Didn't get a chance to take lots of pics at the really fun, really informative DICE conference, but here's what I got!
Day before the show I was getting a gambling craving (imagine that) but didn't want to get all serious on the craps table just yet (eventually I won $700 off $40 at craps...but lost it all). Anyway, so for a simple fix for my gambling needs, I played some WHEEL OF FORTUNE slots (the all time best slot machine around). Talk about effective risk/reward gameplay- you are ALWAYS betting the full 3 coins on this baby JUST for the chance to hit that SPIN button! Hard to tell in this shot, but the button is lit...which means I gets to spin!!!
And there she goes! Round and round and round and round...
...and I...lost again. :) Still, coulda been worse...coulda been 25 coins instead of 50. And hell, 50 coins on a quarter machine is still almost 13 bucks!
Here's me and Insomniac founder/president (and super nice guy) Ted Price. This is at the Insomniac sponsored martini bar where Ted got me my very first ever Martini. I like to get my drink on from time to time but had never had a martini. So Ted hooked me up with a super hard core martini called the SECRET AGENT CLANK. And HOLY HELL that thing was strong. As I told the 1up guys, it was like sticking a gasoline pump nozzle in my mouth and squeezing the handle. I could only take 4-5 sips and I was done. However, it did get me a bit drunk and I did then proceed to do an on camera interview with GAMESPOT where I went on about how now that I was single I was gonna go out and get some hookers. So I'm sure when that hits the interwebs it'll do wonders for my already squeaky clean image :)
Me and Tina Koweskalofskittenakdkaieiysfljpsutpofsky (I kid her about her last name and hell if I can spell it to this day :)....) But she's the head of Santa Monica external development, a great gal, a super good friend, and one of the most connected industry players around.
Here's my blurry pic of game design legend, Activision co-founder, and Dice Legend Award recipient David Crane. David and I did a couple of events together at DICE this year. We were on a panel, presented an award together, and sat together at the awards. What a great guy. He's a total hero of mine as I grew up loving his games (PITFALL!, LASER BLAST, FREEWAY, OUTLAW, and more!) To be able to get to know him- along with Garry Kitchen (David's longtime biz partner and co founder of their new iphone game company APPSTAR) was a true treat and honor. Garry was also the coder of the classic 2600 game KEYSTONE KAPERS, by the way. So I got to sit with David and Garry at the awards show and I actually felt more at home and more in sync with these guys who made the games I grew up loving than I do sitting with a lot of the modern game designers. So that was really cool and a total treat! I think the panel we did will be on tv soon (G4) or up on the net so I'll link to it when I find it.
Here's David again. This time we are rehearsing for the DICE AWARDS. See that script in front of me? I really should have paid more attention to it as I totally fucked up my lines the nite of the show. Even tho I joked about being high, I really was not. I was just unprepared. I feel bad cause the writer of the show made a good deal of changes to accommodate my requests/changes to my original lines. And then I get up there the nite of the show and fucked it all up anyway. Sorry man, if you're reading this. I was just tired from being out late the nite before so I was just running on adrenaline and was pretty hyper.
View of the awards room during rehearsal. Notice the teleprompter down below. With that, why was I flubbing my lines? Cause- as I said- I was hopped up on adrenaline. BUT also: the damn thing was configured wrong and a good 10% of the words were bleeding off the edges of the prompter screen so you could not actually tell what you were supposed to say some of the time. Still, it was a blast! Show was great and Mohr was funny and vulgar as shit, as always (my kinda comedy!)
A shot of the stage before the show started and Uncharted 2 began it's total (well, almost total) domination of the nite! MW2, BATMAN, FLOWER, and SCRIBBLENAUTS also got a ton of well deserved love! :)
Ah, there we go- better shot of the stage, if not a bit blurry. It ain't the Oscars but she's a good little show, and she's ours, and I gotta say, every year she grows on me more and more. Joe and the academy board are doing a great job with this whole conference.
Me and David all decked out the nite of the show, ready to go up and hand out BEST GAME DIRECTION and BEST GAME DESIGN awards. Bet ya never thought you'd see me in a suit, eh?
Me and super cool Shannon Studstill before the show. Shannon was the GOD OF WAR I genius producer, GOD OF WAR II exec producer, and now head of her own game company (BROODWORKS). Shannon rocks much and is one of the best producers in the biz! She's was also good drinkin', craps playin', and cigar smokin' partner post show! I told ya'll she was cool!
Thought STAR WARS was a kids movie, George! What the fuck! If you are going to claim your whole series was- and more importantly- REMAINS intended for children, George, then you are mighty irresponsible allowing your brand to grace fucking slot machines. ESPECIALLY slot machines in fucking AIRPORTS where kids will see them and flock to them. I GET that adults love STAR WARS as well, but CLONE WARS and the new trilogy are HUGE among kids and they love STAR WARS overall. I'm not a prude AT ALL about things (and I think gambling is totally a blast!)..but this is pretty bad form, I gotta say.
Having said that(tm), as an adult, it's pretty cool to have STAR WARS slots! :)
Check it out! I got KEVIN SMITH back on a SOUTHWEST flight! Snootch to the Mother Fuckin' Bootch bitches :)
Ok that's it! Wish I had taken more pics but was pretty busy. Did a shit ton of interviews (Bonus Round, 1up, Gamepro, IGN, a few others) which- looking back - was pretty stupid. I'm not promoting a game right now so it just makes me look like more of a media whore...which I really ain't. I just like talking games and geek culture and I just always feel like I should say 'yes' when they ask me for interviews. It's not like I seek them out. They ask me...if I say 'no' isn't that kind of rude? I dunno, maybe I'll take it down a notch till we're ready to announce and just blog till then. Or not. Who knows! Later ya'll!!!!
David