Come and get the info that members of Terra/Sol's insiders forum get everyday. Learn about the Twilight Sector a Transhumanist flavored setting published under the Traveller logo license. Learn about upcoming products in RPGs, Fiction and Comics set in the Twilight Sector.
We’re early risers. If you are too, come get a jump on the Writer’s Symposium activities and have a chat about this and that. From publishing and writing to the weather in Chicago and vampires in Toledo, we’ll cover whatever strikes your and our proverbial fancy.
Reality in Fantasy: How much does armor really weigh? How fast can a horse run? How far can a longbow shoot? Why is it important to know these things, and how do you use them without letting reality get in the way of a great story? Learn to make your writing feel “real” even when you’re penning a fantasy story.
Writing Your First Novel: No more excuses! It’s time to write that novel you keep talking about! But what does it take to move the story from your imagination to the page? Our panelists have been over that proverbial hump and are willing to give you a nudge.
Fantastic Females: Dynamic women should rule the pages of your manuscript ... not the mousy types waiting to be tied to a railroad track. Our panelists discuss how to avoid weak clichés and over-used stereotypes, and how to craft strong, interesting ladies that advance your story.
Magenta the Witchgirl webcomic comic creator, Thomas Shaner goes into the pros and cons of doing your webcomic completely by hand. Tips on coloring your webcomics are also included.
Running a game is more than just knowing the rules. It's more than following Robin Laws. Come and join your fellow GM's for a workshop on our trade. We will discuss what makes games good, bad, or great, and then put those skills and techniques into action in small groups. Part seminar, part group therapy, part workshop, and all interactive, the GM's Workshop is sure to give you something to think about, talk about, and work on.
The End of Antiquity and the Beginning of Medievalism: The Roman Imperial Crisis 235-284 AD
Description:
More than 35 emperors in 50 years and only one died of natural causes. The Empire had obviously reached a crisis point. But the interesting point is that the Empire actually survived multiple civil wars, multiple external invasions, hyperinflation, and a major plague. These events transformed the Roman Empire into an entity that resembled a medieval empire rather than one of antiquity. Come learn what happened, why, and how the Empire changed.
Selling Short Fiction: Selling short fiction can be a long road, especially in a marketplace with dwindling print anthologies and falling magazine sales. But short fiction is still an art worth pursuing. Our panelists discuss markets, techniques, and how penning short stories can improve your chances of publishing novels.
Plot a Novel in One Hour: You can do it! Devise a storyline that’ll take your cast of characters from prologue to epilogue and do it in just one hour! We’ll show you how, in a mere hour, you can come up with a rich plot that you can flesh out into an outline and then a novel.
The Gameplaywright book 'Things We Think About Games' makes more than 100 assertions about games from the obvious-but-overlooked ('In an RPG, all the characters are wearing pants') to the deeply zen ('Be aware that the other players are not necessarily playing for the same reasons you are'). Bring your own cunning, brilliant, or mad assertions to discuss and defend at this thinking gamer's roundtable, back for its second year.
Each month, Dragon and Dungeon magazines deliver adventures, feats, magic items, and other options for your gaming table. Have you ever wished that you could pick and choose which articles live and die? This panel is your chance to pitch an idea for R&D to work on. Bring your list of what D&D needs and what you want to see in the future.
Is it better to write by the proverbial seat of your pants or to painstakingly outline each chapter? Both approaches to writing novels, short stories, and game material work, but is one method better? Our panelists discuss the pros and cons of plotting in advance.
The Buddy System: How to Collaborate Without Killing Your Coauthor
Description:
Some say a co-authorship is twice the work for half the credit and pay. Others say having a writing partner produces better material and makes the task more enjoyable. We’ll look at how to successfully approach a co-author project—whether a novel or game material.
Come to this seminar ready to laugh and love with the award winning podcast Brilliant Gameologists as you share your best (and worst) gaming stories. There will be punch AND pie!
Informal discussion on what is involved with running that first game. Hints, suggestions and no-no's. All ages, all experience levels welcome. Join the fun!
Paul Genesse and Patrick Tomlinson whisk you away to lands of wonder and mystery as they read some of their latest writings. It’s the best lunchtime entertainment at Gen Con, and you can’t beat the price.
Hang ‘em. Poison ‘em. Blow ‘em up. Slice ‘em to ribbons. Or just run ‘em over with a train. Our panelists discuss methods for killing characters—heroes and villains alike. They’ll cover how to time a death scene right, how to give the death meaning, what details to leave in and out, and how to decide which ones should “bite the dust.”
Writers often commit errors that thwart their chances for success and send them down a dead end rather than along the road to publication. Our panelists discuss mistakes writers make and what you can do to increase your chances of catching an editor’s eye.
Have you faced a malevolent force that prevents you from finishing your manuscript? How can you defeat the dark power that keeps your fingers motionless on the keyboard and your brain in neutral? Our panelists have battled this dreaded demon, and they’ll teach you how to best it!
Creating Memorable Non-player/Non-point-of-view Characters for Gamers and Writers
Description:
Veteran Gamemaster and Writer, Dr. Rich Staats, steps participants through a tried and true process for creating memorable characters for games and stories.
Join the developers of Fantasy Flight's various Warhammer 40,000 roleplaying lines as they bring you the latest revelations from the 41st millennium including the new Black Crusade.
Join the hosts of the Award winning podcast Brilliant Gameologists and learn words that will bring out the worst emotions in your gaming group and will counter the real message - either names you could call players (Munchkin, Powergamer, Drama Queen, Rules Lawyer, Meta-gamer) or whining to your GM (It’s not fair! It’s not realistic! You are railroading us!). Learn alternatives to name calling that are just as fun and clarify the real problems.
This one-hour seminar will feature a nice presentation by hardcore True Dungeon veterans (Dungeon Delvers Anonymous) who will outline different aspects of how True Dungeon works. This is a great seminar to attend before your first True Dungeon adventure.
What do you do with your finished novel? Approach an agent? A publisher? Put it on your shelf and admire the stack of papers? Start on the rewrite? We’ll look at the next steps, including how to delve into your second manuscript. After all, the true test of an author is not stopping after the first book.
It’s often said, “Don’t let the reader hear dice rolling in your fiction.” Roleplaying games make you a better storyteller, help you create balanced, detailed characters, and provide wonderful inspiration, but too much “game” in your fiction can lead to disaster. Our panelists help you figure out where to draw the line.
Join the Skeptical Gamers as they discuss and debunk the claims of nonsense and pseudoscience in this choose-your-own adventure panel! Come for the awesome, stay for the 'Stump the skeptics' Q&A!
Join Marketing and Organized Play Manager Hyrum Savage and Pathfinder Society Developer Mark Moreland as they discuss the Pathfinder Society, what it is, how it works, and how you can change the world.
The Care and Feeding of Freelance Game Professionals
Description:
Come visit with the spouses of graphic designer/content developer Hans Cummings, game writer/designer/publisher Steve Russell, game designer/developer/publisher Owen K.C. Stephens and others. Get an insider’s perspective on topics such as how to survive on a boom and bust budget, why good writers make bad accountants, and spotting the difference between “research” and just plain goofing off.
They said we could never do it, but last year’s D&D monster design seminar heralded the return of the modrons! What strange, wacky creature does R&D want to unleash on the world with your help this year? What makes for a good monster, and how can you use the mechanics of the D&D game to create it? Join the Wizards of the Coast R&D staff in creating a set of new monsters for publication in the pages of Dungeon Magazine.
Gen Con’s Author Guest of Honor, Anton Strout, will wax eloquent, field questions, and discuss his urban fantasy novels and upcoming projects. Interviewed by Elizabeth Vaughan.
The fiction that springs from games frequently ends up on bestsellers lists. Our panelists discuss the highs and lows of writing game-related fiction and offer tips for breaking into the market.
Ever wanted to directly influence the future of your favorite RPGs? Curious about what goes on behind the scenes at a gaming company? Looking for the inside scoop on Spycraft Third Edition, the Mistborn RPG, Ten Thousand Bullets, or Fantasy Craft? Join Patrick Kapera and Alex Flagg in this no-holds-barred, town hall-style roundtable on all things Crafty. Expect lively discussion, juicy reveals, and maybe even a few giveaways.
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games have revolutionized computer gaming, and become the dominant mode for computer role-playing games. Thought about playing one? Are the acronyms confusing? Can’t follow the gaming chatter from your friends? Come learn about MMORPGs. Get suggestions from our panelists on the type of MMO would fit your gaming style, schedule and budget.
We’ve written short stories, novels, roleplaying game material, comic books, and more. Now, we’re ready to share our publishing secrets with you! You lead the discussion in this “anything goes” panel. Come pick our brains ... if you dare!
Learn five dirty secrets that the game industry doesn't want you to know. Use them to make your games better. Designers Luke and Jared share their jaded, sometimes humorous view, of the world of game design. Jared will do this entire seminar in a character voice!
From dieting to parenting to Oprah, women are often characterized in media as gullible, emotional and lacking in logic skills. But this isn't the reality. The women from Skepchick, led by writer Jen Myers, are here to debunk the prevalent myths about women's interests and abilities and prove women can actually handle and enjoy thinking critically about the world.
Colonialism in its many forms has left a lasting impression on the world we live in. A useful primer that will explore potential lessons and impressions on the continuing influence of of these colonialism on international relations and national development. Thematically reviews some of the economic, political, cultural, and philosophical impacts that affect each of us every day.
A good Dungeon Master can role play, strategize, and plan on the fly, but a great Dungeon Master knows that preparation is the key to success. This seminar discusses adventure design, using some of the greatest adventures in D&D history as templates for what makes for the best experience at the table. What makes a great story for an RPG? A Q&A session follows the discussion.
Brad Beaulieu and Dave Gross provide dinner theater at its finest when they read to you from their latest works. Grab some food and bring it down for an amazing hour of free entertainment.
This one-hour seminar will feature a nice presentation by hardcore True Dungeon veterans (Dungeon Delvers Anonymous) who will outline different aspects of how True Dungeon works. This is a great seminar to attend before your first True Dungeon adventure.
Reading: Elizabeth Vaughan and Stephen D. Sullivan
Description:
Elizabeth Vaughan and Stephen D. Sullivan whisk you away to distant worlds when they read excerpts from their favorite new projects. Grab some food and come on down for an hour of great entertainment.
Have your prose critiqued by professionals. Presenters will have three to five minutes to read their material. They will receive verbal critiques based on the “critique sandwich” method. Attendance is limited to those being critiqued. Pre-registration is limited and required.
Find out the latest news about the e20 System and upcoming projects from Gary M. Sarli. Other patrons and members of the design and development team for the e20 System are invited to join the panel as well.
Today, the 19th Century Age of Imperialism seems a quaint anachronism – an era populated by a new wave of technological marvels. Imperial ambition burst beyond the limits of Earth and soon included the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Mercury as stages upon which these contests were played out. This lecture surveys the figures, powers, events, and technologies of the era, ending as the stage was set for the interplanetary struggles of the 20th Century.
On Writing: From RPGs to the Big Screen with George Strayton
Description:
George Strayton has worked on more than three dozen RPG and card game products for companies ranging from Wizards of the Coast to Goodman Games. In addition, George has written for Sam Raimi television shows, including XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, and he penned the screenplay for DRAGONLANCE (starring Kiefer Sutherland) for Paramount Pictures. He also worked on TRANSFORMERS 1 and 2. Come and see what it takes to write from RPGs to the movies.