Editor's note: I met up with Brian on the first day of E3 as he was snapping some photos. Somehow he managed to turn the chaotic show floor into something serene and beautiful. Check out a sampling of his work here. -Brett
Self-portrait at a Brink demo.
E3 2010 was my first full E3 (I attended last year's expo, but only for a day). Here are 18 things I learned on the show floor and in the press room:
- I learned how different outlets conduct E3 coverage. I learned that some writers see their appointments as an opportunity and some see them as a hassle to be tolerated so they can get invites to the parties with the best-stocked open bars.
- I learned that the stress of covering the expo can mold one group of journalists into a crack team of information hunter/gatherers while setting another at each other’s throats.
- I learned that the latter can be uncomfortable to witness.
Togetherness?
- I learned that a particular website is staffed by a cadre of surprisingly baby-faced young men.
- I learned (well, confirmed) that another website’s staff is friendly and interesting, and that if you loan Bitmob Editor Brett Bates a pen, you will never get it back.
Notice the pen in the bottom of the photo…
- I learned the strengths and weaknesses of open-floor demos, behind-closed-doors demos, hands-on demos, and watching-one-person-from-the-team-play-while-another-narrates demos.
- I learned that I prefer a knowledgeable, nonintrusive demo attendant — one who will answer any questions I have without pointing out every time I successfully press the A button.
- I learned that the meeting rooms are the best place to for demos — away from the sensory assault of the main floor, in spaces designed to be calming and conducive towards focusing. And sometimes there are snacks.
Who is that lurking with his back turned to us in the Bethesda booth? It's Bitmob’s own Rich McGrath!
A few minutes later, actress Felicia Day stood in that very spot. She is not as tall as Rich.
- I learned that sometimes it’s okay to carry on a Twitter conversation with someone seated 20 feet away from you. But sometimes, you just have to walk up to them and introduce yourself.
- I learned that you have two options to deal with the visual spectacle of the show floor: You can block it out or you can swim in it. The first will bore you; the second will drive you insane.
- I learned not to have a drink at lunch if you’re tired and prone to self-criticism, or you’ll start tearing apart your work and demand of yourself a justification for what you’ve done.
- I learned that the best cure for that is to sit in the sun and not look at any kind of screen for at least a half an hour.
- I learned some people can pull off fedoras and some people cannot.
- I learned that if I’m ever going to shoot another press conference, I should invest in a telephoto lens.
- I learned that listening to someone describe Super Meat Boy in German is amazing.
- I learned that, no matter how clunky the controls or the camera or the animation, I will have a soft spot for any game that includes wall-running.
- I learned that maybe years ago I shouldn't have caved to peer pressure and forced myself to use an inverted Y-axis, because no control scheme defaults to that on the floor demos.
West Hall
- Lastly, I learned what it’s like to walk into E3 through the front door, instead of sneaking in through the kitchen.