Are games imitating art or is art imitating games? Are video games art or are they merely childish, mindless fun with a tendency towards hyper-violence? Once again these old questions are being bandied about. May 16 saw the launch of Game On, the biggest computer game exhibition, since, well"ever. And I went along to see what it's all about. Imagine a world where arcades don't smell of BO, aren't situated in run-down coastal towns that are well and truly past their glory days and feature all your favourite games from the past 20 years and beyond. And the best thing … Continue reading Games Imitate Art (or vice, verca)→
Seventy-two hours have passed since I arrived here in LA, and for this year’s E3 I have done more than ever before. More games, more previews, more free junk to give out, more women, my first ever XBox party (don’t get excited, it was just ok), and all done on a cheap budget (I had almost NO money until yesterday). This year’s E3 definitely was an improvement over last year, but mainly because there was no hype about new systems debuting (almost at the same level of hype that Attack of the Clones had compared to Phantom Menace). The new … Continue reading Day Three – Don’t Slow Down→
Everyone talks about the big hangover received after attending a major E3 party. However, for someone who doesn’t drink like I do (well, alcohol at least), it was not hard for me to be hung over from the party, but when you consider I only had 4 hours of sleep the night before because we found our hotel so late, and spending the next 16 hours on exhibits and parties, not even a case of Bawls (heavily caffeinated soda water) would help me overcome Day 1. Fortunately I was able to get a decent night’s sleep in preparation for Day … Continue reading Day Two – Party Rolls On→
I am writing this report of Day 1 at exactly 12 midnight, exactly 15 hours after seeing the first exhibit on my E3 schedule. Why so late you may ask? It was because I attended my first ever Microsoft XBox party. I will admit though it was a little below expectations. While getting out for a couple hours after the expo was a nice diversion, and it was a nice way for me to play the latest XBox titles without a massive crowd, the rest of the setting was very crammed, the music was extremely loud (I could hear it … Continue reading Midnight, Day 1→
The week before E3 should not start off like this. At first I expected to write a very convincing preview for next week’s big event, but wouldn’t you know it, I get home from a small trip out of town only to find out that my computer will not power on. Turns out that during a heavy storm the day before my power supply ended up being fried. And if that wasn’t enough, when I wanted to take out my tensions on a game of NHL 2002, I inserted the disc into my PS2, only to be greeted with a … Continue reading Pre-E3 2002→
California congressman introduces legislation to restrict access to video games. Last month's federal district court decision denying First Amendment protection to video games already is bearing fruit. Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would restrict access by children to violent or sexually explicit games. The "Protect Children from Video Game Sex and Violence Act of 2002," introduced May 2, would prohibit the sale or rental or proscribed games to those under 18 years of age. It provides fines and possible jail time for violators. Baca blamed violent role-playing games for such incidents as school shootings by students in … Continue reading First Amendment Attack→
God how I hate these slow times. For the last few weeks there has been very little for me to try out. Most of my time has been spent continuing my High Heat season, as well as playing some old classics that I still have yet to finish. I even decided to go back to Madden and start a new season. But still, with only 2 1/2 weeks until E3, this drought is starting to kill me. In fact, this drought is even affecting my writing, as it is getting harder and harder for me to find new subjects to … Continue reading Slow Down Partner→
Denial of First Amendment protection leaves IDSA down, but not out. A federal judge's refusal to grant First Amendment protection to violent video games has foiled the Interactive Digital Software Association's first effort to block a St. Louis ordinance restricting access to the games, but has not stopped the fight. "The matter is still in litigation and we're considering our options for moving forward," said IDSA president Douglas Lowenstein. Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh on April 19 denied IDSA's motion for a summary judgment that the ordinance is an unconstitutional infringement of First Amendment freedom of expression. The judge, of the … Continue reading IDSA Takes A Hit→
So many games, so little time. Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it Ferris Bueller. Technology has brought us many things; email, supersonic flight, laser surgery and all Kevin Costner's movies on DVD. Well, it can't all be good. It seems the more labor-saving devices we get, the more stuff we expect to able to fit into these busy modern lives of ours. As a gamer there's just never enough time to play and conduct a healthy social life – remember that? You know, friends and stuff. When I … Continue reading Packing The Schedule→
From one fading star, to two revamps and one new kid on the block, the UK (and Europe) is gaining more video game shows and exhibitions than you can shake a stick at. In its 14 year history, ECTS has become the highlight of Europe's gaming calendar, drawing industry bods from around the world. However, last year's shambolic effort caused more than a few grumbles of complaint. The gaming grapevine is working well and there's talk of a pretender to the crown" Early April sees a meeting of minds in Brussels to discuss the creation of a brand spanking new … Continue reading More, more, more…→
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