Currently typing this up in a bustling, reverb-drenched lobby at the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco. Although it started as a way for developers to meet and greet about various aspects of game design and production, GDC is now seen as something of a replacement for the ailing Electronics Entertainment Expo which has been down-sized and moved way out too August. Thousands of game developers and journalists have converged here in the city by the bay to talk about what makes their games tick, including Turn 10 luminaries like game director Dan Greenawalt (who will be speaking about physics and force feedback), as well as audio lead Greg Shaw, who will be demonstrating Forza 2's ultra-realistic audio properties.

Meanwhile, Dan Greenawalt, along iwth network developer Aaron Ogus, and I swooped down on the Game Developer Conference on Monday night to demo Forza Motorsport 2 to more than 40 game editors and journalists the following day. It was a grueling 9am-5pm schedule of non-stop demos (lunch was optional) but well worth the story we're telling out here and I think the take-away buzz was really good from most everyone who saw the game.

There are videos and written impressions of Forza 2 out there on the intarwebz now, but the most comprehensive one we've seen yet is the one hosted on Gamespot, which captures all 15 or so minutes of Dan's GDC presentation. If you haven't seen it, you must go see it now:

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/video_player/popup.php?sid=6166927&pid=932731

Also, if any of you out there find any Forza 2 coverage (either video or written), can you please post it here for everyone to check out in the comments section? I'll be back periodically to update this entry with your additions. Thanks!

Here now, some pictures from our 8 hour demo yesterday:

The room was typically packed (and hot and a little ripe) with editors who were eager to check out the game in its playable form. In fact, we were often double-booked with appointments to accomodate more people. Thanks to everyone who showed up, by the way.

Here the Japanese press get their first taste of Forza Motorsport 2, including a car freak from famed magazine Weekly Famitsu.

European games press getting their fill of the quadruple-screen FM2 setup.

Here is said car nut from Famitsu wrestling with the Xbox 360 force feedback wheel. Look at him grit his teeth with absolute joy.

Adam Sessler from X-Play on G4 come by to check out the game. He admitted that he didn't used to drive a lot before he moved to LA... which is why he spent most of his time smashing up his silver M3 on the track.