PAX East 2015 Forum Badge

kropotkin · December 2014

Hello,

Regulars to these forums will be familiar with the PAX Forum badges that I distribute during both PAX East and PAX Prime. Sadly I will not be attending PAX East 2015 due to projected budget constraints so the plight of the Forum Badge at PAX East 2015 is very much in the balance. Now I can go ahead and design the badges as I have done so in previous years, but their printing and distribution will have to handled by someone else who is attending PAX East 2015. So I ask you dear forumites, are any of you prepared to step up to the plate and help maintain a tradition that has been in existence since PAX East first came into being? Let me know below and we can discuss logistics and such. Once there is a willing volunteer, the design of the badge will commence.

Over to you dear forum folk!

jdixon1972 · January 2015

Hi, kropotkin. Could you tell me what service you used to print these and where you got the plastic holders as well? I work at Staples and could possibly get some kind of deal on the printing. I'd just like to know how you went about doing things...

Le_Goat · January 2015

I could not spearhead the entire thing, as I just took over the stein project. But if whomever is going to take this project over would like some help, I'd be happy to lend some assistance.

ClannMorgan · January 2015

@Kropotkin I'm sorry to hear that you will not be attending, I thank you for your efforts in putting the badges together. I received my first badge last year, it now resides with my growing PAX collection. I would love to help any way that I can, we have to keep this tradition going!

@jdixon1972 when you get the details let me know I'm happy to help.

miker525 · January 2015

Like Le_Goat said I will be unable to lead the project but I'd love to help in some way. I love the forum badge and it's always something I very proudly wear to help me find fellow forum friends!

kropotkin · January 2015

I sent a message to @jdixon1972‌ but he hasn't responded. I may have scared him off

punzie · January 2015

I'm sorry you won't be attending @kropotkin.

I can handle most of the distribution easily: I've handed them out on the MMT before, will be at prePAX gamenight (they're normally left with us at the cookie brigade table anyway), and do usually make a run by BYOC early-midday on Friday with cookies so can easily drop off the badges there at the same time. I'm not doing the prePAX dinner but could easily coordinate to hand off several to someone who is attending.

I guess worst case scenario is kropotkin goes through his normal printer/supplier and we ship the over here to Boston? I'm sure the community can band together to help cover costs.

miker525 · January 2015

punzie wrote: »

I'm sorry you won't be attending @kropotkin.

I can handle most of the distribution easily: I've handed them out on the MMT before, will be at prePAX gamenight (they're normally left with us at the cookie brigade table anyway), and do usually make a run by BYOC early-midday on Friday with cookies so can easily drop off the badges there at the same time. I'm not doing the prePAX dinner but could easily coordinate to hand off several to someone who is attending.

I guess worst case scenario is kropotkin goes through his normal printer/supplier and we ship the over here to Boston? I'm sure the community can band together to help cover costs.

Yeah I've grabbed my badge from you at Pre PAX game night for the past few years. Distribution has never seemed to really be a problem considering I think during PAX they rest at BYOC. Hoping this plan goes through

A.Sabot · January 2015

Yay! I can't wait for Pax and the Forum Badge!

kropotkin · January 2015

A.Sabot wrote: »

Yay! I can't wait for Pax and the Forum Badge!

That's great, but it may not happen at PAX East 2015 as I'm not attending. We're going to need the community to pull together to make it happen this time around.

jdixon1972 · January 2015

Sorry, kropotkin, I've been very busy at work and haven't been up here lately. I'm sorry to say, but my husband shot down my idea to do it. With the kids, etc., time and money are kind of tight.

SutibunRi · January 2015

I want one.
I just can't* don't want to take on another project.

@kropotkin Have you been thinking of designs for it?
At the moment it appears @punzie has offered the only remotely viable option, which puts a lot on your shoulders, especially with you not attending this year.

With that said, I had some free time, so I did some research, as shipping from the UK would probably be expensive.

A quick Google search of Print Shops near the BCEC led me to one that can do 2500 "Club Card Flyers" in the size range of badges I've seen at other cons for ~$150-$200, which is a far more than we'd need. (Double sided, full color on 12pt Card stock. Custom quantities can be ordered.)
But they don't come with plastic badge holders, which vary wildly in price by size, quantity and quality at the websites I checked. This was honestly the longest part of my search, and without knowing the actual dimensions, it was just a waste of time. ($0.17 to $2.20 per unit.)

I have no idea how any of this compares to the prices you usually get, or what places that specialize in convention badges with included holders would charge. The one place in Boston I checked that does convention stuff regularly requires you to request a quote, with no estimates listed anywhere on the site.

*Technically, it is physically possible, but I'd rather not be on the hook for a second project for my first PAX. Especially as I'm currently between jobs, and down over a hundred dollars on the first project at the time of this post.

flashe · January 2015

Does anyone have a picture of what some of the pervious forum badges look like??

miker525 · January 2015

flashe wrote: »

Does anyone have a picture of what some of the pervious forum badges look like??

http://wiki.paxcommunity.net/paxwiki/Forum_Badge

rtm416 · January 2015

Time is not my issue, I just don't have funds for darn near anything at this point in time. Otherwise, I'd be willing to coordinate with those others who wish to help and get this off the ground.

ClannMorgan · January 2015

I've been in contact with Kropotkin and will be handling the printing on this end. I will be at the PPD, and in the BYOC area so I can distribute there...any one want to help out with distribution, etc. let me know.

jasonakaram · January 2015

I've been forced to chase down passes through the secondary market this year but I couldn't be more excited to attend for my fifth year in a row! Getting my forum badge is always a highlight for me and I will be displaying my badges from years past on my well worn and well adorned PAX backpack

kropotkin · January 2015

jdixon1972 wrote: »

Sorry, kropotkin, I've been very busy at work and haven't been up here lately. I'm sorry to say, but my husband shot down my idea to do it. With the kids, etc., time and money are kind of tight.

Oh don't fret! It would appear the community is pulling together to make this happen

I shall be designing the badge over the weekend. Themes being entertained are:

Pokemon
Dr Who
MOBAs
Back to the Future (Re: 2015)

Once I've narrowed it down I'll prepare them and post the images on this thread. Thanks everyone for your continued support.

vttym · January 2015

Your judgement has been sound for many years, so whatever you end up picking I'm sure will be awesome....

But man, if you slapped a hoverboard on the badge with back to the future font... mmmmmmmm

ilta · January 2015

BTTF please. 2015 only comes once!

SutibunRi · January 2015

Think McFly! Think!

ilta wrote: »

2015 only comes once!

gigabrain · January 2015

As always, I'm more than willing to help distribute. And there's really only one option for this year...BTTF.

zerzhul · January 2015

BTTF2, that is. Such a terrible movie.

jasonakaram · January 2015

What about a mash up with Dr. Who and back to the future? Or, and I'm not trying to complicate things, what about some sort of reference to the brown box to commemorate the passing of Ralph Baer.

kropotkin · January 2015

jasonakaram wrote: »

What about a mash up with Dr. Who and back to the future? Or, and I'm not trying to complicate things, what about some sort of reference to the brown box to commemorate the passing of Ralph Baer.

Oh I like that. I'm a huge retro video game fan so I can easily create a Magnavox styled badge in some way. I shall ponder this...

rtm416 · January 2015

A wood-panelled DeLorean, haha.

pureval · January 2015

I love the idea of a BTTF badge. One of my favorite movie series.

kropotkin · January 2015

After much thought I have decided to go with a time travel theme for the PAX East 2015 forum badge, making everyone wearing it a time travelling tourist of sorts. Here is the front with every time machine that I could think of (other than Uncle Rico's one from Napoleon Dynamite, which didn't actually work) along with a familiar font:

The back is essentially a permit for time travel, explaining wearers of this badge are given leave to be within BCEC on the weekend of March 6th-8th.

Let me know what you think! This is a work in progress so any feedback is welcome and will be listened to and acted upon I can assure you. Unless of course you want to change the badge to some kind of tribute to Thundercats. Not-going-to-happen.

flashe · January 2015

I like it, I want one so count me in! If you need help with some funding or distribution, PM and I'll help out.

rtm416 · January 2015

I love it! I'll be coordinating the Westin game night so I'll distribute them there.

ClannMorgan · January 2015

My favorite part is the clock on the back...and of course I love the DeLorean!

TabooPhantasy · January 2015

Does Calvin's box count as a successful time travel machine?

SutibunRi · January 2015

I'm just going to leave this picture here.

Be Excellent to Each Other. *Air Guitar Riff*

mindflare77 · January 2015

I love it! Not entirely sold on the font for the back (looking mainly at "parochially"), but that'smy only real gripe. Also, I second the nomination of Calvin's box.

vttym · January 2015

As for Calvin's time machine...

And just because someone has to say it each year..

I don't see my name on the badge!!!!!11!1!!1!

jdixon1972 · January 2015

Really like the time travel theme. I'm sorry I couldn't help with creation and distribution, but you guys have done great!!!!! Oh, and I don't see my name either

SutibunRi · January 2015

Please remember to disregard the Temporal Prime Directive, and hand out your Future Tech to all the good little boys and girls at PAX during your 3 day foray into the past.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

elo · January 2015

Sad to hear you can't make it out this year @kropotkin‌ . The design is looking great though, and I will be proud to wear it this year

upstateny-dan · January 2015

Great work!

kropotkin · January 2015

mindflare77 wrote: »

I love it! Not entirely sold on the font for the back (looking mainly at "parochially"), but that'smy only real gripe. Also, I second the nomination of Calvin's box.

The font is from Doctor Who and it is somewhat limited. I am struggling to find more appropriate one; any suggestions?

SutibunRi · January 2015

The font from Quantum Leap?
Aka, the Swiss Cheesed font.

It doesn't do numbers well, maybe find a font for numbers that looks like the numbers from BTTFs Delorean day/time selector thing and have the dates (and temporal coordinates) in the alternate font, to show that most of the text is standard boilerplate?

Penny Arcade

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