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PAX East 2014 BYOC Information & FAQ

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  • FireWaterFireWater Registered User regular
    Since I will be bringing a gaming laptop what do you suggest I bring to secure it?

  • flatlineflatline Registered User regular
    FireWater wrote: »
    Since I will be bringing a gaming laptop what do you suggest I bring to secure it?

    Kensington Lock

    East 2014 Status: Badge [ Friend got it ] Hotel [Crappy] BYOC [YES] Transport [ ] Name on Forum Badge [ ] Challenge Coin [ ]
  • shepdshepd Registered User regular
    Yes, use a Kensington style lock. I would only buy the cheapest knockoff one that has the correct end on it (they're standardized, and the standard is typically called "Kensington laptop lock". The reason being that yes, the cheap ones are easy to hack or cut, but it takes all of 1 second to break these locks off the sides of most all laptops. Nobody bothers to cut them or hack them.

    The idea of the lock is that it keeps honest people honest, and makes dishonest people obvious.

  • A.SabotA.Sabot Boston, MaRegistered User regular
    I am so excited for this year! Technatis will be making a big showing! I plan to upgrade my pc for this year! Any chance we could have a non-pax lan sooner?

    Pax East 2016: BYOC [x], 3 Day Passes [x], car[x], license[x], new computer[x]
  • JonoseelJonoseel Here Be Unicorns and Dragons Boston, MARegistered User regular
    A.Sabot wrote: »
    I am so excited for this year! Technatis will be making a big showing! I plan to upgrade my pc for this year! Any chance we could have a non-pax lan sooner?

    I sure will be making a big showing this year

    Pax Eat Stuff: 3 Day Badges[]; BYOC Badge[]; A Roof to stay under[X]; A ride of some sort[].
  • Tanjin90Tanjin90 Registered User regular
    So what are the big games that will be played? Never done a PC LAN before.

  • thorkonthorkon Registered User regular
    The case I'm building for this year is gonna be tall. Gonna be weird sitting it on a table (I usually have my cases on my floor at my place). Should be interesting :D

  • FireWaterFireWater Registered User regular
    shepd wrote: »
    Yes, use a Kensington style lock. I would only buy the cheapest knockoff one that has the correct end on it (they're standardized, and the standard is typically called "Kensington laptop lock". The reason being that yes, the cheap ones are easy to hack or cut, but it takes all of 1 second to break these locks off the sides of most all laptops. Nobody bothers to cut them or hack them.

    The idea of the lock is that it keeps honest people honest, and makes dishonest people obvious.

    Is security in the BYOC an issue?

  • A.SabotA.Sabot Boston, MaRegistered User regular
    Security is not an issue, they are pretty good about. Just as a rule of thumb do not leave anything small and valuable out, but other than that everything has a bar code on it to scan in or out of the BYOC area.

    Pax East 2016: BYOC [x], 3 Day Passes [x], car[x], license[x], new computer[x]
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Security as a whole is not an issue, but there are *very rarely* an asshole or two that will pocket small things that are left out and look valuable. Not everything is barcoded. Just be wise. Your rig will be fine. If you leave your wallet on the table though, it might be less fine.

  • [H]olyGeekboy[H]olyGeekboy PAX dad and PC builder ClevelandRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    A.Sabot wrote: »
    Security is not an issue, they are pretty good about. Just as a rule of thumb do not leave anything small and valuable out, but other than that everything has a bar code on it to scan in or out of the BYOC area.

    This. In my recollection, the losses a couple years ago were items won/purchased at the show and left unsecured.

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  • scottyb1218scottyb1218 BostonRegistered User regular
    Just bought my BYOC badge! This will be the first year that I will be participating in BYOC. This FAQ is very helpful, but I have some additional questions.

    -I'll be by myself in BYOC (i.e. I am not partnering up with any friends to play in BYOC). Is that a problem? Are other BYOC attendees generally friendly and willing to play with newbies like myself?

    -Am I limited to games approved by BYOC, or can I play whatever I want?

    -I have a great gaming PC, but I don't have any flashy peripherals or fancy cases. Will I be shunned by others in BYOC?

    Basically, I'm just looking for BYOC to be a comfortable place to meet other PC gamers and have fun playing games, hopefully without any pressure or aggression (specifically toward newbies).

    Thanks in advance!

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  • TemigTemig East [E] North Shore - MARegistered User regular
    Just bought my BYOC badge! This will be the first year that I will be participating in BYOC. This FAQ is very helpful, but I have some additional questions.

    -I'll be by myself in BYOC (i.e. I am not partnering up with any friends to play in BYOC). Is that a problem? Are other BYOC attendees generally friendly and willing to play with newbies like myself?

    -Am I limited to games approved by BYOC, or can I play whatever I want?

    -I have a great gaming PC, but I don't have any flashy peripherals or fancy cases. Will I be shunned by others in BYOC?

    Basically, I'm just looking for BYOC to be a comfortable place to meet other PC gamers and have fun playing games, hopefully without any pressure or aggression (specifically toward newbies).

    Thanks in advance!

    I can't imagine you'll have any issues. I did BYOC alone my first year at PAX and had a great time. You can certainly play what you want, but hopping on for the LAN games (be it for an organized BYOC event, or just a "hey, we've got a few people playing X, care to join us?") is what makes it what it is, imo. That and the contests. You can win some amazing stuff and have a blast doing it. In 2012 I walked away with a pair of Intel 520 SSDs after playing "Hard Drive Shuffleboard". That was the year the network had some major issues for the first day, but events like that still made for an entertaining experience.

    In the end, who you meet and what you end up doing will end up depending on how social you make yourself. You can certainly go in, put yourself in a cocoon, and just play solo for the entire weekend and not really interact with anyone. On the other hand, if you put forth some effort you can undoubtedly make some new friends and have a great time for what I consider to be the real point of a LAN in the first place.

    All of that being said, I got a BYOC pass last year and ended up not using it at all. I would have liked to after my previous experience, but I ended up having 10 friends come to PAX and became an Enforcer. Between a shift of Enforcing and trying to spend some time with friends who I don't really see due to distance, my time was more than accounted for.

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  • darkinferodarkinfero BOP-IT Malden, MARegistered User regular
    I got my pass guys I can't wait to see you soon.

    My Pin collection
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    Pinny Pal since PAX Prime 2013
  • darkinferodarkinfero BOP-IT Malden, MARegistered User regular
    Just bought my BYOC badge! This will be the first year that I will be participating in BYOC. This FAQ is very helpful, but I have some additional questions.

    -I'll be by myself in BYOC (i.e. I am not partnering up with any friends to play in BYOC). Is that a problem? Are other BYOC attendees generally friendly and willing to play with newbies like myself?

    -Am I limited to games approved by BYOC, or can I play whatever I want?

    -I have a great gaming PC, but I don't have any flashy peripherals or fancy cases. Will I be shunned by others in BYOC?

    Basically, I'm just looking for BYOC to be a comfortable place to meet other PC gamers and have fun playing games, hopefully without any pressure or aggression (specifically toward newbies).

    Thanks in advance!
    You will be fine my first year BYOC I went with friends and they didn't like it much. The second year I didn't bring my gaming PC.
    Also if you want to sit with someone sit with me man. I play league and a bunch of other fun games.

    My Pin collection
    signature_zpsna6t17lm.png
    Pinny Pal since PAX Prime 2013
  • KilonumKilonum [E] Somewhere near BostonRegistered User regular
    Tanjin90 wrote: »
    So what are the big games that will be played? Never done a PC LAN before.
    Not sure about others, but I will personally be running an Arma 3 server when not Enforcing on Saturday.

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  • WackBagWackBag Registered User regular
    -I'll be by myself in BYOC (i.e. I am not partnering up with any friends to play in BYOC). Is that a problem? Are other BYOC attendees generally friendly and willing to play with newbies like myself?

    I've been BYOC'ing with 3/4 friends since East started, last year was my first running solo. Each year I have never been around a group that were nothing but nice to be around.
    -Am I limited to games approved by BYOC, or can I play whatever I want?

    Play what you want, 3 years ago I sat next to a guy who played WoW the entire weekend. Not sure why he spent money on the passes to do that, but to each their own.
    -I have a great gaming PC, but I don't have any flashy peripherals or fancy cases. Will I be shunned by others in BYOC?

    I had a crap case last year, Corsair picked me to be in a competition Saturday night and gave me, along with 3 others for participating, brand new cases and power supplies. Sometimes having crap works in your favor. Nobody mocks or shuns.

    You will enjoy yourself.

    Pax East 2014 checklist:
    3 Day Pass [X] - BYOC [X] - Accomodations [X] - Travel [ X ] - Time Off [ X ]
  • macrogeekmacrogeek Registered User regular
    When you say BYOC closes about an hour before PAX, do you mean an hour before the expo hall closes, or an hour before the BCEC closes? Because the expo closed at like 5 or 6 most days, and the BCEC ran until 2 or something. But I didn't know if the BYOC had it's own door/escalator access so that it wouldn't interfere with expo hall lockdown. I was thinking it stayed open like tabletop freeplay....

  • KilonumKilonum [E] Somewhere near BostonRegistered User regular
    It closes an hour before the BCEC closes

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  • TemigTemig East [E] North Shore - MARegistered User regular
    macrogeek wrote: »
    When you say BYOC closes about an hour before PAX, do you mean an hour before the expo hall closes, or an hour before the BCEC closes? Because the expo closed at like 5 or 6 most days, and the BCEC ran until 2 or something. But I didn't know if the BYOC had it's own door/escalator access so that it wouldn't interfere with expo hall lockdown. I was thinking it stayed open like tabletop freeplay....

    That's referring to PAX closing (this year, midnight), and not Expo closing. So it is indeed similar to tabletop.

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  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    An hour before PAX closes. PAX does not close when the expo hall closes. BYOC does have its own entrance that does not interfere with the expo hall.

  • taumesontaumeson PAX PC Room Manager Minnesota?Registered User regular
    thorkon wrote: »
    The case I'm building for this year is gonna be tall. Gonna be weird sitting it on a table (I usually have my cases on my floor at my place). Should be interesting :D

    We may be able to come to some sort of agreement. Fill me in on your plans.

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  • macrogeekmacrogeek Registered User regular
    I did BYOC on Pax East year 1. (across town) We had fun despite many first year launch issues. (and awesome swag from Nvidia)
    The last couple of years we have done pax with large groups, and didn't get to do BYOC. It looks like ticket woes have struck those friends. So this year, me, my wife, and my college-aged son are gonna take advantage of the smaller group and plan for some BYOC goodness. Tickets are lined up and we're looking forward to it.

  • FireWaterFireWater Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Hey are there any good places to eat around the Hyatt? I love the Westin BWF but man is it isolated!

    Oops wrong thread!

    So where is the special BYOC Entrance?

    FireWater on
  • KilonumKilonum [E] Somewhere near BostonRegistered User regular
    That will be included in the mailer but will probably be the same place as last year.

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  • FireWaterFireWater Registered User regular
    Not sure where that was....

  • d3c0yd3c0y Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Were there any energy issues last few BYOCs? Any temporary power outages? I'm just wary about not being able to use a surge protector. On that note, do backup batteries count as surge protectors/power strips? Even if I promise not to use all but the main outlet.

    d3c0y on
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    d3c0y wrote: »
    Were there any energy issues last few BYOCs? Any temporary power outages? I'm just wary about not being able to use a surge protector. On that note, do backup batteries count as surge protectors/power strips? Even if I promise not to use all but the main outlet.
    Not that I've ever heard of.

    And yes, backup batteries count as surge protectors/power strips. The only thing you are allowed to plug in to the power is a tower, monitor, and/or laptop.

  • VapokVapok Just a Guy. BostonRegistered User regular
    d3c0y wrote: »
    Were there any energy issues last few BYOCs? Any temporary power outages? I'm just wary about not being able to use a surge protector. On that note, do backup batteries count as surge protectors/power strips? Even if I promise not to use all but the main outlet.

    Yeah you are only allowed to plug your devices into outlets that we provide.

    That said, we furnish the surge protectors. So if you're worried about that, shouldn't be a worry.

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    Vapok
  • taumesontaumeson PAX PC Room Manager Minnesota?Registered User regular
    Vapok wrote: »
    d3c0y wrote: »
    Were there any energy issues last few BYOCs? Any temporary power outages? I'm just wary about not being able to use a surge protector. On that note, do backup batteries count as surge protectors/power strips? Even if I promise not to use all but the main outlet.

    Yeah you are only allowed to plug your devices into outlets that we provide.

    That said, we furnish the surge protectors. So if you're worried about that, shouldn't be a worry.

    Vapok and I have seen the circuit plan for the BCEC and where it fits into the metro grid. If we lose power that'll be the least of your issues!

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  • VapokVapok Just a Guy. BostonRegistered User regular
    FYI, BYOC is SOLD OUT.

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    Vapok
  • FireWaterFireWater Registered User regular
    Oh wow that's cool!

  • A.SabotA.Sabot Boston, MaRegistered User regular
    I got my passes! 3 monitors this year!

    Pax East 2016: BYOC [x], 3 Day Passes [x], car[x], license[x], new computer[x]
  • letsgamelawlzletsgamelawlz If you want to know me, CHEESE Aperture scienceRegistered User regular
    I only got 2 days but I want byoc... What should I do? Is it like a requirement to have 3 days?

    it seems everybody is doing this so....PAX EAST 2014: Badges[X] Travel[X] FRANNDS [X] My video game spirit [X] Party supplies[]
  • A.SabotA.Sabot Boston, MaRegistered User regular
    I only got 2 days but I want byoc... What should I do? Is it like a requirement to have 3 days?
    Byoc is sold out so if you did not get a pass I believe you are out of luck. 3 days is nice, but you do not need it, you could do one day but that is not nice to people who want to go all three days and could have gotten a pass.

    Pax East 2016: BYOC [x], 3 Day Passes [x], car[x], license[x], new computer[x]
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Actually I am pretty sure you do need all 3 days in order to do BYOC.

  • A.SabotA.Sabot Boston, MaRegistered User regular
    What I mean is that there is nothing stopping someone from coming to just one day of byoc, but that makes no sense. I have always had three days when I attend BYOC.

    Pax East 2016: BYOC [x], 3 Day Passes [x], car[x], license[x], new computer[x]
  • WackBagWackBag Registered User regular
    Well, since BYOC tickets are purchased completely separate from 3-Days (or individuals) There's nothing technically stopping you from buying BYOC and say a Friday and Saturday. And unless I'm having a brain fart, I don't remember them validating a 3-day when you check in. Last year I had to buy Fr/Sa/Su tickets and I only brought Friday's with me when I checked in at BYOC. Also I can say for a fact that people I sat next to last year never returned on Sun.

    But since BYOC is sold out, this whole conversation could be irrelevant.

    Pax East 2014 checklist:
    3 Day Pass [X] - BYOC [X] - Accomodations [X] - Travel [ X ] - Time Off [ X ]
  • VapokVapok Just a Guy. BostonRegistered User regular
    BYOC is intended for people to come the entire 3 days of PAX. That said, there is nothing stopping people from buying a BYOC Badge (other than it being sold out) and not having all three days of badges. If someone has a Friday and Sunday badge as well as a BYOC badges, they are more than welcome to setup their computer on Friday, partake in the activities, leave it there overnight and through Saturday and come back on Sunday to continue partaking in the festivities until time to go home.

    Does it make sense to do that? Not really, because the value is in having all three days, and it is totally recommended that people attend BYOC all three days. But will there be anything limiting a person's ability to get into BYOC if they only have one or two days worth of badges? No, and we invite those people to take part in the fun, knowing that they'll only be with us for part of the weekend.

    One could argue that it waters down the BYOC population and will make Saturday (assuming the day that people had the most problem getting) look empty. One could argue that, but I would respond to that with the argument that by splitting out the badge sales this way, more people who will use BYOC for it's intended purpose will show up. More computers, more gaming, more LANing = more fun.

    If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. The goal is to maximize the space used for BYOC for its intended purpose and not have it looking like a barren wasteland of storage chairs. =)

    As the Zen Master says, "We'll see."

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    Vapok
  • WackBagWackBag Registered User regular
    In total Agreement with @Vapok, I was just trying to say, Even that Sat was sold out, this would not "Prevent" someone from experiencing BYOC. With all that being said, I'm not sure what you can do to prevent it from looking like a barren wasteland. Last year was really bad. Not sure if its because we are in the hall and it just looks more open and empty. I would love to see us move back to a room. logistically probably not possible, but still. Is there a post BYOC Survey? (Don't remember ever seeing one), maybe try to get more info on why no-shows? Just throwing it out there, feel free to cut me off at any time.

    Oh and this year I promise not to get into an argument with BCEC Staff about drop-off. I will be a good boy.

    Pax East 2014 checklist:
    3 Day Pass [X] - BYOC [X] - Accomodations [X] - Travel [ X ] - Time Off [ X ]
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