NYC Comic-Con 2014 Overview

It was that time of year again, Comic-Con at Javits Center. An entire fan convention dedicated to video games, comic books, graphic novels, anima, manga, toys and television. This was my second year at this marvelous event but this time as part of the press. While it was overwhelming seeing all these amazing people fill the halls of Javits Center left me wanting more, and dreading having to wait another year after this one ended. I didn’t slow down and decided to see everything I could, just like last year it was an even worth remembering. 

Thursday

First day covering Comic-Con and I was disappointed when I saw the show floor. The previous year was filled with video game booths, this year the lack of varied choices that made last year amazing. While Resident Evil Revelations 2 and Rise of the Fallen were delightful, the lack of any major publishers and developers was sorely disappointing. Last year Nintendo blew me away with their booth filled with upcoming Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS video games, encouraging me to purchase one. 

What made the first day truly shine was Roosterteeth’s panel. Hosted by Monty Oum, Barbara Dunkelman and Kerry Shawcross the panel was filled of entire room with energy. Showing everyone the new episode of RWBY, giving the fans a sneak peek of the upcoming episode, and revealing new information about the future of RWBY had fans cheering from start to finish. I didn’t think anyone was going to top it until I met all three of them in person. 

Despite trying to keep a clam attitude I became an awestruck fanboy. I didn’t know what to say and just began telling them how much of a fan I was of Red vs. Blue, Achievement Hunter, RWBY, Haloid, and Dead Fantasy. I  even ask Monty if a RWBY game was possible, stating it would be possible and similar to Kingdom Hearts. The only drawback was when I asked them to sign my Nintendo 3DS, not realizing that the ink would completely dissolve after a few days.

Of course it wouldn’t be Comic-Con without incredible cosplayers and this year had some amazing ones. People from all the world come dressed as their favorite character in custom-made costumes. It was breathtaking to see how much work these people put into making these outfits. While I was able to interview a small amount of them but it’s no doubt about it, the best reason to come to Comic-Con is to see all the outlandish costumes.

Friday

The next wasn’t as delightful. Friday was difficult, mostly due to the insanity of the large crowd of people. Panels filled up, lines were unrealistically long, and the people behaved aggressively bumping into one another without any concern who was beside them. I was no stranger to being shoved and pushed, but on Friday it become unbearable intolerable. What made the entire day worth it wasn’t what happened during the event but afterwards.

I received a strange invite for a party on a real life pirate ship. At first I debated whether to attend but I’m glad I choose the latter because the second I saw the pirate ship my jaw hit the floor. While I was alone the people on board were friendly and open to talking to one another. I met some fantastic people on the ship, developers from Rovio, IGN staff, and other individuals each with their own stories and experiences to share. The people I met that day turned what was a difficult day into a stunning night, it was a shame that it ended so quickly.

Saturday

This time I wasn’t taking chances, and used what I experience on Friday to motivate me. Instead of relying on the fickle wireless signal provided by Javits Center, which was much worst than last year, I took the initiative to hand write my entire schedule. First stop was the IGN Beyond Podcast, and I was determined to wait two hours ahead of time to seeMarty Sliva, Greg Miller and Colin Moriarty. It was absolutely worth the wait, best of all after the event I was able to speak to one of them and take pictures. At first I was anxious to meet all three, after all they’re one of the most popular people in the video game industry. Instead each one of them were affable and knowledgable.

Afterwards I decided to see Tripwire Interactive’s demo of Killing Floor 2. Although the first game turned me off quickly, to due the lack of tutorials, it seems the developers have made the sequel easier to dive into. During the preview the developers spoke about an early access Alpha to test their game to make sure a stable release and highlighted the graphical update. The new death animations and various of ways to mutilate the zed’s bodies. 

Characters can be customized to tailor to specific play styles. Players can choose to upgrade their character to aid other allies or add specific traits that target themselves instead of aiding partners. I was able to speak to one of the developers about a console release in the future but he dismissed the claim stating that it was possible but for now were entirely focused on a PC release.

I wasn’t expecting what would happen next but I met some amazing people after seeing Killing Floor 2. To my surprise Jessica Nigri was at the event, signing photos and taking pictures with fans. After waiting for 30 minutes I finally met the notorious cosplayer. While I was only about to speak to her for a short amount of time it was a delightful conversation, she was incredibly charming and gentle. The next shocking revelation came when I passed the Dark Horse panel as saw Frank O’Connor was going to signing autographs. This was the second time meet the Development Director, and just like last year I attempted to extract information about the Halo franchise. He comically dodged all my questions when I asked about the Arbiter appearing in Halo 5 unfortunately, guess I'll just have to wait like everyone else. 

 Later I saw seeing the amazing products on development at TriForce studios it was time for another after party. Hosted by IGN and centered around The Legend of Korra video game I stood in line an hour before the event started to ensuremy spot. As a fan of the television series, and Platinum Games, I was still skeptical about the game’s development. To my surprise it buried my doubts, while the story was nonexistent in the demo the action and gameplay stood out.

Like past games made by Platinum Games the controls were precise and the action intense. Water, air, earth and fire each had their own distinct advantages and disadvantages, forcing the player to switch between each element to overcome each opponent. The on rail segment joined Korra’s bending talents with Naga’s speed, allowing the duo to traverse the environment at high speeds, jump over large gaps using earth bending, destroy obstacles with fire and use water to create barriers. The final boss encounter was relatively easy but the producer of The Legend of Korra video game, Robert Conkey, dispel my vexation that the game was too easy.

Conkey explained that the game will feature harder difficulties who seek a challenge, like myself. Stating that enemy encounters in the most intense difficulty will be randomized to ensure each encounter remains fresh. He went on to explain that a secret easter egg is available in the game that features an enemy with infinite health, allowing the player toperform and practice elaborate combo attacks.

Of course the party itself was spectacular. Community Manager Eriq Martin did a fantastic job hosting the entire event, and the party was only amplified when Marty Sliva, Greg Miller and Colin Moriarty finally arrived. Fans huddle around these popular figures, asking questions and getting autographs. Martin went even further to please fans, opening the bar and giving away free Avatar merchandise. I was shocked when he handed me a free Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Art of the Animated Series. A stunning night only made better by IGN.

Sunday

Everything good must eventually come to an end and it was Sunday, the final day of NYC Comic-Con 2014. It was today that I tried something unexpected, speed dating. I wondered why this event was so popular yet so well hidden. Some of the RSVP attendees didn’t show to the event and I was given a seat, unknowingly what to expect. I wasn’t surprised meeting people with similar interest but speaking to them in such an awkward situation such as speed dating, but this fear disappeared quickly. Instead I become engulfed in each conversation that hearing the bell, signaling us to switch seats, became a dreadful noise.

Although I’ve already traversed the show floor several times I decided to give it one last tour. To my surprise I found that Sonic Boom was available to demo, and somehow missed it. After waiting I finally got the chance to play through Sonic Boom Shattered Crystals for the Nintendo 3DS and Rise of Lyrics on Wii U. 

When starting Shattered Crystals I was surprised that the developers included the ability to switch between the characters instead of choosing your character from the start. Each character had their own specific talents to aid in environment obstacle and enemy encounters. For example Sonic was able to use his speed dash to break blocks, Knuckles digging through buried areas, Sticks using boomerang to collect items, and Tails can glide across gaps. Switching between the characters is essential to gathering all the shattered crystals littered throughout the level.

I had to wait on line again to pay Rise of Lyric but it was worth it to dismiss any vexation I had about Sonic’s remodeling. The level shown was an underwater facility in the future called Ancient Template. Here I was able to play as both Sonic and Amy, and like the Shattered Crystals each character has specific abilities. For example Amy can use her triple jump to travel a different path and Sonic, which can be controlled cooperatively, will follow using his own path automatically. Unlike other Sonic games Sonic can now use melee attacks instead of relying on his homing attack alone. 

It was strange that the developers choose to include a stage that focused on methodical platforming instead of speed. While the puzzles and platforming did showcase Amy’s abilities Sonic’s signature speed was limited to small sections of the level and a controlled set piece.

Twitch’s Townhall was the final meeting I was able to attend before the convention ended. The panel was informative about how Twitch operates, continues to grow, and how people with popular channels operate their stream events. It was more of a learning experience but definitely was something worth visiting.

While NYC Comic-Con 2014’s show floor lack the video game panels that made last year’s convention it was still a fantastic event. Seeing incredible gaming icons, meeting new people, and seeing all the cosplayers has already convinced me to come back next year. It’s a shame that I’ll have to wait another year.

Other NYC Comic-Con Articles: Rise of the Fallen, The Legend of Korra, Day One Cosplayers, Roosterteeth Panel

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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