With the launch of Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots just around the corner, Hideo Kojima being the amazing person that he is planned his MGS4 world tour. Starting off with London, so my sister and I had to go.

We headed off to back home in Essex Sunday evening, and headed out to the train station at about 4:30am, we finally made it to the HMV on Oxford street at about 20 past 6 maybe, would have been quicker but the train was slower than usual. We then prepared to wait, after having picked up the Metro earlier I flicked through it and noticed a little advert about the event, and also how it mentioned Yumi Kikuchi going, we weren't too sure of what else she had been in, so I ventured off to McDonalds to grab some breakfast and to use their free wifi.

We were about number 62 and 63 in the queue although that went up when a guy a few people in front let his friends push in just before we were about to go in.

After eating the food and feeling ill time somehow managed to pass until about 9am, where we then started to move, after a bit of waiting and nudging forwards every so often we got to the tills and pre-ordered the game & bought the sleeve.

We then decided to queue up again, so we joined the end of a small line, once the last of the 300 people filled in (and the rest were turned away) there was then a mad rush to start a new line, where previously I was near the front everyone decided to squidge up together and push me to the back. Thankfully the nice HMV security guard said we could pop in where he was standing as he knew we had been there before others in the second queue.

After another few hours of waiting we finally started to file in at about 11:20, then after much standing and leaning around Kojima, Shinkawa and Yumi came out, everyone of course cheered, and then there was more waiting and standing.

We were quite close to the front so we went through within a matter of minutes.

I was panicking over if I should try and get my Metal Gear lovely nes copy signed, or the sleeve, but I thought I'd respect the wishes of the HMV staff and maybe the Konami PR people and get the sleeve signed. I was going to show my Metal Gear to Kojima but I got too shy.

It started at Shinkawa, who was so cute and smiley, and he looks so adorable in my picture

Then it went onto Kojima who was just as cute and smiley, Charlotte managed to get a nice picture, and he was looking at me instead of the camera as I was giggling away .

Then it went onto Yumi who is super cute, and I can't believe I missed her amazing nails, I should have said something

After we got down Charlotte was approached by Kojima's tour guys with a large camera wanting to ask her why she came and if she said anything to Kojima san, and then after that she was asked a few questions from an English guy as well.

After that rush we hung about and then went around London a bit, only to get myself an awesome top

Which came in an amazing bag

We also went to Game Focus, where I got a Japanese copy of Kartia

And Forbidden Planet

Which is a laynard for me to use at conventions now

I also finally picked up Zelda on the DS as I've just been waiting too long to play it, and it was getting to me, once I finish Tingle I'll give Zelda a go.

All in all it was an amazing day, and I only hope that he comes to the UK once again, so I can maybe show him my Metal Gear and get it signed

I am now scheduled to be on Gamercast episode 120, to talk about things, I'd reckon some Alone in the Dark info, the Kojima signing that took place on the 2nd and any other new releases I have played or have views on.

You can check out the website at www.gamercast.net as linked above, you can listen to all past shows from there as well.

You can subscribe to the feed for it Here or on iTunes if you use it. There will be a show this Sunday, and then I'll be on next Sunday's show on the 15th of June.

After the lovely game project that is "Toy Invasion" two of our groups programmers Jim and Damian have asked if I'd like to help them try to produce a game over the summer, which of course I agreed to.

I'm currently undergoing research for the project, and will then jump onto doing some concept art for the characters and level design.

Look forward to some work up on here soon.

Wow well I must say I'm surprised a little, back on the 23rd of May myself and my sister went off to an Alone in the Dark presentation, as we were invited to go thanks to Tenebra on the Atari EU forums. As there was originally going to be a test/play day for Alone in the Dark, but it got cancelled due to not enough people signing up. So she thought for the people that really wanted to go, she'd get us the chance to go to this instead.

So the day started with popping down to Hampstead in London to the Everyman's Cinema Club, which was a delightful venue, it also wasn't hard to miss with this poster outside.

Then after a bit of waiting, saying hi to a few people and a free apple juice later the presentation was about to start so we all shifted into the screening room, which had piles of freebies, sprawled on chairs, tables and anywhere possible. I must say I felt a little out of place at this event as the majority of people attending were press, but in my case I get to meet new people.

The presentation started with Atari introducing themselves, then Phil Harrison, and then finally Nour from Eden games went on, the presentation was amazing, I hadn't really looked into Alone in the Dark that much, other than seeing a few trailers and planning on buying the game that was it. So when I actually saw what they had done with the game I was pleasantly surprised. Charlotte loved the fire (who wouldn't) and I really liked the structure of the game, was also nice to hear that they looked into television narrative structures other than film. (Alone in the Dark now going to have a piece in my dissertation)

After the presentation had finished we were urged to go to their room with pods and give it a play. Instead we made our way over to Nour and Emile down the front and asked them a few questions of our own related to the industry, where we then got an Alone in the Dark sleeve signed.

With our mountains of freebies we headed out to the lobby area to have sit down and rest, where then we were asked by some nice guys from Xbox.com if we'd like to give our opinion on the game and also ask any questions to Nour on camera. So we did, which has scarily gone onto Inside Xbox on the 360, and as myself and my sister were asked our gamertags ( Kittydog )we have gained a bit of attention on xbox live, which has made me a recent receiver of at least 70 friend requests so far.

Anyway after a bit of waiting around and cooling off we decided to try and get a go on one of the pods, I had a bit of fun beating a door down with a lamp, only finding out the fire extinguisher did a much better job. I won't spoil anything though, but a little after we stopped taking turns and playing, so as not to take too much fun out of the game.

We then managed to grab Nour and Emile and thank them for the presentation and the whole day really, and grabbed a picture with the two of them. We were going to have the picture taken in front of the Alone in the Dark poster, but it was either taken down or nicked so we couldn't.

All in all it was a lovely experience as I hadn't had the opportunity to attend such an event before, and I feel Alone in the Dark is going to be a very interesting game to play.

I feel the best bit of it in my eyes though is always going to be the way of which it is split into episodes while utilising a catch-up like system to remind the player.

It was also a treat leaving with Alone in the Dark t-shirts, hats, mini fire extinguisher keyrings and a cute Atari wristband.