Back from E3, but still all about it.

...Now we're decompressing and posting full-length stories on our impressions from the show. Feel free to as questions, they might make me remember to add something I would have otherwise left out.

I'm wrapping up a story on Rock Band 3 at the moment... and waiting to hear for sure whether Fridtjof actually ended up winning an iPad at the show. If so, we might start reviewing iPad products soon... if not, well, I think StarScream's supposed to be getting one soon, anyway, so we'll probably start reviewing iPad products either way.

2009 Things to Do...

So, how did YOU read the above title? As things to do this year? ...or as the number of things to be done? Either way, you're pretty close.

Starscream is working on a new layout for GameVortex.com and PSillustrated.com... something fresh and much more easy to navigate around, while helping to reinforce the fact that PlayStation Illustrated is a part of the GameVortex Network. We will be going for much better integration between the two in this redesign.

J.R.Nip is starting to look at the redesign from a 'features' perspective... We don't intend for this to be merely a new paint job, so functionality will be improved, along with the look and feel of the websites as they are now.

As for me, I'm going to be involved in both sides, of course, but I'm also working on a few projects of my own, updating our RSS feeds so that they are more useful, seeking partnerships on various levels with other websites and companies and trying to become more active in my "community"... both in Baton Rouge and internet-based.

That's not quite 2009 things, but I'm not done with the list... just ran out of time to blog... gotta run and work on some of those aforementioned things...

...till next time.

Post PAX, Post Gustav, Post Guitar Hero World Tour Press Event, Post Ike Update

A lot has transpired in the past few weeks, and thank God, it seems we've lived through it all. J.R. Nip and StarScream did, eventually, make it back from PAX, the GameVorplex wasn't blown away by hurricanes, I made it out to participate the Guitar Hero World Tour press event in Santa Monica, CA (and will be posting a report on all of the coolness that entailed) and I've gotten sick and (as of this writing) just about over it.

Due to the hurricanes and the resulting power outages, we've gotten a little bit behind on things, as it's difficult to play games or even movies when you have no electricity, but we're working hard on catching up. Check for lots of updates... soon.

"How are you going to get them back on the farm once they've seen PAX?"

And I think it's gonna be a long, long time...

Going TO Louisiana is rarely a problem for people interested in the gaming industry. Typically, people from Louisiana are trying to go elsewhere to be where the gaming industry is... such as going to Seattle to attend PAX. Take, for example, J.R. Nip and StarScream, both of whom are currently in Seattle, for PAX.

The problem is, with Hurricane Gustav barreling through the Gulf of Mexico straight toward the GameVorplex, our esteemed comrades are unlikely to be able to fly back into Baton Rouge until, well, I don't know when they'll be able to fly back in. I assume it won't be until the storm is done, according to the FAA or whoever determines that for the commercial airlines.

StarScream was coming back a day earlier than J.R.Nip, and we were assuming that it the weather wouldn't effect StarScream's flight, but now it's looking like both flights will be affected. What does that mean for our reviewers? I wish I knew. Time will tell.

A Wing and a Prayer

So, the Penny Arcade Expo (or PAX, for short) is upon us and I, for one, don't get to go. J.R. Nip and StarScream will be covering the event for us, so they're flying to Seattle today. I know that J.R. Nip is in the air as I write this, and has been in airports and in the air since 4:30 a.m. this morning. I don't envy a day wasted with commercial flights, but I do wish I was able to go to PAX this year. Oh, well... hopefully I will be able attend next year.

...That is, of course, supposing that I live to next year. Not the kind of thing that one would typically say, but I'm scheduled to help Kambur O. Blythe and Psibabe in batting down the hatches to prepare for Tropical Storm Gustav, which looks like it's expected to be a Hurricane by 8:00 p.m. tonight.

So, either this evening or tomorrow morning I will be in a tree, wielding a chainsaw, which I have had no practice at using. I will be doing a fair bit of praying, I think, and trying to think of a way I could practice.

Hmmm, perhaps there's a game that I could train with... Maybe a Resident Evil or some FPS, perhaps?