The king is back and DICE and EA have returned with an amazing return to Battlefield with Battlefield 3. Packed with a strong single player and amazing multiple experience, it just brings back great memories of Battlefield 1942 and Battlefield 2.

Orcs Must Die is the perfect game for me these days. Quick and addictive fun. Robot Entertainment have perfectly combined a tower defense game with a great feel of an action game. For those that like to plan and place traps you have that, and for those that just want to kill Orcs, you have that. The comical nature of trap development just makes you want to be more creative. Well done Robot!

I’m getting older, but blowing up stuff never gets old. The good people at Avalanche Studios have created just the game for that with Renegade Ops. This game combines two of my childhood favorites in Jackal and the Strike Series. Take your vehicle and blow shit up, that simple. Big huge explosions! Great looking graphics, and just fun to play.

What can I say about Uncharted 3 that hasn’t already been said. Go play it. It is great. Well done Naughty Dog, can’t wait to play The Last of Us.

Dead Space 2 was great. Perhaps a little more action heavy over suspense, but beggars can’t be choosers. Everything about it is polished and well designed. I’m looking forward to what they do with Dead Space 3.

It is very rare that I finish a game in just a couple days, but Portal 2 had me hooked. Smart, creative, funny, and just darn right great from start to finish. The only thing that could have made Portal 2 better is Valve to finally upgrade their streaming technology. LOADING…

I remember seeing Deus Ex: Human Revolution years ago at GDC and was blown away by the art direction that they were going after. I followed the game and it didn’t disappoint. Amazing in every regard, thrilled to see what Eidos Montreal does with Thief 4.

On top of the panels I was able to see tons of friends I hardly get to see and meet tons of new people. It was great being able to meet Adam Sessler and Wade Beckett from X-Play. Chris Fowler and Adam Fletcher from Gearbox Software were super cool and I hope to work with them on PAX events in the future. My old boss Tarl Raney made it out to Seattle all the way from Berlin and it was great catching up with him.

In the end buying insoles for my shoes were by far the best decision I made for PAX Prime by far!

Keep Clean

Nerd flu will be in high effect during PAX Prime. No matter how clean you think you are, you are going to be full of germs. Best to use the hand-sanitizer stations that should be all over the convention center exits. Use them. Be even more prepared and buy a travel/pocket sized one for yourself.

On top of clean hands to prevent nerd flu, best to keep clean yourself. It appears that it will be in the mid 70′s during PAX, and that will make it a little sweaty for everyone, so keep clean and don’t make all those stereotypes of gross dirty stinky nerds in their mom’s basement true.

There Is More Than Subway

Ever since PAX moved to the Washington State Convention Center, I am amazed as the massive line at Subway on the 3rd floor and right at the entrance. I know the $5 Foot Long is a good bargin, but there are tons of places to eat just a block or two away from the convention center. Shorter lines, if there are even lines, and more selection. Also it is good to pace yourself at PAX, getting away from the show floor for 30 minutes will help recharge your batteries. There are tons of places to eat within a 1/2 a mile from the convention center, even more options are if you are willing to catch a bus (free in downtown Seattle), take a ride on the S.L.U.T. South Lake Union Trolly to South Lake Union, the Monorail to Seattle Center House, or Metro Route 99 which goes down to the waterfront. To show you all your options, here is a handy map of places to eat within 0.5 miles and a couple a little bit further away but worth checking out.
[map w="500" h="400" kml=http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?authuser=0&vps=2&ie=UTF8&msa=0&output=kml&msid=206039410449337379681.0004ab100f5860fbc5268]

As you can see there are tons of places to eat, that really aren’t that far away from the convention center. I don’t even list all the places to eat at Pike’s Place Market, which is just six blocks away. Venture out, have some fun.

Need Water!

While we are talking about food, we might as well talk about keeping hydrated. Yes, even after hours of free play Mario Kart, you should have something to drink. Bring a water bottle or pick something up at a local store around the convention center, NOT at the convention center. Walk a block or two over to Bartell Drugs or Walgreen’s. You can also pick up some snacks there as well.

I Didn’t Get Your Text

With 1,000′s of wireless signals floating around from DS, PSP, Cell Phones, and more, you are going to have a hard time getting services while in the convention center. No matter which provider you have, you are going to have some troubles. One handy tip is to drop to a lower connection speed, 3G to Edge. Typical those networks are less crowded, and if all you need to do is make a phone call or get a text, this might be your best option.

Well Laid Plans

Penny Arcade provides a great schedule, but sometimes it is nice to have it right at your finger tips and the good people at Guidebook did just that. They have created an app for iPhone and Android (no Windows Phone 7, boo) that lets you schedule which events you want to attend. I think it will even provide reminders.

Be Cool, Be Friendly, Have Fun

It is events like PAX that make me excited about the industry I work in. It is great fun getting to meet people who enjoy the same things you do, so don’t be a stranger. Come to a panel, say hello to developers at their booths, high five some cosplayers for going all out on their costume. In the end, have a good time.

Getting Past Forums: The Future of Community

The days of throwing a forum on a website and calling it ‘community’ are over. Facebook Integration, YouTube Uploads, Twitter Updates, User Generated Content, and more are causing the way we think and participate in the community to change at an incredible pace. In this panel we talk to various community managers about how community has changed since they started and where they think the next steps will be. Join Kimi Matsuzaki (Senior Community Developer, Ubisoft/Red Storm), Gabriel Graziani (Senior Community Developer, Ubisoft), Evan Berman (Community Manager, En Masse Entertainment) J Goldberg (Community Manager, Volition), James Stevenson (Senior Community Manager, Insomniac Games), Collin Moore (Community Manager, Sucker Punch Productions).

Serpent Theatre
Friday 3:00pm – 4:00pm

A Panel on Panels: Creating the Comic Inspired Cutscence of inFAMOUS 2

Come and see how Sucker Punch Productions creates our distinct comic inspired cutscenes. Starting from the script to storyboarding to inking to composite and post production. We are going to cover it all. You will get to see some never before versions of cutscenes. Here is a trailer on the style we are going to be talking about, inFAMOUS 2 2D Comic Cutscene. We will also have some special treats for those that show up, so this isn’t something you want to miss! Join Dave Malloy (Video Production Creative Lead), Jance Allen ( Composimator), Mike Haney (Senior Artist), Edward Pun (Digital Penciler), and Collin Moore (Community Manager) for an hour of fun.

Pegasus Theatre
Saturday 2:30pm – 3:30pm

Be sure to stop by both panels, especially the Sucker Punch panel since we are giving away one of a kind t-shirts for our upcoming release inFAMOUS 2: Festival of Blood.

For all you out of towners, or first time PAX attendees, I’ll be making a little guide for PAX and Seattle. So look for that later tonight.

I think I can speak for everyone on the panel that we all had a blast with this panel at PAX Prime and PAX East. We hope to do it again, but would love to hear feedback. So please feel free to share your thoughts.

Again, thanks to everyone who showed up the panels. We are already planning on things for PAX Prime.

Note: If you have photos or video of either panel, I’d love to get access to them. Shoot me a message.

How Your Favorite Game Companies Use Facebook

Like this. Like that. Facebook has taken the world by storm and has become a crucial platform for community managers and companies to help keep in touch with and grow their online communities.   With the constant evolution of social media and Facebook in particular, you may not know some of the cool things happening on your favorite game studio’s Facebook page.  Join Collin Moore (Community Management Vet) as he moderates a discussion with community managers from across the game industry (Insomniac Games, Playfish/EA, Harmonix, and Robot Entertainment), about the importance of Facebook to game companies, and how pressing the “LIKE” button is just the beginning.

Where: Manticore Theatre
When: Friday, 8:00pm – 9:00pm

The Roads to Becoming a Community Manager (East Coast Version!)

Based on the great feedback we received after this panel at PAX Prime, we’ve decided to do it again! East-Coast Style. You hear us on podcasts, see us in videos, read our blogs on websites, retweet us, argue with us on forums, and give us high fives at PAX. But have you ever wondered how we became community managers? From games journalism to forum moderation to public policy and QA, every road is different. Find out the random history of some of your favorite game studio community managers, and hear their advice on what skills and knowledge you’ll need to become one of gaming’s next-generation of community managers.

Panelists include: Alli Thresher [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc], James Stevenson [Community Manager, Insomniac Games], Arne Meyer [Manager, Community, Naughty Dog], Sam Houston [Online Content Manager, Playfish, EA], Jennifer Kye [Company Blogger, Social Media Editor, Gameloft]

Where: Wyvern Theatre
When: Saturday, 4:30pm – 5:30pm

I’ll be on Twitter the entire show, so look for some live updates, some fun photos, and perhaps a video here and there. See you at the show!

Madden 2011

I admit it, I love Madden and sports games.  I buy them each year.  I find them relaxing compared to some other games out there.  But this years Madden was a little different with the simplified play selection interface which leads to a much quicker game.  The game plays like your typical Madden game, which an improved running game, but passing can be a pain at the higher difficulties.

Halo: Reach

I was able to pick Halo: Reach up a couple weeks after it came out, but I wasn’t able to play it due to moving and not having access to my Xbox 360.  But now that I am all settled I decided to fire it up.  Having a number of friends working at Bungie, I feel I need to play their games to support them, but they also make great games.  Halo: Reach is nothing but polish.  From the menus to the flow, the art, the music, the multiplayer.  Everything just has the signs of a very well thought out game in every aspect.  I am currently a couple missions into the game, and been very impressed.  The only problem I have ran into is some silly partner AI and sometimes I get lost and don’t know where to go next, but find my way by just exploring for a couple minutes.

Dead Rising 2

Loading.  I loved the original Dead Rising.  It was fun just to wander around the mall and pick up hockey sticks and other random weapons, but sadly the sequel has some major problems.  First you don’t play the game for what seems like the first 30 minutes.  Just cinematic and press button, loading, cinematic and press button, loading, drive motorbike for three minutes, loading, cinematic… you get the idea.  I can understand their desire to provide a more impactful story, but let me go kill some zombies!  FAST!!  The loading is just a flaw.  With games like Red Dead Redemption allowing such open worlds with little to no loading, it is disappointing that Dead Rising 2 needs to load all the freaking time.

Super Meat Boy

I love it that the game that has been taking up most of my time is a simple jumping puzzle game.  I can’t help myself how fun this game is.  The campiness, the graphics, the simplicity, just makes me want to play it more.  With all the huge budget games coming out, it is a simple game made by two people that has my attention.  I might be in a minority, but I think that minority is growing, rapidly.