Media at PAX08?

GamerEdie

Hey,

New here, and this was my first PAX. Probably my last unless they decide to move it off of Burning Man weekend.

But I'm curious. I was one of the podcasters at the podcaster table, and I wanted to know your general impression of the media at PAX this year?

Were there any jerks? Anyone bump you off of a demo for a "dignitary"? Any extremely cool people who helped you out or entertained you for a bit?

Just wanted to know your thoughts, especially any contrasts/comparisons between this and previous years' PAXs.

Thanks,

GamerEdie Sellers
Gamehounds.net

mrsnackroad

I was in line for Rock Band 2 in front of Brian Crecente, who was very polite and has good taste in music, and even allowed me to snag a picture with him for the Scavenger Hunt.

Red Leg

Walking out of the Getting Your Foot in the Door Panel, I realized that Morgan Webb was sitting in the back near the door. They were playing some music and she was kinda dancing nerdishly in her chair as everyone walked out past her. It was kinda surreal, but definitely neat to watch.

Schrodinger

Media didn't really get any perks this year, aside from the two-hour pre-shot on friday, an exclusive interview with Pax 10/Gabe and Tycho at 10:30, the ability to schedule interviews, access to the press room with it's own non-gaming wifi server, and the ability to wait in line without a wristband (but you still had to wait in line.).

Threepio

I was there as media. Wearing a media badge. I got bumped on a WoW WotLK terminal by a Blizzard employee who was talking into a handheld mic held by some OTHER media guy. He proceeded to load up a game and do nothing with the terminal while he talked into the microphone.

After ten minutes they buggered off. I got five minutes into the game and it crashed. *sigh* I don't get no respect.

atiari

I was there as media too. Believe it or not I found it to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. Blizzard did not seem to want to talk to anyone with a yellow badge, Microsoft and Sony acted like it was a sign of the plague, and lots of the "regular" people who went to visit copped attitudes because they seemed to think we were entitled to special treatment or something (which really wasn't the case).

Schrodinger

I tried playing Starcraft II during the media only time. Unfortunately, the mouse sensitivity was set so high with no way to change it that I couldn't get a handle on my guys without moving halfway across the map. After an hour, I might have gotten used to it. But with people waiting behind me? No thanks.

babelfish

Red Leg wrote: »

Walking out of the Getting Your Foot in the Door Panel, I realized that Morgan Webb was sitting in the back near the door. They were playing some music and she was kinda dancing nerdishly in her chair as everyone walked out past her. It was kinda surreal, but definitely neat to watch.

Fuuuuuuuuck, I missed Morgan?

Soda241

I only found them once! The whole time only once, but then again i didn't really care to much.

Scoota

I heard the convention was for the gamers, not for the media.

Fo0dNippl4

I said this in another thread, but there were a few pushy media guys in the front of the crowd during the Friday night concerts that acted kind of jerkish trying to get to the front of the crowd just so they could get some pictures. It was only on Friday, though, and that was the first time they were really pushy about it.

Schrodinger

Although this is my second PAX, I tend to avoid lines, which also means that I avoid the keynote and the Q&A section.

During the media time, I saw this guy walking around with a VIP pass and a small crowd. I wanted to ask him who he was, but I never got the chance.

Turns out that it was Tycho.

mavrick88

I got to play mercs 2 coop with morgan webb on the first day and it was awesome

babelfish

mavrick88 wrote: »

I got to play mercs 2 coop with morgan webb on the first day and it was awesome

Is she actually good at games?

mavrick88

yeah, she called a nuke and killed me though when I was flying a helicopter.

GamerEdie

Well, it's good to know that there was limited jerkishness among the media. I hate pushy, rude, entitled, pretentious jackasses with media badges as much as the next guy -- and I gotta sit with these guys.

As you know from my first post, I attended as media and I was very stressed by the limited time I had to actually put my hands on games. We livestreamed from 1:30 to 3:30 -- add in at least a half hour on each end for set up, take down, and stowing equipment and that's a big chunk of time gone. I did not once get the benefit of a "press line" during the entire event, so I was stuck standing in line for most of my day. As it was I was only able to get my hands on three games the entire event -- one of them being the God awful Wii Music.

Yeah, it sucked hard from a professional point of view, but I just have to respect that PAX is for gamers, regardless of credentials. There's a part of me that shakes my fist at the heavens about how much I didn't get to see because of my responsibilities, but my heart says, "Good for you, PAX. Puts us in our place." As a Burner, I deeply believe in "every person in a celebrity" mindset.

Unfortunately, as we all know, not all media are treated the same. One of my fellow Platform Nation podcasters was in the middle of an interview he scheduled weeks in advance with some developer (can't remember which) and right in the middle of his interview Morgan Webb walked up and he was immediately sent away so the developer could talk to The Jaw.

Thus coining a new term among us: Corrupted games are "Borked." Corrupted interviews are "Webbed."

SWATJester

I was media. On the whole, we were very well behaved. On the other hand, many of the exhibitors seemed like they couldn't care less about media access.

The good companies: Netdevil, Gas Powered Games, CCP, Razer, Harmonix, Warhammer team (but not EA), Destineer, and Insomnia. These groups were all very media friendly. Some of these groups even hung out with us at the public after parties and closed-door parties.

The bad companies: Microsoft, told me to stop filming because I was in the exhibit hall 15 minutes before it opened for media (I had a VIP badge, giving me access). Cryptic, didn't have their shit together. Wouldn't give any media swag. Bethesda, their developers were busy texting during the interview, and didn't pay any attention.


The good media: The Escapist, and sarcastic gamer teams were pretty squared away. Stratics crew were all nice (though admittedly, I was one of them).

The bad media: Some shitty webcast game news company bumped me off a kiosk at Gas Powered Games. G4 tried to pull one of the producers I was interviewing while I was doing it.

SWATJester

On another note, the support and respect the media got from the PAX crew, especially Kären, (you media know who I'm talking about) was definitely some of the best I've seen at any convention I've been to.

LewieP

What do you need to do to get in as Media? Is there a specific application process?

SWATJester

LewieP wrote: »

What do you need to do to get in as Media? Is there a specific application process?

Yes, most importantly with the requirement that you actually be media. You submit your press credentials to the event staff, and they approve it.

LewieP

Well, I mean, with democratised media that line is blurring. I'm not sure if I'll be at PAX next year, money is a factor, but if I can, it'd be nice to be press.

SWATJester

LewieP wrote: »

Well, I mean, with democratised media that line is blurring. I'm not sure if I'll be at PAX next year, money is a factor, but if I can, it'd be nice to be press.

That's why the event staff approves the media applications. They determine at what level the bar is set. My guess is that the bar will probably have to get pushed up a bit next year, but it wasn't too crowded. Remember, each pass that they comp is money that they're losing, so they need to ensure that each one gives them the PR that they're paying for.

princesskicker

Ohh, I hope you enjoyed your first PAX! It was my husband and my first PAX as well (red spartan masterchief and blue cortana). We were asked (excitedly and kindly) to be interviewed and it was just adlibbed. We even hugged the cute Mario Brothers, it's like a huge bear hug on-line. (Lagtv.com 2:04)

There were other guys with video cameras and mics and had that hyped up excitement in their voice but were very friendly in asking us to help them out with their interview. I think one of them was spaced out as well because he wanted me to answer questions as if I wasn't being asked but answered in a way that it was understandable for the audience so I sorta' helped out, even though I was spaced out as well. There was another media crew, I just don't know their naaaames... waaaahhh So sorry if I'm not helpful with their names because this was really my first PAX and I'm originally a Bungie fangirl only. So sorry, but overall, they were exciting to meet, real people, and hard workers at that. It's quite inspiring, really.

Nice thread!! Well done.. cheers!!
Lag TV was extremely fun and amusing. They had great personalities.

treyh37

I met a couple nice media guys, Brian Crecente from kotaku and John Funk of Warcry, John even mentioned me here at the 11:40 time

terrix

I ran into Adam Sessler, he was crazy busy so I couldn't talk to him, but he brushed me off in a very courteous and professional manner.

I missed Morgan Webb, but I'd actually complement her on WebbReport.com (or is it webbalert?) cause its actually a great daily vidcast.

Nijhazer

I'm a podcaster myself, and I also write for a few websites; and after going to PAX 2006 on a media badge, I opted not to get a media badge for this year's event. There are plenty of events throughout the year that are primarily for the gaming press-- this is not one of them, and that's actually to its credit from my perspective. Waiting in line with everyone else for the Rock Band 2 booth greatly enhanced my enjoyment of that game because it allowed me time to talk to all the folks in line and establish a connection with them before the four of us took the stage for a performance of "Psycho Killer". You never got that from E3.

Most of the other press folks I encountered over the weekend seemed to feel the same way as I do, but I only talked to a few of them this year.

SWATJester

treyh37 wrote: »

I met a couple nice media guys, Brian Crecente from kotaku and John Funk of Warcry, John even mentioned me here at the 11:40 time

John is a good guy.

GamerEdie

SWATJester wrote: »

On another note, the support and respect the media got from the PAX crew, especially Kären, (you media know who I'm talking about) was definitely some of the best I've seen at any convention I've been to.

I couldn't agree more about Karen.

And that's what was surprising about PAX for me: Here's an event that tells you, flat out, you're not getting special treatment. You can have the tools you need to do your job, but you're not going to be treated like something special.

And then the media-relations team turns out to be the nicest, most accomodating, most reasonable people I've EVER worked with at a gaming con/conference! I half-expected to be treated with contempt, and they really lived up to the ideal that, although you won't get the VIP-treatment, you are treated with RESPECT.

All of a sudden the free press-room lunches and cookie-times that other cons/conferences offer seem hollow. All in all, I'd rather have kindness and respect than a soggy turkey sandwich.

Thanks to all the PAX media handlers. I wish you handled other shows (ahem... are you listening ESA?!). But then again, if Karen et al worked for the ESA, they wouldn't be the same.

Poseidon88

I think, for the most part, the media was unobtrusive and polite. But at the Jenga round for the Omegathon, there were a bunch of photographers and videographers clustered around the stage, making it hard for everyone else to see what was going on.

GamerEdie

Not meaning to be a media apologist, but that's hard to avoid. Positioning for photographers is really the key to having a good shot. At least at PAX the general public could compete with photogs. At most events like that there's a photog booth and you can't even get close to the action.

Yet another example of respectful, egalitarian media treatment. Sure, three-day-pass holders had to compete with photogs, but remember: They had to compete with three-day-passers, too.

SpawnOfCthulhu

Well, I was in the front of the mob when G4 started filming.

And believe it or fucking not, I was on TV!

I'm the kid in the grey shirt standing over adams shoulder.

Liger

I got to check in a lot of the media on Friday at the Reg desk, and I must say that 99% of them were totally nice and cordial. Even the ones I had to turn away for inadequate credentials! Had maybe one or two dicks out of at least 300 yellow badges I got to pass out, which I think is an amazing achievement for humanity these days. Seriously, I this community.

Raiphin

Does anyone know which local news channel was there on Friday afternoon? I got snagged and interviewed while dressed as Anne-Claire, and I was hoping to figure out where that footage might have been shown (or if there might be clips online) but being smart and awesome I totally didn't listen when they told me who they were, just saw pretty cameras and said "whee! TV!"

My favorite part was talking about my Fuschia, my Fruit-fu----oh I mean "small robot mascot." Yeah, that's it. Heh.

~R

Liger

That would be KIRO channel 7. Q13 was supposed to show up as well, but I never saw them. Could've been them.

atiari

The asian guy who took care of my media badge was pretty cool. And the enforcer woman in charge of the entire pass situation was great when a media friend of mine mysteriously had no pass at the booth. Caroline was the name I think (there's like 5 ways to spell it, sorry if I got it wrong).

Either way, Media really got no special treatment and it actually helped me to enjoy the entire convention more because of it. Thanks!

(P.S. I was the guy with the short blonde, both from Onrpg.com)

GameOver!

I ended up playing Resistance 2 right next to Morgan from G4 and me and a buddy were playing while she was interviewong someone. So if you watch G4 on PAX youll see a lot of the back of my head, lol.

Anyone know when that does (or did) air? Id like to see it.

Sleepy One

I spotted Adam Sessler on the first day walking in before all of us legion. Then saw him again on the road (crossing) on my way into the Parking lot Sunday Morning. And finally once again as I was walking into the BYOC area, where some dev smacked him real hard on the back (hah!). Unfortunately I never had an opportunity to talk to him.

I actually talked with more exhibitors than media; heck my buddy and I got absolutely stomped by some exhibitor from the EA stand down in console freeplay.

Qs23

This was my second time going to PAX as media (school paper but also did stuff for our podcast) and I make it my goal to not be a dick. the only time I really tried to do anything pushy, was for a couple of photos, but nothing else.

I even stopped talking with one of the devs so some of the people could get their photo with Waldo.

Side note: how many people wished Adam Sessler a happy b-day (Aug 29th) while he was at PAX?