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So, you're read all our
coverage, and you're trying to plan for making your run next year.
But, how to prepare? What to bring? What will all the cool people be
doing, and will you find all the cool stuff to get?
Let the E3 experts at Netjak tell you how to get yourself prepped
and ready for your first E3, and if you're a vet, you can keep this
around for yourself next year, or just add your knowledge in the
comments section.
1. Get some damn comfortable shoes.
If you get there on time you're going to be standing up for nearly 9
hours...straight. Granted you're going to be walking around and
sitting down every once in a while for 5-10 minutes, but if you just
wear your standard worn out tennis shoes, your feet are going to be
killing you, and you're going to get out jumped for t-shirts every
time. The female gamers are so not going to be impressed with your
lack of swag-obtaining skillz. Either get some decent basketball
shoes that have good shock absorption ability, and hopefully aren't
made in a sweatshop somewhere by little kids.
Rick: This isn't such a big deal for me - my feet are built for
walking and standing. But if you don't have hyper-extended arches
like I do, get arch supports for your shoes (pretty easy to obtain
at grocery stores). You won't realize how vital this is until the
end of the first day, when your feet are just a little sore versus
crippling pain.
2. Gloves.
Now some of you people are going to think I'm weird. But trust me on
this. Get yourself some gloves...or at least a little towel thing.
The bags that you're going to be carrying your swag around in aren't
known for their comfort. They're known for the little nylon rope
handles that feel like they're going to slice off your fingers.
Getting something to cover your hands will make you feel a lot
better. Alternately, you can carry a backpack, but those get
searched at the entrance, and also, there's the jumping hindrance
there, too.
Rick: I can't really jump anyhow, and I'm pretty keen about
acquiring stuff quick, so my jumping skills are nearly nil anyhow at
the convention. So I take the backpack route, and then work with
Clay to take advantage of his hops. Teaming up also allows one
person to freelance without worrying about losing their stuff.
3. Digital Camera.
There's nothing worse than taking a bunch of possibly
once-in-a-lifetime memory pictures and finding out that your film
got exposed. The digital camera not only holds more pictures, it
doesn't require any sort of development of the pictures, and you can
always re-shoot the picture if it came out differently than you
expected. If you've got a digital camera and a digital video camera,
then you're really set.
Rick: This is also good for, say, taking pictures of passed-out
members of your crew post-show, with some sort of gaming control in
their possession. Or the random stuff that out-of-towners just don't
see coming when they visit Los Angeles, like people dressed as beef
bowls or trucks carrying tons of DDR machines to wherever on a
flatbed.
4. There's no such thing as cheap parking near the Convention
Center.
Park in the lot on Figuroa and 8th or Flower and 9th. Those lots
will charge between $5 and $8 and they're just a straight 3-block
walk to the Convention Center. The lot on Figueroa and 8th is also a
straight shot to the 110 South which makes getting home a lot more
convenient. Just because you can hit your car quicker doesn't mean
you're getting to the freeway first. Not at all.
Rick: The first day, we parked for 5 bucks. We walked only a little
bit, and it was fine weather out there, as it usually is during LA's
late spring. Meanwhile, we heard people trading parking nightmares,
wandering the block around the Convention Center for 25 minutes,
finding parking for upwards of 50 bucks. We paid less, got to walk
in nice weather, and still managed to spend less time in the whole
parking ordeal.
5. Take off a 1/2 hour earlier.
I know that the show's cool and all and you want to soak it in for
the maximum amount of time. But if you're driving or even if you're
having a friend drive, being stuck in L.A. traffic is no pleasure
cruise. The mass of cars trying to leave E3 itself is hellish, not
to mention the fact that at around the time of show's close, you're
going to be dealing with rush hour traffic. Take the half hour hit
and you'll only have to deal with 1 of the 2 evils.
6. People don't like tear-down.
See a really cool display that you'd want? Well, nobody's going to
hand it to you during the show because they need it to advertise
during the show obviously. But, when the choices are: Pack stuff up
and take it home, or turn your head, and not notice that one of the
display pieces is missing...let's just say I know people who have
walked out of the convention with some interesting stuff...and then
people on Ebay have bought it.
Rick: Also, if they still have some nice leftover swag, you are
certain to walk home with it. Strategy guides, shirts, posters,
controllers... the list of possible swag is staggering.
7. Nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd.
So find out what it's for, and if it'll be there another day. If you
want what the crowd's lined up for, get there early the next day,
and be in a MUCH shorter line. Examples include, taking pictures
with booth babes, any t-shirt giveaway that invovles playing the
game before they give you a shirt, and autographs. Timing is
everything, and waiting in line for 3 hours for a shirt when you
really could have dashed around, played some games, and probably
grabbed 3 other shirts in the meantime is really not efficient use
of your time.
Rick: It helps to ask the people in line what they're waiting for
and how long the wait is. Also, you can generally get a peek at what
they're playing and for how long. If the line is moving fast and
they're only playing a small part of the game, (like in Bandai's
booth, where people were racing .hack's grunties for about 30
seconds) you can easily jump in - sometimes multiple times.
8. Pack food, or eat a big breakfast.
Convention food everywhere is expensive. But the food at E3 beats
every convention I've ever seen in terms of low quality and high
price. Example: 20 oz. Pepsi product. $2.50. Two dollars and fifty
cents. I think movie prices are cheaper than that. Kisu paid $8 for
a Chicken salad with tough pieces of chicken. There's also $8 hot
dogs if you want those, too. So either sneak food in, or get
yourself a big meal to start, and then don't eat anything during the
show.
Rick: Also, since you are still likely to get a bit hungry, figure
out where food is available. Some companies have food for meetings,
and will try to give it out at the end of the day. SNK is usually
really good for this, but companies are regularly doing food
giveaways, especially for something that is a limited time item,
like new soda flavors.
9. Make sure you're representing properly.
Rick found out that wearing his Gameskins.com shirt was not enough
to prove his old-schoolness. There were plenty of imitators. So, if
you're going to clothe yourself in something to show your gamer
pride, pick from your more obscure shirts. Shirts you got as
pre-order gifts or something. Because if you can buy it online,
you're going to see 20 other people with them.
Rick: That was embarrassing beyond belief. I knew what I was talking
about, so I managed to redeem myself. Still, though, if I had the
chance, I would have picked a different shirt. One thing to consider
as an alternate is a t-shirt from something gamers like that people
don't immediately go for. One example is an anime shirt, as long as
said anime is not Dragon Ball Z or Neon Genesis Evangelion -
everyone has those shirts too.
10. Explore as much booth as you can.
Rick: Nintendo proved this in a huge way this year. Because no major
Pokemon title is going to debut this coming year, most people didn't
even bother going near the Pokemon section. But they were giving out
cards to access a hidden area in the most recent game, and it was
easy to run by and get several copies. They also had a "weigh your
swag" area slightly off to the side, and for almost no wait (the
line never got larger than 10 people and moved like nobody's
business) you could get the "I've got more swag than you" t-shirt.
Think of E3 like your favorite RPG and explore everything. Even if
you wander into an area you aren't supposed to be in, just act like
you're lost, and no harm no foul.
11. Be courteous to everyone involved.
I was eating with my pals Kisu & Justin, and we see the person
dressed as Spongebob Squarepants. They're trying to make their way
out of the Convention Center to get her (yes, Spongebob was female.)
a break when she's deluged by people trying to get a photo. It
seriously takes her an additional 10 minutes to go the next 10 feet
to the door and get out of that damn costume. Seeing someone who's
walking around on the show floor is different. If the costumed folks
are trying to leave, let 'em go. Seriously. The amount of "coolness"
that you would get from that picture isn't worth adding to someone
else's already looooong day.
Also, I've seen/heard people cussing folks out for not giving them
shirts, getting aggravated over not getting whatever free gift is
being tossed out or whatever. It's random chance. Don't piss the
people who work there off just to get your way. First off, because
it's wrong. Second of all, because they remember your name, and your
company. There will be another day...as long as you don't ruin it
for yourself by not getting invited back.
Rick: If you miss out, the best way to go is the "aw shucks"
disappointment. If you do a light version of the puppy dog eyes, you
can get some pity, and the booth attendants are likely to be polite
and offer alternatives. Sometimes, it will be a different t-shirt,
or something from the booth that they keep aside for VIPs. They'll
also let you know when they'll get more and tell you how to cut in
front of the crowd to get it.
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