The Perfect Week

My excitement has been building steadily for E3, an electronic entertainment expo where each of the biggest software and hardware developers will gather to discuss details about plans for the rest of the year as well as a general vision for the future. We'll get to see all of the most anticipated titles from a variety of developers including Nintendo, Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, and Electronic Arts. It will be an incredibly busy week to say the least. I'll be carefully watching each press conference and writing furiously throughout the four days of the expo. Here's a rundown of each day for anyone interested in the abundance of coverage that will be provided:

Day 1: This year Nintendo will be kicking off the conference with arguably the biggest press conference of the event. Out of the three hardware developers (Microsoft and Sony are the other two) Nintendo is the only one that will introduce and provide details for a new console. The Wii U received mixed reactions when it was first unveiled, and Nintendo has a lot to prove at this year's E3. The tablet controller is the main feature of the console, as well as an upgrade to high definition graphics. However, it is still a mystery and has been redesigned a few times since it was unveiled. The key is going to be the software lineup available at launch. After a disappointing launch to the 3DS, Nintendo has learned that the software lineup is crucial to make a console launch successful. Hopefully after the press conference, Nintendo will be able to convince consumers and other developers that their hardware is unique and worth picking up when it's released this fall.

Aside from the Wii U, Nintendo will be discussing an impressive lineup for the 3DS, including games from almost every major 3rd party developer of handheld games. Many are expecting a 3DS lite system to be unveiled at the press conference, which would make sense considering Nintendo's history of redesigning and repackaging handheld systems. A big focus of the 3DS portion of the conference is going to be connectivity with the Wii U, and we have already heard a few developers comment on the expanded connectivity relative to the original DS and the Wii. This is, by far, my most anticipated conference, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what the industry's most innovative have planned for the future.

Day 2: The second day of the conference will be mainly third party exhibitions, with Ubisoft and Activision/Blizzard having the largest presence. Many are looking for details of the next Starcraft 2, Heart of the Swarm, from Blizzard. They will also be announcing a beta for the next WoW expansion. Activision will be unveiling the next Call of Duty game, and they have also promised a new franchise which is both surprising and exciting. I am personally looking forward most to the new franchises and games series that will be introduced. The Last of Us was introduced earlier this year by Naughty Dog, and there are incredibly high expectations from such a reputable studio. More than anything, E3 is about the games, and more details about the biggest titles of the year will be discussed on day 2 than any of the other days. This is also usually the day of the most surprises, which always makes it interesting.

Day 3: Microsoft's presentation will most likely be the most polished as usual, but it is expected to be on the shorter side. Unlike most other years, they will have an extra day to digest the Nintendo press conference and adjust their presentation accordingly. Although Microsoft have said repeatedly that they will not be discussing their next console, there isn't a whole lot else to talk about. Kinect titles have generally received lukewarm reactions. I personally have no interest in Kinect titles or functionality, and if they don't announce any huge first party titles it will be a disappointment. The saving grace for Microsoft could be Halo 4, and hopefully it will be playable on the show floor.

Day 4: The Sony press conference is perhaps the most unpredictable. However, I trust that they will introduce unique first party titles, as well as give details on some of their anticipated titles set to release this year. Like Microsoft, Sony has promised that there will be no announcement of a new console or new hardware. Unlike Microsoft, however, Sony already has first and second party titles to discuss at the conference. It would be smart for Sony to focus on their Playstation Vita software lineup, as it includes a wide variety of titles. Since the Vita needs stronger marketing and more exposure, it would be smart for Sony to focus on the upcoming titles. A price cut would also help to boost sales post E3.

If the Sony conference wasn't exciting enough, I'll be looking forward to the midnight premiere of Prometheus, my most anticipated movie of the year. With an incredible cast, a director with an impeccable history with science fiction films, and a massive budget, expectations are monumentally high.

The Weekend: After four days of coverage, I'll most likely be exhausted. However, the fun doesn't stop there! In fact, most of the entire weekend will be incredibly busy. During the day, I'll be watching and covering MLG Anaheim, a major Starcraft tournament. Friday night I will get to listen to the beautiful 25th Anniversary Zelda orchestra concert. I've already heard many of the songs and they are amazing. Saturday night will be filled with post E3 events, and it should provide a break from all the craziness.

With so many awesome events lined up for the week, it should be an incredible experience. I absolutely cannot wait for this year's E3 week.

5 Reasons I Love Games

Playing video games has been a past time of mine from a very young age. From the Super Nintendo in the mid nineties to the current generation of consoles, my enjoyment of games has evolved. Here are the top five reasons I love video games, and hopefully they help you to understand what makes the medium so unique: 

5. Pure fun : 

Most games, especially in the earlier generations of consoles, were focused purely on gameplay. The technological limitations didn't allow for some of the high end graphics and orchestrated soundtracks that exist today in many games. Often when developers work within these limitations, they are actually able to create even more impressive works. So when I first started playing video games, obviously the most important part was to have fun and enjoy myself. Games provided a platform for entertainment for the whole family as well as many fond memories, and often our family time would consist of one person playing while the rest of the family watched.

4. Creativity :

Creativity has shined in video games more so than in any other medium in recent times. There are such large varieties of video games, and many are designed and marketed to a small niche which makes the medium unique. The independent developers are making more of an impact now than ever before due to digital distribution, and there will only be more opportunities for developers to explore creative ideas in the future. Not just the creativity of the medium as a whole, but also that of specific projects is absolutely impressive. Platformers, my favorite genre, specifically focus on creative level design, environments, and mechanics. Although the general idea of platformers is simple (You basically just run and jump throughout the game), developers have found ways to keep the genre fresh. A perfect example of this is Mario Galaxy, a game in which each of the over 60 levels in the game introduces unique environments, enemies, and gameplay mechanics. Creativity is often under appreciated even among game enthusiasts, but it should not be discounted. 

3. Competition : 

This aspect of video games became a bigger part of my enjoyment as I got older. It all started with Mario Party on the Nintendo 64. It was framed as a board game, and each of the four characters played mini games to collect coins and stars. Since I have three siblings, this was a perfect game to enjoy regularly. Each game could last for hours, and it was designed to always come down to the wire - so there were many frantic, memorable moments throughout. This enjoyment of competition continued as online components became a bigger part of multiplayer games, and the most enjoyable part about it was that each game had a unique skillset required to win. Shooting games required quick reaction, aim, and accuracy; Strategy games required planning, decision making, and anticipation; Fighting games more than anything required on the fly adaptation and pattern recognition. Regardless of the genre or the specific game, there was always something so satisfying about being challenged and constantly improving. 

2. Community : 

This partially goes along with the competition aspect. However, this became more important once online components became standard in multiplayer games. Before then, game communities, while still incredibly important, were limited to your friends in your area who had the same games or who would come over and play them. Once online components were introduced, this changed completely. Especially in competitive games, online communities became prevalent. The best example of this is Starcraft 2. The learning curve of the game is somewhat high, so it requires a lot of time and effort to improve at a steady pace and is conducive to a learning environment. Many of the people I played against online became friends who I regularly discussed the game with and ways to improve. Outside of that, there was Team Liquid, which was a website designed for people to discuss strategies within the game and help people get better. Now, with the introduction of video streaming, Team Liquid is a hub for players to stream content to hundreds of thousands around the world who watch for entertainment or to improve. These communities can expand infinitely, and in countries like South Korea and China, game communities are part of the culture as a whole. Perhaps the most important aspect of these communities is that they bring such a diverse group of people together. People from all around the world want to make the community better in unique ways. We have professional football players, Olympic fencers, comedians, talk show hosts, writers, and people with many other talents who are contributing to the community. Every day I interact with the number of game communities I'm involved with, I feel lucky. 

1. Immersion: 

There are only a select few video games in which you can achieve total immersion. So many factors are involved, and they vary depending on the person playing the game. No other medium provides the level of interaction that video games do. Immersion within a game can make it a truly unique experience that cannot be replicated. For people who don't play video games it's difficult to understand, but I'll try my best to give an appropriate example. A game called Dark Souls, which was released last year, was one of my favorite games of all time. The general idea of the game was that you explore a variety of dungeons in an open world. Everything about the game just clicked for me. The soundtrack was ambient, chilling, and isolating which perfectly represented the environments within the game; the actual sound effects were spot on and realistic; The graphics fit the dark, fantasy theme well; The enemies were imaginative, unique, and downright scary at times - particularly the final bosses of each level were some of the best designed encounters ever in video games; The levels were designed so that you had to know them like the back of your hand to get through them; The world was mysterious, yet I cared enough about it to explore every part of it and find various clues about the lore; Most importantly the gameplay was challenging without being cheap. All these factors combined provided an experience that was unparalleled. Even today, whenever I sit down to play Dark Souls, I am completely enthralled by the experience. This is why I play video games.