY 650 9:10 FRI TO MON MATS 1:40 430 ED TV (AA) DAILY 7HO 930 fjcapl SaniTOBV SOB ONLYFRI TO MON MATS 1:104:10 SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (AA) DAILY 720 950 BABY GENIUSES (PG) FFS TO MON MATS 130 3:40 UFE IS BEAUTIFUL (PG) SuoMas DAILY 630 EtOO FPJ TO MON MATS 1 20 400 2 for 1 Sneak Preview of tfever Been Ktsaed" Sat Apr. 3 Stay and See "Ed TV" forFree some more. And the next 'night too. Acrophobia, by Bezerk, comes with a subtitle: The Fear of Acronyms. Fun with acronyms would be far more accurate.

Acrophobia is a multiplayer word game played on the Internet with like-minded strangers. It's a pretty neat but the constant availability of playing partners is obviously one of its main strengths. The game itself is fairly simple. Players are presented with a topic or and an acronym ranging from three letters to seven. Players use the letters in the order given to create a sentence or phrase within a set time.

When time is up, the answers are presented in a random numbered list, with the author's identity hidden. Players then vote for their favourite answer. Points are awarded for earning the most votes, as well as earning the quickest vote. Players who voted for the winning entry also win a bonus point. I The winner of each round chooses topic for the next round from a short list that always includes a category.

1 The game proceeds in rounds until one person achieves 30 or more points. At that time, the two top play-ers square off in a Face Off match. This consists of three rounds in which both must quickly come up with a phrase or sentence to fit the given acronym. Each time the remaining players vote and the contestants receive a for each vote his or her answer receives. The ultimate winner is the 'player who earns the most votes during the Face Off match.

As I say, fairly straightforward and simple. That is, until you're sitting there with seven letters staring in the face and your mind suddenly goes blank. I Food and Drink: CCHCQPF Chocolate covered hot chilies questionable party fare? That's the fun part of the game. You never know what you will come up Iwith and you never know what will catch the fancy of your fellow players. Some rounds, cleverness seems to win.

Other rounds, silliness seems to win. I The great thing is that no one seems to take it too seriously. Certainly not in games I played in. And the winding was not in the competition but in having of fun. To play the game, one must visit the Web site and register, picking an on-jscreen nickname and creating a pass-word.

The first time playing does involve downloading a small program to your computer, which doesn't take long. OPEN DAILY FOR MORNING AND AFTERNOON SHOWINGS FROM 10:15 AM Check out the South Keys Wet) Site at wvYW.sotritikeys.com THE MATRIX (PG) dgilal DAILY 1030 1:30420 7:101020 FORCES OF NATURE (AA) dgM DAILY 1 0.45 1:10 3:40 6:50 930 WCrVtMANOER(AA)Jgtal DAILY 1O50 1 05 3:20 6:20 Except Fndijy-SSalLrrisy 10.50 1.05 320 ONLY CRUEL INTENTIONS (AA) csgital DAIYSMTJONLY DOUG'S RRST MOVIE (PG) oSgrS DALY 1 1 0O 12:503:106:10 DEEP END OF THE OCEAN (AA) dgHal DALY 8:50 ONLY BABY GENIUSES (FAM) oSgra' DAILY 1120 2:10 4:306:40 TRUE CRIMES (AA) ofgtttf DAILY 920 ONLY MOO SQUAD (AA) dtal DALY 1 1 05 230 4:40 8O01O40 SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (AA) ofgita DALY 11252004:507:5010:30 OUT OF TOWNERS (PG) dgiel DAILY 1 1 :1 5 2205007:4010.00 ANALYZE THIS (AA) Ogilat DALY 10:554:10 7:309:50 THE KWG ANDI (FAM) OgHsl DAILY 1:40 ONLY ED TV (AA) dgnt DAILY 10:40 120 3:50 720 1O.10 UFE ts BEAUTIFUL (AA) English Subems ctgita DAILY 10:35 1003:307009:40 10 THWGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (AA) OgHal DALY1V10 1:504006:309:10 ASK OUR CASHIERS ABOUT JOfNMG THE "SOUTH KEYS FREQUENT FUCK CLUB LOW PRICING POLICY! $2.00 ANY FILM ANY TIMI LOTHAIRE BLUTEAU TARA FITZGERALD in a film by PIERS HAGGARD iff Ui.n.r PRINCE OF EGYPT (PG) Sgflal DAILY 730 9:40 Best Canadian Film Exoapt Wednesday FPJ TO MON MATS 12303005:15 PATCH ADAMS (PG) DALY 7:15 950 BABE 2 (FAM) FPJ TO MON MATS 1 2:40 250 505 A BUG'S UFE (FAM) FPJ TO MON MATS 1250 320 YOU'VE GOT MAIL (PG) DAILY 700 9:30 GWYNETH IOSEPH GEOfTRIY CaiN BEN UW PALTR0W FIENNES RUSH FIRTH AFFLECK DENCH I 1 til Conquest' Triumphs." HAKESPEARE IN LOVI NOW PLAYING! SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (AA) dotal DAILY 8.00 ONLY Except Monday 9: 15 ONLY" SAT SUN MATS 200 ONLY CINEPLEX OOEON fa IfAMIFR L' IV inn OASIS CHKK THEATTS ORECTORES F0RSHCWT1MES dexter fletcher nick jason I moran stattam I jason flemyng I AFFLICTION (PG) DALY73010O0 I MYFAVOURrEMAFtTIAN(PG)FRITOMON MATS150 RED VKJUN (AA) DALY 630 9O0 FRI TO MON I NOW oajirHaTreniiEnijBB 1 PLAYING! FWSrlOWIWS Om sukmnan LOW PRICING POLICY! EVENINGS $6.50 CHILD, SENIOR, TUESDAY, MATINEES $4.35 MATS 1:40 DEEP END OF THE OCEAN (PG) DAILY 6:50 9:1 0 FRI TO MON MATS 2O0 I THE OTHER SISTER (PG) DAILY 7.00 ONLY FRI MM SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (AA) DALY 6S5930FRITOMON MATS 1 :45 BABY GENIUSES (PG) DALY 7:15 FBI TO MON MATS 2:15 CRLCLNTENTIONS(AA) DALY 920 ONLY THE MATRIX (AA) DALY 6:45 9:40 FRI TO MON MATS 1 30 ANALYZE THIS IAA) DALY 705 950 FRI TO MON MATS 2O0 TOMUNMAISxTU CORRUPTOR (AA) DALY 9:40 ONLY CRUEL IVrENnONS (AA) DAILY 7:10 920 FRI TO MON MATS 230 CONQUEST (AA) DAILY 720 9:50 FFJ TO MON MATS 210 ELIZABETH (AA) DAILY 6:40 930 FRI TO MON MATS 130 LOCK. Stock Canada is cheering a new comic hero. Two Smoking I 'A REMARKABLY UPLIFTING, REJUVENATING EXPERIENCL' .1 VI I EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT NOW PLAYING! IT WILL RESTORE YOUR FAITH IN MOVIES." Kl A. MM a Mi 1HF1UI check theato wkctowb for showtime Kathleen Turner Christopher Lloyd baby geniuses Naps ore history.

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