EIEIO 08: Good Times, Games Were Had
Here I am, back at work the day after Gamecock's EiEiO 08 event here in Austin at Stubb's BBQ. I have to say it was incredibly fun. After work, I made my way over there to check out some games they were showing off, but not before I picked up some swag including a shirt, a "cock sock" with a shotglass, Gamecock logo shaped guitar pick (?) and LED logo projector thingie. Dementium: The Ward and Insecticide also made their way into my eager hands. Needless to say, the folks at Gamecock were very friendly and highly accommodating.
While I cannot tell you about some of the games I saw until Wednesday of next week, I can tell you the games were awesome. I had a chance to see a pre-alpha Velvet Assassin in action, as well as Mushroom Men for the Wii/DS. We came back later that evening to get some hands on time with the impressive Legendary. Hail to the Chimp and Pirates vs. Ninja Dodgeball were on display, but I didn't get to play them. So, I did what I like doing most...I watched. On our way out, I noticed some people riding a bull cock. I thought about riding it myself, but thought it was probably best that I didn't. Though it sounds dirty, it was essentially a bull riding machine with the head having been replaced by that of a rooster/cock. It was amusing to say the least. There was also a burlesque dancer doing her thing amongst those awesome outdoor heaters whilst the male public looked on. A few local bands were performing and there were several food/alcohol bars where you could get some sustenance. It was a good event and could perhaps be the beginning of something bigger in Austin.
This morning, KUT 90.5 NPR Austin had a small interview with Gamecock's Mike Wilson. In that interview, he said he would like to see EiEiO/Screenburn become more like a Sundance for video games. He mentioned that it's difficult for smaller/lesser known games and companies to get into places like the new E3 or E for All. EiEiO and Screenburn would serve to fill that void while further lifting Austin's game development star higher into the sky. Personally, I would love to see that happen. It would be mighty nice to have that right in my backyard.
Screenburn is in its third year, I believe, and will certainly have a lot of gaming going on. I'll be there to cover it this weekend. EiEiO is still a very young event with tons of promise. I can only hope that the rapid growth continues and that this will become a bigger destination for gamers and developers a like.
Super Timsy
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 7 March 2008
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