(Part 2) Top products from r/PAX

Well, as far as silly card games go, I'm partial to We Didn't Playtest This At All and Fluxx which support 2-15 and 2-6 players respectively. Both games can be really quick or take a while, but I've always found them to be great fun, and they both have a bunch of expansions, if you find that you like them.

Of course, if you want to delve into the world of board games, I'm a big fan of co-op games like Castle Panic and Pandemic. In Castle Panic, you work together to defend a castle from oncoming hordes of monsters and in Pandemic you need to cooperate to keep viral epidemics under control while finding a cure. Castle Panic is great fun, a simple game, and easy to get into, but I've never found it an easy game to win which keeps it fresh. Pandemic is a bit more complicated, requiring a lot of strategy and cooperation, and it can be brutally difficult at times, but that just makes winning all the more satisfying.

If you and your friends like a little friendly competition, I'd suggest something like 7 Wonders or Bang!, which was the game that got me started down this path. In 7 Wonders, you draft cards to build a civilization and compete for victory points. It may seem a little complicated at first, but once you play a game or two, it really starts to shine. In Bang!, you enter the wild west where one of you is the sheriff, and the rest of the players are deputies, outlaws, or renegades, each with their own win condition. The thing with this one is that everyone's role except the sheriff's is hidden. You can play Bang! with as little as 3 players, but it really only gets good if you have 5 or more.

If you want to do some research on your own, check out /r/boardgames or http://boardgamegeek.com/ which has a pretty comprehensive database of all the board games out there with ratings and reviews.

Bring snacks and probably a bag lunch. There are places to eat but lines are long.

On the subject of lines, you might consider a pack stool or something similar, lines for almost everything are going to be pretty significant.

Once you have the schedule, it's a good idea to make a list of priorities as the lines make it difficult to see and do everything.

Get to panels, especially popular panels, 2-4 hours in advance.

PAX is less about retail than other conventions, but several vendors will be on site. I personally only budget ~$20 for non-food shopping, but if you want official PAX merch or some nerdy graphic tees you might want to bump that up a bit.

There will be a lot of free SWAG given away, it's a good idea to bring an empty backpack/bag.

If you play MTG at all you should pop over there. I only play once a year (at PAX) and i love jumping in one of the draft or mini-masters tournys. They start every time they have enough people to start, usually several times an hour.

If you get overwhelmed it might help to head over to the PC free-play area. The line is usually quick and you get to use a computer for ~1 hour to do whatever. It's helped me in the past when I just needed to get away from people for a while.

Quick little games you can play with your linefriends are also fun.

Stuff like zombie dice are win.

Re: Comfy shoes, realize the BCEC is bloody huge (like half a mile fromom end to end), so make sure they're shoes you're comfy walking a lot in.

Also if you have an external battery charger, those are awesome, as you won't always be near an outlet. Something like this - http://www.amazon.com/PowerGen-12000mAh-External-Battery-Capacity/dp/B0085OB0IE/ref=sr_1_15?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1396985536&sr=1-15&keywords=external+battery+charger

I've done something similar in the past, although I just kind of handed them out to people instead of asking ahead of time, which seems like the much smarter idea.

Personally, I've found HP-4 to be the best weave for lanyards, since they lay flat. I've always used larger rings for them too (anywhere from 16g 5/16" to 14g 3/8"), and it goes a lot quicker. I can usually get one done in under two hours.

I seriously recommend shelling out a few buck for swivel lobster claps. They're way more reliable than bulldog claps, and its easier to put badges on.

If you happen to get overwhelmed with orders, let me know. I have some extra supplies and a little bit of free time. I can make a few of them if you need me to.

Here's a few that I put together a few years back (I was handing the blue and orange ones out at PAX Prime).

I picked up a similar bag to this at a military surplus store years ago and have used it every year at pax with great success.

In a semi related note, get this game as well and make friends wherever you go. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003IKMR0U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377105229&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

If you can also bring vitamin C pills with you. Eat them every morning before you head to the convention center. I usually get these since they're easy to eat and don't require a beverage to swallow down. They sell them at my local grocery chain/WalMart.

We're taking somethign similiar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Quik-Chair-Folding-Carrying-Royal/dp/B005MAGUPM/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409074140&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=camping+chait

It's just a tad heavier but he back rest helps.

Get yourself a mailing tube or something similar, and pack it with your other stuff. This'll be handy if you plan on getting any posters (or sketches) while you're there too, since you can usually put multiple posters in 1 tube. :)

Saitek X-52 pro
:)

I saw some people with these: http://www.amazon.com/Texsport-15160-Folding-Tripod-Stool/dp/B000JLBARW/

A little more collapsible, I think. I saw people using these last year in line, so I know this isn't something new. I'm just not stoked about carrying it around with me. These things are pretty big even when collapsed.

I bought this for my wife a year or so ago from amazon. Based on what you want, this could be what you want. If you are looking for something smaller/cheaper, this may work

Non-Parking pro-tip: bring one of these. It will save your back and feet some serious grief waiting in the queue, demo lines and panel lines. I've brought one for several years and always get many envious stares & compliments on the good idea. they are not expensive, small enough to put in or strap to a backpack when just walking around the convention without getting in your way or bothering others.

https://www.amazon.com/Quartet-Tiles-Board-Bulletin-102/dp/B0018DHBAK

Machi Koro? http://www.amazon.com/IDW-Games-665IDW-Machi-Koro/dp/1631400924

I used this one for East: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RTLS6P8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AbduDbVQHFVV9

It's lightweight, water-resistant, has a USB charging port (battery pack not included), very good capacity, and so many pockets. It did not disappoint.

Eh why risk it when you can get some toy tools or make your own fake tools and call it done.

Here you go
https://www.amazon.com/Toy-Tool-Set-Playset-Piece/dp/B009S9MBD8/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1483676901&sr=8-6&keywords=toy+screwdriver