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Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2003
Colin P. Fahey
INTRODUCTION
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is an annual trade show, primarily for
people in the video game industry. (LINK: http://www.e3expo.com )
Quoting official literature:
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is the world's largest trade event
exclusively dedicated to showcasing interactive entertainment and
educational software and related products. Now in it's ninth year, E3 2003
will take place May 14-16, 2003. The E3 Conference Program runs from
May 13-15, 2003.
E3 is not open to the public. E3 is a trade event and only professionals
from the industry will be allowed to attend. Individuals who are not able
to document their direct, professional affiliation to the interactive
entertainment industry are not qualified to attend E3.
E3 is open to trade only. No one under the age of 18 (including infants)
will be admitted. THIS RULE IS STRICTLY ENFORCED. E3 attendees will be
required upon request to show government-issued photo I.D. (such as
driver's license or passport) to verify age.
E3 2003 will take place May 14-16, 2003 at the Los Angeles Convention
Center. The LACC is conveniently located at the intersection of the
Santa Monica and Harbor Freeways.
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Fiqueroa Street
Los Angeles, California 90015
Phone: 213.741.1151
Fax: 213.765.4266
May 14 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
May 15 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
May 16 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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On 2003 May 15th, around 8:30 A.M., I drove from Irvine to Los Angeles to attend
E3, and meet my friends Josh "Lake" Hartwell and Paul Bolten. After paying $15
for parking in an unmarked lot under the 10 freeway (?) on Venice Blvd, I walked
to E3.
I went to E3 in 2000, 2002, and now 2003, and it is an amazing spectacle. It
really, really gets you psyched about being in the video game industry. Apart
from the strong feeling of community and kinship that comes from seeing tens of
thousands of people who have the same passion for video games and often even
look like you, the technology and creativity is overwhelming. When I first
went to E3 I thought it was one of the most exciting events I ever attended.
With each passing year E3 becomes even more dazzling and thrilling.
The exhibits are really beautiful. Maybe E3 is a little like being in a waking
dream. The halls are filled with bright colors, sound effects, music, and the
chatter of well-dressed, trendy people from countries around the world. It is
a celebration of fantasy, imagination, and fun. There is a kind of purity to
this industry, even when games feature sexuality and violence, that makes me
think of a person letting down all defenses and embracing the innocent joy of
playing games with other people. I see something of a Utopia in video games.
The following images are in chronological order, documenting my somewhat random
tour of E3. Sorry, some images are out of focus; I wanted to take pictures
quickly to avoid disrupting people (who sometime dodge cameras). After the set
of E3 images I have a few images near the offices of Sennari (a former employer)
just for my own nostalgia. Although I create web pages to be enjoyed by all,
I sometimes indulge my own needs, too.
I actually had a lot of thoughts about all of the exhibits and scenes shown
below, but I wonder if my opinions might bore readers.
IMAGES
FIGURE: e3_2003_s002_lacc_wedge01.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s003_lacc_walkway.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s005_lacc_army.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s007_lacc_traffic.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s009_lacc_front.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s011_lacc_army.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s012_lacc_lobby.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s015_lacc_lobby.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s016_lacc_lobby.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s020_nintendo.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s022_ps_tiger.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s027_nintendo_arch.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s028_nintendo_arch.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s029_nintendo_arch.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s030_tecmo.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s031_playstation.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s032_nintendo.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s033_nintendo.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s034_mgsolid.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s035_dance.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s036_turismo.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s038_playstation.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s039_army.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s041_army.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s042_mu.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s043_uk.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s045_brady.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s046_als.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s048_kagome_inu_yasha.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s049_kagome_inu_yasha.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s050_mu.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s051_mu.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s052_hulk.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s053_likehome.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s054_game.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s055_game.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s056_dance.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s057_dance.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s059_dance.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s060_joypads.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s061_nvidi_a.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s062_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s064_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s066_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s068_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s069_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s070_nvidia.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s071_tron_cycle.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s072_doom3.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s074_crouching_tiger.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s075_xiii.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s076_matrix_online.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s078_legacyofkain.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s079_americanidol.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s080_halflife2.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s081_halt.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s082_rockstar.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s083_3dscreen.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s085_rockstar.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s086_americanidol.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s088_halflife2.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s090_deus_ex.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s093_wrestling.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s094_tron_cycles.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s095_futurama.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s098_pico_blvd.jpg.
SENNARI AND VICINITY
I was twice employed by Sennari Interactive (formerly Adrenalin) in Los Angeles.
The Sennari offices are located in Marina Del Rey, near the intersection of
Beethoven and Jefferson. Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and Lincoln (PCH)
Blvd. are very close by.
I should have taken a picture of the McDonald's in the Home Depot that is one
block away from Sennari. I bought food there perhaps two hundred times during
the development of NCAA Football 2001 (PSX) and Power Puff Girls (GameCube).
(Some of my coworkers found my tolerance for McDonald's amusing -- but I just
started driving at the age of 29 (1999), and I was a little bit anxious about
L.A. traffic, but convenience was also a factor...)
Hello to all of my former coworkers! (Ken D., Blake S., Charles M., Don W.,
Mike B., Rob K., Andy H., Sean K., Shawn, Lake H., Paul B., Danny B., Joe,
Tim W., Dave, Carl D., Bill L., Chris, Greg, Mike C., and many other people
I'll have to remember to list here when I come down off the crack!)
FIGURE: e3_2003_s109_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s108_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s103_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s104_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s099_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s100_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s101_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s107_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s102_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s105_beethoven.jpg.
FIGURE: e3_2003_s106_beethoven.jpg.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Colin P. Fahey
cpfahey@earthlink.net
http://www.colinfahey.com
Irvine, California
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