There's 8,760 hours in one calendar year. 525,600 minutes. 31,536,000 seconds. Seems like a lot, right? Yet that still isn't enough time to play all of the great games we've seen in 2004. The sheer volume of big-name, high-quality titles that made their way to store shelves this year is staggering. Here at GameSpot, we've got the tough job of choosing which of these stellar titles are worthy of our Game of the Year awards. As you might expect, it's a highly contentious process that mixes fervent proselytizing with scientific method, passionate debate and head-scratching meditation. In short, it's crazy.

Here then is a quick inside look at the first round of our awards deliberations.

4:30 p.m. – GameSpot editors and staff begin piling into the big conference room, readying themselves for a long evening of passionate arguing ahead. Some, like senior editor Jeff Gerstmann, pictured at left, come well-prepared for the fray.

5:00 p.m. – The deliberations begin. The most fascinating thing about the entire proceeding is how quickly the conversations turn from debating the specific qualities of a particular title into much larger and worldly discussions of technology, artistry, and subjective merit. Clearly I’m among well-read and educated company. Which is exactly why I feel so bad that I keep finding myself using the phrase "R0XX0RS AZZ!!!11" when it's my turn to speak.

7:15 p.m. – Fifth Jerry Orbach reference of the night. Somewhere an angel gets his wings.

8:00 p.m. – Alex Navarro's 45-minute FBI Hostage Rescue filibuster finally ends when the poor lad finally passes out.

8:30 p.m. – The pizza arrives and all hell is unleashed as word of a pepperoni shortage gets around. Avery Score is seriously wounded in the skirmish, despite being Kosher.

9:30 p.m. – Someone says "Matrix Online." Hilarity ensues.

10:00 p.m. – How do you know it's getting late in a Game of the Year debate? When you find yourself vehemently arguing both for and against a particular game receiving an award. Within a five-minute time span.

10:30 p.m. – Eyes getting heavy now; having trouble concentrating. Either I'm hallucinating or that really was Jerry Orbach I saw doing bullet-time spin-kicks dressed in a bear-proof suit.

2:30 a.m. – I wake up, alone in the empty conference room, only to find someone has written on my face and put glue in my hair. I guess I said "R0XX0RS AZZ!!!11" one time too many.

So that's it. Round One is in the bag and only a few casualties and hurt feelings resulted. With Round Two just around the corner, the bloodshed and enmity will likely only increase. This time though, I'm taking a page out of Jeff G's (and Jerry O's) book and preparing myself accordingly: