PAX East 2013!

ccesarano wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:
RooneyFan wrote:

Ok so since 3 day passes are sold out. which day is better for GWJ'r interactions? Friday or Sat?

Tricky to say - I'm sure tons of GWJ folks will be around on both days; in years past, the S&T was on Saturday, but that's offsite, so it won't require a pass. If you want to maximize your fun, and have the time, but not the money, I'd get a Friday pass then come to the Saturday S&T.

This. The expo will be its most packed on Saturday and you'll probably find a number of items already sold out (if you want a PAX scarf then you gotta make that your first destination and get in line pretty early, for what I'm told). So I'd say get a Friday pass and then come to the Slap & Tickle on Saturday.

I'd do Saturday because that's when the vibe is there. Unless you're going to PAX to buy things, Saturday is when the board game area will be at its best, and when you're most apt to find panels that are interesting to attend.

Grabbed a Friday and Saturday pass. Probably going to look into hotel rooms when I'm not at work unless someone is looking to split. And If not i may end up driving and parking like last year.

TheHipGamer wrote:

That all makes sense, momgamer. I try to not complain too loudly, because running huge events is way, way, way out of my wheelhouse.

Also: between starting the process of buying a 3-day and hitting "confirm", they sold out. Which kinda stinks.

I think they should spread out the 3 day passes so they only sell a certain portion each day.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
TheHipGamer wrote:

That all makes sense, momgamer. I try to not complain too loudly, because running huge events is way, way, way out of my wheelhouse.

Also: between starting the process of buying a 3-day and hitting "confirm", they sold out. Which kinda stinks.

I think they should spread out the 3 day passes so they only sell a certain portion each day.

Maybe only sell the 3 day passes after the three individual days sell out?

Atras wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:
TheHipGamer wrote:

That all makes sense, momgamer. I try to not complain too loudly, because running huge events is way, way, way out of my wheelhouse.

Also: between starting the process of buying a 3-day and hitting "confirm", they sold out. Which kinda stinks.

I think they should spread out the 3 day passes so they only sell a certain portion each day.

Maybe only sell the 3 day passes after the three individual days sell out?

Maybe get rid of the 3 day passes, and just sell individual days?

Tanglebones wrote:
Atras wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:
TheHipGamer wrote:

That all makes sense, momgamer. I try to not complain too loudly, because running huge events is way, way, way out of my wheelhouse.

Also: between starting the process of buying a 3-day and hitting "confirm", they sold out. Which kinda stinks.

I think they should spread out the 3 day passes so they only sell a certain portion each day.

Maybe only sell the 3 day passes after the three individual days sell out?

Maybe get rid of the 3 day passes, and just sell individual days?

That doesn't solve anything, though; it just makes a need for more individual badges. Maybe make fewer single-day badges overall and bump the three-day badge counts.

Stengah wrote:

Okay, I've set up a reservation at the Collonade for a 4 person room, early check-in on the 22nd, check-out on the 25th. If anyone wants to split the room send me a pm, it'd be $201 per person (after tax). Fair warning though, I snore.

How far away is that? How are you getting to and from each day?

Maybe make fewer single-day badges overall and bump the three-day badge counts.

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. I don't remember 3 day passes selling out nearly this fast last year.

It sounds logical that if say 80% or so of the 3 day passes were selling out in the first 24 hours that it would be smarter to break up the remaining 20% into single day passes, rather than running the risk of those passes not selling. However, this is just speculation on my part.

TigerBill wrote:
Stengah wrote:

Okay, I've set up a reservation at the Collonade for a 4 person room, early check-in on the 22nd, check-out on the 25th. If anyone wants to split the room send me a pm, it'd be $201 per person (after tax). Fair warning though, I snore.

How far away is that? How are you getting to and from each day?

About 3 miles, and the shuttle goes to the convention center (alternately, we could take the T)

TigerBill wrote:
Stengah wrote:

Okay, I've set up a reservation at the Collonade for a 4 person room, early check-in on the 22nd, check-out on the 25th. If anyone wants to split the room send me a pm, it'd be $201 per person (after tax). Fair warning though, I snore.

How far away is that? How are you getting to and from each day?

2.7 miles. Most likely be taking a shuttle back and forth.

Room spots have been spoken for though.

There is no risk of badges not selling. Every single badge they were allowed to sell has been sold. If this continues to run like last Prime, all single day badges will be gone within the week.

If you switch the ratios of badges mid-stream, you monkey with the fire marshall's count. That math is part of how many tickets he allows to be sold for the show, and it's more complicated than you think. That's set before they sell the first badge, and I don't think it can be "adjusted" during the sales. I'm not sure it buys you anything in the end, either.

As far as the batched ticket sales, that doesn't do jack for San Diego or BlizzCon. Giving the sharks more targets to circle around instead of one really doesn't buy you anything. If anything, it accelerates the sell-out at the last sessions.

edit: I had to go confirm something before I said it. Next Prime will be four days long, and they will only be selling single-day badges. That's all the details I have with that, though. I don't know anything about pricing. We'll see how that affects the pace of sales.

shoptroll wrote:
Maybe make fewer single-day badges overall and bump the three-day badge counts.

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. I don't remember 3 day passes selling out nearly this fast last year.

It sounds logical that if say 80% or so of the 3 day passes were selling out in the first 24 hours that it would be smarter to break up the remaining 20% into single day passes, rather than running the risk of those passes not selling. However, this is just speculation on my part.

Yeah, I bought mine toward the end of January last year. I think the fast sellout for Pax West, plus increased media coverage of it (thanks Kotaku and Joystiq!) are causing them to sellout faster each time.

Ah, cool beans, Gravity. Thank you!

If folks want to go in on a hotel room that would be swell. Let me know! Co-ed, couples and/or snorers okay.

Edit: Hotel-roomies aquired!

ccesarano wrote:

The expo will be its most packed on Saturday and you'll probably find a number of items already sold out (if you want a PAX scarf then you gotta make that your first destination and get in line pretty early, for what I'm told).

This was true the first year they had the scarves (I think the first East) but last year I was able to buy one pretty easily at the end of the second day, iirc.

Flight, passes, hostel/hotels booked and confirmed. Whoa, this is happening.

Tanglebones wrote:

About 3 miles, and the shuttle goes to the convention center (alternately, we could take the T)

How late do the shuttles run?

I bought four tickets for myself and the rest of the GLHP crew. So we will be there promoting relentlessly, and playing boardgames of course. Can't wait!

Well looks like I'll be staying with a friend at the Renaissance since everything else is sold out. I was hoping for the Westin again, but alas. I've had to walk that distance for cons before, I can do it again.

My wife and I are planning on dressing up for at least one day. I was thinking of going as a DayZ survivor. The mod-version would be really easy to do (bonus: a backpack is part of the costume). I'm probably going to hold off buying anything in case there's a survivor version in the stand-alone I like better. My wife is currently undecided as she (rightly) doesn't want to dress up as someone/thing she's not familiar with, but isn't nearly as much of a geek as I am, so she's not familiar with as many things as I am.

Is anyone else planning on doing anything?

Stengah wrote:

My wife and I are planning on dressing up for at least one day. I was thinking of going as a DayZ survivor. The mod-version would be really easy to do (bonus: a backpack is part of the costume). I'm probably going to hold off buying anything in case there's a survivor version in the stand-alone I like better. My wife is currently undecided as she (rightly) doesn't want to dress up as someone/thing she's not familiar with, but isn't nearly as much of a geek as I am, so she's not familiar with as many things as I am.

Is anyone else planning on doing anything?

Alexis will probably be cosplaying all the days; I might be Castiel again for a day or two. I tend to use Pax more for gaming time than Cosplay time.

(Cross posting from the WDW thread)

If you're coming to the convention and looking for a good way to stay hydrated, you should seriously consider getting one of these. Demyx and I used a pair during our recent vacation and they do a pretty good job of filtering the water from a standard fountain / bubbler. Depending on how much water you expect to drink during PAX this might be a good way to save a couple bucks during your trip.

I really need to book a hotel; still super pissed the Westin sold out as fast as it did.

TigerBill wrote:

I really need to book a hotel; still super pissed the Westin sold out as fast as it did. :(

Yeah, I'm still dragging my feet on this too.

Latrine wrote:
TigerBill wrote:

I really need to book a hotel; still super pissed the Westin sold out as fast as it did. :(

Yeah, I'm still dragging my feet on this too.

Me too. Who needs a snuggle partner?

*snuggling not required.

For me its all about distance from show floor to my bed. Walking down a hall and onto an elevator was about the perfect distance; since they won't let me sleep in the boardgaming area.

Just bought my tickets. I'm terribly, frighteningly excited for my FIRST PAX. Been wanting to go for years, and it only took moving to Boston to do it. I'm moving to Boston next week and it'd be great to get to know some local GWJers before PAX.

BTW I hope Sandy gave you a miss...

Schmutzli wrote:

Just bought my tickets. I'm terribly, frighteningly excited for my FIRST PAX. Been wanting to go for years, and it only took moving to Boston to do it. I'm moving to Boston next week and it'd be great to get to know some local GWJers before PAX.

BTW I hope Sandy gave you a miss...

We don't bite! And this year, I believe I'm not doing any off-campus hosting of parties or anything, so I plan on essentially living in tabletop and classic arcade.

rabbit wrote:

We don't bite! And this year, I believe I'm not doing any off-campus hosting of parties or anything, so I plan on essentially living in tabletop and classic arcade.

Tabletop all the way baby!

I am looking forward to another great year, it has not disappointed to date!

Schmutzli wrote:

Just bought my tickets. I'm terribly, frighteningly excited for my FIRST PAX. Been wanting to go for years, and it only took moving to Boston to do it. I'm moving to Boston next week and it'd be great to get to know some local GWJers before PAX.

BTW I hope Sandy gave you a miss...

Welcome to Bean town. It is pretty good other than the drivers and the winter.

What they all said. Tabletop area is a ton of fun, and you can play actual, complete games without needing to wait in line for over two hours. Plus if you like a tabletop game enough, you might even be able to buy a copy to take home with you. Just look for the GWJ flag (we still have a flag, right?) and I'm sure someone will get you going in a game or three

Which isn't to say the video game expo hall isn't fun, but unless you're going off the beaten path you're going to spend a good chunk of time waiting in line...