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PAX South 2016 Is Over, Be Sad In Here! (New members and Recap thread)
evanephrine
ev-an-eff-rinnSeattle, WARegistered User regular
ev-an-eff-rinnSeattle, WARegistered User regular
Once again another glorious weekend of PAX has come and gone, but before you sink too deeply into the post-PAX depression let's all remember the good times!
If you're a new member just joining us from South this year say hi and introduce yourself! We're all happy to answer any questions you may have. Also check out our Community Resource Thread for any and all tools you may want to use in your new pin journey.
Now for everyone, new and old, young and salty, let's recap a PAX! I want stories, trades, favorite panels or booths or events or merch, great things that happened, things you didn't enjoy so much, whatever! Dump it here so we can keep enjoying this PAX a little while longer.
If you're a new member just joining us from South this year say hi and introduce yourself! We're all happy to answer any questions you may have. Also check out our Community Resource Thread for any and all tools you may want to use in your new pin journey.
Now for everyone, new and old, young and salty, let's recap a PAX! I want stories, trades, favorite panels or booths or events or merch, great things that happened, things you didn't enjoy so much, whatever! Dump it here so we can keep enjoying this PAX a little while longer.
evanephrine on
+5
Posts
Yes, I was! I met him at the screencheat booth when I bought their pin. I traded him a couple of portal pins, and we talked for a bit about trading. When I mentioned I had about 310 of the 330-something pins, and the Aus 13 were one of the few I was missing, he traded me the logo! It was the highlight of a already great PAX! Meeting and talking to new people is not my forte, and pin trading is a way to break the ice and get a conversation going.
I loved seeing everyone again, and everyone I haven't seen before! The trading meet ups were fantastic, Evan!
The pin trading panel was also great - still amazed that you were able to keep things on time with how much info you had to present. That was one of the most efficient raffles I have seen, and I appreciate all the work that went into getting all those prizes lined up.
As far as other panels, the Thornwatch and Q&A panels were great as usual. And I never would have thought that Goldeneye would have been such a great game for the Omegathon final!
Finally, thank you maywest and Picmin for the games of secret hitler!
I look forward to seeing everyone again soon™!
It's a sad, sad situation.
Good show everyone! See you at Pax West!
@thx42 for helping me get a last minute kemper during the trading event so I could trade for an Snorkel Kemper
@maywest for trading me a dark place brain. This was the very last pin on my Pin Quest this time!
@evanephrine for giving me random things I was searching for (extra pin backs, and a Pin backing board for the Aus 2015 set)
@ajetog@gmail.com for gifting me extra fodder pins at the end of PAX when I ran out! Thank you so much! I've been running into new pin traders and paying if forward by gifting them pins!
Made a few trades - got a Kappa and an ETC for one of my Blind Merches, got an Ugin while in line for the staff pin trading event and later turned it into the Hot Dog Fairy I'd been looking for, won a Valentines Day pin from Khoo (apparently I'm pretty decent at shuffleboard), and am in talks to get a Giraffey from someone later on down the road so I can gift it to a friend of mine. Didn't manage to find anyone with a Gold Overwatch to trade but that didn't surprise me too much.
This is the first PAX that I was particularly involved with the pin community and it was a lot of fun! Even though I'm a one-PAX-per-year sort of person I'm excited to keep expanding my collection.
Trading
https://www.pinnypals.com/pals/krovek
I had some great run-ins with plenty of Pin Pals that I hadn't met before so thank you to everyone who I had a chance to meet and chat with. Unfortunately my goal of keeping track of every trade I made fell through about halfway through Friday, but I met some awesome trade goals despite that by getting a hold of a CinnaGabe, a few more Bastion pins for my shrine lanyard, and I almost made it all the way to a Tycho lanyard on the side!
Seriously, you guys made this PAX for me and I couldn't ask for a better group of friends. See you at East!
Look at all those beautiful people!
Pinny Pals Lanyard
Yep! I put together the banner and had Staples print it, and then @Beker hooked me up with an easel to use!
Pinny Pals Lanyard
PPD time
Trade me pins! - https://pinnypals.com/pals/TheAggroCraig
Join pinnypals.com to make some trades with people online. See people at Pax east I have met a ton of great people. It showed me my spare collection is very low. I plan to build it up for east to make more trades.
We also have pin groups that I can put you in as everyone can't go to every PAx.
Use us as a resource for any questions you might have. Also join the slack and whatsup app groups.
I want feed back on the dinner. For East I'm going to plan out the dinner choices a head of time for the pre dinner. We will also beta test the post dinner. So we won't have a problem getting a place to grab dinner as a group.
Pinny Pal since PAX Prime 2013
You did a great job with the community trading events.
I think it's also a great idea to list everything out.
Pinny Pal since PAX Prime 2013
So I'm posting this about an hour after I broke up with my lady that many of you met or saw me with at PAX, so there may be some feels.
PAX South began with a very rocky start for me; I was coming into it less than a month after back surgery(that appears to have not been much of a success). I really don't remember much about Friday, it's all kind of a blur; there was a lot of money spent, some pins purchased and a lot of pain. At the end of the night, there was a big fight and going to bed in pain and angry.
Saturday is much more lucid for me. We awoke on good terms. I gathered my displays and was trying to prepare mentally for the panel. Got to the convention center, got set up, and felt calm and collected. I was surprised at the number of new faces at the panel and happy to see many familiar ones. I swelled with pride to see people arriving early to see something that I was part of. I love public speaking, I love being in front of people talking about things I know well. This was a wonderful rush...then the actual panel began and my back immediately seized up and I realized I didn't take my pain medication. I've been kicking myself over and over in my head about the panel because I felt I could have done much better for our community. I specifically wanted my portion at the end so I could cut it short if needed so we would have more room for Q&A and the raffle, which thankfully we did and I hope everyone enjoyed it. Big thanks to all my fellow panelists and the vendors/community members who donated great stuff to raffle off!
After the panel it was off to the staff trade event. I was super happy to have been given the opportunity to be at the community info table in the queue area to answer questions and help people prepare for the main event. It added so much to my experience to be able to help even a few people with their questions and spread the word about our growing, awesome community. Huge props to @adambarg and @evanephrine for going out and working the crowd while I was in low mobility mode; they were very active in their interactions to help people get the pins they want. After the trade event, there was some random milling about watching the staff rush off to their next obligation. At one point I randomly hear someone yell "Hey Q!" and I turn to see Dabe who said something to the effect of "fresh kicks", it's become an unusual phenomenon for someone to know your name, even if it is plastered all over the side of the bag you carry. I replied with the only thing I could think of "they were on sale!"...yea, I'm pretty cool. I went to the pitch your game panel with friends, and it was my first time going. It was phenomenal, and will now be a staple of my PAX going forward.
Saturday night was one of the most miserable nights of my existence; I will avoid intimate details and medical jargon. I made the plan to go to the early merch line to maybe get another LE pin and a polygon playmat.
Sunday, I woke up at about 1130 hours feeling completely miserable. I contemplated not even returning to PAX for the final day it was so bad. I didn't want to miss any of it because I felt like I had been so absent and unavailable during the entire event and it just didn't feel like PAX for me. I went downstairs, chugged a ton of water, grabbed some water for the road and forced myself to go. I'm extremely glad I did.
During the drive in I had a metamorphosis. My pain was mostly gone, my mood stabilized, my energy came back and I was ready to PAX for real this time. I crammed an entire PAX worth of fun into a few hours. I ran around as much as I could handle still trapped in my back brace. I saw so many people, so many pins; many times during my random wanderings people would stop me and mention seeing the pin panel and ask me questions about pins. "Should I trade X for Y?, I heard X game has a pin, how do I get it?", and half a dozen other permutations thereof. I must admit, my constant self loathing and hatred was pushed aside every time someone would ask my help with something pin related. Went to the community event to bask in some pinny pal vibes and it was glorious as always. Queued up for the omegathon, and had this crazy Venn Diagram of nerdom that only PAX can create happen, and as always enjoyed the closing ceremonies of PAX. I burned very brightly at that point but was burnt out. The pain had reached its breaking point and I was ready for PAX to be over, but not ready to say goodbye. Had one last get together for a little bit with my pin people and drove home. I couldn't end PAX without saying goodbye and see you soon to my Basterds.
If Post PAX Depression weren't enough, now I get to deal with real life and an ended relationship. I miss you all and wish PAX Magic could happen every day. East is right around the corner, and hopefully I get to attend and see you all once more.
To quote Captain Benjamin Sisko:
"...this has become my home, and you have become my family. And leaving this station, leaving you, is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do -... - No victory can make this moment any easier for me. And I promise, I will not rest until I stand with you again, here... in this place where I belong."
Check out my YouTube Pinny Arcade Videos!
Pinny Pals Lanyard
I thought you were great on the panel - didn't notice anything was wrong.
Behold: the setup:
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/5x/uiodcsrscc1m.jpg
The idea of proposing with a DSB came to me after PAX Aus last year, when my now-fiancée had to drop out of bidding on the pin lot at the Child's Play Charity Auction at AUS$3600. She was devastated at the time, that being her best chance to-date of owning a DLC pin (and the Aus 2013 set, which we are still looking for). Then I thought, why not get her a DLC pin and surprise her with it as part of her "engagement ring?"
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/tf/ljhivjlcuea1.jpg
The rings came as a wedding set. I had them crafted by Da'oud Thompson, who sells jewelry at our local (AZ) and other renaissance festivals. Since we are also ren fest costumers, it was important to me that she be able to wear her rings in costume, but also that they look good and be made with real gemstones. I knew Da'oud could deliver, because we both already wear a lot of his jewelry.
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/ad/3lpptavpyo2o.jpg
The ring itself is silver with a star sapphire and amethyst side stones.
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/92/bpt9m9jr4lyo.jpg
Another pic of the sapphire's asterism. Also, those are my ugly hands, not hers. I think I was cleaning guns earlier that day and my hands are full of oil and grease and crud.
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/q8/bjz6k1r890tk.jpg
Here's the DSB, sealed with stickers that Nathan at Penny Arcade customer service sent me. They didn't have any spare DSBs to send, so I cleaned up one of the fallen soldiers from this year's DSB crop and stuck a new sticker on it.
https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/xd/1giz94d0oton.jpg
Finally, the planted DSB (left) with unaltered siblings. To help preserve the surprise, I suggested that we keep some of our DSBs as "line entertainment" at PAX South.
2015 PAX Prime Omeganaut (I will forever hate Katamari)
Side note, I was looking at the pin pal thing and I would love to be a part of that because its hard for me to get to East and Aus and I did fill out the sheet that I was prompted to fill out. However I am not sure if I would be considered since I am new to the community so any info would be appreciated!!
Great Pax South everyone and hope to see you at many more Pax events!!!!
Take notes people, this is how it's done.
Check out my YouTube Pinny Arcade Videos!
I had an amazing first PAX! Huge huge thanks to Fayt/Kevin/Rent and the rest of the OG PinnyPal crew for hanging out with me all weekend and helping me get a good start on what will undoubtedly be a horrifically expensive hobby.
THIS ONE GIRL...
Time to t-t-t-t-trade! ⭐️http://www.pinnypals.com/pals/Renfamous⭐️
@Raeberac: Glad I got to witness an epic Leeroy trade! As far as the pin groups go I'm sure you'll have no trouble forming one, welcome to the madness!
NOT SO FAST!
That was mostly directed at the trade event but AYYYY
Trade me pins! - https://pinnypals.com/pals/TheAggroCraig
Pinny Pals Lanyard
I've been to every Prime since '09 and when Pinny Arcade launched I really didn't catch the fever. However, after this South with the community events and all the fun times I'll definitely be attending all of the pin panels, official trading, and community trading events at West and South from now on. Thanks to everyone for being awesome.
@Eseell It was awesome seeing your proposal in the trading line. At first we thought you were just awesome and got her a DLC pin, but you were even more awesome and popped the question. Congratulations.
@Qumaden Being apart of the weird Ven Diagram of Nerdom right at the end of PAX was hilariously great. I know that everyone in our group had a great time with,"used to play magic, did the pin panel, attended the pin panel" connections that had to be made for that one.
Hope to see everyone at West!
XBLA: Pythos07
I introduced myself elsewhere, so I won't do it again.
First of all, though I had been to PAX East before (last year was my first), I hadn't been on a 3 day pass, so this was my first full-length PAX. I wasn't sure what to expect. @Juicesir and I had discussed how it was a "vacation PAX", but he was more PAX, and I was more vacation. My line of work is stressful, I wanted a break. He's well... a completionist and wanted to gogogo for pins, panels, PAX, etc. Didn't quite see eye-to-eye on this, but we worked it out.
I got new pins; I made my first trade! I know during the panel everyone mentioned how you should make trades that make you feel good, and I think I managed to do that. @Juicesir couldn't have shaken his head any less conspiciously as I traded my DSB Blind Merch away for four Kempers. He was demayed in a way, saying that it wasn't a trade he would have made. I explained my rationale for doing so as this: I knew the girl I traded with was getting something very limited, and I was getting pins I really wanted. Isn't that the point of the limited pins sometimes? We trade for things we actually want. And anyway, I watched her put the Blind Merch on her "to trade" lanyard, having full knowledge that she too did not care too much about the Blind Merch, but she seemed hopeful to use it as I had used it: to get pins that she really wanted and that made her happy to have in her collection.
I dunno guys, it gave me the feels, and that lets me know that despite me having some hesitancy to give away a Blind Merch, I did a good thing. Oh, and @Juicesir forgives me.
It was great to meet so many of you. I hope to see you guys at East and run around for pins and have a real pin hunt, as this PAX was a bit lackluster in that department.
All in all, I had a good time. :biggrin:
The Pins were few, but I like all of them. The show set glows in all the right places, and those who think it is a bad set are just wrong. Ninja is cute, Sentinel Pin goes with the other, Creepy Doll is fantastic for LRR fans (here!) and Katie Rice's....Pin is a reminder of one of the best comics she has done.
I had a PAX Buddy again, and I recommend it to everyone. Having someone who pulls you towards things you might not otherwise do is a good strategy for PAX and life. Pins as a commonality is probably advised though.
I got to see more of San Antonio, and it has cemented in me the idea that flying in early and leaving late is something to be done at every PAX. Budgets be damned, a day wandering the post-PAX town is a good way to unwind and stave off PPD. Remote working is your friend. Hotel Wifi prices are not.
Restaurants either need to step up or shut down, because we had too many bad experiences with service or food. Can we get a list of decent places we all found this year and Sticky it for next year? Places to avoid: Café Ole. Ask Evenstar for the story.
The lack of Pins was a good thing in regards to allowing time for other things, but it also highlights just how much of my PAX has become about them. I miss the hunt, and I know I wasn't alone. I am looking forward to East, and hopefully there are enough there to entice us without being overwhelming. Hearing the war stories from everyone about getting hard to find Pins, organizing the Scurry (collective noun for a group of squirrels, which is just so appropriate for the Friday morning Expo run) as we try and guess which will be the most sought after be regular attendees. Getting exhausted and stopping to chat over lunch, review the mornings haul. I cannot wait.
Nusquam Findi Factionis
My Digital Pin Lanyard
https://www.pinnypals.com/pals/thefawnn
Got a few nice trades and am looking forward to being involved in this community more.
Overall, I was more critical of the panels I went to this year over last year. The Minecraft mods panel was interesting, but suffered from poor moderation. He didn't introduce anyone (cardinal sin), and the description should have indicated it was a more technical panel. Fine for me, but ended up with a lot of people walking out. The music panel on Sunday was particularly disappointing, since the presenter (16 year-old not in the video game industry), simply read off a powerpoint presentation. He was talking about it on Reddit, and he apparently didn't have access to the internet in that theater. Still, the PAX committee responsible for selecting these panels should do a better job vetting them. Best panel I went to was Tabletop Game Manufacturing 101 panel, which had a couple of really knowledgeable people. Close second was the Quiplash session in the Main Theater.
Didn't go to any of the concerts, as last year was rather flat. Not the fault of the artists (big fan of MC Frontalot), but that theater was made for orchestral and symphonic music, not Nerdcore Hip-hop. It just kills the atmosphere when everyone is sitting. I think they could get away with clearing out Falcon for the concert, and having some of those panels on the main stage or moved to other rooms.
My highlight of the visit actually came after PAX, Sunday night. Played some Secret Hitler in the Hyatt lobby with a great group of people until 3am, and didn't get their contact info, like an idiot. I was actually bemoaning that on Reddit, and was pointed this way, so that's why I'm here!
Can I just keep it in my pocket?
Ok I'm locking this down, guys.
Pinny Pals Lanyard
I'm just shocked that many nearby businesses don't seem to watch the convention schedule.