So I just attended the PlayStation Experience (PSX) this past weekend in Anaheim and I wanted to give you my take on the event. Now there are plenty of other great sites that will tell you about what games were revealed or give you their impression of what was playable on the show floor. However, I wanted to do something a little different and share with you what it is like to attend a gaming convention like this one.

First off, I want you to know that besides going to a few Comic Cons, the largest being Phoenix Comic Con which is about 60,000 people over a 4-day event, I have never gone to a PAX or E3. So my only experience with gaming conventions is PSX. From what I can guess from my conversations this weekend with people that have been to those other shows is they are much busier. That's not to say you won't have any long waits to try certain games but I will say it seems more like the exception and not the rule at PlayStation Experience. If you do ever get the chance to come to a future PSX and you have a particular game you want to try out; I would recommend heading straight to that game immediately following the end of the press conference/showcase on Saturday or at the start of things on Sunday. For example, I knew I wanted to try out the PlayStation VR demo of 'Farpoint' so I immediately went there on Saturday and got to play after only a few minutes in line. Later I heard from others that waits were up to 3 hours for them to try out the game.

As for the the press conference/showcase that starts things off on Saturday. That is something you should line up early for as well and should not be missed. If you are at all like me, you have dreamed of getting the chance to be at an E3 press conference for one of the major gaming publishers. So getting to attend PSX is almost like that dream come true and along with the great swag bag you get when picking up your badge is almost worth the price of attendance alone. Speaking of badges, that reminds me of one tip I have for new attendees. Make sure to pick up your badge at the registration booth the day before the press conference to save yourself some time on Saturday. Otherwise you have to wait to get your badge on the day of before you can even get in line with all the others that already have theirs. This may leave you sitting near the back of the auditorium watching the press conference mostly on the big screens and while that is still enjoyable, it's not the ideal way to experience it.

So you've seen the press conference and have gone to that first demo you really wanted to try. What now ? This to me, is where the beauty of the PlayStation Experience really shows itself. There are so many great independent developers spread out around the show floor proudly exhibiting their games and the best part is, the people at the booths are the same people that are making the games. In my opinion, there is nothing like getting to hear the vision for these games directly from the team or individuals that are making them. Plus they really care about getting your feedback on what you thought after you played their game. One of my favorite memories from the first PSX in Las Vegas was after I played 'Drawn to Death' I got to stand around a table with others who had just played the demo and tell David Jaffe and his team our impressions of their game. More over, they were actually really interested in hearing any constructive criticisms we had and listened to our ideas on how we thought the game might be improved.

One suggestion I have if you find yourself waiting in line to try out another game is don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with the people around you. Now this is coming from someone who is often very shy/nervous when it comes to talking to strangers but the wonderful thing is that you have something in common with everyone there. You are all PlayStation fans. This makes it easy to start talking with anyone. I would always ask where they were traveling from and go from there. Some of the coolest interactions I had over the entire weekend were from doing just this. I have met people I didn't know who actually lived near where I am from and I have met people from as far away as Brazil and Saudi Arabia. Getting to share what makes each of us such fans of PlayStation and video games in general is not only a great way to pass the time in line but it has helped me expand my gaming friendslist. Many of the people I have met at PSX I still keep in touch with to this day. Also, some of those I have engaged with while waiting in line end up being other video game developers. It is really cool to find out that these other amazing game creators are fans of games themselves, just like you and me.

Another great thing about attending a show like this is all the great free stuff you get. Besides the swag bag you receive when you pick up your badge, almost every single booth is giving something away. Whether it is buttons, stickers, hats or t-shirts; they almost always have something cool for you to take home. Furthermore, this is where I think PlayStation does a great job by giving out souvenir playing cards at many of the booths. They have had the cards since the first PSX but it has now evolved to the point where they often include different variants that can only be earned by winning a multiplayer match in a demo. Some attendees make it their mission to collect them all and you can always find people trading cards to complete their decks once the convention ends on Sunday. However, it doesn't just end with the collecting playing cards. At the second annual PlayStation Experience in San Francisco they added a digital component to similar to the card collecting. Essentially what you do is get your badge scanned whenever you visit a demo booth. For every scan you get you either unlock an individual digital reward or you get closer to earning gold, silver or platinum trophy cards that imitate the trophy system found on PlayStation Network. These physical cards and digital rewards make up what is almost a meta game to the convention that draws many attendees in to a fun but often obsessive loop. It is a little hard to explain and needs to be experienced first hand to fully understand how addictive it can be for some.

Lastly, my favorite thing about PSX has be getting to meet all the great people that work for Sony PlayStation. For a gamer like me, it still blows me away how I can go from watching someone like Shawn Layden or Gio Corsi up on stage presenting during the showcase Saturday morning and then see them walking around the show floor checking out the same game demos I am later that day. I didn't expect this when I went to my first PSX and maybe sounds a little silly but I didn't think they would just be fans of gaming like you and me. What's even more amazing is how nice each and everyone one of them has been when I've had the opportunity to talk with them. Somehow knowing that the individuals responsible for making the games are gamers themselves, makes me feel more connected to this community. The fact that these people, all the way up to the head of Sony Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, really care about making great games and not just the companies bottom line meant more to me than I expected. It gives me hope that the future of gaming is bright and I for one was happy to feel like I was a part of it, if only for the weekend.

All I can say in closing is that as long as I am able, I will keep coming to PlayStation Experience as long as they keep having them. I highly recommend you check it out if you have ever been interested in attending a video game convention and are a fan of the PlayStation brand.

I recently bought the Playstation VR Core headset at launch. I had tried it several times before release at both Playstation Experience events and at a local Best Buy demo station. So I thought I knew what I was getting into. I had enjoyed all my experiences with the headset. While I had some motion sickness with EVE Valkyrie, RIGS and BattleZone, when I tried them; I was confident that I would enjoy the system when I had it in my own home. I think I wrote off my queasy feeling to early builds of games and hardware, and expected the final consumer product and software to be a little better. Plus I had experienced several other games that I had no problems with at all and enjoyed very much.

Yet, when I did finally get Playstation VR home and set it up, I found that those experiences that left me queasy were far too common. I found myself dealing with tracking issues very similar to those experienced by Giant Bomb during their Playstation VR Launch Day Special (skip to 2:12 for when they start talking about their experience pre launch and how it compares to launch day) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70Ryherc7Is

I had hoped that a firmware/system update might come out to fix these issues but nothing has come so far. So I am returning the headset before my return window expires. I still believe in the promise of virtual reality but think it might just be a little too early for me to buy all in just yet. Maybe the newly released Playstation 4 Pro console will add the needed horsepower to improve the experience enough to solve some of the problems I was having to deal with. However, I don't have the additional $400 to try that out. The lower cost to entry was a big selling point for me, since I already owned a PS4.

I am going to Playstation Experience next month, so maybe they will have some demo stations there that show me what PS VR paired with PS4 Pro can do. Who knows, they may also announce that killer VR game/experience we have all been waiting for that sells everyone on virtual reality. In the meantime, I'm going to pump the breaks on my enthusiasm for VR and patently wait on the sidelines for something to pull me back in.

So I picked up a Playstation VR headset at launch and thought I would share my impressions so far on the system and VR gaming in general. I purchased the Core headset because I already owned a Playstation camera and move controllers. The fact that I could purchase the headset alone for $399 was a big selling point for me.

I had the chance to use Playstation VR a few times prior to release. I played 'EVE Valkyrie' and the Luge demo from 'Playstation VR Worlds' at the first Playstation Experience (PSX) in Las Vegas a couple years ago. EVE made me a bit nauseous but the Luge demo didn't. Both were very fun and immersive. The second time I tried the headset was at PSX last year in San Francisco. There I got to try 'BattleZone', 'RIGS' and two sections of 'London Heist'. 'London Heist' controlled great and was an awesome experience. So too were 'RIGS' and 'BattleZone' but they did give me some discomfort. The last time I got to use the headset was a month or two before launch at one of the Best Buy demo stations near where I live. There I tried 'Headmaster', which was silly but in a good way, and 'SuperHyperCube' which is VR's answer for Tetris. These experiences had already sold me on purchasing Playstation VR when it came out.

Originally I had preordered the system from Amazon but when it hadn't shipped the night of release and I found out my local Best Buy had some available; I decided to cancel my preorder and pick up the core headset from them. At the time of writing this blog, I have played through almost all of the demo disc, some of 'Playroom VR' and the full story in 'Batman VR'. So what is my verdict ?

Playstation VR is what I thought it would be. A really cool virtual reality headset for a more reasonable price than the Rift or Vive. I had played the Rift at a friends house for a couple hours and while the Rift looks better it isn't worth the cost of upgrading your computer on top of the systems higher price tag. So as long as you already own a PS4, then Playstation VR is the way to go.

While Playstation's headset is by far the most comfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time, you probably still won't want to because of the physical affects caused by prolonged play. 'BattleZone', 'RIGS', 'Batman' and 'EVE Valkyrie' still all made me somewhat uncomfortable. After about 15-20 minutes I would have to take a break for about the same amount of time before I felt alright to jump back in. There were a few random experiences, like one during a game of Robot Rescue in Playroom VR, but most of the other games didn't give me much trouble. These experiences are so cool, it is sad that this physical discomfort prevents me from enjoying them for too long. Some games have some tracking issues especially when using move controllers, but these are usually fixed quickly by holding the 'OPTIONS' or 'START' button.

My opinion on VR in general is that it is a really fun thing to play for short periods of time. It really is a new way to play and something that can't be understood until you try it. Cheaper versions of VR, such as Google Cardboard or Samsung Gear VR don't really do a good enough job creating that truly immersive experience. So you need to go with either the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or Playstation VR. As long as your expectations are reasonable, then you should have a great time. Just realize this is the beginning of an entirely new way to play games. What I mean by that is don't expect huge open world games that you will play for 60+ hours. Developers are just now learning what works and doesn't work in VR and because of that they are mostly making short experiences. Yet, those short experiences are already amazing.

Is Playstation VR a must purchase ? Not just yet but you definitely owe it to yourself to try it. Find a friend that does have one and give it a shot, or look for a demo station near you. Playstation is still doing them at Best Buy and Gamestop locations all over the country. (https://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/playstation-vr/trial/)

This is a new way to play games that is here to stay. There are too many companies, gaming and non-gaming, with a lot of money backing virtual reality. Tourist agencies, football teams, car dealerships, doctors, sports and concert venues are all using VR. So it's not a question of whether virtual reality is here to stay ? It's a question of when will you get on board ? In my opinion, now is a great time to do it with Playstation VR.

I just wanted to write a quick post letting people know about a few free downloads available this week for Nintendo WiiU and 3DS.

First up is a little game collection on the WiiU called, believe it or not, 'The First Skunk Bundle' by developer Skunk Software. The name alone should give you a good idea what to expect from the five games included in this bundle. 'Haunted Hotel', 'Snake Classic', 'Catchy', 'Bomb Blaster' and 'Zombie Epic' all feel like a bunch of student projects. They are all pretty basic but can provide some simple enjoyment. Since they come at the wonderful price of nothing, why not download it and give them a try. http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/the-first-skunk-bundle-wii-u

Secondly, there are a couple of cool 3DS themes available for free this week as well. One is for the new game 'Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse' and the other is a 'Sonic: 25th Anniversary' theme. The easiest way to find these is to go to the icon on your 3DS touch screen that looks like a house and wrench together on the top left. Then select 'Change Theme'. In the 'Theme Shop' scroll down to the category titled 'Free to Download' and you will find them there. They still also have the 'Sonic Boom' theme available as well. So if you haven't already picked that up, it's another one you can throw into your shuffle favorites. I like having my system rotate through the different themes every time I open it up. It gives it a somewhat new look each time and makes the standard menu a little more interesting.

I'm not sure how long these will downloads will be available free of charge, so pick them up while you still can.

I just wanted to give people a heads up that the WiiU downloadable game 'Explody Bomb' by Alkterios Games is available now on the eShop for $0.01. Here is the description of the game from the Nintendo website:

"Shoot enemies while guiding your bomb!

In EXPLODY BOMB you must play the role of aggressor and defender. On the television screen you must shoot down all enemies that attempt to attack you! On the Wii U™ GamePad you must guide your bomb between all obstacles! Quickly divert your attention between the two displays to try to rack up the highest score possible! How far can you make it before either your plane or your bomb is destroyed? Try out EXPLODY BOMB and try to obtain the highest score!"

I played the game for a little bit and while the graphics are extremely basic the control scheme is interesting. It actually uses the WiiU gamepad in a more meaningful way than most games have. You control two characters at once, piloting a fighter plane on the television with the left stick and moving a bomb on the gamepad with the right stick. Both can only move up and down and you must avoid the obstacles in your path as they move towards your characters. Only the plane has any weapon that allows you to shoot bullets at the enemies or stars that come your way.

It's a little difficult to explain but easy to pick up. There is a descriptive tutorial that helps explain the basic controls. While simple to understand it was challenging to play. I will admit it did have a somewhat addictive gameplay loop and the game quickly restarts after you die. So you won't be waiting long to try and improve your score on the next run.

While this game isn't anything amazing, for a penny it's certainly worth a try. Rarely are games this cheap on consoles, so download 'Explody Bomb' and try it out for yourself. Here is the link to game on Nintendo's website: http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/explody-bomb-wii-u

I like free things. So a game that is practically free on the Wii U eShop is a rare sight and almost as good. So I thought I would try and anyone that is interested know, You can download ' I've Got to Run! ' for $0.01. That's right, it cost a penny. Sale says it's good until 7/18/2015.

It is your typical endless runner game with a few different modes. I don't know about you but I'll try just about anything at that price.

Valve just announced this past week their scheduled beta of Steam Box. While a lot is still left to be decided before the hardware is released, we have been told of the new Steam OS and shown prototypes for the controller.

I am primarily a console gamer that is excited for Steam Box because it is the only way I would move to become a PC gamer. By moving computer gaming into the living room where I can play the way I want (with a controller, on my television) with all the added benefits of PC gaming (MODs, lower game costs and quicker sales). I would totally move away from console gaming.

Things like Humble Bundle and Steam sales already got me purchasing games through Valve's online store because it is so cheap. Yet, when I have tried to play games like Super Meat Boy on my MacBook it just isn't the way I want to control the character. I have tried mapping my PS3 controller to the game with more frustrations then success. So the chance to buy games cheaper, use a controller (that hopefully works well for all games) and play on my bigscreen TV in my living room sells me on Steam Box.

Next Gen console architecture is essentially PC architecture anyway. So in essence all gaming is becoming PC gaming. It just varies in controls, features and software exclusives. So it sounds to me like Steam Box is Valve's announcement that they are essentially on the level of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. They are further merging PC and console gaming and introducing there own unique controls, just like every other company has.

I have a feeling that when the life cycle of the PS4 and Xbox One come to an end it will be Valve we are declaring the new console king instead of Sony or Microsoft. There is still a lot to be determined, but I for one am excited to see what comes. Either way, I think gamers will be the ones that will have reason to celebrate no matter what.

I just received a message from Ubisoft about "several serious bugs" in the original download of the free to play game 'Spartacus Legends'. The message says the new version of the game that is now available has resolved these issues. They advise that you delete the original download and install the new version.

They also gave, as an apology for the inconvenience, a free code for 50 gold (valued at $4.99). Did anyone experience any problems while trying to play the game yet ? I had downloaded but hadn't played the game as of yet. If you did experience problems, did you get the code for 50 gold and does this feel like fair compensation for the apparent issues ?

December 19, 2012 byccanfield1

It was just announced that Nintendo TVii service will be available on Wii U starting tomorrow. While this is an important step in making the new Nintendo console relevant in the current generation of gaming, it may already be too late.

I am a long time gamer and Nintendo fan (originally Sega fan but that ship unfortunately is sunk and all that remains are the ghosts of it's past, for the most part). I am also someone who owns a Wii U and thinks that the system shows a lot of promise. However, much like the Dreamcast, Sega's last console it may be too late.

The world of Mario is finally coming in in high definition but it is already half a decade, at least, behind it's competitors. While this may not be an essential point for most Wii gamers. It did cause the last couple of years for the Wii console to languish, as demonstrated by the financial loses the Nintendo company suffered.

So while many of Nintendo's initiatives like HD gaming, an improved online gaming presence and eShop offerings are respectable. They only put the Wii U in line with the systems Nintendo's competitors have had out for around 10 years.

Features like Nintendo TVii, Miiverse and second screen gaming are noble efforts to once bring new life into all too often uninspired hardware development. Nintendo may learn, like Sega did with the Dreamcast, it may not be enough.

Now if all these things were available at launch and worked smoothly, then maybe Nintendo had a chance to establish a substantial install base with the help of significant praise. Yet, the lack of a major product endorsement from reviewers and gamers alike, prevented the system from really taking off at launch. So to attempt to convince consumers to plunk down next generation money on current generation technology with a twist is a hard sell. I myself can't really recommend to most people to pay the price for the Wii U gaming experience.

This is a sad reality to me. I saw it happen with Sega and I hate to see it happen again. Nintendo is the last stalwart from gamings gold age. The new entrants, Microsoft and Sony, don't have their hearts into it like these older companies. Don't get me wrong, they do some great things for the video game industry. However, when you are only a small part of a large company, I don't think you have the same investment into gaming that a video game only company has. Xbox and Playstation are pieces of their companies business strategy and for a company like Nintendo video games are the whole pie.

To conclude, while I hope the Big N can turn things around with Wii U, much like they did with the 3DS. I think they face a much tougher challenge. While large franchise game releases, added features, operating system improvements and a price drop would certainly help. I think it is probably too late already. Second screen gaming has been proven to work by the DS but is still a tough sell to most console gamers. With announcements for Sony and Microsoft's new system expected in the next few months, it will be even more difficult to ask customers to pay the same price for a system that will already look like it's playing the previous generations games. Once again Nintendo will find itself playing to the casual market and it will be one that they priced themselves out of on day 1.

Thank you for whoever reads this post. It is just one humble gamers opinion that he hopes may be proved wrong. Luckily Nintendo has managed to do that for quite a few years now. Maybe they can pull another rabbit out of the hat.