Are the Q&A Panels always so creepy? I watched the video Gabe posted today. The first guy (cancer survivor) standing up to give him a hug was definitely cool, but the second Q was "sign my badge", and the third Q was "can I shoot some video?". At that point I just cringed and closed the video. I'm looking forward to attending my first PAX and check out the Q&A Panel, but man, if its just "give me hugs/sign my stuff/here guys I brought you food", I think I'll just skip it and go to the live strip panel.
I'm not sure I would call that stuff /creepy/ but some of that is always there. It has to do with celebrity, some people will always be a little starstruck. They generally don't sign things unless it's the person's very first pax, because they have a signing session specifically for that purpose. The reality is that it's the direct time that fans get to interact with them, so everyone's reaction will be a little different.
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testsubject23King of No SleepZzzzzzzRegistered Userregular
I'm not sure I would call that stuff /creepy/ but some of that is always there. It has to do with celebrity, some people will always be a little starstruck. They generally don't sign things unless it's the person's very first pax, because they have a signing session specifically for that purpose. The reality is that it's the direct time that fans get to interact with them, so everyone's reaction will be a little different.
Exactly - it's the only chance many people have of actually engaging them in something resembling conversation, so I think we need to forgive 'em if they ramble, trip over their words, forget what they were going to ask, or ask a silly question. (One of my fav guys this year got into line *multiple tiimes* and forgot his question: "Forgot my Q again, so uh... how's it goin'?" I think that was hilarious, personally.)
Also not everyone's gonna ask something of general interest. They spend their time in the lineup and they get their question... that seems fair to me.
The "sign my badge" thing does kinda bug me, only because there's already been time set aside for that elsewhere. (And it is fantastically unintersting to watch people sign things, generally speaking.) But it WAS way better this year than last - and all of the signing requests seemed to be from first-year attendees, so we gotta cut 'em some slack.
Gift deliveries could similarly be done during the signing, but I personally like seeing all the weird stuff they get. That cross stitch was *badass*, and we wouldn't have seen it at all if it wasn't handed over during the Q&A.
Are the Q&A Panels always so creepy? I watched the video Gabe posted today. The first guy (cancer survivor) standing up to give him a hug was definitely cool, but the second Q was "sign my badge", and the third Q was "can I shoot some video?". At that point I just cringed and closed the video. I'm looking forward to attending my first PAX and check out the Q&A Panel, but man, if its just "give me hugs/sign my stuff/here guys I brought you food", I think I'll just skip it and go to the live strip panel.
There is always some of that. Some people always ask "can you sign my badge" you sort of can't avoid it. However, more often than not there is a question before it and the Q&A Panels always have a chance to have something awesome happen. Examples being the Action Castle incident and Armwrestling from East 2010. Often times you will see them go and give a hug if a story is particularly touching with only once in a while people asking. If you want to fully avoid that you will have to skip those panels for me there is enough that I don't really mind hearing the requests.
The gifts in my opinion are actually normally pretty cool and I enjoy seeing what they get. If you want to see less of that I would suggest Make a Strip where you can just watch Mike draw and ignore the badge signing requests and gifts for the most part (and in the case of East 2012 watch Jerry draw as well). I don't consider any of that creepy but I guess its a matter of opinion. Having not missed a Q&A at East (either through attending or video after) for me they are always a highlight and I feel I have a decent perspective of that they do. Asking for a badge to be signed seemed much less prevalent this year except for people asking jerry to forge mike's signature at Make a Strip.
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peetsnackTeam Green Poké Assist, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Head Girl House HufflepuffThe Cleave LandsRegistered Userregular
Are the Q&A Panels always so creepy? I watched the video Gabe posted today. The first guy (cancer survivor) standing up to give him a hug was definitely cool, but the second Q was "sign my badge", and the third Q was "can I shoot some video?". At that point I just cringed and closed the video. I'm looking forward to attending my first PAX and check out the Q&A Panel, but man, if its just "give me hugs/sign my stuff/here guys I brought you food", I think I'll just skip it and go to the live strip panel.
There is always some of that. Some people always ask "can you sign my badge" you sort of can't avoid it. However, more often than not there is a question before it and the Q&A Panels always have a chance to have something awesome happen. Examples being the Action Castle incident and Armwrestling from East 2010. Often times you will see them go and give a hug if a story is particularly touching with only once in a while people asking. If you want to fully avoid that you will have to skip those panels for me there is enough that I don't really mind hearing the requests.
The gifts in my opinion are actually normally pretty cool and I enjoy seeing what they get. If you want to see less of that I would suggest Make a Strip where you can just watch Mike draw and ignore the badge signing requests and gifts for the most part (and in the case of East 2012 watch Jerry draw as well). I don't consider any of that creepy but I guess its a matter of opinion. Having not missed a Q&A at East (either through attending or video after) for me they are always a highlight and I feel I have a decent perspective of that they do. Asking for a badge to be signed seemed much less prevalent this year except for people asking jerry to forge mike's signature at Make a Strip.
Not to turn this into a 'Thoughts on Q&A' thread, but I have two thoughts on the subject. The first is that Gabe/Tycho have done a few of these things in their time, and I would like to think that if attendees were being particularly egregious, they would not keep quiet about it. The second is that there are essentially two categories of attendees: ones that have never been to a PA Q&A and those that have. For the people who have never seen one, each person at the mic is a brand new experience. Don't get too down on them. You were there once too, you know.
I've been to a lot of Q&As. Actually, I have been to every Q&A #1 since PAX '08. I never go to Q&A #2 or Make a Strip. The problem with the PAX Q&A panel is that almost every Q has already been A'd. If you are a fan of Penny Arcade, there is very little you don't already know about Mike & Jerry that they are going to answer. The best you can do is ask specific details about a recent PATV episode, or something like that. So other than the traditional things like the knuckle crack, what do we do with the rest of the time?
So the Q&A panel is really misnamed. What it really is is "Mike & Jerry take requests". You have these two really entertaining people and a room full of a few thousand fans. Yet, they don't have anything prepared. So what you do when you go up there is you don't actually ask a question. Instead, you figure out some way to give Mike & Jerry a seed with which to entertain the audience.
You see how the key here is to not make the Q about you, but to make it about them. You help to make them shine. Think of it like a band, and you are requesting a song for them to play. You have to think of the best song that they will be able to play that will provide maximum enjoyment for the audience.
If you want the Q&A to be really good, then it's up to you guys who go to it to make it good. You have to think long and hard about something you can ask Mike & Jerry to do that will make them look really good, that they will be very good at, and will provide a lot of entertainment.
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testsubject23King of No SleepZzzzzzzRegistered Userregular
edited April 2012
@Apreche That was you with the "I Lost My Hat" book?
I *loved* that - probably the highlight of the Q&As, for me, so thanks for that. Gonna buy that book for my kids.
EDIT: Wait, I forgot about the proposal. You can't trump that.
Are the Q&A Panels always so creepy? I watched the video Gabe posted today. The first guy (cancer survivor) standing up to give him a hug was definitely cool, but the second Q was "sign my badge", and the third Q was "can I shoot some video?". At that point I just cringed and closed the video. I'm looking forward to attending my first PAX and check out the Q&A Panel, but man, if its just "give me hugs/sign my stuff/here guys I brought you food", I think I'll just skip it and go to the live strip panel.
Skip to 46:30. There was some tension and energy in the room after that one. The next guy in line had to feel like an ass with a "My Little Pony" question...
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TopherRocksRockstar Beard GrowerKent, OH or Long Island, NYRegistered Userregular
I loved the N00dz or GTFO and Press XY panels. I was very glad I was able to make it to them. So cool seeing heavy topics covered but not taking themselves super serious, both had a great balance of lightheartedness while covering major issues. I hope to see sequel panels next year. The Harmonix Podcast panel was great too, lots of fun and way too empty.
As for downers, I have to agree with what was said about the Gearbox panel. The panel itself was fun but it was somewhat poorly managed and the slideshow cut into too much Borderlands time.
My favorite panels were the NWR Connectivity Jeopardy and the Raising the Next Generation of Geeks. Both were well run, interesting and fun. It does not hurt that both gave out prizes.
My least favorite was the ACAM pinball one. I did not help that I misunderstood the description, I thought it was going to be about retro pinball games, not about a company called Retro Pinball. The entire panel was rather dry, the power point was disorganized and it felt like a commercial for the company.
Although I greatly enjoyed the Magic the Gathering panel, the handing out of the cards at the end could have been handled a lot better, we had to find them in the hallway to get one. Next time they should have people by the exits, handing them out as you leave.
Are the Q&A Panels always so creepy? I watched the video Gabe posted today. The first guy (cancer survivor) standing up to give him a hug was definitely cool, but the second Q was "sign my badge", and the third Q was "can I shoot some video?". At that point I just cringed and closed the video. I'm looking forward to attending my first PAX and check out the Q&A Panel, but man, if its just "give me hugs/sign my stuff/here guys I brought you food", I think I'll just skip it and go to the live strip panel.
Skip to 46:30. There was some tension and energy in the room after that one. The next guy in line had to feel like an ass with a "My Little Pony" question...
Oddly enough, that was the same guy who was acting all weird at the Blankety Blank panel
Draw a comic is always amazing. I missed the keynote (which was great in 2010 when I first went, but I dont think I want to deal with the line anymore), and the 2 Q&As despite really liking them.
We went to D&D next and it was god awful. it amounted to "were working on it, its 5% done guys, keep that in mind, SO LETS START THE Q&A" we got up and left when every answer was "its modular". I convinced my friends to go to the Giant bomb show as their podcast is amazing and I have seen feeds of their previous pax shows, and this was awful. All my friends fell asleep at some point and lots of people were bailing from the back of the room when the Q&A started. It didnt help it was hard to see them. I had to apologize for the entirety of the next day for it not being good.
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I'm not sure I would call that stuff /creepy/ but some of that is always there. It has to do with celebrity, some people will always be a little starstruck. They generally don't sign things unless it's the person's very first pax, because they have a signing session specifically for that purpose. The reality is that it's the direct time that fans get to interact with them, so everyone's reaction will be a little different.
Exactly - it's the only chance many people have of actually engaging them in something resembling conversation, so I think we need to forgive 'em if they ramble, trip over their words, forget what they were going to ask, or ask a silly question. (One of my fav guys this year got into line *multiple tiimes* and forgot his question: "Forgot my Q again, so uh... how's it goin'?" I think that was hilarious, personally.)
Also not everyone's gonna ask something of general interest. They spend their time in the lineup and they get their question... that seems fair to me.
The "sign my badge" thing does kinda bug me, only because there's already been time set aside for that elsewhere. (And it is fantastically unintersting to watch people sign things, generally speaking.) But it WAS way better this year than last - and all of the signing requests seemed to be from first-year attendees, so we gotta cut 'em some slack.
Gift deliveries could similarly be done during the signing, but I personally like seeing all the weird stuff they get. That cross stitch was *badass*, and we wouldn't have seen it at all if it wasn't handed over during the Q&A.
Steam: Chaos Introvert | Twitch.tv: Chaos_Introvert | R*SC: Chaos_Introvert | PSN: testsubject23
There is always some of that. Some people always ask "can you sign my badge" you sort of can't avoid it. However, more often than not there is a question before it and the Q&A Panels always have a chance to have something awesome happen. Examples being the Action Castle incident and Armwrestling from East 2010. Often times you will see them go and give a hug if a story is particularly touching with only once in a while people asking. If you want to fully avoid that you will have to skip those panels for me there is enough that I don't really mind hearing the requests.
The gifts in my opinion are actually normally pretty cool and I enjoy seeing what they get. If you want to see less of that I would suggest Make a Strip where you can just watch Mike draw and ignore the badge signing requests and gifts for the most part (and in the case of East 2012 watch Jerry draw as well). I don't consider any of that creepy but I guess its a matter of opinion. Having not missed a Q&A at East (either through attending or video after) for me they are always a highlight and I feel I have a decent perspective of that they do. Asking for a badge to be signed seemed much less prevalent this year except for people asking jerry to forge mike's signature at Make a Strip.
Not to turn this into a 'Thoughts on Q&A' thread, but I have two thoughts on the subject. The first is that Gabe/Tycho have done a few of these things in their time, and I would like to think that if attendees were being particularly egregious, they would not keep quiet about it. The second is that there are essentially two categories of attendees: ones that have never been to a PA Q&A and those that have. For the people who have never seen one, each person at the mic is a brand new experience. Don't get too down on them. You were there once too, you know.
So the Q&A panel is really misnamed. What it really is is "Mike & Jerry take requests". You have these two really entertaining people and a room full of a few thousand fans. Yet, they don't have anything prepared. So what you do when you go up there is you don't actually ask a question. Instead, you figure out some way to give Mike & Jerry a seed with which to entertain the audience.
I don't want to be a braggy jerk and use myself as an example, but I have been practicing this.
You see how the key here is to not make the Q about you, but to make it about them. You help to make them shine. Think of it like a band, and you are requesting a song for them to play. You have to think of the best song that they will be able to play that will provide maximum enjoyment for the audience.
If you want the Q&A to be really good, then it's up to you guys who go to it to make it good. You have to think long and hard about something you can ask Mike & Jerry to do that will make them look really good, that they will be very good at, and will provide a lot of entertainment.
I *loved* that - probably the highlight of the Q&As, for me, so thanks for that. Gonna buy that book for my kids.
EDIT: Wait, I forgot about the proposal. You can't trump that.
Steam: Chaos Introvert | Twitch.tv: Chaos_Introvert | R*SC: Chaos_Introvert | PSN: testsubject23
A list of things, should you be of the gifting persuasion
Skip to 46:30. There was some tension and energy in the room after that one. The next guy in line had to feel like an ass with a "My Little Pony" question...
As for downers, I have to agree with what was said about the Gearbox panel. The panel itself was fun but it was somewhat poorly managed and the slideshow cut into too much Borderlands time.
https://allmylinks.com/topherxbeads
My least favorite was the ACAM pinball one. I did not help that I misunderstood the description, I thought it was going to be about retro pinball games, not about a company called Retro Pinball. The entire panel was rather dry, the power point was disorganized and it felt like a commercial for the company.
Although I greatly enjoyed the Magic the Gathering panel, the handing out of the cards at the end could have been handled a lot better, we had to find them in the hallway to get one. Next time they should have people by the exits, handing them out as you leave.
Oddly enough, that was the same guy who was acting all weird at the Blankety Blank panel
We went to D&D next and it was god awful. it amounted to "were working on it, its 5% done guys, keep that in mind, SO LETS START THE Q&A" we got up and left when every answer was "its modular". I convinced my friends to go to the Giant bomb show as their podcast is amazing and I have seen feeds of their previous pax shows, and this was awful. All my friends fell asleep at some point and lots of people were bailing from the back of the room when the Q&A started. It didnt help it was hard to see them. I had to apologize for the entirety of the next day for it not being good.