EPT
The Trip
Picked up resident Aussie Floorz from the trainstation and cruised south to pick up my buddy slash nerdcrush Nyovne. With only a slight delay we arrive in Cologne at about 11AM, almost immediately seeing our first cosplayer. We parked and got our tickets and joined the throng of German nerdlings shuffling through 4 gigantic halls looking for the SC2 stage.
TLO vs NaDa
We found the right hall just in time to catch Game 2 of Nada vs TLO pretty epic what with massive Tank/Viking armies under fire by Nukes. Time to make my first cheerful (I'd promised Boesthius some camera-whored shoutouts).
![[image loading]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5XZGH7jI/AAAAAAAAAyE/DZsQq8s3qQk/s512/100_4542.JPG)
The third game was good but ended abruptly (as you know) but since TLO won we were pretty happy
The Games
There was 1,5 hours until the next StarCraft event so we decided to walk around and check out some stands. I'm not much of a gamer so I was only tagging along, but here's what we saw:
Rift
Shameless copy-paste of WoW. We obtained two computers and Nyo/Floorz played a dual that didn't quite go either way nor got us very exciting lol. There was literally a pile of beta invites sitting on the desk and Floorz grabbed bunch (so if you need one go ask him lol).
No More Nations
Apparently new and epic RTS. Nyo crashed the computer near-instantly
Jagged Alliance 3
Or so we thought. Nyo seemed excited about this so we talked to the chick about letting the three of us in. Upon walking into the booth thing and sitting down at a pc we notice that it's some other game. Nor do any of the other pcs have anything resembling Jagged Alliance. Confused and disappointedly we leave.
Total War Napoleon
We start us a game and have no idea what to do. I tell Nyo to grab everything and a-move. "We'll just micro and win". Army takes ages to move. We speed it up to superfast. Cavalry runs into the opponent and gets slaughtered. About 3 minutes later our infantry crashes into the opposing force. Upon zooming in the pc goes slideshow. This is dumb - we leave.
StarCraft 2 and Quake
We decide to try and find some SC2 pcs to play a 3v3 maybe. We manage to find the only 2 pcs with SC2 where some guys are playing the campaign on Normal speed. Right hand on the mouse, left hand on the keyboard's arrow buttons. ASDF. Nyo hogs the PC to find out if there's multiplayer, I wonder of to find Vilda. Ran into Artosis who's a cool guy. Met Vilda who explained the Kespa controversy. We get back to Nyo and Floorz who 200/200 some campaign level on brutal. We decide to check out the Quake semis which were going on. It was a pretty cool and close game. I'd never played QL but you can catch up on it easily. twas a fun match.
Morrow vs Dimaga
While Nada is throwing mice at people, we meet up with Zatic, Artosis, Naz and 7mk in the middle of the floor - pretty good spots :D Time for more cheerfuls.
![[image loading]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5W3CJE4I/AAAAAAAAAyA/0l2bM3Ltigg/s512/100_4541.JPG)
![[image loading]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5Xy6RqhI/AAAAAAAAAyI/v9U4YLYiZ3k/s512/100_4543.JPG)
Middle of the stage should be good for camera whoring. The moment the camera sweeps the crowd the Dimaga Fanclub gets up, with giant cardboard signs. ASDF ;_;
The games are really cool though, watching it with a group of people who understand the game really adds to the experience. You can gasp, clap, nod and WHOA at the same time.
One thing you don't see from the stream is the screens on the left and right. They have the player's first person view on them:
![[image loading]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5HvCv1XI/AAAAAAAAAw8/5d6edonPBSc/s512/100_4525.JPG)
It's a bit like watching tennis some time but it was really well done.
Liquipedia Picture Hunt
Upon hearing I'd go Flicky told me to get good pictures of all the players for Liquipedia. My first victim is TLO n_n.
![[image loading]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5Qea03GI/AAAAAAAAAxk/uD4UJ98P8Ns/s512/100_4534.JPG)
We go outside for some fresh air. We meet up with the TL guys again, Artosis and Day are there discussing ze Starcrafts. I talk to Morrow and Dimaga. They're both cool guys. Dimaga is a really candid guy, very cheerful. It sad he lost the series but he's won a fan (and more with me amirite?)
![[image loading]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5Sut63vI/AAAAAAAAAxs/Hx66PqdHVms/s512/100_4536.JPG)
Morrow remembers who I am (woohoo) and I'm a bit of a fanboy and wish him good luck toMorrow (GETTIT?). He also agrees to a pic n_n
![[image loading]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5Tp3_ObI/AAAAAAAAAxw/t4-Ktx-QALA/s512/100_4537.JPG)
We spend the rest of the interbellum discussing Thors vs Mutas with Dimaga (hintlol)
Idra vs Tarson
We head back inside for the next Semis. I decide to make Artosis a sign.
![[image loading]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JjRV9kdI5FE/THD5WDKEGjI/AAAAAAAAAx8/l-oY3JfM9Zk/s512/100_4540.JPG)
The games are good fun. Time for one last cheerful.
![[image loading]](http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/595/1004545q.jpg)
Aftermath
After the SC2 games finish the place is like 70% less crowded. It's only 7:30 pm but booths are closing down and people are leaving. Weird. We do have free reign over some more games.
Some 3d race game
You put on these 3D glasses and it's a race game much like N4Speed. Looks really cool but got a headache playing longer than 60 seconds. Hopefully this beta can still be improved -_-
Shoving other guys off of a platform for XBOX 360
I think I played this in some Chrash Bandicoot party minigame. Was pretty dumb lol.
Floating platform thingy
Was kinda cool. It was a 50x50cm frame with 4 propellors (much like the Banshee's!) in it that with a remote control would lift off of the ground and hover. You'd tilt the controller to make it got back and forth. Probably eats you batteries like a mofo. We mused about the Green Goblin bursting in and claiming possession and about installing a small crane on it so it'd be able to get a beer for you.
We headed out around 8pm. Pretty early but we were kind of tired anyway. Dropping the guys off at the station I went and got myself a milkshake induced brainfreeze and headed home. Pretty good day
Yer not too much content but I reckon the Tosis pic is worth 4 stars at least
