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My time at PAX East 2011
Panzerkampf
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So first I'll start by saying this is my first post on the forum. I plan to stick around unless I do not stick around. In the event of me not sticking around I take back my original statement. In any case, I was at PAX East 2011 and also at PAX East 2010. Here are my comments...
Expo Hall: I spent most of the con here, it was great. I didn't play much stuff because I hate lines but I now really wish I had money for Brink and I cannot wait to play Homefront, Red Faction, and Elder Scrolls V
PC Freeplay: I got in there once, the lines were crazy and in my opinion not worth waiting in for 45 minutes of gameplay. I know many will disagree, there just isn't much of a draw for me unless there is a game I really want to play being showcased. Also, minecraft was installed so I got excited until I found out that you still couldn't play unless your account was activated. Same goes for console freeplay, although a room similar to the LFG room next to console would have been great for PC.
Bawls: I was sad that I saw so many enforcers outside the PC rooms drinking Bawls but there was no where to buy them. I asked one enforcer and was told that they didn't actually exist
Concerts:The Protomen were awesome, enough said.
Contests: I really enjoyed these last year and I enjoyed them even more this year. I only wish it was easier to remember where you got which raffle ticket if you don't have a pen to try to write in the name of the booth and time of drawing(s) on a small ticket. My only disappointment was that I did not win a computer (I won the computer from the CPU Magazine booth last year.) They did recognize me though, which was cool.
Panels: I only went to the musical guest panel so I can't really say anything here. There could have been a little more variety though.
Community: This is the main draw for me to any event. The people at PAX are great people, I did not see many people act unfriendly towards other attendees. The lack of an elitist attitude at the con is a definite plus. I enjoyed meeting fellow gamers and playing games with people.
Food: I did not buy food at the actual center for the majority of the con. It was really overpriced and the quality did not look like it matched with the prices given. I know this is not the cons fault, I just thought I would bring it up. Also, I did buy a burger and it was ice cold, was at lunch time too so there was really no excuse for that.
Size: The building was huge so overcrowding was not an issue, however, I did get lost quite a few times. There could have been a few more maps around the center as well as better spreading of enforcers throughout the building.
Area: While the convention center was huge and looked great the surrounding area wasn't as easy to get around as the area around the Hynes. The Hynes had cheap food and coffee practically connected to it, the BCEC had a bit of a walk to get to nearby shops and restaurants. I understand they did have a lunch trolley but that wasn't very advertised and if you looked at the menu they didn't list many places besides a few Chinese food places and some restaurants that sounded out of most peoples price range. Maybe next time put the phone numbers to a few places that deliver in the area in the PAX guide?
Transportation: The shuttles were great, we stayed at the Holiday Inn about twenty minutes away so that saved us a lot of money that we didn't have to spend on taxis. My only complaint was that they did leave early a few times and we watched our only ride for an hour drive off without us.
Overall: It was a great convention and I cannot wait for next year.
edit
Bathrooms: I had to add this in here. The centers staff did not do a very good job keeping the bathrooms stocked with toilet paper, two out of the four times I used a restroom there was none to be found. The bathrooms were also pretty chaotic, almost always a line to get into a stall. Also, the skill required to pee in the toilet and not on it seems to be a skill few people possess. I was not aware that peeing was such a daunting task.
Expo Hall: I spent most of the con here, it was great. I didn't play much stuff because I hate lines but I now really wish I had money for Brink and I cannot wait to play Homefront, Red Faction, and Elder Scrolls V
PC Freeplay: I got in there once, the lines were crazy and in my opinion not worth waiting in for 45 minutes of gameplay. I know many will disagree, there just isn't much of a draw for me unless there is a game I really want to play being showcased. Also, minecraft was installed so I got excited until I found out that you still couldn't play unless your account was activated. Same goes for console freeplay, although a room similar to the LFG room next to console would have been great for PC.
Bawls: I was sad that I saw so many enforcers outside the PC rooms drinking Bawls but there was no where to buy them. I asked one enforcer and was told that they didn't actually exist
Concerts:The Protomen were awesome, enough said.
Contests: I really enjoyed these last year and I enjoyed them even more this year. I only wish it was easier to remember where you got which raffle ticket if you don't have a pen to try to write in the name of the booth and time of drawing(s) on a small ticket. My only disappointment was that I did not win a computer (I won the computer from the CPU Magazine booth last year.) They did recognize me though, which was cool.
Panels: I only went to the musical guest panel so I can't really say anything here. There could have been a little more variety though.
Community: This is the main draw for me to any event. The people at PAX are great people, I did not see many people act unfriendly towards other attendees. The lack of an elitist attitude at the con is a definite plus. I enjoyed meeting fellow gamers and playing games with people.
Food: I did not buy food at the actual center for the majority of the con. It was really overpriced and the quality did not look like it matched with the prices given. I know this is not the cons fault, I just thought I would bring it up. Also, I did buy a burger and it was ice cold, was at lunch time too so there was really no excuse for that.
Size: The building was huge so overcrowding was not an issue, however, I did get lost quite a few times. There could have been a few more maps around the center as well as better spreading of enforcers throughout the building.
Area: While the convention center was huge and looked great the surrounding area wasn't as easy to get around as the area around the Hynes. The Hynes had cheap food and coffee practically connected to it, the BCEC had a bit of a walk to get to nearby shops and restaurants. I understand they did have a lunch trolley but that wasn't very advertised and if you looked at the menu they didn't list many places besides a few Chinese food places and some restaurants that sounded out of most peoples price range. Maybe next time put the phone numbers to a few places that deliver in the area in the PAX guide?
Transportation: The shuttles were great, we stayed at the Holiday Inn about twenty minutes away so that saved us a lot of money that we didn't have to spend on taxis. My only complaint was that they did leave early a few times and we watched our only ride for an hour drive off without us.
Overall: It was a great convention and I cannot wait for next year.
edit
Bathrooms: I had to add this in here. The centers staff did not do a very good job keeping the bathrooms stocked with toilet paper, two out of the four times I used a restroom there was none to be found. The bathrooms were also pretty chaotic, almost always a line to get into a stall. Also, the skill required to pee in the toilet and not on it seems to be a skill few people possess. I was not aware that peeing was such a daunting task.
:shock:
Panzerkampf on
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