Archive for the ‘E3’ Category

E3. the home game

Thursday, July 12th, 2007

I’ve only been to one ‘old school’ E3 event, and while it was pretty neat being able to schmooze with other game developers I could not imagine what it would be like to actually work the thing. Rushing from meeting to meeting, press conference to press conference, interview to interview, all to get what is essentially the same information as everyone else. There are only so many ways you can interpret the same information. Elysium from Gamers With Jobs has the right idea

Covering E3, even for a relatively low-maintenance audience like GWJ … is a hell of a lot of work. I’m not complaining exactly, because in the process I get to play video games still months from release, but there’s a lot of jockeying through understaffed PR folks to see canned demos by over-tired developers who’ve spent too many hours over the past three months just trying to make their E3 demos look good.

And in the end, from the uncomfortable chairs of the media center, my olfactory processes abused by the stench of sweat and stale caffeinated drinks, I end up reporting basically the same information as everyone else.

So, while I could create dozens of posts about how this game or that game looks great or looks terrible. I’ll let the other guys do that. Much less stressful that way.

Link! (GWJ)

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Nintendo, Sony, E3, etc…

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

Sony and Nintendo both had press conferences today. The only thing I thought was particularly interesting from the Sony conference is that a redesigned PSP (Gamespot via Slashdot) is on the horizon, it’s smaller, has better battery live, and has the ability to hook directly to your television to play games. Kind of neat, though hooking it up to your television makes it substantially less portable.

On the Nintendo front, dates for Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl have been announced (Nov. 12 and Dec. 3, respectively). I’m not so sure about Galaxy, I was pretty let down by Super Mario Sunshine, but Brawl? Yeah, I’ll have one. I need to remember to take a paid vacation day that day, or that week.

Also mentioned was some ridiculous light gun accessory. Probably won’t be picking one of those up unless it makes its way to the bargain bin.

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E3 in slightly lethargic swing

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

The new, questionably-improved E3 is underway. One of the major press conferences, Microsoft’s, is out of the way, and Nintendo’s is scheduled for today. There were announcements made, blogs written, and snarky comments made all around. Several games were shown in varying forms of completion, most of them being games that are going to be terrible, games based on licenses that nobody wants, and games that will be mercifully killed before the next event. Highlights for yesterday include:

Nintendo’s press conference is today, I have a feeling that if they don’t at least show a video of some new stuff in the Smash Bros. game there will be rioting in Santa Monica.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer at E3,

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

Last year at E3 we saw a relatively impressively done trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4. Now, a full year later, we are going to be treated to yet another one. How far is the game along? What does it actually look like? What’s the story? No idea, but at this point I’m beginning to wonder if there’s actually a game being developed or if Kojima is just making movies now.

I might be missing some subtle hints in the first trailer because I only watched it once and have never played any of the first three Metal Gear Solid games. In fact the entirety of my experience with the Metal Gear series was playing the first one long enough to find the guy who said, “I FEEL ASLEEP!”, laughing at him, and then putting in the password to get to the end of the game.

Link! (Kotaku)

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Pre-3

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

The new ‘improved’ E3 is nearly upon us, and most of the news that’s fit to print has dried up to a mere trickle. I’m not going to be able to make it this year, but given that the show has changed into several small shows all over Southern California, it sounds like it’s going to be less stressful if I don’t go.

GamesIndustry.biz has put up a list of games that are expected to be at the event in some form or another. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to any of these games in particular, though games with titles like Zoo Hospital and The Golden Compass certainly have my interest piqued.

I also notice that Crysis is on the list. This game was also at E3 last year. The game looked good enough, but was dropping frames on the demo system that I saw. It will be interesting to see what another year of work has done to it.

Hit the link for the rundown of games expected to be there, then stock up on supplies so you can sit at home and pound that ‘refresh’ button for the entirety of the event from the comfort of your own home. I know I will*.

*will not

Link! (GamesIndustry.biz)

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