It’s almost time for PAX West and we’re getting ready for another great show! We’ll be bringing the AFK Room, our trained team of Psychomancers, the Hope Booth, and a few panels. Stop by and say hi!
For more details about the AFK Room and Hope Booth, keep an eye on our Twitter and Facebook pages:
AFK Room (WSCC Level 6, Room 601) Hours:
Friday, August 30th: 11am to 7pm
Saturday, August 31st: 11am to 7pm
Sunday, September 1st: 11am to 7pm
Monday, September 2nd: 11am to 5pm
Booth of Hope (WSCC Level 6, Diversity Lounge) Hours:
Friday, August 30th: 9:30am to 6pm
Saturday, August 31st: 9:30am to 6pm
Sunday, September 1st: 9:30am to 6pm
Monday, September 2nd: 9:30am to 6pm
We’ll be taking part in a number of panels. Check out the details:
Official Take This Panels
Parents Just Don’t Understand – How to Bridge the Tech Gap – Monday, September 2nd | Sandworm Theater | 1:30pm
Dungeons & Dragons is demonic. Video games will make you aggressive. Online games are anti-social. Games, both digital and tabletop, have stricken fear in the hearts of parents since their inception. As games grow in popularity and technology becomes more sophisticated, these fears continue to magnify. It may come as a surprise to many parents that in the field of game studies (and ever growing field of academic study) the vast majority of these fears are completely unsupported by scientific research. Join us for a discussion about Dungeons & Dragons, video games, science, and parenting. Panelists will be answering the most pressing questions on parents’ minds today as well as tips and strategies on how to integrate gaming in to family life.
Featuring: Rachel Kowert, Ryan Kelly, Adam Davis, Travis Eriksen, Chris Ferguson
Am I Geek Enough? The Female Experience in Gaming Spaces – Monday, September 2nd | Hippogriff Theatre | 2pm
There is a lot of discussion on inclusivity and equality for women within game spaces, but what happens when the criticisms become internalized? How do you navigate geek and gaming spaces if you doubt you even belong? Join this panel of accomplished authors, content creators, and gaming professionals – all of whom happen to identify as women – as they discuss their personal experiences and struggles existing in geek and gamer communities. They will share how they care for themselves, persevere, and flourish.
Featuring: Sarah Sawyer, Trish Heinrich, Tanya DePass, Britt Brombacher, Alicia Archer
Panels Featuring Take This Staff:
Geeks Like Us: Turning Your Passion Into A Career! – Friday, August 30th | Hippogriff Theatre | 3:30pm
By far, the greatest power of geeks and gamers is their passion! However, such unapologetic enthusiasm is often misunderstood, shamed or rejected, especially in youth. Join Geeks Like Us as they discuss how to overcome such adversity, avoid common pitfalls, and develop a career in geek and gaming with professionals from Take This (gaming advocacy), Riot Games (gaming research), Hey Listen Games (educational curriculum design), Psychology of Zelda (author, media development), and Game to Grow (therapeutic table-top game development).
Featuring: Ryan Kelly, Chelsea Hughes, Anthony Bean, Rachel Kowert, Zack Hartzman, Jamie Madigan
Gaming while Other: accessibility, diversity, representation – Friday, August 30th | Hippogriff Theatre | 5pm
The casts of our favorite video games are getting more diverse with every release, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Issues of character creation and representation, “historical accuracy”, and tropes and narrative shorthands can still leave entire demographics of gamers feeling lost and excluded. How can we fix that and make gaming inclusive and accessible for gamers of all backgrounds?
Featuring: JC Lau, Andrien Gbinigie, Tanya DePass, Dr. B, Cherry Thompson
The Psychology of the Final Fantasy Series – Sunday, September 1st | Hydra Theatre | 4pm
Anyone who has played Final Fantasy understands that the plots are full of twists and turns. The complex characters, gut-wrenching narrative, and the personal struggle of the characters make it an easy game to relate to. This panel will focus on unpacking these concepts and why this series continues to draw so many people to playing it’s immersive experiences. Topics include mental health representation, theoretical concepts, and why we love this game so much.
Featuring: Anthony Bean, Rachel Kowert, Ryan Kelly, Stephen Daniel, Shane Tilton, Chelsea Hughes
Empowering Gamers: How Clinicians Use Video Games – Monday, September 2nd | Sandworm Theatre | 10:30am
Video games have emerged as the number one pastime activity among children and adolescents for the past decade. There is much talk about what to do with overuse or even what defines overuse of gaming. That is why this panel is here! We all use video games and the mechanics found within gaming worlds to help better our clients. Wondering about the topic? Have questions about what you can do to help your child [or even yourself!] succeed? This panel is the one for you!
Featuring: Anthony Bean, Ryan Kelly, Sarah Sawyer, Chelsea Hughes, Dr. B, Jessica Stone