Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the StarCraft 2 beta, T-Mac possibly ending up on the New York Knicks, or the warm weather at the Winter Olympics, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Hello guys and gals. I’m still at the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ DICE Summit…and it’s awesome. It’s hard not to get super-excited when you’re bumping into amazing game creators and mega-intelligent people every few minutes. In the last 18 hours I’ve seen Insomniac’s Ted Price, Epic’s Dr. Mike Capps (a computer doctor) and Mark Rein, BioWare’s Dr. Greg Zeschuk (a real doctor), Media Molecule’s Alex Evans, Gas Powered Games’ Chris Taylor, and Universal’s Pete Wanat.
Last night I fell into a conversation with a Hollywood super-agent, a big movie executive, and a top game creator. Clearly I was the dumbest, least successful, and poorest participant in the chat…and it was completely awesome!
It was cool watching what made these excellent people go fanboy. Nearly everyone swooned when they met legendary game creator David Crane. It was fun watching today’s top guys approach him for a quick chat and a photograph.
I was wondering what makes you ladies and gents go fanboy in terms of games, technology, and nerd entertainment? Do you have any fanboy situations to share? I’d love to hear your stories!
Dudikoff
I've stated before that I am first and foremost a music geek.
Now, I've met my share of famous musicians. I don't get "starstruck" very easily. Ever since I met my favorite band in 9th grade (Gwar) I realized that even people who seem like gods are normal folks who just did super cool things.
THAT SAID… there are still figures I don't know if I could maintain composure around and very few I haven't. I met James Brown 2 years before he passed and I couldn't even get a word out. I met Victor Wooten at NAMM 2 years ago and it was a similar reaction.
If I ever got the pleasure to meet Bruce Springsteen… I don't know how I could function. The irony in that is that the guy epitomizes the average working man.
As for tech… I'd love to meet the Woz. Steve Jobs, meh… THE WOZ!!!! That would be awesome.
Gaming, I have no idea. I think I'd be pretty cool around all those people.
There are some wrestlers I might get excited about. I met RVD when he was the Hardcore Champion and he was super cool. He was more like one of my friends than anything. The Undertaker, Rock, or Stone Cold… I don't know.
And Dudikoff for damn sure.
I would never be able to get anything done at DICE. That is a no work situation as my mind would never remember anything for more than 5 seconds. (Having ADHD doesn't help much either…)
If Tracy McGrady goes to the Knicks, they'll still suck. Their best player on the current roster couldn't even start on the Celtics, Spurs or Lakers.
I've met a couple of famous athletes, and I've never really lost it. They're just like the rest of us, only bigger. And since I'm 5'6" on a tall day, they're all a lot bigger than me. Except for Maurice Jones-Drew. He was just past eye level with me, but he was built like a cannonball.
I live in the greater Phoenix area and I met Rodrick Hood one day as he was walking out of a gym. This was literally 2 weeks after the Cardinals had lost the Super Bowl. I had borrowed my wife's car for the day. She's originally from Pittsburgh. He saw the car with the Steelers logo on the back window and just kinda gave me this look that was like, "come on man." I figured it was better to just own it then hide behind "it's my wife's car," and wished him better luck next year.
I met Payton Manning a few years ago, very nice guy. Actually the Manning family in general are good people. My girlfriend met Drew Brees and couldn't get a word out. Maybe it is different for guys and girls.
Checking out Steve Perlman's Onlive session. I'll be tweeting some updates.
I'll update here too because you guys are awesome.
New Onlive demo coming next week. Steve will be demoing it shortly.
Steve is comparing games going digital to music going digital.
Steve says music and video used to be defined by physical media like CDs and DVDs."What CD are you listening to?" "We're watching a DVD tonight."
Now with streaming, downloads, etc. things are different.
Ask Steve if he is going to adopt the crap music sub model or purchase model.
OnLive while a good idea, looks to be too damn expensive. no ownership. I don't iike the guy. He hates the second hand business. Piracy doesn't hurt them, not like rentals do and second hand do.
@smartguy I don't know if he's doing Q and A after his talk. Bobby Kotick is right after.
I must be trapped in "way back in the before time" or something, because I still watch DVD's and listen to CD's.
Dr. Ray just patted me on the shoulder as he was looking for a seat. He won the DICE poker tourney btw.
@Ray
Make him answer you. Lead the pack! Blame it on booze if need be lol.
Kotick huh? Get his autograph for me please. I would like you to send it to me. I'll pay the shipping.
@smartguy Actually, I don't like when journalists ask questions at DICE. The interaction between creators is magnificent and this isn't a press event. Writers are a tertiary concern here.
And while you're getting autographs, get Dr Ray's for me!!
Shit, I think I just went all fanboy…..
@Nightshade386 I don't think I've ever gotten a Western devs autograph–only Japanese devs. It would be weird asking an autograph from someone I'm friendly with.
Perlman mentioned that Onlive will be on tablets. Hello iPad!
@Ray
i'm a cynic lol. I wonder if he will divulge any info beyond earnings potential then?
Kotick's john hancock please lol.
never wash your shoulder again.
@smartguy So far it's an Onlive pitch and demo. He only has 30 minutes.
I think I'll start a new thread for Kotick's talk…so we can make fun of him together.
Onlive demo starting.
Unreal Tournament launched in 5 seconds. Game looks great and is running smoothly.
Perlman is starting another session on a laptop. He’s watching Mike (demoer) play UT and sending him a message.
I don't thinl I like the menu screen with all the video screens. Too much going on and too many moving objects.
Showing off the "brag clips" feature. It captures the last 15 seconds of gameplay. If the publisher allows, clips can be uploaded to YouTube.
Showing Burnout Paradise which isn't SDK compliant. Loaded slower than UT and doesn't look as good (still nice though).
Apparently T-mac just did go to the Knicks. And the Knicks will still bite either way.
@Ray: I was mostly kidding about the autograph.
Mostly.
Im not kidding about Kotick's. I need it. Best bday gift ever for a friend of mine.
@Ray
LOL. I like your style.
OnLive could run on something like the N900 which is a tablet device…interesting.
@nightshade thank the Knicks for all those draft choices too
Apple products make me go all fanboy. in 2003 I swore I would never own a mac but the iPod/iTunes changed all that
@ray, I agree. I've seen him run this demo before and all the other games running on the screen were too much fro my tastes. I just want to be able to play the games I want to play, not watch 500 other people playing at the same time.
Lisa is running Crysis on iPhone through Onlive. Perlman is watching on HDTV.
Watching it on an iPhone too! Demo lady happened to pick me. It looks pretty cool. For the record, I'd watch you guys play games and provide commentary.
that must have been an old demo run, i linked a vid with that exact stuff a few weeks ago. i think it was an hour or longer.
The content is the same. It's just working better than before.
You might be at a lose for words if you watched me play. :P
Star Wars makes me go Fanboy hardcore.
Star wars and some comic franchises.
Superman, batman, flash, gl
capt America x-men spiderman
The only time I ever went fanboy during an interview was with Stan Lee. I'm cool with excellent game developers and pro-wrestlers, but Stan was almost too much for me to deal with. He's awesome.
This is interesting as far as rebranding and ISP caps are concerned.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Launch…
Similar to what Tokz and I were discussing the other day. Amazing that the ISP provides some value added services for a fee, and then they charge your cap. Amazing.
I'm a Peter David fanboy. The man writes with a golden pen.
-M
Yeah, I saw that. That’s insane. The Knicks need to rebuild and they won’t do it without draft picks.
Then again, I’m a Celtics fan, so what’s bad for the Knicks is good for me. While we’re at it, can we get the 76er’s to trade all of their draft picks for the next 3 years to some team with an overrated “superstar” on the trade block? Like Phoenix?
im a pink floyd fanboy, so roger waters, nick mason or especially dave gilmour
also, christopher walken, id LOVVVVE to just talk to him, he seems super cool
bruce campbell, who ive met, made me go fanboy…when i was a kid, and met korn, i most definitely went fanboy.
probabally david cross or bob odenkirk, cause im a mr show fanboy.
There are others, ill stop there :)
@N8R. I must say I am extremely jealous that you met James Brown…he is definitely way up there for me. Right under the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They are my all time favorites, bar none. But I would have been awestruck at meeting James Brown.
@topic. Any of the guys at id software for me, love the work they do and have supported them y whole life.
@ bsukenyan
I had second row seats and backstage passes at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh. They were taping the show for a Japanese DVD as well.
Absolutely incredible show.
I go fanboy with TNA wrestling. I have been to several of their shows and met many of the wrestlers. I was very nervous though meeting Mick Foley and could not say a word when meeting the Beautiful People.
@N8R oh I'm sure that was an incredible show!! His stage performance is always something that artist's should strive for, in my opinion.