by Reuben Waters on Aug 26, 2011
Sardu's geared up and exploring PAX Prime. What goods are in store? Sardu reveals it all...
‘Twas the night before PAX Prime, and all through Seattle, thousands of gamers were stirring drinks and pretending to be a mouse. Or their favorite video game characters, as the case may be, depending on which cosplay they’ll be sporting this weekend.
After securing my media badge earlier yesterday I spent a little time stalking around the convention center. Not only is it a great chance to get a feel for the space before the gamer stampede kicks off, but it also gave me the opportunity to speak with some our friends from Turbine, Runic, and ArenaNet before the madness begins.
On my way back to the hotel I also had an idea for some aspiring mobile games developer to borrow or claim as its own. For all I know something like this already exists, for that matter. The game would be a mobile MMO called Crosswalk of the Dead, neatly capitalizing on the current pop culture obsession with zombies. Much like the mindless masses seen milling around downtown Seattle intersections, gameplay would consist of a Frogger-like shambling across the road to see who survives without getting run down by an assortment of taxis, sports cars, and mini-vans controlled by other players.
Yes, these are the kinds of things that randomly decide to take up residence in my brain on a fairly consistent basis. Thankfully I’ll have plenty of actual games on the brain this weekend as I swoop down on PAX Prime like only a Ten Ton Hammer could. I’ve got appointments lined up with some of the industry’s heaviest hitters, and will be reporting on each of them as quickly as my cybernetic brain implants and robotic fingers will allow.
Starting the show off in style, this morning I’ll be attending the first of my appointments with BioWare for Star Wars: The Old Republic, followed by my first look at the newest MMO on the NCsoft block, WildStar.
Next on the menu is Guild Wars 2. Not only will I be getting the lowdown on PvP and the first details on the third novel in the Guild Wars series, but also have some hands-on time scheduled with the game. For the GW2 necromancer fans out there, be sure to bookmark NecroBator.com where I’ll be posting some additional coverage from the event.
Rounding out the day I’ll be meeting with Turbine to discuss the upcoming LotRO expansion, Rise of Isengard, heading over to the En Masse studio for some hands-on with TERA, and getting an updated look at Torchlight II. Somewhere in there I’ll also be meeting up with the folks from Red 5 to get some hands-on time with PvP in Firefall. Red 5 is promoting the game in a big way at PAX this year, with the game featured on banners, escalators and just about every other surface where the Firefall logo could be displayed both in- and outside of the convention center.
All told tomorrow will be a pretty killer day as far as event schedules go, and that’s just the first day of three. As long as I don’t get smeared across the crosswalk while shambling through an intersection on my way to or from the event, I’ll be writing up a storm throughout the weekend and into next week. Hopefully once the event wraps up the real storm that’s about to smack the east coast in the face won’t prevent my return trip home, but between now and then I’ll enjoy my time at one of the best industry events of the year.
Reuben "Sardu" Waters
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