Buy whatever swag you want from vendors as soon as you can!! Last year I only missed out on a few smaller things, but spent tons of money on things like the statues from Twisted Pixel. I noticed by the 3rd day, a lot of the smaller stuff was sold out (shirts, small figures, plushies).
Most vendors took credit cards, but I made sure to have a lot of cash on me as well just in case. Never met a vendor who didn't take cash.
There is a FedEx Office (Kinko's) at the BCEC like there was at the Hynes. Very helpful.
The most important things to me were comfort and comfort. As others have said, comfy shoes (consider additional inserts too) are a must. I bundled up the first day in a hoodie and then carried it around since it was so hot inside. I wore normal clothes the next day and was happy to not carry anything around. This is just personal preference though.
If you're traveling far, bring an extra suitcase/bag. I ended up with so much stuff that I either acquired or purchased.
A backpack was also a huge thing for me. I bought a very comfy and padded Ogio backpack before the convention. I carried around my netbook, snacks, water, swag, etc. and it didn't bother me at all. A messenger bag would have completely throw my back out of whack. Though being a woman with womanly parts, I'm more prone to back aches. This may not apply so much for you guys
And last but not least, it's been echoed 100 times, talk to everyone you can. Also, have your phone, business cards (sans personal info), whatever you can takes notes with, to exchange Steam ID's/Gamertag/PSN ID's. You'll probably meet a lot of people you want to keep in contact with or at least game with.
My biggest lesson attending PAX Last year: it is IMPOSSIBLE to experience ALL of PAX. We made the mistake of planning to attend panels for each time block. Of the maybe 15 panels I was interested in attending, I attended maybe 3 or 4 (this being over the course of the weekend). There are lines, this is inevitable, PAX is one of the few places where I have ENJOYED Waiting in line.
Pick a few events that you REALLY want to attend! Concerts, Q & A's, maybe a panel from a specific developer or media source (Kotaku, G4, etc.) and expect to wait a little bit beforehand (30-45 minutes was my usual wait last year). And I still had TONS of time to see the convention center, I attended all the concerts, and had an absolute blast.
One other thing is don't be afraid to strike up a conversation. You'll meet some pretty awesome people if/when you do.
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
Buy whatever swag you want from vendors as soon as you can!! Last year I only missed out on a few smaller things, but spent tons of money on things like the statues from Twisted Pixel. I noticed by the 3rd day, a lot of the smaller stuff was sold out (shirts, small figures, plushies).
Particularly the official stuff. The PAX scarves last year sold out early on the first day.
I would agree that is impossible to see everything so focus on a couple of things that you want to see. Other than that I would say be flexible as your plans will definitely change over the course of the weekend.
I also want to reiterate that you should line up early for any panel you want to see, that is how I got into all of the panels I wanted to see (save the keynote). Waiting in lines aren't that bad because you always have fellow gamers to talk to while you wait.
Most importantly have fun and enjoy yourself, PAX is a great convention!
Enjoy the community events: especially if you're active here, they make PAX that much more fun. For some of us, it's more fun than PAX itself! You're almost certain to enjoy them!
beyond the obligatory "don't forget to eat" tip, try to eat at regular scheduled times. try to keep your meals at the same time each day if at all possible, especially your biggest meal of the day. keeping your body on a schedule, along with sleep, will save you from nasty things.
take the time to take care of yourself
Staxeon on
Invisible nap is the best nap of all time!
No man should have that kind of power.(Twitter)
The second link points to a great post that was made in the same thread.
This current thread seems to have it all btw, so the stuff above is just icing on the cae IMO. However it can go in a bit more detail on almost every subject (including, unfortunately, hygiene. MOE has a point).
My own lesson from last year: I overprepared, got to do nothing of what I really wanted to do, still came back home with one of more memorable experiences of my life. IE. Don't sweat it, be cool and ride the wave. It won't fail.
Also, the Hitchhicker's guide to PAX is in the works and I just submitted someting along the lines of this subject. Check it out when it's available.
Even though I am sure all three days will be busy, is there generally any one day that is a little less busy than the other two or pretty steady throughout the event? I had this lofty thought that Friday wouldn't be as busy with school in session or whatever with the weekend picking up...is this a safe assumption or no?
For those with high-end Android phones (I carry an EVO): google for suggestions on extending battery life. If it's anything like mine, it's going to die sometime around 4pm, particularly if your particular carrier is signal-challenged. I've managed to double battery life with some tweeks but, since I'll be running Tweetdeck almost continuously at the con I expect early expiration from my phone again.
On that note, I'll be going for the extended battery and carrying spares. Yes, one of the few things that makes me jealous of the iOS devices is their battery life.
Edit: "Particularly if your particular carrier". That was particularly poor.
I went for a single day last year and one thing I learned is have and study a map of the convention hall. It is an important thing to know where a restroom is when the concessions hit you like a bomb.
Other then that this podcast helped me out last year. Fear the Boot
Other things waiting lines are good places to rest. If you want to play the Wizards run D&D game book them when you get there Friday morning. The exhibit hall however cool won't take you more than a few hours to see most of. Finally people are crazy bring extra film.
And don't be afraid to ask people for help/suggestions as time goes on. You may have specific questions about the area and what's available, and goodness knows there are plenty of threads here to help with that. There are also plenty of people (myself included) more than willing to lend a hand to people new to the area or who have more specific questions on the area. I'm also entirely certain that there are Enforcers and hardcore PAXers who can tell you more detail about PAX related questions that aren't getting answered or haven't been asked.
Be prepared for anything. If you know you're going to drink excessively, bring some Vitamin Water or antacids, don't just suffer through it. It's hard to enjoy a packed, loud convention with a screeching headache.
Be open! Try things you wouldn't have before. I know there were lots of table top sessions I wanted to sit in on but was too nervous to try at first. As long as you're up front about being new, people are usually more than happy to help you learn new skills
Listen!!! Maybe it's because I'm a cultural anthropologist, but listen to stories. Not eavesdrop, but make conversation. People have crazy fun stories and you'll end up likely making some new, awesome friends.
As with the question of it being busy... it may be crazy, it may be empty. This is around the time universities have their spring breaks (except Brandeis... because apparently Jewish holidays don't fall in March *grumble*) so you may see an excess of students in the area. Beware of students... Just beware. You can spot them by that dead look in their eyes and their pale skin. Not to be mistaken for zombies.
The subject has been done to death, and only turns into arguments.
I would also be careful who you're accusing of stinking.
Don't get it twisted, man. I wasn't taking a shot at you. It seemed like maybe you were getting defensive on my behalf - as if to say, you don't need to tell the new guy he should wear deodorant. I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't offended.
Pertinent - some games questions..
DS games - what are the must haves?
Magic: The Gathering - mostly casual? lots of type 1? just bring your 3 favorite decks kind of thing?
jow on
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HalfazedninjaAuthor of Jake Howard: Multiverse 101!Behind YouRegistered Userregular
Don't get it twisted, man. I wasn't taking a shot at you. It seemed like maybe you were getting defensive on my behalf - as if to say, you don't need to tell the new guy he should wear deodorant. I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't offended.
Pertinent - some games questions..
DS games - what are the must haves?
Magic: The Gathering - mostly casual? lots of type 1? just bring your 3 favorite decks kind of thing?
DS Games of choice, as far as last year goes, was Mario Kart and Pokemon
P.S. As far as the panels being over-filled last year, I am hoping that since we are at a much larger venue this year, this will be a lot less of a problem.
Aren't there also more people coming, though? Not that I want them to fill up again like they did last year, but bigger venue + more people != less over-filling. :P
Ahh true, good point, I don't know what the attendance cap is this year, prolly much higher :P , here's hoping I get in all the panels I want anyway
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
or, if you're willing to put in more time & effort to save a few bucks, there is an airport subway station. take a free shuttle from any of the terminals to airport station on the blue line (pay attention; some shuttles only go between terminals and not to the station). then take the blue line inbound to government center, switch to green line and take it to arlington. you'll be just a few blocks from the convention center.
OR, take the silver line from any terminal to the world trade center stop, but i personally don't like the silver line and never use it.
I was just reading through this thread and caught this. If you're coming from Logan, take the Silver Line (if you're going *directly* to the BCEC). I rarely ride the T, so I don't have any experience with the Silver Line, but it stops at every airport terminal and goes to the World Trade Center, which is right across the street from the BCEC.
Taking the Blue Line and trying to get to the BCEC would take some effort and be quite challenging, especially with luggage. Do *not* follow the steps mentioned above that say to get off at Arlington and try to walk to the BCEC. It's about a 2 mile walk from that T stop, and not something you'd want to be doing in the middle of March. I assume the poster was thinking of the Hynes (where it was in 2010).
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MagnifiedX[E] PC SecurityBoston, MARegistered Userregular
Great post, sary! Last year was my first PAX East, but I only attended one day. This year Hubs & I are making a weekend out of it, so it's like I'm a first-timer all over again. So, thanks!
The subject has been done to death, and only turns into arguments.
I would also be careful who you're accusing of stinking.
Don't get it twisted, man. I wasn't taking a shot at you. It seemed like maybe you were getting defensive on my behalf - as if to say, you don't need to tell the new guy he should wear deodorant. I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't offended.
Pertinent - some games questions..
DS games - what are the must haves?
Magic: The Gathering - mostly casual? lots of type 1? just bring your 3 favorite decks kind of thing?
Send me a message if you want me to send you the pdf of M:TG events from last year.
There was a big range of events but most seemed to be draft/sealed-style. There were 1 or 2 standard constucted tournaments per day. If you want to bring your decks, there will be plenty of people to sit down and play random games with. I'm going to go out on a limb as say that it will probably be a little less casual-friendly this year now that Scars really complicated things compared to last year when we were at M10, Zendikar, Worldwake.
Last year, it was really casual and fun. I participated in a 2v2 minimaster tournament on the last day and didn't really run into hardcore tryhards until I was in the top 8 (I didn't belong x.x).
Pookiepoo on
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Moe FwackyRight Here, Right NowDrives a BuickModeratormod
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Argument from authority. Maybe you should ask him about the pixel equivalent of film.
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Argument from authority. Maybe you should ask him about the pixel equivalent of film.
Did you seriously come to the PAX forum to argue about the merits of film vs. digital? Go to debate and discourse if you want to have a thread about that.
The only thing I can add is to have a list of people you have met online and want to meet at PAX. Maybe list why you wanted to meet them if you're not good friends with them online.
There was a lot of people I wanted to meet but when you get to Boston and with friends that came with you and doing so much at PAX things like this escape you and forget people you wanted to meet.
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Argument from authority. Maybe you should ask him about the pixel equivalent of film.
I'm writting the following for the sake of people who want to bring their cameras to PAX and take lots of pictures. It's not a question about derailing the discussion. I will not say more or argue any counter points, etc.
As far as my "professional" suggestion goes, casual people aka the norm with 10 MP point and shoots will not care as much about high resolution pictures and may be ok with 2 gigs because they will forgoe raw (if even available).
People who have dSLRs with higher MP counts will most likely want to make sure they can make an A4 print with everything they see will need 8 gigs on them at the VERY least. I would rather go with 16 MP a day and would not stop at the idea of having more than one card or have a way to dump my pictures somewhere from time to time.
Either category will have to consider having more memory on hand if they happen to be trigger happy or have difficulty choosing which shot to keep on the spot.
Me? The big rig stays home. I'm there to play and will use a very simple iPhone 4 or Nikon PnS
Frugus on
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Kilonum[E]Somewhere near BostonRegistered Userregular
If I can throw my 2 cents in, I read something similar to this for PAX 2010. I can highly recommend getting some sort of satchel or messenger bag (easier to get to than a backpack). I got a Bag of Holding from ThinkGeek specifically for this event and hasn't failed me.
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+1 on this. This is a small thing but I think it bears repeating.
I had a backpack last year and regretted it from day 1. A messenger bag is easier to put things in and out of like your phone, DS, or water. It's also easier to sling around when you want to quickly sit down and stand up while waiting in lines.
If I can throw my 2 cents in, I read something similar to this for PAX 2010. I can highly recommend getting some sort of satchel or messenger bag (easier to get to than a backpack). I got a Bag of Holding from ThinkGeek specifically for this event and hasn't failed me.
.
+1 on this. This is a small thing but I think it bears repeating.
I had a backpack last year and regretted it from day 1. A messenger bag is easier to put things in and out of like your phone, DS, or water. It's also easier to sling around when you want to quickly sit down and stand up while waiting in lines.
I think this really depends on the person. Messenger bags can be more convenient to be sure, but messenger bags are harder on your shoulder since they are only one sided. If you're carrying much stuff for very long, the backpack is less stressful on your body. If one strap is more comfy for you, by all means do it, but I think that the majority of people are better served by the advice of a backpack with two very padded straps.
Hey, this so happens to be my first PAX East as well (let alone my first gaming convention period).
I love all the advice provided thus far, but I have somewhat of a different question.
I've always dabbled in TCG/tabletop games-MtG, Warhammer 40k, D&D, etc...but could never really learn extensively about them or collect the cards & miniatures to play often. The fact that maybe only a few other guys in my high school and university were interested as well didn't help.
I was wondering what advice could probably be thrown my way in terms of playing at the conventions, or going to a noob panel, or whatever in regards to my limited gameplay materials & experience. Also, do the gaming areas welcome newcomers or players who can just pop in mid-campaign?
Finally people are crazy bring extra memory cards.
Fixed for the digital age :P
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Argument from authority. Maybe you should ask him about the pixel equivalent of film.
Did you seriously come to the PAX forum to argue about the merits of film vs. digital? Go to debate and discourse if you want to have a thread about that.
Sorry I forget I have a weird sense of humor. Reed it again but this time use the most stereotypical internet nerd voice, Basically it's my way of laughing at the question of film vs. digital even being asked.
Hey, this so happens to be my first PAX East as well (let alone my first gaming convention period).
I love all the advice provided thus far, but I have somewhat of a different question.
I've always dabbled in TCG/tabletop games-MtG, Warhammer 40k, D&D, etc...but could never really learn extensively about them or collect the cards & miniatures to play often. The fact that maybe only a few other guys in my high school and university were interested as well didn't help.
I was wondering what advice could probably be thrown my way in terms of playing at the conventions, or going to a noob panel, or whatever in regards to my limited gameplay materials & experience. Also, do the gaming areas welcome newcomers or players who can just pop in mid-campaign?
If I can throw my 2 cents in, I read something similar to this for PAX 2010. I can highly recommend getting some sort of satchel or messenger bag (easier to get to than a backpack). I got a Bag of Holding from ThinkGeek specifically for this event and hasn't failed me.
.
+1 on this. This is a small thing but I think it bears repeating.
I had a backpack last year and regretted it from day 1. A messenger bag is easier to put things in and out of like your phone, DS, or water. It's also easier to sling around when you want to quickly sit down and stand up while waiting in lines.
Hum, would you know if a 17' Laptop would fit in one of those? Thinkgeek says 16' but other web sites say otherwise.
2010 PAX East was my first PAX of any kind and I wasn't sure what to expect. I had a whole list of panels I wanted to see and hit about half - there is so much going on it's hard to believe.
I hadn't played Magic in years but signed up for a tournament with a friend and had a blast. We thought it would be mostly hard cores and we would feel odd but it was a lot of people who just wanted to play for fun, many who had left the game earlier. Very friendly.
Lines can be awesome if you talk to people. I wish I brought cards or UNO or anything with me.
There will be cosplayers in amazing costumes; enough to give the event a real nerd feeling but not a costume party theme.
As others have said, stay hydrated, keep some snacks, wear your most comfortable shoes and don't be shy. You'll have a blast.
Posts
Well, except for that last part. Also, pack a lunch.
Most vendors took credit cards, but I made sure to have a lot of cash on me as well just in case. Never met a vendor who didn't take cash.
There is a FedEx Office (Kinko's) at the BCEC like there was at the Hynes. Very helpful.
The most important things to me were comfort and comfort. As others have said, comfy shoes (consider additional inserts too) are a must. I bundled up the first day in a hoodie and then carried it around since it was so hot inside. I wore normal clothes the next day and was happy to not carry anything around. This is just personal preference though.
If you're traveling far, bring an extra suitcase/bag. I ended up with so much stuff that I either acquired or purchased.
A backpack was also a huge thing for me. I bought a very comfy and padded Ogio backpack before the convention. I carried around my netbook, snacks, water, swag, etc. and it didn't bother me at all. A messenger bag would have completely throw my back out of whack. Though being a woman with womanly parts, I'm more prone to back aches. This may not apply so much for you guys
And last but not least, it's been echoed 100 times, talk to everyone you can. Also, have your phone, business cards (sans personal info), whatever you can takes notes with, to exchange Steam ID's/Gamertag/PSN ID's. You'll probably meet a lot of people you want to keep in contact with or at least game with.
Pick a few events that you REALLY want to attend! Concerts, Q & A's, maybe a panel from a specific developer or media source (Kotaku, G4, etc.) and expect to wait a little bit beforehand (30-45 minutes was my usual wait last year). And I still had TONS of time to see the convention center, I attended all the concerts, and had an absolute blast.
One other thing is don't be afraid to strike up a conversation. You'll meet some pretty awesome people if/when you do.
Particularly the official stuff. The PAX scarves last year sold out early on the first day.
I also want to reiterate that you should line up early for any panel you want to see, that is how I got into all of the panels I wanted to see (save the keynote). Waiting in lines aren't that bad because you always have fellow gamers to talk to while you wait.
Most importantly have fun and enjoy yourself, PAX is a great convention!
take the time to take care of yourself
No man should have that kind of power.(Twitter)
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=129314
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?p=17188460#post17188460
The second link points to a great post that was made in the same thread.
This current thread seems to have it all btw, so the stuff above is just icing on the cae IMO. However it can go in a bit more detail on almost every subject (including, unfortunately, hygiene. MOE has a point).
My own lesson from last year: I overprepared, got to do nothing of what I really wanted to do, still came back home with one of more memorable experiences of my life. IE. Don't sweat it, be cool and ride the wave. It won't fail.
Also, the Hitchhicker's guide to PAX is in the works and I just submitted someting along the lines of this subject. Check it out when it's available.
On that note, I'll be going for the extended battery and carrying spares. Yes, one of the few things that makes me jealous of the iOS devices is their battery life.
Edit: "Particularly if your particular carrier". That was particularly poor.
Other then that this podcast helped me out last year.
Fear the Boot
Other things waiting lines are good places to rest. If you want to play the Wizards run D&D game book them when you get there Friday morning. The exhibit hall however cool won't take you more than a few hours to see most of. Finally people are crazy bring extra film.
And don't be afraid to ask people for help/suggestions as time goes on. You may have specific questions about the area and what's available, and goodness knows there are plenty of threads here to help with that. There are also plenty of people (myself included) more than willing to lend a hand to people new to the area or who have more specific questions on the area. I'm also entirely certain that there are Enforcers and hardcore PAXers who can tell you more detail about PAX related questions that aren't getting answered or haven't been asked.
Be prepared for anything. If you know you're going to drink excessively, bring some Vitamin Water or antacids, don't just suffer through it. It's hard to enjoy a packed, loud convention with a screeching headache.
Be open! Try things you wouldn't have before. I know there were lots of table top sessions I wanted to sit in on but was too nervous to try at first. As long as you're up front about being new, people are usually more than happy to help you learn new skills
Listen!!! Maybe it's because I'm a cultural anthropologist, but listen to stories. Not eavesdrop, but make conversation. People have crazy fun stories and you'll end up likely making some new, awesome friends.
As with the question of it being busy... it may be crazy, it may be empty. This is around the time universities have their spring breaks (except Brandeis... because apparently Jewish holidays don't fall in March *grumble*) so you may see an excess of students in the area. Beware of students... Just beware. You can spot them by that dead look in their eyes and their pale skin. Not to be mistaken for zombies.
And that's it. Sorry for a bit of TL;DR.
Don't get it twisted, man. I wasn't taking a shot at you. It seemed like maybe you were getting defensive on my behalf - as if to say, you don't need to tell the new guy he should wear deodorant. I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't offended.
Pertinent - some games questions..
DS games - what are the must haves?
Magic: The Gathering - mostly casual? lots of type 1? just bring your 3 favorite decks kind of thing?
Switch FC: SW-7588-7027-0113, Steam/PSN: Halfazedninja
Ahh true, good point, I don't know what the attendance cap is this year, prolly much higher :P , here's hoping I get in all the panels I want anyway
www.team-sf.com
MD PAX Meet-Up - Events Calendar - G+ - @MD_PAX_Meetup - Facebook
Though in my case it shouldn't be too much of a problem, a single 2GB card for each day (and really I'll just dump the entire day onto my laptop) should be more than enough (3.25MP camera shooting in RAW mode, ~3.5MB each, ~500 pictures... yeah).
It saddens me you think digital is photography.;-)
Organizer of the Post-PAX Party. You should come!
Satellite Theater for life!
Ditto this. Do people seriously not do that?
Colour-coding and appropriate text-scaling -- I think I'm in love with you, Sary!
I was just reading through this thread and caught this. If you're coming from Logan, take the Silver Line (if you're going *directly* to the BCEC). I rarely ride the T, so I don't have any experience with the Silver Line, but it stops at every airport terminal and goes to the World Trade Center, which is right across the street from the BCEC.
Taking the Blue Line and trying to get to the BCEC would take some effort and be quite challenging, especially with luggage. Do *not* follow the steps mentioned above that say to get off at Arlington and try to walk to the BCEC. It's about a 2 mile walk from that T stop, and not something you'd want to be doing in the middle of March. I assume the poster was thinking of the Hynes (where it was in 2010).
PAX East Pics: 2010-2015 & Vids: 2012-2015
Send me a message if you want me to send you the pdf of M:TG events from last year.
There was a big range of events but most seemed to be draft/sealed-style. There were 1 or 2 standard constucted tournaments per day. If you want to bring your decks, there will be plenty of people to sit down and play random games with. I'm going to go out on a limb as say that it will probably be a little less casual-friendly this year now that Scars really complicated things compared to last year when we were at M10, Zendikar, Worldwake.
Last year, it was really casual and fun. I participated in a 2v2 minimaster tournament on the last day and didn't really run into hardcore tryhards until I was in the top 8 (I didn't belong x.x).
My professional photographer future father-in-law would strongly disagree with your position.
Argument from authority. Maybe you should ask him about the pixel equivalent of film.
Did you seriously come to the PAX forum to argue about the merits of film vs. digital? Go to debate and discourse if you want to have a thread about that.
The only thing I can add is to have a list of people you have met online and want to meet at PAX. Maybe list why you wanted to meet them if you're not good friends with them online.
There was a lot of people I wanted to meet but when you get to Boston and with friends that came with you and doing so much at PAX things like this escape you and forget people you wanted to meet.
I'm writting the following for the sake of people who want to bring their cameras to PAX and take lots of pictures. It's not a question about derailing the discussion. I will not say more or argue any counter points, etc.
As far as my "professional" suggestion goes, casual people aka the norm with 10 MP point and shoots will not care as much about high resolution pictures and may be ok with 2 gigs because they will forgoe raw (if even available).
People who have dSLRs with higher MP counts will most likely want to make sure they can make an A4 print with everything they see will need 8 gigs on them at the VERY least. I would rather go with 16 MP a day and would not stop at the idea of having more than one card or have a way to dump my pictures somewhere from time to time.
Either category will have to consider having more memory on hand if they happen to be trigger happy or have difficulty choosing which shot to keep on the spot.
Me? The big rig stays home. I'm there to play and will use a very simple iPhone 4 or Nikon PnS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_D30
+1 on this. This is a small thing but I think it bears repeating.
I had a backpack last year and regretted it from day 1. A messenger bag is easier to put things in and out of like your phone, DS, or water. It's also easier to sling around when you want to quickly sit down and stand up while waiting in lines.
I think this really depends on the person. Messenger bags can be more convenient to be sure, but messenger bags are harder on your shoulder since they are only one sided. If you're carrying much stuff for very long, the backpack is less stressful on your body. If one strap is more comfy for you, by all means do it, but I think that the majority of people are better served by the advice of a backpack with two very padded straps.
I love all the advice provided thus far, but I have somewhat of a different question.
I've always dabbled in TCG/tabletop games-MtG, Warhammer 40k, D&D, etc...but could never really learn extensively about them or collect the cards & miniatures to play often. The fact that maybe only a few other guys in my high school and university were interested as well didn't help.
I was wondering what advice could probably be thrown my way in terms of playing at the conventions, or going to a noob panel, or whatever in regards to my limited gameplay materials & experience. Also, do the gaming areas welcome newcomers or players who can just pop in mid-campaign?
Sorry I forget I have a weird sense of humor. Reed it again but this time use the most stereotypical internet nerd voice, Basically it's my way of laughing at the question of film vs. digital even being asked.
Depends. The pro run games are (or were) by reservation. On the other hand plenty of games were being populated on the fly. There is actually a topic on this:http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=133283
Hey cool, must have missed that one. Thanks
Hum, would you know if a 17' Laptop would fit in one of those? Thinkgeek says 16' but other web sites say otherwise.
THE INTERNET IS LYING.
I hadn't played Magic in years but signed up for a tournament with a friend and had a blast. We thought it would be mostly hard cores and we would feel odd but it was a lot of people who just wanted to play for fun, many who had left the game earlier. Very friendly.
Lines can be awesome if you talk to people. I wish I brought cards or UNO or anything with me.
There will be cosplayers in amazing costumes; enough to give the event a real nerd feeling but not a costume party theme.
As others have said, stay hydrated, keep some snacks, wear your most comfortable shoes and don't be shy. You'll have a blast.