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Welcome to another episode of Divercast! On episode 36 the guys talk about everything from E3 2k17. The guys talk about who "Won E3", what games they are looking forward too and which game or conference had the biggest faux pas this year. All this and more!
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The Media Indie Exchange (The MIX) is an indie game showcase where indie game developers can show off their games to press. Dannylv100 and Crayyon attended this event to check out the latest indie games for Indie Arcade and dannylv100.com.
Unfortunately there were way too many games to cover! This is a short video that covers a handful of the games the guys got to play.
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Welcome to episode 26 of Divercast! This is our E3 2016 special! Dannylv100 and Crayyon spent the majority of E3 doing some cross promotion with KP bags. Christian was working the Occulus booth on the show floor and he has the inside scoop of the latest VR headsets.
The guys get together to talk about the prevalence of VR on the show floor and what games they are hyped for. The guys talk about what looks promising and what company had the best conference. So sit back, relax it is time for Divercast!
This episode was brought to you in part by Keep Purusing Inc. Keep Pursuing Inc makes stylish, minimalist bags for the modern adventurer. Check them out on Twitter and Instagram.
Don't forget to check out our affiliate IndieBox.com! Indiebox is a subscription service that delivers collector edition indie games straight to your door step every month. Referral code: Divercast.
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- Danny Q
@Dannylv100 Tips and Pro Tips make all the difference
The Electronic Entertainment Expo is upon us once again. You probably know it as E3. Is this your first time going to E3? Every year people try and find tips and advice on how to explore the show. Like many others, I too have read these lists, and I have to say...they weren't all that helpful. If you want a great list of fantastic tips, you've found the place. Get ready for some tips and pro tips!
Obvious Tips
These are the kind of tips you are going to find on any and every list about E3. These are the most basic and simple tips that you can find just about anywhere.
What to Wear
E3 is a trade show for business to show off the latest coming attractions in games. Contrary to what a lot of people might think, E3 is not a fan event. There are a ton of business types walking around the convention center. If you are at E3 to just have a good time, dress casually.
If you are going to E3 to network, I would recommend business casual attire. You don't want to bump into someone you want to network with while wearing basketball shorts and a Goku button up! You want to make a good impression! After all you are representing your studio, channel or brand.
Tip: If you are the type of person that sunburns easily, you may want to apply some sunscreen before attending the convention.
Tip: E3 is a trade show, it isn't Anime Expo or Comic Con. Unless you are being paid to promote a product/service or game, leave the costume at home.
What to Bring with YouBackpack
Snacks
Obvious Tip: Water fountains are located around the outside of either hall. These spots are ideal for getting a drink or refilling your water bottle.
Where snacks are concerned, I usually just pack something simple like Apple/Pear slices, banana or chopped carrots. Healthy snacks that will keep your energy up and not slow you down. Beef Jerky and mixed nuts are also a great option if you want to keep the hunger at bay while also restoring your energy. You also can just pack a home made PB&J. All these items are easy to consume while waiting in line or just relaxing outside the con.
Tip: Don't pack any food items that need to be heated up or cooked in any way. Please don't bring food with a very pungent smell either!
Business Cards
Know the Halls
Use thisinteractive map and Virtual Tour of the convention center to familiarize yourself with the halls. Just remember, this handy tip, the West hall is the one closets to Staples Center.
Figure out Where to Eat In Advance
In recent years there has been a plethora of lunch trucks that can be found along Figueroa street, across from the convention center. Lunch trucks vary in price, so expect to spend around 8-12 dollars. Sometimes, game studios may provide a lunch truck that will give out free food/snacks as part of a promotion! These lunch trucks are a great way to save some money, but don't count on them being your main source of food.
LA live, which is near the convention center is full of places to eat. These are sit down places and can be a bit pricy, keep that in mind if you are on a budget. If you had to eat at a place in LA Live I would recommendLucky Strike. It has a nice atmosphere and their lunch menu that isn't too expensive while also being a short walk from the West hall.
Whenever people ask "What is good in LA?" you might get an answers like, Pinks, In-N-Out, Phillipes etc. Just be aware that none of these places are near the convention center! Feel free to eat there, but not during convention hours. You will waste a lot of time/gas/money traveling all the way to Pink's.
Make sure to do your research beforehand! Zomato makes it easy to find places around Downton Los Angels with their lunch and dinner search options. Make sure to plan out where you're going to eat before you make the trip to the show floor! Protips
These are the tips that you will only get from someone like me, am E3 veteran. These tips will give you the edge over the unprepared masses that flood the halls.
Networking
Networking is one of the most powerful things you can do while attending E3. You are going to be surrounded by thousands of people in every field of game development. Indie game designer, Concept artist on huge AAA projects, HR and PR personnel. I really hope you brought along your business cards!
But when is networking approriate? How hard should you hustle? When and where is best to meet people?
Pro Tip: Read the situation, in a line that is an hour long wait you might not want to be stuck next to someone you angered/annoyed!
At an After Party
The show floor isn't the only place that you can socialize. Every year E3 has a ton of after parties, and most of them are accessible to anyone attending E3. How do you find such parties? One thing that always works for me is to google search "E3 Parties (Year)" and you will find a list of all the parties that will be going on that week.Or better yet you can follow the E3 party guide on twitter or check out their website. Most of these events are fairly easy to attend. Don't be surprised that a few may be exclusive.
One such event that anyone over 21 can attend is the Gamedev Drinkup. I would recommend the gamdev drinkup because it is a great way to network and meet interesting people. This event is very laid back and casual. Just people drinking and talking. This is a great event for people that are just breaking into the game industry or are fresh out of a game design college.
Tip: Be sure to bring your E3 badge to the party! Most parties require a badge for entry. Don't leave it at your hotel or car!
Get Connected!
If you've been busy hustling and socializing at E3 you probably got a stack of business cards! What do you do now? Simple, start connecting with these people! What I normally do is I find them on Linkedin or twitter. I sit down at my desk and go through the business cards of all the people I met. I send requests to the people I had a good conversation with. It doesn't hurt to message everyone you collected a card from.
Pro Tip: Make sure to wait a few days to a week before you try and connect with anyone on Linkedin. People are busy during E3 and are more likely to see your request after the dust has settled. If you want to connect with them right away, follow them on twitter as it is a much more casual means of connecting.
Here is an example of a short message I would send "Danny would like to connect. Great talking to you about your upcoming project! " Keep it short, simple and add a personal touch. The personal touch helps them remember who you are. It is very common for people to get spammed with tons of connection requests, you want to remind this person who you are, where you met (In line, At an after party etc) and what you were talking about. This will build a bond, refresh their memory and ensure that these people will accept your request.
SWAG: Dos and Don't
E3 is a place full of swag (Stuff We All Get), but not all of it is worth it. In fact some of it will just weigh you down and hold you back. One item I learned to avoid are the over sized convention bags. At best they help you carry all of your stuff, at worst they get in the way and the strap will rip causing you to drag them all over the place.
If you are offered something that you don't want, politely decline. It is a major pet peeve of mine to see people receive something and simply toss it in the trash or on the ground. Just say "No thank you". Not hard to do.
DO: Keep An Eye out for Hot Ticket Items
There are some hot ticket items at every E3. The Skylanders booth onced raffled off an E3 exclusive figure that collectors would love to get their hands on. I was fortunate enough to win one. I held onto it for a while and I sold it online for a cool hundred mil.
(Please) DON'T: Be a SWAG Hog or a Whiner
Swag is free, but that doesn't mean you are entitled to all of it, nor does it mean you should take more then everyone else. Be aware that most of the time the people working the booths are only allotted so many items to give away each day. Sometimes they run out or are done handing out items for the day.
I bring this up because every year I see someone get annoyed or angry at this fact. I've seen a grown man raise his voice at someone because he didn't get a free T-shirt. Don't be that guy. Don't be the guy who takes too much or whines when they run out. Fact of the matter is, you will survive without a video game shirt. Not All Lines Are Equal
I have waited maybe, half an hour to an hour before to go into a private theater to play a demo and see some extra footage, and those times have always been worth it. Sometimes they give you a shirt and some cool swag.
Everyone is going to tell you this "Waiting in line is a big part of E3" and "Long lines are to be expected". Don't fall for these traps. One year, there was a huge AAA game I was excited for. My friends and I deiced to wait in the 3 hour line, because you know, it had to be worth the wait. Guess what happened. When my friends and I finally got into the private theater, they showed us the trailer of the game and gave us no new info. No demo, no new footage, no gameplay, nothing. It was a three hour wait! The only thing we go four our trouble was a T-shirt.
How can you avoid a similar fate at E3? Well if you have a press pass that usually cuts waiting in line in half or can even gets you into these private screenings without having to wait.
How does someone with a general access pass avoid this fate? Easy, just ask someone working the booth. Ask them how long the wait is, if you can play the game/if there is some cool swag etc. The people working the booth will fill you in. I've avoided waiting in lines to nowhere ever since. Lyft/Uber
Are you signed up to Uber or Lyft yet? No? Good! You might want to hold off until the week of E3. Both of these companies offer sign up bonuses for new customers that can be really handy if you ever get stranded in or around the convention center.
Sign up to Lyft with referral code DANNYLV100 and get your first ride FREE. Get Your Coupons Ready
If you have any coupons from Lyft/Uber sitting somwhere, now would be a good time to use them. I have a couple coupons for free rides I got a few months back that I am saving up in case of an emergency scenario. If the apocalypse were to happen tomorrow, guess who has a free ticket out of LA.
Know Your Route: Public Transportation
Everyone seems to have the idea that public transportation in LA is terrible. That is not too far from the truth, but you aren't going to be traveling all over LA, just to the convention center. Lucky for you, there are a couple of ways to get to E3 by public transportation!
LA Metro can help you find a route to the convention center. Give them a call @ 323.466.3876. Let them know your starting position and your destination. The kind folks at LA Metro will be happy to help you plan your route, free of charge!
Public Transportation Routes
Metro Bus 81(orange bus) goes through Downtown Los Angeles and then travels straight down Figueroa. This bus makes with multiple stops near the convention center.
LADOT DASH shuttle bus F will take your through Downtown LA and straight to the convention center for only 50 cents! It stops running around 6 pm, so be aware! Metro Expo line (light blue train) has a stop at PICO station that will leave you a few blocks away from the convention center. Selfie Stick (For the Youtuber/Blogger on a budget)
Selfie sticks aren't just for selfies. Whenever I need to film something out in the field I use my an everyday HD digital camera and my selfie stick. If you are an up and coming channel, you might not have the budget or crew to get the shots you need. A selfie stick is compact, light and requires very little set up. Selfie Sticks are also very affordable when compared to most tripods, boom mics and camera mounts.
With a selfie stick and some creativity you can take some great shots of the show floor. You can also use it when conducting interviews and filming vlogs. If you see any footage for this site or the youtube channel, you can bet it was filmed with my selfie stick.
Note: The show floor is very loud! If you want to film a vlog or interview, try and do it somewhere outside or away from the show floor.
Portable Charger
This portable charger is slightly bigger then a lipstick and neatly fits into your backpack or purse (and comes in a few different colors). A portable charger will allow you to charge your smart phone on the go, it can definitely save you or a friend in a pinch! Especially if you are from out of town or country and you rely on your phone to get around (map, travel, etc). Don't be the guy looking for an outlet at the after party! Be the guy who is prepared and makes it back home safely!
Portable Charger Options: Jackery Mini Premium, Anker Portable Charger, Astro Candy Bar Sized Charger
Use this Shortcut!
There is an outdoors walkways that connects both halls. This walkway will take you to the entrance of the South hall and West Hall. Most people are going to use the main walkway, but you don't want to do that! As a veteran of E3 I can tell you that the main walkway takes a lot longer to get between the halls. We are going to be talking anywhere from 10-15 mins if you walk from the south hall to the west hall via the main walkway.
If you take the outside walkway, you're looking at around 5-8 mins. You might be thinking "So what?" A few minutes makes all the difference if you need to get to a meeting or get in line to have an art print signed! Trust me on this one.
See You at the Show!
With all of these tips and pro tips, I think you are now ready for your first E3! Just remember to have a good time. You should have learned to avoid lines to nowhere, figure out where you are going to eat, what to bring and to network.
If you found any of these tips helpful in any way shape or form, please feel free to tweet me and let me know! If you see me at the show don't be afraid to say hi! I really enjoy meeting new people and socializing. You can probably catch me at one of the Gamedev drink ups or Indie meet ups! Have a great E3!
Artwork was provided by Xfactor 521. Follow her on Twitch, Twitter and Deviantart! Be sure to give her a follow!
All photographs of E3 were taken by Dannylv100 except where noted
Do you have questions, comments or concerns? Email us at [email protected]
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Dannylv100 I am an Indie Game and Level designer, Consultant and host of Divercast. Popular Podcast Episodes:
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