10 things you learn at E3 - the hard way

1. No matter how many times they reassure you, the wifi at press conferences will sputter and die, leaving you tweeting into a void of endless drafts. You won’t discover this until your wifi suddenly kicks back in though, and you are suddenly sending out updates that are out of context and make no sense.

2. There will always be bigger games fans than you. E3 may be a trade show but that doesn’t mean it’s a staid affair. From the odd costume here and there to the enthusiasts at the press conferences, you’ll soon find out that no matter how enthusiastic you are about games, it’s probably not enough.

3. All the games you’re really excited about will invariably be launched next year. And there’s a good chance there will be a delay. Prepare for a second look at it at the E3 expo the next year.

4. There is always a quirky trailer. Whether it's a showcase for just what the console can do, or something designed give you a laugh at a press conference, there's always one trailer that opts for more humour than you're expecting. See Sony's tech showcase for the PS4 last year, The Last Sorcerer, and Sony again this year for Magicka 2.

5. Speaking of trailers, some of them may promise a little more than they can deliver. Nothing is more disappointing than a beautifully created trailer that turns out to be all cinematic creation and nothing like the eventual game. You know who you are…

6. Reboots will get a lot of attention, sometimes even more than new games. Microsoft’s Master Chief collection got some of the best reaction at the press conference, as did Crackdown and Grim Fandango.

7. Press conferences will invariably last about 15 minutes to half an hour after they should have ended. In hot conditions, without very effective air conditioning. We’re not naming names, but while a select few have the events down to a slicky timed art, others have not yet taken on board the “less is more” advice.

8. And during those press conferences, the likelihood of a live demo going slightly wrong is fairly high. Usually when they are trying to demonstrate a particular point in a game - so, no pressure.

9. Comfortable shoes are your friend. Like in Las Vegas, the convention centre has an optical illusion that makes it seem smaller than it actually is. Wait til you try to walk around it though. Then you’ll realise just how much is crammed in there.

10. Which brings us to time: that thing there is never enough of. No matter how much time you spend at the events over the three days, you still won’t have seen everything. Just as you are exiting the hall, you’ll notice a small pocket of indie developers you previously missed.