For those of you who are interested about everything except the games at E3, I have your fix! Here are my Day1, Day2 and Day3 pics that I took while on my trip to E3, in hunt for the perfect booth babe! Overall the E3 Expo went down fairly well. Like always the Expo doesn’t exactly get any better as the years go by, but there is always that one highlight that reminds you that it wasn’t a waist of time. But this year the MAJOR lack of PC games really got to me. Normally at E3 the PC hall and console kiddie hall are separated as best as they can. This year it looked like the console hall overfilled into the PC section. So I just viewed and tested the PC games that interested me (Battlefield 2, Motogp3, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars) and then went right back to checking out the booth babes for the remainder of the Expo!

Round Two: FIGHT!
Today I was able to look at a bunch of accessories that could either help or hinder your ability to frag the enemy.

eMagin was showing off their foray into stereoscopic 3D gaming with their Z800 3D Visor. The glasses were comfortable to wear and tracked the movement of your head perfectly. The image was indeed 3D, easy on the eyes, and sharp. Fast paced shooters may not be the best place for these glasses. But if immersion is what you want, then they are worth checking out.

eDimensional was showing off their AudioFX Force Feedback Gaming Headset. Want a little force with your frags? Then this product may help fit the bill. You indeed you feel then shake as you fire your weapon or experience nearby blasts. This would make a nice addition to Call of Duty 2 later this summer. Add a Buttkicker and you would really be set. Check out what IGN thought in this REVIEW.

Finally, I was able to get my hands on the newly redesigned PistolMouse FPS. This mouse like device offers you a unique way to aim as it a mock up of a hand gun. It does take a bit of getting used and while I cannot really recommended it for fast paced fps titles, it can be a welcome way to interact with titles that offer more simulation than speed.

That's all from me for this week folks. However, say tuned as next week I will start posting some great videos from E3 2005!
-Devil 2 U

e3- Cool Stuff

One of the things that I really like about coming to e3 is that I get to see the people that I haven't seen since 1999 (or there abouts) and meet other cool folks from around the network. As an example... I just had the opportunity to meet Aaron Williams from Full Frontal Nerdity who does a regular comic feature on GameSpy.com. e3/GameSpy/IGN stuff is just cool.
-Mickey Knox

StarCraft Ghost -> Multiplayer

I haven't seen it myself yet, but it appears that Starcraft Ghost is going to be going multiplayer. Ahh... the LANParty goodness potential quotient just went up.
-Mickey Knox

e3- rftf

Mickey Knox w/ a rftf (report from the floor). The first and only thing that can be said after walking onto the show floor at e3 of any year... and the only word that you can truly say is "wow". So far, the game that has impressed me the most... won't come out until sometime next year! Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is probably one of the prettiest games that I've seen on the floor yet. Rumor has it that the game uses the doom3 engine and, based upon the "Enemy Territory" in the title... follows on the Return to Castle Wolfenstein concept. With the vehicles... it looks like an awesome experience. No doubt about it... this will become a LANParty favorite. Check out the GameSpy article written up earlier this week about it. There's also the trailer footage and the screenshots
-Mickey Knox

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

E3 Update: Day 1

Wow, what a way to start E3. Big power problems force the event organizers to move the media registration area outside which in turn made for a 3 hour long wait for Devil 2 U to get his credentials. :p
In the afternoon, when I was finally able to get in, I headed straight to the main attractions for PC gaming.

EA Games had a really nice setup with several computer running playable versions of Battlefield 2. After getting the chance to shoot and blow some stuff up first hand, I am still very excited about this sequel. According to an EA Games representative who was showing off the game in the Microsoft area, we can expect a June 26th release and a multiplayer demo on or around June 15th.

Speaking of Microsoft, they always have a big collection of PC games in their "Games for Windows" area at E3. Besides the above mentioned BF2, another multiplayer game that has had my attention is Dungeon Siege 2. On at least one occasion, DS1 engaged a LAN I attended for over 10 hours straight. Once you play it, you get hooked. The sequel looks to offer many advancements and expansions in story, characters, and weapons. However, it will only support a mere 4 people in multiplayer mode. Still, this might make for a perfect mini-LAN party game.
Xfire also had a setup in the MS area, showing off what their in game messenger can do for online gamers.

Moving along, I stopped by Activision to see what they had to present this year. Quake 4 was being show and while I was not able to view it today, this quote from their press release will ensure that my eyeballs make it back their tomorrow, "QUAKE 4 also features fast-paced multiplayer competition modeled after the speed, feel, and style of QUAKE III Arena."
They also had in game footage of a title to be release in 2006 that really caught my attention: Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. I get the feeling that much of the community feedback has been wisely utilized and that ET: QW will a highly anticipated strategic multiplayer shooter for next year. IGN has posted a few PICS from this game that are worth a look. I plan on getting some video of this and other titles online next week.
Finally, I was able to sit down for 20 minutes and take an immersive journey into one level of Call of Duty 2. The player feels even more a part of the battle with bullets flying, explosions bursting, and fellow soldiers being blown to bits just feet from where you stand. Did I mention that it is immersive? No details on the multiplayer components yet. However, based on what I have seen this looks like another title that will not disappoint.

Well, time to get some sleep so I can be back bright and early for day two of E3. You can expect another update about the expo tomorrow evening.
-Devil 2 U

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

All quite on the western front

It has been kind of quite around the site this past week. WTF has the staff been up to? Slacking off, eh... Naw, we have been busy preparing for the gaming convention of the year...
E3!

LANParty.com staff Mickey Knox, kfc, and myself, will be on hand to provide you with images and video from the expo. We will be bringing you the info on you want such as multi-player pc games, gaming accessories, and of course...BOOTH BABES!

Want an idea of what we have in store for you? Check out the VIDEOS I produced from the 2004 E3 Expo.
-Devil 2 U

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Missed some news? Grab it here!

We aRe Wired	Niel, Antwerpen, Belgium	6/1/2005
Arcane	Twin Falls, Idaho, U.S.	6/2/2005
ClanSpy -	Los Angeles, California, USA	6/3/2005
Whempys	Columbus, Ohio, USA	6/3/2005
LANSE	High Wycombe, Bucks, UK	6/3/2005
RTC Lan Party	Winlock, WA, USA	6/3/2005
ATI Revolution	Longueuil/Montreal, Qu�bec, Canada	6/3/2005
LANFusion:LANParty	Morristown, New Jersey, United States	6/3/2005
Green Bay Underground [GBU]	Green Bay, WI, United States	6/3/2005
Friday Night Frag Fest	Fraser, CO, USA	6/3/2005
PWNCON 2005	Laguna Hills, CA, USA	6/3/2005
CAL-LAN Vll	Sacramento, California, USA	6/3/2005
RTC Planet - Home of the REAL LAN Party!	Winlock, Washington, United States	6/3/2005 6:00:00 PM
5LM -- Playas.CA - LANamania V -- LM5	Whitby, Ontario, Canada	6/4/2005
Insomnia	Mayfield - Newcastle, NSW, Australia	6/4/2005
LANMAN144	Westminster, Maryland, USA	6/4/2005
Star City LAN	Roanoke, Virginia, USA	6/4/2005
LoLLeR LAN 5	Valencia, Pa, USA	6/4/2005
LANmaniac	B e l l f l o w e r, C A, U S A (OC/LA Area)	6/4/2005
LightningLAN Descent/Halo Event	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States	6/4/2005
Fort LAN	Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States	6/4/2005
LANGO	Burbank, California, USA	6/4/2005
HatLan	Buena Park, California, USA	6/4/2005
OhioGeekfest	Dayton, Ohio, United States	6/4/2005