Reporting from the video-game conference E3 in Santa Monica….

What a difference video-game conference E3 is this year. Last year, it was nicely contained in the Los Angeles Convention Center, where meetings with companies were all in the same building and all within walking distance. This year? Not even close.

The main “show” at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica was pretty dismal, missing the massive booths of video game companies and the hyper atmosphere of a video game convention. Every game company — including Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony — had the same kiosk where attendees could play with a few games. Of course, the larger companies had several kiosks.

At least Nintendo had four spots dedicated to Wii Fit and the new balance board. I didn’t get a chance to test it because I had to run to another meeting.

Companies held meetings in about a half-dozen hotels. There were shuttles but ensuing traffic jams plus road construction made it nearly impossible to make all my meetings (sorry EA!). And the wait! Not that lines were long, but it took nearly 40 minutes for me to wait for a shuttle from the main floor (Barker Hanger) and get a ride to the media hub 4.9 miles away at the Fairmont Hotel.

Missing was any sign in downtown Santa Monica that E3 was going on. No large corporate banners plastered on buildings or taxis. But no huge crowds or long taxi lines either. Very unusual for a conference that once defined the industry.

I ran into Doug Hare, founder and executive vice president of Foundation 9 Entertainment, the group of game developers in Newport Beach (and moving to Irvine next month). His company was just part of the big 5:45 p.m. Konami press conference announcing they are working on Silent Hill 5 (more on this later).

But as for the future of the show? Doug wonders if there will be another E3 next year, pointing to the more targeted conferences such as the Game Developers Conference and the Tokyo Game Show that take care of most of the industry.

“I don’t know the value proposition,” he said. “I don’t know if it’ll be around next year.”

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