Play Expo 2012

On the 13^th and 14^th of October 2012, Play Expo took place for the first time in Event City, Manchester, moving from Blackpool Taking place over two days, there was plenty to see and do and the event was split into four sections; Now.play, Re.play, Pro.play and Cos.play. It is the first two sections I will be focusing on here, although the Pro.play was interesting to look at and evidence of the Cos.play arena could be seen throughout the day and was definitely worth a look.

Now.play

This arena was one of the most intriguing areas to explore. There were some big stands to look at, including Nintendo with the Wii-U, EA with Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Konami with Metal Gear Uprising: Revengeance and more.

The Wii-U was one of the biggest stand there and it is obvious as to why. The Wii was a great system when first launched and the innovative controls took gaming in a completely new direction. Personally, I don’t think the system lived up to its expectations. There was a lot they could have done to further that but that’s a story for another day. While the Motion Plus controllers will be compatible with the Wii-U, it’s the table I was interested in seeing. When the Xbox was first released, the controllers were bulky, heavy and not comfortable to use. I had concerns about the tablet too.

The tablet controller is very light and the screen of a very high quality. In Rayman: Legends, it is the multiplayer aspect which grabbed my attention. One player would use a controller to control one character and the tablet would be used to aid that character by attacking enemies and interacting with the game in ways the controller could not. It was fun and took some getting used to but I enjoyed the cooperative element of the game. The Wii-U version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was less successful, in my opinion. The touch screen holds a list of combos and skills to use but selecting them would be hard and could cost you the battle. The new Mario game acts in much the same way as Rayman: Legends. The more adventure based RPG’s used the touch screen to primarily to show the inventory, removing the need to pause and go through menus to find what you want as it right there. It still means you must divert your attention from the main screen and this could be costly. Other functions involve using the screen as a device in the game for various functions.

It’s a clever idea but seems more suited to multiple player games and party games at the moment. It is very light and easy to hold, even for younger gamers or people with smaller hands but with time and practise, it will be very playable. I still haven’t decided whether it’s a system I would enjoy playing much, however.

The Konami stand had demos of Metal Gear Uprising: Revengeance. I’ve always enjoyed the Metal Gear games and this one looks stunning. How it would play was the more important part. The key combat feature was the Blade mode. By holding down the L1 button (PS3 controls), you could move the right analog stick slice your blade in every direction in that rotation. I was unsure about this and whether it was a full 360 degree control but was surprised to find they had cut no corners on this element. The game itsel was actually fairly easily. As long as you could move and continue to press the two primary attack buttons, you could beat almost every opponent and this disappointed me. In the demo there was little tactical skill involved and I hope this is added later. Otherwise, it’s not a game I’ll buy as it will be too easy to complete. It was only the second time the demo had been available to play so I’m hopeful for a bit more to come from this game yet.

There was a stand for Halo 4 as well. I enjoy the Halo games but it has never been able to make me buy an Xbox (or the 360). The stand let you play a 12-person game for five minutes so you don’t get a complete overview of the game and as I’m not an expert on Halo, it didn’t feel overly different to the others. It was a smooth trial and a game I would thoroughly enjoy playing it if I had an Xbox 360.

The EA stand had two games to play. Medal of Honor: Warfighter continued the series of games but did nothing to impress me over the previous instalments. Honestly, I haven’t enjoyed that series as much as other FPS games and this is one that I will avoid too. The other game was a bit more fun.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted has the option of both single and multiple player modes. The idea is to become the most wanted driver while beating the opposition and this involves crashing into other cars and taking them out. An intriguing idea but more often than not at this stage, take downs of other cars also take out your own car. This wastes time and gives you no points. The details are realistic, including the speeds and damage done but the only take downs I could manage in the demo were luck and no amount of effort spent recreating the events worked out. Very enjoyable but I don’t see men enjoying it in a long session, with or without others, if every take down, as they emphasised as important in most modes, could not be done successfully. It could just take more time to get used to but I’m not convinced on this year either. It is one to watch out for, though.

Re.play

One of the biggest things that appealed to me about this event was the Re.play arena. Here, you would come across row upon row of retro game consoles with a variety of games to play. There was no charge for this, just find a seat and play a game that some people will have grown up with and others will be experiencing for the first time. The nostalgia in this arena was enormous. It doesn’t matter if the graphics aren’t as good, or the controls aren’t as sensitive as the modern gamer is used to. This is a trip down memory lane to see how we have arrived at the current level of gaming technology.

To one side of this arena were the multiplayer stations, featuring the original Halo on the Xbox and Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). There were free competitions of these games on both days that sparked an intense and fierce level of competition. The prize; pride. There might have been a few goodies thrown in their too, but it was pride that drove these guys forward. I can’t say I blame them; it was great to watch these guys show us that there is still a place for retro gaming and anyone who says otherwise should not be trusted! Other stations had Mario Kart on the N64, Unreal Tournament on Xbox, and many others.

The highlight for me, and many others, was GoldenEye on the N64. This game sparked a huge interested in multiplayer First Person Shooters and it is impossible not to figure out why. The station was hugely popular all weekend and the difficult controls took nothing away from the experience. If anything, it added to it. It became a testament to who could adapt to the luxurious controls of today’s games and seeing who would triumph as at times impossible to tell. I loved every minute of it.

Beyond the retro gaming stations was something that caught my attention and had me hooked for a lot of the weekend; Pinball machines. I have always been a big fan of these and it is no surprise why they are so popular. These addictive games could be found throughout the country (and probably still can in places) but here they were stacked in rows for you to play to your heart’s desire! An even bigger bonus was they were all free – otherwise it would have turned into a very expensive weekend for everyone unable to resist the lure to go back to a very popular pastime. I, for one, definitely could not have resisted.

To refresh myself after a stand or watching a competition, I would come here to relax and unwind for a few minutes, trying the different machines available. I could easily have spent the whole weekend in this small area but I would have missed out on so much more!

Pro.play

If I thought the free tournaments were competitive, then I was in for surprise when I had a look at the pro gamers! The tension created by the various games and competitions was incredible. I think of myself as a gamer, but I am under no illusions that I could keep up with these guys without serious practise. That was just on the Saturday – it got a whole lot tougher on the Sunday. I never could have imagined that, and I pride myself on an active imagination! I think it was much safer for me to observe and enjoy watching the precision with which these professional gamers performed.

Cos.play

On the other side of the Re.play arena was the Cos.play arena. Smaller in size but there was a lot of people who had come in the guise of their favourite game or anime characters and they had no fear of showing it to everyone at the event! Nor should they, some of the outfits were fantastic in their detail. It was clear that a lot of time and effort had gone into them and whenever I saw them, they were always happy to have pictures taken with anyone at the event. I have to admit, it’s not something I had considered doing but it was an interesting experience and the courage to do it, especially going to and from the event, is something I lack compared to these guys!

Overall

 

I have to say it was a great weekend. The atmosphere was incredible and the location easy to find. There was so much to see and do that it was impossible to get bored at any particular part. Queuing is unavoidable at an event like this, especially in the Now.play arena but not once did I hear any complaints about it and that just shows how keen gamers are to make the most of every opportunity they have.

The one thing that was a bit of a shame was on the Saturday. There was a delay in opening the event and no information was given to those waiting outside. It was a particularly chilly day and the queue structure wasn’t very organised. It would help if people were around to make sure things were organised and people were informed but that is the same of any large scale event and once inside, it quickly fell into the background as the wonders of Play Expo 2012 came to life.

It’s an event I would wholeheartedly recommend to any game fan of any level. Even for one day, the atmosphere you will find is incredible and I am already looking forward to next year!

A bit of motorsport!

British touring Cars Championship at Silverstone

So this weekend just gone, my dad and sister took me to the Silverstone round of the BTCC. All of our birthdays are within two weeks of each other so it became a joint birthday outing for us. I have never really gotten into Touring Cars before, mostly due to a lack of time and it always takes a backseat to F1 for me, but they like it and insisted I would too. In any case, it was something new and it got me away from the mundane cycle of work and job hunting for two days.

On the Saturday, we had brilliant weather. Sunday was colder but it was dry for the most part and the sheltered stand helped with the wind chill a little. Our seats were at the end of the track, through the Luffield corners and onto the old start/finish line, although it was that start/finish line being used for this event. The races at this event were on a shortened version of the track, just over half the length used for the F1 race. The races for this series are also much shorter, and this keeps the cars closer together and produces more action in the races. To make up for the shorter laps and races, there are three races for the Touring Cars alone on the Sunday, following the practise and qualifying sessions on Saturday. Add in the three support categories that go with the BTCC circuit and their races, qualifying and practise sessions, then you are in for a full weekend of racing!

The good thing about the Touring Cars is you can see the names on each car, meaning you know where they are in the field for the most part. Penalties can complicate matters but there are screens with the current positions at various points around the track. The starting grid for the first race is determined by the qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. The second race by the results from the first and the final race will have a mixed grid due to a lottery in the top ten from the second race. Add to this, the additional weight for winning the previous race and it keeps the field very close together. These cars are very sturdy and not afraid to give each other a nudge if they won’t get out of the way, as happened often in front of our stand. To the credit of the drivers, most can recover or keep their car going and re-join the race once the field has passed the incident.

One thing that astonished me was in the third race. Plato, one of the more well-known and established racers, came from the back of the grid having suffered an engine failure in the second race to win in a stunning drive. The sheer determination and precision in his driving allowed him to be at the front of the pack at the half way point before building a lead that could only be beaten by another mechanical failure. It wasn’t to be this time and he took his second win of the day. The MG team is new to the sport this year and they have a very powerful car and it leaves the championship at a very close point. There is one more circuit in this year’s championship and 75 points to be won from the three races.

I’d advise any motor sport fan to have a look on the 19^th October on ITV4 for the final stage of the championship. I am eagerly awaiting this programme.

Alonso’s bad luck

Fernando Alonso has undoubtedly been driving his greatest season so far. The Ferrari was so off the pace at the beginning of the season that it was impossible to imagine them leading either of the F1 championships. In 2 of the last 4 races, Alonso has not finished, due to no fault of his own that I can tell. He was taken out by Romain Grosjean and at this weekend’s race in Suzuka, Japan, by the second lotus of Kimi Raikkonen.

 

This allowed Sebastian Vettel to close within 4 points of the Ferrari driver. I have no doubt that Vettel will continue on from a strong result in the next races and could win his third successive championship. A remarkable feat, but there is still a chance for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Raikkonen, should they win in the next few races.

At 42 points behind Alonso, it is still possible to win from there but he must start winning again to cut that lead down. After already announcing his move to Mercedes for next season, this could be his last chance for the next few years to realistically see himself winning the drivers’ championship. It it is the final quarter of the season but already it feels like we are coming to the end of one of the greatest season in recent years.

It is a shame, again, to hear about Schumacher’s retirement. The time is right, but I wish he had a bit more success and less bad luck. Some of the accidents have been down to him, yes, but others haven’t and this was certainly his best season in his return. He is still one of the greatest drivers of all time, in my opinion and I’m glad we got to see him race again. There are many questions about how good he is, and whether it was because of the team and equipment around him but the statistics still show a 7 time world champion and that will never be forgotten.

Kelley Armstrong

Unlike previous posts where I have looked at a specific series of books by an author, regardless of whether they have done more or not, this time I want to look at the author and the books and you'll see why as you read on. Armstrong’s main series so far is the Women of the Otherworld, with two trilogies and two more adventure novels which could expand into a series in the future.

The Women of the Otherworld series is what first alerted me to a terrific author who hadn’t seem to hit the mainstream market yet. When Bitten, the first book, was released it was put under the fantasy genre and sometimes moved into the horror genre. It wasn’t until sometime later when a new genre, Dark Fantasy, was recognised and Armstrong, along with many other authors, found a more suitable home for their tales.

One of the greatest lures about this series is that we are not constantly following one character. We are introduced to Elena first and through her we meet Paige, and then Eve and so on. Elena is probably the most popular character and makes a return as the protagonist multiple times as well as a supporting character even more. It is even possible to say that the whole series could have focused around her and her life as a werewolf but to fully comprehend this world Armstrong created, I cannot think of a better way than to move from character to character in a logical way. This is done brilliantly.

All of her stories have been done in the first person narrative, to completely immerse the reader in the story and surroundings. That all her protagonists are female is not as big a deterrent as it may seem. There is obviously some bias but not in a derogatory way, it is simply what Armstrong feels most comfortable doing. There are several short stories from the point of view of male characters that deepen the depth of this series.

They are compelling reads and once you start the series, it will be extremely difficult to stop reading. I have had to wait for each release and each time it seems to get longer between each book whereas now the whole series is available for future readers to enjoy whenever they are ready.

The world is realistic enough but much of the focus lies on the underground world of supernatural beings. It is a very dark, gritty and daunting setting that we are exposed to right from the start of the series and each novel in turn. There are some strong images and feelings but little in the way of strong language or swearing. I will point out that there are some explicit scenes in the books. I admit that it was unexpected but on reflection and further reading it seems to add another layer to the characters and tensions that run throughout each story. These could be left out but without a replacement of equal emotional value, something would be missing from the stories and it could change what genre readers would put it under.

The adventure books focus on Nadia, an ex-cop turned assassin and her relationship with her mentor, Jack. There is a distance between them and everything they do with an underlying urge to bridge that gap and explore what could happen in a more intimate and evolved setting. The conflict of their jobs and adventures prevents this and we are left rooting for something that by the characters own logic, could never happen. While the two books stand-alone right now, there is still potential for more in these series and I would greet these eagerly.

It is interesting that so much of Armstrong’s books focus on characters and relationships. With a background in Psychology, it is obvious why this would appeal to her in her writing and why the characters feel so real, even in a fantasy setting but the seamless blend of this with plot and setting is fantastic and anyone who reads her books will be left wondering why this author has not become as popular as J. K. Rowling or even Stephen King. Unfortunately, the niche genre she writers in still has a representatively small following. This is growing everyday but it will take some time to get close to science-fiction and fantasy genres.

On another note, I had the incredible pleasure of meeting Kelley Armstrong a couple of years ago and it is amazing how little ego she has! My time at university taught me that a good number of writers have massive egos, most likely to help them prepare for the huge number of rejections they face in trying to publish a book. Much like Philip Pullman, it is the opposite with Armstrong and she took so much time in talking and engaging with each fan that came to see her that is a huge inspiration for how to act despite doing something you love every day. It was a fantastic night and one of my fondest memories.