I wrote a little about my PAX experience in the latest New News but I thought I’d share just a little more, with some different perspectives, more game and even non-PAX stuff!

PAX impressions

PAXAUS 2014 was a great fun time, but there was a lot more greatness and fun then there was time. We were run off our feet and out of our tables with demos throughout the weekend, and my biggest regret is that I didn’t get to play more games. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one at PAX, so I’ve collected some post-PAX impressions for all of you! In no particular order:

• Kick the Table interviewed a bunch of designers at PAX using recording equipment, including yours truly, Allen Chang and Kim Brebach (whose game monstrous is mentioned below)
• Action Points PAX Part 1 gives a general overview and Part 2 goes deep with interview with board game developers. In Part 1, Aaron talked a little bit about Dungeon of Mandom, a great little game that I picked up from my Japan trip, and that lives in my bag apart from when people borrow it, which is getting to be pretty often since Allen Chang’s been evangelising it to everyone he meets. There’s also a PAX post from Evan’s wife about attending PAX as a more casual game, and another article from friend of the show Sharona at Popculture-y – these are both definitely video game / pop culture focussed, but perhaps you, dear reader, have a broader interest than just cardboard games.
• Al Caynes of Senyac Games also did a round up, and had a few kind words for Ragnarol. Not playing El Luchador Fantastico Grande was one of my big regrets of PAX. Unfortunately I can’t give you my impressions of the game, but check out the Kickstarter and judge for yourself!
• Sean Carrol of 93Made Games wrote about his experiences as well, and his post includes a video of the board game funding panel. I believe you’ll hear the ocassional interjection from me and Allen Chang in the audience.
• The Dice Men have also done a whole episode on PAX and it really does well to sum up how I feel about the Australian design scene right now – it’s about to burst! You can also hear me talk for a few seconds, and you can barely tell I’m completely exhausted and forgot how to use words.

Games I Actually Got to Play

PAX is the 3rd convention I’ve attended in 2014 and it’s great to see some familiar faces, as well as some familiar games. Thanks to a kind volunteer, I actually managed to unchain myself from the booth and play a few games throughout the con, including a couple of works in progress.

I finally got to play Monstrous from Kim Brebach. Kim’s been demoing this for over a year now and it’s been great to get to finally get the time to experience it for myself. I performed appallingly in the game, and just managed to squeak out a non-negative score, but still really enjoyed it. The game is looking super great and I’m looking forward to seeing it on Kickstarter early next year.

I also got to play Time Fight again. Designer Paul Sztajer tells me it’s progressed quite a bit since the Toy and Games Expo. It definitely feels to me like it’s flowing more smoothly but with no compromise on the core mechanic of gladiatorial combat across time and space. I’m really excited about this game, especially because I get to yell THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! when I finally win (that’s not actually part of the rules).

Post-PAX Mini-Con with Vault Games

New online / pop-up store Vault Games put on a launch day the weekend after PAX, which turned out to be a like a little mini con tgat showed what a great concentration of designers we have in and around Brisbane. I didn’t get to play as many of other indie games as I would have liked as I found myself somehow forced into an impromptu Netrunner draft and X-Wing tournament later in the day (okay, so maybe I brought along my Netrunner draft packs and X-Wing army, just in case). If you check out the Vault Facebook page, you’ll find a post focussing on each of the designers, and you should see Dragonracer on Kickstarter in just one week.