

Heading to PAX Prime this weekend? So am I! In fact, I’ve attended every day of every PAX Prime since 2006, when a 3-day all-weekend pass cost just $35—the same price as a one-day pass to PAX Prime 2014. All told I’ve spent 25 days at PAX over the last 8 years. Based on those experiences, here are some tips to help you make the most of your PAX weekend, if you were lucky enough to land a pass to the sold-out event.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

Unless you plan spend most of your time playing board games or taking advantage of the huge collection of beanbag chairs that make up the handheld gaming lounge, expect to spend a lot of time on your feet. PAX takes up the entirety of the Washington State Convention Center, the Paramount Theatre, Benaroya Hall, and multiple meeting rooms at the Sheraton, Grand Hyatt, and Motif hotels. The Expo Hall alone occupies over two acres of space.

Bring More Power For Your Phone

If you’ve got a smartphone, you’re likely to be using it quite a bit during your up-to-14-hour-days at PAX, to keep up to date with lines and panel schedules (see below), scan codes, snap photos of awesome cosplay, and amuse yourself while waiting in line. Chances are high that your phone’s battery won’t make it all day. Bring an external battery pack so you can stay connected all day. And don’t forget your charging cable!

Connect via Guidebook & Twitter

Get the Guidebook app (iPhone or Android) or bookmark the Guidebook mobile page for maps, schedules, the exhibitor directory, tournament info, and basically everything else you want to know about what’s going on at PAX.

Follow the relevant PAX accounts on Twitter:

@Official_PAX – Major announcements

@PAX_lines – Updates on line capacity for popular panels

@PAX_Tourney – Updates on the various tournaments

@TT_HQ – Tabletop Headquarters: all things tabletop

Hate Crowds? Come Friday & Monday

Okay, let’s be honest. If you really hate crowds, you should probably sell your tickets and just stay home.

PAX is going to be packed pretty much all four days. However, Friday and Monday are likely to be slightly less crowded than Saturday and Sunday. You’ll find it just a little easier to get around the Expo Hall and a slightly smaller chance of missing out on your favorite panels.

Don’t Spend the Entire Time at WSCC

When it’s time for lunch or dinner, don’t be afraid to wander a few blocks away from the Washington State Convention Center. Downtown Seattle has lots of great food options, and the further from WSCC you get, the less likely it is that you’ll have to wait in line for half an hour for your meal.

Try heading down Pike Street to Pike Place Market or up 4th Avenue to Westlake Center, or just wander around a bit. It’s hard to go wrong.

Bring Some Spending Money

While much of the Expo Hall is filled with developers and publishers showing off their upcoming games, there are plenty of opportunities to get your merch on. From exhibitors selling their latest tech to shirts and albums from the bands that will be playing on Friday and Sunday nights, to the collectable “Pinny Arcade” pins that have become an obsession among some fans, you’ll have no shortage of buying opportunities.

Get Your Portable Gaming On

Anyone who says that dedicated portable game consoles like the Nintendo 3DS or Sony’s PS Vita have been killed by mobile gaming on smartphones obviously hasn’t been to PAX. Whether you’re relaxing in the dedicated Handheld Lounge, waiting in a panel line, or even enjoying the Keynote at Benaroya Hall, there’s always lots of time at PAX for handheld gaming, and plenty of fellow gamers around to challenge in your favorite multiplayer game.

Don’t Try To See Everything

Even if you’re going to be at PAX all four days like I am, it isn’t possible to see and do everything. There’s just too much awesome stuff at PAX. Want to see all the big upcoming games? Spend hours on ’80s arcade classics and pinball machines? Collect all the pins? Take in a ton of panels? Become the Lord of Catan? It’s all great, but pick a handful of things you enjoy and focus your weekend on those.

Above all, enjoy PAX!

Tim Ellis is a data junkie, economist, and game geek. He has been tracking the local real estate market since 2005 at Seattle Bubble. You can read his occasional thoughts on other topics at TimAndJeni.com, or follow him on Twitter at @The_Tim.