When asked why Apple is viewing the Xserve as the first Apple enterprise server, when clearly, there were failed attempts several years ago, most notable a large machine using the AIX OS, Steve Jobs’ body language said more than he ever could out loud. His vocalized reply was that he viewed that machine as something that happened ‘in a dream while Apple was in a coma.’ But at least it looked formidable under Tai’s desk at iTools.
Fine, great, grand. Why in hell would you want KDE over Aqua? Blech.
Macs are central to the creation of lowercase sound. Many lowercase artists use field recordings and contact mikes for source material, and they amplify and edit the soft sounds on Macs.
I can’t decide if that’s a good or bad thing. I suppose listening to the ‘music’ would help. I’m just too lazy right now.
Anyone know of someone looking for a graphic/web designer in or around London? I’ll tell you why later.
Epiphany Radio. The most consistently sexy internet radio station ever. Well, almost.
Manual is a collection of a few of my favorite web authors brought together with a common theme (“how to…”) and meant to be read far away from a computer screen. I naturally skipped a lot of the articles and went straight for Scott David Herman and Kevin Fanning.
Agent Collier and New Deep Cover Agent Horvath infiltrated the E3 again today, but were unable to penetrate Rockstar’s GTA: Vice City blockade. Oh well, the game *was* just announced like last week. If they don’t have a Delorean in it, I will boycott on principle. Didn’t see amazing skateboarding like I did last year. Chris Gentry, Kevin Staab, Neal Hendrix, and Shawn White were all at the halfpipe, but none of them were quite up to what Bucky or Mr. Hawk busted out with last year. My main game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 was somewhat underwhelming, as was the show in general.
Last year we had two console debuts, and the PS2 really coming into its own. Metal Gear Solid 2 was on the way, and stopped crowds everytime its video played. There was really nothing like that this year. DoomIII had a two hour line to see a 15 minute making-of clip. Mario, Zelda, and Metroid will all be amazing games (unless they *really* drop the ball) but none of them are revolutionary in any way. Well, Zelda really does look amazing. Not quite like anything around, but it also doesn’t scream “we have just reached a new level in gaming.”
This year felt more like a trade show. As in: “This is our Fall line of games. Would you like a t-shirt?” Burger, fries and a soda cost $10. And they suck. Everywhere is crowded, especially Nintendo. Booth babes are veeery few and far between, unlike other reports. You start to realize that there really are a lot of really crappy videogames out there. Did you know that people still develop for the Super Nintendo? Scary, ain’t it?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m incredibly glad I attended this years E3, but following last year’s show is a difficult act. I got to play all of these amazing games (the big Nintendo ones, THPS4, Shinobi, FinalFantasyXI, and more that would take too long to mention), and I got to play my beloved Super Monkey Ball 2. Sega developing for Nintendo at its best. Leave it to monkeys in hermetically-sealed see-through balls navigating labrynths in search of Dole bananas to brighten my day everytime. Thanks monkeys. Thanks a lot.
Agents Collier and Neely have infiltrated E3 once again. We are tired. We would have liked to see more booth babes. Alas, not enough thongs. Oh well.
Zelda is great. I eat my words. Oh well. Amazing graphics, but its a looong ways off. Mario is…well, its Mario a la N64. Fun, but not groundbreaking. Very pretty though. Metroid has loose controls, but is coming along very nicely, and it is reminiscient of the old NES classic in every way. Nintendo has the most fun at its booth, thusly it is the busiest, and I find myself staying away from it more than I’d like.
Grand Theft Auto 3 is having a sequel in Vice City. More of a semi-sequel, it’s set in Miami in the 80s. Very few games make gamers excited with the phrase “set in the 80s,” but if you know GTA, then you know that this is a great idea. Tomorrow I may press my media crendentials and get a private Vice City screening at the Rockstar booth. We’ll see. It’s not on the floor, so private screenings are the only way to go.
What else, uh…Microsoft seems to be just like last year: not bad, but really kinda dull. Nothing to really grab you. Tony Hawk 4 is has a demo on every system, even Game Boy Advance. One of its levels is very reminiscient of UCBerkeley, and in the Zoo level, you can dodge monkey poo.
This little press room has about 70 computer stations, and they’re all Macs. Thought you guys would appreciate that. I feel incredibly hardcore posting from the media center. It’s amazing that I’m here again. Kevin has skills that we should both fear and respect.
If anyone has anything specific they’d like me to check out tomorrow, lemme know. Agent Collier out.
