So what was different this year? Everywhere people were dancing, jumping, exercising and playing one sport or another. Getting players off the couch is big this year. Microsoft's Kinect lets you move your body without holding onto anything - 'course only extreme movements were exhibited. Sony's challenge to the Wii is Move. The snow-cone motion controller, looking like pink ices, is not going to go over big with the core gamers. To get my macho friends to put on a seat belt, I once suggested patterning the belts to look like bandoliers. I haven't seen the Move navigation controller and will reserve judgment until I get my hands on it. Nintendo had lines snaking back and forth and round and round to get a glimpse of the 3D Nintendo 3DS. Was it worth it to have the puppy come up to you and lick your face (facial recognition) - yes!

Shuddering disgusting was Capcom's booth where they had a woman in a cage taunted by guards - the excuse, she was a vampire. Alas, another one of those myths of women "misleading" men and therefore open game for misanthropic fantasies. Won't give them the publicity of mentioning the game or showing the picture, but trust me, it was ugly. And as for life imitating games - a bearded man with the fringes from his prayer shawl showing from underneath his jacket intensely using a machine gun controller shooting at a scene, oblivious of the crowd gathering around. On a more positive note, we found plenty of interesting games that didn't require you kill, shoot or maim.

People at the booths were extremely polite. Everyone demonstrating must have been told to shake hands before and after. In keeping with the times - wall hung hand sanitizers were spaced around the convention center. Getting greener. Game Assets (publicity material, screen shots, video clips) used to be produced in 4 color brochures, then CD's, then business cards - now on slips of paper. What next - tattoos? Only one company reception desk had a sign for "non-appointment media". It's good policy to recognize instead of fighting reality.

West Hall was a tad quieter than South. Wonder when companies will have to start giving hazard pay or compensate for hearing loss. You may not have noticed, but those slick business cards they use are impossible to write notes on. And it has confounded me why PR companies never include the name of the company they are representing along with the PR contact.

Next month, Casual Connect in Seattle.