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karasu

1407th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"PAX Prime 2014" , posted Thu 31 Jul 02:55

Hey Cafe folks, anyone else attending PAX Prime at the end of August? Or for that matter, are there any Cafe members located in Seattle? I thought I'd ask around since it's about a month off, and since the GDC 2014 San Francisco 'Great Cafe Meetup' was such a blast (even if my my aching head told me otherwise in the morning).

I'll be attending this year (although not exhibiting as I'd hoped) to see the sights and wander around showing any interested people my upcoming game, which I'm still working up the courage to show around here at the Cafe.

If anyone will be there and is up for a meetup for food / beer / cocktails / running amok, let me know!

I'd also love to get everyone's take on the insanity associated with actually getting a ticket for this thing. It sure seems like the most needlessly broken possible system ever.

www.secret-arts.com

Replies:

Spoon

2658th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(1):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Thu 31 Jul 07:38

quote:
Hey Cafe folks, anyone else attending PAX Prime at the end of August?

I don't even know how one goes about getting tickets for this event now that the ticket sales are scooped up in like the first hour that they go on sale.

karasu

1408th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(2):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Thu 31 Jul 08:41

quote:
Hey Cafe folks, anyone else attending PAX Prime at the end of August?

I don't even know how one goes about getting tickets for this event now that the ticket sales are scooped up in like the first hour that they go on sale.

First hour? Try first 20 minutes.

We bought ours on eBay at a price that would have been acceptable if that was what they charged.

That was my point about their ticket prices: at I think $35, it's so cheap that even if everyone only needs one ticket, they buy the max. It's the opposite end of the spectrum from GDC, where prices are so high they're nuts. Basically PAX is so cheap it feeds a whole scalper ecology. They should just raise the prices to $150 or and I suspect they would have no trouble attracting attendees. Of course there would be inevitable bitching from the would be scalper community.

www.secret-arts.com

karasu

1409th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(3):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Thu 31 Jul 08:53

quote:
Hey Cafe folks, anyone else attending PAX Prime at the end of August?

I don't even know how one goes about getting tickets for this event now that the ticket sales are scooped up in like the first hour that they go on sale.

First hour? Try first 20 minutes.

We bought ours on eBay at a price that would have been acceptable if that was what they charged.

That was my point about their ticket prices: at I think $35, causing it to sell out instantaneously. It's so cheap that even if everyone only needs one ticket, they buy the max, knowing that they can resell them and make a profit. It's the opposite end of the spectrum from GDC and other industry events, where prices are so high they're nuts. Basically PAX is so cheap it feeds a whole scalper ecology. They should just raise the prices to $150 or and I suspect they would have no trouble attracting attendees. Of course there would be inevitable bitching from the would be scalper community.

www.secret-arts.com

karasu

1410th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(4):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Thu 31 Jul 08:54

quote:
Hey Cafe folks, anyone else attending PAX Prime at the end of August?

I don't even know how one goes about getting tickets for this event now that the ticket sales are scooped up in like the first hour that they go on sale.

First hour? Try first 20 minutes.

We bought ours on eBay at a price that would have been acceptable if that was what they charged.

That was my point about their ticket prices: at I think $35, causing it to sell out instantaneously. It's so cheap that even if everyone only needs one ticket, they buy the max, knowing that they can resell them and make a profit. It's the opposite end of the spectrum from GDC and other industry events, where prices are so high they're nuts. Basically PAX is so cheap it feeds a whole scalper ecology. They should just raise the prices to $150 or and I suspect they would have no trouble attracting attendees. Of course there would be inevitable bitching from the would be scalper community.

www.secret-arts.com

exodus

4349th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(3):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Tue 12 Aug 10:24

I will not be attending pax because I don't support the organizers, but I'll be in the downtown seattle area during the event.

chazumaru

1285th Post

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(4):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Tue 12 Aug 18:29

quote:
I will not be attending pax because I don't support the organizers

What's up with that? I thought PAX were the good guys? Is it related to the controversial comments one of the PA guys said about (if I recall correctly) transgendered people? Or do they have shady behind-the-scenes practises you don't appreciate?

By the way, are you coming to TGS?

Même Narumi est épatée !

karasu

1418th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(5):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Wed 13 Aug 03:30

quote:
I will not be attending pax because I don't support the organizers

What's up with that? I thought PAX were the good guys? Is it related to the controversial comments one of the PA guys said about (if I recall correctly) transgendered people? Or do they have shady behind-the-scenes practises you don't appreciate?

By the way, are you coming to TGS?

I'm curious too-- but I know that there are plenty of reasons a lot of folks boycott PAX, one of which involves the one fellow's comments on a number of subjects, his backhanded apology for said comments, and subsequent pseudo-defense of the same.

For me, my going is a business decision. I'm just attending, not exhibiting (and contributing thereby a big pile of cash to PA), but like GDC it's a fantastic way for me to walk around and meet other like-minded folks who I can show my game to.

Exodus, maybe we can manage to meet up this time at PAX. I'll only be in town fairly briefly but maybe we can manage to grab some food or something.

I'm glad you mentioned TGS chaz, because I considered trying to attend this year but ultimately decided against it. Any thoughts on whether it's worth it for a US indie dev to have any kind of presence there? I'm localizing my game for the Japanese market, but I'm not sure that attending would help me in particular. I know that's a pretty wide-open question, sorry.

www.secret-arts.com

exodus

4351th Post

Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(6):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Wed 13 Aug 04:27

quote:
What's up with that? I thought PAX were the good guys? Is it related to the controversial comments one of the PA guys said about (if I recall correctly) transgendered people? Or do they have shady behind-the-scenes practises you don't appreciate?

By the way, are you coming to TGS?

They sort of were the good guys, at one point! And as for what they did, plenty has been written on the subject, but essentially - Mike keeps saying things that are offensive to wide groups of people, then when they get upset, tells them to get over it - but as the mouthpiece of a huge swath of nerds, they have to take their "office" with a bit more responsibility. Mike has recently admitted that he has become the bully that he always hated in highschool, and is trying to change, but it's not quite there for me yet.

As for TGS, I'll be there. Still figuring out where I'm gonna stay though.

Is it worth it for indies to have a presence? Not really, but there are vehicles through which you could have done it if you signed up back in June or something. There's an indie area that some international folks go to, but it's beyond closed now. I didn't get any booth space in there myself, though I considered it. I am still thinking about whether I can push my sony connections to get me a spot, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

chazumaru

1287th Post

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(6):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Wed 13 Aug 04:40:

exodus understood and good news about TGS.

karasu Honestly? If your main goal is to do business, I think it's a waste of money to go to TGS unless you already have local contacts/meetings planned. You have much better chances to find a local publisher if you already released your game elsewhere. For PSN and eShop (3DS/WiiU), I know local publishers look carefully at what gets released on the Western stores and approach the developers of the games they are interested to bring to Japan.

If you are looking for local connections, I guess some of the local "Ura TGS" parties do have some value. The guys at 8-4 make one each year. One guy at NaNaonSha used to do an even better one (in terms of atmosphere and weird people) in which I actually met the future producer of Pazudora (I only realized this recently), but he left Japan a few years ago. The rare ones thrown by publishers usually have zero value.

Même Narumi est épatée !

[this message was edited by chazumaru on Wed 13 Aug 04:41]

karasu

1420th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(7):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Wed 13 Aug 04:54

quote:
exodus on PAX

Ah, yeah that's what I suspected. His behavior and attitude stinks, and if not for this being a crucial year for me to go I'd probably not go, honestly.

quote:
Is it worth it for indies to have a presence? Not really, but there are vehicles through which you could have done it if you signed up back in June or something. There's an indie area that some international folks go to, but it's beyond closed now. I didn't get any booth space in there myself, though I considered it. I am still thinking about whether I can push my sony connections to get me a spot, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

quote:

karasu Honestly? If your main goal is to do business, I think it's a waste of money to go to TGS unless you already have local contacts/meetings planned. You have much better chances to find a local publisher if you already released your game elsewhere. For PSN and eShop (3DS/WiiU), I know local publishers look carefully at what gets released on the Western stores and approach the developers of the games they are interested to bring to Japan.

If you are looking for local connections, I guess some of the local "Ura TGS" parties do have some value. The guys at 8-4 make one each year. One guy at NaNaonSha used to do an even better one (in terms of atmosphere and weird people) in which I actually met the future producer of Pazudora (I only realized this recently), but he left Japan a few years ago. The rare ones thrown by publishers usually have zero value.

Thanks very much for the info, both of you. Exodus: I was thinking on next year. I knew this year was essentially sunk but as it is I probably couldn't have managed to go anyway. As it is I'm certainly getting ahead of myself and need to get the English language release out to start with, and worry about Japan afterward. Then for next year maybe things will work out!

www.secret-arts.com

karasu

1429th Post

PSN: robotchris
XBL: robotchris
Wii: n/a

Red Carpet Executive Member

"Re(8):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Fri 29 Aug 00:12

I thought since PAX starts tomorrow I'd bump this to see if anyone else will be in Seattle. I'm driving up in the morning tomorrow and I'll be around until sometime on Sunday, but only actually attending on Saturday.

Even though I'm primarily there to do business, I'm practically foaming at the mouth to play Bayonetta 2!

www.secret-arts.com

Gojira

3059th Post

PSN: Gojira_X
XBL: Gojiraaa
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Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master

"Re(9):PAX Prime 2014" , posted Fri 29 Aug 14:34

quote:
I thought since PAX starts tomorrow I'd bump this to see if anyone else will be in Seattle. I'm driving up in the morning tomorrow and I'll be around until sometime on Sunday, but only actually attending on Saturday.

Even though I'm primarily there to do business, I'm practically foaming at the mouth to play Bayonetta 2!

All right, this year I'll come clean:

I've probably hinted at this a bit at times, but I've pretty much lived in Seattle for a long while now. So every year PAX Prime comes and goes and I've been here and I'm sure many folks have been here for it a few times without knowing this. (I rarely actually go to PAX, though, unless it's for work.)

The thing is - and this is a little hard to admit - though I can speak freely here, I've not been a social person for a fairly long time. In fact I kind of go out of my way to avoid people, although I wasn't always like this. I used to participate in the FGC a lot, but now I don't even do that anymore. So when it comes to "let's meet up" situations I usually stay out of it.

Lately though, I'm making an effort to be more social again so I wouldn't mind meeting some new RL people, especially if they be fellow Cafe goers. Once again this year I'm not attending PAX, but if either of you guys wants to hook up somewhere outside the convention this weekend, my email is gogojirax@gmail.com.