"For rank-and-file developers, lobbying to go to GDC or other learning oriented conferences often becomes an internal battle as people politick their way to be the sole team member to make the trek. It's an even harder sell if the given event is in a particularly remote or exotic location, or raises immediate boondoggle alerts (e.g., the event is in Las Vegas or on a cruise ship)."
Jason Della Rocca dissects the who, what and why of game conventions.
"E3's collapse has left a hole in the gaming world. No longer is there an annual one-stop shop for every game developer's promotion and networking needs. Even though the model was broken, the institution of E3 was still useful. ... Now, a host of other conventions must serve in its stead."
Greg Tito explores life after the death of E3.
"Presumably stemming from the generally acrobatic, superheroic nature of most manga and videogame characters, a rather peculiar trend has also permeated Japanese cosplay competition: cartwheeling. The ability to perform a cartwheel in full costume - regardless as to whether doing so fits with the psychological profile of the character being mimicked - is a sure way of scoring a few extra otaku-points. Whether this anomaly has evolved to demonstrate the durability and couture quality of the costume, or whether it's a cheap trick to upskirt a hot babe wearing a school uniform, it's difficult to say. I kinda hope it's the latter."
Spanner takes a good, long look at Cosplay.
"To one side lies a demo of Daigasso! Band Brothers, where anyone with a DS can join in on the musical fun. Up on a shelf sits Samba de Amigo, still in the box, not too far from a Neo Geo console that's still in the shrink-wrap. Across from that are several Japanese box sets and special editions. Everything is laid out carefully. 'Visually, I try to have rare stuff and the paragons of the genre prominently on display,' says Carlson. For those walking by, the booth acts like a flame at a moth convention. It's a guaranteed talking point."
Brad Rice hits the floor with the dealers.
"Enforcers harness the power of numbers and boundless enthusiasm to create a prefect storm of volunteer energy. 'They're the backbone to PAX, in my opinion,' says Robert Khoo, Penny Arcade's Director of Business Development. 'We're talking about a self-sustaining community that happens to have the common ground of this annual event, PAX. There was no way to 'plan' that sense of community, but it's a group of people that take an unbelievable amount of pride in their work, and when you've got that common passion for something, I suppose it makes sense.'"
Alan Au looks into the secret world of the PAX Enforcers.
