Holy crap that's absolutely perfect. The only thing not shown there is that, on top of how horribly confusing and winding the roads get, the roads in Boston are LAYERED, so any GPS you use will be quite confused at many times, trying to send you directions a road doesn't go, or the wrong way onto a 1-way st.
How much swag does one usually accumulate throughout PAX? I'm thinking of bringing a duffel bag but I'm not sure how much loot I can get in it with all my clothes and whatnot.
As much as you want. There's going to be swag everywhere. Buttons, stickers, shirts, and more. Here's what I always do:
I have a messenger bag I bring with me. It usually starts off the weekend with an ipad, some non-perishable healthy food like granola, a bottle of water, and a bottle of something else a bit more tasty (a tea, a vitamin water, or something else so I'm not JUST drinking water all day...it gets boring), 2-3 really small, fun games to play while on lines, and the rest of the bag fills with swag.
Each day, the dry food supply goes down a bit, I will toss out the "tasty" drink bottle (which is by now long empty, and probably refilled with water 1-2 times), refill the water bottle, remove yesterday's swag, and repeat.
By the end of the weekend, the food/drink is gone, so I go home with the iPad, games, and swag, which generally all fits well into that bag (and MAYBE a swag bag I pick up somewhere along the way at the con.
How much swag does one usually accumulate throughout PAX? I'm thinking of bringing a duffel bag but I'm not sure how much loot I can get in it with all my clothes and whatnot.
Last year, and I only went on Sunday because I failed at taking work off and getting a 3day pass, I had been given about 5 t-shirts, at least 10 buttons, and so many postcards/flyers. This is only free swag, I can't even count how much stuff I bought there too. Every year it is different, and you can say no to the swag, although it's so hard to say no!
How much swag does one usually accumulate throughout PAX? I'm thinking of bringing a duffel bag but I'm not sure how much loot I can get in it with all my clothes and whatnot.
Last year, and I only went on Sunday because I failed at taking work off and getting a 3day pass, I had been given about 5 t-shirts, at least 10 buttons, and so many postcards/flyers. This is only free swag, I can't even count how much stuff I bought there too. Every year it is different, and you can say no to the swag, although it's so hard to say no!
Just ranting about stuff I've already said but my head is swimming in PAX land already so, you know, feel free to ignore.
Over time it gets a bit easier to say no to most of the swag. Items I tend to grab often ends up in the souvenir BOX and only a few items actually see the light of day. Pens and lanyards I actually use while the cooler t-shirts can get some action. A fraction of the stickers will end up on something, some magnets may end up at work, but pretty much everything else (including buttons) will be forgotten. I do go back to my swag bags from time to time, even fliers remind me of the things I saw that particular year.
This is not to say that it's all boring and forgettable. There are a few more unique items out there that you could (should) grab if you see them. In fact your swag bag that you get at the entrance should be filled with a few interesting bits. To give you an idea, last year there was a free month of Xbox, a code for Magika, a code for a JAX skin in LOL, a free copy of rift and (as usual) a free promo deck for MTG of a random mono-color. The nice thing about this deck is, even though limited, you know that everyone at the event can play magic with you. That's not to mention the rest of the contents which were very nice too, but those are the things I remembered the most.
I did find that some swag items were very nice to have. Codes can be found galore, and those that you will not use can be shared with friends. There are so many that I will not even try to list what I found last year, but everything that I had was used. Being a fan of MTG I *need* to stop at their booth. They always have nice things to give out (promo cards), but usually I have to go through a few hoops to get it. I'm always glad to oblige. There were a few other things I picked up, like nylon bags from the DnD and Alienware booths, a USB key here and there... What I'm trying to say is, there IS nice stuff if you really look for it, or maybe you will find something that is more tailored for you. It's not the typical stuff and based on the last few years (things change however) I never had to to worry about bag space.
While I'm attending for myself, a number of my coworkers expressed interest in outfitting our...well I hesitate to call it the Geekery since technically its the Support Room, but yeah the Geekery [Room] with posters, pins and whatever else I pick up at PaxEast. Plus extra swag is always useful to give out to folk instead of the standard gold star XD
While I'm attending for myself, a number of my coworkers expressed interest in outfitting our...well I hesitate to call it the Geekery since technically its the Support Room, but yeah the Geekery [Room] with posters, pins and whatever else I pick up at PaxEast. Plus extra swag is always useful to give out to folk instead of the standard gold star XD
Depending on how many people there are at your office, or how big it is, your standard swag haul should be enough to make a few people happy (that is, if you insist on sharing everything). However, it's not a good con etiquette to hoard on stuff, as sometimes there are a limited number of items that can be given out. If you want extra items, just ask the booth reps, they tend to oblige if you ask nicely. Also, on Sundays, PR reps tend to give away everything they have left for obvious reasons (vendors slash their prices too). If I were you, I would collect a reasonable/normal amount of items on the first two days, then hit the floor one last time on Sunday while being clear (and nice) to the PR reps about my intentions, see if there is anything you can get in multiples.
I find all this talk about SWAG very very interesting, you can also check out the rest of the stuff at PAX. Remember to "pax properly" have fun out there. There will be internet celebrities, opportunities to learn about a new games, panels to attend, concerts to listen to, Pokémons to be traded and games to be shared with strangers.
While I'm attending for myself, a number of my coworkers expressed interest in outfitting our...well I hesitate to call it the Geekery since technically its the Support Room, but yeah the Geekery [Room] with posters, pins and whatever else I pick up at PaxEast. Plus extra swag is always useful to give out to folk instead of the standard gold star XD
I find all this talk about SWAG very very interesting, but I feel obligated to remind everyone that PAX is not about swag at all. Remember to "pax properly". If you did not meet an internet celebrity, learned about a new game that you can't wait for, attended a panel, attended a concert, traded a Pokémon or play a game of something with a stranger, then you are doing it wrong.
I don't think there is such a thing as "paxing properly." Everyone has their own interests and they won't always match up with yours. Sure I think that it's way more fulfilling to do a wide variety of things, but if someone is super interested in swag and the expo hall, who am I to tell them that they're wrong for enjoying that? Based on your definition, I have never paxed properly. I know you're just trying to be helpful and encouraging people to check out all the areas of pax, but there's no right or wrong way to pax as long as you're at pax and not being a dick
I agree. On another forum I frequent most of the folks there view "PAXing properly" as spending most of your time in the tabletop gaming section interacting with the rest of the community and the Expo Hall and panels end up just being a lot of time wasted in lines. While I understand this sentiment and plan on spending more time in tabletop, I also love the Expo Hall as it's a chance to try out a variety of games. It's how I discovered Mark of the Ninja, how my uncertainty over the quality of Aliens: Colonial Marines was converted to excitement, and how I came to await Fallen Frontier (which I haven't seen or heard anything from since 2011 ).
I can't get as excited for trailers anymore, so having a chance to put a game in my hands and play it ahead of time is a great way to excite me. Therefore, the Expo Hall is how I PAX properly while they PAX properly by spending time with friends from all over the country playing board games.
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PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
Edited my previous post because it could have chosen my words better. I agree with GrimRupert and Zerzhul (not just because he is the mod). In trying to encourage people to look beyond the swag and remember that there are other things to check, I made it sound as if not doing anything else was a bad idea.
That would go against purpose of this very thread, which has never been about telling people what they should do. If anything, the information in this thread should be considered to PAX what Ketchup is to fries. If that makes any sense. I won't try to explain it further than that.
You choose your own adventure. No one should judge you. Not there.
@Frugus - don't worry I know not to take more than my share. I yell at people at the cons I volunteer at for doing as much. There's also only 4 people in the Geekery and its a 10x10 room (and we have to worry about offending some of the...Southern Baptist Ladies coworkers) so I'm not terribly worried. My interests are not their interests so our tastes shouldn't overlap all that much. (plus I'm doing them a favor so suck it up cupcakes and be grateful).
I am...a wee bitVERY OCD about planning my time. Right now I can't plan my PAX time because there isn't much by way of schedule up. That makes me a bit anxious. So I'm coordinating as much other stuff, stuff I would normally worry about after my schedule, now as possible. Meeting folks, after/before PAX stuff, what I'm wearing, what bag I'm using, etc etc. This I can adjust as my schedule is created and it keeps me from feeling like I'm useless. I know PAX isn't just swag, I know its not just playing games or fangirl'ing over cool cosplayers or cool creator folk or any of that. Its just at the moment the forefront of my planning.
...and I apologize is I sound aggressively defensive up there. I really don't mean to, its just sometimes hard to explain my OCD's to folk in a way that doesn't make me sound like a total a-hole.
Depending on how many people there are at your office, or how big it is, your standard swag haul should be enough to make a few people happy (that is, if you insist on sharing everything). However, it's not a good con etiquette to hoard on stuff, as sometimes there are a limited number of items that can be given out.
Oh no trust me, I know better then to take more than I should. There's only 4 folk in the Geekery and the room is barely 10x10 (plus there's plenty of swag we couldn't hang up I'm sure, for various offensive reasons), but my swag interest is mainly in pins and certain companies/fandoms so I'm not terribly worried that what I want will infringe on their wants.
Heh I know there'll be other things, but until I can actually craft a schedule and know who/what will be there (and where) I'm focusing on what I know I *can* coordinate. Meeting folk (coordinating that), figuring out what bag to carry on me 'cause of swag (coordinating that), food (coordinating that) - everything else I can't think much on until I know what to expect and how to budget my time. Its a bit anxiety inducing for me honestly, I've usually created at least two spreadsheets on how I'll vaguely be budgeting my time and right now my spreadsheet is blank as the moment I created it (I may be a bit OCD).
Is this your first PAX? If so, remember that you'll need to lug around whatever you pack in there all over PAX (unless you use the bag check). Do you misplace things easily? If you do, you're suddenly out a laptop, iPad, and camera (plus all the other stuff you listed) if you misplace your backpack and it isn't turned in to lost & found with nothing missing.
Things I'd certainly pack into a backpack for PAX: a bottle of water, hand sanitizer, non-sugary snack(s), a small card/board game to pass the time in queues. You'll also want to leave room in there for any swag you pick up. Sure, you might get one of those giant-a$$ swag bags some of the booths have every year, but will you really want to be lugging that PLUS your backpack all over the convention floor?
I've had a habit of overpacking my backpack and then dragging teh heavy around all day.
Now it's basically:
Small point & shoot camera.
CAH or Munchkin (for long lines for freeplay, I usually don't carry the heavy games all the time)
1 small quick game (Get Bit, We Didn't Playtest this, Cthulu Dice)
The PAX Program/Map
Phone
3DS XL
USB battery pack for the DS / phone.
Granola bars / fruit snacks
Bottle of Water.
PAX trading cards.
Clip on bottle of hand sanitizer.
Everything else is 10-15 minutes away in the hotel room.
I would skip bringing my laptop now. I usually never game on it during PAX and in the past I just used it to dump DSLR / camcorder files.
Now I can get big memory cards cheap.
I am...a wee bitVERY OCD about planning my time. Right now I can't plan my PAX time because there isn't much by way of schedule up. That makes me a bit anxious.
What I would suggest, as difficult as I know this will be, is give up on planning now. You are going to go to panels that start late and end late, there are going to be panels you want to go to that are closed by the time you get there from the last panel, there are games you are going to want to play that have 4 hour lines. It's much better to freak out about it now than in the middle of Day 1 when you realize you are not going to be able to follow your plan. If it makes you feel any better, everyone else is in the same boat. If you just let it flow and go to what you can it's much more fun. Also the app they released last year that had the schedule and maps on it are great for the "crap that panel just filled up now what" moments.
The surest rule of PAX is that by doing one thing, you are guaranteed to miss some other thing. That's ok, that's why there's multiple PAXes every year
As it's suggested in this thread, pick one or two things each day that you absolutely cannot miss, and then just go with the flow for the rest. Don't let your schedule (or lack thereof) get in the way of simple fun.
personally, i like to create a detailed itinerary for every minute of pax. i NEVER follow it exactly, but i like having it so i can refer to it if i happen to hit a lull at any point. it also serves to remind me of the things i want to try extra hard to get to (particularly great panels, DnD learn-to-play which i say i'm going to do every year, forum meetup things, etc). i like doing a lot of planning, it helps get me super excited about pax, i think it's just about accepting that things will never go exactly according to that plan, and that's ok.
Given the features of the mobile app (guidebook), I just tag all the things I think I might want to do as "favorites" or whatever and then look at that if I'm not doing anything at a given moment.
Given the features of the mobile app (guidebook), I just tag all the things I think I might want to do as "favorites" or whatever and then look at that if I'm not doing anything at a given moment.
i usually use guidebook to build my aforementioned itinerary. guidebook is the greatest.
EDIT: i just took a look at the guidebook from last pax east and was reminded about how completely great that app is AND how completely great last pax east was. so excited!
Given the features of the mobile app (guidebook), I just tag all the things I think I might want to do as "favorites" or whatever and then look at that if I'm not doing anything at a given moment.
i usually use guidebook to build my aforementioned itinerary. guidebook is the greatest.
EDIT: i just took a look at the guidebook from last pax east and was reminded about how completely great that app is AND how completely great last pax east was. so excited!
I know I will never be able to make it to most of the events I want to check out so I concentrate on a very few that I try to attend as much as possible. I consider everything else a kind of a suggestion box which I look at on a regular basis - Do I want to stay or do I know about something that could be potentially more interesting?
And yes, I find that app fantastic as well. Not to mention the advantage of having the entire schedule loaded into my mobile device as I travel to PAX sans internet.
First time going so sorry for the noob question. Can I buy games and if so is it just english stuff or Japanese games too? I know at AB they had Japanese games but not sure about this.
I've had a habit of overpacking my backpack and then dragging teh heavy around all day.
My story for every past event. I get better at it though.
My list:
- 3DS + clip of must have games + recharger
- Hand Sanitizer + tissues
- Granolla bars + Water bottle
- Contact cards
- 1 line game, light weight prefered (Zombie Dice is very popular)
- The MTG promo deck everyone gets and maybe 1 deck of my own.
My own full MTG should really go but there are too many of my brethren out there for me NOT to do this. I have however stopped carrying around more than one deck + one commander deck + card binder. Those occasions never really materialize unless I only hang out at the MTG tables, which I don't (too much). I do have all that extra stuff back in my hotel room if I need it. I do bring all that stuff down with me when I wake up too early and hang out in the hotel lobby. There are always MTG players there.
I stopped bringing more than one line game too. I used to have an assortment of these, but not only do they rarely ever get used, it's like if I am trying to bring games for everyone, and that is not necessary. Just one game is enough, and other people have them too.
What I would suggest, as difficult as I know this will be, is give up on planning now. You are going to go to panels that start late and end late, there are going to be panels you want to go to that are closed by the time you get there from the last panel, there are games you are going to want to play that have 4 hour lines. It's much better to freak out about it now than in the middle of Day 1 when you realize you are not going to be able to follow your plan. If it makes you feel any better, everyone else is in the same boat. If you just let it flow and go to what you can it's much more fun. Also the app they released last year that had the schedule and maps on it are great for the "crap that panel just filled up now what" moments.
Oh I know I won't make it to everything I want, likely not even half of everything I want, but planning the BlitzKreig known as Book Expo every year has however taught me to be aware of everything I'm even mildly interested in. I then color code that which is the most important in each timeslot. This satisfies both my need for control over my time and enjoying myself.
heh sadly I can't just turn it off. Like I said, I'm more than a bit OCD. Thankfully cons are the one place where I'm not judged for it you know?
First time going so sorry for the noob question. Can I buy games and if so is it just english stuff or Japanese games too? I know at AB they had Japanese games but not sure about this.
You'll mostly find retro stuff, and retro imported stuff, but I believe you can find a bit of the newer Japanese stuff as well. I don't recall off the top of my head, but don't be expecting to find a Japanese cart of Mother 3 (and if you do, expect to drop quite a penny on it).
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PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
I cannot express the validity of bringing a small bottle of evaporating hand sanitizer. No body wants to spread the Pax-Pox. I like playing 'pandemic' the same as the next guy, but still ...
We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true. -Robert Wilensky
I cannot express the validity of bringing a small bottle of evaporating hand sanitizer. No body wants to spread the Pax-Pox. I like playing 'pandemic' the same as the next guy, but still ...
100% agree. I've got a incredible immune system (some part of my biology has to be good I suppose) and even I felt a little sick after Pax East last year. A ton of people in a small area, during the end of 'cold and flu' season, at a time when the weather outside is generally cool enough they can't exactly open the place up to fresh air (although BCEC has a wonderful ventilation system). This year I'm going to bring some immune boosting vitamins (think Emergen-C, AirBorn, etc) to help.
Do keep in mind if you are using that hand sanitizer during the pokecrawl your body does absorb the alcohol in it
You'll mostly find retro stuff, and retro imported stuff, but I believe you can find a bit of the newer Japanese stuff as well. I don't recall off the top of my head, but don't be expecting to find a Japanese cart of Mother 3 (and if you do, expect to drop quite a penny on it).
Quoting for truth. I usually buy books and games at PAX, but you have to be careful about carrying your loot all day. I'll inevitably grab an art book (or three) from the Udon booth, especially if the artists are signing. I may also buy some retro games if I see something that really strikes me, like the boxed copy of Mechwarrior 3050 I bought at East '10. The only exception for price comes at the end of Sunday, when a lot of merchants want to unload items so they don't have to ship them back. That's a great time to buy some discounted PAX store items!
You'll mostly find retro stuff, and retro imported stuff, but I believe you can find a bit of the newer Japanese stuff as well. I don't recall off the top of my head, but don't be expecting to find a Japanese cart of Mother 3 (and if you do, expect to drop quite a penny on it).
Quoting for truth. I usually buy books and games at PAX, but you have to be careful about carrying your loot all day. I'll inevitably grab an art book (or three) from the Udon booth, especially if the artists are signing. I may also buy some retro games if I see something that really strikes me, like the boxed copy of Mechwarrior 3050 I bought at East '10. The only exception for price comes at the end of Sunday, when a lot of merchants want to unload items so they don't have to ship them back. That's a great time to buy some discounted PAX store items!
This is the kind of thing I should add/revise to the main post. It's probably not FAQ worthy (though they have a limited section about the Merch Booth), or maybe this is just obvious for some others, but I can imagine some convention new comers being taken by surprise by the finer points of shopping around in a convention such as PAX.
Here's my tentative version, which is just a repeat of what other people already said (such as Cabadrin).
1- Personally speaking, I see PAX as an opportunity to play games, talk to people who love them and learn about all things related in general. Buying stuff seems more like the natural follow up to all these things for obvious reasons, but it's not my main concern. I don't go to PAX to shop. I shop because I went to PAX*.
2- Every year there seems to be more stuff one can buy at PAX. Board games, Cards, Dice, T-shirts, Video Games, Peripherals, memorabilia, etc, However it's not a shopping mall either, you may not be able to find everything and anything you could imagine. Specialized stores (big and small) usually rent a booth space and setup shop for the weekend, while some exhibitors may choose to also sell wares (but not all). More prominent vendors will setup shop on the exhibit floor which will not be accessible once it closes its doors at 6 pm, but other (usually more modest) vendors will still be accessible for as long as they wish to do business. The free table-top area, for instance, is peppered with gaming vendors who usually stay opened well passed midnight.
3- For *some* vendors, haggling is cool.
4- There are things that sell out more quickly than others. Some, within the first few hours of the event. This is especially true for the Merch booth as it is quite popular. If you know there's something you really want and would hate to leave the event without it, then you may want to put that on your list of priorities and decide what is more important to you.
5- The opposite exists as well. Some things will still in stock on Sunday, and most vendors try to liquidate said stock instead of having to bring it back (same goes for swag, but that is another topic). If there's something you would like to get but it won't be a huge deal if you don't, or if you are on a budget, you may want to check out the booths on the last day of the event. Sunday afternoons often yield interesting opportunities.
* I am almost lying through me teeth. Being from Quebec, most prices I see for board games, MTG products and so on, are competitive to say the least, so I tend to stock up whenever I hit PAX. For me, it IS a concern, but it's still not my priority. I would not suggest to anyone to make the trip only for the sake of saving money, it's not cost effective. While I'm there however...
I'm so excited to go to my first ever Pax next month and was hoping for a tip from previous attendees regarding the concerts.
I am definitely interested in the Friday concert line-ups, and looking through the forums I read about the wristband that one would have to line up for before PAX starts. Is that still going to pertain to this year as well? I know they will generally have "walk-ins" available too, but I don't want to miss my chance and would love to attend. How early do you suggest arriving at the site to get the wristbands? Or has the process changed for this year?
Thanks and I look forward to seeing some of you next month I guess! x)
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MalfeisProtagonist. 2d10 hit die. Chaotic Neutral.Registered Userregular
They've officially done away with wristbands. It's now first-come, first-served. So get in line early!
PAX East 2015 checklist: 3 Day Pass [X] Accommodations [X] Travel [ ] Time Off [X] BYOC [X]
I've never not been able to walk into the concerts (granted I normally go late).
Same. The only reason to line up is if you want to be really close and even then, it's generally an open floor in the front, so if you leave for any reason, you're going ot be in the back after that.
Last trains and buses leave their end points at ~00:00. So, depending on how far along a route you are, you might get a train at 00:30.
The first ones in the morning leave at ~05:00.
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digitardI walked up hill BOTH waysAZRegistered Userregular
Thanks for all the above information. PAX has been on my radar for years (either Prime or now Boston) but something always comes up and I don't make it. This year I finally get to go, and as an Exhibitor thanks to a friend, so the above info is quite helpful. Especially since I'm from Arizona, and we wear shorts year round here...lol. I'll have to dig out some jeans, and warm clothes.
Looking forward to it.
Dave K
Media / Social Monkey GregRedHastings.com
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Does anyone know how the taxi situation is in Boston? How much are there rates? How late do they run? How late does the hotel shuttle usually run?
Taxi's run all night. Can't give you an accurate picture cause I hardly ever use them. But since it would likely be downtown locations you are going to, its not going to be bad at all. Hotel Shuttles will likely depend on hotel, and I'm sure they post the time on their website (may do special late nights for things like PAX).
Had to use a taxi two years ago when the last bus to the hotels left early Sunday. Our hotel was quite the trip from the con and the fair came up to about $40. Certainly more than I wanted to spend but late at night or split between friends it's not bad.
Just to give an update on people asking about Swag, I attended the New York Comic Con back in October, and I can tell you the amount and types of swag being given away was SEVERELY reduced from prior years. In the past you'd easily rack up a half dozen or more t-shirts, on top of hats, or whatever other items were being given away. This year almost no one was giving out shirts, even the AAA booths like Capcom, Sony, Nintendo, etc. weren't giving out anything better than a poster and some buttons (actually I think Nintendo was giving out flimsy knit caps that said 3DS on them), and they were also very stingy with giving things out as well. It was no longer enough to just wait in a long line and play the game, now you had to wait in several long lines and play every game before they would give out anything.
My assumption was that it's probably a big expense for these companies to come to these expos and give away items for free, with only a limited amount of return on their investment. So while I'm not saying we won't get the same amount and quality of swag as we have in past years, I wouldn't necessarily expect it either.
Update 2/19: Also check to see what your spending limit is a day, you may need to increase this.
Hey all I was doing some thinking about things I need to do before PAX and one major thing everyone should do is contact their bank, If you have never been to PAX or even if you have It is a great idea to contact your bank and let them know you will be heading to Boston MA.
Why? because almost all banks have security features on their account bank cards that will automatically freeze your credit card if it sees spending limits different then what it has seen, it is always a good idea to let them know so you won't be embarrassed or stuck waiting to get it figured out or getting upset because the clerk keeps telling you its declined when you know there is money in the account.
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Holy crap that's absolutely perfect. The only thing not shown there is that, on top of how horribly confusing and winding the roads get, the roads in Boston are LAYERED, so any GPS you use will be quite confused at many times, trying to send you directions a road doesn't go, or the wrong way onto a 1-way st.
As much as you want. There's going to be swag everywhere. Buttons, stickers, shirts, and more. Here's what I always do:
I have a messenger bag I bring with me. It usually starts off the weekend with an ipad, some non-perishable healthy food like granola, a bottle of water, and a bottle of something else a bit more tasty (a tea, a vitamin water, or something else so I'm not JUST drinking water all day...it gets boring), 2-3 really small, fun games to play while on lines, and the rest of the bag fills with swag.
Each day, the dry food supply goes down a bit, I will toss out the "tasty" drink bottle (which is by now long empty, and probably refilled with water 1-2 times), refill the water bottle, remove yesterday's swag, and repeat.
By the end of the weekend, the food/drink is gone, so I go home with the iPad, games, and swag, which generally all fits well into that bag (and MAYBE a swag bag I pick up somewhere along the way at the con.
Last year, and I only went on Sunday because I failed at taking work off and getting a 3day pass, I had been given about 5 t-shirts, at least 10 buttons, and so many postcards/flyers. This is only free swag, I can't even count how much stuff I bought there too. Every year it is different, and you can say no to the swag, although it's so hard to say no!
Looking for Edith Finch Pin!
Just ranting about stuff I've already said but my head is swimming in PAX land already so, you know, feel free to ignore.
Over time it gets a bit easier to say no to most of the swag. Items I tend to grab often ends up in the souvenir BOX and only a few items actually see the light of day. Pens and lanyards I actually use while the cooler t-shirts can get some action. A fraction of the stickers will end up on something, some magnets may end up at work, but pretty much everything else (including buttons) will be forgotten. I do go back to my swag bags from time to time, even fliers remind me of the things I saw that particular year.
This is not to say that it's all boring and forgettable. There are a few more unique items out there that you could (should) grab if you see them. In fact your swag bag that you get at the entrance should be filled with a few interesting bits. To give you an idea, last year there was a free month of Xbox, a code for Magika, a code for a JAX skin in LOL, a free copy of rift and (as usual) a free promo deck for MTG of a random mono-color. The nice thing about this deck is, even though limited, you know that everyone at the event can play magic with you. That's not to mention the rest of the contents which were very nice too, but those are the things I remembered the most.
I did find that some swag items were very nice to have. Codes can be found galore, and those that you will not use can be shared with friends. There are so many that I will not even try to list what I found last year, but everything that I had was used. Being a fan of MTG I *need* to stop at their booth. They always have nice things to give out (promo cards), but usually I have to go through a few hoops to get it. I'm always glad to oblige. There were a few other things I picked up, like nylon bags from the DnD and Alienware booths, a USB key here and there... What I'm trying to say is, there IS nice stuff if you really look for it, or maybe you will find something that is more tailored for you. It's not the typical stuff and based on the last few years (things change however) I never had to to worry about bag space.
Depending on how many people there are at your office, or how big it is, your standard swag haul should be enough to make a few people happy (that is, if you insist on sharing everything). However, it's not a good con etiquette to hoard on stuff, as sometimes there are a limited number of items that can be given out. If you want extra items, just ask the booth reps, they tend to oblige if you ask nicely. Also, on Sundays, PR reps tend to give away everything they have left for obvious reasons (vendors slash their prices too). If I were you, I would collect a reasonable/normal amount of items on the first two days, then hit the floor one last time on Sunday while being clear (and nice) to the PR reps about my intentions, see if there is anything you can get in multiples.
I find all this talk about SWAG very very interesting, you can also check out the rest of the stuff at PAX. Remember to "pax properly" have fun out there. There will be internet celebrities, opportunities to learn about a new games, panels to attend, concerts to listen to, Pokémons to be traded and games to be shared with strangers.
Edited so that I don't sound like a silly goose
I don't think there is such a thing as "paxing properly." Everyone has their own interests and they won't always match up with yours. Sure I think that it's way more fulfilling to do a wide variety of things, but if someone is super interested in swag and the expo hall, who am I to tell them that they're wrong for enjoying that? Based on your definition, I have never paxed properly. I know you're just trying to be helpful and encouraging people to check out all the areas of pax, but there's no right or wrong way to pax as long as you're at pax and not being a dick
I can't get as excited for trailers anymore, so having a chance to put a game in my hands and play it ahead of time is a great way to excite me. Therefore, the Expo Hall is how I PAX properly while they PAX properly by spending time with friends from all over the country playing board games.
PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
That would go against purpose of this very thread, which has never been about telling people what they should do. If anything, the information in this thread should be considered to PAX what Ketchup is to fries. If that makes any sense. I won't try to explain it further than that.
You choose your own adventure. No one should judge you. Not there.
GAH I had a whole written response!
@Frugus - don't worry I know not to take more than my share. I yell at people at the cons I volunteer at for doing as much. There's also only 4 people in the Geekery and its a 10x10 room (and we have to worry about offending some of the...Southern Baptist Ladies coworkers) so I'm not terribly worried. My interests are not their interests so our tastes shouldn't overlap all that much. (plus I'm doing them a favor so suck it up cupcakes and be grateful).
I am...a wee bitVERY OCD about planning my time. Right now I can't plan my PAX time because there isn't much by way of schedule up. That makes me a bit anxious. So I'm coordinating as much other stuff, stuff I would normally worry about after my schedule, now as possible. Meeting folks, after/before PAX stuff, what I'm wearing, what bag I'm using, etc etc. This I can adjust as my schedule is created and it keeps me from feeling like I'm useless. I know PAX isn't just swag, I know its not just playing games or fangirl'ing over cool cosplayers or cool creator folk or any of that. Its just at the moment the forefront of my planning.
...and I apologize is I sound aggressively defensive up there. I really don't mean to, its just sometimes hard to explain my OCD's to folk in a way that doesn't make me sound like a total a-hole.
Oh no trust me, I know better then to take more than I should. There's only 4 folk in the Geekery and the room is barely 10x10 (plus there's plenty of swag we couldn't hang up I'm sure, for various offensive reasons), but my swag interest is mainly in pins and certain companies/fandoms so I'm not terribly worried that what I want will infringe on their wants.
Heh I know there'll be other things, but until I can actually craft a schedule and know who/what will be there (and where) I'm focusing on what I know I *can* coordinate. Meeting folk (coordinating that), figuring out what bag to carry on me 'cause of swag (coordinating that), food (coordinating that) - everything else I can't think much on until I know what to expect and how to budget my time. Its a bit anxiety inducing for me honestly, I've usually created at least two spreadsheets on how I'll vaguely be budgeting my time and right now my spreadsheet is blank as the moment I created it (I may be a bit OCD).
Scuf controller
Kontrol Freeks
Laptop
Ipad
Ear buds
Headset (maybe)
Camera
If you have any other ideas please post below
Hope to see you at PAX
Things I'd certainly pack into a backpack for PAX: a bottle of water, hand sanitizer, non-sugary snack(s), a small card/board game to pass the time in queues. You'll also want to leave room in there for any swag you pick up. Sure, you might get one of those giant-a$$ swag bags some of the booths have every year, but will you really want to be lugging that PLUS your backpack all over the convention floor?
Now it's basically:
Small point & shoot camera.
CAH or Munchkin (for long lines for freeplay, I usually don't carry the heavy games all the time)
1 small quick game (Get Bit, We Didn't Playtest this, Cthulu Dice)
The PAX Program/Map
Phone
3DS XL
USB battery pack for the DS / phone.
Granola bars / fruit snacks
Bottle of Water.
PAX trading cards.
Clip on bottle of hand sanitizer.
Everything else is 10-15 minutes away in the hotel room.
I would skip bringing my laptop now. I usually never game on it during PAX and in the past I just used it to dump DSLR / camcorder files.
Now I can get big memory cards cheap.
What I would suggest, as difficult as I know this will be, is give up on planning now. You are going to go to panels that start late and end late, there are going to be panels you want to go to that are closed by the time you get there from the last panel, there are games you are going to want to play that have 4 hour lines. It's much better to freak out about it now than in the middle of Day 1 when you realize you are not going to be able to follow your plan. If it makes you feel any better, everyone else is in the same boat. If you just let it flow and go to what you can it's much more fun. Also the app they released last year that had the schedule and maps on it are great for the "crap that panel just filled up now what" moments.
As it's suggested in this thread, pick one or two things each day that you absolutely cannot miss, and then just go with the flow for the rest. Don't let your schedule (or lack thereof) get in the way of simple fun.
i usually use guidebook to build my aforementioned itinerary. guidebook is the greatest.
EDIT: i just took a look at the guidebook from last pax east and was reminded about how completely great that app is AND how completely great last pax east was. so excited!
I know I will never be able to make it to most of the events I want to check out so I concentrate on a very few that I try to attend as much as possible. I consider everything else a kind of a suggestion box which I look at on a regular basis - Do I want to stay or do I know about something that could be potentially more interesting?
And yes, I find that app fantastic as well. Not to mention the advantage of having the entire schedule loaded into my mobile device as I travel to PAX sans internet.
My story for every past event. I get better at it though.
My list:
- 3DS + clip of must have games + recharger
- Hand Sanitizer + tissues
- Granolla bars + Water bottle
- Contact cards
- 1 line game, light weight prefered (Zombie Dice is very popular)
- The MTG promo deck everyone gets and maybe 1 deck of my own.
My own full MTG should really go but there are too many of my brethren out there for me NOT to do this. I have however stopped carrying around more than one deck + one commander deck + card binder. Those occasions never really materialize unless I only hang out at the MTG tables, which I don't (too much). I do have all that extra stuff back in my hotel room if I need it. I do bring all that stuff down with me when I wake up too early and hang out in the hotel lobby. There are always MTG players there.
I stopped bringing more than one line game too. I used to have an assortment of these, but not only do they rarely ever get used, it's like if I am trying to bring games for everyone, and that is not necessary. Just one game is enough, and other people have them too.
Beyond that whole list: A GOOD PAIR OF SHOES.
Oh I know I won't make it to everything I want, likely not even half of everything I want, but planning the BlitzKreig known as Book Expo every year has however taught me to be aware of everything I'm even mildly interested in. I then color code that which is the most important in each timeslot. This satisfies both my need for control over my time and enjoying myself.
heh sadly I can't just turn it off. Like I said, I'm more than a bit OCD. Thankfully cons are the one place where I'm not judged for it you know?
You'll mostly find retro stuff, and retro imported stuff, but I believe you can find a bit of the newer Japanese stuff as well. I don't recall off the top of my head, but don't be expecting to find a Japanese cart of Mother 3 (and if you do, expect to drop quite a penny on it).
PAX East 2014 Checklist:
[X] - Pre-registered | [ ] - Train tickets | [ ] - Time Off
Twitter: @APacManSays
100% agree. I've got a incredible immune system (some part of my biology has to be good I suppose) and even I felt a little sick after Pax East last year. A ton of people in a small area, during the end of 'cold and flu' season, at a time when the weather outside is generally cool enough they can't exactly open the place up to fresh air (although BCEC has a wonderful ventilation system). This year I'm going to bring some immune boosting vitamins (think Emergen-C, AirBorn, etc) to help.
Do keep in mind if you are using that hand sanitizer during the pokecrawl your body does absorb the alcohol in it
Quoting for truth. I usually buy books and games at PAX, but you have to be careful about carrying your loot all day. I'll inevitably grab an art book (or three) from the Udon booth, especially if the artists are signing. I may also buy some retro games if I see something that really strikes me, like the boxed copy of Mechwarrior 3050 I bought at East '10. The only exception for price comes at the end of Sunday, when a lot of merchants want to unload items so they don't have to ship them back. That's a great time to buy some discounted PAX store items!
This is the kind of thing I should add/revise to the main post. It's probably not FAQ worthy (though they have a limited section about the Merch Booth), or maybe this is just obvious for some others, but I can imagine some convention new comers being taken by surprise by the finer points of shopping around in a convention such as PAX.
Here's my tentative version, which is just a repeat of what other people already said (such as Cabadrin).
1- Personally speaking, I see PAX as an opportunity to play games, talk to people who love them and learn about all things related in general. Buying stuff seems more like the natural follow up to all these things for obvious reasons, but it's not my main concern. I don't go to PAX to shop. I shop because I went to PAX*.
2- Every year there seems to be more stuff one can buy at PAX. Board games, Cards, Dice, T-shirts, Video Games, Peripherals, memorabilia, etc, However it's not a shopping mall either, you may not be able to find everything and anything you could imagine. Specialized stores (big and small) usually rent a booth space and setup shop for the weekend, while some exhibitors may choose to also sell wares (but not all). More prominent vendors will setup shop on the exhibit floor which will not be accessible once it closes its doors at 6 pm, but other (usually more modest) vendors will still be accessible for as long as they wish to do business. The free table-top area, for instance, is peppered with gaming vendors who usually stay opened well passed midnight.
3- For *some* vendors, haggling is cool.
4- There are things that sell out more quickly than others. Some, within the first few hours of the event. This is especially true for the Merch booth as it is quite popular. If you know there's something you really want and would hate to leave the event without it, then you may want to put that on your list of priorities and decide what is more important to you.
5- The opposite exists as well. Some things will still in stock on Sunday, and most vendors try to liquidate said stock instead of having to bring it back (same goes for swag, but that is another topic). If there's something you would like to get but it won't be a huge deal if you don't, or if you are on a budget, you may want to check out the booths on the last day of the event. Sunday afternoons often yield interesting opportunities.
I am definitely interested in the Friday concert line-ups, and looking through the forums I read about the wristband that one would have to line up for before PAX starts. Is that still going to pertain to this year as well? I know they will generally have "walk-ins" available too, but I don't want to miss my chance and would love to attend. How early do you suggest arriving at the site to get the wristbands? Or has the process changed for this year?
Thanks and I look forward to seeing some of you next month I guess! x)
Also, there's a sticky at the top of the forum which will answer more questions you might have.
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Same. The only reason to line up is if you want to be really close and even then, it's generally an open floor in the front, so if you leave for any reason, you're going ot be in the back after that.
The first ones in the morning leave at ~05:00.
Looking forward to it.
Media / Social Monkey
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Had to use a taxi two years ago when the last bus to the hotels left early Sunday. Our hotel was quite the trip from the con and the fair came up to about $40. Certainly more than I wanted to spend but late at night or split between friends it's not bad.
My assumption was that it's probably a big expense for these companies to come to these expos and give away items for free, with only a limited amount of return on their investment. So while I'm not saying we won't get the same amount and quality of swag as we have in past years, I wouldn't necessarily expect it either.
Hey all I was doing some thinking about things I need to do before PAX and one major thing everyone should do is contact their bank, If you have never been to PAX or even if you have It is a great idea to contact your bank and let them know you will be heading to Boston MA.
Why? because almost all banks have security features on their account bank cards that will automatically freeze your credit card if it sees spending limits different then what it has seen, it is always a good idea to let them know so you won't be embarrassed or stuck waiting to get it figured out or getting upset because the clerk keeps telling you its declined when you know there is money in the account.
Hope this info helps.
http://techandgamingnews.com
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I am not an exhibitor I am press I am not trying to step on toes, I am attending some Community functions to meet new people and have a good time.