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Sugguestions for BYOC room this year?

BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
edited April 2007 in PAX Archive
Any suggestions for improvements over last year?
Suggestions for random small tournaments?
Suggestions for random contests?
Suggestions for security improvements?

Any comments about previous years?

*EDIT* Adding new things

If you haven't been interested to attend it in previous years, what would.. entice you to attend it this year?

If you haven't been interested to attend it in previous years due to an issue you have had with the BYOC or any concerns you might have, what are they?

<MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
BigRed on
«1

Posts

  • BrokenAngelBrokenAngel Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Honestly, I don't know what to do to improve on it as I didn't attend last year. However I do intend to work on my slacking FPS skills beforehand as I've gotten out of the habit of playing them. Not dying every 5 seconds improves game enjoyment greatly.

    OH! I know! A giant game of truth or dare, followed by strip poker and then, naked twister. After that, we all can do makeovers on each other and talk about cute boys till like 1am

    The winners of the games get to post the naked pictures of everyone else on the internet. We need a paxporn.com

    BrokenAngel on
    k9mk2carn.pngeleventhdoc2carn.png *Proud Head Girl of Slytherin & Team Red*
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Honestly, it was really handled well last year. Cool, quiet, dark. I enjoyed the refuge from the crowds when I was doing PAXsassins stuff in there.

    My only suggestion is to permit early BYOC setup, as follows. I ask because hauling a gaming rig through a line is no fun. Here's how it goes in my mind:

    1. Have somebody at one of the WSCTC's doors with a luggage/cargo cart from 6-9 PM on the 23rd.

    2. People would come to the door, where they would show BYOC ID.

    3. They'd then fill out a form that includes their BYOC badge number, an inventory of stuff dropped off, up to two items apiece, no loose parts or detachable cords, (e.g. a CPU and a monitor, that's it).

    4. They'd sign a damage/theft waiver for the duration of the expo (those uncomfortable with the waiver are free to haul their stuff through the line). Attached to the waiver would be two tear-off hardware tags (most Kinkos offer perforation services). Each would have their seat number on it.

    5. They wait in line with a bag of cables and nothing else, and are happier. You are also happier, because you get to avoid the huge rush of people running back and forth to their cars 5 minutes after the expo opens.

    ctishman on
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  • whypick1whypick1 PAX [E] Info Booth Manager ~2' from an LCDRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    One minor nitpick I had from last year was that the stickers used to tag hardware seemed to be made from the essences of face huggers, headcrabs and the white on rice. I understand that they shouldn't be dead easy to remove, but I for one do not like taking a beltsander to my stuff just to get the stickers off. (Yes, I realize what I just said is strewn with hyperbole, but the truth is in there).

    I thought I remembered reading you guys are working on getting streaming video of the panels/concerts to the BYOC room. If so, cool.

    Can't think of much else at the moment.

    whypick1 on
    Is it PAX <insert nearest future PAX here> yet?
  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    The winners of the games get to post the naked pictures of everyone else on the internet.

    There's a lot of people on the internet. That sounds like quite a bit of work.

    Raiden333 on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    BrokenAngel:

    Um... No.
    Id only be interested in naked pictures of a select few people anyway...
    (no not DiscoDave)

    ctishman:

    I'm already working on planing something simlair to what you are describing, but that is an interesting idea.

    Something like a goat check for computers where they need their tag to retrieve their equipment once they get up to the byoc section... hmm....

    The people running back and forth to the cars isn't really that crazy. but this is turning out to be a decent idea. A waiver would kind of be required though since we would be taking their equipment from them for a short time.

    An idea I was tossing around in my head was to let BYOC people in early via a "BYOC Line" separate from the pre-reg line to get checked in and drop their stuff off. Once they drop their stuff off they go back into the BYOC line (which would be a tad bit shorter than the pre-reg line :P.

    whypick1:

    Yes the tags will be different (at least we are trying to get that). If not then I will have things (chemicals and whatnot) available to remove said tags at the end.

    Last year there was a video stream of the concerts and things from the main theater. It will most likely be back this year. Wouldn't really need an audio stream for the concerts as the PC room is substantially closer to the concerts this year than last ;-) audio stream still should be there along with the video.
    We told them to turn it to 11 so the room will be able to hear the concerts but still drown it out with headphones.

    PRO TIP:
    If you want to game but still listen to the concert music at a clear volume, sit near the door.

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • BrokenAngelBrokenAngel Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Raiden333 wrote: »
    The winners of the games get to post the naked pictures of everyone else on the internet.

    There's a lot of people on the internet. That sounds like quite a bit of work.

    But fun work.
    BigRed wrote: »
    BrokenAngel:

    Um... No.
    Id only be interested in naked pictures of a select few people anyway...
    (no not DiscoDave)

    It's Khoo isn't it?

    Also, dangit. My ideas always get shot down.

    Oh! I dunno if theres anything like that but a snack table is always cool at big LANs from my experience. If there isn't one, there should be. We can supply it potluck style! I already promised I'd bring you cookies, I can make a huge x10 batch :)

    BrokenAngel on
    k9mk2carn.pngeleventhdoc2carn.png *Proud Head Girl of Slytherin & Team Red*
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    haha, unfortunately food cant be provided because of contracts that aramark and other companies have with the convention center. If food is to be provided it has to be through them. Although a concession stand in the pc area might be an interesting idea... but the food will be pricey :/

    A potluck is an okay idea in theory... but theres going to be a lot of people... If you bring snacks to share with the people sitting near you though (and maybe the PC security people out front... *WINKWINK*), they would be eternally grateful :D

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • ViscountalphaViscountalpha The pen is mightier than the sword http://youtu.be/G_sBOsh-vyIRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    BigRed wrote: »
    haha, unfortunately food cant be provided because of contracts that aramark and other companies have with the convention center. If food is to be provided it has to be through them. Although a concession stand in the pc area might be an interesting idea... but the food will be pricey :/

    A potluck is an okay idea in theory... but theres going to be a lot of people... If you bring snacks to share with the people sitting near you though (and maybe the PC security people out front... *WINKWINK*), they would be eternally grateful :D

    I wish I knew that, I had an overage of snacks last year. Great stuff too. Ya, I'm likely going to build a computer for the BYOC this year. It should be fun.

    Viscountalpha on
  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    BigRed wrote: »
    BrokenAngel:

    Um... No.
    Id only be interested in naked pictures of a select few people anyway...
    (no not DiscoDave)

    It's Khoo isn't it?

    Khoo is on everybody's list.... rrrowr *cough* I mean, uh, I like girls!

    (For the record, both are true statements because I'm bi)

    Also, ctishman's suggestion is, as might be colloquially said, the bomb. Such things should definitely be done.

    ElectricTurtle on
    yfrxgugaj8wu.png
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Something simlair is in the works ;-)

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • David CoffmanDavid Coffman Registered User, PAX Staff regular
    edited April 2007
    BigRed wrote: »
    Um... No.
    Id only be interested in naked pictures of a select few people anyway...
    (no not DiscoDave)

    That's because you've got the real thing right here, baybay!

    We may not be able to do an actual streaming video feed of concerts over the network for legal concerns and fears of bootlegging. It's an open issue at this point, but for the time being it looks like we'll probably have to stick with the projectors.

    Frankly, though, I like the idea of the projectors better anyway, so you can watch WHILE you game. Or more accurately, while you're waiting to respawn, when the action dies down, while you're setting up games, and such.

    David Coffman on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Another question would be...

    If you haven't been interested to attend it in previous years, what would.. entice you to attend it this year?

    If you haven't been interested to attend it in previous years due to an issue you have had with the BYOC or any concerns you might have, what are they?

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • leafleaf Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Things were really chill last year.

    The only thing I would really really want is being able to choose where you're sitting. There's a few of us BC people that know eachother and wanna sit together, rather than being on opposite ends of the room. Hopefully that's possible, since last year there were a ton of no-shows.

    I really liked security, I even felt confident leaving my headphones and external harddrive there. On this note though, if people have expensive headphones, perhaps a zip-tie tag to show this is BYOC and not to be removed at all without a corresponding badge? External harddrives are also fairly similal. As well as my hookah.

    leaf on
    newsig-notweed.jpg
  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Discodave: Afraid of bootlegging?! Well! I'll just have to listen really closely to it, and remember all the visuals, and then I'll recreate the whole thing from memory as some elaborate animation with kareoke! You'll never close the analogue hole man! HA HA!

    Seriously though, anybody can 0-day the DVD when it comes out, why even bother worrying? People who are going to buy things are going to buy things, I always buy the DVD. I would even if I had 73h 6007139.

    leaf: I don't know if you just dealt with less experienced/distracted enforcer at check-in, but last year I was asked if I had anything else I wanted tags for, and I was given a tag for my 500 GB NAS. 'Course I wasn't naive enough to leave that hanging loose, and I kensington'd that mofo and my laptop to the table. I wouldn't underestimate the value of a good kensington lock, and you should buy hardware that has such features.

    ElectricTurtle on
    yfrxgugaj8wu.png
  • leafleaf Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I'm not that concerned, but yeah, I did find it a little curious whoever it was just gave me a bunch of those really large stickers, that wouldn't fit on the headphones at all.

    leaf on
    newsig-notweed.jpg
  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Stickers are what I meant by tags. You're kinda SOL on the headphones anyway, because they're just too awkward to put anything on in a way that wouldn't be really easily removable. If you used a zip-tie as you mentioned, that would be off in 1 sec with a quick cut.

    ElectricTurtle on
    yfrxgugaj8wu.png
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Yeah small things like headphones need to be stashed away when you arent at the computer. I highly dobut they are worth more than some of the pairs i have sitting out at the security table in full public access anyway :P

    We cant be responsible for smaller items like that.

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Bring back that subwoofer-chair!

    ctishman on
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  • b0wserb0wser PAX HHL Deputy Manager CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    two chicks at the same time.

    b0wser on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    ctishman wrote: »
    Bring back that subwoofer-chair!

    K, its been there since 05, no reason to stop ;)
    b0wser wrote: »
    two chicks at the same time.

    Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

    (at pdxlan 7 there were 2 girls in the chair at the same time)

    ;-)

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • DJBreslinDJBreslin Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    I participated in BYOC in 2005, so my comments might be outdated.

    I liked being able to bring in my gear ahead of the doors opening. We were escorted in, put it all into the room, and were escorted out into the line. That was plenty fine.

    If there was assigned seating in 2006, I would put in a vote against that. I'm not sure it really adds anything other than frustration for the participants.

    This was a problem in '05 that might have been corrected in '06, but the PC Freeplay had a mic/speaker setup to tell people when their time was up. It got annoying for the BYOC crowd really fast to hear it over and over again so loudly and obnoxiously. "GET UP... NOW... YOUR TIME IS UP... LEAVE" In fact, I think in 06 I remember someone going by to each individual... that was cool.

    Finally, I think managing the no-show problem is key. You're starting with a small set of people, some of whom don't show up, and then not everyone is in the room at the same time all the time. I recall it made for some extremely limited gaming choices. Empty servers and whatnot. I think there was talk of scheduling "suggested" games. Not sure if that came to fruition in '06.

    The best part of BYOC is just that you can get away for a bit... have a home base of sorts. I suppose that will just continue to be great. :)

    DJBreslin on
  • ViscountalphaViscountalpha The pen is mightier than the sword http://youtu.be/G_sBOsh-vyIRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    DJBreslin wrote: »
    I participated in BYOC in 2005, so my comments might be outdated.

    I liked being able to bring in my gear ahead of the doors opening. We were escorted in, put it all into the room, and were escorted out into the line. That was plenty fine.

    If there was assigned seating in 2006, I would put in a vote against that. I'm not sure it really adds anything other than frustration for the participants.


    This was a problem in '05 that might have been corrected in '06, but the PC Freeplay had a mic/speaker setup to tell people when their time was up. It got annoying for the BYOC crowd really fast to hear it over and over again so loudly and obnoxiously. "GET UP... NOW... YOUR TIME IS UP... LEAVE" In fact, I think in 06 I remember someone going by to each individual... that was cool.

    Finally, I think managing the no-show problem is key. You're starting with a small set of people, some of whom don't show up, and then not everyone is in the room at the same time all the time. I recall it made for some extremely limited gaming choices. Empty servers and whatnot. I think there was talk of scheduling "suggested" games. Not sure if that came to fruition in '06.

    The best part of BYOC is just that you can get away for a bit... have a home base of sorts. I suppose that will just continue to be great. :)


    how about generalized seating? so a group can be more or less together. I think i'm going to do byoc this year and I'd like to be closer to slacktron. I'll have to remeber to tell him to load up tron 2.0 for some light cycle action at pax this year.

    Viscountalpha on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    DJBreslin:

    sry: all your concerns have already been fixed. Your info is outdated :P

    There will be a seating chart this year. It will be at the BYOC desk. You guys get to pick your seats when you check into the room.
    Unfortunately I probably cant do the thing where I escort people in early. There will be a better system put in place though.

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • DJBreslinDJBreslin Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    That's great. I know you guys asked for feedback after '05 and from what I heard '06 was vastly improved.

    Regarding the escort... I think I was mixing years '05 and '06. In '05, people with BYOC badges were allowed in prior to opening without an escort. There were so few of us that I suspect it didn't matter. We checked in, put our stuff down and left of our own accord, I believe. Actually, I could be remembering even that detail wrong too.

    In '06, I didn't have BYOC, but I did park in the garage and came up thru the elevator. It was that year that we were physically escorted from the elevator directly to the outside line.

    Whatever system you have in place, I'm sure it will be the best that it can be while not being overly burdensome to you and your crew.

    Best of luck!

    DJBreslin on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Yeah, the escort thing probably wont work this year with the size of the new building and the amount of people there are going to be.

    Once I get an ok on the new method ill let everyone know what it is when BYOC registration goes live.

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • uc4lifeuc4life Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    There was an awesome game that me and Safetymonkey invented during the first PAX called "Time till Hentai". The point of the game was to see how long it took you to find hentai on someone else's computer that was silly enough to leave an open share (c$ works really well).

    We got down to a point where our TTH(time till hentai) scores were sub 10 seconds.

    The moral of the story, please (or not) hide your underage Japanese tentacle rape jpgs better.

    uc4life on
  • ctishmanctishman Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Hah, sounds a lot like Google Seppuku but in reverse, sort of.

    ctishman on
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  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Open shares aren't silly, without them I'd be so damn bored...

    ElectricTurtle on
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  • AzioAzio Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Less fucking Dota.

    Azio on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Azio wrote: »
    Less fucking Dota.

    Why the dota hate?

    Also we don't control what the BYOC people play so... cant do much about that one.

    You are welcome to try and organize a game of your own to be played if you like.

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • uc4lifeuc4life Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Open shares aren't silly, without them I'd be so damn bored...

    Well of course they are, im just giving a friendly reminder to all my brothers in arms that are actually checking this thread. The rest of those BYOC suckers are about to get their hard drives raped :P

    uc4life on
  • BamboozaBambooza Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Some dirty hard drives might like that...

    Anyways, I think the idea of having those who are lugging around their PC in a tad early or have a separate way in would be a great idea. Last year even with the elevator it was difficult navigating the congested hallways of the third level and to think the walk from the elevator to the BYOC sign in was what 100 feet or less.
    Another helpful item could be a map on the suggested easiest way to bring ones computer into the exp to be mailed with the badges.

    Bambooza on
    The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
  • David CoffmanDavid Coffman Registered User, PAX Staff regular
    edited April 2007
    We'll definitely have some solution to get computers up there a little early before official doors open, so I'd encourage all byoc people . We're still refining the process for that, but stay tuned for details.

    A map is an interesting idea. I don't really know what's going out in the normal mailer...it's possible that'll work best as an email attachment. A couple weeks before the event, we'll be sending out a byoc information email and we could pretty easily add an attachment showing the best route for people who don't show up before doors open (those people we'll have an escort or something to bring systems up).

    David Coffman on
  • BrokenAngelBrokenAngel Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Okay this is probably incredibly cheesy contest idea, but how about a shared file treasure hunt? You could give a certian amount of people and small notepad file to place buried away in their shared folders, each one with a clue to the name or location of the next and the first one to find them all wins?

    BrokenAngel on
    k9mk2carn.pngeleventhdoc2carn.png *Proud Head Girl of Slytherin & Team Red*
  • David CoffmanDavid Coffman Registered User, PAX Staff regular
    edited April 2007
    That is a completely awesome idea.

    David Coffman on
  • BigRedBigRed Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Okay this is probably incredibly cheesy contest idea, but how about a shared file treasure hunt? You could give a certian amount of people and small notepad file to place buried away in their shared folders, each one with a clue to the name or location of the next and the first one to find them all wins?

    Thats way better than your previous idea :P

    But that could just be foiled by a network search for .txt files

    Unless we use password protected folders with notes pointing where to go to the next password protected folder. That way it wouldtn show up on a search... hmm...

    BigRed on
    <MoeFwacky> besides, BigRed-Worky is right
  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Plain text files don't have to end in txt, they could have any extension or none at all and still be read by any text editor. So you just make the first one a txt with a reference to the next one and make the next one some random extension as mentioned in the last.

    ElectricTurtle on
    yfrxgugaj8wu.png
  • uc4lifeuc4life Registered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Plain text files don't have to end in txt, they could have any extension or none at all and still be read by any text editor. So you just make the first one a txt with a reference to the next one and make the next one some random extension as mentioned in the last.

    Good thinking, im all for this.

    uc4life on
  • ViscountalphaViscountalpha The pen is mightier than the sword http://youtu.be/G_sBOsh-vyIRegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Do I need to find some horrible porn to intentionally install on my computer to scar people who peek onto my computer?

    Viscountalpha on
  • ElectricTurtleElectricTurtle Seeress WARegistered User regular
    edited April 2007
    Ha ha! I read /b/ on 4chan, I'm immune!

    ElectricTurtle on
    yfrxgugaj8wu.png
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