Features
Realm Media Networks launches LeaderShell.com for Dallas News!
Regular visitors to Realm Media may have noticed that things have been pretty quiet recently. No, we're not dying off, we were just working on a new site that would be focused on the Dallas/Fort-Worth area. We've now launched that site, which can be found at LeaderShell.com.
The goal of LeaderShell.com is to provide the same great Dallas-based coverage, but to go further with more events, more coverage, more reviews, and of course more contests! If you don't live in the Dallas-area, don't worry, you'll still be eligible for all the contests, but our real goal is to reach out the community around us, so we can help people in the DFW area find out about great gaming events nearby.
Unbeknownst to most people, Dallas is home to great gaming software companies like id and Gearbox, and we have a great gaming convention every year in QuakeCon. Beyond that, there are usually several gaming competitions each year, and numerous other gaming events put on by smaller companies. In the mobile space, there are many great developers putting out iPhone games now, and we hope to cover them more with LeaderShell.com.
So turn that frown upside down, RealmMedia.com is coming back better than ever as LeaderShell.com, and we hope that you'll be a part of us. Want to see what's coming soon? Check out our Event Calendar, and if you have something to add, send us an e-mail at events[at]leadershell.com. Be sure to follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/Leadershell to keep up with all the latest news. We also have a great new mobile site for LeaderShell.com, just visit us using your iPhone, Android phone, Palm Pre, or Blackberry!
We hope to see you all there, and thanks again for all your support!
Borderlands Launches in Plano with developers
GameStops around the country stayed open until after midnight last night to welcome the arrival of a the new game, Borderlands. Two GameStops out of the thousands around the country, though, had something a little extra. One of the GameStops in Plano, Texas, had over a dozen employees from the Plano-based developer. They were there to meet the fans, and autograph anything people wanted.
The night started around 9, when the management ordered pizza, and opened up some copies of Borderlands to put in demo stations. There were four-player setups in both Xbox 360 and PS3 flavors, along with a couple single player stations setup. Throughout the night, gamers would share the play time and watch each other.
Around 10 pm, a few Gearbox employees began to trickle in, with the crowd growing over the next hour or so. All in all, about 15 employees showed up, mostly developers, who immediately jumped into interacting with everyone. They answered questions about their involvment in the game, and signed game covers, manuals, guides, posters, t-shirts, and anything else the fans could offer up. They played down their own celebrity status, but seemed to enjoy themselves.
At some point during the night, a small man dressed as the iconic cover art character began making the rounds, getting his picture taken, and posing for the fans. We were told the costume creator was also responsible for the Barney costume, but it's hard to tell which is more scarey.
At 5 to midnight, everyone who had purchased the game lined up to receive their discs, completing their own personal Collector's Edition. Less than 100 copies of the game were sold, so everyone in attendance definitely has a little piece of history spinning in their console.
Next month's launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will definitely eclipse the night in numbers, with about 450 pre-orders at this single location already. Borderlands can only launch once though, and for a lot of people, it will be a night they will never forget.
For more pictures, visit our Borderlands Launch gallery.
QuakeCon 2009 - A look inside
Every year Dallas plays hosts to a convention for gaming geeks, dorks, nerds, and enthusiats. Id Software, makers of the popular Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake games, hosts the event which draws gamers from all over. There are always new announcements from id, prizes to be won, and plenty of games to play.
The annual event started off with a quick 30 minute press conference and welcome by some of the top people at id. Unfortunately, the press conference started 30 minutes late, causing confusion and frustration for most in attendance. Once it began, all was forgiven as the announcements began flowing. A discount was announced for Wolfenstein and Doom: Resurrection on the iPhone, and more titles were teased as forthcoming. Quake Arena and Doom 2 were announced for the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), and would be available to play on the exhibit floor. A new trailer for Rage got everybody excited about the new shooter/racer game, even though specific details would not be shown until Saturday. One more quick welcome to everyone, and then everyone was treated to the annual keynote by John Carmack.
QuakeCon 2009 - RAGE Demo impressions
For an hour this past Saturday, the guys at id demoed their upcoming FPS/Racing game RAGE, much to the delight of those in attendance. When you're presenting to a group of people that, all combined, have spent thousands of hours traveling to your event, you want to make a good impression, and there's no doubt they did. RAGE Creative Director, Tim Willits, and lead Designer Matt Hooper took the main stage at QuakeCon 2009 to take everyone through some of the different parts of RAGE, introducing us all to the story and gameplay that they hoped we would love.
Use the read more link to read our full demo preview
QuakeCon 2009 - BYOC Interviews
We were able to talk to just a handful of nearly 3,000 attendees of the BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) portion of QuakeCon, and ask them about where they were from, what they had been doing, and what they liked most (and least) about QuakeCon. Take a look at the video:
QuakeCon 2009 comes to Gaylord Texan
QuakeCon, the annual geek fest for id software, has begun, with big announcements and some new titles that are sure to push the boundary of what can be done on a gaming PC. We're starting our coverage with some videos to show you the event, and give you a little look at what you're missing out on. QuakeCon is a free show, so there's really no reason to stay home if you live in the DFW area.
We'll start with a quick walk through of the Exhibition area, where you can play games, and get free stuff from the vendors:
Then we have a walk through the BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) section:
During the id Software Press Conference a new trailer for Rage was shown:
And that night there was an invite-only party to celebrate QuakeCon and Wolfenstein:
Look for more coverage coming in the next few days.
Video Games Live - Recap and Contest!
It's been a couple weeks since we started our coverage of Video Games Live, and you may not have noticed all the stories, so let's recap. First was our review of the show in Fort Worth. Then came our interview with Tommy Tallarico, where he discussed a few upcoming games that would probably be added to the show in the coming year. After that was our interview with Jack Wall, composer and conductor for VGL, where he discussed travelling with his family and his role in the show. And of course there is our photo gallery from the show, where you can get just a small taste of what the experience is like.
But what about the music? Well, to help promote the show, and to do something a little extra for our readers, we're giving away a copy of Video Games Live, Volume 1, signed by both Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall! All you need to do is leave a comment on this story with what you would be most excited to see if you went to see Video Games Live. That's it! In one week, we'll randomly select one of the comments, and send the CD to the winner. Good luck!
And if you want read our coverage of Video Games Live in Dallas, check out our wrap-up story from 2007.
Limit one entry per person. All entries must be submitted by Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at 12PM (Noon) Central US Time.
[Update: Congrats to our winner, Spike116! Hope you enjoy the music! ]