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  • DawnBurn
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Title Score
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice 9.0
Battle of the Bands 6.5
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 7.5
The Orange Box 10
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass 9.5
Eternal Sonata 8.0
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 6.0
Pikmin 9.5
Super Mario Kart 9.0
Super Mario Bros. 2 7.0
10Oct 07

Player's Ball - Rock Out!

So last night I attended the incrediably awesome Player's Ball (presented by Stride Gum). I had a slightly scary walk from BART (SF Bay Area version of subway sorta) through a dodgy part of town. Note: The 16th & Mission exit from BART is not the best neighborhood, though it seems to also boast some very nice nightclubs and high end bars. I decided that I was relunctant to walk back that way after the event and started considering other options.

Slim's was a very nice club and there was only a short line to get in. I signed up for Button Mashing while in line. They wouldn't tell us what the game was. Yay surprises. Walking inside I was greeted by the Stride Gum Girls and had free gum pressed upon me. I have yet to try it, but I'm told the juicy fruit flavour is awesome. I wandered around a little and watched them recording the live Ratchet & Clank portion of the show.

Then I was in for a treat. I know Brad a tiny bit in real life. I was able to catch him and the rest of the Gamespot Rock Band do some numbers. Including one where Brad sang. It was awesome. Major props to Alex for doing some awesome drum work.

From there, I went straight upstairs where they had setup two Rock Band stages. I was suprised that it wasn't overly crowded and I actually could get in to play most of the time I wanted (I think I played around 4-5 songs). I stuck to the guitars (bass or lead). The drums seemed like they'd be a bit much for me as I've never held sticks in my hands for any reason other than giving them to someone else, and I'm not brave enough to sing in public (and there was no booze to be hand to help me overcome that problem).

Let me say this: Rock Bank is awesome. Even though I didn't know my fellow band members, we instantly had a bond, that lasted until one of us screwed up enough that we all failed together, at which point there was blame tossed everywhere. It was like an entire recording artist's career in a 5 minute song! And oh the thrills when we aced a song. It was a rush.

I missed the Button Mashing competition due to rocking out with Alex and Brad. =( But you don't have to.

And having now seen at least one of the games (Pixel Junk) I'm very glad I didn't play. Because while the game is cute & fun, I really, really, really, really, really suck at it. I get mixed up and press the wrong direction on the controller to change lanes and therefore die.

I met WedgeWu near the end of the show and chatted briefly. Neon, I ended wearing a black shirt with a blue glitter butterfly and a black jacket with jeans. I'm very glad I didn't skirt it up because I would have been over dressed amongst all cargo pants and teeshirts.

Gamespot really did a great job at hosting this event and thanks to everyeone who played with me during Rock Band.

  • Posted Oct 10, 2007 3:39 pm PT
  • Category: Travel
  • 21 Comments

21 Comments

  • Surllio

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:06 pm PT

    I watched it and enjoyed most of the show. Wish I could have been there.

    Rock Band!! I can't wait for that game.

  • DidiCardoso

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:50 pm PT

    Looks like it was a pretty cool event. Canada next, please?

    Rock Band, hmm *drool* I can't wait!

  • MarshStomp

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:53 pm PT

    Woohhooo for GH 3 and RB!!!!! Sounds like you had a good time! Must have been cool to seen GS editors in Real Life. Well hope you had a good time.

  • carolynmichelle

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:59 pm PT

    It was fun, wasn't it? Sorry I didn't get to chat with you a bit. I almost introduced myself to the person there I thought was you but I wasn't quite sure it was you but now I'm sure it was you. Your profile pic is pretty but doesn't quite do you justice. Anyway, glad you had fun, too!

  • DawnBurn

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 5:10 pm PT

    Heh, that was a complicated way of missing each other carolynmichelle. I actually asked two people if they were wedgewu, so I think asking other random people if they were me would have been fine. =) Oh well, next event.

  • Mcrunfast

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 5:23 pm PT

    So when you asked people that, did you know the real name of the person behind the screename? The idea of you asking someone if they were wedgewu strikes me as hilarious, and the idea of a whole swarm of people asking similar question is incredibly hilarious.

  • jackle2071

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 6:11 pm PT

    Man your lucky to live in SF! all the cool stuff is from SF, Gamespot, The Dead Kennedy's! Lucky!

  • NeonNinja

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 7:24 pm PT

    Hey! C'mon jackle2071, we get AWESOME stuff here in LA as well! Don't hate!

    A black shirt with jeans, eh? I'm sure it looked great on you, and going with the dress code (even if it isn't declared) is always best.

    I'm glad you had fun at the event! If I lived in SF I would have liked to go as well, but hey... I can't complain all THAT much, now can I?

  • DawnBurn

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 9:56 pm PT

    @Mcrunfast I asked for 'wedgewu' but I've been to enough events where I'm called by a handle or calling others by a handle that it wasn't a big deal to me.

  • W_Claiborne

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 10:31 pm PT

    This was probably a great opportunity to meet people with similar interests, but I had no one to go with, and it I would feel too awkward going by myself. I was actually searching today for a bay area union here on gamespot, but I didn't find one; we should make one.

  • Jam_FDUK

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 3:38 am PT

    Glad to see you seem to have had a pretty cool time!

  • gfile

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:06 am PT

    I ve watched it but no badge!

  • CreativePlug

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 7:18 am PT

    Sounds like it was awesome! But I must admit...I myself was having a great time last night...

    I'll just say this...Portal...rules...my face!

  • Bozanimal

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:26 am PT

    Looks like the jeans were a good call, then. You can take the gamers out of their homes, apparently, but you sure can't dress 'em up!

    I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. As I said to Donklejohn, I hope they bring this type of event to other cities.

  • DawnBurn

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 9:45 am PT

    @Boz This seems to be sorta Gamespot's annual event here in SF (since it is where their office is) but hopefully some editors read your comment and others like it and may push for such an event somewhere else.

  • wedgewu

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 10:51 am PT

    Their original event like 3 years ago was supposed to be multi-city, but it's just too much work for it to happen.

    Every year I go to this it gets scaled down further and further - and they get better and better. This years was probably the best because it was so intimate. Just a bunch of awesome gamers hanging out and playing some rad games. Gotta love it.

    I'd be up for a Bay Area gamers union, for sure. We should act on this.

  • Mcrunfast

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 11:48 am PT

    Hah. The handle thing would be weird for me. I kinda live in a wasteland of gaming here in Central Illinois, so most my gaming pals I meet online, or they're friends I knew by their real names before their handles.

    This kind of event seems awesome. If they'd hold one up in Chicago I could drive to it easily and far more inclined to go. Damn you west coasters!

  • DawnBurn

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 11:59 am PT

    Well, I have RL friends who I have called by their handle interchanably with their name and I respond to my common online handles. We use the handles during voice over games, usually.

    It seems weird at first, but usually you either get the RL name in person and use that or get it, forget it and just stick to the handle. It is sorta odd, but cool. It is like a nickname.

  • Mcrunfast

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 5:45 pm PT

    Hunh. I admit I tend to attach the first 'name' I learn for a person to them, regardless if it's an RL one or a handle. I've just never met in person the folks I use handles for. Names are fascinating to me.

  • PNOIDSCHIZ

    Posted Oct 12, 2007 4:17 am PT

    it seems that you had a great time. i wish i were able to attend, but that would of been a hellava commute seeing how i reside in fl. maybe next time they could host the event a little bit closer. but i am gratful i was able to watch the event, didn't see the live feed due to me working,but that was okay.anyway glad that you had a good time.

  • Speerbrecker

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 5:45 pm PT

    i was there too. rock band got me into wanting the damn. game but i knew it probably would. If you missed out on button mashing and i was the alternate. what is up GS? and don't think i don't know where cnet HQ is.

My Recent Ratings

Title Score
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice 9.0
Battle of the Bands 6.5
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 7.5
The Orange Box 10
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass 9.5
Eternal Sonata 8.0
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 6.0
Pikmin 9.5
Super Mario Kart 9.0
Super Mario Bros. 2 7.0
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