When I went to E3, it was loud. Very loud, and combined with the bright flashes of light, booth babes, sweaty nerds everywhere, and the constant walking, it was an assault on the senses. It’s been known that each booth or stage for each company likes to attract attention with loud noise, music, sound effects, marketing pitches, etc. When two companies do this near each other, they get annoyed when the other try to drown the other out. Then a noise war will develop. Organizers for the E3 event try to keep a handle on the situation by imposing noise restrictions, and fines companies if the rules are broken.

This year, NCSoft got hit with a fine for $5,000 for breaking the noise rule. NCSoft held live music events to promote their upcoming game, Tabula Rasa. They contested the fine, but will pay it, and promised not to attend E3 next year, but pull a Godgames and hold a party nearby the convention center in order to promote their games (as loud as they bloody want.)

NCsoft’s booth at E3 2006 consisted of a large stage area where live music sets were repeatedly played to promote the company’s forthcoming MMO title, Tabula Rasa. The crowd were encouraged to applaud as loudly as possible, although NCsoft maintains that there were louder noise levels from rival publisher’s stands and that the situation was monitored by its staff during the event.