By
Josh Drescher, Associate Producer for Warhammer Online



I’m going to open with a bit of Truth here –
It’s Monday night in LA and I skipped all of the press
conferences today.  All I did was go to the convention center,
grab my badge, check our booth and leave.  This is because
I’m working on two hours sleep, our flight was delayed twice,
my room at the hotel wasn’t ready and it’s too hot
here.  So no earth-shattering revelations are forthcoming
today.  Furthermore, I’m going to be chained to our
booth for the next 72 hours, churning through press like a man
possessed, so don’t be surprised if this deteriorates into
lunatic rambling over the next couple of days.  I’ll
try to maintain a steady hand and an even keel, but we’re in
Vampire Country and you never know which way things will break.

Though much is taken,
much abides; and though

We are not now that
strength which in the old days
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Moved earth and heaven;
that which we are, we are,
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One equal-temper of
heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and
fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to
find, and not to yield.



In case you’re in a huge rush, that’s E3 in a
nutshell (it’s Tennyson, by the by).



Many moons ago, E3 began.  It soared to great, excessive
heights and then flamed out in a rather grand fashion a couple of years
ago.  Nevertheless, the industry’s memory of what E3
once was does much to sustain it to this day.  I come here
this week not to bury E3, but to remember her fondly and to hope the
New E3 will find some useful – albeit greatly changed
– form.



First, to the fond memories:   



Somehow, somewhere, we all got together and agreed to hold an annual,
multi-day bacchanal that was aimed squarely at…
well… generating “You Won’t BELIEVE What
Happened At E3” stories that would help keep us all going
throughout the rest of the year.  Sure, making games meant
spending countless dark and fearsome nights toiling until dawn to hit a
deadline or fix a bug, but it ALSO meant spending a week in LA, trying
to sneak into parties, collecting XXXL t-shirts from startled girls in
revealing outfits and generally having a great, goofy time. 
But most of all, it meant getting to see throngs of fans
who’d managed to breach the tissue-thin membrane of security
at the “industry only” show and subsequently made
their way into the very heart of gaming.



More Truth: Los Angeles and I do not get along.  



I always seem to contract some sort of avian super-flu when
I’m out here, the sun is too close to the ground, the locals
seem like Martians and everyone is too damn skinny.  99% of
the time, if I’m going to LA, I know it’s going to
be an Ordeal.  But going to LA for E3 was always an exception
because – while it was always a lot of hard work –
it was also a great opportunity to reconnect with the people we make
games for in the first place.  The jet-lag, pulped-vocal cords
and lingering cases of “Convention Crud” were all
worth it – year after year – because E3 was a fun
time with the fans.



So, if I’m honest, the lack of fans sneaking into the show is
probably the thing I worry about the most.  Security has been
beefed up significantly – including new badges with photo-ID
on them (no more sneaking in with your friend’s badge, kids),
so it’s a fair bet that it’ll be a truly
“industry only” affair.



Nevertheless, we’re hell-bent on having a good
show.  We’ve brought out all of the Big Guns
– Barnett, The Hickman and MBJ himself, in addition to your
Humble Narrator and a scruffy band of devs who’re ready and
able to knock this one out of the park.  So tomorrow, news
from the Front!

(Editor's Note: You can read all of Josh's blog posts by clicking here!