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New to the expo
Mclacal
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Registered User new member
My husband and I are thinking about flying out to Seattle for vacay this year and going to the expo while we are in town. What makes this the best expo to attend? Any tips for first timers? Thx!
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This will be my first convention/conference/whatever of this nature and I have no idea what to expect. I'm taking my laptop and Nintendo DS, a camera, and a credit card. Don't really know what will happen, but I've been wanting to attend PAX for at least five years now, so I'm pretty excited :-)
G+: MStublefield
Twitter: dmmagic
There will be a lot going on! There is never something not going on. Many many pannels to sit in on all day long. Dont like sitting and listening to people yack? Fine! Go home! ...just kidding. There are also many rooms where you can actually play video games, and with some awesome sauce people. There is also the expo hall where it is filled to the rim with epic proportions. Gaming companies and little shops to show off their up and coming stuff. You can demo these games even.
And if the crowd is bogging you down, hey, Seattle is just an awesome place in general. The convention center is within walking distance of a lot of famous Seattle spots. Such as Pike Place Market, for instance.
And the whole building is just full of cool people to meet. There are also concerts held on Friday and Saturday night. The music is geared towards Nerd Core music and old video game favorites remastered into heavy rock. Its a blast from the past but also leaving the feeling of, "Im not as much as a nerd if I listen to it in its rock form."
So anyway...yes. Lots to do. PAX is an awesome event for anyone to go to.
Obviously you can mix and match some, but it's definitely amazing!
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Portalflip
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G+: MStublefield
Twitter: dmmagic
Plus the forum people are rad as hell. I love these guys.
You should check out the Magical Mystery Tour!
G+: MStublefield
Twitter: dmmagic
Best things about PAX:
- Pre-PAX events, especially the dinner if you want your Bawls fix.
- The fact that 99% of the people you meet are hilarious and you'll always be with cool people.
- Awesome concerts.
- Pictochat.
Worst thing about PAX:
-- Pictochat.
Go to as many pre-pax events as you can. They can be just as fun as PAX itself.
Also get in line early. Last year I went when I thought there'd be no one there and there was probably several hundred people already there.
Last year was my first time, and that's what I did. I feel that after that I was sufficiently prepared for the awesome that is PAX.
Unfortunately, that was a mistake to think.
The biggest piece of advice I can give, is be prepared to feel like you got hit by the 18 Wheeler of Bad Ass. You are going to leave PAX feeling like you have just been pummled by the awesome stick.
Try to do the community events as well, and keep in mind...PAX is not E3, it's not about games, but games are showcased. The real stars of PAX are the people going to it. I have to say the best part of my first PAX (last year) was leaving with friendships that I feel will be life long, after only knowing people for a week at the most (CCST 08).
And if you want to make a plan on how to spend your PAX, make sure you can be flexible...because you are not going to hold to it...at all
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That is good advice. Go to the late night concerts, and if you aren't a social person, force yourself to be. You will meet some really cool people. Bring lots of money so you can buy cool stuff. Go to meet-up events even if you don't know anyone. Twitter is your friend.
Astayonix and ElectricTurtle are in the middle of planning this year's pre-PAX dinner and will have a signup thread up when they have everything hashed out. I'll have the official bar crawl thread up within the next couple months. We're still 7 months away from PAX.
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Portalflip
Pokemon X: Atlus | 3539-8807-3813
-Go to the Key Note if you can, for real. Wil Wheaton’s key note for 2007 was amazing, unfortunately I couldn't make it into last years.
-Choose a couple panels you really really want to see and one that you think not a lot of people will show up to. And if the line is huge to get in when you show up, just leave. No need to stand in line for an hour or so if you’re going to miss out on other Con-goodness. In 07 PAX had a ton of panels, actually they had too many for the number of attendance, last year they had too few for the number of attendance. From what I understand they'll have more panels this year but it might not be enough again.
-Attendance will be up, you have people like Adam Sessler (sp?), Morgan Webb, Ed Brubaker, Felicia Day, The Totally Rad Guys, and Will Wheaton showing up to PAX and they promote it. From 07 to 08, the increase in attendance was staggering and I can't wait to see what it's going to be like this year!
-Bring your own water, and hand disinfectant and use it! I can't stress this enough. You'll thank me when you see the long thread of people complaining to have PAX-S.A.R.S. It's not pretty. Also wash your hands when using the bathroom, just by you doing it you’ll encourage others to do so.
-Leave to eat, see the city. I know you want to stay in there and see all the PAX goodness but go out in the sun, doing this will energize you and keep you from getting Con-burn. It can get to be too much. This is the best advice I can give anyone.
PAX Attendance Figures
2004: 3,300
2005: 9,000
2006: 19,323
2007: 37,000
2008: 58,500
all attendance numbers are "turnstyle"
I know, but this thread has some information that the thread to which you are referring does not. And technically, there is a difference between a FAQ and a thread with random tips for newbies.
PAX is never not fun.
Just be prepared and don't wing it.
Yea, I didn't even get with in a 100 people before they stopped letting people into that panel. But didn't they clear out the rooms before every panel? I know they did it on a couple. Usually it will say somewhere if they're going to clear a room, either in the program or on the door of the room. Check first before going into the panel before
however ds is needed and join the pax dinner and MMT (you will better from it)
Bumbershoot and PAX don't completely step on each others' toes
Yeah, uh, planning. We're totally planning, uh, stuff, and not sitting around like lazy sluts. Totally.
(Seriously though, have we ever let anybody down?)
Oh and that expression, getting hit by an 18 wheeler of badass, is a keeper, JonnyNero.
Thanks...I'm trying to figure out a way to turn that expression into a button
NEW ALBUM OUT, NOW WITH 100% MORE SHEEP!, have a listen will ya
PAX is the only expo I've ever been to where you get a Wizard of Oz feeling of coming home.
Last year was my first time going to PAX. Throughout the entire experience there were times when I felt like I was the only person who didn't really know where I wanted to be, there were times that it felt like a normal convention/conference, and there were times when it felt like a giant dorm of gamers with everyone's door open.
What really drove the entire thing home was the morning after PAX ended. From the time that we had arrived on Thursday until Sunday night gamers were in evidence everywhere, so much so that it was a very subtle effect and not overtly noticeable. On Monday morning when we went down to the lobby of the hotel and walked outside for a few minutes before going to catch our plane the difference was extremely jarring. Instead of the lobby being filled with groups sprawled in chairs equipped with DS's, game shirts, miniatures, and cards, it was filled instead with families and singles or pairs of businessmen. The entire area had become "normal" again, and only when that happened did I realize how much the surrounding 6 blocks had been transformed into a community and a home for those few days. It was like waking up from a wonderful dream, looking around at the stark world around you, and then wondering if it was all real.
It doesn't matter that you don't know the other 50k+ people. It doesn't matter that the spread of interests ranges beyond the areas you specialize in. Unlike other conventions it isn't focused specifically on some sub-section like comics or Star Trek, it's big enough and varied enough to embrace the entire population of all of those sections together and that's what makes it really unique.
I truly believe (and I think that other people would agree) that you can't get that anywhere else.
Yes, they did start emptying out rooms last year to prevent squatters (don't piss off the Enforcers!). PAX is a shit-ton of awesome crammed into 3 short days (ish), and the bottom line is that you gotta have a plan, and you're going to have to make sacrifices. Note: YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO/SEE EVERYTHING. It is impossible. Truly. Once the schedule and events start coming out, it'll be easier to figure out - but as MeeOk said, be prepared for your best laid plans to get thrown out the window. =P
My strategy is to pick the stuff I just *have* to attend (panels, screenings, etc) first, and then whittle it down. There will be conflicts. Hard choices must be made. As PAX gets closer and more awesome gets planned, I whittle and refine my schedule. Once the weekend hits, I play it by ear. =D
Lasly: lines. There are lines. And more lines. Bring comfortable walking/standing shoes!
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I need to see what panels will be there, I want to make my schedule. Man I would love to have my DS signed by someone famous (John or Gabe or both make the top of my list) so that is the goal of PAX for me.
I need some friends though. Hopefully I'll make tons before I leave.
Totally. What makes PAX so special is the people. I've never seen a con where so many take initiative finding creative ways to make the whole thing better. My husband and I use the term "one of us..." :P
I would say that it's good to come w/ a plan but be prepared or flexible enough to toss the plan and create a new one once your there...
it was really amazing to be able to go anywhere in seattle within a 6 block radius for those 3 days and strike up a conversation with another group of pax goers that would be around..... it was also funny and a little surreal to be in a restaurant at pacific place and notice that a quarter of the patrons were on their ds's, while eating dinner...
Avoid console freeplay unless you are playing with other people, and never go to console freeplay in the daytime when the expo hall is open (that's just stupid).
Commit to one thing for hours, because having an exact schedule leads to time conflicts and frustration. For example, panels on Friday and expo hall on Saturday. I noticed that the expo hall was less busy on Saturday morning and that was when I played most of the games I wanted to.
And money for cookies! The Cookie Brigade is pretty good about hitting up lines.
There isnt an "artists alley"
and at pax there isnt really a dealers room. Theres an expo hall, only a small portion of companies in expo actually sell things.