Two days. That’s what I had to observe, absorb, and process as much as possible. This being our (my son and I, that is) first PAX event, we thought that two days would be plenty. It turns out we were sadly mistaken.
First, I’d have to say that I am leaving Boston with a sense that the people of this city are very friendly and accommodating. They’ve opened up there home to a thronging mass (Up to 80,000!) of people that have a passion for gaming, and for that I say thanks. Thanks to the incredibly nice, if slightly inebriated, Bostonians that helped us find a good place for dinner last night, and thanks to the community that has put up with, and accepted, the Engies, Zombies, princesses and wizards.
Gaming had been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a kid, playing Colecovision, Atari, and the occasional self programmed game in Basic with my friends were what let my imagination blossom. My NES was my pride and joy, and R.O.B. held a very special place in my heart, even though his games sucked, and my Power Glove was the envy of many people. It was so bad.
What were some of the things that I saw that really stood out to me, you ask? Well, let me share!
The Stinky Footboard – this is a new peripheral that is not quite yet to market that allows you to map keys to directional buttons controlled with your foot. My first impression was that it was a silly gimmick, but I could truly see some huge opportunities for disabled gamers with this device as it allows for some actions that require hand motion to be rerouted, some mobility issues instantly go away! That’s cool. I hope Stinky succeeds. Check out their kickstarter, they deserve it.
GameSkinny – I know this sounds self serving, just because it’s the website that I’m posting to, but that aside, I was impressed. A lot. At least for my son and I, the reps seemed genuinely interested in hearing about what we think about gaming, and at the same time shared their own personal stories. They’re passionate, and that’s an amazing trait to have. My hat is off to you, and I think I may have a new favorite website.
Machinima – I ended up chatting with someone from them over twitter, which led us to stop by their booth. Rachel (@_missrachel) was awesome. Even though they were swamped with visitors, she took the time to talk to us. Really talk. Give that girl a raise. Seriously.
Now, as an adult and parent, I get to enjoy gaming with my kids. It’s our own exclusive club. A club with millions of members. These past two days have opened my eyes to just how awesome having that membership actually is. I played games that were completely new to me, and games that felt like old friends, and I can’t wait until next year to do it all over again!
@gamerdad76
