A Day With Hudson

If it weren't for the limiting amount of characters that can be displayed in our article titles, I'd probably take a cue from the classic film Dr. Strangelove, and re-title this article with a much more engaging and funnier title. Perhaps it would read something like, A Day With Hudson: Or How I Got Scared To Death Going Through Airport Security With A Giant Styrofoam Bomb In My Bag. So how did Hudson treat us writers at the first ever preview event they ever really had?

Since I had the longest way to fly out of everyone there – North Carolina to San Francisco – I came in a day early and decided to checkout a few of the cheaper tourist stops, since at GDC it was all work with the only sightseeing coming from traveling to one event to the next. I headed on down to Chinatown since I'm a big lover of the Asian arts and styles, and it was one of those places where if Asian art and decoration is your style, you'd blow a ton of money there. Since I've got a big trip in July to E3 to plan for and save for still, it was all looking and no touching for me; and I really wanted a statue of Ganesh to grant me good luck.

Though the Sheraton Hudson put me up in for the duration of the trip was very swanky and nice, you gained some positives while sacrificing for some negatives too. On the positives, the hotel was very close to the airport, so it wasn't going to take long at all for my return trip to get there. The hotel was also a bit closer to Hudson's offices I'm willing to bet, as anything in more downtown San Fran would have been quite the taxi cost. The hotel had a very nice and courteous staff who lined up taxi rides at flat fees and was always willing to help. The hotel was also right at the shore almost, a place where people would walk dogs and come to walk or run for exercise everyday. I'd come to know this shore path pretty well, as I needed to take it everyday to find my food.

You see, the negative of the hotel stay comes from that it was in the middle of nowhere in regards to places to eat. Oh sure, there was a steak and fish camp style place literally right behind it and within five minutes of walking, but we're talking prices that me and my spending simply could not afford to pay. So I walked the path, which led to the street, and found a little diner called Leanne's and so I ate there every morning and evening. I started out eating there for the sole fact because it was the only reasonably priced place to eat in the area, but they had some great food too; their only fault was the service was a tad slow, but otherwise good stuff.

I was the first of the journalists to arrive at Hudson's offices on Thursday, and it looked like the ideal and coolest place to work. On the wall leading to their kitchen, they had this giant mural that was really well-done, and inside of the kitchen itself, they had a pool table setup. Yes, a pool table in the kitchen! Once everyone finally arrived, it was decided upon that since many people were just arriving and had been picked up, they decided to go ahead and eat first before we got into the Bomberman Live game. But first, they showed us a "making of" video of sorts, that was made around the office and with people involved with the game. I use quotations there, because it was really just a chance to have some fun and get people laughing, as there was nothing serious about it at all, and the Hudson people were good sports in making fun of themselves, through both the overacting, and some of the jokes, such as those made at the expense of the last Bomberman game to hit the 360 – Bomberman Act Zero – which was almost universally a bust.

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