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[EAST] First Time to PAX East? Stuff you may want to know lies within
zerzhul
Registered User, Moderator mod
Registered User, Moderator mod
Is this your first time at PAX? READ THE MAIN FAQ STICKY FIRST, a lot of valuable information is there!
After that, this is a good place for first timer specific advice.
--
A fair bit of this is taken from Frugus' post last year, and trimmed down to be just information.
Boston in April can be cold! Bring a REAL coat and a scarf! There was no snow to be found at East 2011 other than leftover piles from earlier in the year. This may have been a fluke, but we did not need winter boots.
How you travel to and from the convention is up to you, but if you do not have a car, you have the option of using public transportation and Taxis. And yes, after hours is something you must think about if you go to PAX. It's not just the concerts which last up to around 2 am, many other events such as free board game rooms may take up your time as well. And then there are the other events, be them official or not, that will be organized around the city.
Get yourself some form of mobile data access!!! Many events and meetings will be discussed on the forums, but good deal of new, secret and last minute stuff will be added as well and will only be available to you if you have a readily available connection to the internet. I cannot stress this point enough - there is much more to PAX than just the official schedule! This is how you will get to know about the Twitter Meetups, the special events held by companies, last minute city concerts, special contests, you name it. The forum was receiving surprise last minute threads on such matters and Twitter was in heavy use.
If you're not a resident of the US, getting a data plan may or may not be a complicated thing, however there was a free Wi-Fi connection available at the BCEC. It was sluggish but it worked for the most part.
There are many pre-pax events organized by the community, so you may want to arrive a couple of days early. You likely won't have time to be toursity during PAX proper, so that is important to consider as well when planning your PAX trip.
Making Friends -
A great way to stay in touch with the new friends you will make is to get some cheap business cards. Stick your email address, gamertag, forum name, whatever on them. Hand them out to all the awesome people you will most certainly meet.
Carrying Your Stuff -
Come Friday night, your one shoulder will be KILLING you. Trust me, you want to evenly distribute the weight. Go for something that you know will be comfortable over the course of a long day. I personally prefer a backpack, not a messenger bag. LABEL YOUR STUFF. either get a label maker, or some sharpies - I highly recommend putting your phone number on them. You never know when you may accidentally leave something behind.
Recharging your devices: Plan ahead. Recharge everything overnight, and perhaps find a compact charging solution to carry with you. Be considerate of outlet use and try not to use more than one at a time (bringing a small power strip can make you a lot of friends).
Reposting The @CatBoy List from the FAQ. One should not underestimate its importance
After that, this is a good place for first timer specific advice.
--
A fair bit of this is taken from Frugus' post last year, and trimmed down to be just information.
Boston in April can be cold! Bring a REAL coat and a scarf! There was no snow to be found at East 2011 other than leftover piles from earlier in the year. This may have been a fluke, but we did not need winter boots.
How you travel to and from the convention is up to you, but if you do not have a car, you have the option of using public transportation and Taxis. And yes, after hours is something you must think about if you go to PAX. It's not just the concerts which last up to around 2 am, many other events such as free board game rooms may take up your time as well. And then there are the other events, be them official or not, that will be organized around the city.
Get yourself some form of mobile data access!!! Many events and meetings will be discussed on the forums, but good deal of new, secret and last minute stuff will be added as well and will only be available to you if you have a readily available connection to the internet. I cannot stress this point enough - there is much more to PAX than just the official schedule! This is how you will get to know about the Twitter Meetups, the special events held by companies, last minute city concerts, special contests, you name it. The forum was receiving surprise last minute threads on such matters and Twitter was in heavy use.
If you're not a resident of the US, getting a data plan may or may not be a complicated thing, however there was a free Wi-Fi connection available at the BCEC. It was sluggish but it worked for the most part.
There are many pre-pax events organized by the community, so you may want to arrive a couple of days early. You likely won't have time to be toursity during PAX proper, so that is important to consider as well when planning your PAX trip.
Making Friends -
A great way to stay in touch with the new friends you will make is to get some cheap business cards. Stick your email address, gamertag, forum name, whatever on them. Hand them out to all the awesome people you will most certainly meet.
Carrying Your Stuff -
Come Friday night, your one shoulder will be KILLING you. Trust me, you want to evenly distribute the weight. Go for something that you know will be comfortable over the course of a long day. I personally prefer a backpack, not a messenger bag. LABEL YOUR STUFF. either get a label maker, or some sharpies - I highly recommend putting your phone number on them. You never know when you may accidentally leave something behind.
Recharging your devices: Plan ahead. Recharge everything overnight, and perhaps find a compact charging solution to carry with you. Be considerate of outlet use and try not to use more than one at a time (bringing a small power strip can make you a lot of friends).
Reposting The @CatBoy List from the FAQ. One should not underestimate its importance
What should I bring with me to PAX?
CatBoy wrote:I better get this in just so everyone is kinda prepared and in the know of what to bring to PAX or any con that may come their way. (I'm sorry for the huge post, but a lot of people don't know what to bring.)
The Top Twenty Items Forgotten by Convention Attendees Checklist
1. Personal Towel (We know the hotel provides them, but if you're sharing a room with several people, this guarantees you your very own towel. Also, if you plan on using a lot of makeup for a costume or dying your hair *and* use hotel towels, you will be charged a hefty fee for damaging hotel property. Please bring your own towels if you plan to do this.) You may also dip the ends in liquid vitamins and suck on the corners when needed.
* A pretty cool tip involving this is bringing a small clothespin with your name on it to attach to your towel so people can differentiate between yours and theirs. In fact, bring a couple, so you can share with people.
2. Shampoo and Conditioner (Again, the hotel provides these, but the bottles are quite small. Bringing your own ensures you will have some, especially if you use a lot of shampoo or have long hair.)
3. Toothbrush and Toothpaste (You'd be amazed at what going three days without brushing tastes like. Gross.)
4. Deodorant (If you don't bring and use this, don't be surprised when people start edging away from you in packed rooms and theaters. Don't forget the strange looks and cringed noses you'll begin to see.)
5. Razor and Shaving Cream/Gel
6. Comb and/or Hairbrush (some people do use both. You'd be surprised.)
7. One shirt for each day of the convention, plus an extra. (3 days = 4 shirts)
8. Pants (Same number as shirts.)
9. Underwear (3 sets, plus an extra.)
10. Socks (One pair per day plus an extra pair.)
11. Swimsuit (You never know.)
12. Jacket or warm sweater
13. Shoes (If you plan on spending a lot of time dancing or on your feet, make sure you have comfortable shoes with you. Your feet will hurt if you don't have comfy shoes to at least change into.)
14. Any prescribed medication (Make sure to tell your traveling companions/roommates about any medical needs you may have.)
15. Tylenol/Aspirin/etc
16. Photo ID / Driver's License / Checkbook / Car keys
17. A phone card (Not only is this cheaper than having calls charged to your hotel room, but having several people using one phone can lead to billing confusion with long distance calls. Bring a phone card so you can let your parents/significant other know you made it to the con safely.)
18. An extra pillow and blanket if several people are staying in your room.
19. Some non-perishable food from a supermarket (Like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, pretzels and bottled water or juice. While there are a lot of restaurants close by, this is an easy way to save money. In addition, you'll be able to have your midnight snack without leaving your room.)
20. Your best public manners. (You'd be surprised how many people forget to bring these along.)
The exhibition hall is full of awesome. There are upcoming games, and hardware showcased as well as things for sale from games, to guides, to t-shirts, to dice. Prices are comparable with standard retail pricing, or a little cheaper, even. Also, there's tons of free shirts and other swag being handed out by various companies *cough*nVidia*cough*
the spoiler is for the REALLY well preparedA List For The Well Prepared
* Small tube of super glue
* 3 straight pins
* 3 safety pins: 1 small and 2 medium
* Hair pins: 3 medium and 3 heavy
* Small sewing kit (small enough to fit into the palm of your hand)
* Safety matches (1 pack)
* Disposable plastic razor
* Small emery board
* Tylenol/Aspirin (travel sized container)
* 6 chewable Vitamin C tablets (at least 500 mg each)
* 2 Vitamin B complex tabs, stress formula
* 1 pack Tums/Rolaids
* 6 bandaids (or a travel sized pack)
* 6 antihistamine tablets
* 1 travel pack of tissues
* Tube of chapstick or other lip balm
* 6 cough drops or throat lozenges
* Smallest size of tiger balm or camphophenique oil
* Travel size tube of spot remover
* Spare car and house keys
* Breath freshener
* 6 moist towelettes (for cleaning hands)
* Small pencil sharpener
* Small pen
* 1 small pack of post-it-notes (the square ones work fine)
* Clear nail polish
* Small amount of masking tape wrapped around a short pencil
* 6 rubber bands
* 3 unlubricated condoms
* Small penknife
* Small tube of neosporin
* 3 garbage bag twist ties
* Mustache scissors (small pair of scissors will work as well)
* Styptic pencil or qwik stop
* Hand lotion (travel size)
* Aloe vera gel (travel size)
* 3 nail polish remover pad
* Tampons or pads if you are the type to bleed occasionally
zerzhul on
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But still having cash on hand is a good idea as again, many vendors are cash-only and sometimes the systems just plain don't work for whatever reason.
The one time I took a cab in Boston back in 2010, the guy told me the machine was broke (mind you he waited until AFTER we arrived). Previously, somebody said here on the forum that if the machine doesn't work, they are legally obligated to manually swipe your card. So, I pushed. He pushed back, trying to convince me to go inside to an ATM, withdraw cash, then come back to pay him. I refused and he eventually did a manual swipe (and got no tip for being a jerk about it, also for taking so much time arguing with me that I had to pay more).
So, while in the end I got it done the way it should have been done (although I didn't know they were supposed to take them out of service), it was still a huge pain. If there's one bit of advice I can give based on this, it's that Boston cabbies are assholes, don't trust a word they say.
I'm not even 100% sure the machine didn't work (it looked fine), he just told me it didn't, then outright refused to manual swipe until I argued with him about it.
http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/IOCNOTICE 08-06_tcm3-9933.pdf
this is really really common. they ALWAYS say the machine doesn't work, because they are obligated to have them but don't want to use them. and yes, boston cabbies are generally awful. i've seen them (on multiple occasions) not even run the meter and just make up a price on arrival. i would ask if they can take a card before even getting in; they'll probably agree just to get the fare. better still is just to carry cash so you don't have to deal with it. even better, take the T whenever possible. it's pretty simple to navigate.
Any con I go to I like to bring about $200 cash for incidentals/emergencies. I've yet to run out (though in some cases this is due to a large number of vendors also taking plastic, which is my preferred method of payment).
There are usually a number of vendors that sell a lot of misc stuff but I don't know if I've ever seen modern videogames specifically...ones that sell games are often catering to retro markets.
A list of things, should you be of the gifting persuasion
1) Jump on the PAX hotel accommodations IMMEDIATELY when they’re released. I was flat broke and waited until I arrived in Boston to deal with finding a hotel, and it was a mistake. My friend and I ended up staying at the Seaport on Thursday night at full price, but they were sold out for the rest of the weekend. The Intercontinental wanted $300 a night, so we ended up at the Holiday Inn at Beacon Hill for $185 a night. It was an okay hotel, but it was so far away that we had to spend extra dough for the T or cabs. A lot of people are gunning for the Westin, but honestly the Seaport is very nice and not far away (although it sucked walking on the Friday morning when it poured). Also as mentioned in the Info/FAQ, you’re not charged for your room when you book, OnPeak will charge you later (like February-ish). (I’m not 100% on this, so PAX hotel folks from last year please correct me on this if I’m wrong.)
2) Get your travel arrangements done early too. As for travel, I'm definitely on the side of taking the PAX train up on Thursday. Yes you do miss events the pre-PAX festivities for the most part, but getting the opportunity to ride and game with fellow PAX-ers for six hours is a lot of fun. Don't forget your DS (get a used one if you don't have one), because Mario Kart will ensue. Amtrak typically has good deals that don’t expire until the end of the year, so you’ll have some time to book.
3) Want PAX specific merchandise? I suggest as soon as you check in and get your swag bag on Friday morning to head to the PA merch area. I waited about 90 minutes after the doors opened to saunter over, and one of the PAX 2011 shirts (the gray one) was already sold out in 4XL. I managed to grab a black 4XL, and I did see PAX scarfs available at that time too.
4) $200 is a good amount to take with you, it’ll cover most of the food/drink/cab & T fare. The convention center food is pricey, but unfortunately that’s your only option unless you walk over the bridge toward the World Trade Center area. On another note, I think Boston cab drivers also work as stunt drivers in their spare time.
5) The best times I found to roam the Expo Hall floor were on Friday morning and late Sunday afternoon. I know it’s criminal to miss the final stage of the Omegathon, but I was able to walk up to the Nintendo booth and play just about every 3DS game they had to demo. I found that Saturday and most of Sunday was pretty difficult to wander through the Expo Hall, so that was a good time to go see some excellent panels.
6) FedEx your swag! The BCC has a FedEx Office conveniently located next to the Expo Hall entrance on the second floor. Grab a poster tube early (like Day 1 if you can), because all that was left on Saturday afternoon after the Bioshock signing were THE LARGEST POSTER TUBES KNOWN TO MANKIND. Seriously it was a pain in the ass to lug around. Box up all of your goodies you collected, then they’ll ship it to you that week. It saves you some space and some headaches, and it’s like another Christmas when the package comes.
That’s all I have for now, sorry it’s long winded. I’ll add more if I can think of anything.
There are a two nearby hotels (The Westin and The Seaport), they fill up fast so get your reservation in early. If you are staying at another hotel in the city make sure to include travel expenses in your budget.
While there are some nearby restaurants, remember that you will be vying for a table with a couple thousand other people. Either make reservations early, or plan on taking cabs/public transit away from the convention center to find a meal.
Get a 7 day public transit pass for $15. This provides unlimited travel for the subway, bus, and ferry. The BCEC is on the silverline, which (through a connection at south station) will get you almost anywhere in the city in under 30 minutes.
The Renaissance is also close, closer than the Seaport depending on what entrance you use. I personally had zero issues getting a table at the nearby restaurants, but that certainly won't be everyone's experience and reservations are always a good idea.
Middle of nowhere is very subjective. It isn't in the middle of everythng like the Hynes but when I think middle of nowhere I think in the woods
This is a great option if you plan to be using the public system a bunch. If you are like me, and only plan to use it a few times, just make sure you pick up a CharlieCard, they give them out free at the station across from the BCEC, you get a discounted fare of $1.70 if you use the card.
www.team-sf.com
MD PAX Meet-Up - Events Calendar - G+ - @MD_PAX_Meetup - Facebook
Lot of construction happening in the area as the City and businesses dump loads of money into it, our food options should get better every year.
1. Boston cabbies are dicks. Seriously, we had awful cab experiences there. Buy a transit pass and if you absolutely must take a cab, be firm and don't let them jerk you around.
2. The Westin lobby/bar area is really small and the servers are not friendly to tablesquatters who don't order. The food is also atrociously expensive, even for a hotel. There's a large, empty mezzanine area upstairs and you can always ask the staff for more folding tables and chairs to be set up there if you want.
3. Most of the rooms have mini-fridges in them. Ask the hotel before you arrive to have yours hooked up and ready for you, then keep e-rations in it.
4. There's a fabulous little independent grocery/deli about 5 blocks from the convention center. Load up on healthy snacks and fresh food there. Prices were reasonable, food looked great and it was a nice short walk. http://jpaceandson.com/index.php?page=southboston
5. My Clearwire stick worked pretty well from our hotel room in the Westin for internet access and I'd imagine aircards would too.
The lobby area is quite small, although I didn't feel like the food was expensive in the lobby bar area. Food expense *is* highly subjective though so what I think isn't expensive may not jive with others.
The tables were open often, just not around meal time or peak bar time (which unfortunately happens to be during the time after pax closes on sunday and people want to play games). I went down there often in the late evenings and paxers were using the tables without issue.
Not sure if anyone else noticed, but there was a lot of big open space in the lower level below the lobby with tables and chairs (looked like a small conference area) that wasn't in use during PAX. That might be a great place to play some boardgames in the evenings if it is able to be used without drawing ire from the staff.
Also, there is a large open area with some benches on the second floor of the Westin, next to the elevators. If you don't mind sitting on the floor you can play board games there as well.
Also, I want to second what everyone's been saying about carrying cash. You'll certainly come across something cheap that you really want, and you don't want to have to break out the credit card for the $5 Cthulhu Dice. I haven't ever needed to use one of the convention center ATMs.
Lastly, if you're planning to wear a costume, be aware that the convention center is packed with people and tends to be rather warm, especially if you're buried in layers. I'm not sure how the guy in full-on Gears of War armor stayed upright.
This is especially true for the expo floor or a popular panel, but there is ample space in the rest of the center to get out of the crowds if one needs a break.
Don't dismiss the Renaissance or the Seaport! They are right across the street from each other!
We stayed at the Ren last year and it was really nice! Their staff was really friendly, and the room was really nice too.
Both of these hotels are a literal 5 minute walk to the BCEC (faster if you speed walk out of excitement), and are significantly cheaper compared to the Westin. Yes the Westin is more convenient but if its not in the cards then these hotels are very nice!
across from the Seaport was the DD and a 7/11, which was a very short walk around the corner from the Ren.
inside the Ren was a starbucks and the hotels own restaurant, there was also a bank of america next to the hotel which was super convenient on the walk to the con!
The restaurant inside the Ren was a bit expensive, but the food was amazing!!
We ate lunch there and thought it was more than worth it for the quality, and the breakfast buffet is out of this world. and pretty reasonably priced for the amount of food you can eat that tastes that amazing. (waffles and pancakes oh my!)
Also also! The T station is 2 minutes from both of these hotels. If I remember right the Seaport has its own little walkway leading to the station.
Now i'm all excited! lol.
hope some of this is useful to someone.
PAX EAST 2012: HOTEL [X] FLIGHT [] PASSES [X] TIME OFF []
Make a personal schedule (on your phone preferably) of after parties and events because there are so many it's hard to keep track.
Panels are a lot of fun but the exhibit floor is funner imo, plus most of the panels will be posted online.
many of the closest hotels to the bcec will have little to no availability outside the pax block, and last year when the westin overbooked the first people to get bumped out of their rooms were people who did NOT book with pax. if cost is absolutely your number one priority, then yes, there are other options that will probably be cheaper, but remember that in many cases you get what you pay for and booking through pax can get you a more secure and convenient reservation.
On that note, the further you stay from the BCEC, the more you're going to spend in both cash and time on transit to/from your hotel. Be sure to factor that into your pricing when deciding on a place to stay. If you're just comparing hotel prices per night, and not taking into account the cost to travel to/from your hotel from the convention center, you might end up spending more money than if you had stayed closer.
Or at least they report "sold out" because of the block. But yeah, using the PAX hotel system is pretty necessary for getting into any of the close/popular hotels.
You don't always have to create a scene. But, do be firm, and hold your ground. Also, unless the first offer for compensation is AMAZING, push for a little more. They typically start small to see what will make you happy. If you're bumped across town, make it clear that you are NOT happy.
My group was smart enough to look in advance and found J Pace in the hitchhiker's guide and it was great to get a decent breakfast on Friday and Sat mornings. A good number of other PAXers were there when we dropped by too. Reasonably close and good food. Be aware that on Sunday, they open later than the con, so DD would be the better breakfast choice then.
Been there done that.
I know I'm repeating myself here but I tried the "cheaper hotel" system last year. The PAX block offers some great discounts but you can find even more enticing prices if you know how to shop around. These hotels won't be close to the convention, however there are some possibilities that are still within "walking distance".
In my case I got the Nine-Zero with 135$ a night, which is about 25 minutes walking distance from the front entrance.
My experience is that...
- Cabs could not be found at closing time unless you waited forever. Speaking of which, they would not use the optimal routes.
- You're walking around all day. You accumulate fatigue. Each ride to and from was taking more time than it was supposed to. Incrementally.
- The above point is worse if you bought tons of stuff and you're carrying it with you.
- Public transport is not friendly to late night PAX activities, which is when most of the fun is happening.
- It's not fun to walk back home during the Boston Curfew.
Does this mean I won't do it again? Actually no. If you remotely in shape and know what you're getting into then there's definitely room for compromise. If you save 200$ dollars in hotel stays then that's money you can spend elsewhere.
Improvements I would add should I do this again:
- Don't skimp on the Public Transport 7 day pass (15$). It may not be compatible with the late night stuff but it's still going to help you a good deal during the day.
- Carry cab money anyway just in case, and take the time to wait for a taxi if you stay until the very late hours. Who cares if you have to wait an hour, it's going to take you that much time to walk back anyway.
This being said, I'm going to stay at the Westin (hopefully) mainly because I want to check out the PAX crowd.
ps. Thanks Zerzhul
boston curfew?