The PAX to-bring checklist
SecCom
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've attended 2 PAXs now, this will be my third and I'm so excited that I'm bursting on the inside. Its like that feeling you got right before going to DisneyWorld (or Land, whatever your childhood had)
This is a comprehensive list of things I always bring and I suggest you do too before you head out.
The basics:
-Extra clothing - always always always have those extra pairs of underwear
-Deodorant - you might think you smell fine without, but others don't, please keep this on you at all times
-Toothbrush/toothpaste
-Music for your trip - I can't stand the radio myself
-Pills/Medication - nobody wants to call 911, make sure you have that inhaler
-Cold Medicine - all this staying up late, eating questionably nutritious food can absolutely wreck your immune system, look for immune boosters or just straight-up day-time cold medicine to keep the germs at bay
-Cell Phone - absolutely necessary, make sure you have a good text plan, because twitter tends to be used a lot here, if you wanna get live updates.
-Twitter account - on top of that, make sure your twitter account is linked to your phone and ready to go. Send "Follow Official_PAX" to twitter (40404) to get important updates on the event right on your phone. Other vendors might list their accounts as well, so just "Follow" them as needed.
-Laptop? - Probably should keep it in the hotel, but you might wanna look up nearby restaurants and check the e-mail.
-Wallet - I'm betting that a cardboard sign that says "need money for gaming convention" isn't going to get a lot of bites, so make sure you have your money, IDs, etc.
-PAX badge - God help you if you forget this. I suppose you could enjoy scenic Seattle for the weekend, but that's not what you came for.
What you'll want at the event (what I call the PAX-pack):
-Messenger bag - backpacks are cool, but for my money the messenger bag is superior since it lets you access anything on the bag without taking it off. Note that there will be many times where you'll be hard pressed to take off your bag since so many people will be around you, it can get very crowded, any mobility helps.
-Free swag bag - the messenger bag is where all your important stuff is going to go, but odds are you'll be getting swag like nobody's business - tshirts, posters, buttons, you name it. There's always a booth giving out big, free swag bags and I recommend you try to get one of these ASAP. They're usually easy to spot, but if you don't know just ask the nearest person where they got theirs.
-Camera - There's going to be that one thing that happens at PAX that you'll wanna tell everyone about, but snapping a quick shot can really make the memories that much better. You don't have to be a shutterbug, but odds are there will be a few times when you'll wanna capture the moment. Camera phones might work, but remember this is a low-light area, so something with a flash will almost be necessary.
-Portable Game System - Hey, this is a gaming con, so feel free to bring your favorite games along, nobody is going to judge. In fact, about half of everyone at PAX has their DS/PSP/iPhone out all the time. I personally find it great for standing in long lines (which trust me you will find yourself in a lot of) or just general downtime. Odds are your favorite collectible card game will be there, so why not add that to the pack?
-Headache medicine - Sometimes things are loud and having a headache makes this event not so much fun.
-Water bottle - Don't find yourself dehydrated, water fountains are sparse and you may be in a line for awhile, so make sure you have a way to keep your fluids going.
-Snacks - You might be at a panel well into lunchtime, so its a good idea to keep a lot of snacks on you to keep the empty tummy at bay. I prefer granola bars and I tend to put as many as 8 in my pack for the day. With all the walking around you'll get a pretty big appetite.
-Deodorant - Again, I don't wanna smell you, it might be good to keep this on you at all times and freshen up when you use the restroom. It will make everyone a lot more happy.
-Extra cash - Have that extra cash on hand so you don't need to resort to the ATM, a lot of vendors won't take cards and there's going to be a few times you'll want something cool.
-Good Attitude - Long lines, kids who cut in front, sold out merchandise, no more room at a panel, generally rude people - DON'T LET THESE THINGS GET TO YOU - You're here to have fun and these things can't be avoided for the most part, so the best thing to do is just ignore them and have a great time despite them. Just don't let anything get you down and you'll come home singing praises for the rest of the year.
This is a comprehensive list of things I always bring and I suggest you do too before you head out.
The basics:
-Extra clothing - always always always have those extra pairs of underwear
-Deodorant - you might think you smell fine without, but others don't, please keep this on you at all times
-Toothbrush/toothpaste
-Music for your trip - I can't stand the radio myself
-Pills/Medication - nobody wants to call 911, make sure you have that inhaler
-Cold Medicine - all this staying up late, eating questionably nutritious food can absolutely wreck your immune system, look for immune boosters or just straight-up day-time cold medicine to keep the germs at bay
-Cell Phone - absolutely necessary, make sure you have a good text plan, because twitter tends to be used a lot here, if you wanna get live updates.
-Twitter account - on top of that, make sure your twitter account is linked to your phone and ready to go. Send "Follow Official_PAX" to twitter (40404) to get important updates on the event right on your phone. Other vendors might list their accounts as well, so just "Follow" them as needed.
-Laptop? - Probably should keep it in the hotel, but you might wanna look up nearby restaurants and check the e-mail.
-Wallet - I'm betting that a cardboard sign that says "need money for gaming convention" isn't going to get a lot of bites, so make sure you have your money, IDs, etc.
-PAX badge - God help you if you forget this. I suppose you could enjoy scenic Seattle for the weekend, but that's not what you came for.
What you'll want at the event (what I call the PAX-pack):
-Messenger bag - backpacks are cool, but for my money the messenger bag is superior since it lets you access anything on the bag without taking it off. Note that there will be many times where you'll be hard pressed to take off your bag since so many people will be around you, it can get very crowded, any mobility helps.
-Free swag bag - the messenger bag is where all your important stuff is going to go, but odds are you'll be getting swag like nobody's business - tshirts, posters, buttons, you name it. There's always a booth giving out big, free swag bags and I recommend you try to get one of these ASAP. They're usually easy to spot, but if you don't know just ask the nearest person where they got theirs.
-Camera - There's going to be that one thing that happens at PAX that you'll wanna tell everyone about, but snapping a quick shot can really make the memories that much better. You don't have to be a shutterbug, but odds are there will be a few times when you'll wanna capture the moment. Camera phones might work, but remember this is a low-light area, so something with a flash will almost be necessary.
-Portable Game System - Hey, this is a gaming con, so feel free to bring your favorite games along, nobody is going to judge. In fact, about half of everyone at PAX has their DS/PSP/iPhone out all the time. I personally find it great for standing in long lines (which trust me you will find yourself in a lot of) or just general downtime. Odds are your favorite collectible card game will be there, so why not add that to the pack?
-Headache medicine - Sometimes things are loud and having a headache makes this event not so much fun.
-Water bottle - Don't find yourself dehydrated, water fountains are sparse and you may be in a line for awhile, so make sure you have a way to keep your fluids going.
-Snacks - You might be at a panel well into lunchtime, so its a good idea to keep a lot of snacks on you to keep the empty tummy at bay. I prefer granola bars and I tend to put as many as 8 in my pack for the day. With all the walking around you'll get a pretty big appetite.
-Deodorant - Again, I don't wanna smell you, it might be good to keep this on you at all times and freshen up when you use the restroom. It will make everyone a lot more happy.
-Extra cash - Have that extra cash on hand so you don't need to resort to the ATM, a lot of vendors won't take cards and there's going to be a few times you'll want something cool.
-Good Attitude - Long lines, kids who cut in front, sold out merchandise, no more room at a panel, generally rude people - DON'T LET THESE THINGS GET TO YOU - You're here to have fun and these things can't be avoided for the most part, so the best thing to do is just ignore them and have a great time despite them. Just don't let anything get you down and you'll come home singing praises for the rest of the year.
Lead Editor of http://fullnovazero.com We like to write about video games.
SecCom on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Posts
Good advice here. Even though there have been plenty of post about this, as a first time attendant it is always helpful to read.
GO DAWGS(:
PAX Prime Attendee: '10, '12, '13, '14
Prime 2015 Cosplay: Hilda, Female Sunset City Hero, Squirtle Squad url="http://www.facebook.com/steleus"]X[/url