E3: The first day

This E3 virgin realises only now what veterans meant when they talk in awed tones about the cacophony that greets visitors to the LA Convention Center. A wall of sound, light and bodies washes over you as you step in the door and attempt to make sense of the din.

Giant signs, a thunderous roar of noise from every stand and scantily clad lovelies: these are the things which stick in the mind.

The convention centre is equivalent in size to 10 football fields and a record attendance is expected to top last year's tally of 60,000 journalists, retailers and game developers.

The two biggest booths are probably (as you would expect) enormous erections from Microsoft and Sony - but in completely different halls, separated by about a mile of walkway. The giant Xbox stand takes the honours for its glowing green curved finish.

The EA booth, with its head-wrecking 360-degree wraparound display, was probably a close second.