The Gamer's Quarter

[Six]

I guess you kind of had to be there. The event itself was pretty good, but the best times seem to have been impromptu (see above.) Even the negatives (the absolutely omnipresent and nasty-looking BAWLS and some serious overcrowding problems, to name a few) weren't enough to put a damper on the events. Especially awesome was hanging out with TGQ folk! I kind of wish we could've squeezed in another meetup with everyone somewhere.

A few notes:
-Attendance was listed at 19,300-odd people. It was absolutely packed, but actually kind of neat outside the con - like a little neighbourhood of gamers where everyone kind of knew each other. Next year's event will take place at a venue apparently three times larger, and there are rumblings of a concurrent East Coast PAX in 2008.
-Rockstar was giving out t-shirts. The only thing to do with a Rockstar t-shirt is cut off the sleeves and make it a wife-beater.
-I never really considered myself weak of stomach, but I think I should probably swear off Mexican food while abroad.

Anyway, everyone else should post some pictures or memories or comments. Here are a couple of photos (more here):

A little reciprocation at xvs07 and Squidlarkin's place.


THE BALL IS KING


PAX was mercifully light on cosplayers, but that doesn't mean people shied away from wearing totally sweet headgear.


This was basically what was going down on Pictochat all weekend, except even less intelligible.

[xvs07]

I'll try to pressure my roomie Anne into posting her pictures here later, but memories will do for now.

The blue ball is one of my most vivid memories of PAX. I can't help but feel that if electronic entertainment could ever produce something as versatile and iconic as that spherical, rubber bladder of cobalt joy, it would begin a new era for games.

Another crowning moment was Guitar Hero II: Tycho v. Khoo. "Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart" as made famous by the Stone Temple Pilots. It was a close match with Tycho running behind a bit, when the game froze. The crowd nearly got violent and certainly got verbally abusive during the restart. Then the gloves came off. The second time around, both players were both pumped, and competition was neck and neck, when Tycho proceeded to make heads explode and pulled away into zen flow territory. I could only stand and bear witness. And scream.

Also, the Video Game Pianist was far more impressive in person, and I was quite impressed enough with YouTube's depiction. The sea of LCDs was epic. I do not kid.

In the end, I came away with my 3-Day pass bearing the scribbles of the VGP, Tycho, & Gabe. Satisfaction acquired. I'll be back next year.

[GSL]

[J.Goodwin]

[GSL]

Crazy! The stuff's everywhere here--supermarkets, convenience stores, even the college carries it in the food court and various vending areas.

[ApM]

TGQ Squad: PAX was made up entirely of awesome people.

I seriously came like a half hour too late on Friday to see the damn ball.

The final round of the Omegathon wasn't just Tetris, it was motherfucking Tengen Tetris. People were asking what game it was on Pictochat afterwards; I said E.T., Six said Tower of Druaga. Next year, I propose they just have everyone play Desert Bus all weekend. Last one standing takes it all.

Uhh.. I pretended to be a Real Games Journalist and had a SUPER SECRET meeting that will probably turn into an interview in TGQ a few months down the road. Took some Serious Games Journalist Bribes in the form of review copies! Woo!

Played Charge Air Blade against Six in his hotel room and slaughtered him, even though I'd never played it and am not actually very good at shooters.

Disappointing: The console freeplay had very little that was interesting, especially with the PS2s out of comission. Six and I stood in line for like a half hour only to shrug and walk away when told that there were no consoles there that were actually capable of playing Metal Slug, even though it was on the list.

Weird: Large US Army presence, promoting America's Army. Seeing people swarm around them as they threw free T-Shirts into the crowd was rather disturbing.

Encouraging: Indie games on the floor! GarageGames had a pretty big booth with multiplayer Marble Blast in it (which I did embarassingly bad at, and which passers-by kept commenting was "woah, Marble Madness" argh). The Behemoth had their XBox 360 devkits out running Castle Crashers, which was looking pretty excellent, even with the random crashes. And Klei dressed up one of their guys in Eets cosplay (the me-vs-the-Marshomech picture Six posted) and had him roam PAX, which probably did them way more good than, say, the obnoxious carnival barker in the Fury booth did for Fury.

Also: Does anybody want an XBox 360 faceplate? It's pretty and blue and I won't have any use for it at all for some time. I won it by knowing Dana Plato was the star of Night Trap, but I was also the only one in the room who knew about the Dave Perry designer challenge.

[simplicio]

[Six]

[Six]

Also!

[J.Goodwin]

[ApM]

Sorry, Mr. Goodwin, but Shaper called it both via PM and oddly vehement instant message! My hands are tied.

[xvs07]

[J.Goodwin]

Well, in that case, I should offer up my official "The Outfit" faceplate. You could only get it by preordering the game.

Note that I said, preorder. Once you have the swag, there's nothing they can do to you if you decide to, for instance, preorder something else, instead.
_________________
Gamertag - FalcomAdol -- Don't Click Here 触手
Playing - Ninety-Nine Nights - Xbox 360

[xvs07]

Since no-one else has mentioned him yet, I'll go ahead and say it: MC Frontalot pleasantly surprised me. I was skeptical of the idea of geekcentric rap going in, and I'm still wondering whether it's really ever going to have a following, but when I was there I didn't need any convincing. I'm not sure how many people there were behind me, but there was certainly a crush around the stage, and they had me screaming nonsense like "NERDCORE COULD RISE UP!!" by the end. Those of you in the NY, NY area ought to do yourselves a favor and see the live show on 10/21. Others can get a hint of what it's all about with some mp3s.

I think even if the whole thing hadn't touched me on some deep, whimsical level, it still would've been one helluva spectacle.

[GSL]

[xvs07]

[GSL]

I'll see you and raise you one: I'm perfectly compatable with The Floor, and as my standard accessories often include Sleeping Bag and Pillow, I am able to sleep in a variety of locales such as underneath tables and other furniture!

Seriously though, thanks for the offer. Now I just have to bum a ride off of one o' them Caleeforneeyans (or other southern gentry) in a year's time. I think it should be possible...

[xvs07]

[Harveyjames]

Penny Arcde does ok for a comic which has never been funny ever, huh.

[Dracko]

Publicity goes a long way.
_________________
"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"

[dessgeega]

[SuperWes]

[Six]

[GSL]

[xvs07]

[GSL]

I'm down in Ashland--still on the I-5 corridor in the western part of the state, but for some ridiculously asinine reason, the main Amtrack line jumps immediately over the Cascades into eastern Oregon south of Eugene, where it serves places in the middle of bumfucknowhere like Chemult and comes nowhere close to here. There's also a stop over at Klamath and some sort of bus-shuttle system running between here and there, so that's always an option, but dammit, I moved to this side of the state to get away from having to have a car to travel anywhere!

[ApM]

They're selling the ball!

[xvs07]

Those wily scamps! I knew they would! 21 bids, $405 dollars for Child's Play and counting!