Wedbush Morgan Analyst Michael Pachter thinks that E3 is “heading for extinction soon”. That is, if the guys at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) don’t change the format of the event soon.

This observation was based on the number of video game company executives who weren’t very impressed with the way E3 was handled, with some even considering not attending any future events if it goes on this way.

To give you an example, Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello said that “I hate E3 like this.” He further added, “Either we need to go back to the old E3, or we’ll have to have our own private events.”

Ubisoft’s American President Laurent Detoc shared the same sentiment regarding the event saying that, “E3 this year is terrible. The world used to come to E3. Now it’s like a pipe-fitters show in the basement.”

Pachter pointed out that E3’s success in the past was due to the fact that it was able to address the needs of the core constituents of the industry, namely, media, retail, investors, and consumers. Something that the ESA didn’t do since the changes made last year:

By choosing to eliminate any potential for a consumer element to the show, the ESA chased away much of the television media. By scheduling the show two months later than in the past, retailers stayed away. By scheduling the show during the calendar quarter financial quiet period, only limited access was provided for buy and sell side analysts.

He further added that while the ESA sees the problems, the organization is “hamstrung by some of its more influential members, who appear to be pettily reluctant to spend money in order to showcase the industry.”

So what can the ESA do to return E3 to its former glory? Well, for one thing, Pachter noted that going back to the traditional 60,000 attendees may be a bit too unmanageable while the new 3,000 to 5,000 person shows are a “terrible disappointment.” So, the target number should be somewhere in the middle. As for the added cost of running an event this big, here’s a pretty good justification:

We believe that the lower costs for the show were more than offset by the loss of millions of dollars of free publicity, and are hopeful that the ESA restores the audience to a manageable, but spectacular size.

We can’t help but think back at the people who stated that they wanted E3 to be a more intimate event. Well, now you’ve got an intimate event, and guess what? A lot of people think it sucks.

• Pachter: E3 is virtually useless for retail and investors
• Ubisoft: time and place for E3 not appropriate, needs to be more massive

source pc.qj.net

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A new magnetic system allows people with serious disabilities to drive a wheelchair just by moving their tongues. It could allow people with serious disabilities unprecedented mobility. The system was designed by Georgia Tech Researchers Maysam Ghovanloo and Xueliang Huo. Read more at http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/

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Steampunk fans will probably get a kick out of Damnation as much as I do. I am, after all, a geek over anything steampunk (aside from being a geek of so many other things).

Here we have a bunch of screens (which were actually released a few days ago, during the height of the E3 press conferences - hence the reason why we’re a bit late; yeah, I know, we missed some blindspots, we’re human too) and a fact sheet from Codemasters and Blue Omega’s press release.

While I’m partial to calling it an “oh no, not another generic shooter for the PS3, 360, and Computer” game, I still think Damnation is still worth checking out - if not only for the novel experience of getting to play another game set in a steampunk world. Though I know that a lot of games have a steampunk setting (most of which are RPGs ), it’s rare to come by a shooter for the stated genre.

The game is billed as a “shooter gone vertical” where shooting targets from different planes, heights, and levels will play a crucial role to the gameplay. Now before we hit you up with the screens, let me paraphrase to you what’s on the fact sheet for Damnation (some of the details here have been revealed before, but recapping what we know so far can’t hurt):

• A living, breathing wasteland (say what?): The game is set in a barren wasteland called Damnation - oh so that’s where the game’s name comes from. It’s a perfect setting for a post-apocalyptic struggle between humans and some vile corporation bent on world domination. As the press release recommends, it’s got some “truly organic 3D spaces that cover miles of horizontal distance and thousands of vertical feet.”
• Plot your course, select your own adventure: So how huge is the game? Well, think about this: “It could take up to three hours in real-time travel to get from one end to the other and another three hours to climb to the top.” To keep you busy in-between all those paths to choose from, you get to do some stunts (over land and air!) too.
• Be the Steve-O you always wanted to be: Yes, traversing for three full hours from Point A to Point B may be dull for some, but here’s what’s cool in Damnation: “jump between ledges, swing on ropes and chains, and traverse vertical surfaces. Zip, slide, vault, shinny, swing and jump through the environment with intelligent AI attacking from all sides, above and below.”
• I see dead people …sort of: Well, not Haley Joel Osment style per se, but you get the picture. You control Captain Hamilton Rouke who’s waltzing across the wasteland, and along the way, you can activate his “Spirit Vision”. This allows you to “see through walls and expect the enemy s movements.”
• A tried and tested feature: And what kind of action-adventure shooter isn’t complete with the different game modes that’s pretty common nowadays: you get to play through the single-player campaign, whether co-op or multiplayer.

Teased much yet? Finally. On with the screens! Take a close look at them; some of the features described above can be seen in the shots:

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