Anyone going to PAX EAST this month

[wartoy]

Hello I was wondering if anyone from VGC has ever been to or is going to PAX.I've never been to this or any other game convention before and i was wondering what to expect.I'm really looking foward to this event and hoping I'll find somthing nice to add to my collection while im there.

[NickAwesome]

I've been to PAX West the last 8 years and went to PAX East once in 2016 (I think, maybe it was 2015).  Expect a lot of craziness, the Boston Convention Center is huge and very crowded, but also organized. Seattle is much more spread out but also harder to find stuff.   If you go for AAA games expect long lines, if you go for Indie stuff, still long lines, but less long usually.  If you don't care for Swag, you won't have to wait in line as much.  PAX is so much fun, but it takes some time to learn how to get the most out of a convention and it can get frustrating to get shut out of stuff you want to do.  It's best to just try to go with the flow, plan ahead for stuff you MUST do/attend and be open to new things. 

There are tons of awesome giveaways everyday, it's often about being in the right time and at the right place, and there are also plenty of places to just buy swag.  I recommend following the PAX subreddit and checking in on the tagged Swag thread- people share where they got cool shirts, posters, games, etc...

PAX East did have some retro games sellers, but most were hilariously overpriced.  I did actually snag a copy of Vandal Hearts II and Gekioh Shooting King for a good price after some haggling. 

All in all, PAX rules and I hope you have a great time. 

[wartoy]

Thanks and thank you for the advice im more excited than ever now!!!!

[hoshichiri]

Never made it to East, but I've attended West for years. My tips (assuming you'll be in a hotel):

-Pack good shoes & extra socks. You'll be on your feet a lot, so making sure you have good shoes is a must. NOT new shoes, good shoes- this isn't the time to break in a new pair. Extra socks will let you change partway through the day, and trust me, your feet will like that.
-If you're sharing a room, bring a power strip. You'll appreciate not having to leave your electronics by the sink to charge. I legit once had a friend accidentally break her S.O's 3DS during pax by knocking it off the counter while brushing her teeth.
-Carry a few snacks & a water bottle (convention hall permitting). There's a strong likelihood your items of interest will run together & you'll have late or missed meals. Come prepared to stave off a blood sugar drop or dehydration.
-Do try to get your meals on time, and eat as healthy as you can. You'll feel better for it.
-Shower daily. The people you're in line with will thank you.
-Follow the pax twitter accounts. Very handy for announcements, line updates, etc.
-Speaking of lines, assume at least an hour ahead of time for any popular panels if you want a decent seat. Remember that PAX clears the room between most panels, so you won't be able to camp for later panels.
-Accept you will not see everything you want. Pax is too big, and they plan big events against each other intentionally as a form of line management. You're going to miss stuff, and you'll be happier if you won't worry about that. (Do keep in mind main theatre stuff is streamed on twitch, so you can always watch those online after the fact!)

[wartoy]

Comfortable shoes snacks and water check!