We've been posting updates to the Busy Gamer News Facebook page as well as tweets (Gamewatcher, GrrlGotGame), and we'll have more in-depth writeups after the show. For now, we wanted to compile some more quick tips for showgoers attending Saturday and Sunday.
First, there were actually extra day passes released for sale late today, so if you don't have a ticket there is hope. At this writing, the 1000 extra Saturday passes had sold but there are some Sunday passes left. UPDATE: At just before 11 p.m. Pacific, Official_PAX tweeted: "Dealing with tech issues with the online ticketing system. We are not sold out on Saturday yet - we'll keep you posted." So check back; you may still be able to get in on Saturday!
Here are some additional tips if you do attend:
- Get there early and head to the Queue Room next to the Main Theater. That's the new morning entry point to the Exhibition Hall (which now extends across the skybridge that was the old morning access point). The good news is that there's now a TV screen in there with some amusing morning entertainment.
- Internet access stinks at the Convention Center. Make other arrangements to keep in touch with friends and the outside world. WiFi is for the show, so you'll have to use 3G or Edge or whatever your phone connects to. Even if you do get phone network reception (which seemed fine most places), you will have a hard time accessing the Internet - after the first hour, we went most of the day without getting anything at all (though I still received a phone call - that rolled into voicemail since I didn't hear it!). You may need to leave the show entirely to Twitter, Facebook or access e-mail. SMS seems to be a good alternative (alas, we don't have an SMS plan!).
- There is food everywhere! If you need refueling and the lines are bad, look around for food options off the beaten path - like on the way to Band Land or on the 6th floor. Or walk a few blocks to Pacific Place.
- Bring a secondary camera and entertainment device. Yep, we failed at our own advice. If your phone dies, you don't want to miss that great shot of a geek celeb or great cosplayer. Or be stranded in a long line with nothing to do. Our iPhones drained fast with all the failed Internet attempts. You may also want to invest in a battery extender if your phone doesn't support battery swapping (iPhone, I'm looking at you!).
- Bring rubber bands! Or, if you're a ponytail boy or girl, extra hair bands. A lot of the people handing out posters run out of these, and you don't want your loot to get folded or squashed, do you?
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