After fixing the few technical issues with Issue #1, we move onto the next day. A day dedicated primarily to what two of the largest companies and platforms brought to show off the gaming world. PlayStation and Xbox in case you couldn't figure it out. For some reason Nintendo was completely void of the con, outside of the companies showing off Wii and DS games they have coming out. But that's not the point here. We got to see a few things, meet a few celebrities, as well as end the night hanging with some of The Guild actors, Sony Hardware people, and the guys from the Totally Rad Show.

XBox

One thing I found kind of odd about the XBox presence this year was that it was so very small. Small enough to fit maybe 20 people in comfortably. Well outside of the small raised platform area set aside for signings and celebrities to be during the day. That and the lack of actual hands on with any of the games. The whole convention, I only saw that people where able to play the new XBLA South Park game and Gears of War. Granted, they showed a few other games while here, but they were all guided tours of the games. It just seemed like they were there, because they couldn't let the competition be there alone. At least as it came to games.

Where they were lacking on games, they totally made up for in celebrity, mostly from the gaming world, signings and events. About 300% more than PlayStation had the entire weekend. Not to mention that you could hang and actually play with members of The Guild after they signed loads of stuff for fans. An awesome thing for any fan that has been watching their show since it started and/or is going to getting them off Xbox Live. You totally would have sqeed too. Mind you that isn't adding in the NorthStar and Epic Games people to boot.

PlayStation

While they were showing off the PSP Go! and giving the public a hands on with it, this was by no means what PlayStation was trying to show off at this years convention. It was the plethora of games that they have in the works for later this year and into next. Most of which actually playable that the booth for any who wandered over and a few had to be set up to play through the XMB. Which games were there? God of War III, Uncharted 2, Ratchet and Clank, LBP for the PSP, Pixel Junk Shooter, Fat Princess, and White Knight Chronicles to get you a small list. Some where even different then what was seen at E3 a month before.

Now to flip it over, outside of the general contests and giveaways that every booth in the convention was doing, there was only one special event scheduled in the booth. Well at least publicized event. Which was just a signing with the artists behind the concept art and the upcoming comic book. Really nice guys and a nice little exclusive poster of their art, but when compared to XBox, it was nothing to anyone that isn't a God of War fanboy. It just wasn't packing people in like over at XBox.

While not everything that went on at both booths, it shows a good comparison of what each company was trying to do at each event. XBox showing off how much fun one can have playing their games and not relying on new stuff. While PlayStation was showing off their new stuff and letting people try it out. If you mixed both of their plans together, you would have had one epic booth of stuff that gamers wouldn't have had to wander away from at all. But that would be in a perfect world.

Moving on from all of this was the last panel of the night. Well show. No more pre-party. I'm talking the live show of the Totally Rad Show. Which moved into a nice little after party. But as with the last two nights, led me to some further pondering on the convention and it's goers.

Maybe it is just the cynic in me or my callous nature, but I began to think that at a con like this, maybe they should move to plane charging for passes. By that I mean weight and stroller charging for those it would apply to. We geeks and gamers are not the most fit people out there. I'll admit I'm not. But when it begins to effect others, then one should become responsible, voluntary or involuntary.

While in the TRS panel, there were many announcements to fill in as many seats as possible because it was going to be overly packed in the room. I got very friendly with Corey and our friend Jana to ensure we were not encroaching on anyone else at the event. Low and behold, two guys sit in front of us who took up 4 seats. Not because they were lounging or holding them, but because that was were they fit. Taking two seats of other fans of the show who either didn't get in or had to stand in the very far back. They were two guys taking up four people's worth of space and generating four people's worth of heat.

This got me thinking further back on earlier things in the day too. The aisles of the convention wouldn't be as crowded if this was taken into account. Or if it was taken into account for people who bring triple wide strollers for one kid to site. I saw six of them like that during the day. It just seems that limiting or charging for these types of things would cut down on costs as well as add to revenue and safety in general at the convention. It makes sense in my twisted head.

We called it an early night on Friday after the TRS party and a long trolley ride back to home base. All to get ready for the next day full of Capcom, Activision, and a trip to Flynn's Arcade. That's the arcade from Tron for you younger readers. Check back for Heroes, Zombies, and Tron. Oh My!