eGamesExpo - Melbourne 2007
Feature
We get up close and intimate with the largest gaming event Down Under.
By this time, the next keynote speakers were arriving at the main stage. I figured I’d have a listen to what they had to say. After all, these guys were Dean Tate and Jonathan Pelling, who were level designers on a little game called BioShock. There seemed a few more people interested in these two guys than the previous keynote speakers. They gave some insight into development of BioShock, including the development stages of some of the main characters in the game including Little Sisters and Big Daddies. It was quite interesting to see the changes from the initial paper sketches to the final product you see in the game.
Over to EA
Sony v Microsoft
Each of these two console giants had their own sections, displaying various third-party games. The Sony area dominated by a shipping container hooked up with a number of plasma/LCD screens and PS3 systems with a variation of games. Outside were a number of stations displaying new titles as well as games that have yet to come out. Among them FIFA 08, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, Tekken 5, Singstar, Guitar Hero III and the realistic looking Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Also in the Sony area, was a game station with a number of PSP handhelds that ran games such as Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow, Socom Tactical Strike and God of War. I was really impressed with Socom as the graphic detail was just awesome.
The Microsoft sector was poor in comparison. The main feature of the section was the ‘Halo Helmet’ surrounded by -get this- three consoles. Yep, just three. Even if the three games on display had been Assassin’s Creed, Crysis and PES2008, the display would still have been pitiful. The saving grace for Microsoft was the fact that many of the publishers were using the X360 console to display their games and the fact that there was an X360 Halo 3 competition.
At the end of the day
Overall, the day was an exhausting experience, but one well worth it. The only real letdown was the Activision stand. There were three games on show which were OK titles (Tony Hawks Proving Ground and Guitar Hero III) but no one from Activision was available to demonstrate them. Instead volunteers were used to help gamers out with controls and what to do.
The event seems to have run smoothly throughout with gamers enjoying themselves with the team and individual competitions. Personally, I am really looking forward to next year’s event (assuming it will return). So if you’re down-under this time next year, be sure to pop in and have a look around at the next best titles in gaming. I know I will.