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PAX South 2018 BYOC Mega Thread

Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
edited January 2018 in PAX South
Hello all!

Platypus King here to just notify you... PAX South is less than a month away and it's time to start getting ready!

Normally this is where we would be posting all the information about where the BYOC room is, Seating Requests, the loading dock area and so much more, but details are still being finalized (so expect updates to show up in this thread!).

While other details are still to be flushed out one thing I would LOVE you guys to do is suggest some games to play in BYOC Tournaments. Last year we had a pretty great time and I'm always open to suggestions. This will allow people to get games while they are on sale this holiday season and polish their skills before meeting head to head come PAX. I will update a list below as games are suggested and approved!

In regards to to the Seating Requests for groups: Since we are still figuring out the map and where BYOC is going to end up, we are going to use last years map as a template of seat availability. Feel free to send requests and pick spots and if the map changes I will update it accordingly (keeping you with your group of course). Please be patient with this as we figure out all the details.

Group Seating Details:
GROUP SEATING OPEN DATE: TODAY!
GROUP SEATING CLOSE DATE: January 8th at midnight PDT

Group Seating Requirements:
  • Your party is considered a group if you have SIX or more people.
  • Groups must pre-register seating assignments prior to PAX, or else seats will be based on first come first serve availability.
  • Requests are taken on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Passes for ALL 3 days of PAX! (recommended to maximize fun, but not a hard requirement)
  • If you have multiple BYOC badges, those count as seats (group members) so if you have 6 BYOC passes in your "group" (regardless the number of physical bodies) you qualify for group seating.

To request group seating, use the seating chart below to choose your seats and email pax_pc@paxsite.com
Include the following information when requesting:
Group Name
Number of People (include handles too)
Desired Location


Pre-registration:

We've sent out pre-registration forms to anyone that sent in group seating reservations. It's a google form from the email address pax.south.byoc "at" gmail.com. Pre-registration basically just means we'll have all your info in the database already when you arrive on-site so check-in should go much faster for you. If anyone else is interested in pre-registration, please send us an email (pax.south.byoc "at" gmail.com) with a picture of your BYOC badge(s) attached, and we'll send you the form. Yes, this means in order to pre-register you must already have your BYOC badge(s) in-hand. To anyone picking them up at Will Call: we'll close the form at noon on Thursday, so if you're able to pick up your badge(s) from Will Call before then, and we're not too busy with setup to send you the form, there's still a chance you'll be able to pre-register.

Seating Chart:
BYOC Informational Mailer:
Hello!

If you're getting this, that means you have purchased a BYOC spot at PAX South to bring your computer and play on our dedicated network alongside a couple hundred friends you haven't met yet. To help make sure your BYOC festivities go smoothly, we've put together a little information packet for you. If you ever have any questions, feel free to email us at pax_pc@paxsite.com or to help ensure others benefit from your question, post in our forums at http://forums.penny-arcade.com/categories/pax-south.

--- PAX South Badge Registration ---

Your PAX South BYOC badges should already be mailed to you. If you do not have yours please contact registration@paxsite.com or pick them up at WILL CALL.

--- Getting There ---

The BYOC Room is located on the furthest North-West section of the building past the Expo Hall.

You will be allowed to enter the building early, at 8:00am on Friday ONLY, to begin checking in and getting seated. Entry on Saturday, and Sunday begin at 10:00am. If you are driving in, the best way to get in will be through the loading dock which will be open for BYOC Load-in from 8am-noon on Friday. The image below shows how to get there:

http://hw1.pa-cdn.com/pax/resources/south/BYOC Map.png

This is an active loading dock so we have to be strict, you'll only have about 5 minutes of unloading time before we'll need you to park your car.

If you haven't received your badge yet for whatever reason, you'll need to pick it up from Will Call at our Registration Desk in Main Lobby. You'll probably want to leave your computer in the car until you get the badge. If that's impossible for whatever reason, then just bring your rig to the load-in entrance and we'll try to prevent you from having to run around while carrying 50lbs of steel.

If you are walking in with your computer, use the Exhibitor/Media/Medical Pass entrance in front of the Main Lobby to avoid having to wait in a huge line with your rig.

--- Basic LAN Party Information ---

If you've never been to a LAN party, be sure to bring the following equipment:

- BYOC Pass
- Computer
- Monitor (Please no bigger than 27" LCD) and connecting cable
- Keyboard
- Mouse (we recommend wired, just to avoid any potential interference)
- Mouse pad
- Ethernet cable (25 feet should be sufficient)
- Power cables (but no extension cords or power strips. Maximum of two power connected devices)
- Headphones
- Games CDs/DVDs, Windows CD, and backups for other programs you may need to install/reinstall.

We suggest printing off this list checking each item as you pack it. If you end up forgetting something, talk to an Enforcer or BYOC Help Desk and we might be able to help out.

Please update/patch your games before coming to PAX. This includes updating Steam, Impulse, Origin, and such. You will have access to the Internet, but bandwidth is EXTREMELY limited!

Please be sure to enable virus protection on your computer before connecting it to our network. Any computers that are found with a virus will be immediately disconnected from the network until the matter is resolved. We would also like to remind everyone that there is absolutely NO personal network equipment allowed (Switches, routers, WiFi AP’s, etc).

***AGAIN, PATCH YOUR PC BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. WE CANNOT EXPRESS THIS ENOUGH***

The PAX SOUTH BYOC schedule is as follows:

Friday: 8:00am - 11:30pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 11:30pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm

--- Tournament Schedule ---

Once available the PC Tournament Schedule can be found on the PAX South website here: http://south.paxsite.com/schedule/category/pc-s?sfl=74# . Keep your eyes out for fun contests and events there but... these do not include the AMAZING BYOC exclusive events that we'll be peer pressuring you into. We all had a lot of fun with it last year and expect it to be even BETTER this year.

--- BYOC Contests ---

The BYOC staff will be running organized games throughout each day in the games on the list. Some of the activities will have signups ahead of time while others you can just jump in game and join us. Extended descriptions for each of the organized events will be posted on the PAX Forums. Scheduled times will be available on site starting at check-in.

--- Security Information ---

There's a lot more to do at PAX than just play PC games, and we want you to be able to go do all of these things secure in the knowledge that your computer and peripherals are safe and sound. To that end, we put a much higher emphasis on security than most other LAN parties. Before you enter the PAX BYOC area, you will have to quickly register your computer and any monitor you're bringing into the computer area. We've gone to great lengths to keep the security processes in check, and as such, please keep your BYOC badge as visible as possible when entering the room….it’s for your own protection.

While we will make every attempt to keep all equipment in the room safe, be aware that there is little we can do to prevent phones, tablets, portable game consoles, CD's, wads of cash, and other small items from walking off. We strongly suggest you keep such items out of plain view and use some common sense when it comes to your own security. If you're coming with a laptop, we also STRONGLY recommend you invest in a laptop lock. Seriously.

--- Voice Chat Information ---

We will have Discord servers available for tournaments and public gaming. While we will have the clients available on our file server, it is recommended that you download and install clients before hand.

--- Pre-registration: ---

We've sent out pre-registration forms to anyone that sent in group seating reservations. It's a google form from the email address pax.south.byoc "at" gmail.com. Pre-registration basically just means we'll have all your info in the database already when you arrive on-site so check-in should go much faster for you. If anyone else is interested in pre-registration, please send us an email (pax.south.byoc "at" gmail.com) with a picture of your BYOC badge(s) attached, and we'll send you the form. Yes, this means in order to pre-register you must already have your BYOC badge(s) in-hand. To anyone picking them up at Will Call: we'll close the form at noon on Thursday, so if you're able to pick up your badge(s) from Will Call before then, and we're not too busy with setup to send you the form, there's still a chance you'll be able to pre-register.


See you soon, everyone, and we hope you have a great time!

Platypus King on

Posts

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    The one, the only, Bring Your Own Computer for PAX South 2018!

    Want to be part of a rad PAX Lan Party? This is how you do that! BYOC is a dedicated LAN Party area in the PC section of PAX for you to bring your cool rig or your travel machine or just your gaming laptop and hang out and game with other attendees! The BYOC badge does not grant you entry to PAX itself, you need both BYOC and PAX general admission badges in order to participate!

    Register here:
    https://www.showclix.com/event/paxsouthbyoc2580997/listing

  • statton4statton4 Registered User regular
    do i have to purchase 2 byoc spots if my son and i will be taking turns with my rig?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    A byoc badge is required to enter the byoc area at all, so it's probably best for you to each have one. The PC Security folks probably wouldn't love people trading badges off, although I am not the authority on that. If you only have one rig you can always use that second spot for a second monitor.

  • vade281vade281 Registered User regular
    And bought! Second time doing BYOC. I'm excited!

  • mnemonictutormnemonictutor A Mnemonic Tutor in Silicon Valley DominariaRegistered User regular
    I'm interested in doing this with a friend of mine. What are the requirements for this? I assume we need to bring either a laptop or PC, and that there are kensington locks (or similar) to prevent them from walking off? I remember seeing a thread last year saying that BYOC was the best thing they every bought because they had a place to go and "chill" when the con got too crowded or intense, etc. What are your thoughts on this? Lastly, what types of games should we have installed to play in this area? Is this mostly LAN party/Co-Op stuff, or single player, etc.?

    qbqtLfO.png
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Firstly, BYOC is Bring Your Own Computer, so you would need to bring a computer that you can use to play games during the convention in order to really get much use out of BYOC. What you get with your signup is a space to set up your rig, an ethernet hookup to the LAN, and two power plugs. One cannot bring their own power extenders, and you can use those two plugs for your PC and your monitor. If you buy more seats, you can have multiple monitors plugged in.

    While BYOC does have its own security, it's still a good idea to lock things down when possible via the locks you suggested. If for no other reason than additional comfort in leaving your stuff behind.

    BYOC is an area that only those with BYOC passes and the BYOC staff can enter, so it's certainly a more chill space than the rest of the convention. It's nice to be able to retreat back to your space that you know is yours for the con and sit down and play a game with other LAN folks.

    For games, usually whatever current popular multiplayer games people are playing are good installs. Civ6, PUBG, Overwatch, HotS, other mobas, any LAN-ready game that you like. Closer to the convention you should be able to get more info about what games the BYOC crew will encourage as well. PAX has had good partnerships in the past to set up local steam caches and the like to make multiplayer gaming as good as they can.

    A good note though is that the network is optimized for gaming traffic specifically. There's a throttle and cap on non-game traffic, so don't expect to be able to do a lot of streaming or similar at your BYOC spot.

  • AshTRAshTR Austin, TXRegistered User regular
    edited July 2017
    Wow, BYOC passes up with regular passes? Sweet.

    Can't believe this will be my fourth time.

    AshTR on
    zEjfyle.png
  • The PopeThe Pope Registered User regular
    I went to the PC freeplay area this year and was disappointed that it seemed like a free for all with no local play. Are there organized local multiplayer events in the BYOC? If there are, I'd love to know how many people participate.

    We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
    -- Vroomfondel
  • mnemonictutormnemonictutor A Mnemonic Tutor in Silicon Valley DominariaRegistered User regular
    I went ahead and secured two spots in BYOC for my friend and I. See you all there in January!

    qbqtLfO.png
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    The Pope wrote: »
    I went to the PC freeplay area this year and was disappointed that it seemed like a free for all with no local play. Are there organized local multiplayer events in the BYOC? If there are, I'd love to know how many people participate.
    There are, but I don't know what the schedule was last year.

  • mnemonictutormnemonictutor A Mnemonic Tutor in Silicon Valley DominariaRegistered User regular
    Since this will be the first BYOC for my best friend and I, I went and read through the BYOC mega thread from 2017 and got a lot of great info. I recommend any other newbies go read through that as well. I think we will both be bringing gaming laptops since we don't want to deal with lugging big machines in as well. That being said, I noticed that some people attempted to get an Artemis group together last year. Did that actually happen? I'm game to do it this year, as I love Artemis.

    qbqtLfO.png
  • statton4statton4 Registered User regular
    sooo..... any game ideas? anyone playing Warframe?

  • CasaiCasai Los Angeles, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    This will be our first PAX South! Will there be BYOC group registration like at PAX Prime (ok fine West)? We have 9 in our group currently.

    Thanks for hosting us!

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    Casai wrote: »
    This will be our first PAX South! Will there be BYOC group registration like at PAX Prime (ok fine West)? We have 9 in our group currently.

    Thanks for hosting us!
    If previous years are any indication, yes there will.

  • aceat64aceat64 Registered User new member
    edited September 2017
    How does seat selection work? I've got a group of 10+ people that want to go, but we'd like to be seated next to each other.

    edit: Never mind, found the thread.

    aceat64 on
  • JurgmanJurgman Tech Director NYC, NJ, LARegistered User regular
    With the high ceilings, I cant wait for the paper airplane distance competition this year. 8-)

  • vade281vade281 Registered User regular
    Has the price been going up every year? I bought 2018 and 2017 and remember 2017 being slightly cheaper. Don't know about 15 or 16.

  • ChimarraoMateChimarraoMate Registered User new member
    edited December 2017
    My wife is taking our Son on Friday and I will be with him Saturday and Sunday. Since the spot is good for three days, can I buy two spots and have my wife use it on Friday with my son and the I take her spot over for Saturday and Sunday?

    ChimarraoMate on
  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    The South 2018 BYOC Mega Thread is up! It can be found here: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/215687/pax-south-2018-byoc-mega-thread

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    Casai wrote: »
    This will be our first PAX South! Will there be BYOC group registration like at PAX Prime (ok fine West)? We have 9 in our group currently.

    Thanks for hosting us!

    We definitely will be doing group registration! Follow the link to the Mega Thread in my previous comment. The email to contact is listed there!

  • aceat64aceat64 Registered User new member
    Waifus 4 Lifu group request has been sent, can't wait to be there!

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    aceat64 wrote: »
    Waifus 4 Lifu group request has been sent, can't wait to be there!

    Your request is in and on the map! See you in a month.

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    Hey Guys, I've been getting a handful of seating requests for smaller groups than the 6 people stated above.

    We are gonna give some more time for the larger groups to get their requests in before saving the seats for the smaller groups. I'll get the current smaller requests on the seating chart so everyone can see and larger groups can hopefully work around them :)

  • InstantsmileInstantsmile Registered User new member
    So this will be my first Pax South, I have been to Pax West (Prime) and Pax Dev for a few years now along with GDC, E3, and TwitchCon. Anyhow I saw that there was a BYOC pass so I purchased one so I could hopefully be able to LAN it up but to be completely honest I don't know how this works. I play basically every video game and I am an eSports Professional Player Partnered with Twitch so if theres any tournaments I would love to join in or competitive groups that might need another member. However, I don't mind playing with total beginners either, I am here to have fun, make new friends, and most importantly come away with unforgettable memories!

  • statton4statton4 Registered User regular
    Hey Guys, I've been getting a handful of seating requests for smaller groups than the 6 people stated above.

    We are gonna give some more time for the larger groups to get their requests in before saving the seats for the smaller groups. I'll get the current smaller requests on the seating chart so everyone can see and larger groups can hopefully work around them :)

    when will we know the final seating setup?

  • GINGER THIGHSGINGER THIGHS Registered User new member
    I'd like to see an Overwatch BYOC tournament!

  • statton4statton4 Registered User regular
    statton4 wrote: »
    Hey Guys, I've been getting a handful of seating requests for smaller groups than the 6 people stated above.

    We are gonna give some more time for the larger groups to get their requests in before saving the seats for the smaller groups. I'll get the current smaller requests on the seating chart so everyone can see and larger groups can hopefully work around them :)

    when will we know the final seating setup?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    statton4 wrote: »
    statton4 wrote: »
    Hey Guys, I've been getting a handful of seating requests for smaller groups than the 6 people stated above.

    We are gonna give some more time for the larger groups to get their requests in before saving the seats for the smaller groups. I'll get the current smaller requests on the seating chart so everyone can see and larger groups can hopefully work around them :)

    when will we know the final seating setup?
    It is likely not final until the week of PAX.

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    UPDATE: I am extending seat requests to smaller groups at this time! Let me know where you wanna sit and what games you are interested in for BYOC tournament!

  • joker5542joker5542 Registered User regular
    looking for will-call hours to pick up my byoc badge anyone know?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    as far as I know, the will call hours are the following:

    Thursday (1/11): 9AM – 6PM
    Friday (1/12): 8AM – 7PM
    Saturday (1/13): 8AM – 7PM
    Sunday (1/14): 8AM – 5PM

    These, of course, are subject to change.

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    Casai wrote: »
    This will be our first PAX South! Will there be BYOC group registration like at PAX Prime (ok fine West)? We have 9 in our group currently.

    Thanks for hosting us!

    Did you get your group request in?! If not let me know and we can get that all set up for you for seating arrangements.

  • gamingpsychoticgamingpsychotic Registered User new member
    Hello! This is my first time doing BYOC at PAX. I'm attending with my wife. I know group seating is limited to groups of six or more, but outside of that, how are seats claimed? First come first serve? When is the earliest we can bring our stuff in? Is there an FAQ somewhere that details all of this? Thanks for your time, looking forward to next weekend!

  • gamingpsychoticgamingpsychotic Registered User new member
    I'm an idiot and missed a bunch of important information that answered literally all of my questions. Sorry!

  • trebor68trebor68 Orlando, FLRegistered User regular
    Will those with BYOC badges be able to enter before 10:00 AM on Friday to setup in the BYOC area and then wait until released?

  • ceLceL Registered User new member
    What's the tournament game going to be?!! PUBG? Hearthstone? CSGO? OW? Some random game? Let us know please!!

  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    There will be many tournaments that will be revealed on Friday. Also I'm juggling the idea of putting a sheet for requests at the BYOC Tournaments table so there will be opportunities to see what people are interested in.

  • TaichanTaichan Registered User regular
    Platypus King, more troll music please!

  • AshTRAshTR Austin, TXRegistered User regular
    "We will have Discord servers available for tournaments and public gaming. While we will have the clients available on our file server, it is recommended that you download and install clients before hand."

    Where are these servers?

    zEjfyle.png
  • Platypus KingPlatypus King Registered User regular
    Hey guys! I have the google drive folder set up with the pictures I took. Look here to find them! https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JkjLVIlss0wtQnISC6ekFb8AoMbdRYRC?usp=sharing

    Hope everyone had a great time and feel free again to message me if you want to play games or anything!

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