PAX Day Two Wrap-Up (The Experience)

The second day had come to pass and the gaming overload said, "Let there be knowledge."

This is my general feeling about yesterday's delicious PAXy goodness. Overall the day felt more organized - I am not entirely sure how this came to pass and whether it was my anticipation of lines or just better knowledge from the Enforcers of how things were supposed to run. A fine person whom I had the pleasure of thanking for the show also said that the convention should be running smoother.

My wife and I also woke up for the show rather early so that I could attend the Joystiq Blueberry Muffin Tops Breakfast. At the breakfast I had the opportunity to play a second map in Split Second that I will also be adding to my thoughts on the game later on.

From the breakfast we (again just my wife and I) went to the panel for the Penny-Arcade series and it was hilarious. Jerry (Tycho) and Mike (Gabe) did a live commentary on two previously aired episodes; I was doubled over in laughter most of the time. We then saw an episode that will not be aired until this Friday so that was a nice treat for PAX attendees.

Directly thereafter we got back in line for the create-a-strip panel having met up with some friends. Watching the strip was not only entertaining, but it was visually unbelievable. Watching the whole strip come together, in person, could not have been a better experience. Later when I spoke to Mike, albeit briefly, he said that the create-a-strip panel is his favorite of the weekend. It can only imagine how humbling and awesome that must be to share that.

For a good portion of the day after that panel we turned our four person group into a seven person group and just hung around chatting about what we had seen in the previous two days. This is truly what is so great about PAX - to be among friends whose heart is in the same place as your own.

I also had the distinct pleasure of introducing my friends to the Joystiq Podcast LIVE and that was great.

Lionhead Studios Countdown

UPDATE: The countdown is at zero at 12.42am on Wednesday; August, 19, 2009 and on the left banner where there was previously just bullet holes, there is some blood spatter added to mix if you wait for a bit. Somehow I am disinclined to believe that this will be a Fable 3 announcement. I am beginning to believe that this is for a new IP.

A few days ago quotes from famous revolutionaries (Joan of Arc, Che Guevara) have been posted as the main splash page on Lionhead's website in the form of a countdown. As you can see to the right, there is one day left until the big announcement.

Speculation on this Joystiq's part include a Game of the Year edition of Fable 2... which would be a silly thing to have a countdown for or perhaps an early Fable 3 announcement (this is naturally what I am hoping for). Perhaps it could be the official announcement for the Milo Project which as you know from E3 involved the Project Natal camera (though this is probably not the case).

If you navigate to their site by way of the thumbs up or thumbs down buttons the left banner on the site is ridden with, what look like, bullet holes (does smoke curl from any other type of holes?). If anyone has any idea what this could be, you know where to post it. Fable 2 had guns, right? What other Lionhead projects had guns? Is this something entirely new?

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Although this is not news I wanted to share this with all of you.

Today, while at work, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting both Andrew Yoon and Ludwig Kietzmann of Joystiq fame.

I feel like I froze up but managed to give Andrew the link to this blog so if you guys are reading this, "Hi guys, it was a pleasure meeting you."

I hope it was not just coincidence and that I have the pleasure of working with, or in the field of, these fine gentleman in the future.

Mass Effect: Jacob's Story - Color Me Interested

 

Joystiq recently broke this story about a Mass Effect iPhone game called Mass Effect: Jacob's Story. It was a tip from a Joystiq reader about a survey in relation to the game. This story makes me wish that I was the kind of news outlet that readers came to me with this kind of news. Obviously since this is a Mass Effect story I could not resist posting about this.

The reason that I considered not posting about it is because it is just that, an iPhone game. I have confidence in the iPhone as a gaming platform but I am skeptical on whether this game will be good as a good percentage of the games for the iPhone are crap. From what I can tell I am not sure if Bioware is developing this but as long as whomever is developing it does not take any unnecessary creative license with the Mass Effect universe everything will be fine. In the end it did not take much convincing; I am going to play this if and when it comes out.

This is what Joystiq reported about the reader survey:

The mobile game will feature top-down shooter combat and a stylized, cartoonish look. The survey notes that Jacob's Story will function as a predecessor to the upcoming Mass Effect 2, revealing some of the backstory of characters featured in the console game. The handheld adventure would be about two hours long and cost $2.99.

If the game does what this short quote says that it will do, it will be a nice experience to bridge the gap between Mass Effect 1 and 2. I am looking forward to it, I just wish there was a date on it.