I'm writing this update straight from the convention floor, so bear with me if it gets a little crazy - just consider it a taste of what it's like here in Leipzig right now! 

Last night is the first night I didn't wake up at 4am thinking it was time to get moving - I think I'm getting used to the time change at last!  It's around 9:30am here in Leipzig right now, and I'm sitting here watching Matt do some vehicle combat practice before the demos start for the day.  Nothing like the sound of vehicles being blown up by rockets to get the day started right!

Soon I'll be meeting up with the Colonel to grab some photos from the Brothers in Arms demo, which I sat in on yesterday.  The game's looking as good as ever, and the press that show up for the demo are getting a special treat - Stephen Palmer is here showing off the Wii version of Road to Hill 30 and explaining a little about the control scheme.  I'll be adding some pictures to this post later on today as I get time.

Yesterday was a huge day for Gearbox.  The Hell's Highway demo room is always packed, and the Colonel and Palmer are doing a great job showing the demo.  You won't see another booth here where anyone gets the press to yell "Everybody fights!  Nobody Quits!  Always Attack!  Hooah!" at the top of their lungs.  It's quite a sight, really.  There are some new Hell's Highway screens out there for those of you who haven't seen them yet - some very atmospheric (and authentic!) shots in the rain that show the variety of enivironments you'll be experiencing in Hell's Highway.  The Wii version of Road to Hill 30 is looking great, too - no matter how many times Stephen shows it off, he always looks like he's having a blast when he throws a grenade with an overhanded toss of the Wiimote.

Of course, Borderlands is huge. I'm sure you've been reading the previews that are popping up as the press sees the demo, and they're nothing short of shocked at what Gearbox is doing with this game.  I've gotten to sit in on many of the demos, so I'm pretty familiar with it now - and I have to say that I would still like to see it again.  The looks on peoples' faces when Randy or Marc say "half a million weapons" are aboslutely priceless.  I've also sat outside the booth to listen in as people are leaving.  The press generally have this sort of stoic "press-face" that they wear when they're watching a demo.  They don't really want you getting a read on them.  However, when they walk out of the demo room with their faces lit up, grinning and talking a million miles an hour, I think that's a good sign.  It's also probably a great sign that the demo room is filling up to almost overfull because people are hearing about the game word-of-mouth and HAVE to get in to see it!

Breaking news!  Right before the demos started today, Matt handed me the controller and let me drive around and shoot rockets in the Borderlands vehicle test area!  It's incredibly satisfying to blow up the enemy vehicles as they try to build up a formation around you to take you out.  The explode into tiny pieces and tires and parts bounce all over.  The regular bandits are not too hard to take out, but I did have to learn how to lead with the rockets - the other drivers are pretty clever about surrounding you, so you have to take them out fast.  Bandit boss guy (who's in a red runner) had a rocket launcher on his vehicle like I did, so he was more of a challenge.  I have to say, the vehicle combat is even more fun hands-on than it looks, and that's really saying something.  

The Borderlands demo is very nicely put together - it gives everyone a great impression of what's important in the game: weapons, vehicles, environments (you get to see the settlement of New Haven, the expansive Salt Flats, and the Mud Coast areas), and of course, the co-op first person action that is the core of the game.  There's also a taste of the enemies you'll face in the game; the vicious but relatively dumb skag, who are only really a concern in huge packs, the bandits who eck out a living in the harsh environs of Pandora, and the rakk - flying carnivorous creatures that are coming from... somewhere.  The world is incredibly rich and detailed already, the weapons are nearly unbelievable in scope, and the co-op, which is already physically working in the game, makes it all the more fun.

I'm going to try and see the other demos in the 2K area today - they're showing some cool stuff and I have to hand it to their staff - they've been great throughout the whole show.  It's exciting to be working with them on Borderlands!

Oh, last night we went to the GC Exhibitor's party - it was crazy!  They held it in a very old building with a large domed middle room flanked by an outer ring full of food and libations of all sorts, with an upstairs area overlooking the live entertainment in the dance floor area.  There were outside areas, bars, and tons of GC attendees.  They really spared no expense! The colors of the lights in the dome reminded me a lot of Rapture... 

I'll leave you all with a link to the most recent Borderlands screens and a promise to post some video I just took of Randy trying to figure out the crazy bean-bag-like chairs here later on, along with more photos