This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was bigger and more virtual than ever. In recent years, the event was confined to the Los Angeles Convention Center and the sidewalks outside. This year it expanded to the street between Staples Center (home of the LA Lakers) and beyond into the popular eating and entertainment district, LA Live. The expansion made elements of the show available to not only attendees, but also casual passersby. And this year, there were dancing Doritos chips.
This year E3, The Electronic Entertainment Expo, overflowed the Los Angeles Convention Center, spilled onto Chick Hearn Drive and into Los Angeles’ favorite downtown meeting place, LA Live. I had accepted an invitation from Thrustmaster to see their new driving game controllers. Somehow, I found booth 2705.
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, invaded the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 12-16, and left craziness and delight in its wake. I’ve never been a great fan of the shoot’em up games. Instead, I searched the humongous displays in the Los Angeles Convention Center for build’em ups. I found two: a relative newcomer, Farming Simulator, and the newest iteration of a classic, Sid Meier’s Civilization.
I was a Dungeon Master before being a Dungeon Master was cool. When I saw that n-Space was developing a video game with a Dungeon Master Mode set in a Dungeons and Dragons universe, I had to check it out.
When I thought about attending the Electronic Entertainment Exposition – E3 – held at the Los Angeles Convention Center June 16-18, I wanted to find games about building things up, not just games about blowing things up. When my daughter was young, we would stay up all night sometimes playing Sim City. No shooting or hand grenades were involved. That’s the kind of game I was looking for. I found two good examples distributed by the German company Daedalic Entertainment: ‘Bounty Train’ and ‘Valhalla Hills’. Both titles are still in development but look promising.
As I was interviewing the 3 Queens of 3 Queens Media, a young man ran up and interrupted us. “Hey,” he yelled, “You’re all gonna be famous. Kanye just took your picture!” Kanye West, whom I’m told is somehow related to the Kardashians, was in attendance at E3. I’m still waiting for the fame to hit.