I haven't received an email either. It is mon morning and west coast hasn't hit starting time yet. So give it a bit longer. Honestly, worst case if you have your info, go to will call thurs and they can handle it. I tend to bring copies of credit card statements with charge, confirmation email and current showclix print out. In a little type a though. In person usually is easier anyway.
If it helps, our group is in the same boat. Got all our entrance passes and not our byoc passes. Three different accounts of passes and byoc, all the same.
I already messaged Dreggor, but if anyone has any further insight into this problem we are having please share any solutions. We have not received our BYOC badges yet (Group House LAN-ister) I am not sure what to do if we do not receive them, the email has had no response and its only a few days away. I want to be able to check in around 8 at the BYOC entrance and not have to worry about lugging PC stuff around trying to figure out if we need to see customer service desk or something if we dont have a response... WAT DO?!
So I got someone on the phone regarding this issue and I think we have a contingency plan if we do not receive badges in the mail. I hope this shit works out, I need to start playing games asap at pax haha
Print out whatever emails you have sent them and bring them to the registration desk at PAX if they don't get back to you and you still don't get your badges.
DrogithShe who runneth the BYOCPittsfield, NHRegistered Userregular
This is the current list of tournaments being thrown in BYOC... and yes... some of them are silly LAN games:
Friday -
Counter Strike GO tournament - 7pm
Mountain Dew Chugging Contest - 2pm
Saturday -
League of Legends tournament - 7pm
HDD Shuffleboard - 2pm
Sunday -
Nidhogg Tournament - 11am
When you are at PAX, let the guys running the BYOC know how everything is going.
I know. They just are usually like 11- 4 type times. It'll work however you guys make it.
0
DrogithShe who runneth the BYOCPittsfield, NHRegistered Userregular
The guy setting up the time wanted to make sure there were tournaments happening after the main hall closes, that way everyone has a chance to check out panels and whatnot during the day.
Constructive feedback is welcome at and during the event... Just find the 7ft tall viking in BYOC... :P
Some people have fancy rigs. Most of us bring a solid laptop to game on. My best friend brings her crappy MacBook. It's what ya got. You will see a combination of it all.
Last year, since they started doing security checks on bags, it has been harder to get across the Westin Bridge even if you are BYOC before the show floor actually opens. Is this something that there will be someone up there who knows what they are talking about to let us through or do I have to go down to the main queue? If not, what magic words should I utter to the enforcers ("BYOC" doesn't seem to work by itself) who are telling me I shall not pass.
Last year, since they started doing security checks on bags, it has been harder to get across the Westin Bridge even if you are BYOC before the show floor actually opens. Is this something that there will be someone up there who knows what they are talking about to let us through or do I have to go down to the main queue? If not, what magic words should I utter to the enforcers ("BYOC" doesn't seem to work by itself) who are telling me I shall not pass.
I was just thinking about this. At south the byoc were allowed to cross past the queue line to our area. Is this going to be allowed? And at what time? Also, will we be allowed to enter the exhibit hall from the byoc at opening like in past years?
What's the current information for "stuff allowed"?
Also, @rainism : I brought my "nice laptop" a few times, and never had any problems. Of course, I took care to bring a laptop lock with me. Most of the security around BYOC is to keep non-BYOC folks out. I think they'd need serious psychic skills to detect a theft perpetrated by one BYOC'er upon another. They do tag computers (including laptops) on entry, but they don't bag-check everyone entering and leaving BYOC. Anyone could walk out with a laptop tucked into a backpack or (if small enough) a swag bag and no one would be the wiser.
So, if you plan on leaving your laptop unattended on the BYOC table, I'd be sure to have some kind of anti-theft thing for it (like a Kensington lock or something). Otherwise, I'd take it with you whenever you leave BYOC.. I'm pretty sure 99.9% of the folks at PAX East are good apples. Given an attendance of 80K, that means there'll be 80 bad apples...and I'm sure they'll be watching and hanging around vulnerable stuffs, so you still need to be careful.
If I bought a BYOC pass now to pickup at Will Call, will I be able to pick this up early and setup at 8am?
You can pick up will-call passes at the registration desk on Thursday between 1pm and 7pm. I highly suggest this as there should be less of a line, and you will have to wait less to get in on Friday morning.
Kilonum on
0
Dreggor[E] PAX East PC Room DeputyRegistered Userregular
The BYOC informational mailer is going out tonight or tomorrow morning for registered badge purchasers and I will post the copy of the email on here in the original thread.
-=Dreggor
PAX Prime PC Room Deputy
PAX East PC Room Deputy
+1
DrogithShe who runneth the BYOCPittsfield, NHRegistered Userregular
No matter where you bring your own system, a Kensington lock for laptops or even something as simple as tie wraps is always suggested for your system. The Enforcer staff does an amazing job of making sure only BYOC and specific staff are able to enter the BYOC area. But with any type of security there is only so much we can do.
I really do suggest a tie wrap or two though. Seeing as the only people that should have tools inside the convention center are staff, there should be nobody capable of cutting free your peripherals. Your items will be safe if you take proper precautions
I honestly have never locked my comp up in all my years of byoc. I've also never been able to leave without people asking me who's stuff is that. Maybe I'm naive, but it's a pretty secure place.
@mayapple I'd agree 100% with a desktop or SFF (or even an SFF-sized bag), but I've left the BYOC area with standard backpacks/messenger bag sized bags and nobody has ever asked me for a bag check. You can easily put a laptop in such a bag. I also know one year, someone had something stolen. I forget what it was. I don't think it was a computer. I think it was something like a fancy gaming keyboard. It's just a reminder that stuff can happen, and it'll generally happen to the easiest pickings. Don't be the easy pickings.
If I was showing up with an old clunker laptop that I was thinking about replacing soon and maybe selling for cheapz or scavenging for parts, I probably wouldn't worry. But if I was going to set up something valuable, I would certainly take some easy precautions. Just think of it like fastening your seat belt. Hopefully you'll never need it, but just make it a habit and you'll be fine.
If I bought a BYOC pass now to pickup at Will Call, will I be able to pick this up early and setup at 8am?
You can pick up will-call passes at the registration desk on Thursday between 1pm and 7pm. I highly suggest this as there should be less of a line, and you will have to wait less to get in on Friday morning.
Where exactly is the registration desk? my BYOC pass is at will call and I would rather not have to deal with that friday morning.
If I bought a BYOC pass now to pickup at Will Call, will I be able to pick this up early and setup at 8am?
You can pick up will-call passes at the registration desk on Thursday between 1pm and 7pm. I highly suggest this as there should be less of a line, and you will have to wait less to get in on Friday morning.
Where exactly is the registration desk? my BYOC pass is at will call and I would rather not have to deal with that friday morning.
ya this ^
0
Dreggor[E] PAX East PC Room DeputyRegistered Userregular
In the past it has been to the right as you come in the north lobby (Main Entrance)
-=Dreggor
PAX Prime PC Room Deputy
PAX East PC Room Deputy
Here's the mailer that went out (posting as it isnt in the OP yet)
****UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****
If you're getting this, that means you have purchased a BYOC spot at PAX East to bring your computer and play on our dedicated network alongside a couple hundred friends you haven't met yet. To help make sure your BYOC festivities go smoothly, we've put together a little information packet for you. If you ever have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected] or to help ensure others benefit from your question, post in our forums at: http://forums.penny-arcade.com/categories/pax-east
--- Getting There ---
If you're travelling by car, pull into the Westin/BCEC area at the base of the giant media wall. Follow this road (West Side Drive) all the way past the building, and down and back up the ramp. Keep following the road until you get to Level 1 Southwest. This will be the first glass vestibule you come to on your right hand side.
We will have signs posted where the load-in area will be and there will be Enforcers inside the building manning a security station that can hold your equipment for you while you park your car.
For those of you staying at the Westin, you've got a bit of a walk...sorry about that! Go straight from the skybridge connecting the Westin and the BCEC and down the escalator. Keep going the same direction through North Lobby and around the Northwest corner of the building. Keep following the hallway until you get to "Southwest Lobby B2". This will be the second lobby you come to, just past the food court. From there you can make use of either the RIGHT escalator or the elevator down to the PC Room level (Level 0 / Hall Southwest C1).
Note that BYOC opens at 8:30am on Friday, 90 minutes earlier than the rest of the show. Obviously that's pending our ability to make sure things are totally ready for you, but our goal is for you to be able to set up your rig with plenty of time to hop in the Expo Hall line.
--- Basic LAN Party Information ---
****UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****
If you've never been to a LAN party, be sure to bring the following equipment:
3-Day (or other) PAX Pass
BYOC Pass
Computer
Monitor (Please no bigger than 27" LCD) and connecting cable
Keyboard
Mouse (we recommend wired, just to avoid any potential interference)
Mouse pad
Ethernet cable (25 feet should be sufficient, but longer is always better)
Power cables (but no extension cords or power strips. Maximum of two power connected devices)
Headphones
Games CDs/DVDs, Windows CD, and backups for other programs you may need to install/reinstall.
We suggest printing off this list checking each item as you pack it. If you end up forgetting something, talk to an Enforcer and we might be able to help out.
****UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****
--- Pre-PAX Prep---
Please update/patch your games before coming to PAX. This includes updating Steam, Impulse, Origin, and such. You will have access to the Internet, but bandwidth is extremely limited...you'll almost certainly get faster downloads at home.
Please be sure to enable virus protection on your computer before connecting it to our network. Any computers that are found with a virus will be immediately disconnected from the network until the matter is resolved.
--- PAX East Badge Registration ---
Your PAX East BYOC badges should be mailed to you shortly if you haven't received them already. Should you have questions or issues with this, please contact [email protected].
--- PAX East Schedule ---
The PAX East BYOC schedule is as follows:
Friday: 8:30am - 12:00am
Saturday: 10:00am - 12:00am
Sunday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
--- Tournament Schedule ---
The PC Tournament Schedule will be found on our forums right here when it announced. Note this does not account for the various BYOC contests we'll be peer pressuring you into.
--- BYOC Contests ---
The BYOC and LANFest staff will be running organized games throughout each day in the games on the list. Some of the activities will have signups ahead of time while others you can just jump in game and join us. Extended descriptions for each of the organized events will be posted on the PAX Forums. Scheduled times will be available on site starting at check-in.
--- Security Information ---
There's a lot more to do at PAX than just play PC games, and we want you to be able to go do all of these things secure in the knowledge that your computer and peripherals are safe and sound. To that end, we probably put a much higher emphasis on security than most other LAN parties. Before you enter the PAX BYOC area, you will have to quickly register your computer and any monitor you're bringing into the computer area. We've gone to great lengths to keep the security processes in check, and as such, please keep your BYOC badge as visible as possible when entering the room.
While we will make every attempt to keep all equipment in the room safe, be aware that there is little we can do to prevent iPods, tablets, portable game consoles, CD's, big wads of cash, and other small items from walking off. We strongly suggest you keep such items out of plain view and use some common sense when it comes to your own security. If you're coming with a laptop, we also STRONGLY recommend you invest in a laptop lock. Seriously.
--- Voice Chat Information ---
We will have Ventrilo and Discord servers available for tournaments and public gaming. While we will have the client available on our file server, it is recommended that you download and install Ventrilo or Discord before you come to the event. You can download the clients at http://www.ventrilo.com and https://discordapp.com/.
Thanks everyone, and we'll see you very soon!
****DID I MENTION YOU SHOULD UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE?****
****COOL JUST CHECKING****
==============================================
PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]
(First BYOC) You folks think it's worth it to bring an M-ATX rig and monitor? That's what I had been planning to do, but it occurred to me my XPS 15 may be enough. Looking through this thread at the games people are talking about, most of the games doesn't look too demanding. (BF4 excluded and goddamn do I love me some BF4)
I bring a laptop lock and typically leave the laptop there a lot of the time. If I don't need it in the hotel room, I don't carry it across town.
The first year I brought a MATX cube and 19" LCD. Last 3 BYOC's I bring a 15.6" laptop.
You can come to the early checkin via the side door (off the ramp). We used Uber from the hotel and had us dropped off there.
In the past if you come on foot, go in the front door once they start loading in the queue room you can go over to PC area and come down the escalator on that side.
I know the Skybridge is closed for general entry, but will they allow BYOC folks to move their stuff through there?
Also, are carts available/acceptable? Again, the hauling of the computers seems a bit tricky from the Westin. Maybe I should just take my keyboard/mouse and a laptop...
Also, are carts available/acceptable? Again, the hauling of the computers seems a bit tricky from the Westin. Maybe I should just take my keyboard/mouse and a laptop...
Previously, carts with 4 wheels have been prohibited due to the union rules of the company that the BCEC uses to set things up. I haven't heard anything different so I would assume that is still the case.
Posts
If it helps, our group is in the same boat. Got all our entrance passes and not our byoc passes. Three different accounts of passes and byoc, all the same.
So I got someone on the phone regarding this issue and I think we have a contingency plan if we do not receive badges in the mail. I hope this shit works out, I need to start playing games asap at pax haha
Print out whatever emails you have sent them and bring them to the registration desk at PAX if they don't get back to you and you still don't get your badges.
Friday -
Counter Strike GO tournament - 7pm
Mountain Dew Chugging Contest - 2pm
Saturday -
League of Legends tournament - 7pm
HDD Shuffleboard - 2pm
Sunday -
Nidhogg Tournament - 11am
When you are at PAX, let the guys running the BYOC know how everything is going.
When do we eat?
Constructive feedback is welcome at and during the event... Just find the 7ft tall viking in BYOC... :P
If I bought a BYOC pass now to pickup at Will Call, will I be able to pick this up early and setup at 8am?
Also wondering if there are any groups that have a open spot. Play CS:GO/Dota2/WoW/Hearthstone/SC2/D3/CivV.
Thanks.
Also, @rainism : I brought my "nice laptop" a few times, and never had any problems. Of course, I took care to bring a laptop lock with me. Most of the security around BYOC is to keep non-BYOC folks out. I think they'd need serious psychic skills to detect a theft perpetrated by one BYOC'er upon another. They do tag computers (including laptops) on entry, but they don't bag-check everyone entering and leaving BYOC. Anyone could walk out with a laptop tucked into a backpack or (if small enough) a swag bag and no one would be the wiser.
So, if you plan on leaving your laptop unattended on the BYOC table, I'd be sure to have some kind of anti-theft thing for it (like a Kensington lock or something). Otherwise, I'd take it with you whenever you leave BYOC.. I'm pretty sure 99.9% of the folks at PAX East are good apples. Given an attendance of 80K, that means there'll be 80 bad apples...and I'm sure they'll be watching and hanging around vulnerable stuffs, so you still need to be careful.
When you go to check in on Friday morning you will be assigned a seat which will last you for the entirety of PAX.
PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]
See y'all at PAX East 2018!
You can pick up will-call passes at the registration desk on Thursday between 1pm and 7pm. I highly suggest this as there should be less of a line, and you will have to wait less to get in on Friday morning.
PAX Prime PC Room Deputy
PAX East PC Room Deputy
I really do suggest a tie wrap or two though. Seeing as the only people that should have tools inside the convention center are staff, there should be nobody capable of cutting free your peripherals. Your items will be safe if you take proper precautions
If I was showing up with an old clunker laptop that I was thinking about replacing soon and maybe selling for cheapz or scavenging for parts, I probably wouldn't worry. But if I was going to set up something valuable, I would certainly take some easy precautions. Just think of it like fastening your seat belt. Hopefully you'll never need it, but just make it a habit and you'll be fine.
Where exactly is the registration desk? my BYOC pass is at will call and I would rather not have to deal with that friday morning.
ya this ^
PAX Prime PC Room Deputy
PAX East PC Room Deputy
If you're getting this, that means you have purchased a BYOC spot at PAX East to bring your computer and play on our dedicated network alongside a couple hundred friends you haven't met yet. To help make sure your BYOC festivities go smoothly, we've put together a little information packet for you. If you ever have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected] or to help ensure others benefit from your question, post in our forums at: http://forums.penny-arcade.com/categories/pax-east
--- Getting There ---
If you're travelling by car, pull into the Westin/BCEC area at the base of the giant media wall. Follow this road (West Side Drive) all the way past the building, and down and back up the ramp. Keep following the road until you get to Level 1 Southwest. This will be the first glass vestibule you come to on your right hand side.
We will have signs posted where the load-in area will be and there will be Enforcers inside the building manning a security station that can hold your equipment for you while you park your car.
For those of you staying at the Westin, you've got a bit of a walk...sorry about that! Go straight from the skybridge connecting the Westin and the BCEC and down the escalator. Keep going the same direction through North Lobby and around the Northwest corner of the building. Keep following the hallway until you get to "Southwest Lobby B2". This will be the second lobby you come to, just past the food court. From there you can make use of either the RIGHT escalator or the elevator down to the PC Room level (Level 0 / Hall Southwest C1).
Note that BYOC opens at 8:30am on Friday, 90 minutes earlier than the rest of the show. Obviously that's pending our ability to make sure things are totally ready for you, but our goal is for you to be able to set up your rig with plenty of time to hop in the Expo Hall line.
--- Basic LAN Party Information ---
****UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****
If you've never been to a LAN party, be sure to bring the following equipment:
3-Day (or other) PAX Pass
BYOC Pass
Computer
Monitor (Please no bigger than 27" LCD) and connecting cable
Keyboard
Mouse (we recommend wired, just to avoid any potential interference)
Mouse pad
Ethernet cable (25 feet should be sufficient, but longer is always better)
Power cables (but no extension cords or power strips. Maximum of two power connected devices)
Headphones
Games CDs/DVDs, Windows CD, and backups for other programs you may need to install/reinstall.
We suggest printing off this list checking each item as you pack it. If you end up forgetting something, talk to an Enforcer and we might be able to help out.
****UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****
--- Pre-PAX Prep---
Please update/patch your games before coming to PAX. This includes updating Steam, Impulse, Origin, and such. You will have access to the Internet, but bandwidth is extremely limited...you'll almost certainly get faster downloads at home.
Please be sure to enable virus protection on your computer before connecting it to our network. Any computers that are found with a virus will be immediately disconnected from the network until the matter is resolved.
--- PAX East Badge Registration ---
Your PAX East BYOC badges should be mailed to you shortly if you haven't received them already. Should you have questions or issues with this, please contact [email protected].
--- PAX East Schedule ---
The PAX East BYOC schedule is as follows:
Friday: 8:30am - 12:00am
Saturday: 10:00am - 12:00am
Sunday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
--- Tournament Schedule ---
The PC Tournament Schedule will be found on our forums right here when it announced. Note this does not account for the various BYOC contests we'll be peer pressuring you into.
--- BYOC Contests ---
The BYOC and LANFest staff will be running organized games throughout each day in the games on the list. Some of the activities will have signups ahead of time while others you can just jump in game and join us. Extended descriptions for each of the organized events will be posted on the PAX Forums. Scheduled times will be available on site starting at check-in.
--- Security Information ---
There's a lot more to do at PAX than just play PC games, and we want you to be able to go do all of these things secure in the knowledge that your computer and peripherals are safe and sound. To that end, we probably put a much higher emphasis on security than most other LAN parties. Before you enter the PAX BYOC area, you will have to quickly register your computer and any monitor you're bringing into the computer area. We've gone to great lengths to keep the security processes in check, and as such, please keep your BYOC badge as visible as possible when entering the room.
While we will make every attempt to keep all equipment in the room safe, be aware that there is little we can do to prevent iPods, tablets, portable game consoles, CD's, big wads of cash, and other small items from walking off. We strongly suggest you keep such items out of plain view and use some common sense when it comes to your own security. If you're coming with a laptop, we also STRONGLY recommend you invest in a laptop lock. Seriously.
--- Voice Chat Information ---
We will have Ventrilo and Discord servers available for tournaments and public gaming. While we will have the client available on our file server, it is recommended that you download and install Ventrilo or Discord before you come to the event. You can download the clients at http://www.ventrilo.com and https://discordapp.com/.
Thanks everyone, and we'll see you very soon!
****DID I MENTION YOU SHOULD UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE?****
****COOL JUST CHECKING****
==============================================
PAX East 2018 4-Day Pass [X] BYOC Pass [X] Hotel Reservation [X]
See y'all at PAX East 2018!
That's a no. Badges and equipment are locked to names at checkin and it's 1 badge = 1 person.
I love the look of these, very clean. I know there's no practical need for it, but please tell me the slot loading drive on the front is functional!
http://pinmash.info - Two pins enter, one pins leaves... then the other pin leaves with a lower Elo rating
The first year I brought a MATX cube and 19" LCD. Last 3 BYOC's I bring a 15.6" laptop.
You can come to the early checkin via the side door (off the ramp). We used Uber from the hotel and had us dropped off there.
In the past if you come on foot, go in the front door once they start loading in the queue room you can go over to PC area and come down the escalator on that side.
Do we get to choose the flavor of Mountain Dew?
Also, are carts available/acceptable? Again, the hauling of the computers seems a bit tricky from the Westin. Maybe I should just take my keyboard/mouse and a laptop...
Previously, carts with 4 wheels have been prohibited due to the union rules of the company that the BCEC uses to set things up. I haven't heard anything different so I would assume that is still the case.