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Date for PAX '05
Warder45
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Maybe this has been discussed already but did anyone else have problems not going to PAX because of the date? I could think of no worse time in the summer to have the event then the weekend it was held. For me it was simply the fact that my college classes started that week, and with book/supply purchancing along with dozens of other things there was no way I could come. And of the all the schools in the area mine is one of the later ones to start.
The way I figure it, for those with full-time jobs it doesn't matter when it is as they will have to take off work anyways. Those of us in college have from the middle of may to the middle of august free. And finally those in high school have from the beginning of june to mid-aug free. That leaves most of june, all of july, and the beginning of august free for everyone.
So for '05 is there any problem people see in holding it at a different date? Or is this on purpose to keep numbers low due to space issues? For me I'd love to go, and even better, volunteer but I doubt I'll get the chance until '06 or '07 if the date stays as is. Obviously it's G&T's decision and if thats the only date that works for them then thats how it's going to be. Thoughts/Info?
The way I figure it, for those with full-time jobs it doesn't matter when it is as they will have to take off work anyways. Those of us in college have from the middle of may to the middle of august free. And finally those in high school have from the beginning of june to mid-aug free. That leaves most of june, all of july, and the beginning of august free for everyone.
So for '05 is there any problem people see in holding it at a different date? Or is this on purpose to keep numbers low due to space issues? For me I'd love to go, and even better, volunteer but I doubt I'll get the chance until '06 or '07 if the date stays as is. Obviously it's G&T's decision and if thats the only date that works for them then thats how it's going to be. Thoughts/Info?
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Most conventions have very solid, relational dates, every single year. Holiday weekends are the best times to hold a convention, that's when you'll get the cheapest rates on your rooms, space rental, et cetera, and typically offers the best time off for working folks.
I think Robert would need to step in to explain the date, and if he does, I'd like to ask him if he can work on PAX 05 over Labor Day Weekend? It's only one weekend off, and is always considered a federal holiday, so most jobs give the time off. I work full time in an office, and it was no problem at all to tell my boss I was taking off a few hours early on Friday, since I told him about two months prior.
As soon as the dates for PAX 05 are announced, tell your boss/prof/teachers that you need the time off, and if this is an issue, start saving the money.
-Musical Act scheduling.
Getting Connie Lyn, The Minibosses, McFrontalot, and Optimus Rhyme to perform was an absolute coup de'tat. I think one of the main reasons the date was changed was to accomodate the bands and make sure they could all perform.
-Underestimating the work required
This is their first con. I'm not sure they were quite prepared for everything that goes into putting one on and they may have pushed the dates back in order to make sure everything was going to run as smoothly as possible.
-Meydenbauer's schedule
I don't know if Meydenbauer had already been booked for the original dates (they excise all old information from their website immediately) so I don't know if that's the reason, but it seems logical. Meydenbauer is one of the busiest convention centers ever, and if you go to meydenbauer.com right now you'll notice that they're booked solid for the whole of September, October, and November.
Those are what I think are the three prime reasons that the Con was delayed, and I'd assume that Robert will shoot for the end of July next year in order to allow more people to fly in and experience a truly muggy Bellevue summer.
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You've never run your own major event, have you? Holiday Weekends are the single WORST time to try to plan a major event. Great for small get-togethers, terrible for anything larger than that. Rates across the board are typically JACKED UP, because a holiday weekend is precicely when most people can plan a long weekend. It's basic market economics.
The dates they picked for the con, while not the most convenient for everybody, worked best for the locale, and I think that's the best they could have hoped for. There's always something going on during the summer in Seattle, so planning any major event is always a challenge.
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so yeah, i am in agreement with warden, an earlier date for pax would be better, IMO
1. Yes, we knew that some schools (especially those on the semester system) would conflict with the dates at PAX. But it was the earliest we could make it while still accommodating for point #3.
2. Powers is right, holiday weekends are suicide for conventions because most families take off during those times... the destination generally decided by their parents.
3. So why'd we choose that date? Easy: Gencon (the weekend before), Wizard World (two weeks before), San Diego Comic-con (four weeks before). Why didn't we choose the "three weeks before?" Well, quite frankly we weren't ready. We were still prepping for everything a few days before the event.
Hopefully that gives you guys some insight as far as the planning- we do apologize to those that couldn't make it tho based on the dates.
-robert
what happend, did they take away your license to practice medicine?
-robert
and by the way I've got $1.50 can I buy the license to PA?
It's nowhere CLOSE to my real name, but D is so much more simple. And cool.
The tricky thing at PAX was that you have the same first name as Zig.
People were asking me "Where's Robert?"
And I'll just go "Which one?"
As for PAX05... schedule it to coincide with E3.
Flaunt it! :twisted:
Tycho: "E3 weekend." *continues playing Ghost Recon 2*
you know, a month ago a guy walked into the place that i worked wearing a fruit fucker shirt. so i say "ah penny arcade, eh? you goin' to PAX?" and he replies "nope. but im goint to E3"
i think right around E3 time would be excellent
PAX: FragDolls, tournaments, multiple forms of gaming, all but one or two games were hands-on.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
I DO!
I fucking pwned the pc room. I AM YOUR LAN GOD! :P
EDIT: Oooooohhhhh...THE DAY of pax, haha shit....dont drink and drive.
i missed a class, but i think i would have missed a whole damn semester for pax
But I did have to take 3 days off work, and spend more money then I usually do, so I have like, 6 bucks in my checking account at the moment. and my next paycheck will be small and mostly go to car insurance...
But god damn it was worth it.
Well, no one got seriously injured. Just some clumsy fucking Enforcer (me) managing to fuck up his ankle while running around.
I'm fine now, but it made Sunday pretty interesting. Too much Bawls and a gimp ankle at the same time makes for an interesting situation, let me tell you.
[10:24] * @BigRed-Worky cums the water
[12:32] <+prox> lawl you kickbanned me so hard my client crashed
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I think we can officially classify PAX as a "huge" event because of the nature, if not the numbers. PAX is trying to appeal to its entire readership (if that's the right word for a webcomic) and entice the electronic entertainment industry as a whole to check it out. Therefore, it's a good idea to make the convention accessible to everyone without interfering with any other events, including holidays. A "hardcore" gamer/sci-fi addict will show up at a con regardless of what holiday it's on, typically because we don't have many friends and don't like our families/our families are there with us. PAX is certainly an event for "hardcore" gamers, but I saw a great deal of the younger generation showing up to express their interest in games, and I would love to see PAX support that by keeping the dates friendly.
As for the suggestion to conflict with E3, I know that's a joke, but in all seriousness, even if we were bigger that's not cool. It's never nice to mess with another convention, we're all essentially on the same team.
I say push it back a couple weeks as a service to college-goers, but I personally don't care because this time next year I'll be finished high school and in the two-year lull between high school and college in which I amass a considerable sum of money so that I don't have to pay off loans for the rest of my life.
heh. good luck with that. Mooch off mom and dad for as LONG as possible.
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Most people who work standard full time jobs have the weekend off. Such as myself.
If you haven't seen Flogging Molly in concert, you're missing out. I've been in a lot of mosh pits, but theirs was by far the most fun.
PAX (like any other convention) would have to be over a weekend. I'd vote against holidays (for all the previously mentioned reasons). This year's schedule was perfect for me, but I'm sure there's lots of things to consider. Doesn't really matter what the date is, I'll certainly be there.
and as far as holidays go, all i know is that some of the cons here in the denver area are during three-day weekends (memorial day, labor day) because they get cheaper rates for renting hotel convention space.
it was kind of a pain that a con like this was so late in the summer. but it was worth it.
So... can we get an estimation perhaps of next year's date?