We got a ton of video footage from PAX this year, and our honored video tech guy, Justin, has produced two more pieces for your perusal. One of our antics with vast amounts of Top Ramen (official food of the GVL when we have absolutely nothing else) and the other is a condensed and filtered version of the PA Create-A-Panel that Gabe and Tycho put did for the yearly live comic.
Oh, and please ignore my voice.
I felt the familiar rush flow through me. Adrenaline infused with pure rock and roll. My hand was starting to cramp, but it didn’t matter. The crowd’s cheering reinforced my conclusion that Tongue and Groove had yet another five-star performance. I prepared myself for an encore, the energy from the audience deceived me. No—they were cheering for the top-hatted character that was approaching the front of the stage, coming forth to steal my thunder. With a strange combination of awe and annoyance, Slash from Guns N’ Roses came forward in an attempt to upstage me at my own concert. I gritted my teeth, steeled my nerve, and accepted his challenge. I knew my career could not continue unless I bested this legend, and to do it, I would have to play dirty.
“Guitar Hero 3” is the first of the series to be produced without Red Octane. With this loss came several changes.
We met Wil Wheaton at PAX this year. While we were standing in line, all of us wearing our Geek Vs Life shirts (available now from the store, all except the faux Atari shirt that’s part of this story), Jon says to me “We should have brought a shirt for Wil.” “Well, damn. I guess we’ll remember for next year to be more prepared.”
This year’s PAX was our first real foray into on live journalism as it was for the site. When we finally made our way to the front of the line, Mr. Wheaton says “That shirt is AWESOME!” I look down, muttering a curse at myself and our lack of forethought, and can feel Jon’s eyes burning a hole in the side of my head. We talk about gaming for a bit, got a picture and some video, and I promised to send Wil one of our shirts. He was kind and courteous, probably from his years doing the convention circuit, so at the time I couldn’t tell if this was practiced niceness or genuine, but it didn’t matter all that much. He was cool.
You know, I have nothing against reality shows (or their not-so-distant cousin, game shows). I watch Survivor, I watch The Amazing Race, I watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, I watch Dancing with the Stars. I’ll even watch Big Brother and a few others, if there’s nothing on. But I do think there are too many reality shows. And, unfortunately, we’re only in store for more. A lot more.
If you haven’t heard, the Writer’s Guild of America’s contract expired at midnight on Halloween (such a wonderfully auspicious day in itself). And, like any good contract fiasco in the US, no agreement was reached between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The major sticking points were residuals from DVD sales, and digital distribution. Which reminds me, I still need to go to NBC.com and watch the first half of last week’s Heroes, since I missed it…
