Reuben’s PAXtravaganza
Friday
1 PM: Rooster Teeth in the Main Theatre
I watched the first couple seasons of Red vs. Blue in high school, and I literally developed breathing problems. My friends and I spent a good semester and a half screaming “Shotgun!” “Fuck!” (even when there was no car in sight) and sarcastically informing each other that yes, that’s right, I am a gay robot. IAnd you know what? Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t make it not funny anymore. In the intervening decade the folks from Rooster Teeth have only improved their art. I’m excited to basically just sit there and listen to them talk about whatever the hell they want.
4 PM: World Design with Keith Baker in the Tabletop Room
Mr. Baker designed the the D&D setting of Eberron, which is sort of what would happen if you took every single cool over-the-top aspect of D&D, shook it up in a jar, and then made whatever came out re-enact the Cold War. World-building, whether for tabletops, PC gaming, or novels, is a compelling and terrifying rabbit hole, and I imagine he’ll have some great insights.
8:30 PM: Friday Night Concerts
The Protomen are playing. There are some other bands, but the Protomen are playing. I have a ticket to see them Monday night at an actual club, playing a full set, but the Protomen are playing. I’ll have to get in line way early and probably beg strangers to bring me a box of crackers or something, but the Protomen are playing. You know what? Go do something else. Go stalk Wil Wheaton or something. Don’t get in line ahead of me.
Saturday
11 AM: Beyond Wheaton’s Law, Unicorn Theater
I have no idea if I’ll actually be conscious at this point in the morning, but if I am, this panel (hosted by XBox Live “Banhammer” Stephen Toulouse) promises to discuss the myriad ways gamers can somehow manage to not be complete assholes to each other all the time. Sounds like it’ll go perfect with a hangover.
1 PM: The Future of D&D, Raven Theater
Mike Mearls is going to talk to us about the ambitious, controversial fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons (aka D&D Next.) It could be tremendously informative and reassuring; it could be a complete clusterfuck. I want to be there either way.
4 PM: Setting the Mood, Tabletop Room
I am a GM of only moderate skill, occasionally too involved storytelling for my own good. But I’d like to get better, and one of the ways to do that is to learn from the masters. Logan Bonner, Will Hindmarch, and Keith Baker discuss how to make a good tabletop not just a game, but an experience. Presumably there will be tips on running an NPC seduction scene.
8 PM: How To Craft A Damn Good Fight Scene For Games & Books, Tabletop Room
It’s pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. I, for one, am still traumatized from posting my ninth-grade fan fiction masterpiece (it was Warhammer, that’s cool, right?) on the growing intertubes, only for some jackhole with thirty thousand dollars sunk into pewter miniatures to point out that only a complete idiot would block with the edge of his sword. Actually, fuck that guy, that was nitpicky as hell and he was talking to a 14 year-old. But still, this panel sounds like a lot of fun.
Also 8 PM: Let’s Talk about Sex In Games, Raven Theater
Alternately, should the above seem too neckbeardy in the harsh light of day, there’s a panel about the importance and careful handling (heh) of sexuality and gender in modern gaming. I think watching the audience will be just as entertaining as the panel itself, if not nearly as informative.
Sunday
10 AM: How Community Managers Deal With Trolls, Pegasus Theater
Again, will I be awake and at the convention center at 10 AM? Prooooobably not. Will I try, because this panel contains promises “four gaming-focused community managers [telling] their best troll stories”? Oh hell yes. Fun game: bring a flask and take a swig every time Godwin’s Law gets brought up.
12 PM: How To Snag the Marketing/Advertising/PR/Script Writing Job You Dream About, Serpent Theater
To be honest, I don’t dream about any of those jobs – but they’d be really cool. The primary purpose of this panel, however, is so that those of us who aren’t actively making a video game can all go to PAX and come away pretending we accomplished something. It’s professional advice. It could change your life. Let’s do it.
4 PM: Sympathy For the Devil, Tabletop Room
Two authors and a longtime writing advice columnist discuss how to create kickass villains. Yeah, sure, why not? By then I’ll be so exhausted, dehydrated, and generally addled that it’s entirely possible I’ll just start singing “The Rains of Castamere” and doing a striptease, so you should show up for that bit.
