PAX08, Day 1

Friday was fun, but really crowded. I mean like ZOMFG crowded. And tomorrow is sure to be even worse. I'm bracing myself for a lot of waiting in line.

We met Karin and Bryan at their house around noon, then had sandwiches at Panera and got to the convention center just before 2:00 PM, when the doors opened. Crowded. We learned our lesson from last year and didn't bother waiting in line--the only reason we did before was to get concert wristbands, and we opted to skip that, since we'd just seen Coulton in Vegas two weeks ago.

A quick stroll around the exhibit hall, and then we got in line for the keynote. (Did I mention there's a whole room devoted to waiting in line for the main theatre? Really. It's labeled "Line Up Room" on the map.) My former coworker David joined us in line. We chatted, then sat together to watch Ken Levine's keynote and the Penny Arcade Q&A. I love these guys.

David and his friend went off to get in line for the Friday concert, and the rest of us went in search of a quick dinner. We ended up at Cyber Dogs, which had good food but a tiny space. We got our food to go, found an empty table downstairs in the convention center, and ate there.

Then, disappointment! The Raven Theatre had completely filled up for the Telltale Games panel (make a scene with Strong Bad), and the PAX Enforcers weren't letting anyone else in. We wandered over to the PC freeplay area, where I poked at World in Conflict for a while (not bad, call it Starcraft meets Red Dawn).

Went back to the Raven to see if we could squeeze into the screening of The Guild and Q&A with Felicia Day, but the line for that stretched all the way across the convention center, and we were pretty sure the room wasn't that big.

Wandered down to the console freeplay area, got a number, watched some people play Rock Band while waiting. Bryan checked out Guitar Hero III and two guitars, and he, Karin, and I strummed away while D watched with amusement.

And that was Friday. Tomorrow we're driving in separately, since the first panel D and I want to see is at 1:00 PM, and we'll meet up later for food and such.

I'm hoping the place won't be a complete madhouse, but I'm prepared for disappointment. I just hope everyone remembers Wil Wheaton's sage advice:



~CKL