Another year is well underway, but there's very little to look forward to. Gamers have already began their conventions, which has most recently made its way through Boston. Unfortunately, I was not in attendance.
While I have never been the biggest fan of Penny Arcade, I do admire that they have taken a mere webcomic strip about gaming and turned it into a pretty nice Expo. Over the past few years we have seen PAX roll in and out, like an Autobot, but what we rarely see is what PAX leaves behind. Is there some sort of legacy? Well, if you can count the game-related graffiti and the remnants of people unable to hold their liquor... then yes.
Why did I not attend PAX East 2011? Well, I chose not to attend PAX East because I suffer from an irrational fear of catching a rare form of a highly contagious sickness... a sickness known by many. Many refer to this illness as the “Flu,” but we know better than to accept this simple coining as the whole truth. In the past we have seen the various strains make their way across the country and their consequences. The West coast broke out into H1Nerd1, while the east coast simply called it "The Dreaded Geek Flu.” Medieval attendees simply described it as “the plague,” but here in the south it’s called “The Vidjya Game Bug.” I desperately wanted to avoid catching this disease, which has been known to make gamers susceptible to physical damage, magical damage and severely weaken their shields.
Irrational? Well this is up for debate. It's certainly possible. In fact, it could have happened in the past already. Maybe it happened in the future? I guess that really depends on whether you are experiencing a time shift or enjoying a joyride in a Delorean. The end result? I was unable to attend. There was no gathering of monopoly money to be had, therefore I was not required to crudely paste the faces of U.S. Presidents on them. I did not get to enjoy sitting in front of the only child who enjoys kicking the back of a chair or behind the 4-foot tall individual who requires the full recline position for a four hour plane ride. I did not lose my luggage and I did not get the remote chance of becoming the Mayor of a CDC Quarantine on 4Square.
Of course, it would have all been worth it for just a taste of the event, but it was just not in the cards for me this year. Maybe next year I will overcome my fear… or simply stock up on surgical masks and latex gloves. Hopefully, this time next year I will actually have a job and not be stuck in "over/under qualified limbo." Who knows what the future may hold, unless you're in the sequel of course.
