Ugh guys I’ve been horrible about taking pictures. This past weekend I went to PAX East, the massive game convention. I took some un-representative pictures while there.
These are unrepresentative because they don’t show that there were hundreds of tables where people were playing board/card games and at least a hundred booths for game companies (like the YouTube one seen above). I went in the context of EyeWire. I don’t consider myself a gamer, but I did realize that everyone is a gamer in a sense, because games are ubiquitous in all walks of life. Games are not just Halo and Legend of Zelda, they are also Scrabble and Candy Crush and ping pong and tag. I should have connected with this idea better before attending the convention, as I am working for an unconventional game, but I was a bit intimidated by those who knew so much more about gaming than me and thus I did not want to define myself as a gamer. At the convention I did feel out of the loop, not recognizing any of the big names in the gaming industry, but I still had a lot of fun checking out the booths, seeing different concepts that people have dreamt up, and people-watching. I am less intimidated now, and even more fascinated by this culture that I could know so much more about. The whole gaming industry is so relevant to citizen science projects like EyeWire, as they too are trying to create an online environment of fun, relaxation, and community.
