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PAX East 2020 BYOC Megathread (Rules, Regulations, & Thumb Wrestling Edition)

DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOCPittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
edited January 2022 in PAX East
Though I wanted to piggyback on Asmer's post regarding checking into BYOC, I'm traveling for work and there is a lot of info here. SO, without further ado:

****PATCH YOUR PC BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****

If you're getting this, that means you have purchased a BYOC spot at PAX East 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.

--- Getting There ---

If you're travelling by car and getting there between 8:00am and 12:00pm on Thursday or Friday, pull into the Westin/BCEC area at the base of the giant media wall. Follow this road (West Side Drive) all the way past the building, and down and back up the ramp. Keep following the road until you get to Level 1 Southwest. This will be the first glass vestibule you come to on your right hand side.

We will have signs posted where the load-in area will be and there will be Enforcers inside the building manning a security station that can hold your equipment for you while you park your car.

For those of you staying at the Westin, you've got a bit of a walk...sorry about that! Go straight from the skybridge connecting the Westin and the BCEC and down the escalator. Keep going the same direction through North Lobby and around the Northwest corner of the building. Keep following the hallway until you get to "Southwest Lobby B2". This will be the second lobby you come to, just past the food court. From there you can make use of either the RIGHT escalator or the elevator down to the PC Room level (Level 0/ Hall Southwest C1).

Note that BYOC opens at 8:00am on Thursday and Friday, two hours earlier than the rest of the show. Obviously, that's pending our ability to make sure things are totally ready for you, but our goal is you'll be able to set up your rig with plenty of time to hop in the Expo Hall line.

--- Basic LAN Party Information ---

****PATCH YOUR PC BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****

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

PAX Badge
BYOC Badge
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, but longer is always better)
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 and we might be able to help out.

****PATCH YOUR PC BEFORE YOU ARRIVE****

--- Pre-PAX Prep---

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...you'll almost certainly get faster downloads at home.

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.

Unfortunately we cannot support any VR equipment, so please leave that stuff home, but we do have a VR Freeplay zone right next to the PC Area you can use (just like any other attendee).

--- PAX East Badge Registration ---

Your PAX East BYOC badges should be mailed to you shortly if you haven't received them already. Should you have questions or issues with this, please contact registration@paxsite.com.

--- PAX East Schedule ---

The PAX East BYOC schedule is as follows:
Thursday: 8:00am - 12:00am
Friday: 8:00am - 12:00am
Saturday: 10:00am - 12:00am
Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm

--- Tournament Schedule ---

The PC Tournament Schedule will be found on our forums right here. Note this does not account for the various BYOC contests we'll be peer pressuring you into.

--- 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 probably 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.

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 iPods, tablets, portable game consoles, CD's, big 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 client available on our file server, it is recommended that you download and install Discord before you come to the event if you think there’s a chance you’d like to use it. You can download the client at https://discordapp.com/.

If you have any PC related questions at all during PAX, please see the BYOC Help Desk. If they're not able to provide a solution, they'll be able to direct you to the right people to get your problem solved.

--- Internet Connection and Gaming ---

At a large venue such as PAX there can be limited bandwidth available during peak times such as check-in. Please make sure you patch your games and system prior to arriving to save a little frustration on site.

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zerzhul on

Posts

  • DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOC Pittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
    edited February 2020
    Alright, that bad boy is posted. We're still working on a game schedule strictly for BYOC and I will this post with our "Tentative plans" when things are more settled down. However, I know a bunch of you guys wanted to get involved with helping make BYOC better. Especially when it comes to new events that we may have overlooked different rules on. In particular (if memory serves me) thumb wrestling, the triathalon, and any fun run we do (eg D2). Please feel free to start the discussion below!

    I've added a short list of games we'll be setting up over the weekend. This is not a finite list as we will be taking suggestions if there is enough interest, we'll set it up. I apologize with my busy work schedule, I didn't get a chance to post anything earlier or more concrete. We will a schedule up during PAX, so make sure your files are updated!

    All weekend
    Minecraft build contest
    BYOCathalon

    Online Games throughout the weekend
    APEX Legends
    PUBG
    Overwatch
    LoL
    Diablo 3
    Rocket League (IIRC can offline vs on local LAN)
    RB6: Seige

    Offline Games
    Starcraft:BW
    7 Days to Die
    HL2: Deathmatch
    Satisfactory (Can this be done offline? I need to check)
    Shuffleboard
    Thumb Wrestling

    Drogith on
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  • paulsenapaulsena Registered User new member
    I'd would love to help organize some group play game. I found it a little hard to get some pickup group games going last year in the discord server. Maybe it would help if we have a few group games (non tourney format) pre-scheduled so people could plan for it? I can help with Overwatch, Counter Strike Go, and maybe a little D3 (newish at it). There's a few couch co-op games that might be fun too like Overcooked, King of the Hat, etc.

    Thanks!

  • ChazStickChazStick Registered User regular
    Throne of Lies is a good large group multi player (16 people, kind of like secret werewolf). PUBG is one people will still play, I keep trying people to get in Dino D-Day, and there's a possibility I'll have a 7Days2Die (Alpha 18.2 or newest build, whatever) server up that I'll advertise in the Discord there.

    Age of Empires 2 Definitive edition is also fun.

  • ChazStickChazStick Registered User regular
    And what about something like a Game Bingo, where everyone has a 5x5 grid of games with a specific milestone you have to attain while at PAX. Like Defeat Diablo in D2, Craft a full set of Diamond armor in Minecraft, Survive to day X in 7d2d on X difficulty, make a city X population in Cities: Skylines, get an S Class ship in No Man Sky or harvest X amount of rare resource. As you fill out squares, you get can get bingo's to win small prizes. First to fill in the whole sheet wins a bigger prize? Could always have 2 options per box with different games, so people don't necessarily have to buy games to participate.

    As always, characters or playthroughs would have to be made exclusively while at PAX, so games where you customize the map or character to have a certain PAX code in the title are best.

  • ChazStickChazStick Registered User regular
    And some squares could even be "Participate in HDD Shuffleboard" or "Participate in Paper Airplane Contest" or even "Buy an Enforcer an Energy Drink" ;-)

  • DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOC Pittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
    I will be posting up some games tonight that you might expect to see. Do not, like in the past, sometimes the internet may not cooperate with us during the convention. So make sure to load up on LAN style games like Diablo 2, Quake, Starcraft:BW, TF2, etc... That being said, we'll plan for amazing!

    Thumb wrestling will make a return and I hope to see more than just myself dressing up for the part. Bonus points for competing in a costume. What the points mean... I have no idea.

    Also, do note that aside from the medals we get every year, prizes are not guaranteed for competitions we run.

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  • DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOC Pittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
    Added an update up above with a tentative games list.

    ChazStick, I like a lot of your ideas now that I got a chance to look them over and digest things. The BINGO card sounds like a fun thing to do and I actually set something similar to that up years back when LANFest ran BYOC. That was back when we actually had prizing though and we had people go out to different sponsors and get a stamp on a passport. It got people out and moving AND counted as a raffle prize. Anyway, it might be too late to setup the BINGO card (or get things printed out), but I will be bringing it up to see if other PAX events want to jump on the idea for when their events happen.

    We did try couch style games one year. It was like pulling teeth and we did risk the chance of something inappropriate happening. It might be time to try it again, we'll see.

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  • ChazStickChazStick Registered User regular
    Thanks, I figured the prize aspect of the bingo thing would be tough, but even bragging rights are worth while.

  • PsydanmanPsydanman Registered User new member
    Anyone interested in a League of Legends Pax clash team. Nothing too high level. A friend and I hover around high Silver although I always end up Gold by the end of the season.

  • hellsgoalie hellsgoalie Registered User new member
    Some Counter Strike would be good. Haven't played that in a while. I play Source usually but I could also load up CS GO.

  • hobbseltoffhobbseltoff Issaquah, WARegistered User regular
    Just want to confirm that there is not a typo in the OP and we can get in early on both Thursday and Friday?

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  • DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOC Pittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
    Just want to confirm that there is not a typo in the OP and we can get in early on both Thursday and Friday?

    That is correct! you can load your PC into the BYOC area early on both Thursday and Friday. However, the exhibit hall is still restricted to show hours.

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  • crainbrampcrainbramp Registered User new member
    First year for Pax, and loved it. Crowded, but I expected that.

    The only real observation that I have is concerning leaving the BYOC area. On Sunday about 11am or so, I decided to pack it in, since I had a 5 hour drive ahead of me. Got everything packed up, and found that although I could leave, there was no way to get my vehicle anywhere up to the Expo to pick up my stuff until around 3PM. The BYOC thread didn't have any information concerning this particular restriction.

    Although not a huge deal at first sight, I'm handicapped (ambulatory, but my joints are shot), and the final determination was that if I really did want to leave early ... I'd just have to hit a side entrance and lug my stuff to the car. It sucked.

    That could have definitely gone better.

  • DrogithDrogith She who runneth the BYOC Pittsfield, NHRegistered User regular
    crainbramp wrote: »
    First year for Pax, and loved it. Crowded, but I expected that.

    The only real observation that I have is concerning leaving the BYOC area. On Sunday about 11am or so, I decided to pack it in, since I had a 5 hour drive ahead of me. Got everything packed up, and found that although I could leave, there was no way to get my vehicle anywhere up to the Expo to pick up my stuff until around 3PM. The BYOC thread didn't have any information concerning this particular restriction.

    Although not a huge deal at first sight, I'm handicapped (ambulatory, but my joints are shot), and the final determination was that if I really did want to leave early ... I'd just have to hit a side entrance and lug my stuff to the car. It sucked.

    That could have definitely gone better.

    That is some good feedback about exiting. We did have that info on the rotating slides on the projector, though having it in text to you guys well beforehand is a good idea. I checked my post about BYOC prep stuff and it is also lacking there.

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  • mSWAEmSWAE Registered User regular
    Any word on BYOC 2022 at East?

  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    nothing yet!

This discussion has been closed.