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Who should has-been actors contact to keynote PAX?
apotheos
Registered User, ClubPA regular
Registered User, ClubPA regular
I just wanted to voice my opinion that I am very disappointed in the choice of PAX keynote speaker. I freely admit not understanding the nerd-fascination with Wil Wheaton, but I don't think in any case some blogger whose riding the coat tails of success and has at best very little to do with the gaming scene is a good choice. I'm glad Gabe and Tycho are happy, and hey its their party, but its a bit frustrating to be planning this trip and receive this news.
Hey, maybe PAX 07 will convert met.
But given the number of chances I've already given Wil "I can't even fix, or pay someone to fix, my own damn blog which really is the nexus of my popularity how retarded is that" Wheaton, I doubt it.
Hey, maybe PAX 07 will convert met.
But given the number of chances I've already given Wil "I can't even fix, or pay someone to fix, my own damn blog which really is the nexus of my popularity how retarded is that" Wheaton, I doubt it.
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He's not being invited because of his acting history, but because of his contributions to video game lore:
Such as The Onion's "Games of our Lives" section
Who else writes so much about the old school? Wil deserves his spot.
(I keeeddd, I keeed)
Maybe PAX-goers who talk incessantly about their children, or how they like to cry.
I can accept I'm in the minority. But I needed to vocalize it.
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Contributions to video game lore?
I'm insulted on behalf of all the people who've actually done that. 300 word mini-reviews on The Onion website don't count.
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On his blog he states, "I'm pretty sure I can take some cheap and easy shots at Jack Thompson, too."
Anyone who says that is all right with me.
You do have to admit, He will instantly be better then alex st. john. I hated that guy. I thought he was a total dick being proud of wild tangent software. Alex signified everything wrong in the gaming industry.
Will on the other hand is one of us. I've read enough of his stories to know that he will have some decent stories and have a good time at pax.
I agree with the fact since I never really was a ST:TNG fan, I had no clue who this guy was or why it's so cool that he's the keynote speaker.
But it turns out that my g/f is a huge fan of the series and was quick to fill in the details, and now I'm curious enough to go and see it.
Oh, you better hope The Onion doesn't count.
I've received an advance article:
I could only wish that printed.
I read his blog post about it and was then all like - I'm right, but, so is he.
I'll get back to you on this.
(excellent faux article, but I stand by my point that he hasn't done squat for "gaming lore". I think he'd agree)
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However I too admit to disappointment about Wil Wheaton. When I saw the 'hint' some weeks ago, I thought, 'whoa, maybe it'll be Patrick Stewart!' Not that Patrick Stewart has much of anything to do with games, I just remember Tycho/Jerry speaking well of him once saying something to the effect of the rather common sentiment 'I could listen to him read the phonebook.'
I've long thought of Wil as just some has-been who managed to find a comfortable orbiting pseudo-celebrity around Fark.com. Granted I don't know much of what he's been doing in the last four years since I stopped being a Farker. However, on the grand scale of things, he's a step up. All I can say is I hope the trend continues and in 08 we'll get somebody better.
So at this point, in my mind, he's still just a little punk that got a lucky break. I'm open to seeing if he's grown up.
Don't hate the playa, hate the game.
I applauded him when he did that. I enjoyed watching that. Its probably the only episode I would care to go back to.
Wil Wheaton, as an actor, is an experienced public speaker. And he's a gaming geek - he's one of us who happens to be particularly well-known. His Star Trek experience may have been what brought him into the limelight in the first place, and what keeps him in the collective conciousness, but nowadays he's known for a lot more than that.
Alas, it will only be real in my dreams.
I make costumes.
I look forward to asking him what Denise Crosby's response to him after what Wil said on The Weakest Link star trek edition lol when will said that he loved her hahaha
Would also be cool to get a picture with him, after all I am a star trek geek
however I too have to admit that Denise Crosby was hot when she was on star trek
Given the choice between someone we can put on a pedestal and admire, or someone we can all actually relate to--someone who grew up with a Nintendo or Commodore 64--I gotta go with the latter.
Wil's got a lot of great stories on his site and various outlets, but this one is one of my favorites: http://suicidegirls.com/news/geek/20562/ It's about his first meeting with William Shatner, and likely one of the defining moments of this guy's life.
PAX is a festival. It's all about the gamer community. Given that PAX is inclusive, that it's all about shared experiences, I really can't think of a better choice for keynote speaker.
404
I admit, I had a crush on him when I was in Jr. High and saw him on Star Trek and on the Q-13 Kids Club.
John Carmack
John Romero
Scott Miller and/or George Broussard
Rick Goodman
Chris Taylor
Sid Meier
Brian Reynolds
Will Wright (He's been suggested sooo many times)
Ray Muzyka and/or Greg Zeschuk
Alex Seropian and/or Jason Jones
Ron Gilbert (he's working on the PA game for chrissake, and he worked with old school Lucasarts and Cavedog)
Richard Garriott
Cliff Bleszinski
Ken and Roberta Williams
Al Lowe (He lives in Seattle)
Peter Molyneux
Warren Spector
Chris Roberts
Paul Steed
Brett Sperry
Gabe Newell (I'll bet you already have him on speed dial)
Jeff Tunnell
... among others. Like I've said, Wil Wheaton is better than that spyware peddling Alex St. John, but he's far from the best choice. He plays games? Great, so do I, but that doesn't mean I should be keynote speaker. If you're going after players, how about Dennis Fong? He writes about games? Also fine, but if that's a criterion, why not Stephen Heaslip or somebody who freakin' lives to write about games?
That would be my first and last pick.
I worry that he might have some restraining order against Mike and Jerry.
I don't think he would turn down the lime light, if it was offered.
Not to mention, it seems like at least one post a week on his blog is about Guitar Hero.
The guy's probably the best known gamer out there, and he's not an ass, and he has enough stage presense to pull of public speaking. I couldn't ask for more, and I hope I get a chance to see his keynote.
For the record I agree with nearly your entire list. Espically Carmack/Taylor/Meier/newell
Mostly because I have seen them do keynotes/presentations before.
As awesome as it would be to have someone like Carmack give a typically technical perspective on gaming, he's not one of us. I think the idea is that PAX is a celebration of gamers...a celebration of us, not a celebration of game developers or other industry insiders. Which is not to say there isn't room for developers to speak, but for the keynote I think that's the angle this is being approached from.
The few people I listed were awesome public speakers when I saw them. They are just as much of a gamer as anyone else. They just spend their working time making said games and coming up with new ideas for them rather than play them all day.
As the only one on the list that I have met in person... Gabe newell is one of the nicest guys you could meet (he has some dickish moments though). Brilliant on games and knows a lot about gaming culture/jokes.
Will wright though... as awesome of a person that he is... hes a terrible public speaker. I almost fell asleep listening to him drone on :P
Although I still stand by my opinion that Wheaton isn't the best choice. Once I see the outline of what he would be talking about in the keynote it might change my mind but I still have no interest in seeing that part of pax.
I will catch it on the dvd like the rest of pax cause ill be too busy working.
Mike and Jerry already have three panels... :P
... but seriously, in every panel we hear from all the everygamers out there, and they give us some good moments. The devs on the panels are locked by the format to response mode, and most of the time the questions are general about topics and trends also as a product of format. I think the keynote should highlight one of those foundational developers so that they can take the initiative, give us backstory, give us a sense of where they're going, and then maybe deal with Q&A on their work. I don't need to listen to "one of us" for an hour. I, and we, are part of community. Look at the forums for chrissake, I listen to all the everygamers all year, and it's great that it works that way, but I'd much rather get some real talk out of a major dev (rather than some weak game website interview) once a year than watch semi-famous gamer X talk about the same ol' stuff from G&T.