PAX Day 1

It was finally here! Waking up full of excitement and enthusiasm ready to conquer the day before us. We didn’t have to worry about getting to Melbourne anymore, and we didn’t have to worry about getting to the venue either. It was a great feeling to be able to get to PAX on foot. We head out to grab some breakfast, some supplies and heaps of water. We decided to grab some lunch as well as we didn’t know what to expect during the day. I get hangry without food, so its’s not a good idea meeting you all skipping a meal.

We return to our Hotel to gather our games and gear, and set out on our grand adventure to PAX as an Exhibitor and first-timer to PAX. What a crazy idea, if you told me the same time last year that we would have 3 games and showcasing one of them to thousands of people in an exhibition I would’ve have told you that you’re talking to the wrong person. As we set foot outside our hotel, we see a few cosplayers and PAX enforcers in their uniform. We knew we were in the right city, we were not dreaming and PAX is just on the other side of the Yarra river.

Quokka J pulling a suitcase full of Yum Cha

Walking amongst fellow PAX goers with our suitcases and exhibit passes clutched tightly, we make our way over to the place that has acknowledge us as tabletop designers. We are greeted with a sea of people all eager to get into the MCEC. I spot a PAX enforcer and inquire where and which door to enter as an Exhibitor, he was super helpful and guided us into the MCEC and directed us to walk pass the crowds. As we walk through the security guards flashing our badges, it was surreal to see all the booths and tables being setup. We were gonna be one of them, the people behind the table 🤪.

We had no trouble finding our table, our poster was so easy to spot, Yum Cha was so big! everything we had hoped for but better! There was a large winner banner on the side of our table and an LED strip. Having a look around our little area, I thought it was pretty cool to see a dedicated tabletop space where everyone could showcase their games. We met our fellow winners for the first time, it was such a welcoming atmosphere even though we didn’t say much, everyone was doing the same thing smiling as we all set up for the day.

Quokka Bros all setup - the calm before the storm

During the early hours between 9 to 10 there was suppose to be an hour of media time. We didn’t see anyone walk by or say hello, we were slightly confused. I guess you can’t get your hopes up for free media coverage. Suddenly it was 10 and the first PAX visitors started to came in. We were quite concerned that no one came to see us in the first hour. A lot of people walked passed, smiled as they saw our poster, some even yelled out Yum Cha, but not many people decided to sit down and play. We didn’t mind though, we were happy to see people’s faces light up as they walked passed. It felt like we have already achieved our goal. Boy were we wrong! as the clock struck 11, visitors have made their way down to the tabletop space, a long way from the entrance. We were non-stop playing, introducing Yum Cha to everyone and talking to people about our game. We were flat out the entire time, we didn’t have time to take photos. Our first suitcase full of games was depleted by around 6 or 7 in the evening so we decided to call it a day.

What a day! Thank you to all of you who came down and said hi, listened to our little spiel and played our game. A Kickstarter backer came to say hi, which was absolutely fantastic! A few people recognised us from Brisbane’s Board Game BBQ community day as well. We couldn’t believe the fabulous people that have become Quokka fans!

Closing shop for the first day felt amazing. We were so glad to kick off our shoes in the hotel as we took a little quick recovery session before we ventured off to find food. I felt a craving for a good Japanese curry and found a restaurant near our hotel. When we turned up, they weren’t accepting anymore customers as they were fully booked out. We searched for the next closest restaurant. Shonan Kamakura was just across the road. When we got there, there were a lot of tables with finished meals but no one occupying the seats. We stepped in and looked at the menu, we didn’t see curry but saw ramen and figured a nice bowl of noodles would be great.

As we waited for our ramen to come out, we came to realise that there was only one waiter and probably only one chef. It took an awfully long time. I’m used to waiting about 20 minutes max but this was about a 40 minute wait. Let me tell you, the wait was worth it! I kid you not, probably one of the best ramen I’ve had. The broth was smooth like butter and sweet like condensed milk. The ramen was al dente and the char siu just melted your mouth. What a meal to finish off an amazing first day.

Shonan Kamakura - Tonkotsu Ramen