Also, twitter is a must. I ended up meeting a friend through the PAX newsfeed before PAX! Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet last PAX since I only went one day, but we're booked at the same hotel this year!
PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]
i think this already happened in the faq but then it broke so i'll say it again. foodler.com is an amazing way to find who delivers to any particular address. just put in the address of your hotel and voila! all the tasty affordable food options you could want, delivered right to your hotel lobby. we did a lot of that last pax and i honestly can't imagine how we would have gotten fed real food otherwise. also, unlike the handful of menus the hotel might have, there's TONS of stuff on foodler. right now i'm counting 33 places that deliver to westin, and that's not including restaurants that use delivery services (and so usually have a higher minimum/delivery fee). if you include those it's over 80! remember, it may LOOK like you're in the middle of nowhere, but you are in boston and it's not a big city, so you're still in delivery range of a lot of stuff.
Good to know! I'll check that out! Yelp was a great resource too. We found a really nice small seafood place only a 10 minute walk from the con last year, and they were really appreciative of the business and we saw a couple other people there from PAX!
oh! something else i just thought of. Surprisingly no one has mentioned it yet.
It may seem like common knowledge but wear the right shoes.
you'll be doing a LOT of walking during PAX, be it for any community events or just PAX itself.
the BCEC is huge, and if you plan on doing multiple things chances are good you'll be going from one end to the other several times. Which means even if you have to wear those ugly as sin shoes, or sneakers with your costume in order to keep you from hating life pretty early on then DO IT.
the extra pair of socks idea is good, i'm actually going to implement that next year. also if you wear orthotics or any sort of insoles don't forget them! I wear arch supports and thought i would be fine wearing my converse without them for a day. Needless to say i was rather limpy after a while.
taking care of your feet for an event like this is paramount to how much you'll enjoy everything. lord knows i get grumpy when any part of me is hurting.
Indeed, the right shoes matter a lot. One thing to keep in mind: do not break in your shoes AT PAX or your feet will hate you. If you're buying new shoes for PAX, try to get them a few weeks ahead of time so they are good and broken in by the time you will need to spend all day in them.
Agreed, shoes are very important. I had the issue of blisters last year, even though I had taken some precautions, just the shear amount of walking I was doing killed it.
After the already suggested "proper" shoes and double socks, I really recommend bringing some moleskin, pre-cut if you can get it (scissors were somewhat hard to find). The nearest pharmacy was a train ride + walk away, and if your feet are hurting, it sucks.
Agreed, shoes are very important. I had the issue of blisters last year, even though I had taken some precautions, just the shear amount of walking I was doing killed it.
After the already suggested "proper" shoes and double socks, I really recommend bringing some moleskin, pre-cut if you can get it (scissors were somewhat hard to find). The nearest pharmacy was a train ride + walk away, and if your feet are hurting, it sucks.
Moleskin can be a lifesaver, and since scissors can be difficult to find I try to bring my own. Scissors often end up being useful at PAX for more than moleskin (cutting open card packs, wrapped swag, etc.) A lot of people think you can't bring ANY scissors as carry-on on a plane in the US, but this is not true. According to the TSA web site (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#4) even scissors with pointed tips less than four inches are now permitted. Metal scissors with BLUNT tips and blades less than four inches have been permitted for some time. You can pick up a pair of decent metal scissors with blunt tips (Fiskars makes a pair that retail for about $2 and are sufficient for most uses) and just leave them in your preferred carry-on bag so you never get somewhere with no way to cut things.
Agreed, shoes are very important. I had the issue of blisters last year, even though I had taken some precautions, just the shear amount of walking I was doing killed it.
After the already suggested "proper" shoes and double socks, I really recommend bringing some moleskin, pre-cut if you can get it (scissors were somewhat hard to find). The nearest pharmacy was a train ride + walk away, and if your feet are hurting, it sucks.
Moleskin can be a lifesaver, and since scissors can be difficult to find I try to bring my own. Scissors often end up being useful at PAX for more than moleskin (cutting open card packs, wrapped swag, etc.) A lot of people think you can't bring ANY scissors as carry-on on a plane in the US, but this is not true. According to the TSA web site (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#4) even scissors with pointed tips less than four inches are now permitted. Metal scissors with BLUNT tips and blades less than four inches have been permitted for some time. You can pick up a pair of decent metal scissors with blunt tips (Fiskars makes a pair that retail for about $2 and are sufficient for most uses) and just leave them in your preferred carry-on bag so you never get somewhere with no way to cut things.
Might as well shell out the extra money to buy a pair of medical scissors. Those things are incredibly useful for any situation where moleskin (or anything else) needs to be cut.
Trandescent on
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I've noticed a bunch of people say bring DS, which I do have but what kind of games should I bring. I understand mutliplayer games, but what types are the most popular besides Pokemon? I will be bringing those.
Pax East 2012 checklist: 3 Day Pass [X] Accomodations [X] Travel [X] Time Off [X]
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I've noticed a bunch of people say bring DS, which I do have but what kind of games should I bring. I understand mutliplayer games, but what types are the most popular besides Pokemon? I will be bringing those.
Mario Kart is a huge one, as is Dragon Quest. Outside that, I'm not sure, but you can probably bring just about anything and odds are good you'll find someone to play with.
I've noticed a bunch of people say bring DS, which I do have but what kind of games should I bring. I understand mutliplayer games, but what types are the most popular besides Pokemon? I will be bringing those.
Mario Kart, for sure.
Absolutely Mario Kart. I sat down in line for a panel at one point, held my DS up and said "Mario Kart?". Within 10 seconds we had a race going.
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
When to arrive: it really depends. I think Thursday morning is a safe bet, then you can get to at least part of the MMT and the Dinner and the Pokecrawl if you want to. You certainly wouldn't be bored if you came on Wednesday though. Friday is too late imo, miss all the pre-pax stuff and maybe miss the keynote.
When to leave: NEVER! Sunday night is doable and a lot do it, but there are things to do Sunday evening with your fellow paxers and why not take an extra day and leave on Monday?
I'm not sure what you mean by how hard is it to break into shindigs..... There are events, you sign up. I think if you're worried about others feeling awkward, you're the one feeling awkward. We're all PAXers here and the only event that has a restriction on entry is the Sunday Girls' Brunch. Just chill out here on the forums and when events go up, sign up for them.
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
Dude, most of Clawshrimp & Co is going to be there. We usually go out drinking on Thursday night, then do keynote and first Q&A on Friday. I'll give you my number during raid tonight and get your e-mail and add you to my PAX mailing list.
Also, if you want to break off and do your own thing, that's fine. Everyone attending PAX is incredibly accommodating, and happy to let someone in on a gaming session or dinner or whatever.
I have a question about Twitter... is there a list of people I should be following to get the best in the know? should I ask this question early to pax? as I stated earlier in this thread, I think, the most important thing to do is tweet during pax, but I have never used twitter, and don't really know if there are some must follows during pax to get all the great deals and such... Thanks.
I have a question about Twitter... is there a list of people I should be following to get the best in the know? should I ask this question early to pax? as I stated earlier in this thread, I think, the most important thing to do is tweet during pax, but I have never used twitter, and don't really know if there are some must follows during pax to get all the great deals and such... Thanks.
I have a question about Twitter... is there a list of people I should be following to get the best in the know? should I ask this question early to pax? as I stated earlier in this thread, I think, the most important thing to do is tweet during pax, but I have never used twitter, and don't really know if there are some must follows during pax to get all the great deals and such... Thanks.
Yes, I'll be posting that thread once registration goes up (unless chaos beats me to it). I've already started re-compiling and tweaking the PAX East lists.
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
perhaps you can solve several problems at once by checking out the room share thread and rooming with others for thursday night. you'll have a place to stay and can make a few friends before pax officially kicks off. the thread is fairly small now but will definitely expand as time goes on.
I have a question about Twitter... is there a list of people I should be following to get the best in the know? should I ask this question early to pax? as I stated earlier in this thread, I think, the most important thing to do is tweet during pax, but I have never used twitter, and don't really know if there are some must follows during pax to get all the great deals and such... Thanks.
Yes, I'll be posting that thread once registration goes up (unless chaos beats me to it). I've already started re-compiling and tweaking the PAX East lists.
I have a question about Twitter... is there a list of people I should be following to get the best in the know? should I ask this question early to pax? as I stated earlier in this thread, I think, the most important thing to do is tweet during pax, but I have never used twitter, and don't really know if there are some must follows during pax to get all the great deals and such... Thanks.
Definitely arrive on Thursday a bit before dinner. There are both community and company events going on. You will not get bored. You do not have to worry about "breaking in". It's all good. Welcome home
When to leave? I personally suggest you make it last. I would not want to leave early on Sunday before the event is officially over, and as Zerzhul said, there's a good chance more events will follow (community and what not).
Twitter will be your favorite weapon. Wait until the official twitter thread is up to know more, but try to have something handy by the time the convention is upon us.
Lastly, if you're planning to wear a costume, be aware that the convention center is packed with people and tends to be rather warm, especially if you're buried in layers. I'm not sure how the guy in full-on Gears of War armor stayed upright.
This is true. PLAN COSTUMES ACCORDINGLY. One of my plans is to do an Angry Birds costume, but all the ideas I see online involve padding against the body, which could make for one hot perturbed avian. So my plan is to have some sort of lightweight structure, and underneath, wearing workout gear of some sort, and appropriately colored tights on the legs. All of this being LIGHTWEIGHT.
Also, RE: costumes, if you wear one, A) expect people to want to take your picture (especially if it's really awesome), and make sure you get emails from them if you want to see those pictures as well, so carry around a little notebook with you.
~~~~~~~~~~
Last year was my first year at PAX, and I'll admit, at one point early on, I thought to myself, "do I really enjoy this? is this really worth it?" Part of my problem was the swag bag I had broke the strap, so things got harder to carry, and I had a ton of stuff I was lugging around, including a leather jacket I brought to keep warm, so I wasn't happy. But I walked back to my hotel with my roomie, and after trimming everything down, I came back to PAX wearing a thin hoodie that I had from my work (a little heavier than a T-shirt), and carrying everything in a smaller swag bag and backpack. Automatically, my enjoyment of PAX shot through the roof, and I loosened up. The rest of the weekend, I had a blast, and met some wonderful people.
So if there are any lessons to learn from my fails, they are as follows:
1) A small umbrella and a long sleeve hoodie or t-shirt will help you combat the weather (but check the weather in the area prior to the event.
2) When it comes to bags, less is more. Small batches of snacks, one Nalgene or water bottle, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, your DS, a notebook or notepad, and a pen are really all you need to have in a backpack.
3) If you get overwhelmed, GET OUT. Step away from PAX for a few minutes, organize your thoughts, and think about what work you could be doing at home. PAX is a convention for us all, but more importantly, it's a VACATION. Work and home problems will be there for you Monday or Tuesday.
Last year was my first year at PAX, and I'll admit, at one point early on, I thought to myself, "do I really enjoy this? is this really worth it?" Part of my problem was the swag bag I had broke the strap, so things got harder to carry, and I had a ton of stuff I was lugging around, including a leather jacket I brought to keep warm, so I wasn't happy. But I walked back to my hotel with my roomie, and after trimming everything down, I came back to PAX wearing a thin hoodie that I had from my work (a little heavier than a T-shirt), and carrying everything in a smaller swag bag and backpack. Automatically, my enjoyment of PAX shot through the roof, and I loosened up. The rest of the weekend, I had a blast, and met some wonderful people.
So if there are any lessons to learn from my fails, they are as follows:
1) A small umbrella and a long sleeve hoodie or t-shirt will help you combat the weather (but check the weather in the area prior to the event.
2) When it comes to bags, less is more. Small batches of snacks, one Nalgene or water bottle, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, your DS, a notebook or notepad, and a pen are really all you need to have in a backpack.
3) If you get overwhelmed, GET OUT. Step away from PAX for a few minutes, organize your thoughts, and think about what work you could be doing at home. PAX is a convention for us all, but more importantly, it's a VACATION. Work and home problems will be there for you Monday or Tuesday.
We had a similar experience. We threw down the for the bag check (I think it was like three dollars, they let us share one ticket for the group of three of us.) and it was well worth it. Especially for jackets and things that you may not want to carry around with you while you are inside the BCEC, but will need at the end of the day.
We booked a room there months ago just to make sure we would have one, but we're going to check out the PAX hotel rates when they go up to see if the PAX rates are any better. If not we're definitely staying at the Renaissance. Thanks for posting some info on it
If you ended up in the Ren - my entire group stayed there last year and it worked out awesomely. I wore a short skirt, so the gusts walking on the bridge were a bit of a bother, but seriously - a great hotel if you can't get into the Westin.
Regarding the "Tylenol/etc" listing, there are medical personnel on-site and they can give you over-the-counter stuff. Obviously, if you are prone to headaches or whatever, your own stash is wise, but for those worried about randomly needing it, don't be.
Regarding water - I got one of those compressible water bottles. fill it up at the aforementioned numerous fountains/sinks while you're walking around, drink, roll it up and shove it in a pocket when you're done. You won't end up annoyed with having to carry it around. We use the Platypus brand, but they all work well.
Snacks - Granola bars and Clif bars are my world. Especially since the latter have more calories, you can get away with eating breakfast at the hotel, bar for lunch/snack, then early dinner.
Can't wait to come back... I'm already stoked and it isn't even 2012 yet @_@
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
This is my first convention ever as well and I'll also be flying solo most likely, and I can say with certainty that you have nothing to worry about. Your fellow pax attendees, from what I've seen, are some of the most welcoming people you'll ever come across in your life. These forums really come alive with all kinds of events once pax gets closer(don't forget it's still 5+ months away). Don't forget that you already have common ground with every other person attending. That's one of the great things about conventions.
As for when to come and when to leave, a fair bit of pre-pax events start Thursday night and a handful start earlier in the week. If taking the train is feasible from where you are, you might want to consider checking out the PAX train. It will be a good chance to meet some people before you get to Boston. http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/149698/east-pax-east-train-alliance-2012/p1 As to when to leave, Sunday night/Monday seem to be the most popular choices from what I've seen. I would try to stick around till Monday morning if possible as there's sure to be stuff going on after PAX ends on Sunday.
Also, keep an eye out on these forums for meetups in your area outside of PAX. That's another great option to meet some people before you head up to Boston. For example, I have no idea where you are but I know there's a meetup forming in MD in a couple weeks, as well as stuff in Vancouver and Seattle. Worst case scenario, if there isn't a meetup in your area, start one!
I approve of what ChimneyImp and Iornysparkles said.
I for one was able to refill my water bottle within the BCEC. There's usually a drinking fountain next to the bathrooms. I clearly remember using two that were in the gaming area and one that was near the coat check.
Yeah, there's water fountains everywhere if you know where to look. IIRC, there's a set near every bathroom, and there's also a water cooler in every panel. If you can find one, ask an enforcer - they know.
Are the coolers up for use? I was yelled at last year by an enforcer who said they were for panelists only...
I approve of what ChimneyImp and Iornysparkles said.
I for one was able to refill my water bottle within the BCEC. There's usually a drinking fountain next to the bathrooms. I clearly remember using two that were in the gaming area and one that was near the coat check.
Yeah, there's water fountains everywhere if you know where to look. IIRC, there's a set near every bathroom, and there's also a water cooler in every panel. If you can find one, ask an enforcer - they know.
Are the coolers up for use? I was yelled at last year by an enforcer who said they were for panelists only...
Yelled at by an Enforcer???
Anyway, I used one once, I had no issues. Even if they were/are off limits, you should not have problems finding sources for drinking water at the BCEC.
I approve of what ChimneyImp and Iornysparkles said.
I for one was able to refill my water bottle within the BCEC. There's usually a drinking fountain next to the bathrooms. I clearly remember using two that were in the gaming area and one that was near the coat check.
Yeah, there's water fountains everywhere if you know where to look. IIRC, there's a set near every bathroom, and there's also a water cooler in every panel. If you can find one, ask an enforcer - they know.
Are the coolers up for use? I was yelled at last year by an enforcer who said they were for panelists only...
Yelled at by an Enforcer???
Anyway, I used one once, I had no issues. Even if they were/are off limits, you should not have problems finding sources for drinking water at the BCEC.
yeah, I had an enforcer specifically suggest I use a water cooler when I wondered out loud where to fill my water bottle, so I don't think that was an official policy. I'm guessing the coolers were put there so panelists could get water conveniently, and some people just interpreted that as something exclusive.
...Snacks - Granola bars and Clif bars are my world. Especially since the latter have more calories, you can get away with eating breakfast at the hotel, bar for lunch/snack, then early dinner....
Thank you for the reminder about Clif bars! I haven't had one for a while, but I find a Clif bar and some fruit makes an awesome meal on the go. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Currently playing Stardew Valley and I Am Setsuna.
...Snacks - Granola bars and Clif bars are my world. Especially since the latter have more calories, you can get away with eating breakfast at the hotel, bar for lunch/snack, then early dinner....
Thank you for the reminder about Clif bars! I haven't had one for a while, but I find a Clif bar and some fruit makes an awesome meal on the go. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Why hello again SpectacledBear!
Speaking of food and energy - I've taken your suggestion from last year to heart and haven not changed my ways since - Apples are a great competition to Coffee when you need a pick me up.
So, this is definitely my first time going to pax, and I'm going solo. I've actually never been to a convention, so I'm super excited about this one. I have some people from PA I'd like to meet, but I'm also super nervous about going on my own.
Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
I'll give some feedback as both a Boston-based game dev and someone who's been to a few PAX events. Last year and the year before there were quite a few pre-pax events that were excellent. The Pokecrawl (pokemon bar crawl) had something like 300? people at it last year, and was a tremendous success. There were also bar meetups and gaming groups meetings the entire week before PAX, pretty much starting at Monday. I suggest you arrive on Thursday morning so you can meet people and soak in some Boston before the convention itself. Then, plan on leaving Monday morning so you can hang around with some of your new friends on Sunday night. There were plenty of games of DND, Cthulu, Magic, Mansions of Madness going on in the hotel lobbies on Sunday night.
I'm not sure what you mean about "as a guy." For Pax East 2010 and 2011, I was able to hit the parties for Kotaku, Riot Games, Fragdolls, NCSoft, and many others. No one cares, they're just happy to have fans and friends there!
I have some tips for first-time PAX -goers that haven't been hit yet:
1. PAX is one of the few shows I have been to that is family-friendly. PAX is one of the few shows where I saw parents with children of all ages come together.
2. You're free to be whatever you really are, be it a table-top gamer, a CCG player, or a video gamer. PAX is not just for video gamers!
3. When it comes to hotels, closer is better. It may cost a little extra, but it's made up in the ease of getting home after a long night.
4. Wear comfy, broken-in shoes. A lot of people underestimate how much time they spend on their feet, and regret it later on at night.
I'll help explain a little about the T (metro / subway). I highly recommend taking the T to the convention center, since it is a LOT easier and cheaper than finding parking.
Station: World Trade Center
Line: Silver Line
How to get there: Take the red line to South Station, then take the Silver Line buses (the level above the red-line trains) to the World Trade Center.
How long will it take: From either end of the Red Line, about 30-45 minutes. From the green line, 45-60 minutes. Remember that since it's off the Silver Line, you can stay off the Green Line, Red Line, Orange Line, whatever and still get to the center.
Speaking of food and energy - I've taken your suggestion from last year to heart and haven not changed my ways since - Apples are a great competition to Coffee when you need a pick me up.
I do exist! Glad to hear apples are working out. I now keep one in the car if I'm going to be driving home late.
Currently playing Stardew Valley and I Am Setsuna.
I do exist! Glad to hear apples are working out. I now keep one in the car if I'm going to be driving home late.
Let it be known that this guy had the best "contact card" I laid my eyes on while I was at PAX East 2011. A simple slip of hard cardboard that was two thirds the size of my pinkie. Pro printing with 8 bit characters on the back and all. It did not matter that it was small and easy to loose, it definitely did the trick.
As mentioned before in the thread, you really don't need a business card if you want to pass around your personal info. This is PAX, not a business convention. Try to have fun and make things as geeky as possible. You don't even need to make something at all! If you don't have the budget or the time then just bring along some paper and a pen, but do bring something to take down notes. Just in case.
I will shamelessly admit that I tried to find a print shop that could do the same thing but alas, none have been able to provide. On the other hand some of the limitations I've seen gave me an idea that I'm working on right now.
Regarding water - I got one of those compressible water bottles. fill it up at the aforementioned numerous fountains/sinks while you're walking around, drink, roll it up and shove it in a pocket when you're done. You won't end up annoyed with having to carry it around. We use the Platypus brand, but they all work well.
I just want to say THANK YOU for this. I am a water fiend (even more so around 70,000 people.. who knew) and the idea of a compressible water bottle didn't even occur to me.
PAX East 2014!!!1!one
3 Day Pass: [x] // Travel: [ x] // Time Off: [ x] // Hotel: [x] Twitter:@amysophie Twitter:amysophie Gamertag/Steam: Vixen Valentine
Just a few quick questions as this will be my first PAX (Keep in mind I'm Canadian).
1. What laws are different in America, driving wise? (Can I turn right on a red? Is there a minimum speed limit?)
2. Is it safe to wear your con badge outside of the con? (In Ottawa if you wore your Encounters badge you were asking people to mug you, same thing with con badge?)
3. People staying at the same hotel, will there be fun drinking times there as well as bars?
PAX East 2015:Get on Pokecrawl Team Yellow Silver [ ] Pass [X] Vacation Time [X] Hotel [X] Flights [ ] PAX East 2015 Complete [ X ] Sell Extra Set of Badges because Friend Bailed [ ]
Just a few quick questions as this will be my first PAX (Keep in mind I'm Canadian).
1. What laws are different in America, driving wise? (Can I turn right on a red? Is there a minimum speed limit?)
2. Is it safe to wear your con badge outside of the con? (In Ottawa if you wore your Encounters badge you were asking people to mug you, same thing with con badge?)
3. People staying at the same hotel, will there be fun drinking times there as well as bars?
2) A lot of people do, but I personally do not wear my con badge just generally around the city. I've always worn it around the general BCEC area, but if I'm going to other parts of downtown I've put it away. This isn't due to some specific safety concern by me, but I generally don't like wearing any sort of "badge" when not necessary since it can seem out of place.
3) Check out the hotel thread for people staying in your same hotel. There are some bars near many of the hotels, and I bet they will have a lot of paxers.
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Good to know! I'll check that out! Yelp was a great resource too. We found a really nice small seafood place only a 10 minute walk from the con last year, and they were really appreciative of the business and we saw a couple other people there from PAX!
Agreed, shoes are very important. I had the issue of blisters last year, even though I had taken some precautions, just the shear amount of walking I was doing killed it.
After the already suggested "proper" shoes and double socks, I really recommend bringing some moleskin, pre-cut if you can get it (scissors were somewhat hard to find). The nearest pharmacy was a train ride + walk away, and if your feet are hurting, it sucks.
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Moleskin can be a lifesaver, and since scissors can be difficult to find I try to bring my own. Scissors often end up being useful at PAX for more than moleskin (cutting open card packs, wrapped swag, etc.) A lot of people think you can't bring ANY scissors as carry-on on a plane in the US, but this is not true. According to the TSA web site (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#4) even scissors with pointed tips less than four inches are now permitted. Metal scissors with BLUNT tips and blades less than four inches have been permitted for some time. You can pick up a pair of decent metal scissors with blunt tips (Fiskars makes a pair that retail for about $2 and are sufficient for most uses) and just leave them in your preferred carry-on bag so you never get somewhere with no way to cut things.
Might as well shell out the extra money to buy a pair of medical scissors. Those things are incredibly useful for any situation where moleskin (or anything else) needs to be cut.
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Mario Kart, for sure.
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Absolutely Mario Kart. I sat down in line for a panel at one point, held my DS up and said "Mario Kart?". Within 10 seconds we had a race going.
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Unfortunately, I didn't see the hotel sites go up even though I was following the twitter and checking the pages. I managed to reserve the westin for friday night and saturday night, but I need to make a decision about when to come and wen to leave. I don't think I want to get there on Friday, and that means I might have to reserve a different room for thursday. The time off isn't a big deal, I'm just looking for opinions on what I should do. Should I come in on thursday? What reasons do people have for coming in on thursday? Does anyone leave on sunday night or do they generally stay until monday?
How hard is it to break into different non-official-pax shindigs as a guy? I don't want to make anyone feel akward.
When to arrive: it really depends. I think Thursday morning is a safe bet, then you can get to at least part of the MMT and the Dinner and the Pokecrawl if you want to. You certainly wouldn't be bored if you came on Wednesday though. Friday is too late imo, miss all the pre-pax stuff and maybe miss the keynote.
When to leave: NEVER! Sunday night is doable and a lot do it, but there are things to do Sunday evening with your fellow paxers and why not take an extra day and leave on Monday?
I'm not sure what you mean by how hard is it to break into shindigs..... There are events, you sign up. I think if you're worried about others feeling awkward, you're the one feeling awkward. We're all PAXers here and the only event that has a restriction on entry is the Sunday Girls' Brunch. Just chill out here on the forums and when events go up, sign up for them.
Dude, most of Clawshrimp & Co is going to be there. We usually go out drinking on Thursday night, then do keynote and first Q&A on Friday. I'll give you my number during raid tonight and get your e-mail and add you to my PAX mailing list.
Also, if you want to break off and do your own thing, that's fine. Everyone attending PAX is incredibly accommodating, and happy to let someone in on a gaming session or dinner or whatever.
Here's the PAX Prime '11 Twitter thread. You can expect the PAX East '12 Twitter thread OP to look very similar.
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/145968/twitter-through-the-tulips-pax-prime-tweeting/p1
Yes, I'll be posting that thread once registration goes up (unless chaos beats me to it). I've already started re-compiling and tweaking the PAX East lists.
perhaps you can solve several problems at once by checking out the room share thread and rooming with others for thursday night. you'll have a place to stay and can make a few friends before pax officially kicks off. the thread is fairly small now but will definitely expand as time goes on.
When to leave? I personally suggest you make it last. I would not want to leave early on Sunday before the event is officially over, and as Zerzhul said, there's a good chance more events will follow (community and what not).
Twitter will be your favorite weapon. Wait until the official twitter thread is up to know more, but try to have something handy by the time the convention is upon us.
This is true. PLAN COSTUMES ACCORDINGLY. One of my plans is to do an Angry Birds costume, but all the ideas I see online involve padding against the body, which could make for one hot perturbed avian. So my plan is to have some sort of lightweight structure, and underneath, wearing workout gear of some sort, and appropriately colored tights on the legs. All of this being LIGHTWEIGHT.
Also, RE: costumes, if you wear one, A) expect people to want to take your picture (especially if it's really awesome), and
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Last year was my first year at PAX, and I'll admit, at one point early on, I thought to myself, "do I really enjoy this? is this really worth it?" Part of my problem was the swag bag I had broke the strap, so things got harder to carry, and I had a ton of stuff I was lugging around, including a leather jacket I brought to keep warm, so I wasn't happy. But I walked back to my hotel with my roomie, and after trimming everything down, I came back to PAX wearing a thin hoodie that I had from my work (a little heavier than a T-shirt), and carrying everything in a smaller swag bag and backpack. Automatically, my enjoyment of PAX shot through the roof, and I loosened up. The rest of the weekend, I had a blast, and met some wonderful people.
So if there are any lessons to learn from my fails, they are as follows:
1) A small umbrella and a long sleeve hoodie or t-shirt will help you combat the weather (but check the weather in the area prior to the event.
2) When it comes to bags, less is more. Small batches of snacks, one Nalgene or water bottle, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, your DS, a notebook or notepad, and a pen are really all you need to have in a backpack.
3) If you get overwhelmed, GET OUT. Step away from PAX for a few minutes, organize your thoughts, and think about what work you could be doing at home. PAX is a convention for us all, but more importantly, it's a VACATION. Work and home problems will be there for you Monday or Tuesday.
We had a similar experience. We threw down the for the bag check (I think it was like three dollars, they let us share one ticket for the group of three of us.) and it was well worth it. Especially for jackets and things that you may not want to carry around with you while you are inside the BCEC, but will need at the end of the day.
If you ended up in the Ren - my entire group stayed there last year and it worked out awesomely. I wore a short skirt, so the gusts walking on the bridge were a bit of a bother, but seriously - a great hotel if you can't get into the Westin.
Regarding the "Tylenol/etc" listing, there are medical personnel on-site and they can give you over-the-counter stuff. Obviously, if you are prone to headaches or whatever, your own stash is wise, but for those worried about randomly needing it, don't be.
Regarding water - I got one of those compressible water bottles. fill it up at the aforementioned numerous fountains/sinks while you're walking around, drink, roll it up and shove it in a pocket when you're done. You won't end up annoyed with having to carry it around. We use the Platypus brand, but they all work well.
Snacks - Granola bars and Clif bars are my world. Especially since the latter have more calories, you can get away with eating breakfast at the hotel, bar for lunch/snack, then early dinner.
Can't wait to come back... I'm already stoked and it isn't even 2012 yet @_@
As for when to come and when to leave, a fair bit of pre-pax events start Thursday night and a handful start earlier in the week. If taking the train is feasible from where you are, you might want to consider checking out the PAX train. It will be a good chance to meet some people before you get to Boston. http://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/149698/east-pax-east-train-alliance-2012/p1 As to when to leave, Sunday night/Monday seem to be the most popular choices from what I've seen. I would try to stick around till Monday morning if possible as there's sure to be stuff going on after PAX ends on Sunday.
Also, keep an eye out on these forums for meetups in your area outside of PAX. That's another great option to meet some people before you head up to Boston. For example, I have no idea where you are but I know there's a meetup forming in MD in a couple weeks, as well as stuff in Vancouver and Seattle. Worst case scenario, if there isn't a meetup in your area, start one!
no, there is not at the moment.
Are the coolers up for use? I was yelled at last year by an enforcer who said they were for panelists only...
Yelled at by an Enforcer???
Anyway, I used one once, I had no issues. Even if they were/are off limits, you should not have problems finding sources for drinking water at the BCEC.
yeah, I had an enforcer specifically suggest I use a water cooler when I wondered out loud where to fill my water bottle, so I don't think that was an official policy. I'm guessing the coolers were put there so panelists could get water conveniently, and some people just interpreted that as something exclusive.
Thank you for the reminder about Clif bars! I haven't had one for a while, but I find a Clif bar and some fruit makes an awesome meal on the go. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Why hello again SpectacledBear!
Speaking of food and energy - I've taken your suggestion from last year to heart and haven not changed my ways since - Apples are a great competition to Coffee when you need a pick me up.
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I'll give some feedback as both a Boston-based game dev and someone who's been to a few PAX events. Last year and the year before there were quite a few pre-pax events that were excellent. The Pokecrawl (pokemon bar crawl) had something like 300? people at it last year, and was a tremendous success. There were also bar meetups and gaming groups meetings the entire week before PAX, pretty much starting at Monday. I suggest you arrive on Thursday morning so you can meet people and soak in some Boston before the convention itself. Then, plan on leaving Monday morning so you can hang around with some of your new friends on Sunday night. There were plenty of games of DND, Cthulu, Magic, Mansions of Madness going on in the hotel lobbies on Sunday night.
I'm not sure what you mean about "as a guy." For Pax East 2010 and 2011, I was able to hit the parties for Kotaku, Riot Games, Fragdolls, NCSoft, and many others. No one cares, they're just happy to have fans and friends there!
I have some tips for first-time PAX -goers that haven't been hit yet:
1. PAX is one of the few shows I have been to that is family-friendly. PAX is one of the few shows where I saw parents with children of all ages come together.
2. You're free to be whatever you really are, be it a table-top gamer, a CCG player, or a video gamer. PAX is not just for video gamers!
3. When it comes to hotels, closer is better. It may cost a little extra, but it's made up in the ease of getting home after a long night.
4. Wear comfy, broken-in shoes. A lot of people underestimate how much time they spend on their feet, and regret it later on at night.
I'll help explain a little about the T (metro / subway). I highly recommend taking the T to the convention center, since it is a LOT easier and cheaper than finding parking.
Station: World Trade Center
Line: Silver Line
How to get there: Take the red line to South Station, then take the Silver Line buses (the level above the red-line trains) to the World Trade Center.
How long will it take: From either end of the Red Line, about 30-45 minutes. From the green line, 45-60 minutes. Remember that since it's off the Silver Line, you can stay off the Green Line, Red Line, Orange Line, whatever and still get to the center.
I do exist! Glad to hear apples are working out. I now keep one in the car if I'm going to be driving home late.
Let it be known that this guy had the best "contact card" I laid my eyes on while I was at PAX East 2011. A simple slip of hard cardboard that was two thirds the size of my pinkie. Pro printing with 8 bit characters on the back and all. It did not matter that it was small and easy to loose, it definitely did the trick.
As mentioned before in the thread, you really don't need a business card if you want to pass around your personal info. This is PAX, not a business convention. Try to have fun and make things as geeky as possible. You don't even need to make something at all! If you don't have the budget or the time then just bring along some paper and a pen, but do bring something to take down notes. Just in case.
I just want to say THANK YOU for this. I am a water fiend (even more so around 70,000 people.. who knew) and the idea of a compressible water bottle didn't even occur to me.
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1. What laws are different in America, driving wise? (Can I turn right on a red? Is there a minimum speed limit?)
2. Is it safe to wear your con badge outside of the con? (In Ottawa if you wore your Encounters badge you were asking people to mug you, same thing with con badge?)
3. People staying at the same hotel, will there be fun drinking times there as well as bars?
1) Here's a guide on general "cars in the USA". Scroll down to Part II: Rules of the Road and read that section.
2) A lot of people do, but I personally do not wear my con badge just generally around the city. I've always worn it around the general BCEC area, but if I'm going to other parts of downtown I've put it away. This isn't due to some specific safety concern by me, but I generally don't like wearing any sort of "badge" when not necessary since it can seem out of place.
3) Check out the hotel thread for people staying in your same hotel. There are some bars near many of the hotels, and I bet they will have a lot of paxers.