Come discuss the lands & leaders of the Forgotten Realms, the history of the setting, & what might be to come in the future, with surprise guests & secret lore to be shared among friends.
Description:
Faerûn is filled with numerous lands, each ruled in a different manner. Some are held by tyrants, and others torn from their grasp by courageous rebels. Come discuss the lands and leaders of the Forgotten Realms, the history of the setting, and what might be to come in the future, with surprise guests and secret lore to be shared among friends old and new.
Invitation to the Ball: A History of Ballroom Dance & Culture
Summary:
The masquerade ball is a classic trope of film & fantasy. Learn the culture & find out what makes a waltz Viennese, how to behave when the Duke asks you to dance, & why vampires love tango.
Description:
The masquerade ball is a classic trope of film & fantasy. Learn the culture & find out what makes a waltz Viennese, how to behave when the Duke asks you to dance, & why vampires love tango. In this seminar we will go over the history of partner dancing from the "chaste" dances of the middle ages to modern salsa and hustle. We will conclude with a discussion of how to use this information in writing and games.
Thinking about taking the lead at your table? GM 101 focuses on the issues common to new Game Masters. Advice & support, answers to your burning questions - all here at Gamer Assembly's GM 101!
Description:
Keeper, Dungeon Master, Game Master-there are many names for the job. Thinking about taking the reins at your game table? This seminar focuses on the issues common to new Game Masters. We'll talk about what works and what traps to avoid. Most importantly, we'll get right to the heart of why its great to GM a game, and how you can have a great time doing it. The Gamer Assembly panels are always interactive. The seminar wall between presenter and participants is torn down as we explore these topics together. With the speaker acting as moderator and guide through these topics, you're sure to learn a lot!
You've run your share of games. Now you're looking to take those games to the next level. GM 201 is a deeper look into the skills & techniques you can use to bring your RPG games to life.
Caleb Stokes (Red Markets) & Ross Payton (Base Raiders) are working on new projects. Hear the latest about them! The pair will also answer questions from the audience.
Red Markets, the new game of economic horror, makes it's Gen Con premiere in 2018. Bring your best ideas and lots of questions.
Description:
Caleb Stokes, Ross Payton, and other designers working with the game system will talk about how to make truly nefarious jobs for your Takers to try in the Loss.
Intro to Patreon & Subscription Crowdfunding for Creators
Summary:
You may have heard of Patreon, Drip, & other platforms that help you raise money from fans on an ongoing basis, but how do they work?
Description:
Get your answers here from Ross Payton of Role Playing Public Radio, who has run a successful Patreon since 2014. This is aimed at people who have never run a subscription crowdfunding campaign but want to learn how.
How do you prepare for a podcast? How much or how little should you research? How can you be entertaining? How do you remain authentic without losing your audience? This is a little deeper look.
Advanced Patreon and Subscription Crowdfunding: Running a campaign
Summary:
If you have a Patreon, Drip, or other active subscription crowdfunding campaign but want to improve it, then come here with your questions and problems.
Description:
Ross Payton of Role Playing Public Radio and Caleb Stokes of The Mixed Six podcast provide tips on gaining and keeping patrons, building a community of your fans, and more!
Do you have a podcast & you're not sure how to grow your audience? Are you having trouble building a community? This Q&A session will be an open discussion to help elevate your podcast.
Getting a podcast started can be tough, & we understand that. This panel will discuss the content side of a podcast, how to get started, & will cover on-mic talent, music, & so much more.
Getting a podcast started can be tough, & we understand that. This panel will discuss the tech side of a podcast, how to get started, & will cover mics, hosting online, & so much more.
Podcasting 301 : Actual Play Podcasting Tips & Tricks
Summary:
Interested in podcasting, but want to run a table top game, & not just talk? This is the seminar for you. We'll cover everything from suggested specific equipment to storytelling.
Podcasting 302 : Actual Play Podcasting, How To Be A Better Player
Summary:
You're playing in an actual play podcast & you want to bring your best to the table. We'll talk about mic etiquette, research, character depth, & more.
Tabletop Potluck's School for Kids Who Can't RP Good
Summary:
All ages & RPG levels are welcome to join the Tabletop Potluck Podcast Crew to learn tips on character creation, the rules of improv, & staying true to the compelling character you envisioned!
Description:
New to RPGs? Scared to embody a character? Nervous about being interesting without being overbearing? Join the Tabletop Potluck Podcast Crew and learn tips on character creation, the rules of improv, and staying true to the compelling character you always envisioned! By the end of this panel, it'll be impossible for anyone to say you aren't actually Melf, the High Elf Barbarian!
Dom Zook of the Saving Throw YouTube & Twitch channels guides you through the best practices for creating, running & enjoying streaming tabletop games.
Description:
Dom Zook of the Saving Throw Youtube & Twitch channels guides you through the best practices for creating, running and enjoying streaming tabletop games!
Emphasis will be on the importance of table dynamics for audience enjoyment, monetization techniques that don't ruin your fun (or the audience's!), and basic equipment.
Come visit with the Atlas Games staff to discuss Mythic Europe, revisit the fifth edition, find out what's up with Magic Shoe, & tell us what you think.
LegalGeek Q&A About IP Law for Game Designers: Come Quiz 2 Gamers/Legal Professionals
Summary:
We are 2 gamers & legal professionals who love to serve game designers, having presented educational seminars at GenCon for over 5 years. Come ask all questions & hear some war stories!
Protect Yourself! Why Game Designers Need To Know Patents, Copyrights, & Trademarks
Summary:
Tailored for game designers! Learn about patents, copyrights, & trademarks with 2 game aficionados & IP professionals who've educated on these topics at GenCon for over 5 years. Q&A included.
PATHFINDERS & Game Masters! Looking for a realistic Fantasy World? Come hear about HarnWorld, a game world for any RPG system. Free castle booklet or map for attending.
We're excited about the new release of the CthulhuTech & we want to talk with you about it! Join the development team for a Q&A where we'll give you a look behind the scenes on the new version.
Carlos "Bostria" Llauger will show previews, announce new projects, & answer questions in a 2 hour long seminar full of surprises & a final courtesy for all listeners with a ticket.
Want to make a roleplaying game, or learn the basics of publishing? A diverse & inclusive team of award-winning designers & publishers are here to get you started.
Spiel des Jahres : Who We Are, What We Do, How We Do It
Summary:
For gamers, publishers, designers or just curious folks. We talk you about our history, our procedures, & how the “Spiel des Jahres” label is helping increase the popularity of boardgames.
You're a designer pada-wan. You have a LOT of cool ideas. Now what? How does one take their intellectual property from concept to prototype, prototype to manufacture & manufacture to distribution?
Working with Licensed Board Game Properties & Why They Aren't Always What You'd Expect
Summary:
Working with a licencor can be really difficult when everyone & the publisher gets a say in how to make a game. Learn how to make a great game despite the challenges.
Team Lynnvander has much to say about surviving in all the industries! From film to board game cafe's, designing games & being published in fiction... how do they manage it all? They'll tell you.
Join the DMsGuild crew to learn more about community content programs on DriveThruRPG. Get the latest news, ask questions about publishing your own Dungeons & Dragons adventures & more!
How to Run a Successful Living Campaign: Red Markets 10K Lakes
Summary:
Technical Difficulties, Role Playing Exchange, & more run a living campaign on their podcasts. Join the cast as they talk about the ups & downs of running campaigns for large groups.
Description:
The casts of Technical Difficulties, the Role Playing Exchange, and more are involved in a long running living campaign for Hebanon Games' Red Markets. Join the cast as they talk about the ups and downs of running a living campaign for large groups, and how it can help you do the same!
So you have a cool idea to publish a new RPG. Now what? Join the DriveThruRPG crew for lots of publishing advice. Learn about digital sales, crowdfunding, Print-on-Demand, marketing, & more!
Members of the popular Drive Check Podcast will host a panel discussion of the state of Cardfight!! Vanguard in 2018 - what has changed since March & where will the game be headed into the future?
Let Randomness Into Your Life: The Power of Ok, That's Happening
Summary:
Let Very Random Encounters, a Chaotic Improv Actual Play Podcast, talk to you about the power of randomness & just general gaming fun. Let's randomly make something together!
So you want to make a game, but you're worried about the business side of it? Let Sanguine games, 20-year veteran of indie publishing, help you plan your own self-publishing project.
Description:
It's not enough to just have a great idea for a game. You must have a plan. It's easier than ever to get started on the path to making your own game... but it takes a little planning to make sure you succeed. We'll be covering the basics of how to set up your own little business venture, including:
+ Setup: make a game that's not just for you, but for lots of people.
+ Intellectual property: make your own, or license something else?
+ Budgeting: don't just put any old number on a crowd-funding. Ask for what you need.
+ Production: How do you make this? Mass production vs. print-on-demand.
+ Marketing: getting the word out in a confusing world of social media, algorithms, and advertisements.
+ Business: legalities, taxes, and other stuff
With just a little strategy, you can avoid the common problems that can sink your project before you even get started. Let's make more games!
A crash course for game designers & publishers on game manufacturing. Tips on component choices & the production process. Learn the ins & outs of taking your game from idea to reality!
Prepping Your Files for Mass Production (Panda Prepress)
Summary:
Learn how to best prepare your files for mass production printing. Panda Game Manufacturing Design & Prepress team will share tips & tricks for submitting stellar files.
Games come with an array of achievements & awards, creating lists that we spend hours trying to obtain. There is psychology at play here. Would you like learn some of the methods & why they work?
Come meet Team Restoration, pepper us with questions about our games, bribe us to bring back that game you love, & ask about [REDACTED] that we just announced at Gen Con.
You want to build an epic costume or cosplay but you have no idea how to make it or what to make it out of. Come learn about a variety of materials, how to use them, & where to get them.
What is Marathon Gaming? Join Order of the Amber Die, the association that has recorded more marathons than any group in history, as they discuss what it takes to run RPG sessions 48 hours or longer.
Looking to enhance the look & feel of tabletop play for your group? Learn from a professional GM what it takes to draw dynamic vinyl battlemats for use in any tabletop RPG.
Join us for a panel discussion with Q&A time on balancing faith & gaming, starting a gaming group at your church, & other topics on how to be both a Christian and a gamer.
Get the inside story on the design & development of Numenera Discovery & Destiny. Monte & the team take you deeper into the Ninth World than ever. Bring your questions!
"Welcome vislae. Reclaim & rebuild the life you abandoned years ago." Making an Invisible Sun character is an active, collaborative, & unique experience. Come learn from the best.
Learn what a math trade is & how to participate in a math trade.
Description:
Attendees are encouraged to participate in the math trade in mid-June through mid-July by visiting www.abecorn.com and should bring trade items to the seminar. User's must have a BGG account and have a valid email.
If you do not participate beforehand, you can still come to learn how to participate in future math trades.
All players that played in any SmoreySwamp Axis & Allies Gamer's Events have the chance to win cool prizes/games just for playing. So, don't miss out. Must be present to claim prizes.
We're going to cover branding. From logos to cover art to business cards. Everything we've learned over the past 5 years about how to brand our podcast group and why branding is so important
Learn how tabletop games can empower both yourself & the next generation! A few of gaming’s top women discuss how playing TTRPG’s has shaped their lives, helping them find strength and empowerment.
Catharsis Through Gaming: Empathy, Escapism, or Empowerment?
Summary:
Game design gives us many approaches to handle unique minority experiences. We can be empowered to fight, escape to worlds without stigma, or teach others to empathize with our unique challenges.
Join Ukiyo-pop artist, BD Judkins, & travel back to the games that started it all. From ancient Egypt & beyond, unearth these olden relics & learn to play with them too.
Learn the basics of writing & performing stand-up from experienced comics. Want to gain even more comedy XP? Either be in our workshop WKS18132860 or watch it SEM18132861.
Watch and Learn as People Perform 5 Min Stand-Up Comedy Sets and Get Feedback!
Summary:
Watch and learn as comedians perform their jokes & receive individual feedback from experienced comics on their writing and delivery. You provide the laughs!
Description:
You'll watch and learn as six performers get detailed and constructive feedback after their 5 minute comedic performances in the safe space we provide for them to create, experiment, and delve into their humor. NOTE: This ticket allows you to only watch performers get feedback. If you'd like to perform yourself, please purchase a ticket for WKS18132860.
Come chat, share GenCon plans, put faces to names, & hang out with internet buddies! Skews RPG.netters earlier, Shadowrunners later (as meetings let out), but come by whenever and say hi!
Come say hiya to Shadowrun, Earthdawn, Satellite Reign, Wrath & Glory, Strays, & who-knows-what-else writer, Russell Zimmerman! Ask questions, get loot signed, & get updates on upcoming products.
The authors of the award-winning "Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game" talk about playing & running cosmic horror & conspiracies. Learn what's coming up & ask questions of your own.
Creator Mike Pondsmith & Castle Falkenstein ambassador, J Gray, talk about what's coming up for Castle Falkenstein, & a little about the 25th anniversary edition.
The Present & Future of 3D Printing: Cosplay, Manufacturing, & More
Summary:
See what $200 desktop 3D printers are capable of, from custom minis to spare board game parts to cosplay outfits, plus some ideas for the future (authors take note!).
Gen Con's longest running Kickstarter Seminar: a Q&A event with top industry experts across design, publishing, manufacturing, pledge management, fulfillment, distribution, & retail sales. 1 day only!
Description:
A Q&A-based panel discussion featuring the best industry experts across design, publishing, manufacturing, pledge management, fulfillment, distribution, and retail sales. Every event has a new panelists, and new questions. Past panelists include: Jamey Stegmaier (SM Games) Michael Lee (Panda GM) Fabian Louton (Panda GM) Lance Myxter (Undead Viking Reviews) x2 Michael Mindes (President of Tasty Minstrel Games) Seth Jaffee (Designer at TMG) John Coveyou (Got Genius Games) Jeff King (All Us Geeks) Adam Clark (Creator of Kicktraq) Forrest Bower (Bower’s Game Corner Reviews) Joel Eddy (Drive Thru Reviews) Max Salzberg (Co-founder at Backerkit) Dan Halstad (League of Nonsensical Gamers) Greg Spence (Owner at Broken Token) and Jonathan Liu (Geek Dad). Come see the new faces for GenCon 50!
You decided to make your first game, that's great! But what do you do now? How to create it, playtest it, publish it, and produce it? What do you need to know? How do you do this successfully?
Whether you're writing a game, a novel, a short story, a series, a TV script, a movie, or a whatever, you're going to have questions. Is it okay if...? How do I do that? It's time to get answers.
Creating something for players that isn't hasty or underwhelming can be a challenge. What makes a good one-shot, campaign, series, or episode? Let's talk it out.
Why do we board game? Why do we rage quit? Why do we have fun, even though we lose? Join an LPC-candidate mental health therapist in discussing psychology & board gaming!
Comedy in Gaming Q&A with the Creators of the New Parody RPG, Beasties & Bygones!
Summary:
Meet the designers/writers of the new raunchy parody roleplaying game, Beasties & Bygones! Ask them questions! Gaze upon their countenances! Win fantastical door prizes!
Weapons of Mass Disruption: Cyber War in the Current Global Environment: NSDM
Summary:
The age of cyber war is here, the first shots fired. Lecture explores features, strategies, weapons, geopolitics. Cyber weapons now focus more on disruption than on destruction; which may be worse.
Description:
The American 2016 Presidential Election, the Brexit vote, and the 2017 French Presidential elections all share one thing in common: they were the target of cyber attacks from an external actor whose ultimate motives are “unknown.” Using a framework and couched in the Clausewitzian concept of fog of war, this lecture examines the current situation in terms of cyber war and its import on global politics. Unlike earlier predictions of a “Cyber Pearl Harbor,” current cyber capacity is now focusing more on disruption than on destruction; which may be more of a threat in the long run. The features of cyber war in this near future and its strategies are explored by Dr. Craig Greathouse, Professor of Political Science, University of North Georgia where he specializes in the European Union, International Relations Theory, and Security and Defense Policy, speaking on the NSDMG staff.
Join the National Security Decision Making Game staff to review recent changes & things to watch next year, including hotspots: China, Europe, Syria, Iran, Israel, Russia, North Korea...
Description:
Overview, analysis & insights on current/future world affairs. This panel discussion and seminar, the signature event of the National Security Decision Making (NSDM) Game staff, explores current, and potential future, problem areas around the world. Want to know what to expect in the next year? What might happen and what are the implications of it? What are drivers, what indicators to watch for, and how might events be affected by the U.S. and the West? What potential catastrophes is CNN missing?
National Security Decision Making Game staff led discussion of global hotspots, things to watch out for next year, including hotspots: China, Europe, Syria, Iran, Israel, Russia, North Korea.
Description:
Continued discussion of current military/political/economic topics of interest/concern, analysis & insights on current/future world affairs. This seminar led by the National Security Decision Making (NSDM) Game staff, explores current, and potential future, problem areas around the world. Want to know what to expect in the next year? What might happen and what are the implications of it? What are drivers, what indicators to watch for, and how might events be affected by the U.S. and the West? What potential catastrophes is CNN missing?
Pandemic: Might the World End with a Whimper? Fact v Fiction, History, Near-Term Potential
Summary:
A global pandemic can bring down civilization, but how much is fiction? Crowded third-world cities; global transportation; new, resistant strains of old scourges; engineered bioterrorist weapons.
Description:
A pandemic could collapse civilization, perhaps even destroy mankind. With third-world cities with enormous populations, primitive sanitation and health service infrastructures as an incubator, and modern transportation systems to spread new strains, a catastrophic event could be a matter of when, not if. Ebola; uncontrolled Small Pox; new, resistant strains of old scourges; engineered, weaponized agents; bioterrorism potential. These provide fertile ground for science fiction authors and screenplay writers, but what is the realistic potential of an apocalyptic pandemic? Lecture discusses pandemic history, current threats and readiness to respond, attempting to separate fact and potential from fiction and fancy. Presenter: Capt. Mark McDonagh, USN/ret., a submarine officer with 12 years’ experience at the Naval War College and with BS and MS degrees in physics, now on the NSDMG staff.
This is your chance to meet some of the folks behind the TD event as well as find out the answers to this year's puzzles. The prop auction (using GPs) is back!
Description:
This is your chance to meet some of the folks behind the TD event as well as find out the answers to this year's puzzles. There will be a slide show, and each room in each adventure will be discussed. You can also give feedback to the TD Crew about how they can make the event better next year. We will be bringing back our auction of TD props where TD gold pieces are used to bid on items.
How to incorporate safety tools into your game & how to advocate for yourself & others to make the table a safe, fun, & welcoming space.
Description:
Tabletop RPGs should be enjoyable, and everyone at the table is comfortable and feels safe to be open with those we game with makes for a better experience for everyone. Our panel will discuss tools Game Masters can introduce at their table such as the session 0, X-card, Lines & Veils, and many more; along with tips for speaking up for yourself and advocating for your fellow players if a line is crossed. Panel hosted by Dawn from R4Ivlog. Additional panelists to be announced.
Are you new to this event? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, & they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon.
Description:
Are you new to True Dungeon? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, and they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon. Long-time TD players and volunteers will be there to give you great advice on how to enjoy your True Dungeon adventure. Real props from the event will be shown.
Are you new to this event? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, & they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon.
Description:
Are you new to True Dungeon? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, and they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon. Long-time TD players and volunteers will be there to give you great advice on how to enjoy your True Dungeon adventure. Real props from the event will be shown.
RPGs & LARPS have the ability to change our perception of the world around us. How do we encourage a diverse base of players & GMs? Themes include inclusivity, diversity, & game design.
Description:
RPGs and larps have the ability to change our perception of ourselves and the world around us through engaging plots and memorable characters that welcome us to inhabit another person's life. They can create real memories of imagined moments that we take with us. How do we create an environment where all players are welcome and safe? How do we encourage a diverse base of both players and GMs/directors/storytellers into bring their unique world view to the stories that we tell? This panel covers themes of universal access, diversity when we immerse ourselves in our game of choice, and promoting good role play through great game design. It features a diverse panel of experienced RPG storytellers exploring these issues. Come join the conversation!
Are you new to this event? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, & they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon.
Description:
Are you new to True Dungeon? Are you a veteran fan? The Dungeon Delver's Anonymous members will present a game mechanics primer, and they will share how to enjoy your time in True Dungeon. Long-time TD players and volunteers will be there to give you great advice on how to enjoy your True Dungeon adventure. Real props from the event will be shown.
Two of New Agenda Publishing's founders (Eloy Lasanta & Jerry Grayson) give you a run-down of 2018-2019 plans/releases, & how this new venture hopes to change the RPG Industry for the better.
What’s the difference between bakemono & ayakashi? Catch that joke? Enjoy more anime or manga when you understand cultural background! Join this primer for Japanese mythology with video examples.
Description:
What’s the difference between bakemono and ayakashi? Who are those four guys walking across the background?What are those little creatures that show up in your favorite anime? Get the most from your anime and Asian cinema experience when you understand the cultural background! Learn the basics of Japanese mythology in this folklore primer, and see examples in action with video clips from anime and film.
How did Edgar Allen Poe influence Sailor Moon? Who was the real-life Moriarty? Learn about Japan’s archetypal thief the kaitou & follow this international antihero’s development through history.
Description:
How did Edgar Allen Poe influence Sailor Moon? What do the Norse god Freyr, Joan of Arc, and Lupin III have in common? Who was the real-life Moriarty? Learn the origin of the kaitou, Japan’s archetypal thief, and follow this truly international antihero’s development through history with examples from anime, manga, film, and literature.
What’s the difference between bakemono & ayakashi? Catch that joke? Enjoy more anime or manga when you understand cultural background! Join this primer for Japanese mythology with video examples.
Description:
What’s the difference between bakemono and ayakashi? Who are those four guys walking across the background?What are those little creatures that show up in your favorite anime? Get the most from your anime and Asian cinema experience when you understand the cultural background! Learn the basics of Japanese mythology in this folklore primer, and see examples in action with video clips from anime and film.
Take a guided tour with author Laura through Norse mythology & the historical Viking era, how we've interpreted them differently down the centuries, & how we borrow from it in today's pop culture.
Description:
The Vikings are having a moment in modern pop culture, what with Thor: Ragnarok, Neil Gaiman's book, and more. But much of what we see in modern interpretations is far departed from the original mythos. Join the author of The Songweaver's Vow for an overview of the historical Viking era, what we really know -- and don't know -- of Norse mythology, and how these ancient stories are still being told today.
Augmented Reality & the Future of Tabletop Featuring Microsoft Hololens
Summary:
This is a discussion & demonstration of wearable augmented reality devices & their impact on tabletop gaming featuring the Microsoft Hololens.
Description:
Do you think mixed reality has a place at the gaming table or is it just a new type of video game? This seminar will feature demonstrations of the Microsoft Hololens and discuss the possibilities that exist for incorporating Mixed Reality (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality) to table top gaming.
Take a guided tour with author Laura through Norse mythology & the historical Viking era, how we've interpreted them differently down the centuries, & how we borrow from it in today's pop culture.
Description:
The Vikings are having a moment in modern pop culture, what with Thor: Ragnarok, Neil Gaiman's book, and more. But much of what we see in modern interpretations is far departed from the original mythos. Join the author of The Songweaver's Vow for an overview of the historical Viking era, what we really know -- and don't know -- of Norse mythology, and how these ancient stories are still being told today.
Geek journalist Ben Riggs will go over new evidence proving that gaming makes you happier, healthier, smarter, & wealthier!
Description:
Ever since they picked up their first video-game controller, geeks have been told that what they like is wrong, and that they are wrong for liking it. But new research in psychology, sociology, economics, and up-to-the-minute reports from the frontiers of the culture suggest just the opposite.
Board games make you smarter.
Playing video games literally makes your brain bigger. Video games are making their way into the classroom, and grade schoolers are using programming to solve mathematical equations.
People who regularly play Dungeons & Dragons have been proven to be more successful later in life than those who don’t. Gamers are happier, and less stressed. As a result, they live longer. Geek culture can even add meaning to life. Role-playing games are personal mythologies, which help players make sense of our world by playing in one created in our own imagination.
Encounter Theory argues that the encounter, where players interact with the world of the RPG, is the meat & bones of all RPGs. Is this true, & how can it be applied by GMs and designers?
If setting myth reflects setting reality, then is there diversity & inclusion in your pantheon? Our panel of RPG industry pros discusses how to make your mythology include everyone.
RPGirls highlights and celebrates women who play tabletop RPGs. It focuses on the stories of women who’ve been heavily involved in gaming and what they have experienced in the community.
GenCon's longest-running panel on LGBTQ inclusion in gaming returns with a selection of industry panelists to discuss the state of queer inclusion in the hobby & industry.
We successfully played an evil aligned party on a campaign for seven years & we are still friends! Learn what we did right, wrong, & the best way to run an evil themed adventure.
Description:
We happily played an evil aligned 3.5 campaign for seven years. We recorded it as an actual play podcast that can be found at Geekspective.com. By taking a break from the campaign, we were able to look back and reflect about our game. Obviously, we got some things right; the party didn’t fall apart, we didn’t murder each other, end up in prison, and we had a lot of fun. Our evil characters are the most memorable characters that we’ve ever played. But there are other lessons that we had to learn the hard way, things that we should have done differently or not at all. Through it all, we have found a few pointers to help your game last for more than a few sessions. Learn from our experience in order to GM or play an evil aligned campaign, the most fun and successful campaign you will ever have.
Want to learn how to use your RPG experience in your work? We'll make character sheets for your clients & coworkers to help you communicate more effectively & design better software/solutions.
Description:
Imagine that you are a big hulking barbarian and you find and try to use a scroll of Cure Poison to save the king from death. -- Not going to happen. -- You needed a potion or something more aligned to your skills. This is the situation we are presenting to our clients and coworkers when we offer them solutions from our perspective. As gamers, we already know how to approach problems based on class, alignment, or anything else on our character sheets, why not leverage that experience in our jobs. This session will explore the how and why we can use character sheet personas in a meaningful way. We'll center the seminar around a fictitious software project with users as characters in an RPG. We'll have hands-on work and include take-home materials. At then end of the workshop you'll have new tools for how you can relate to clients and coworkers, making you more successful in your work.
Puzzles are classic obstacles in games. Used effectively, they can be a rewarding experience. We'll discuss elements of puzzle design & how to use them to build engaging interactions in your games.
Description:
Puzzles are classic obstacles to players in role playing games. When done well, they are rewarding for both game master and players. There's a fine line between a rewarding puzzle and one that is frustrating. Members of geekspective.com will discuss successful elements of puzzle design, how to combine those elements and build puzzles that are complex yet fun for players. We believe that puzzles should always be solvable, either the easy way, or failing that, "The Hard Way". Puzzles can add an extra dimension to gameplay and with the elements of good puzzle design, you'll be able to create more exciting and rewarding games for your players.