Alienware, the people who make graphically intense computer rigs, threw a party at PAX 2011, at the Trinity Nightclub in Seattle on Saturday night. Aside from the projected Alienware logo on the wall, there wasn't anything remotely related to the Alienware brand.
The atmosphere was just like any other dance club. Add to the mix free admission for those who were on the guest list, PAX clubbers were treated to some good tunes, Go-Go dancing, and fun.
Chun-Li even made an appearance, wearing much less than usual. Was the videogame-themed Go-Go Dancer a happy accident? Her dance moves were exceptional.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
PAX 2011 Ubisoft Soar Like an Assassin
Photo Booths are awesome. Photo Booth Fun.
Especially when people get creative with the scenario. Ubisoft had a 'Soar Like an Assassin at PAX' theme going on, and recently uploaded all the pictures into several galleries on Facebook. The poses, and comments are pretty effin hilarious, and informative because apparently I look like http://thekassemg.com/ which is news to me!
The annual Comix & Stories artist market went down over the weekend. The single day event, organized by the same people who do Vancouver Comicon, has a bigger artist alley, and less vendors.
Driving back from Seattle on Saturday night from PAX, in time to make it for Sunday's art event, required that I leave PAX a day before it was actually over. I was pretty tired from all the partying, but glad I didn't cancel my table.
Though the turnout was quite slow, compared to other cons, I did meet new fans, and sold a few more Letterman Skelanimals Qees! I also debuted my mini-comic strip!
THANKS TO ALL WHO SHOWED UP! SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT SOMETHING!
PAX 2011 Pics with PAX friends
PAX PEOPLES
One of the things that I look forward to most, is meeting up with friends who I haven't seen in a while. There are the usual characters the I see every year at PAX, and then there are those who make it out to PAX every few years. And then there are those who I randomly run into, like an old classmate of mine, who I haven't seen in over 7 years.
This year was filled with many familiar faces, and a few new ones which makes PAX 2011 my favorite PAX yet.
People that I met when I first started going to PAX in 2005, have all grown up and matured. Kinda strange, but true! Time flies, indeed. Sharing a drink with friends once a year made me realize that social gatherings like this should happen more than just once a year. Getting all these people together in one place though is hard, glad they showed up to PAX!
You know you're old when, more and more gamers use PAX as a backdrop for a marriage proposal.
PAX 2011 SWAG BAG
Stuffs
I didn't get too much stuff this year at the Penny Arcade Expo, mostly because I only had a Saturday Pass, I also didn't want to wait in long lines in the exhibit hall, and well, I was too busy socializing or playing Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. The good thing is though, I wasn't hauling a too much stuff around, and rather than getting a whole buncha swag crap, I think I got some good quality stuff.
My favorites include, the assorted SEGA stuff, T-shirts, postcards and lanyards. Maybe I'll ebay some of this stuff.
SEGA at PAX "VFer Looking to Challenge other VFers." If I put up a classified ad during PAX, it'd probably sound a little something like that.
SEGA gave gamers a chance to play the latest in the popular fighting game series during the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle (Aug.26-28), and though Virtua Fighter may not be as big in North America, as it is in the Japan, the fans are just as enthusiastic.
When I caught the news on the SEGA BLOG that two arcade machines, were being brought in from Japan, and were playable (free) during the entire PAX weekend at Gameworks, I admit I was ecstatic.
In fact, everything else at the expo took a back seat to Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, which required no PAX badge to play. I was itching to get to Seattle so I could get some rounds in, and to see what sort of competition would show up. Were there any Virtua Fighter fans out there PAX? And like a blinding kick to the face, I soon discovered there were.
Not since 2008, during a trip to Tokyo for TSG, have I played head-to-head Virtua Fighter 5 against an opponent in the same room. Online gaming on the XBOX 360 just isn't the same, and the Penny Arcade Expo isn't really known for being much of a Virtua Fighter scene. It still isn't, but SEGA brought something special this year, with an event outside the convention centre.
Situated in the main floor of the arcade, the machines were easy to miss if it wasn't for a few banners, and models. (There were two other Virtua Fighter 5 non-Final Showdown machines on the second level of Gameworks, but they were not free)
I stopped by on the Friday afternoon, and as expected there wasn't a big crowd around the machines, except for a few hardcore members of the VirtuaFighter.com forums. Most people travelled from other cities just for this game. Saturday night however was the opposite, being it was the SEGA party at Gameworks, VF5FS was a main attraction.
As usual with all versions of Virtua Fighter, things change, enough to take notice. VF5FS has changed quite a bit in terms of command input, dodging, throws, and general tuning. I personally find it frustrating when my favorite critical moves and combos have been shuffled around. VF5FS feels like a new game, refreshing for veterans, and more approachable for newbs interested in getting into it. That's not to say the game has been dumbed down for newer players. VF5FS is still quite complex, which makes it all the more satisfying when you learn how to play it.
Though, the best part of about going to PAX is the people, and in this case, it was the other Virtua Fighter fans. I really enjoyed the arcade vibe. Some of the really high-level players were nice enough to offer up some tips, and advice, and for the weekend it was like Seattle had an actual VF scene, if only for PAX. (Shouts to Chanchai!)
I honestly cannot wait for this game to hit the arcades officially in NA, as well on the home console in Summer 2012. It will be interesting to see how this game is marketed, as well as the reaction it will receive. Will Virtua Fighter finally catch on in NA? Even if it doesn't but remains as a game for specific fighting gamers, I'd still be very pleased to play it.
THANK YOU SEGA FOR MAKING PAX AWESOME!
Check out the Live-stream from the event and some pics!
