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Microsoft knows about options.
In the case of this pre-E3 conference, while we were strapped in for a 1.5 hour ride through Microsoft’s attempt to “change the game,” others took the high road and exercised the freedom to: watch the show drunk. The classier and those who longed for class had martinis while others were full of MGD or Miller Lite. I wasn’t a fan of either and went through two small cups of Pepsi. If I had known the show would last as long as a motion picture, I would have boosted that number to: three!
The trivia questions reminiscent of silly movie theater pre-show entertainment were silly, as expected, and limited, considering what gaming has to offer. Seeing that Gary Coleman is the reason to go to E3 some 10 times (no exaggeration) before the actual show starts is not a great way to start things. The slide with the bobbing arrow pointing to supposed Sony employees for security to take away was even sillier. Of course there wouldn’t be any pro-Sony people in the audience; they were all at the Final Fantasy concert a few miles north.
*rimshot*
The Xbox Live features are certainly welcome additions, and I was somewhat amused that Allard dealt with a Japanese interface to do his PR duty. The slightly macro-blocky image of Jenny on the other side of the conversation was acceptably smooth, and the ease with which another person was added to the mix was impressive, even without alcohol in the bloodstream.
The majority of the night’s various trailers did very little for me, with their formulae and unexciting visuals. Honestly, are we supposed to be excited by the fifth Tediz headshot in a row? Well?
I didn’t think so, but the cries of exultation from the audience at the Conker trailer’s end must mean something. There were many points during the show where the audience cheered and I just didn’t get it. Was it the visual imagery? Was it surprise? Was it simply sheer rapture that _insert game title here_ was being shown?
Did the audience even know what they were applauding?
They must have known something as there were a few games that simply did not move the audience. Kameo was one of them. The trailers of coming Tom Clancy games elicited a similar lack of reaction.
The Crash Reloaded tech demo also didn’t get much audience support. Sure, there was the polite golf applause at the demo’s end, but it certainly wasn’t a Star Wars: Republic Commando or even an Unreal Championship 2. Maybe somehow, somewhere, for some fleeting moment, they figured it out.
As much as Microsoft wants to change the game, crazy tech demos remain tech demos, expanded development kits remain development kits, and Microsoft remains Microsoft: the big company who buys their way into positions before exercising their options.
But then you have the Halo 2 demo…and honestly, who cares after seeing that? That’s going to be one heck of a game.
Vincent Diamante
is drunk
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