Let the games begin!

The annual Taipei Game Show and Taipei Computer Entertainment & Multimedia Show (台北國際電玩展春節多媒體展) has a new look this year, with organizers dividing the Taipei World Trade Center's Hall 1 into two distinct display areas. For the first time, local computer manufacturers promoting the latest in hardware development will be sharing the space with local computer game developers. And while visitors will still have the chance to purchase PCs, MACs or laptops at rock-bottom prices -- with some companies slashing their prices by upwards of 50 percent -- the focal point of this year's show is set to be the gaming section.

Organized by the Taipei Computer Association (TCA, 台北電腦公會) -- a non-profit organization established in 1974 in order to represent the nation's then-developing computer industry and one that now boasts over 4,000 corporate members -- and with the sponsorship the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部), it is hoped that by emphasizing gaming the show will attract more visitors than ever before.

"There were about 550,000 visitors last year with the average age being somewhere in the range of 20 to 40 years old," explained TCA's Shaun Chow (周永祥). "By focusing on gaming and with nearly all of Taiwan's game manufacturers present this year, we hope to see the number of visitors increase by between 10 and 15 percent and the average age to drop down and include teenagers."

In all a total of 150 companies will be displaying their wares in more than 1,100 booths for the duration of the four-day show, much of which is interactive and gives visitors the chance to kill or be killed, total a high-end sports car or simply design and clothe a showgirl.

Leading local PC game companies such as Gamania -- developers of the Chinese version of Sony's popular adventure game, EverQuest -- have taken the unprecedented step of erecting 64 booths, each one of which will be equipped with half-a-dozen or so gaming systems on which visitors can attempt to set new high scores.

Although it will not be operating as many booths as Gamania, Unalis -- the company charged with converting War Craft III into Chinese -- will also be on hand and promoting the recently released Chinese version of the real-time action adventure game. Like those of all the companies present at the event, the Unalis booth has plenty of paddles and monitors on which visitors can do battle with savage, green-skinned Orcs.

In keeping with the laws of the land, gambling games will not feature at the exhibition. Players will, however, be able to win non-cash prizes at the numerous booths offering games of mahjong.

With the emphasis on localized games, it's hoped that the number of such games will increase and include ones that allow Taiwan's gamers the chance to control their favorite homegrown sporting heros.

One company that has benefited from this strategy and is present at this year's show is Maxxis, which has seen its localized versions of Speed Mania prove to be a huge hit with Taiwanese gamers.

Sports games that have not been adapted to the local scene have proved more difficult to market in Taiwan.

Cutting-edge games which now allow the player to control everything from David Beckham's hairstyle to Kobe Jones' on-court dribbling prowess -- while extremely popular throughout Europe and the US -- remains unpopular in Taiwan.