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Best PAX past panels

AlloweiAllowei Registered User regular
edited August 2010 in PAX Archive
Hello everyone, I was wondering what were your favorite panels in the past and why? Last year I didn't make it to any of them. Since we're so close to the schdule being released I thought I'd get some tips in case we saw the same or similar ones going on this year :mrgreen:

Allowei on

Posts

  • MortonStromgalMortonStromgal Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The only one that I can remember the name of that I really enjoyed was Beyond Dungeons and Dragons. There were several great panels but I don't recall the names.

    MortonStromgal on
  • Moe FwackyMoe Fwacky Right Here, Right Now Drives a BuickModerator Mod Emeritus
    edited August 2010
    Outside of the big panels (keynote, q&a, wil wheaton), the only panels I really attend are those related to online community management.

    Moe Fwacky on
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  • SoularisSoularis Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I personally enjoyed the G4 panel last year.

    Soularis on
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  • HeleorHeleor SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The best panels in my opinion are the ones that have a comedic slant to them.

    The "pitch a game idea" panel was a hit at East, especially once someone suggested a game called "Just the Tip" for the Wii. XD

    Heleor on
  • akTheraakThera akjak Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I think the most memorable one for me from last year was An Evening with Scott Kurtz. I guess that's not really a panel, but he was hilarious

    akThera on
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  • SpawnOfCthulhuSpawnOfCthulhu Also that Snifit guy. Gig Harbor, WARegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I had a great time at The Guild season 2 screening.
    Everyone there is totally awesome.

    Also had a magnificent time at the Adam Sessler and Hal Halpin panel.
    Both of those guys are gentlemen, and it was interesting to hear their opinon on a great many things.

    SpawnOfCthulhu on
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  • ChibipandoraChibipandora Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    My favorite in terms of fun was probably the Code Monkeys panel.

    I also liked the one the had on censorship and video games a couple years ago. It has served me well to this day.

    Chibipandora on
  • MJPMMJPM Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I loved the Hot Head panel back in 2007, the Red Vs. Blue panels, Scott Kurtz anything (Evening with, Blamimations, Pitch Your Game Idea), and the Musical Guests panel (Anamanaguchi are AWESOME, and crazy. Well, that last part is mostly just Pete.)

    MJPM on
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  • GundabadGundabad PAX East & Unplugged Tabletop Manager NJRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    At PAX East, most of my panel time was spent in the main theater watching stuff like the Q&As, the Make a Strip panel, etc. The only smaller theater event I went to was Action Castle! which is more of an interactive text-based RPG that everyone in the room plays, and is amazing.

    MortonStromgal wrote: »
    The only one that I can remember the name of that I really enjoyed was Beyond Dungeons and Dragons. There were several great panels but I don't recall the names.

    The people who run this panel are the two guys who do the Geeknights podcast. They said on their show recently they have something like 5 or 6 panels lined up for PAX this year. I've never been to one of their panels but from what I hear they are very well thought out. One of their new ones for this year is an in-depth discussion on game theory, which I will try to attend.

    Gundabad on
  • NopeNope Frankfort, KYRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    MJPM wrote: »
    I loved the Hot Head panel back in 2007, the Red Vs. Blue panels, Scott Kurtz anything (Evening with, Blamimations, Pitch Your Game Idea), and the Musical Guests panel (Anamanaguchi are AWESOME, and crazy. Well, that last part is mostly just Pete.)

    Pretty much in agreement about Scott Kurtz anything. Both at Prime and at PAX East the Evening with Scott Kurtz panel was hilarious, it always goes over time too cause nobody lets Scott leave :). As much awesome stuff as there is at PAX you have to check out his panel at LEAST ONCE.

    Nope on
  • UnknownUnknown
    edited August 2010
    This content has been removed.

  • Firestorm88Firestorm88 Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    In 2009:
    GFW Radio Reunion Live Podcast
    The Medium is the Massage - Storytelling in Games

    Firestorm88 on
  • The_ReflectionThe_Reflection Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    The pitch your game idea panel is always guaranteed fun. The mega64 panels are awesome and fun. The blamimation panel at PAX east was great, hoping for another live blam at prime this year.

    The_Reflection on
  • Masquerade78Masquerade78 Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Heleor wrote: »
    The "pitch a game idea" panel was a hit at East, especially once someone suggested a game called "Just the Tip" for the Wii. XD

    I have never missed a PA Q&A but when it comes to the smaller panels I try never to miss the Pitch Your Game Idea because it is a guaranteed laugh. We missed it at East and now I am very sad because the ^ comment make me giggle.

    I thought I would like the 'women in gaming' panels but I never do. Something about them puts me off for some reason.

    Masquerade78 on
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  • AlloweiAllowei Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Sounds like Pitch Your Game Idea is a must, as is Kurtz (if he's there). I'm excited for the schdule to come out! Got my energy drinks and my DS... READY TO GO WOO!

    Allowei on
  • BlackDragon480BlackDragon480 Bluster Kerfuffle Master of Windy ImportRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    SpawnOfCthulhu wrote: »
    Also had a magnificent time at the Adam Sessler and Hal Halpin panel.
    Both of those guys are gentlemen, and it was interesting to hear their opinon on a great many things.

    I also loved that panel last year, of course I've been a Sessler fan since the TechTV days (got a chance to chat with him for a couple of minutes as well, he thinks Allen screwed-the-pooch on dropping TechTV), so I may be slightly biased in that reguard. But there were several interesting legal issues discussed there.

    And yes, the Kurtz panels are fukawesome.

    BlackDragon480 on
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  • LumenadducereLumenadducere Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    This may be silly, but I've never been to a convention before so I have no idea how it works. How does attendance at a panel get determined, and if you're in a room for one event and want in on the next one, do you just stay in the room or do you have to leave and get in line? I ask because AFAIK the keynote and the Q&A both take place in the main theater, and the Q&A is right after the keynote. Will I be able to just stay in the room after the keynote and be able to attend the Q&A? If so, what happens to the people who miss the keynote and want to go to the Q&A, but it's already full?

    And thank you guys for all the recommendations. I'm so excited and I just know that if I don't plan out the main panels I want to go to beforehand then I'm going to be all over the place and I'll miss most of 'em. Keep 'em coming!

    Lumenadducere on
  • HeleorHeleor SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Typically the room is cleared between events, and people start lining up about half an hour before the panel. Some popular ones have lines that are much longer.

    Heleor on
  • qwhackerqwhacker Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    I think I'm most excited for Stepto's panel, assuming he does another one. The audiofeed that major nelson has posted of those always seemed awesome

    qwhacker on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Last year's Wil Wheaton panel was awesome. I honestly can listen to him tell stories for hours.

    RvB's pretty sweet, and I'm planning on making it to a Kurtz panel this time if there is one based on the reviews.

    Matev on
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  • UnknownUnknown
    edited August 2010
    This content has been removed.

  • thespiffyneostarthespiffyneostar Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    the Xbox live enforcement panel with Stepto and friends is ALWAYS good.

    I personally enjoyed Mega64, but only because I am a big fan of their work.
    the one with ALL the musicians is also very interesting.

    thespiffyneostar on
  • lemongrenadeslemongrenades Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Sorry if this is gonna derail the discussion too much, but I'm just wondering how the "pitch your game idea" panel works. Do people from the audience just get up and pitch to the audience or is it to a panel of people? And if it's a panel, who's usually on it? Is it serious pitches or is it all just a joke?

    lemongrenades on
  • RayzeRayze Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    lemongrenades wrote: »
    Sorry if this is gonna derail the discussion too much, but I'm just wondering how the "pitch your game idea" panel works. Do people from the audience just get up and pitch to the audience or is it to a panel of people? And if it's a panel, who's usually on it? Is it serious pitches or is it all just a joke?

    I happened to be at the "Pitch a Game" panel at PAX East (while waiting for the second Q/A, I believe), and it was funnier than I thought it would be. People from the audience lined up to briefly pitch their game ideas to three industry people sitting up on stage (it was Scott Kurtz, I think Jeff from PA, and some other guy) and the judges would determine whose ideas would move on to the next round. How much time you put into your idea didn't seem to affect who moved on as a mix of simple and more thought out ideas were chosen.

    In the second round, the people who were chosen go back up and explain their games a little bit more in-depth, while answering any questions the judges might have. In the end, they pick their top 3 or 5 and I think 1-3 get prizes (I honestly can't remember if that's accurate at all)


    The winner from that panel had the idea of an iPhone drag racing app where you race against other people in your actual car. It was a simple idea compared to some of the others but the prospective hilarity and damage that could ensue won the everyone over

    Rayze on
  • lemongrenadeslemongrenades Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Rayze wrote: »
    lemongrenades wrote: »
    Sorry if this is gonna derail the discussion too much, but I'm just wondering how the "pitch your game idea" panel works. Do people from the audience just get up and pitch to the audience or is it to a panel of people? And if it's a panel, who's usually on it? Is it serious pitches or is it all just a joke?

    I happened to be at the "Pitch a Game" panel at PAX East (while waiting for the second Q/A, I believe), and it was funnier than I thought it would be. People from the audience lined up to briefly pitch their game ideas to three industry people sitting up on stage (it was Scott Kurtz, I think Jeff from PA, and some other guy) and the judges would determine whose ideas would move on to the next round. How much time you put into your idea didn't seem to affect who moved on as a mix of simple and more thought out ideas were chosen.

    In the second round, the people who were chosen go back up and explain their games a little bit more in-depth, while answering any questions the judges might have. In the end, they pick their top 3 or 5 and I think 1-3 get prizes (I honestly can't remember if that's accurate at all)


    The winner from that panel had the idea of an iPhone drag racing app where you race against other people in your actual car. It was a simple idea compared to some of the others but the prospective hilarity and damage that could ensue won the everyone over

    So anyone can do it or do you have to like sign up ahead of time?

    lemongrenades on
  • The_ReflectionThe_Reflection Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    you just walk up to the mic and pitch.

    The_Reflection on
  • lemongrenadeslemongrenades Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Sounds awesome. I may have to do that.

    lemongrenades on
  • HicksHicks Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    If you're curious - the 2009 Pitch Your Game Panel can be found its in entirety here: http://pax-tv.blip.tv/file/3108450/

    Hicks on
  • lemongrenadeslemongrenades Registered User regular
    edited August 2010
    Hicks wrote: »
    If you're curious - the 2009 Pitch Your Game Panel can be found its in entirety here: http://pax-tv.blip.tv/file/3108450/

    Was just about to go looking for that. You rock.

    lemongrenades on
This discussion has been closed.
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