Haha, when I got the call last year, I actually thought Gabe was gonna yell at me - I'd sent him and Tycho a (politely worded, but still) e-mail on a hot-button issue like, weeks before, and I thought it must have offended him. I honestly could not figure out why else he would call. I was totally speechless.
I also got REALLY lucky on the timing. I was on my way home and literally in the ONE SUBWAY STATION where I actually got phone reception when he called.
PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
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Pork BunsConsumer of PigsBlue/Orange PortalRegistered Usernew member
Hi! I'm excited to get my ass whupped in front of thousands of people by you fine lot. At least I'll look fly getting my ass handed to me.
Yeah i got lucky too. I was about to hop in the shower. I normally dont pick up for restricted numbers, but because i was in a rush, i picked up without looking at who was calling. Now the rest is history =]
-2012 PAX East Omegathon Champ
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
Yeah i got lucky too. I was about to hop in the shower. I normally dont pick up for restricted numbers, but because i was in a rush, i picked up without looking at who was calling. Now the rest is history =]
Saaame i usually don't pick up uknown numbers but for some reason I did. And I would have been at work at the time had I not decided to take the day off
I lurk waaaay more than I post, 'round these parts, but I'm sophiavolpi on twitter.
My hands were shaking for an hour after the phonecall. I can easily see myself going down in the first round and, honestly, I don't think I even mind. Just getting picked at all is so cool I can barely stand it.
Today, as I sat at my desk completing mind-numbing corporate mandated training, my cell phone rang. The number was blocked. "Should I answer it?" I asked a coworker. I decided it was almost certainly an automated message trying to get me to sign up for the Triple Play or telling me about a blood drive, but whatever, couldn't hurt. I answer the phone and hear "Hi, this is Gabe from Penny Arcade". Somehow the combination of the fact that I was expecting a robodialer and that the idea that Gabe/Mike would actually be personally calling me is so unbelievable as to be essentially impossible, left me believing initially that this was a recording. Some kind of announcement to all PAX ticketholders or something. Or maybe it was one of those things where you enter a friend's phone number and they get a recorded call. Hell, I remember having a friend called by Optimus Prime. Certainly that was still more likely than Gabe/Mike actually calling me.
All of this occurred in my brain in an instant.
He asked me several questions. Would I like to be an Omeganaut, will I be at PAX for all three days, will I be there Sunday at such and such a time. To each question I answered a very carefully enunciated "Yyyess" because, you know how finicky these voice recognition things can be. Then he asks "Is <sound distinguishable as a mangled version of my name> your real name?" Now I'm like, no way can a robot do that. I say "Yes". He asks me how to pronounce it. At this point most of my brain shut down, but thankfully this verbal exchange (with little variation) is one I've carried out countless times and autopilot kicked in. With a name like mine every introduction goes this way, you get used to it. I could have supplied him with the origin and meaning too if he had asked for it (it has a kickass meaning). I pronounce it for him and I hear Tycho/Jerry (I wonder if this is diagnosable as DID) make a crack along the lines of "Oops we called the wrong guy." This is too much. They are both there and they are on the phone with me and it's real and holy shit! Gabe/Mike told me I have a cool name confirmed my email address and told me they would be in touch by email. I think at this point I managed to come to my senses enough to blurt out "Thanks! That's awesome!" And he said bye and I said bye and I hung up. And then I experienced what might be called mild convulsions for an hour or so while I came to grips with what just occurred.
Did that really just happen? And then, oh my god. In a month or so, I could see on PATV the Penny Arcade guys having that conversation with me. Oh my god, I talked to them like they were a robot. Oh my god, I wasted a call from the Penny Arcade guys.
So uh, yea. I have no idea if you guys will actually see this post but I'm sorry I thought you were a robot. Even though I am sure that I will fail as an Omeganaut spectacularly and immediately (think Nick Arcade contestant), I am deeply honored and awestruck to have been given this opportunity and I wish I had conveyed as much on the phone.
I hope you read and enjoy this. I thought you might find it funny to hear what was going on on the other end of what was likely one of the most underwhelming reactions you've ever had for such a call.
I lurk waaaay more than I post, 'round these parts, but I'm sophiavolpi on twitter.
My hands were shaking for an hour after the phonecall. I can easily see myself going down in the first round and, honestly, I don't think I even mind. Just getting picked at all is so cool I can barely stand it.
I feel the same way! It should be fun
omg i'm the same way. I was shaking so bad trying to explain to my bf that tycho from pa just called me!
and I third that. I will probably fail miserably but it should be fun
Pax East 2012 Omeganaut!
Pax East '12 checklist: [x] 3 day pass, [x] hotel booked, [x] byoc seat registered, [ ] cookies baked, [ ] omegathon won.
Really excited to be competing in the Omegathon for the first time. Best of luck to all the other Omeganauts. I promise to give you all the utmost respect and hope that you all consider me to be a better person than you when I claim my rightful place as the Omegaking.
Just curious, is there a page or thread somewhere with information about the omegathon/being a omeganaut?
But wow, that's hilarious. Congratulations and welcome to the Omegathon!
PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
Really excited to be competing in the Omegathon for the first time. Best of luck to all the other Omeganauts. I promise to give you all the utmost respect and hope that you all consider me to be a better person than you when I claim my rightful place as the Omegaking.
Just curious, is there a page or thread somewhere with information about the omegathon/being a omeganaut?
also, from the paxsite FAQ (although it is repeated on the wiki page):
What is The Omegathon?
The Omegathon is a three-day elimination tournament between randomly selected attendees who compete in games from every category (tabletop, console, PC) culminating in a live championship match on the big stage during PAX closing ceremonies. The final round is always out of left field and is completely insane.
I heard via twitter that they release a list of games before omegathon so people can prepare and what not. Is that true? I almost hope not. Just adds to the hecticness of it all imo
-2012 PAX East Omegathon Champ
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
They do. Generally everything EXCEPT the final round is revealed a few weeks before the con. The final round is ALWAYS a surprise, though last year they gave us fifteen minutes to get used to the control scheme of Ikaruga (which I'd never played before) before throwing us in the deep end of the pool.
Also, you'll get plenty of e-mail telling you pretty much everything you need to know about being an Omeganaut. The exact instructions sometimes change from one year to the next so you may not find the most up-to-date info on the web.
PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
hmm...good to know. Now i i wont go crazy trying to play every important game that's come out in the past 20 years...plus finish skyward sword and play mass effect 3 when that comes out
-2012 PAX East Omegathon Champ
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
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Pork BunsConsumer of PigsBlue/Orange PortalRegistered Usernew member
So do finalists get a chance to play again the next year?
I'm fairly certain Mass Effect 3 is going to prevent me from getting any practice in. Or work done.
The winners get their prize and go home - I don't know if they're disqualified from ever competing again, but they don't automatically come back the following year. The team in 2nd place gets to return. This'll be my buddy Ross's third consecutive year - he took 2nd place in 2010 AND 2011. (I don't know what happened to the other 2nd place guy from 2010...did he have to cancel or something?)
PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
If I'm remembering correctly, it's usually around the same time the schedule goes up. Maybe a week or so afterward. So, early March.
PAX EAST 2011 Omegathon Finalist - PAX East 2012 Omeganaut After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
Posts
Duly noted. We have a really amazing bunch cropping up this year, I'll need all the support I can get
Congrats to you lucky fuckers!
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it's not explicit, but I'm taking Kiko's reply to him as the word.
So...am I the only one who instantly said "Holy Sh*t!" once they realized who was on the phone when they got their call?
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
i honestly thought it was like a confirmation fo my mailing address for the 3 day pass haha i was pretty shocked
I also got REALLY lucky on the timing. I was on my way home and literally in the ONE SUBWAY STATION where I actually got phone reception when he called.
After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
I've never played Jenga in my life.
Twitter: PorkBuns
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
Saaame i usually don't pick up uknown numbers but for some reason I did. And I would have been at work at the time had I not decided to take the day off
And i was planning on it! But alas i have gone to the dark side. I'm going to be rocking my sith cosplay instead
Pax East '12 checklist: [x] 3 day pass, [x] hotel booked, [x] byoc seat registered, [ ] cookies baked, [ ] omegathon won.
Twitter: sweeneyben
XBL: Disco Ball
#omegaNOT
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[3DS] 3394-3901-4002 | [Xbox/Steam] Redfield85
I feel the same way! It should be fun
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
Today, as I sat at my desk completing mind-numbing corporate mandated training, my cell phone rang. The number was blocked. "Should I answer it?" I asked a coworker. I decided it was almost certainly an automated message trying to get me to sign up for the Triple Play or telling me about a blood drive, but whatever, couldn't hurt. I answer the phone and hear "Hi, this is Gabe from Penny Arcade". Somehow the combination of the fact that I was expecting a robodialer and that the idea that Gabe/Mike would actually be personally calling me is so unbelievable as to be essentially impossible, left me believing initially that this was a recording. Some kind of announcement to all PAX ticketholders or something. Or maybe it was one of those things where you enter a friend's phone number and they get a recorded call. Hell, I remember having a friend called by Optimus Prime. Certainly that was still more likely than Gabe/Mike actually calling me.
All of this occurred in my brain in an instant.
He asked me several questions. Would I like to be an Omeganaut, will I be at PAX for all three days, will I be there Sunday at such and such a time. To each question I answered a very carefully enunciated "Yyyess" because, you know how finicky these voice recognition things can be. Then he asks "Is <sound distinguishable as a mangled version of my name> your real name?" Now I'm like, no way can a robot do that. I say "Yes". He asks me how to pronounce it. At this point most of my brain shut down, but thankfully this verbal exchange (with little variation) is one I've carried out countless times and autopilot kicked in. With a name like mine every introduction goes this way, you get used to it. I could have supplied him with the origin and meaning too if he had asked for it (it has a kickass meaning). I pronounce it for him and I hear Tycho/Jerry (I wonder if this is diagnosable as DID) make a crack along the lines of "Oops we called the wrong guy." This is too much. They are both there and they are on the phone with me and it's real and holy shit! Gabe/Mike told me I have a cool name confirmed my email address and told me they would be in touch by email. I think at this point I managed to come to my senses enough to blurt out "Thanks! That's awesome!" And he said bye and I said bye and I hung up. And then I experienced what might be called mild convulsions for an hour or so while I came to grips with what just occurred.
Did that really just happen? And then, oh my god. In a month or so, I could see on PATV the Penny Arcade guys having that conversation with me. Oh my god, I talked to them like they were a robot. Oh my god, I wasted a call from the Penny Arcade guys.
So uh, yea. I have no idea if you guys will actually see this post but I'm sorry I thought you were a robot. Even though I am sure that I will fail as an Omeganaut spectacularly and immediately (think Nick Arcade contestant), I am deeply honored and awestruck to have been given this opportunity and I wish I had conveyed as much on the phone.
I hope you read and enjoy this. I thought you might find it funny to hear what was going on on the other end of what was likely one of the most underwhelming reactions you've ever had for such a call.
Thank you!
omg i'm the same way. I was shaking so bad trying to explain to my bf that tycho from pa just called me!
and I third that. I will probably fail miserably but it should be fun
Pax East '12 checklist: [x] 3 day pass, [x] hotel booked, [x] byoc seat registered, [ ] cookies baked, [ ] omegathon won.
Just curious, is there a page or thread somewhere with information about the omegathon/being a omeganaut?
But wow, that's hilarious. Congratulations and welcome to the Omegathon!
After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
There's some info on the community wiki page, although it could be expanded.
http://wiki.paxcommunity.net/paxwiki/Omegathon
What is The Omegathon?
The Omegathon is a three-day elimination tournament between randomly selected attendees who compete in games from every category (tabletop, console, PC) culminating in a live championship match on the big stage during PAX closing ceremonies. The final round is always out of left field and is completely insane.
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
Also, you'll get plenty of e-mail telling you pretty much everything you need to know about being an Omeganaut. The exact instructions sometimes change from one year to the next so you may not find the most up-to-date info on the web.
After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
-twitter handle: FiascoKnowsNYC
I'm fairly certain Mass Effect 3 is going to prevent me from getting any practice in. Or work done.
After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began
How long before the con does the list of Omegathon games get released?
After time adrift among open stars
Among tides of light and to shoals of dust
I will return to where I began