PAX09 Wrap Up
I’ve been a bad blogger. I went to a three-day convention and didn’t write a single word this weekend. At least, not here. You can find all my coverage of PAX over here. I had a great time. There’s some good eating in downtown Seattle and the weather was perfect pretty much the entire time. I didn’t see any games on the main show floor that made me think, “meh.” It was a different story in the indie developer and budget MMO area, but overall I was really impressed with the software each developer brought to the expo.
The rest of the expo was great as well, from the console free play lounge, where one could check out console titles to play for a while, to the tabletop LFG/free play, which was much the same thing for board games and tabletop roleplaying, to the handheld lounges on each floor, which were basically vast expanses of beanbag chairs in which to chill out with some DS or PSP for a while. There were several areas where impromptu bands could walk up and rock out with Rock Band; fake bands thrilling real crowds with amusing antics on stage. There was also, of course, the Omegathon, where randomly chosen attendees (who are notified before the show) compete for the title of Alpha Omeganaut in several single elimination rounds. This year’s Omegathon rounds included, in order, Mario Kart Double Dash, Bookworm Adventures, Halo3: ODST, Rock Band: Beatles, Connect Four, and Skee-Ball. You’ve got to be a pretty well-rounded gamer to succeed in that tournament. PAX attendees also set a new world record for most Nintendo DS systems at use in one place at one time: 910 was the final count at the record-setting event on Friday evening before that night’s concert.
The concerts were pretty fantastic. I’m not a big fan of the electronica bands Freezepop and Anamanaguchi, but everyone else who played (Metroid Metal, MC Frontalot, Paul and Storm, and Jonathan Coulton) delivered epic performances. I was personally pretty stoked to finally see JoCo live, and he has a great stage presence.
Unfortunately I didn’t get around to any of the panels this year. If I return next year I’ll definitely spend less time on the floor and more time at panels. I brought home plenty of swag, shirts, comic books, beta passes, et cetera. And also Swine Flu, so that’s nice. I spent Sunday and Monday laid out and nearly immobile. I’m starting to feel better today; my fever is down, I have an appetite again, and I can walk 20 feet without collapsing which is a huge improvement. Oh well, if you mingle with 75,000 people that sort of thing is bound to happen once in a while. All-in-all PAX was a great experience. I hope I can make it next year.