Over 200'000 geeks, nerds and generally sunlight averse people. Hundreds of exhibitions. Eight massive arenas. One event...
Tokyo Game Show!
No not my foray into ridiculously cruel and impossible to win Japanese TV entertainment, TGS is the biggest computer games conference in the world and this year I had a ticket :)
I find myself saying this most days but this time there really aren't enough superlatives to describe just HOW weird some of what I saw that day was. From a 40 year old Japanese man dressed up in a Sailor Moon school girl outfit (don't ask, i really dont wish to remember) to "romantic adventure" games, to people strolling around casually in insanely detailed and immaculately produced home made costumes from practically any major game you can think of from the past 20 years. Unfortunately footage hit abit of a brick wall early on - just after I entered I was rushed by a bunch of security guards shouting and pointing at my camera and lack of press-access pass : /
It was a cool experience, it definitely gave me some stories to tell down the pub (or Izakaya) and i did enjoy trying out some of the unreleased games & 3D stuff they had there. Just the limitless neons, laser shows and 30ft+ lcds beaming out games trailers and footage to an ocean of gawping onlookers was quite impressive in of itself. The retro corner was well worth checking out as well - largely for the ensuing flashbacks of getting a kicking at street fighter by my bruv, or playing streets of rage with my mate Danny when I was about 8 - even if it did make me feel a bit old. Winning a bunch of free stuff (game, tshirt etc) was pretty fun too (and the proceeds off eBay will go a long way with my rent this month :P).
In honesty though I don't think I'd want to go back to either this or another similar convention elsewhere again. I'm glad I went once, It was a great 'box tick' and I would've regretted not seeing what it was like if I hadn't, but yeah, once is definately enough. I guess it's the same deal with any kind of convention, but the place seemed to be a magnet for the ones who took an otherwise perfectly acceptable hobby, that extra step (or ten) too far. Before going to TGS this year I considered myself a pretty serious gamer, attending and seeing / meeting a bunch of other people who also call themselves that swiftly made me reassess my eligibility for the title.
I do enjoy hiding myself away now and then and conquering the virtual world in Civilisation, or taking Cardiff to the champions league final in Football Manager. For my sins i've even dabbled in the crack cocaine of the gaming world, WoW (dont panic, i've been clean a few years now); but I'm not in the same league as 99.9% of those at TGS, i'm not even playing the same sport.
Cool experience, but not for me.
Tokyo Game Show!
No not my foray into ridiculously cruel and impossible to win Japanese TV entertainment, TGS is the biggest computer games conference in the world and this year I had a ticket :)
I find myself saying this most days but this time there really aren't enough superlatives to describe just HOW weird some of what I saw that day was. From a 40 year old Japanese man dressed up in a Sailor Moon school girl outfit (don't ask, i really dont wish to remember) to "romantic adventure" games, to people strolling around casually in insanely detailed and immaculately produced home made costumes from practically any major game you can think of from the past 20 years. Unfortunately footage hit abit of a brick wall early on - just after I entered I was rushed by a bunch of security guards shouting and pointing at my camera and lack of press-access pass : /
It was a cool experience, it definitely gave me some stories to tell down the pub (or Izakaya) and i did enjoy trying out some of the unreleased games & 3D stuff they had there. Just the limitless neons, laser shows and 30ft+ lcds beaming out games trailers and footage to an ocean of gawping onlookers was quite impressive in of itself. The retro corner was well worth checking out as well - largely for the ensuing flashbacks of getting a kicking at street fighter by my bruv, or playing streets of rage with my mate Danny when I was about 8 - even if it did make me feel a bit old. Winning a bunch of free stuff (game, tshirt etc) was pretty fun too (and the proceeds off eBay will go a long way with my rent this month :P).
In honesty though I don't think I'd want to go back to either this or another similar convention elsewhere again. I'm glad I went once, It was a great 'box tick' and I would've regretted not seeing what it was like if I hadn't, but yeah, once is definately enough. I guess it's the same deal with any kind of convention, but the place seemed to be a magnet for the ones who took an otherwise perfectly acceptable hobby, that extra step (or ten) too far. Before going to TGS this year I considered myself a pretty serious gamer, attending and seeing / meeting a bunch of other people who also call themselves that swiftly made me reassess my eligibility for the title.
I do enjoy hiding myself away now and then and conquering the virtual world in Civilisation, or taking Cardiff to the champions league final in Football Manager. For my sins i've even dabbled in the crack cocaine of the gaming world, WoW (dont panic, i've been clean a few years now); but I'm not in the same league as 99.9% of those at TGS, i'm not even playing the same sport.
Cool experience, but not for me.
13:07 |
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