Even after waiting for days camped out in a long line, it was difficult to get a hold of Sony’s latest gaming system.

Only about half of the consoles promised for the PlayStation 3’s Nov. 17 launch were shipped to the United States. Plus, the $600 price tag is out of the range of most people’s budget.

And that’s why the Kent Tuscarawas Animation Imagineers chose the PS3 to raffle in its fall fundraiser, which ends Wednesday.

“While the Xbox 360 and Wii were also considered, the students decided the PS3 was a dream machine with only one major drawback – a steep price tag well outside the average college student budget,” said Vas Patibandla, co-adviser of the Imagineers and assistant professor at the Tuscarawas campus. “At least this way, through the raffle, one lucky individual will get a PS3 for next to nothing. That individual, of course, will have many friends dropping by.”

The Imagineers is a club for students interested in the different aspects of computer animation. There are currently about 33 active members from both the Tuscarawas and Kent campuses, said Tim Fritz, Imagineers president and technology graduate student. The club meets twice a month, hosts speakers, frequently takes trips, and has on-location training and sketch sessions – all to prepare for jobs in the computer design and animation industry.

The club’s fundraisers are used to sponsor summer trips. In the past, members have traveled to Toronto, Orlando, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco for different conferences, including the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2003 and 2005.

Patibandla said the club has also visited companies such as Disney Feature Animation, Pixar Animation Studios and Big Idea Productions.

This year, the club will travel to the SIGGRAPH conference in San Diego.

“It’s an industry-related animation conference,” Fritz said. “It’s a much better opportunity for networking. SIGGRAPH also showcases upcoming software and hardware, the atmosphere is more focused on career than the glamour side of things, as opposed to E3.”

Tickets are available in Room 123 Van Deusen Hall or from club members for $1 each or six tickets for $5.

Although the club doesn’t know the exact number of tickets sold, Patibandla said “let’s just say your chances of buying a few tickets and ending up with a PlayStation 3 are quite good.”

Contact College of Technology reporter Leslie Arntz at [email protected].