In stark contrast to my bewildering first Fanfest experience last year, this time I have blagged the privilege of a press pass courtesy of my Guild Launch sponsors. So far this has been a double-edged sword with the private previews I've so far attended containing tantalising information that I'm not yet allowed to talk about. I imagine this is akin to the NDA frustration that the CSM members have to endure.
Luckily, due to contacts made at last year's Fanfest, I have been fortunate enough to link up with a couple of veteran journalists in the form of Petter Martensson (FZ.SE) and John Bedford (Eurogamer) who have been kind enough to take me under their wings and endure my rookie mistakes (note to self: laptops are no use if left in hotel rooms).
It's been an interesting experience so far, with Ned "CCP Manifest" Coker playing Pied Piper and leading all the naughty little hacks to the gloriously bizarre edifice which is the Harpa Centre. We were shown to our secret press cave down in the basement from where I now write this.
Between presentations (about which I don't think I'm allowed to write yet), the journo blob takes up residence in this press cave. It is filled with a strange school classroom vibe, with the quiet, studious atmosphere punctuated by furious typing and muttered conversations. Every once in a while a few of them disappear off to play a game I'm not allowed to talk about yet. It's my go shortly.
I've had some opportunity to wander the halls and corridors of the Harpa Centre and, given my inability to write about the D-game, instead I'll share some random photos of my experience so far, from last night's TweetFleetMeet and the first day of Fanfest.
