Post PAX
It’s still sinking in. The long weekend we have been looking forward to is now behind us. It was everything and more than we had hoped for. We had one last day to enjoy Melbourne before we flew back to Brisbane.
It was great to sleep-in a little bit and causally wake up and slowly get ready for another day. We packed all our gear and checked out of our hotel. Our luggage was super light! We had no idea we were gonna be a hit, we would’ve been happy if we managed to sell one suitcase let alone two. My guess is because PAX had been cancelled for the last two years so everyone was craving for some new games to play.
We set out from the hotel for some bagels and coffee, our friend recommended it previously. It was yummy, everything in Melbourne had been yummy. We whimsically walked around Melbourne CBD in what should be described as perfect weather. It was great to have no responsibilities for a day. Soon enough we decided to visit Chinatown for lunch, because it created a great op for Yum Cha promos.
On our way to the Chinatown gate. We walked passed a picture on the window which looked very appetizing. So we settled on Cambodia’s Kitchen for some beef noodle soup. The meal was very generous with its ingredients. Not many people were dining there when we started, but certainly picked up as we finished our meal. We undeniably made the right choice.
Cambodia's Kitchen - Beef brisket with rice teardrop noodle soup
After lunch we had some more time to spare, so we ended up walking through South Bank and returned to the MCEC to take this final selfie. It was great to reflect on the last three days and soak it all in. MCEC was so quiet and peaceful without people in it 😝. PAX happened to us, two brothers who decided to make tabletop games for fun and share our enjoyment with who we could. Now with PAX meant that we were able to share our games with so many more people then we would’ve have ever imagined. It feels surreal. Winning a spot on the Indie Showcase means we’re onto something, we have to keep making more games!
Quokka Bros were at MCEC 2022
Our final meal before we left Melbourne was takoyaki and okonomiyaki. We returned to the restaurant that was fully booked on Friday. It was a decent meal, the only thing was that the okonomiyaki was a tad too charred for my liking, as you can see in the photo below.
Tokyo Maki - Takoyaki
Tokyo Maki - Seafood okonomiyaki
When we arrived in Brisbane, we were greeted with a bunch of your orders coming through as online sales. We immediately went to work and fulfill them all the following day. It brings me so much joy every time I’m packing one of your parcels. I know that when you guys are opening it, you’ll feel so much excitement and you’ll get spend countless hours enjoying Yum Cha with your friends and family. Makes the tedious process very worthwhile.
I have to say, I still enjoy playing Yum Cha even after so many rounds with you guys. I haven’t gotten bored of it, not even the slightest. One thing that I learnt and extremely happy about is the quality of the cards. I used the same pack of Yum Cha across all three days. It’s endured hundreds or maybe thousands of hands and is still in great condition. It is now sitting on my shelf as a prized possession.
The next few dot points are just me brain dumping all my thoughts on PAX in no particular order or significance.
Pros
PAX is such a great platform for indie designers and developers.
I had no idea so many people loved tabletop gaming.
To everyone that visited us, it was amazing to be amongst you all, your excitement fuels us with positive energy and vibes.
Melbourne is so beautiful.
MCEC is a great venue.
PAX is accessible to anyone and everyone.
PAX enforcers are awesome, super helpful and friendly.
Meeting two of the queens from ‘Queens of the Drone Age’ was a huge highlight for me.
A great weekend and environment for nerds of any caliber to congregate.
Fellow winners, designers, developers and exhibitors, are so friendly and very talented.
Quokka fans are the best.
Cons
Some people are not going to like your game.
PAX organisers need to work on their comms a little bit more with exhibitors.
No time to see what the digital part of PAX had to offer.
What to do differently
Have a back up strategy for when things are not going your way.
Research and prepare for the unexpected.
Over prepped is better than being under prepped.
Read other people’s blogs, watch vlogs and join communities.
Find peers and ask questions, don’t be afraid of sharing your journey with others.
Takeaways
Pack a lot of food and water with you, actively seek out breaks. Bring snack foods like muesli bars and fruits.
Sometimes you get much less back than what you put in.
The more effort you put into telling your narrative to people, the more engagement people will have with your story.
There’s so many people that are going on the same journey as you, sharing similar bad thoughts and roadblocks. You’re not alone, persevere and work with others and you’ll find the light at the end of the tunnel.
Passion will let you overcome the hurdles.
Smile and be nice to everyone, it’s contagious.
This wraps up the last blog about PAX. It was by far one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had. Five eventful days, full of highs and lows, more highs than lows. Our nerves and resilience were unmistakably put to the test. It was great meeting you all in person, and hope our paths cross again in the soon future. Thanks so much for your support!
QUOKKA HOORAY!