If the ESA was really serious about downsizing and revamping the annual circus that is E3, they could just have the attendees log onto their World of Warcraft accounts and run around in Silverpine Forest or The Barrens. Toss in a few night elves dancing in their virtual underwear, a few macro’d keynote speeches and a /random casino or two and you’ve got yourself a party.
That E3 expo thing opens today — conferences and hype began earlier, of course. (I dunno, it’s some game thing, supposed to be good for you.)
Few things I thought of this week: #1 – I’m not big on the future. I’m not much interested in what I might be able to buy some day. Tell me what I can buy NOW.
#2 – I hope no one ever writes a book called The Mathematics of Multiplayer Online Gaming because what a snooze that would be.
#3 – Please, please, please announce the new Alliance race for the World of Warcraft expansion soon. I’m not much interested, but I’m tired of the speculation and rumors. We all are. End it already. (UPDATE: Thank God that’s over. It’s Draenei. NYT wouldn’t print it if it wasn’t true. Also, longish NYT interview with Blizzard’s (Tigole) Jeff Kaplan.)
#4 – There’s no way in Hell I will spend $500 and change on a game system unless it will blow me too. What functions could said system possibly perform, short of the aforementioned blowing, that my other pieces of electronica can’t do already? None, that’s what.
#5 – This porta-crapper reminded me of the new Nintendo controller, Wii, the subject of much hype-o-drama at the E3 this year. I came back the next day to get a photo. That’s how dedicated to my craft I am.
Proposal: Veteran E3 attendees from Colorado Springs are making a documentary about this year’s swag-fest to give “… an unprecedented look of E3 that no one’s been shown before: from the outside-in. It’s the goal of this documentary that we inspire, educate, or at least entertain viewers about an event that’s always been dangled out of reach of the average gamer.” Problem: they need $15,000 for equipment and production supplies. Solution: You and your kind donations. (To date: $414 collected.) And when I say “You”, I mean “Not me” because I think this is what credit cards and generous retail return policies are for.