What's Happening In D&D At PAX Prime?

PAX Prime is coming. It's a gaming convention in Seattle, and the one that WotC currently uses for panels or announcements rather than Gen Con (which is used for gaming). The convention takes place August 28-31. Here's what you can expect to see from Wizards of the Coast (who will also have a booth in the Exhibitors Hall from Friday through Monday).

• Acquisitions, Inc (Fri 8.30pm; Benaroya Hall) -- Armed with the latest monster-slaying technology, the heroes of Acquisitions Incorporated undertake a perilous journey into a demon-infested Underdark. Dare to descend with Jim Darkmagic, Omin Dran, Binwin Bronzebottom, and Viari as they search for a legendary dark elf swordsman who, in his quest to put an end to the machinations of the demon lords, has lost his mind. Can the dual wands of Jim Darkmagic overcome the twin scimitars of Drizzt Do’Urden and rescue him from the brink of madness?
• Sword Coast Legends (Sat 1pm, Wyvern Theater) -- You’ve played the Sword Coast Legends demo but there’s still more to see! The SCL team will show off the campaign building tools and share what they’ve got coming in the Rage of Demons DLC later this year.
• Building the Best Worlds in Game (Sunday 11.30am, Seagate Theater) -- Between Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast has built world after world, year after year. What are the secrets to the process? How can you build your own worlds? Our panel of experts bridging the two games offer advice, and then answer your questions.
• Ask a Dungeon Master (Monday 10.30am; Sasquatch Theatre) -- Dungeon Mastering is an art and the skills and perspective are as unique as the story being told. Join Dungeon Master extraordinaire, Chris Perkins, to discuss tips, tricks, rules and whether it's kosher to kill a halfling in the first session. All levels of Dungeon Masters welcome from seasoned grognards to those interested in taking up the mantle.
• Design-a-Dungeon (Monday, 3pm; Wyvern Theatre) -- There are a lot of elements that go into making a satisfying dungeon adventure. We're going to throw all that out the window and crowdsource the whole shebang. After an hour, we'll have created an outline for an awesome adventure - or a complete farce.
• There's also a bunch of gaming going on. Harried in Hillsfar runs every hour, and Shackles of Blood runs every 4 hours.

Harried in Hillsfar

In the village of Elventree, near the oppressive city of Hillsfar, a recent string of strange occurrences has the locals on edge. The factions have gathered here on the borders of the forest of Cormanthor to determine what’s happening. Is this the machinations of Hillsfar, or something more?

This is an introductory adventure given in 1 hour mini-missions. Perfect for playing your first game of D&D.

Shackles of Blood

The Red Plumes have increased patrols in the region surrounding Hillsfar, and a string of disappearances has followed in their wake. Naturally, this has roused the suspicion of the factions. Join your factions and find out the truth behind the missing farmers.

Be among the first to play this 4-hour adventure in its regional preview!

[video=youtube;KipPMgbpKzk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KipPMgbpKzk[/video]
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[Uchawi]

Only for driving within the contiguous 48 states and south-central Canada. Seattle is a HUGELY more accessible air-hub than anywhere in Wisconsin (original home of Gencon) or Indianna (current).

For those of us not in the US midwest, GenCon is at least 1, if not two, planes. Seattle is a major hub. I can get to seattle for about $300 round trip... GenCon? over $700. Plus, GenCon, I'd have to book many months in advance. Seattle is an order of magnitude larger a city, and has a higher capacity. Pax is a large blip on Seattle's accomodations scene; GenCon almost totally consumes Indy's.

Most of us can get to Seattle from the nearest regional hub airport on one flight - including Berlin, London, Edinburgh, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Honolulu, Anchorage, NYC, DFW, Ottawa, Orlando, Miami, Madrid, Juneau... Even Windsor Ontario (tho' that's by entering the US by car, then flying from Detroit).

Hell, Anchorage is easier than Indy to get to for PacRim and UK denizens. Most of the places with direct flights to Seattle have direct flights to Anchorage, too.

I should have mentioned my preferred mode of travel when making generalized statements. So I do prefer to drive versus fly, so the dynamics change considerably when choosing a location. In the end, if 5E is successful, then I see no reason why they would not ensure both PAX and Gencon continue to receive support.

 

[Zaruthustran]

GenCon is much smaller than PAXPrime and so Seattle's infrastructure wouldn't be pressured by GenCon. And considering that Seattle has hosted much larger events than PAXPrime it isn't that SEATTLE is at its limit it is that PAX made certain decisions that they wouldn't expand beyond what they are now.

I'm curious about these "much larger events", and the "certain decisions" you reference. Can you elaborate?

To my knowledge, PAX is the largest event in Seattle (by attendance & total square footage). And takes out all significant available space within easy walking distance of the Convention Center (in other words, everything except the Stadium complex). If you know of additional suitable space in Seattle I'd sure like to hear about it.

Back on topic: PAX Prime has some terrific D&D content this year. It's accurate to say, however, that the larger venues for PAX South, PAX Aus, and PAX East allow for more table-space for actual D&D gameplay.

Also, it's worth mentioning that PAX is a festival with all sorts of content: an expo hall with promotional booths, panels, concerts, tournament gaming (tabletop, console, PC), freeplay gaming (tabletop, console, PC), classic coin-op arcade (all on freeplay, of course), halls sponsored by specific companies (Bioware, Gearbox, etc), announcements/world premiers, show-wide puzzle hunts & interactive events, and so on. All that content means that as a percentage, the amount of space dedicated for tabletop gaming is necessarily smaller than a con focused exclusively on tabletop. In other words if what you want out of a con is to go to a hall, sit down, and play one game all day, every day, you can do that at PAX, but you'd be missing out on a whole lot of other really fun things to see and do.

 

[bedir than]

I'm curious about these "much larger events", and the "certain decisions" you reference. Can you elaborate?

To my knowledge, PAX is the largest event in Seattle (by attendance & total square footage). And takes out all significant available space within easy walking distance of the Convention Center (in other words, everything except the Stadium complex). If you know of additional suitable space in Seattle I'd sure like to hear about it.

The plans to host things like the Olympics and the SuperBowl, and old plans for the Final Four show that Seattle has plenty of hotel infrastructure. It would involve the use of nodes (or adding days) for PAX Prime to expand, but there are paths that could be taken. Those would make it a different type of event that would require more planning from attendees and hosts. It would not be convenient, but it could be done.

 

[Henry]

Hi everyone. I'm Eric, the Tabletop Tournaments coordinator for PAX Prime, and the guy helping the D&D Adventurers League by provisioning space for them to operate at the show.

...My opinion is obviously biased, but, in short, is PAX Prime a destination for RPG players? Yes. Absolutely Yes.

Eric,

First of all, Bless You for taking on such a Hellish task as coordinator for a major convention.

Second, if it weren't for the distance an expense, I'd be seriously considering PAX Prime for all the reasons you just gave - but it's also why we need at least two large conventions in good travel epicenters in the US so that there's an outlet for people who can't get to one of those epicenters. Thanks for the info!

...
Though truth be told, with our local gameday, I haven't felt a need to go to even Gencon since Gary died, because I go more for connecting with people I know from online than for the spectacle, and some of the ENWorld gamedays are key for that. Eventually, hopefully something will draw me back, becuase those times I did go I had unparalleled good times.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Also offset that in case of Pax Aus, that as far as I know the WOTC marketing budget does not mean that it puts on D&D related events outside of Mainland America. Pax Aus's 5th edition content may come soley from the 9 of us who are volunteering to run games at Pax Aus. Whilst they still havnt released the lineup for Pax Aus, It might be safe to assume there will not be any D&D Panels. Also Sword Coast will have been out for some time when Pax Aus hits and SCAG will be on the cup of being released

There should be members of Acquisitions Inc at Pax Aus, but there would probably not be a Acq Inc game.
( I also didnt realise how big the Melbourne Convention Centre was... 2.02 sq m. Impressive. )

 

[Alphastream]

To my knowledge, PAX is the largest event in Seattle (by attendance & total square footage). And takes out all significant available space within easy walking distance of the Convention Center (in other words, everything except the Stadium complex). If you know of additional suitable space in Seattle I'd sure like to hear about it.

Back on topic: PAX Prime has some terrific D&D content this year. It's accurate to say, however, that the larger venues for PAX South, PAX Aus, and PAX East allow for more table-space for actual D&D gameplay.

PAX Prime has actual D&D play only because volunteers stepped up to keep it at PAX. Sure, space is limited, but the Annex basement that Wotc used to devote to D&D was a great space... and is fully devoted to Magic the Gathering (both last year and this year). Magic used to take up the ground level. This year, WotC is investing in Magic organized play significantly, devoting all of the Annex to MtG play. That's fantastic.

What isn't so fantastic is that WotC isn't focusing at all, at all, on D&D play. Sure, they are running Sword Coast demos, and there are seminars, but that isn't the same level of investment in Tabletop. I'm a huge fan of WotC and of D&D, but I believe this change in strategy to be a big mistake.

Importantly, it is a strategy. Space is limited, but any company can invest to make it happen. Right now, D&D tabletop play is getting $0 investment. Meanwhile, other RPG companies are growing their PAX presence. That's the part that has nothing to do with the city or the venue, and all with strategy.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

PAX Prime has actual D&D play only because volunteers stepped up to keep it at PAX. Sure, space is limited, but the Annex basement that Wotc used to devote to D&D was a great space... and is fully devoted to Magic the Gathering (both last year and this year). Magic used to take up the ground level. This year, WotC is investing in Magic organized play significantly, devoting all of the Annex to MtG play. That's fantastic.

What isn't so fantastic is that WotC isn't focusing at all, at all, on D&D play. Sure, they are running Sword Coast demos, and there are seminars, but that isn't the same level of investment in Tabletop. I'm a huge fan of WotC and of D&D, but I believe this change in strategy to be a big mistake.

Importantly, it is a strategy. Space is limited, but any company can invest to make it happen. Right now, D&D tabletop play is getting $0 investment. Meanwhile, other RPG companies are growing their PAX presence. That's the part that has nothing to do with the city or the venue, and all with strategy.

I think thats also true of Pax Aus too. If we hadnt investigated running some 5th ed and AL in particular, Im not sure there would be any D&D happening there either. It will be my first time going, so I cant talk to other rpging at Pax Aus, but I wouldnt be sure Paizo would have a rep there. There would be the many local indi rpg developers hopefully!.

Again I have no schedule to refer to to check it out and they took down last years schedule so I cant check there either.

 

[Lanefan]

Now the Indianapolis Convention Center website claims, "1,300,000 square feet," which would make it 7th, but for whatever reason the trade publication covering convention centers doesn't rank it that way.

I don't know exact square footage numbers, but having been there several times I can say with certainty that it's bloody huge.

Another aspect to keep in mind is this: is the actual convention centre building the only space the convention has to work with. GenCon, for example, takes over not just the ICC itself but all kinds of meeting rooms and ballrooms in the surrounding hotels, along with the hall at union station; it can do this because those hotels etc. are close enough to the ICC to make such things practical.

Given the scale and distances involved in a place like Las Vegas, I can't see the same thing happening there; the hotels are just too far apart.

Lanefan

 

[Lanefan]

( I also didnt realise how big the Melbourne Convention Centre was... 2.02 sq m. Impressive. )

I really, really hope there's a missing multiplier there, because just over 2 square metres doesn't sound very impressive at all...

Lan-"convention in a phone booth, anyone?"-efan

 

[Tyranthraxus]

oops.. I meant to say 2.02 million sq metres