E3 2014

[Lex]

Hey folks,

About 2 weeks ago I thought I'd apply for press passes to E3 2014 (I was half joking, I never thought it would succeed) since they're particularly difficult to get one's hands on.

Spoiler: And here's the result.

It follows with my barcode, a registration number and instructions on how to pick up my badge. Unrestricted access to ALL OF E3!!!!!!!!!

I am actually so poor right now but I don't care, I'll take out a loan, I'll get the money somehow - I HAVE to be there. I can't miss this! They sent me a Visa letter and everything! I'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN TO THE US!

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else wanted to go/ apply? I'll obviously be covering it for TLS but I'm not exactly thrilled about going alone lol.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

That's so cool, bro. Wish I could go with you, but for so many reasons I can't.

Looking forward to your coverage, though. How do you plan to go about it?

 

[Alex Strife]

I am SO happy for you, man!!

Honestly, I rarely believe in those "good things happen to those who need them" things but events such as this make me doubt sometimes.

Enjoy the hell out of it!!!

 

[Shademp]

You deserve this. Hope everything goes well.

 

[Octo]

You spawny get!

Seriously thats great news, Id go with but no money and baby and dont travel well etc.

 

[Pixel]

Awesome

If you film stuff, you can put it on our youtube channel if you'd like.

 

[Lex]

That's so cool, bro. Wish I could go with you, but for so many reasons I can't.

Looking forward to your coverage, though. How do you plan to go about it?

Well the convention runs for 3 days, closing at 6pm every day. I have unlimited access to the floor - game previews, I can request interviews with Devs etc.

The press conferences are by invitation only, so when the itinerary goes up I'll apply to those we want to cover (Square Enix for example). I'll use the time in the hotel at night to update the front page, or I can create a new series of pages and cover it in a blog-style with lots of photos and neverending descriptions of everything I see.

In addition I'll live-Tweet everything that's happening from the TLS twitter account.

I know we're a niche site and we focus on VII, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us, we could really attract a lot of attention by doing this.

I will have it planned to the finest detail as soon as I figure out a way to come up with the money. I would honestly give blow jobs for a tenner to go for this and just give 200 blow jobs if I could.

Realistically I'm thinking about creating a campaign on one of those crowd-funding sites? It could work. It's very un-British and un-me to ask other people for money but even if I sell my car, all my consoles, collectors editions of things, box sets etc. I don't think I'd be able to raise enough money to go in time.

I never in a million years thought this would be approved. I'm a bit annoyed because I literally just booked a week away in Tenerife with my uni friends and if I'd known about this I'd never have booked it, I'd just keep the money back to go to this.

 

[Keveh Kins]

I'm very happy for you and totally not jealous


Seriously though, sweet one dude

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

If I wasn't moving in June, I'd definitely donate, Lex.

Goddamn life getting in the way of awesome.

 

[Tetsujin]

Holy shit, this is amazing.

I'd seriously consider going too if you need moral or practical support. :p

How much does this even cost? I have money right now. How does one apply in the first place?

 

[Cthulhu]

So if you didn't have the money for it, why did you even apply?

TLS has some monies it can pitch in (it would only be fair due to you reporting for TLS and the like), and I'm sure we can organize a fund raiser of sorts too.

As for cost, well at the very least there'll be a plane ticket to the US involved, which can run well over 1000 (fuck if I know) depending on when/where/who etc. Then there's admission for e3 and hotel / staying costs, and off course food.

 

[Cabaret]

Crowd funding can certainly work, but it needs to be pushed in the right places - I would imagine that there are enough people on the forums who, if they donated a few quid would get you there. Or is that too ambitious of me?

Being a bit of a professional hobo, I'm a master at finding cheap accommodation, though I've never had to look in America before. I don't suppose we know anyone in the area?

Edit: Forgot to say, congrats! ><

 

[Splintered]

Holy shit congrats Lex. Couldn't happen to a nicer dude, and you work your ass off for this place so you know what? Fuck it you earned it.

Can't wait to see your coverage.

 

[Celes Chere]

WOW I TOTALLLLLY WANT TO GO you're so lucky, I hope you find the means to get there. :')

 

[Mage]

Is this why you never answered whether you wanted my EGX Rezzed coverage? Because you knew you were going to one-up me? Well cobblers.

Seriously though, we'll make it happen d00d.

 

[Lex]

^EGX what? I applied for press passes to those too . I don't remember seeing a message about that.

Yop, I applied without the money to fly and stuff because I never dreamed I'd actually get them . Tets, you need to upload the following:

Passport scan
Business Card
3 URL's to your articles

I just made a business card on the fly (I asked Pixel for some site files to make it seem official).

Spoiler: here's the one I made

If anyone wants the .psd to make their own and apply I'll send it to you.

Regarding cost the flights will probably be around £600-700 return at the cheapest, but I think there's a discount available from the E3 people so I'll have to phone up and enquire. No idea how much accommodation would be, with expenses i'm probably looking at around £1500 to be safe (by which i mean flights, accommodation, other expenses). The media pass gets me access to E3 - I don't have to pay any money for the ticket AFAIK.

The thing is it's kind of just strictly business, because I'm not planning on doing anything extravagent or going out or anything while I'm there, it's literally 16 hour flight, convention, write-up in hotel x3, 16 hour flight home. BUT IM SO FUCKING EXCITED.

 

[Marcus]

My biigest problem with going is getting holidays, all my holidays beside EGX have been pre booked for me so it's really hard to get requests authorised as they have t work around management and everyone else.

I'm incredibly jealous and happy for you Lex, I think I'll research this and have a look at getting a holiday request in. if not for this year then definitely for next!

 

[trash panda]

Ahem. Lex, the LA Convention Center is 8 miles away from my house. I will bring you ceviche. Unfortunately, I am not a professional in the interactive entertainment industry, so I can't go inside.

 

[Tetsujin]

Tets, you need to upload the following:

Passport scan
Business Card
3 URL's to your articles

As mentioned on Skype, I did publish news back in the day, but that was in 2010.
My most recent article was the Final Symphony review although it wasn't uploaded by me.
Who do I have to blow to get promoted back to staff?

 

[Lex]

Me

If you actually want to write for the site again you're welcome to come back to staff Tets, anyone who wants to write for the site is welcome to do so (as long as they're not spamming the front page with random crap )

 

[Ⓐaron]

Should I put Tets back on site contributors?

 

[Ⓐaron]

Congrats was implied in there somewhere by the way

 

[Tetsujin]

I'd like to write again actually. Fuck my depression, I wanna be productive again.

Going to E3 is a damn good motivation. Would be super cool for TLS and maybe it'll become an annual thing for us...unless it makes us completely poor.

 

[Lex]

Welcome back to staff then Tets. May you contribute lots

(and if you find something to write about now for the sole purpose of applying to E3 I can totally deal with that)

 

[Tetsujin]

Welcome back to staff then Tets. May you contribute lots

(and if you find something to write about now for the sole purpose of applying to E3 I can totally deal with that)

I'm thinking hard about what to write.
I'm usually on top of news with VG concerts, although the latest ones regarding the Final Symphony performances in Denmark and Japan are 1 - 2 months old so that wouldn't make good "news".