The line was always too damn long.

I mean look at all those people. I never was able to get an appointment setup to go hands on with Noire and it was just so damn popular that I found other things to do during the show. (Like lose my Looxcie cam, sigh.) But Noire did interest me. It had since last year's E3 event.

In fairness, I really hadn't followed the games' development until the 2010 E3 event. I typically lose interest in titles that do the off-again-on-again dance - you know, "it will be out this quarter...oh wait development has been halted...but we really believe in this project so we will work on it again" type thing. (I call it Duke Nukem's Disease). Noire had been doing this dance since 2004 really, which is - unless my math is off - over 7 years ago, but seeing people get hyped about it again at E3 and checking out the screens the Rockstar Games group was sharing at the time reminded me of why I was interested in the title to begin with.

Film noir has been something I've enjoyed most of my young adult and now adult life. Movies like Sunset Boulevard, Mildred Pierce and The Third Man to this day are some of my more favorite films to watch, and not just because they are classic movies but they have this great balance of sadness and authenticity that makes for captivating storytelling. When done well, video games can do the same thing so using the video game as the mechanic to tell the noir story not only makes sense but excites me.

Solitary in the darkness of L.A.

In the game, the main character is Cole Phelps. According to the website for the game, Phelps is an LAPD detective that,

"...must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, racketeering conspiracies and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department to uncover a secret that could shake the city to its rotten core."

One look at some of the existing screens and trailers for the game has definitely convinced me that the game is worth an in-depth look, so I'll be anxious to get my hands on the game when it comes out in May. Visit the games' website and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Is L.A. Noire an interesting blend of the old (feature film type storytelling) and the new (pushing pixels at 1080p) or is it something else entirely? I'm not sure, but May is just around the corner.

We talked about what we liked, what we didn't like, sleeper hits of the expo, takeaways about this year's panel grouping and the existence of the funkmonster that roamed the floor with unabashed vigor.

Table top gaming, segregation, Anything with an Engine, panels that were a trap, nothing got past our group... so grab that morning cup of "damn, I lost an hour this weekend" and enjoy ESH Podcast Episode 238: PAX East 2011 - The Good, The Bad, and The Smelly

I won't lie, my feet hurt,my back aches and my suitcase is overfilled with goodies I purchased at the con this weekend...but I'd do it all over again this weekend if the Penny Arcade folks felt like throwing another bash in Boston that quickly. I got hands on with a few games, mostly the mainstream "big name" titles that most of us in the video game world either anxiously await the release of (Mortal Kombat, L.A. Noire, Gears of War 3, and Portal 2 come to mind quickly) and a few games that probably fall into the land of obscurity for most of us (Jimmie Johnson's: Anything with an Engine) and sat in on a few panels, but for me the great fun of any PAX event is taking in the vast number of interested people (fanatics and non-fanatics alike) the event draws out.

PAX is a gathering spot for table-top, console and pc-gamers where each is as important as the next. Each can buy merchandise to feed their specific need, spend some time with developers learning a bit more about what kind of work really goes into creating their favorite game or story, learn about some new things on the horizon, but most importantly share the experiences IRL - in real-life.

That's right, PAX is one of those events that helps gamers prove to the world that we by-and-large are not the anti-social-basement-dwellers the world would like to believe we are. I saw cosplayers stop to let people take pictures of them, and then happily explain to the person taking the picture who their character was, what game they were from and why they like them so much. I saw many table-top players wander over to the video game side of the expo hall to find out what all the noise was about and more than a few video game players wander over to table-top to check out the wares of some of the vendors - maybe they were curious about how they might use the free pack of Magic the Gathering cards that was in their swag bag, I couldn't say.

What I can say is that I'm glad that PAX East has a home in Boston. I'm glad the event switched venues as the new space can definitely accommodate larger booths, more exhibitors and the throng of people that hit the floor on all three of the sold out days. I'm glad that while we are definitely going through another tough time in the industry, the devotion of the fan-base to gaming has not been negatively affected. (Did I mention there was a sh*t-load of people at PAX East?) I'm glad I was there to experience PAX East 2011, and I'm glad to be on my way home to recover.

We will have some more thoughts and sights and sounds from the show floor throughout the week, and our podcast will be a roundtable that you won't want to miss out on, but until then, goodbye from PAX East 2011!

All of their normal likes and loves will offer no real comfort. They will seek some adventure. Gamers are not exception to this rule, and usually are the case study for this actual behavior.

While being here at PAX EAST 2011, my primary focus has been to break away from my standard pursuit of the biggest console titles. This opened up exploration of a gaming genre that I've only ever explored from time to time...table top gaming.

Table top gaming was always something that was overlooked. It was seen - to some as backwards gaming- nostalgic, something you may or may not do with your parents on a Saturday night. Who would refuse a game of Scrabble or Apples to Apples with mom or dad?

Then again - I can't picture ESH-mom dungeon crawling with me either.

However table-top gaming can be far more expansive and can test the boundaries of one's imagination. It also can sharpen your strategic skills and make you better at voicing other accents.

The game that showcases this is none other than Dungeons and Dragons. Wizards of the Coast has steadfastly stayed grounded in the gaming community and has only grown through its loyal business and social communities.

At PAX East both games by Wizards of the Coast (Magic the Gathering & Dungeon and Dragons) had announcements that were primarily directed towards their console games - but surprisingly enough both franchises had the same thing to say about their console versions: "Since making playable versions of Dungeon and Dragons/Magic the Gathering, we have seen an increasing number of players."

These console versions have struck a cords with past table top players and new console gamers and both have come back to gain or regain a their appreciation for the genre. Maybe these console expansions will lead gamers down the path to a main-stream revival of table top games?

Quest Chain Accepted.

Your ever-faithful Pandalicious has finally come out of her stupor like a phoenix from the flame to tell you about her observations on the first day of a much anticipated Pax EAST 2011.

First and foremost let me state now that the venue has been upgraded to the BCEC. There-is-so-much-space. More than the convention is actually using, but this is a lot better than cramming all of us into the Hynes Convention Center.

Our beloved beanbags are sadly not thrown along the edges of the convention site - but that might just indirectly comment on the event. The con-funk is fairly ripe now, as such is the vibe of gamers coming together and do what they do best – game?

I've been quite the busy panda, firstly I've explored the world of table top today- I paid a much needed visit to the Wizards of the Coast for some Magic the Gathering News and some good ole Dungeon and Dragons tidbits.

During my afternoon rounds Portal 2 served up some promising morsels as well.

In the evening, a stop over at Turbine for some Lord of the Rings Online, where I asked myself the question, "what can we expect from this MMO that we haven't seen already?"

Over all, today have been quite eventful – and this is only day one. Tomorrow brings with it panels...

More details about the things I've seen will come so stay tuned.

The line was long to play the game, but if you are at the event this year I urge you to try it out. On the floor, Ubisoft is demoing the Xbox 360 Kinect enabled version of Child of Eden and honestly controlling the game is very natural.

In the game you fight varied types of enemies (in every hand's on I've tried of the game, I've only ever fought flower type monsters but there may be other flora that you take on in later levels) using your hands to control your weapons, area of attack and speed. It sounds complicated, but it actually is not. Think wax-off wax-on from the Karate Kid movies. While the gameplay itself can be broken down into a simplistic waving hands all over the place that changes the soundscape as you go along, what is not simplistic about the game is its graphics.

Simply put, Child of Eden is stunning.

I have no idea what the frame rate is, nor do I care. The screen behind me was huge and there was absolutely no lag whatsoever while playing the game - an important thing as areas you need to attack and projectiles flying at you that you need to destroy fly fast and furious at times. The visual aspect combined with the saccharine-yet-subtle-at-times soundtrack makes playing the game addictive. It doesn't hurt that I like music and rhythm-based games, but I wouldn't recommend giving Eden a try just because it has a great musical element to it.

Child of Eden really needs to be seen, touched and played to understand. You'll have to wait until June 14th to get your hands on it in the US (unless Ubisoft drops a demo into the XBLive Marketplace) but I was able to snag some video for you in the meantime.

Child of Eden Gameplay @ PAX East 2011 from NinJa Sistah on Vimeo.

DAAAAMN

Holy hell are there a lot of people here at Pax East!

To kick the show off right, I've started a photo gallery on Flickr where I will be sharing some of my favorite shots from the show floor (and beyond) helping you get a real sights and sounds taste of PAX East 2011. Here's a sample now:

We've got coffee. We've got badges. We've walked around the BCEC once already and the con-funk has made an early appearance. What we haven't got is a clue.

There is so much more to see this year at PAX East. There are more exhibitors. The Looking for Game rooms are larger and they are scattered about the building on both sides. The event is sold out and it's not a surprise, at least not to me.

Last year the event totally took over the Hynes Convention Center (I experienced probably the most fun pub crawl of my life) and from the look of the diverse crowd here at the BCEC in Boston, the financial district is about to be over-run by gamers, and by gamers who have no idea where they are going, what they are doing or where anything is...just like me.

I have a map. I'm an educated woman, but I still have no idea where my appointments are, who and where I'm supposed to meet up with people, and yet I remain calm and collected. So watch this space people. I will be randomly sharing things throughout the day: photos, videos, tweets (@ninjasistah) and what ever else floats my fancy.

Check in with me and let me know what you want to see at PAX if you weren't able to venture out to the event this year.

Game ON!.

Suck it Trebek.

Now, what will PAX East have that GDC did not or E3 will not? (Besides the Land of ESH crew in attendance, that is.) Well, gamers for one. PAX has always been an expo open to the public...as long as you buy a pass that is. One, two or 3 day pass - that doesn't matter and is up to you - but the PAX convention has always been about a level playing field for media and consumers alike. No preferential treatment, same price merch merch for everyone, which is awesome. The video games convention by design brings gamers together, creates introductions and allows exhibitors to really engage their core audience while having a little fun at the same time.

From table top gaming and tournaments to Chiptune musical showcases and nerdcore artists like MC Frontalot and Jonathan Coulton, to panels on how to get a job in the game industry (including practice interviews and resume advice) there is literally something for everyone at PAX, and at PAX East the fun is but a hop, skip and a jump away.

So, if you have a few bucks left in your pocket, grab a ticket (single day passes are left for Friday and Sunday) and check out the geekiest event on the East Coast with the kids from the Land of ESH: NinJaSistah, Pandalicious and KingBabyDuck. We'll be there all three days, and are looking forward to it!

Wanna know what you missed in the ESH/B3 PAX East show?

Let me first state that, for the most part, you will be getting about the same show as the ElectricSistaHood. (Want to be honest here.) However both Podcasts have exclusive moments that one has and the other doesn't. So if you wanna get the full-on scoop at PAX East, you are going to have to go here and listen!

My tunic brings all the girls to the yard

Our show has been invaded by our good friend (and contributing editor) King Baby Duck and his compadre in crime Blueonic to bring you the best damn post-show round(ish) table you will ever see. We talk with King Baby Duck and Blueonic about their experience as first-time con-goers, about some of the various demos and product viewings they were treated to. There's even talk about cosplayers for crying out loud! Need more incentive to take a listen? Check out some of the titles we came up with but didn't use:

• Panda Lead Him Through the Line of Doom
• It Was a Suck-Suck, and Not in a Good Way
• Square Enix, Hidden in Plain Sight
• and finally
• I've Been Staring You Down For 15 Minutes, It's Go Time

Grab that morning beverage kids, because it's time to enjoy ESH podcast episode 190: You Should Never Be Too Emo to Notice Wil Wheaton

I however am taking a break for lunch but I don't want to leave you hanging so I've compiled a group of some of my more favorite pictures that Pandalicious and I have been taking in-between trying demos, talking to people, trying to find food and grabbing more interviews. Grab the link here and check them out. We will be posting more throughout the day and will update you when they get updated!

Don't forget, we are watching our Twitter and will be posting info about our contest to win a copy of Borderlands for the PS3 shortly!

Day Two of PAX EAST and Panda's had her hands on a lot of things...most recently Red Dead Redemption.

It is day two of PAX EAST and I have laid hands on Red Dead Redemption. Needless to say, this was a title that a lot of media wanted to get some hands on time with since the line was lengthy from the get-go. The screens around the booth were rolling with footage of game play and even some snippets of cool elements that will make your time in this interactive world a lot more enjoyable.

The gameplay seems a lot smoother from what was shown and played over at PAX Prime, and even though I wasn’t privy to that particular experience;the slight pre-demo buzz from the line voiced concern over sluggish loading screens and game controls. Having no experience with this game’s predecessor, Red Dead Revolver; I had no formed opinion about it. I could tell that Nick, the man who gave the demo was truly passionate about what he was showing me.

When it came time for me to wander through this dried up shriveling frontier, I felt assured enough that I would adapt quickly. I didn’t have to worry about that too much since they mirrored the mechanics used in the Grand Theft Auto series.

The thing I am most looking forward to from this title is the exploration of the ever- expanding sandbox world. Right off the bat, Nick was quick to mention that this sandbox world is far bigger than any that Rockstar has ever created. Size isn’t all that’s going on here; action is all around you—wild feral beasts that can and will attack you at a moments notice, a new variation of the wanted system, and even a fame/honor system that can shift the course your story will take. These are all things we, in the gamerdom are familiar with but sometimes even the smallest change will have a lasting effect on you.

Also out of the corner of my little panda eye, I noticed that on the main screen of the demo was a multi-player option. There was no information on that aspect for Red Dead Redemption. In most of my other third-person shooters, I always want to see a mode of gameplay that would allow me show off my hot shot skills on unsuspected fellow gamers. It also gives me a place to team up with friends to take on a green patch of newbies. This is always good in my book.

Outside of the long press wait, the demo was worth it to me. This isn’t to say that others will share in my opinion but I am looking forward to its May 18th release.

There is a real sense of community on the show floor now that people are flowing freely through the expo floor and testing out some of the games on hand. Things like Split Second Microsoft's latest Xbox Live enable play-thing GameRoom and even the latest Splinter Cell title is available to get hand-sy with. A few folks have taken me up on the "sign my tongue offer" which has been fun, and there was even a good game of beach ball going on in the Merch Merch line that was fun.

As I write this, I have attended a couple of panels and really enjoyed both of them. Both informative in their own way, the one I found to be the most informative and fun was the panel, Puppet Masters - The not so Invisible Hands of Video Game PR. The panelists included were Arne Meyer [Naughty Dog], Aram Jabbari [Atlus], Stephanie Tinsley Schopp [Tinsley PR], and Chris Paladino [Promethium Marketing] with Charles Husemann [Gaming Nexus] moderating and I have to say it was one of the first panels I have attended at a convention where I actually wished the panelists were allotted more time.

The focus of the panel was to share a little insight into the world of video game industry PR processes from some of the people on the front lines. From how the PR plan for the industry has changed and is changing to include more non-traditional media sources [enthusiast media, bloggers, community builders] to what kind of relationships PR outlets look for or try to avoid. It is a tight line walked by those charged with getting the product they represent out in the world and in front of as many people possible with limited resources and definitive results for their efforts. [We all know the feeling of having to account for our actions and results to somebody.] But what intrigued me the most was the response to the panel even by the panelists themselves.

Every question that was asked [by the both the moderator and audience members] was answered very frankly and with a refreshing amount of humor. I walked away from the panel with the feeling that I had a little bit better understanding of how video game PR works, how to make it work for me, and that I really want to drink more with these people.

PAX EAST LOGO

I....Have....Done ....It!

Greeting fellow Gamer guys and girls--Pandalicious here, writing to you from the media room here at the first ever Penny Arcade Expo here on my side of the planet. Rising with the sun--well snow-- I made my way here to the Hynes Convention Center to take part in my very emotional, ultra top, secret tradition. That's to say until the one...very noticeable mistake. With awkward glances and a moment of acceptance the tradition continued.

Now...what on earth could I be talking about....What would Panda HAVE to do at EVERY convention before she can enjoy in the festivities?

Believe it or not --I have a profound respect for the "paying of one's dues. For those who are not of the media ilk, you are given a task...as quest if you will, to endure ...the line. This is the first thing you do when you attend these sorts of events. For the last four years, I have been blessed with the ability to become a member of media--but even with this gift bestowed upon me, I feel ever so inclined to go through the rite anyway.

So there I was with two familiar characters KingBabyDuck and Blueonic from BostonBastardBrigade. Normally, I would do this alone rite of awesomeness alone but sometimes fate has other plans. After we  were through there was instant regret then relief. * Surprise Surprise the Line is a lot longer when it isn't full of people.  At the end of my personal madness,we also found very comfy bean bags to fall into. (If you are following me on twitter then you are well aware of these very comfortable and dare I say colorful bags.

Panda just chillin...

Now I'm sure  you are wondering just what I'm looking forward to this weekend. As I go through them, I will gladly tell you, but I've decided to this is in the most guerilla-esque way possible...No itinerary...no real -etched-in stone meetings. PAX is more about fun and less about work... so bring-it-on!

Friday is devoted to panels mostly and I'm aiming to make appearances to two of them: Girls and Games: the Growing Role of Women in the Game Industry and my personal favorite of the Friday line up, Mega64:Panel for the Soul.

Keep Checking twitter for Updates from Ninja and I throughout the whole week, and keep checking Electricsistahood.com for our Blubs about the many facets of awesomeness that we are going to encounter here.

Look out for My Encounter of the Second Kind. I have no idea what is in store.

There is no other big gamer convention on the East Coast.

Before you get up in my grill, lets look at that last statement again: "There is no other big gamer convention on the East Coast. I love Dragon*con, and hope to go one day, but Dragon*con is a Sci-Fi con and while there is a lot of overlap between the gaming community and Sci-Fi community Dragon*Con does not by design cater to the gaming community. At this point you might be thinking, "Hey NinJa, what about VGXpo? It's on the East Coast." I would say you are right, VGXpo is on the East Coast (Philly baby, how you doin?) and over the last few years has definitely grown in attendance, but I'm not sure that it meets the "big" requirement in that I doubt anyone outside the Pennsylvania area who is not in the business of video games is aware of the conference, and that bites into the overall success of your con.

I heard that gear change in your thought processes (especially since mine moved as well) to the New York Comic-Con, but again, the name alone says it all. Like Sci-Fi, there is a great area of audience overlap between Comic lovers and gamers (Cassandra Cain BatGirl FTW!!) and I doubt that there is anyone on the planet that has not at least heard of Comic-Con but it's focus has shifted a bit in the last few years and is now more about comic books that are being release as feature-length films and the main comic content with some sprinklings of video games.

You have to be big in the sense of brand awareness (not necessarily square footage), at your core really be geared towards video games and the gaming community and PAX definitely does that.

After all this thinkernation stuff I was left with one question: with the gaming industry so large and still profitable through the recession, why is the East Coast just now getting a big game convention? I'm sure the Penny Arcade folks are not the first group to ever think it could be done, but why has no one else brought a big gamer con to New York, or Boston, or even Washington, D.C.? It just makes me wonder. In any event (he, he, I made a pun-ny) I am glad that there looks to be a very successful and long-term big gamer-con on the East Coast that I can visit to get the community and content exposure I love as the trips to LA ain't cheap y'all.

That's enough of that. The snow has stopped, and I'm off to get my badge to start tracking down friends and meet some new gamers. Make sure to follow me on Twitter as well as the official event hashtag (#PAX).

It has begun.

People. Specifically Gamers.
I don't often get to gather in large groups with other people that share my passion for electronic games, so PAX events are always enjoyable for that fact alone. Three days with folks from around the area (and many times around the country) who think about Kid Icarus, classic side-scrollers, and Gears of War both similarly and differently than I do is a joy. That those passionate gamers are not limited to just the convention attendees is double bonus.

My Friday-day is going to be spent attending panels. Panels hosted by PR folk (who game), developers (who game), and even a keynote delivered by mega nerd and gamer Wil Weaton. (a.k.a. @wilw on twitter and Wesley Crusher to Star Trek: TGN fans)

Friday-evening. Well, this evening is going to be about meeting new people. Some parties, some drinks, definitely some RockBanding... even if I have to hunt down a game system somewhere. I know that Harmonix is in town, so worst case scenario I need to make a new Harmonix friend. I don't care who you are, there is nothing like a multiplayer music simulation game to bring folks together. It's one of the best ice-breakers around.

I'll tell you the next thing I'm looking forward to tomorrow.