I feel like this PAX had some pretty high highs for me and some low lows. I've been to every PAX in Seattle since, well, it's technically been in Seattle (so, 2007). I remember that show fondly, though I doubt I could watch more than 5 seconds of Wil Wheaton's keynote today. The only PAX I've been too that stands out as bad was probably 2008, which I still remember as "CrowdedPAX", especially relative to 2007.
This PAX had some stuff on the floor that I really liked. I managed to get into the Horizon: Zero Dawn demo and while I don't think it'd make me buy a PS4, it does look like a pretty cool game. I walked through the Indie Megabooth and saw a game that caused me and probably, like, 10,000 other people to say "hey, this reminds me of SimTower!". (On a related note, I just played Project Highrise for the past 4 hours.) I attended the preliminaries of the Omegathon for the first time ever and enjoyed that thoroughly. The initiatives to make the Expo Hall less crowded have paid off and it's noticeably easier to get around than it used to be. While I'm not crazy about Twitch's super-large booth or anything, the Expo Hall, to me, almost makes West worth it on its own. (As the Post-PAX survey has put it in the past, I enjoy the sheer spectacle.) I attended Acquisitions Inc for the first time ever and enjoyed shouting "GREEN FLAME" with 2500 people at the same time.
And, of course, I hung out with a bunch of y'all.
There were some downsides, though they're mostly my own fault. Neither of my usual crew could make it this year, which left me scrambling for accommodations at the last minute that didn't cost $200/night. Thanks to one of my friends here, I was able to stay with his aunt and uncle in Kirkland. And indeed, on a given morning, counting the time it took to get a car, it'd take me about 30 minutes to get into town. All things considered, that's not bad. (And, as you might guess by the fact they let basically a stranger stay in their house for five nights for free, they are incredibly nice people.) But the downsides are that having a room in town helps a ton as a base of operations, so to speak, and if nothing else just a place to take your shoes off for a few minutes. Also, there were some early morning lines I wanted to get in, and while I realize I could've gotten up earlier, it would've been much easier to get in those lines if I could just walk into them.
So yeah, note to self: next year, figure out the hotel situation before, say, mid-August.
So safe to say Project Highrise was pretty good? I saw it and immediately went "oh this is just a simtower clone and they're ripping them off" then realized its been like 20 years since Simtower, so its probably safe to say a spiritual sequel is due.
I honestly hadn't thought about SimTower in a while until I saw it on the show floor, and well, being ASimPerson I had to check it out. I'm about to give it another whirl.
Yah, ventilation wasn't the greatest, but the app was fine and the company made everything so delightful I didn't really care I was probably sweating my jumpsuit sheer.
"Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
Have Mike and Jerry stopped playing the omegathon final games altogether now? I haven't watched any of the recent east/south ones so I don't know if this is new for them.
Maybe it's not a trend. I'm thinking back to previous years and I don't remember them playing Spy Party or Trials either, but those went on for longer.
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The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Not sure if there's much that can be done about the ventilation situation but I can find out.
BLM - ACAB
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Erin The RedThe Name's Erin! Woman, Podcaster, Dungeon Master, IT nerd, Parent, Trans. AMABaton Rouge, LARegistered Userregular
BYOB situation. They provide a power strip and we bring our own blowers
Mike and Jerry may feel that we're getting our fix of watching them compete directly with the For The Watch matches? Given how precarious they've said that head to head gameplay between them can be, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd agreed to a hard limit of one match per PAX.
Realizing lately that I don't really trust or respect basically any of the moderators here. So, good luck with life, friends! Hit me up on Twitter @DesertLeviathan
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The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
BYOB situation. They provide a power strip and we bring our own blowers
There were two fans already going. One was a big ass industrial fan. After a while, fans don't matter because it's just blowing around the hot air around.
Mike and Jerry may feel that we're getting our fix of watching them compete directly with the For The Watch matches? Given how precarious they've said that head to head gameplay between them can be, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd agreed to a hard limit of one match per PAX.
Oh true, I forgot they were doing that now. I did watch the Overwatch one, too!
My PAX so far: when I checked in at the airport this morning, I received an unexpected extra ticket: an added layover between Chicago and Seattle, in San Francisco. I foolishly assume the airline knows what it's doing. That's what I paid them for, right?
I arrive in San Francisco after two packed and cramped flights, look at the flight board to see where my next gate is, and discover my flight to Seattle has been canceled. I hot-foot to the customer service desk and find a whoooooole lot of angry people who also got bumped.
The customer service folks proceeded to tell us that there are no more flights to Seattle until the 3rd. After I got angry, and asked for a supervisor, dude looked again and says he found me a seat for 8:15 tomorrow morning. They're putting me in a hotel for the night. Supervisors nowhere to be found. I'm told my only recourse is to complain through the website.
Update: United finally replied and gave me a $200 voucher. Not quite the cost of my ticket to Seattle, nor the missed night at the hotel on Thursday. I suppose I'll fly them one more time before I switch to another airline permanently.
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TonkkaSome one in the club tonightHas stolen my ideas.Registered Userregular
$200 VOUCHER?! Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame.
You should get your own airplane for that horseshit.
I was hoping for at least the cost of my flight there, but free money is free money, I guess. Also they spelled my last name in the email once the right way, and once the wrong way, so just an all around disappointment in how they've treated this entire situation.
My PAX so far: when I checked in at the airport this morning, I received an unexpected extra ticket: an added layover between Chicago and Seattle, in San Francisco. I foolishly assume the airline knows what it's doing. That's what I paid them for, right?
I arrive in San Francisco after two packed and cramped flights, look at the flight board to see where my next gate is, and discover my flight to Seattle has been canceled. I hot-foot to the customer service desk and find a whoooooole lot of angry people who also got bumped.
The customer service folks proceeded to tell us that there are no more flights to Seattle until the 3rd. After I got angry, and asked for a supervisor, dude looked again and says he found me a seat for 8:15 tomorrow morning. They're putting me in a hotel for the night. Supervisors nowhere to be found. I'm told my only recourse is to complain through the website.
Update: United finally replied and gave me a $200 voucher. Not quite the cost of my ticket to Seattle, nor the missed night at the hotel on Thursday. I suppose I'll fly them one more time before I switch to another airline permanently.
You can always try contacting them again and saying a 200 dollar voucher isn't good enough. I mean pointing out that the hotel room was more than that would be a good start.
I got one for a massive flight diversion and when I tried to spend it they said I could only spend it on that route for some reason. I had no desire to go to fucking philadelphia so never spent it.
My PAX so far: when I checked in at the airport this morning, I received an unexpected extra ticket: an added layover between Chicago and Seattle, in San Francisco. I foolishly assume the airline knows what it's doing. That's what I paid them for, right?
I arrive in San Francisco after two packed and cramped flights, look at the flight board to see where my next gate is, and discover my flight to Seattle has been canceled. I hot-foot to the customer service desk and find a whoooooole lot of angry people who also got bumped.
The customer service folks proceeded to tell us that there are no more flights to Seattle until the 3rd. After I got angry, and asked for a supervisor, dude looked again and says he found me a seat for 8:15 tomorrow morning. They're putting me in a hotel for the night. Supervisors nowhere to be found. I'm told my only recourse is to complain through the website.
Update: United finally replied and gave me a $200 voucher. Not quite the cost of my ticket to Seattle, nor the missed night at the hotel on Thursday. I suppose I'll fly them one more time before I switch to another airline permanently.
You can always try contacting them again and saying a 200 dollar voucher isn't good enough. I mean pointing out that the hotel room was more than that would be a good start.
Also tweet it to their public twitter handle.
Companies bend over backwards for that stuff.
Nothing. Matters.
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#pipeCocky Stride, Musky odoursPope of Chili TownRegistered Userregular
edited September 2016
Hey I'm thinking that I am going to book my hotel for PAX next year super early. I really want to stay at the Moore.
It's CHEAP ($160 per night for two bedrooms connected by a shared bathroom which could easily sleep 4, as well as suites with different setups for slightly more money), nice and close to everything (2nd and Virginia, 4 blocks or so from the convention centre) and it's also old and funky and fun.
They also have "Euro Suites" which is a single bedroom with a shared bathroom in the hall for $85 per night. A couple could do this on the VERY cheap.
It would be awesome to make a big group booking for a bunch of rooms.
Lost Salientblink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered Userregular
Man.
If I could plan my life better I would arrange to visit the Austin office next year the week after PAX and just do a weekend layover. The difference between rolling in jetlagged as fuck v hungover as fuck isn't that big.
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
My PAX so far: when I checked in at the airport this morning, I received an unexpected extra ticket: an added layover between Chicago and Seattle, in San Francisco. I foolishly assume the airline knows what it's doing. That's what I paid them for, right?
I arrive in San Francisco after two packed and cramped flights, look at the flight board to see where my next gate is, and discover my flight to Seattle has been canceled. I hot-foot to the customer service desk and find a whoooooole lot of angry people who also got bumped.
The customer service folks proceeded to tell us that there are no more flights to Seattle until the 3rd. After I got angry, and asked for a supervisor, dude looked again and says he found me a seat for 8:15 tomorrow morning. They're putting me in a hotel for the night. Supervisors nowhere to be found. I'm told my only recourse is to complain through the website.
Update: United finally replied and gave me a $200 voucher. Not quite the cost of my ticket to Seattle, nor the missed night at the hotel on Thursday. I suppose I'll fly them one more time before I switch to another airline permanently.
You can always try contacting them again and saying a 200 dollar voucher isn't good enough. I mean pointing out that the hotel room was more than that would be a good start.
Also tweet it to their public twitter handle.
Companies bend over backwards for that stuff.
These are good points. Twitter is the next step if this last email doesn't result in anything.
Hey I'm thinking that I am going to book my hotel for PAX next year super early. I really want to stay at the Moore.
It's CHEAP ($160 per night for two bedrooms connected by a shared bathroom which could easily sleep 4, as well as suites with different setups for slightly more money), nice and close to everything (2nd and Virginia, 4 blocks or so from the convention centre) and it's also old and funky and fun.
They also have "Euro Suites" which is a single bedroom with a shared bathroom in the hall for $85 per night. A couple could do this on the VERY cheap.
It would be awesome to make a big group booking for a bunch of rooms.
Em and I just stayed at a "Euro Suite" place like this in Portland and it was phenomenal. The Moore is super rad, too, although in the interest of fair disclosure, it's actually 8 blocks from the Convention Center (still less than ten minutes by foot).
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Lost Salientblink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered Userregular
I'm sitting down to play Secret Hitler with strangers. WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
Posts
the wrong thread
since I posted in the wrong thread, I replaced my previous post with something that may still fit in with Tonkka's response
yes, indeed
I honestly hadn't thought about SimTower in a while until I saw it on the show floor, and well, being ASimPerson I had to check it out. I'm about to give it another whirl.
As @#pipe put it, that room after an hour or two was "like an armpit". I was okay with the setup otherwise.
...is "Phrasing" still out?
Yes I did think about this post.
There were two fans already going. One was a big ass industrial fan. After a while, fans don't matter because it's just blowing around the hot air around.
Oh true, I forgot they were doing that now. I did watch the Overwatch one, too!
Update: United finally replied and gave me a $200 voucher. Not quite the cost of my ticket to Seattle, nor the missed night at the hotel on Thursday. I suppose I'll fly them one more time before I switch to another airline permanently.
You should get your own airplane for that horseshit.
You can always try contacting them again and saying a 200 dollar voucher isn't good enough. I mean pointing out that the hotel room was more than that would be a good start.
Satans..... hints.....
Also tweet it to their public twitter handle.
Companies bend over backwards for that stuff.
It's CHEAP ($160 per night for two bedrooms connected by a shared bathroom which could easily sleep 4, as well as suites with different setups for slightly more money), nice and close to everything (2nd and Virginia, 4 blocks or so from the convention centre) and it's also old and funky and fun.
They also have "Euro Suites" which is a single bedroom with a shared bathroom in the hall for $85 per night. A couple could do this on the VERY cheap.
It would be awesome to make a big group booking for a bunch of rooms.
Need some stuff designed or printed? I can help with that.
If I could plan my life better I would arrange to visit the Austin office next year the week after PAX and just do a weekend layover. The difference between rolling in jetlagged as fuck v hungover as fuck isn't that big.
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
These are good points. Twitter is the next step if this last email doesn't result in anything.
Em and I just stayed at a "Euro Suite" place like this in Portland and it was phenomenal. The Moore is super rad, too, although in the interest of fair disclosure, it's actually 8 blocks from the Convention Center (still less than ten minutes by foot).
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN