We were under strict guidelines to keep most of this information secret, and until only recently were participants permitted to share about how EA not only invited us to the Battlefield 3 event on Friday night, but EA covered not only our flight and hotel expenses, but they also provided each of us a three-day pass to PAX. This was no mere event – this was a complete gaming experience.

By the time Friday night rolled around, I had already met former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, numerous friends from the gaming community, and had taken in my first day of PAX. It was finally time to settle down with the game that people on the show floor waited hours to spend just minutes with.

THE SETUP

The Battlefield boys lined up gaming stations along the perimeter of a massive ballroom, with each station set up with a PS3 AND a PC (along with a snazzy set of Astro headphones, complete with Battlefield 3 tags). Dinner tables and a mightily impressive buffet occupied the center of the room.

As other invitees starting arriving to the event, I recognized many awesome community leaders, and met people I’d only played with over Xbox Live as well as some new folks. When we settled down for dinner, I started chatting with the people at my table and realized that just about everyone there were really hardcore Battlefield players with a tremendous amount of passion for their communities. I knew then that it was going to be an awesome night.

After a delicious meal (I regretted not getting seconds!), Seeson presented us with some party gifts that knocked our socks off. Off Duty Gamers provided hand-made bracelets made out of parachute cord, Gunnar provided their awesome glasses, Razer sent along their gaming mice, and ASTRO Gaming hooked everyone up with backpacks. It was definitely the Oprah moment of the night.

PS3 CO-OP

It was time to finally settle into our stations, and the first item on the agenda was two-player co-op gameplay on PS3s. After seeing what Battlefield 3 looks like on a PC from my time in the Alpha test, I was anxious to see if the graphics would hold up on a console. Even in its early build, I can happily report that Battlefield 3 looks stellar on the PS3. That is not to say that it looks just as good as it does on a high-end PC, but there was never a moment when I thought, “Gee – that looks like crap.” In fact, but for the use of a controller instead of a mouse and keyboard, I would have forgotten which platform I was playing on. Most significantly, the experience of playing Battlefield 3 on a console is just as intense as playing on a PC.

As my partner and I entered the first dimly-lit room, it was all tactical. We would call out our moves, spot out enemies, and watch each other’s backs. Gaming in the modern war never felt more real or intense. What grabbed me most about Battlefield 3 is the movement of your character. Each step feels methodically placed and completely organic, all the while maintaining a brisk pace. You never feel like you’re skating on ice, but you’re definitely moving fast enough to know the adrenaline is pumping through your character’s veins.

Once we located our objective, my partner and I proceeded outside of the building and rendezvoued with our convoy of humvees. You never feel safe or in the clear in this game, especially in the middle of a street, at night. Multiple balconies, alleys, and barriers are menacing hiding spots for bad guys. This translates into a truly intense campaign mode that builds the tension right up to a firefight.

Our A.I.-controlled allies seemed adequate, but they were never the ones to finish off any hostiles – that’s up to you to do. Fortunately, hitting the back button on the controller identified all of the enemies that were hiding in the dark for both my partner and I to handle, and once they had been finished off, we were ready to proceed to blow up a gate that was obstructing our path. Naturally, that’s when the bad guys came back with reinforcements – and RPGs, grenades and tons of guns.

PC MULTIPLAYER – RUSH

After we were overwhelmed by enemy forces (we never did get to blow up that damn gate), it was time for a short break while our EA hosts prepared the PCs for some good old, team-based multiplayer action. First up was the Rush multiplayer mode, where the two teams are designated as either attackers or defenders. The attackers must destroy each of the various objectives on the map (Operation Metro is the map we played in), and defenders must prevent the attackers. I was on the team of defenders for several rounds, and just for fun, EA set up our communications so that everyone could talk to each other. This made for lousy team strategy, but for epic trash talking.

With Rush mode in the Operation Metro map, the game starts out in an outdoor park, and there are two objectives for the attackers to destroy. Once both objectives are destroyed, the defenders are forced to fall back underground into the subway system to defend two additional objectives. Snipers can be a great asset to the team in the park, which is a large open area, but the players who take advantage of the lush foliage and low walls to sneak into the middle of the map will quickly rack up the kills. The subway system on the other hand, is largely about close-quarter combat, with a few great chokepoints that make securing both objectives extremely challenging for attackers. In all, Operation Metro is a fantastic map, being both huge, and varied in its environments. And while Rush isn’t my favorite multiplayer mode, it was fun being able to camp without being called a lousy camper.

PC MULTIPLAYER – TEAM DEATHMATCH

Once we completed a few rounds of Rush, it was time to move onto classic Team Deathmatch. This time, we were given the chance to play on a map that was not featured in the recently-concluded private Alpha test. Much smaller than Operation Metro, this map put teams in the streets and inside buildings for potential sniping. What really amazed me about this map was the placement of cover. Every time I ran around a corner, there was an object I could take cover behind – a car in the middle of the street or a conrete planter would be exactly where I would want it to be. Battlefield 3 is a fast-paced shooter, but there is no other FPS that takes the tactical element of a cover system and necessitates it while integrating it so logically.

In terms of what makes playing on the PC so great, since I’m an old school mouse and keyboard gamer, I really loved playing on the PC, especially compared to using the PS3 controller. The graphics of course, are really gorgeous, and along with Battlefield’s superb audio effects, I left that evening convinced that I would have to pick up Battlefield for both the Xbox 360 and the PC (what can I say – I’m addicted to Achievements).

Unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to check out any other map, or jets, for that matter, but we all still had the time of our lives.

SPECIAL THANKS

I cannot thank EA enough for the exclusive opportunity to not only get my hands on Battlefield 3, but also to be a part of a group of people who are so passionate about the gaming community and about Battlefield.

When Bad Company 2 was first announced, I didn’t doubt that many would look forward to playing the game on Xbox Live.  The first Bad Company certainly had a lot of fans and it’s pedigree as a continuation of the Battlefield series didn’t hurt either.  But the first Bad Company didn’t have that special something that Bad Company 2 has achieved.  Bad Company was a fun game, but it’s flaws showed through and it seemed a little frustrating to play online. The lack of game modes and overall polish  from the out of the box experience didn’t help it win over too many fans of the Battlefield series.

The developers of Bad Company (DICE)  took the fans advice and Bad Company 2 adds more game types, huge maps, more weapon unlocks, more vehicles and a ranking system to the game.  Now even though all of this added stuff is great, it’s not what makes this game one of the best on Xbox Live.  One of the things I really love about the game is the team aspect and all the crazy moments that happen when you play this game with friends

For instance, aceattorney and I have participated in some matches dominating the field by being stealthily mobile and COMMUNICATING.  Something that lacks in many other games where the lone wolf mentality comes into play. Yes, in other games you can use team work, but in Bad Company 2 it’s a key to surviving and it’s also a heck of a lot of fun.  While ace and I were playing we’d jump in a tank….BOOM, enemies dead. And because one or both of us were engineers, we were able to keep our kill streak fest going for a while.  Hopping  in a chopper, we’d rain hell from the sky, landing and healing so we could continue the assault.  And while “trying” to fly the chopper we’d inevitably crash and even when we’d die, we always had a good laugh.

Those moments when we would get our butt kicked still made us come back for more, something  other online games do not quite accomplish as the frustration levels rise and we reach for the off button on our 360 . It’s the small and big moments in the game, the ebb and flow of the action that seem to get us into a rhythm of gaming pleasure. When facing adversity you try and out-think the enemy, coming up with a plan of attack, trying to pick which class and load out will help win the fight.  And it’s also fun when quirky  moments occur as well, even when the game has flaws.

One evening I was playing a game  of squad deathmatch in which the people on other side had quit, leaving only our team in the game server. We waited hopefully that someone would enter so we could finish the match, we were winning after all. While waiting we decided to see what we could do with the destruction 2.o engine and proceeded to level every building, tree and bush in the map. After a long, long time  people finally joined our squad and another enemy  team appeared. As we finished up the match it was funny to  see that the map looked nothing like it does during a normal match,  it was a wasteland.  Hilarity ensued as we ran around the barren map, looking for cover that wasn’t there in the smoldering ashes. The map we had created added a whole new dimensionality to the game.  Moments like this can just not be had in any other games on Xbox Live today. And even though it would have seemed like the match was a bust, our crazy patience and curiosity fueled destruction paid off in a unique way.

I think  games like Bad Company 2, while not perfect, certainly attain a level of fun through their added level of technology and from the developers willingness to give fans of the Battlefield series what they wanted. A playground to soldier in and all of the toys and tools needed to get the job done. And while I know that the game may not be every ones cup o’ joe, I’m enjoying the game immensely and I hope anyone out there who likes virtual battle plays this game and has a great time too.

(Destruction 2.0…as in…OH S*#%!)

It was truly a complete experience for LA Kings fans, allowing interaction with players from the team’s dynasty, as well as current Kings players. The first event of its kind, Hockey Fest 09 certainly did not disappoint.

At the heart of the entertainment tent was EA’s NHL 10 booth.  Eight gaming stations were set up to serve as the first public demonstration of the complete version of NHL 10.  EA Sports Community Manager Alain Quinto and NHL 10 Producer Andy Agostini were on-site, guiding eager fans and gamers alike in the latest version of EA’s superb NHL franchise.

Attendees lined up to get their hands on the latest version of this award-winning, critically-acclaimed sports franchise and were not disappointed.  The new defensive actions that players can take add yet another layer to the already-deep and frantic gameplay, while graphical and control improvements make NHL 10 pure heaven to play.

Later in the day, EA gave a few lucky attendees the opportunity of a lifetime – to challenge superstar LA Kings players on the virtual ice.  A huge crowd gathered to see if their favorite players could transfer their strategies and skills into the highly accurate NHL 10.  At the end of the day, fan-favorite, Jack Johnson proved himself to be quite the hustler and dominated his fan opponent.

By all accounts, the Kings are postured to be a true threat this upcoming season, and even experts predict a playoff run for the Kings, which would be a welcome reward for the worlds most diehard fans.

Be sure to check out EA’s Alain Quinto’s coverage of the event and all things NHL 10 at his blog, “In the Crease,” and pre-order NHL 10 at your favorite retailer to guarantee that you’ll be hitting the ice when it releases September 15, 2009!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

For those of you wondering where you can download it on marketplace since it seems to be  hidden at the moment.
Go to game marketplace > game videos > all game videos > B > download…Enjoy!

Also, check out TeamXbox.com’s full review of the game.

http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1735/Battlefield-1943/p1/

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

My colleague, Brad Bretz and I had an early start. We had a short drive to the Galen Center (the University of Southern California’s basketball arena), but the rush hour traffic turned that commute into a nightmare. Still, we did our best to make up for that by leaving the house at 8 AM.

When we pulled up to the main intersection where the Galen Center is located, we saw a pretty large crowd of journalists already lined up to enter the arena – and it was still an hour an a half before the doors would even open! When I turned the corner, there was a very impressive line of red-jacketed valet attendants waiting at the ready for the masses to arrive.

We dropped the car off with the valet and walked around to get our bearings straight. With such a massive event, we wanted to find the right line to stand in before they got outrageously long. Fortunately, we spotted a group of our fellow Microsoft Xbox MVPs and they allowed us to join them. It was a great way to start the morning and the week – with good friends from the Community.

It didn’t seem like long before the doors were opened, and we all poured into the arena. The anticipation was definitely quite heavy for this press briefing. The briefing itself had been so hyped by Microsoft, it was difficult to gauge whether this was going to be a let-down, or whether this would really be as memorable as Microsoft assured.

I mean, we had all heard the rumors: a 3D motion controller, and even the preposterous (at the time) notion of a Metal Gear Solid on the Xbox 360, but surely, there HAS to be something bigger to justify THAT amount of hype, right? I pondered this as I frentically unsuccessfully attempted to get my netbook hooked up to the wifi in the arena, and then to my cell’s tethering feature.

Inside, the arena was basically divided in half, with the upper and lower concourses available for seating. The stage was set up on the floor, with green stage lights (that would later change colors to fit various themes) and those familiar circles everywhere.

Continued on the next page…

Conference starts 1:00pm PST…don’t miss it!

1: Bring on the motion. We all know that MS was working on some sort of  Wiimote like device to get casuals gaming, although that idea seems to have went by the wayside.  But we now have rumors that the new 360 motion camera may be a reality.  If  MS can make some compelling games and uses for the new device, count us in. Imagine gyrating to the rhythms of your favorite music or kickboxing your way to a higher gamerscore. If this new device comes out and can deliver a full on body rocking gaming groove that makes you move, E3 will be set ablaze.

2: Games on demand. OnLive is a company that introduced a fairly complicated but intriguing idea of streaming games at this years CES.  And while streaming games may be a little ways off as far as bandwidth and server load is concerned. We can certainly see the value in downloading full Xbox 360 feature titles to rent or buy via Xbox Live marketplace.   With a little love from MS, a few business deals and some careful planning, we think it would be a homerun for MS and the gaming community.

3: More avatar love. The idea behind the cutesy avatars was a noble one. Let gamers dress up a representation of themselves and put it out there for the Xbox Live world to see. We’d really like  to see more interesting options for our online persona’s. Including new fashion styles, customizable clothes and colors. We’d also like to see more games use the avatars instead of just standing around in the dashboard (yawn). We know 1 VS 100 is one of the future games to use the avatar and we’re definitely looking forward to it. But we really want to see some more games that showcase our mini-me personas in a t-shirt that says “We Love Geeks.”

4: The MASSIVE online experience. Oh where art thou WoW and Huxley?  Even though Huxley was announced some time ago and WoW wasn’t, we think a compellingly rich MMO experience would really be the ticket for many Xbox Live gamers. And we’re not talking about the PS2riffic games like Final Fantasy online, give us some next gen MMO love, please, thanks!  We know the limitations of the platform and some of the drawbacks, like monthly fees.  We can just imagine it now…how great  it would be playing online with our friends, wasting hours questing to our hearts content.  MASSIVELY fun!

5: The future franchises. Sure, we’re all waiting with anticipation for titles like Halo ODST, Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Splinter Cell Conviction & Forza 3.  And while those titles plus many more that were announced or hinted at certainly merit our attention, it’s always the new games, the new experiences that tend to  grab us at E3 time.  Games like Alan Wake, Bayonetta & DJ Hero were announced a while back. But there’s the unknown, the unannounced gems waiting to be unveiled that we can’t wait to see. Can publishers/developers such as Lionhead, Bethesda or industry stalwart EA come out with the next big game that we all need to play? We’re hopeful and excited to see what’s in store for the future.

6: Zune gaming. It’s apparent that the Nintendo DSi and Sony PSP are currently the heavyweight handhelds,  but the iPhone/iPod Touch platform is increasingly  regarded as the most flexible, approachable, and most casual-friendly gaming platform.    Microsoft promised games for the Zune, and while a couple of games have since been made available, experts are anticipating the next gen Zune to make gaming a huge part of the device.  Being able to play Microsoft’s vast library of casual internet flash-based games and XBLA games would make a Zune a real contender not only in the handheld market, but more importantly in the casual/social gamer market.

7. Casual cool.  We’ve seen the Nintendo Wii become a household phenomenon, a name that is synonymous with the casual gamer. Nintendo has a great track record for providing gaming experiences that are approachable, characters that are memorable as well as likable and they accomplished it during a time when most console gamers were coming of age. While Microsoft built it’s Xbox platform through PC gaming roots and attracted a hardcore gaming crowd to play shooters, sports  and racing games in an online arena  to great success. The key for Microsoft will be in making gaming experiences that hardcore, casual and even non gamers will absolutely be thrilled by. It’s going to take some thought, planning and deft execution. Will we see it at E3?, it would certainly be cool.

Contributing writer: Rick Kim

Bioware released today a Prelude to E3 video featuring developer commentary.  After watching it, there is no doubt that this follow-up will be a spectacular sequel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gByK-BANDZ8

The Xbox Community has managed to pull together some great info about Mass Effect 2, so be sure to check out these links:

Talking About Games Mass Effect 2 Interview

Ve3tro Mass Effect 2 Interview

1Up Mass Effect 2 Interview