People of PAX East 2010
By Meghan Ventura
Before going to PAX East, I really wondered about the kind of people I’d run into there. With the mismash of gamers both polite and dickheaded that you can run into on the Internet, I had a tough time shaking the feeling that attendees could be a “box of chocolates” type of thing with affable gamers sprinkled amongst flagrant noobs.
But everyone I met was incredibly friendly, respectful and just plain awesome. I wish this group would set the stereotype for a typical gamer. While the events, panels and expo floor were great, it will be the people and community who bring me back to future PAX shows.
This article features 15 of those awesome attendees who took the time to answer some questions for me. See who they are, what they do, what they love and why they came to the inaugural PAX East.
Thanks to everyone who took the time from their PAX to answer my questions and be very cool about a random person badgering you for information. If you had a Pokewalker, thanks for connecting with me, and also big thanks to Edward for the sweet Kangaskhan.
Friday
Just the facts [Pictured from left to right]:
Mike Holdenmeyer (hot air balloon pilot)
Jennifer Gillis (student majoring in biostatistics at University of Toronto)
Peter Schoepke (electrician).
•Dressed as Bioshock splicers.
From: Ontario, Canada.
Why at PAX:
“Originally PAX was like the E3 that we could actually get into, and from there it just kind of turned into a community we didn’t know existed,” Peter said. “Our enthusiasm with the first attracted a bunch of friends.”
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Peter: FPS, shooters, RPGs. Right now stuck on Demon Souls.
Jennifer: Started out with RPGs and then Bioshock got her into shooters. Loves Bioshock.
Mike: Shooters.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
Favorite thing was when they got into the Bioshock 2 downloadable content, Jennifer said. “Peter and Mike were playing games in these beautiful white chairs [at the Bioshock demo] that are clearly really expensive and he’s lieing back sitting there playing the whole game, and he gets up and the entire back of the chair is covered in fake blood. They were really nice to us and told us not to worry, but we still felt pretty bad.”
Looking forward to: Panels and demoing games.
Just the facts: Pete Gast.
From: Boston.
Why at PAX:
In the process of starting up a small company making games to develop casual games for a niche market, and he knows people from the MIT GAMBIT Lab.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Mostly turn-based strategy games, like Disgaea and Final Fantasy Tactics; PC games, Wii games for casual and PS2 for a better variety.
Looking forward to: The Women in Gaming panel.
Just the facts: Joe Bowen (Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art)
From: New Jersey
Why at PAX:
Came to meet his brother from Arizona, who always wanted to go to the PAX Prime. His brother had the opportunity to come to PAX East and asked Joe to drive down from New Jersey to meet him.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Mostly 2D, side-scrolling games on the DS; New Super Mario Brothers.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
Seeing the new games and concept art more from an artistic and design perspective than actually playing stuff. He liked Shank’s visual 2D, cartoon look.
Looking forward to:
Penny Arcade Make-a-Strip panel on Sunday.
Just the facts:
David Shire (Biology student at Boston University)
Geo Rubio (Political science student at Boston University)
Marlena Flannery (Photo-journalism student at Boston University)
From: Boston.
Why at PAX:
Always thought PAX Prime looked cool but weren’t going to go all the way to Seattle.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
David: Casual games.
Geo: Fighters, Smash Bros.
Marlena: Kirby.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
The expo hall, interacting with random gamers, and the Indie Showcase. Lines for panels were really full and they kept getting locked out, such as the Keynote and It's Got A Good Beat, And I Can Kill Zombies To It panel.
Looking forward to:
David: Action Castle! panel on Sunday.
Geo, Marlena: Video Game Orchestra on Saturday.
Just the facts: Erik Morton and Julia Moore. [*NOTE: So sorry I forgot to snap a picture!]
From: Virginia
Why at PAX:
A group of friends who had been to PAX Prime in Seattle last year who highly recommended it to them. This was their first PAX.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Julia: Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Batman Arkham Asylum; FPS, survival horror.
Erik: RPGs, loves games with strong narrative and story; Diablo II is most-played game.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
Keynote, Nvidia booth’s 3D exhibits, raffles and events.
Looking forward to: Nvidia panel and console freeplay.
Saturday
Just the facts: Dayna Aaron.
From: Philadelphia.
Why at PAX:
“We heard about it out on the West Coast and we can’t get out to the West coast very easily but my husband and I donate to Child’s Play every year,” Dayna said. She likes to donate Disney movies, lots of books, and Legos.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms: Rock Band, Lips.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth: Friday’s Raising Your Kid As a Geek panel. She also got MC Frontalot’s, and Will Wheaton’s autographs
Looking forward to: Wanted to see Microsoft Surface, but couldn’t find it on the show floor. Also looking forward to Jonathon Coulton’s Saturday concert performanct.
Just the facts: Shelly Njoo (Graphic design student at Boston University).
From: Orginally from New Jersey, but currently studying in Boston.
Why at PAX:
Never made it to PAX Prime, and didn’t know if she would still be living in Boston next year.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Civ 5, Small World; simulation games, RTS, board games.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
Seeing industry professionals and finding free swag in the expo hall. 2K booth’s Civilization 5 demo.
Looking forward to: Scott Kurtz panel tomorrow.
Just the facts: Shrauer McCasland, left, pictured with friend, Gabriel Solis.
From: Albany region New York.
Why at PAX:
One of his friends is an Enforcer, and PAX East was closer than PAX Prime.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
FPS, RPGs, tabletop, card games (UNO, Apples to Apples)
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
All of the expo floor, and the Red vs. Blue panel.
Looking forward to: OC Remix panel.
Just the facts: Joshua Nicholson (IT)
From: Boston.
Why at PAX: Went to PAX Prime.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Does most of his gaming on PC; FPS, RPGs; Team Fortress, Fallout, Mass Effect 2.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
Jamspace. Just people getting together and playing music. Saw the Protomen playing. Really enjoyed LAN because it’s a different vibe from playing online.
Looking forward to:
Looking forward to panels, but they had been too packed. Best part has been wandering around.
Just the facts: Jason Lindner (Software engineer), Sarah Lindner (works for a non-profit with high school exchange programs). [*NOTE: So sorry I forgot to snap a picture!]
From: Norwalk, Connecticut.
Why at PAX:
Wanted to go to last year’s PAX Prime, but it was really expensive and plans didn’t pan out. Jason went to E for All.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Mostly single-player, RPG/adventure games that they play on and off. They’re looking forward to playing more of Mass Effect 2, Uncharted 2, Bioshock 2. They own all current-gen systems but play the 360 the most. Also play the Sims.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth: The panels where Mike and Jerry talk, and the Make-A-Strip panel.
Looking forward to: Jason: Scott Kurtz’s panel and trying out games in expo hall. Sarah: Freeplay hall.
Sunday
Just the facts: Edward Febres (Graphic design college grad from University of New Haven).
From: Connecticut.
Why at PAX:
Gaming, the gaming community and keynote, which he waited for four hours in line to see.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
More of a console gamer, but really likes Pokemon. “I just set this [sign] up about an hour ago and had like 20 people come up to me,” he said. “An enforcer came over here earlier, and I thought he was going to tell me to take the sign down, but he asked me, ‘How long are you going to be over here because after my shift ends I want to trade Pokemon.” Another three or four people came to connect PokeWalkers while we chatted.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
All the panels with Gabe and Tycho because those are pretty funny.
Just the facts: Danielle
From: Missouri.
Why at PAX: Invited by her friends and they got her a badge.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms: Handhelds, but owns several consoles; RPGs; Playing Pokemon HeartGold atm.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth: The music. Went to several music panels and concert. Out of the bands she saw, she liked VGO.
Looking forward to: Closing ceremony.
Just the facts: Natalie (Studying Biology at Brandeis University in Boston)
From: Ohio.
Why at PAX: Originally wasn’t planning on it, but had friends coming into town who were going.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms: Xbox 360; Portal.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth: The cushions.
Looking forward to: The cushions—“I heard they might be letting people take these because they don’t want to clean them and take them back.”
Just the facts:
Raphael Kelley [pictured left]
Paul Jacob [pictured right]
From: New Jersey.
Why at PAX: Just needed something to do over spring break.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
RPG, shooters; Xbox 360, PS3
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
The people and costumes, and the X-Play LIVE: A Show on Television panel.
Looking forward to:
Nothing in particular, but thought it had been a good show. “We’re satisfied,” said Raphael.
Just the facts: Aaron Kroh (Software Engineer)
From: Rochester, NY but currently in Little Massachusets.
Why at PAX:
PAX Prime seemed really cool and wanted to check it out.
Favorite games, genres and/or platforms:
Action, RPG, FPS, Racers; Xbox 360.
Favorite PAX event, panel and/or expo booth:
A lot of the main theater events, like the Penny Arcade panels and the concerts. Favorite from the exhibition floor was Red Dead Redemption.
Looking forward to: Closing ceremonies.