PAX East 2012 Catch All & GWJ Meetup

Yeah if I can find tickets I will go all three days I think. But so far its looking like I might only go Friday? I dunno. I want to try to go whatever day the LoL tourny will be. Oh and I wanna see Baby Mono!

Just remember if you buy tickets from a third party to make sure and get the actual plastic tag, not just a PDF confirmation or anything else, and be very careful who you get them from.

They had a lot of counterfeit badge problems and some of the newer fakes are very very good. If you get caught with one they will have to ask to you to leave.

Hi all, I'm running a community Assassins game called Assassins Ball during PAX East and hoped some people from GWJ might be interested in playing. This year we're trying to support groups and clans playing by offering customized badges, private leaderboards and custom achievements. If that's something you guys might be interested in let me know and we'll make it happen.

What is it?
In Assassins Ball you are given a mission to find a specific player while avoiding players trying to find you. When you find your target you “assassinate” them and take up their current mission to find a player. Each assassination can be registered online and nets you points on our leaderboards. Your overall objective is to assassinate as many players as possible before you yourself are assassinated or the game ends.

This year we are adding factions and achievements to the game. Players will be able to select from one of five themed factions: Kingsport Raiders (aka Lovecraft Pirates), Robot Ninjas, Varsity Dead, Cowboy 'Verse and Sparkly Ponies (Yay!).

If you would like to know more about the game there is a thread on the Penny Arcade forums with additional information. I'm also available to answer any questions you may have.

Omeganaut rounds/times announced!

Very glad they're not doing an AM session for round 2 this time. The contestants last year looked a little wiped going into the Operation round.

This year’s secret final round will be very cool I think. I don’t want to give too much away but how about a hint?

We had custom equipment built

I will not be satisfied unless this is live action Angry Birds for the final round. Communal pig and turkey/chicken/duck roast afterward optional. That is all.

MarsChelios wrote:

Hi all, I'm running a community Assassins game called Assassins Ball during PAX East and hoped some people from GWJ might be interested in playing. This year we're trying to support groups and clans playing by offering customized badges, private leaderboards and custom achievements. If that's something you guys might be interested in let me know and we'll make it happen.

What is it?
In Assassins Ball you are given a mission to find a specific player while avoiding players trying to find you. When you find your target you “assassinate” them and take up their current mission to find a player. Each assassination can be registered online and nets you points on our leaderboards. Your overall objective is to assassinate as many players as possible before you yourself are assassinated or the game ends.

This year we are adding factions and achievements to the game. Players will be able to select from one of five themed factions: Kingsport Raiders (aka Lovecraft Pirates), Robot Ninjas, Varsity Dead, Cowboy 'Verse and Sparkly Ponies (Yay!).

If you would like to know more about the game there is a thread on the Penny Arcade forums with additional information. I'm also available to answer any questions you may have.

Wouldn't this be too big a venue for such a thing? Unless each player is given five to ten potential targets, I imagine you can have players that never get a chance to even meet their target. The more players you have, the fewer odds there are of being able to find your particular target.

ccesarano wrote:
MarsChelios wrote:

Hi all, I'm running a community Assassins game called Assassins Ball during PAX East and hoped some people from GWJ might be interested in playing. This year we're trying to support groups and clans playing by offering customized badges, private leaderboards and custom achievements. If that's something you guys might be interested in let me know and we'll make it happen.

What is it?
In Assassins Ball you are given a mission to find a specific player while avoiding players trying to find you. When you find your target you “assassinate” them and take up their current mission to find a player. Each assassination can be registered online and nets you points on our leaderboards. Your overall objective is to assassinate as many players as possible before you yourself are assassinated or the game ends.

This year we are adding factions and achievements to the game. Players will be able to select from one of five themed factions: Kingsport Raiders (aka Lovecraft Pirates), Robot Ninjas, Varsity Dead, Cowboy 'Verse and Sparkly Ponies (Yay!).

If you would like to know more about the game there is a thread on the Penny Arcade forums with additional information. I'm also available to answer any questions you may have.

Wouldn't this be too big a venue for such a thing? Unless each player is given five to ten potential targets, I imagine you can have players that never get a chance to even meet their target. The more players you have, the fewer odds there are of being able to find your particular target.

That's a great insight! The system is designed to scale and give players a large number of targets by using a series of colored symbols that repeat. For example with just the 60 players signed up right now it works out to be about 8-10 targets per person. This will decrease as players are assassinated, of course.

As someone who played assassins a couple years back at the first PAX East, I will say that you should sign up. It was a lot of fun - even when I died. I'm now extra sad that I can't go to PAX this year.

I spent a good deal of time making my friends work as meat shields by standing next to my badge arm while looking around paranoid.

As for the number of targets, it does feel a bit sparse. I was able to kill 1 person and then I got killed right before leaving on Saturday night. By someone i could have killed... Tho I guess having your own symbol as a target must suck.

Furtivespy wrote:

As someone who played assassins a couple years back at the first PAX East, I will say that you should sign up. It was a lot of fun - even when I died. I'm now extra sad that I can't go to PAX this year.

I spent a good deal of time making my friends work as meat shields by standing next to my badge arm while looking around paranoid.

As for the number of targets, it does feel a bit sparse. I was able to kill 1 person and then I got killed right before leaving on Saturday night. By someone i could have killed... Tho I guess having your own symbol as a target must suck.

Thanks, I'm happy to hear you had fun! We've made some improvements to this game to address some concerns with targets (Less overall shapes and more colors); This time around players should have more targets overall.

FYI, a bunch of folks on the Penny Arcade forums in the PAX section are organizing a Thursday night board/card game gathering at The Westin.

I don't know what sorts of meet-ups have been planned around here, but since I'll be at the Westin I figured I'd give it a go.

I'm creating a laundry list of things I might need in preparation of PAX East.

1 - A tote/messenger bag. Just a simple one. I don't need to be survivorman. Just something that can carry some snacks, bottle of water, swag and my 3DS game case.

2 - A 3DS game case.

3 - I'm considering getting a Chrome book so I don't have to lug around my 17" laptop.

So I'm a bit confused -- aside from the panel discussion on Friday, is there anything specific happening to get the Goodjer community together? Are we planning to hang out and grab a bite to eat somewhere, or to settle in and play some games at a set time?

I'd love to jump into a one-shot tabletop RPG, but am not sure I'll have enough prep time to run one. Any interested GMs?

TheHipGamer wrote:

So I'm a bit confused -- aside from the panel discussion on Friday, is there anything specific happening to get the Goodjer community together? Are we planning to hang out and grab a bite to eat somewhere, or to settle in and play some games at a set time?

I'd love to jump into a one-shot tabletop RPG, but am not sure I'll have enough prep time to run one. Any interested GMs?

1) There's almost certainly going to be a get together at a bar at some point yet to be named

2) A colony of us will be at the board game area at almost all times

3) Atras is going to be running a one shot of D&D 5e on.. Friday night, IIRC?

ccesarano wrote:

1 - A tote/messenger bag. Just a simple one. I don't need to be survivorman. Just something that can carry some snacks, bottle of water, swag and my 3DS game case.

Take a good look at LL Bean or Eddie Bauer. Both have some good options in this department.

shoptroll wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

1 - A tote/messenger bag. Just a simple one. I don't need to be survivorman. Just something that can carry some snacks, bottle of water, swag and my 3DS game case.

Take a good look at LL Bean or Eddie Bauer. Both have some good options in this department.

Timbuk2 makes very good ones as well.

Tanglebones wrote:
shoptroll wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

1 - A tote/messenger bag. Just a simple one. I don't need to be survivorman. Just something that can carry some snacks, bottle of water, swag and my 3DS game case.

Take a good look at LL Bean or Eddie Bauer. Both have some good options in this department.

Timbuk2 makes very good ones as well.

Anything more than $20 is pushing it.

Any thing will work as long as it's easy to carry. I've become very fond of that X-com canvas rucksack they were giving out last Prime.

They do give out bags onsite that do a pretty good job of dealing with swag, especially the posters.

ccesarano wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:
shoptroll wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

1 - A tote/messenger bag. Just a simple one. I don't need to be survivorman. Just something that can carry some snacks, bottle of water, swag and my 3DS game case.

Take a good look at LL Bean or Eddie Bauer. Both have some good options in this department.

Timbuk2 makes very good ones as well.

Anything more than $20 is pushing it.

Then just hold out for the freebie bag you'll get when you get inside

ccesarano wrote:

3 - I'm considering getting a Chrome book so I don't have to lug around my 17" laptop.

You may want to think about how well this will serve you with patchy internet. The last two years I have experienced slow/studdery internet at PAX East. There are tens of thousands tech people all trying to clog the air waves. Expect slowdowns.

MonoCheli wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

3 - I'm considering getting a Chrome book so I don't have to lug around my 17" laptop.

You may want to think about how well this will serve you with patchy internet. The last two years I have experienced slow/studdery internet at PAX East. There are tens of thousands tech people all trying to clog the air waves. Expect slowdowns.

This. A thousand times this. This also goes for the cellphone networks. Be prepared for any connectivity to stagger like a drunken sailor. If you need mission-critical internet you might want to look into whatever options your hotel may offer.

There will INDEED be a meetup, we're just noodling Friday or Saturday night. The most likely location (we haven't confirmed or anything) will be the bar at the Seaport hotel, which was amazingly receptive to our impromptu descent last year. We will likely try to make it somewhat early. Details soon!

Has anyone checked with the Seaport to inquire about snagging one or two of their conference rooms? They're decent size with a bunch of tables & chairs, and 1 floor directly up from Aura (the restaurant at ground level)... might be good for some board-gaming at the same time, perhaps? I'd even think that if the hotel was given notice in advance of the impending throng of people, they might even prefer it this way to avoid us effectively overrunning the bar... maybe even swing some waitresses in through for orders? Just a thought.

momgamer wrote:
MonoCheli wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

3 - I'm considering getting a Chrome book so I don't have to lug around my 17" laptop.

You may want to think about how well this will serve you with patchy internet. The last two years I have experienced slow/studdery internet at PAX East. There are tens of thousands tech people all trying to clog the air waves. Expect slowdowns.

This. A thousand times this. This also goes for the cellphone networks. Be prepared for any connectivity to stagger like a drunken sailor. If you need mission-critical internet you might want to look into whatever options your hotel may offer.

While I would want the Chrome Book in time for the con, it wouldn't necessarily be for online use. Unless I am incorrect and the Chrome book doesn't have an offline mode for Google Docs.

I am also open to other suggestions for cheapish machines that would basically be used strictly for travel like PAX events.

ccesarano wrote:

I am also open to other suggestions for cheapish machines that would basically be used strictly for travel like PAX events.

What are your feelings on tablets (i.e. the Transformer Prime)?

merphle wrote:

Has anyone checked with the Seaport to inquire about snagging one or two of their conference rooms? They're decent size with a bunch of tables & chairs, and 1 floor directly up from Aura (the restaurant at ground level)... might be good for some board-gaming at the same time, perhaps? I'd even think that if the hotel was given notice in advance of the impending throng of people, they might even prefer it this way to avoid us effectively overrunning the bar... maybe even swing some waitresses in through for orders? Just a thought.

We looked into it. It was quite expensive. And nobody every complains because a bar is full. Ever. Ever.

Tigerbill wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

I am also open to other suggestions for cheapish machines that would basically be used strictly for travel like PAX events.

What are your feelings on tablets (i.e. the Transformer Prime)?

After a Google search and glance at the website, I'd love to figure out the JavaScript and CSS combination that did this (even though the graphic intensive design gives it an atrocious framerate).

Second thought: a tablet that is also a laptop is actually a pretty nifty concept. I was hoping to limit my budget to max $300, but I might have to reconsider for something like that. I've heard non-iPad tablets aren't quite up to snuff, though. I've also not really heard much of Android on tablets, but honestly, I'm pretty intrigued. Especially from the camera and video options, as my phone's camera is pretty crap (partly because it lacks a flash).

I'll look into it.

I know you want it for PAX but, if MonoCheli is nice maybe he'll let us finger his at the show.

I love my Prime, but I will say that I also really liked the original Transformer and would recommend either. The original would be more budget friendly too.

Yeah, looking at Amazon, the price for the older model is definitely more within my range.

That said, I don't really use my laptop much anymore (partly because it's 17" and has over-heating issues), so I'm thinking that if I buy something, I'd rather it be something that I don't mind gathering dust for a few months. So a tablet may not be the best option after all.

My biggest concern is getting myself on a US phone/mobile/cell network so I don't miss out on things while out and about... Fortunately I have an already unlocked iPhone 3GS so I'll just need to go harass a store.

3 weeks till I fly out!

Super exciteded!

There is wifi in the BCEC and it does work, but I wouldn't expect much more then sending text messages/checking twitter or e-mail. Loading web pages was painfully slow last year and impossible at the old venue. I also found T-Mobile to be useless while in the BCEC. I couldn't even make phone calls.

Another idea for a meetup, if we wanted to avoid the worst of the crowds, would be to head off-site somewhat. The Atlantic Beer Garden and Whiskey Priest are both closeby, and might be a fun way to pull together something if the lobby bar doesn't pan out.