By Amanda
Labor Day weekend forces you to make some of the most difficult decisions regarding cons—Fan Expo Canada, DragonCon in Atlanta, or PAX Prime in Seattle? Depending on where you live or your interests, one event may appeal to you more than the others. Others like me wish they would build a cloning device so I could really experience all three at once. I spent my weekend at PAX Prime’s 10th Anniversary event, and here is my field guide of sorts of my experiences along the way at my first Prime and tips for any future con-goers. Photos will follow in a separate post, most likely tomorrow.
FRIDAY
Panels Are Not Like They Seem in Guidebooks
As expected, the Washington State Convention Center was packed at 10 AM Friday morning. Cosplayers, industry crew, enforcers, and the rest of us in blue jeans and geek t-shirts vied for what little space there was in the building. The enforcers shunted me around the wrong way a few times, but I made it to my first line of PAX with few hardships to see the Women Surviving and Thriving in Games Media panel. My friends hardly ever go to panels, but every single one I’ve gone to at any PAX have been awesome. The few panels that I went to were primarily on journalism or equality in gaming.
The two journalism panels had entirely different feels, so it was beneficial to visit both. The first was organized and moderated fairly well. The second panel was chaos, looped in every direction possible, and yet I learned so much about the industry from the topics to name dropping to just the flow of the conversation. Unlike other conventions, PAX panels are more topical and focus less on big names or stars. I recommend that you pick one thing you’re truly passionate about and see the panels on that track. You’ll find geeks of similar interest, maybe gain a Twitter friend or two, and have some laughs. Every one of my friends commented on how I went to all these intellectual things, but I cannot tell you how many times panelists said the word “poop” or the Onion was quoted.
One major takeaway from the Are Twitch, YouTube, and Podcasts Killing Traditional Games Journalism? panel was that unlike so many other industries, gaming is one in which there are few barriers between the fan and the higher ups. If you wanted to touch a certain game journalist’s butt at PAX, you probably can do that (though I don’t recommend it). PAX gives you more access to the people that you love and more ability to participate in the conversation of how games are made and how games are talked about more than most other media types. And that’s cool.
Talk to Everyone While Waiting in Line
The lines passed by quickly on Friday for a variety of reasons. First, I made myself be brave and reach out. While my 3DS was a great starting point for conversations at PAX East, I have actually been happier at Prime to try more conversations. I met Minecrafters, software developers, and hardcore cosplayers. The entertainment crew walked around lines on Friday, offering prizes if you played their card games. I won three cute pins for my lanyard while killing time. On Sunday, when we’d all dragged our hungover or sleep-deprived selves out of bed, we chatted about PAX pox, tabletop gaming, and what brought us to Seattle.
Usually if people aren’t interested, they’ll not even say a word, but most everyone is super nice and welcome a temporary buddy. Topics that have worked for me: vent your frustrations about waiting in line; point out the awkwardness that you are the only 5 people who knew this panel existed, narrate what you’re doing until a commonality is reached (yes, this actually kickstarted a convo on Friday).
Competitions are Actually Cooler in Person
Following the panels and some Expo Hall exploration, I actually watched League of Legends. In person. I don’t play League. I don’t actively watch it either. But since my friends wanted to rest and watch the LCS live, I sat with them. The activity in the room was amazing. We were lucky enough to catch matches with League players that I actually knew which did make it more exciting. Live casters kept up the hype and big screens scaled the room so I didn’t miss anything. Even more amazing is the energy of hundreds of actual fans in the room. It was fun to be caught up in the energy as Dignitas beat Counter Logic Gaming.
Later that afternoon, I joined my friends for a Mario Kart 8 race. We met a few Lets Players, had some laughs, and relaxed in a quiet corner of the Sheraton. This event was entirely different from the giant LCS match earlier, but enjoyable for that reason. Watch some live play, even if you could care less about the particular games. Get out of your tabletop-only realm and experience another facet of gaming.
FRIDAY
Panels Are Not Like They Seem in Guidebooks
As expected, the Washington State Convention Center was packed at 10 AM Friday morning. Cosplayers, industry crew, enforcers, and the rest of us in blue jeans and geek t-shirts vied for what little space there was in the building. The enforcers shunted me around the wrong way a few times, but I made it to my first line of PAX with few hardships to see the Women Surviving and Thriving in Games Media panel. My friends hardly ever go to panels, but every single one I’ve gone to at any PAX have been awesome. The few panels that I went to were primarily on journalism or equality in gaming.
The two journalism panels had entirely different feels, so it was beneficial to visit both. The first was organized and moderated fairly well. The second panel was chaos, looped in every direction possible, and yet I learned so much about the industry from the topics to name dropping to just the flow of the conversation. Unlike other conventions, PAX panels are more topical and focus less on big names or stars. I recommend that you pick one thing you’re truly passionate about and see the panels on that track. You’ll find geeks of similar interest, maybe gain a Twitter friend or two, and have some laughs. Every one of my friends commented on how I went to all these intellectual things, but I cannot tell you how many times panelists said the word “poop” or the Onion was quoted.
One major takeaway from the Are Twitch, YouTube, and Podcasts Killing Traditional Games Journalism? panel was that unlike so many other industries, gaming is one in which there are few barriers between the fan and the higher ups. If you wanted to touch a certain game journalist’s butt at PAX, you probably can do that (though I don’t recommend it). PAX gives you more access to the people that you love and more ability to participate in the conversation of how games are made and how games are talked about more than most other media types. And that’s cool.
Talk to Everyone While Waiting in Line
The lines passed by quickly on Friday for a variety of reasons. First, I made myself be brave and reach out. While my 3DS was a great starting point for conversations at PAX East, I have actually been happier at Prime to try more conversations. I met Minecrafters, software developers, and hardcore cosplayers. The entertainment crew walked around lines on Friday, offering prizes if you played their card games. I won three cute pins for my lanyard while killing time. On Sunday, when we’d all dragged our hungover or sleep-deprived selves out of bed, we chatted about PAX pox, tabletop gaming, and what brought us to Seattle.
Usually if people aren’t interested, they’ll not even say a word, but most everyone is super nice and welcome a temporary buddy. Topics that have worked for me: vent your frustrations about waiting in line; point out the awkwardness that you are the only 5 people who knew this panel existed, narrate what you’re doing until a commonality is reached (yes, this actually kickstarted a convo on Friday).
Competitions are Actually Cooler in Person
Following the panels and some Expo Hall exploration, I actually watched League of Legends. In person. I don’t play League. I don’t actively watch it either. But since my friends wanted to rest and watch the LCS live, I sat with them. The activity in the room was amazing. We were lucky enough to catch matches with League players that I actually knew which did make it more exciting. Live casters kept up the hype and big screens scaled the room so I didn’t miss anything. Even more amazing is the energy of hundreds of actual fans in the room. It was fun to be caught up in the energy as Dignitas beat Counter Logic Gaming.
Later that afternoon, I joined my friends for a Mario Kart 8 race. We met a few Lets Players, had some laughs, and relaxed in a quiet corner of the Sheraton. This event was entirely different from the giant LCS match earlier, but enjoyable for that reason. Watch some live play, even if you could care less about the particular games. Get out of your tabletop-only realm and experience another facet of gaming.