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PrePax Game Night: The Mostly Official, Fairly Legit Thread (Now with Peptide Frosting)*

LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
edited March 2018 in PAX East
Yes! With Frosting!*

WHAT: A coordinated meetup the night before PAX for anyone with board games, or anyone who wants to play boardgames. About 500-ish people usually attend.

WHERE: The "Galleria" exhibition hall in the basement of The Boston Westin Waterfront Hotel: 425 Summer Street.

WHEN: Wednesday April 4 - 4:00 PM until 1:00am

HOW: There is no formal game library. Attendees bring whatever games they like and a borrower-lender matchup system is provided.

WHO: Anybody who wants to come. You don't need badge. The Cookie Brigade will be there.

This event is ALL AGES!! It's also FREE! And there are NO SIGNUPS!!! Just show up and have a great time. Feel free to bring your spawn, but remember that PAXers have filthy, filthy mouths and your wee ones may be subject to some exciting new vocabulary.

RULES
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: The Westin gives us this space for free. They are not obligated to host us and we make every effort to be good guests. We negotiate this every year in exchange for a good bar and restaurant take. It will be a little inconvenient since we'll be pretty far away from the bar and restaurant, but even so, please make every effort to purchase from the Birch Bar for food and drink this evening and encourage your tablemates to do the same.

- Please don't be an egregious douchebag. For example, one year in Seattle, some guy decided it would be a great idea to vape in the ballroom and the hotel manager came and had an unpleasant chat with me about it. This isn't your buddy's garage man cave, please act appropriately. We pride ourselves on being a responsible, self-policing community, so if you see someone acting inappropriately (smoking, vandalizing or just being a dick), it's a good idea to nicely recommend they knock it the fuck off before management does.

- Political arguments are included in the "don't be a dick" rule. If discussions at your table get heated, DROP IT. If your argument is emotional enough to get loud or disrupt the game or neighboring tables, you may be asked to leave. This isn't the place: take a break from all that shit for the night. We're all gamers here.

- Be Excellent to each other. We freaks and geeks can be a socially maladroit group, so if someone is shyly lurking by your table, invite them to join. Be patient, be nice. Please don't flip your table.


Food and Drink

DRINKS
- There will be a bar downstairs.
- Drinks can be ordered from the Birch Bar upstairs and taken downstairs.
- NO DRINKS CAN BE TAKEN OUTSIDE OF MJ O'Connor's. Please do not order drinks for takeout from them. (Their restaurant license is separate from the Westin and takeout cocktails are illegal).
- No outside boozes. Just don't.

FOOD
- There will be no table service.
- Food can be ordered from the Birch Bar upstairs. Please make every effort to order from them - I know it's pricey but it's how we pay for this space.
- No outside food please unless we hear otherwise closer to the event.
- The Cookie Brigade will have a table for dropoff and donations


HOW IT WORKS
1. The Cookie Brigade will be staffing the info table. Additional volunteer staffers are always needed, so step up if you want to take a shift for an hour or two that evening!
2. If you've got a game and are looking for players, put the box top of the game vertically on your table. This is the universal sign for "I don't care who you are, please join us"
3. If you're looking to join a game, look for vertical box tops.
4. We will have a hosted checkout system at the info table. You can drop off games to loan or borrow games there. If you're dropping off, I recommend doing this:
fpw9gvslxm9p.jpg

Weekend Gaming
The "Otis" meeting room will be open 24 hours all weekend for casual gaming. Please don't game in the lobbies or mezzanine; the hotel would like to keep those areas clear for the comfort of non-convention guests.

Never Been? Here's what you should know:
Pre-PAX Game Night at the Westin has been a tradition for 5+ years at East. Hundred seats are filled to bursting with players and boardgames of all sorts, and the event is one of the only all-ages, free-to-attend activities on Thursday night. Renting this space is cost prohibitive, so we've successfully negotiated with the hotels to give us space for free every year (no small feat).

You don't have to pay to get in, it's open to the public, all-ages, and people are really nice. It's a great way to come and kick off PAX with a massive group of friendly, like-minded PAXers and the selection of boardgames is mindblowing. You can bring your own, or find someone to borrow a game from. There is no central game library but lots of people bring private collections to loan out during the event while other folks prefer to set up a single game ahead of time that they bring. It's very free-form and is a completely volunteer, community run event.

Check out last year's thread here to learn more about it.

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*So I went back and rewatched the episode and realized that I got the reference mixed up. I don't care; it's punchier this way.

Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
LexiconGrrl on
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Posts

  • VermillionDeVermillionDe Registered User regular
    Yay! Hooray for prepax boardgames night. Maybe I'll lug down arkham horror lcg again in my big honking suitcase. It totally doesn't look shady (Hey kids, can I interest you in some unnamable horror?)

    Are you going to be there this year LexiconGrrl?

  • kropotkinkropotkin Forum Badge Creator London UKRegistered User regular
    I shall be there with the forum badges as always. I shall, however, not be there with my copy of Rising Sun as there is a lot to that game and the game mat is way to big to carry 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean!

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  • SolanalesSolanales CMYKMatter Registered User regular
    I'd be happy to contribute to any marketing materials if needed. I'm a graphic designer in my daily life but would love to help out with this if needed.


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  • RedK232RedK232 Registered User regular
    Since ill actually be coming up on a wed this time cause of pax being 4 days i have a better chance to make this. Cause i wanna be up there before rush hour since im about a 3 hour drive up.

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  • Frightfully EnglishFrightfully English Registered User regular
    Glad I found this! Community events at my last PAX 8 years ago are a large part of why I am returning from across the pond. Plus, travelling solo so this will be great to meet some peeps. Looking forward to more details!

    Frightfully

  • eloelo That guy over there... Smoke stack central, NJRegistered User regular
    Looking forward to this again. Here's hoping it happens since its always a fun way to spend the night before PAX :)

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  • MagneticImageMagneticImage Registered User regular
    One of my favorite things at PAX!

  • DarkshowersDarkshowers Registered User regular
    Sounds good. I'll drop by at some point in between other activities.

    "Aren't you going to answer that, Mister Data?"

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  • ChimneyImpChimneyImp Shifty Eyes BostonRegistered User regular
    I'm in!

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  • widian007widian007 Registered User regular
    This is one of my favorite events, so cool to meet new fellow gamers.

  • WuShockWuShock Lawful Good South BrownbackistanRegistered User regular
    Lexi, I can probably help wrangle games and stuff again. I'll be going to the pre-PAX Dinner, but was going to come directly after.

    Twixxo wrote:
    WuShock is the best
    He is the very bestest
    I wish I was him

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  • sillyzombie666sillyzombie666 massRegistered User regular
    im going to try and make it to it this, should be doing load in for a friends booth so it depends on that

    I REJECT YOUR REALITY AND SUBSTITUTE MY OWN
  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    We have confirmation. OP has been updated.

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    Are you going to be there this year LexiconGrrl?

    Yes.

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • SolanalesSolanales CMYKMatter Registered User regular
    Love it. Hoping to be there and thanks for making it happen Lexi


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  • SinoSambaSinoSamba CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    First year staying on the Westin. Looking forward to the game night and the crowd I always see on that hotel when passing through in previous years :)

    3DS FC: 3239-2323-6239
  • FastrFastr Registered User regular
    Awesome! I remember a couple years ark when this was very close to not happening!

  • KildrekKildrek Registered User regular
    I got an Airbnb for this pax, but I’m going to try my hardest to make this my first pre pax gaming meetup!

  • Frightfully EnglishFrightfully English Registered User regular
    Just to double check, this was the Thursday evening? OP has time but not date.

    Cheers! Pre-PAX hype is building.

  • harleyquinn228harleyquinn228 Registered User regular
    edited March 2018
    Just to double check, this was the Thursday evening? OP has time but not date.

    Cheers! Pre-PAX hype is building.

    As this is Pre-PAX, I believe this is moving to Wednesday night this year, but someone else will need to confirm. That may have just been my assumption.

    harleyquinn228 on
  • SolanalesSolanales CMYKMatter Registered User regular
    Before the OP was edited, Lexi had it listed as Wednesday yeah.


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  • Frightfully EnglishFrightfully English Registered User regular
    edited March 2018
    Excellent. Thanks both. I am stirring my tea vigorously with excitement from the comfort of my leather wingback armchair.

    Frightfully English on
  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    @Frightfully English , @harleyquinn228 , @Solanales

    Thanks for the heads up - it's Wednesday. Sorry, there was an errant "@" symbol in my edit that for some reason hid the text in front of it (?). It's fixed now.

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • jbkjbk Registered User regular
    Will be there with 2 Rooms + Boom + expansion, intending to play all night.

  • Le_GoatLe_Goat Frechified Goat Person BostonRegistered User regular
    Is anyone up for a game of Betrayal at House on the Hill? I own a copy and have never played it. Folks get all intimidated by the rules, so it just sits in a corner looking pretty.

    While I agree that being insensitive is an issue, so is being oversensitive.
  • ScoJoMoScoJoMo Registered User regular
    Le_Goat wrote: »
    Is anyone up for a game of Betrayal at House on the Hill? I own a copy and have never played it. Folks get all intimidated by the rules, so it just sits in a corner looking pretty.

    Just started playing this a few weeks ago. I've got a group of 4 coming that would probably be down to play.

  • jbkjbk Registered User regular
    Le_Goat wrote: »
    Is anyone up for a game of Betrayal at House on the Hill? I own a copy and have never played it. Folks get all intimidated by the rules, so it just sits in a corner looking pretty.

    Guarantee you will be able to find groups for this all pax. HMU if you can't - I love the game.

  • MoschMosch Registered User new member
    So this year is the first year I'm attending the board game night because I finally got a hotel for the day before PAX and I'm super excited to go. Due to most of my friends not coming until Thursday I may have to attend alone. Are there generally spots open at tables, or are you mostly out of luck if you don't bring a group?

  • ScoJoMoScoJoMo Registered User regular
    Mosch wrote: »
    So this year is the first year I'm attending the board game night because I finally got a hotel for the day before PAX and I'm super excited to go. Due to most of my friends not coming until Thursday I may have to attend alone. Are there generally spots open at tables, or are you mostly out of luck if you don't bring a group?

    This could actually be an advantage. I would imagine it's easier to fit one person into a game that already has a group looking for players than it is three or four.

  • MoschMosch Registered User new member
    ScoJoMo wrote: »
    Mosch wrote: »
    So this year is the first year I'm attending the board game night because I finally got a hotel for the day before PAX and I'm super excited to go. Due to most of my friends not coming until Thursday I may have to attend alone. Are there generally spots open at tables, or are you mostly out of luck if you don't bring a group?

    This could actually be an advantage. I would imagine it's easier to fit one person into a game that already has a group looking for players than it is three or four.

    Haha that's a very good point.

  • iadenaiadena Registered User regular
    ScoJoMo wrote: »
    Mosch wrote: »
    So this year is the first year I'm attending the board game night because I finally got a hotel for the day before PAX and I'm super excited to go. Due to most of my friends not coming until Thursday I may have to attend alone. Are there generally spots open at tables, or are you mostly out of luck if you don't bring a group?

    This could actually be an advantage. I would imagine it's easier to fit one person into a game that already has a group looking for players than it is three or four.

    Hi, I went last year alone and had no problems finding groups to play with. I played Dominion, Thunderstone, Secret Hilter, Sushi Go, Deception in HK, Codenames, etc. Enjoy. Maybe we can play a game together. :-)

  • MoschMosch Registered User new member
    iadena wrote: »
    ScoJoMo wrote: »
    Mosch wrote: »
    So this year is the first year I'm attending the board game night because I finally got a hotel for the day before PAX and I'm super excited to go. Due to most of my friends not coming until Thursday I may have to attend alone. Are there generally spots open at tables, or are you mostly out of luck if you don't bring a group?

    This could actually be an advantage. I would imagine it's easier to fit one person into a game that already has a group looking for players than it is three or four.

    Hi, I went last year alone and had no problems finding groups to play with. I played Dominion, Thunderstone, Secret Hilter, Sushi Go, Deception in HK, Codenames, etc. Enjoy. Maybe we can play a game together. :-)

    Awesome! That makes me worry much less. And I'd love to, I'm always down to play with new people. I'm not sure what games of mine I'll be bringing but I'm thinking Mysterium, Secret Hitler, and maybe a few others...stuff that's easy to just pull out and play basically. Thank you for the info!

  • Le_GoatLe_Goat Frechified Goat Person BostonRegistered User regular
    I've heard nothing but amazing and fun things about Secret Hitler. Also, if Joust is back this year, I highly recommend getting involved in that. Lots of fun.

    While I agree that being insensitive is an issue, so is being oversensitive.
  • divisiontendivisionten Registered User regular
    I’m bringing Sherlock and Watson, Machi Koro, and Clank! and I am Hyyyype

  • MagneticImageMagneticImage Registered User regular
    Mosch, I went by myself last year and it was awesome. As people have said, you round out the game to give the perfect number of players.

  • moeyjarmoeyjar Fredericton, NBRegistered User regular
    Le_Goat wrote: »
    I've heard nothing but amazing and fun things about Secret Hitler. Also, if Joust is back this year, I highly recommend getting involved in that. Lots of fun.

    We will be bringing Joust again this year to Pre-PAX board night! We have a few more controllers this year, and a more varied music playlist :)

  • LexiconGrrlLexiconGrrl Registered User regular
    moeyjar wrote: »
    Le_Goat wrote: »
    I've heard nothing but amazing and fun things about Secret Hitler. Also, if Joust is back this year, I highly recommend getting involved in that. Lots of fun.

    We will be bringing Joust again this year to Pre-PAX board night! We have a few more controllers this year, and a more varied music playlist :)

    Need anything staged?

    Happily on Sabbatical. Don't bug me.
  • moeyjarmoeyjar Fredericton, NBRegistered User regular
    moeyjar wrote: »
    Le_Goat wrote: »
    I've heard nothing but amazing and fun things about Secret Hitler. Also, if Joust is back this year, I highly recommend getting involved in that. Lots of fun.

    We will be bringing Joust again this year to Pre-PAX board night! We have a few more controllers this year, and a more varied music playlist :)

    Need anything staged?

    I'll check, but the last few years, we just set up on the left side of the room when you walk in, close to the front. It was away from the tables, and gave folks plenty of room to move around while Jousting :) Will likely set up after things quiet down a bit near the end of the evening, and after we play a few board games ourselves!

  • vickinatorvickinator Cookie Brigade Organizer :) New YorkRegistered User regular
    Thanks for organizing, Lexi! I'm looking forward to being there, will be helping out at the Cookie Brigade table! :)

  • CabadrinCabadrin Boston, MARegistered User regular
    Always a good time! Thanks for organizing, and I look forward to seeing it this year.

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