Herding Cats: Players and Ludonarrative Dissonance
Summary:
Creating games which interest players both mechanically and narratively is hard. Sometimes players sacrifice gameplay for story or vice versa. This panel will discuss steps to address these issues.
Description:
Creating games which interest players both mechanically and narratively. Worse, sometimes your players sacrifice gameplay for story or vice versa. The conflict between gameplay and narrative is a natural result of RPGs interactive nature. However, sometimes forcing a player to think outside the games story or mechanics can provide a powerful experience. This panel will not only discuss steps to prevent and address issues of tonal inconsistency, we will also talk about ways which these inconsistencies can enhance your gaming experience.
A seminar on megagame design. The format will be that of a presentation followed by a question & answer session.
Description:
Experienced Megagame designers from the across the US will offer their advice on designing, playtesting, producing, marketing, running and licensing Megagames. Learn from our experience and mistakes, so you can run memorable games that your friends will talk about for years to come.
Experienced Megagame designers from the UK, USA & New Zealand will offer their advice on designing, playtesting, producing, marketing, running & licensing Megagames.
Description:
Experienced Megagame designers from the UK, USA and New Zealand will offer their advice on designing, playtesting, producing, marketing, running and licensing Megagames. Learn from our experience and mistakes, so you can run memorable games that your friends will talk about for years to come.
Learn about how our expert panelists turned their passion for tabletop RPGs, LARPs, comics, movies, & more into prominent blogs in the geek space - and how you can do it, too.
Worried your employer will find a pic of you LARPing? Alternately, maybe you want to be known far& wide as an RPG expert. Our marketing experts will help you navigate personal branding strategies.
In this roundtable discussion, panelists will field questions about publishing on DmsGuild.com, the official website for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition community content.
Learn about how to write your own salon LARP from the perspectives of a veteran LARP designer & a new one. We'll cover format, rules, layout, tools/programs, & collaboration.
10 Digital Marketing Tips for Geek Webmasters & Bloggers
Summary:
By day, these pros focus on digital marketing. By night, they livestream and blog about games. Learn how to make sure your game, content, or organization is visible & valuable on the web.
Killing stuff in an RPG is fun, but sometimes you want a little... more. Let's talk about other kinds of challenges & how to bring them into your game.
The goal of this seminar is to help you avoid pitfalls & have a successful show.
Description:
For more than 20 years, I have worked in the trade show industry. During this seminar, I will describe the process from start to finish; including set up, tear down, dealing with vendors, customers, sales and advertisement. The goal of this seminar is to help you avoid pitfalls and have a successful show, whether you are doing it for fun, or for profit.
White Wolf is back! Join the newly resurrected White Wolf Entertainment as they introduce who they are & discuss the the future plans for the World of Darkness.
In 2018 White Wolf Entertainment will be releasing Vampire: The Masquerade Fifth Edition. Come meet with the development team & learn whats next in store for the world of the Kindred.
Come enjoy a casual seminar with freelancer & Shadowrun writer Russell Zimmerman (and maybe some guest stars), discussing prior, recent, & upcoming projects.
Description:
Special guests may include Shadowrun podcasters and Let's Play stars, other Shadowrun writers, or random people from the audience pressured into sitting up front (all depending on how GenCon scheduling works out).
Would you like to know more about the Indie Game Developer Network? Come join us on this introductory panel where we discuss all things IGDN related, hosted by the IGDN's membership coordinator.
Podcasting 301: Actual Play Podcasting Tips and 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.
Carlos "Bostria" Llauger will share privileged information about the present & future of Corvus Belli, never seen before miniatures & designs, & the release of an exciting new project.
RPGs have a deep history in heroic battles & exciting duels. Over time, these encounters can be expected, so look past the sword & discover new ways to engage & challenge your players.
With the explosion of crowdfunding, getting your project made has never been easier. Learn tips & tricks from Kickstarter veterans to plan, run, & deliver a successful Kickstarter campaign.
The paladin is Lawful Good, the rogue is Neutral Evil, a dispute is going to occur. Listen to seasoned GMs on alignment variations & how to approach alignment, morality, & ethics within your game.
Writing deep worlds & great rules is only part of the picture; what about user experience? An interactive discussion with Dustin DePenning, John D. Kennedy, & others!
Join designers John Wick (7th Sea), Neall Raemonn Price (Scion), Ryan Schoon (Edara), & Maury Brown (New World Magischola) as they talk about creating games for fun & with politics in mind.
All players that played in any SmoreySwamp Axis & Allies Gamers Events have the chance to win cool prizes/games just for playing. So, don't miss out. Must be present to claim prizes.
Hero Lab – Tips & Tricks for Adding Your Own Content
Summary:
Learn how to take Hero Lab authoring to the next level! This session is for users that are familiar with the basics, but want to learn more. Bring your “.user” files for help on specific problems.
Find out why Realm Works is the tool every GM has dreamed about for managing campaigns. This seminar focuses on the basics of content development and organization. Transform the way you run your game!
Discover numerous tips & tricks from the developers themselves to get the most out of Realm Works, including recommended techniques for preparing content for the content market.
Join the Fantasy Flight Games design team as they discuss the the update from the CCG format to the LCG & how the themes of the setting informed the mechanics.
The cyberpunk genre is making a comeback with movies like Ghost in the Shell. It's just the right time for the revival of Cyberpunk 2020 & the 2077 video game. Meet Cyberpunk Designer Mike Pondsmith.
Mekton is the original game that established R. Talsorian in the games industry. It, as well as RTG, are being revived this year. Come hear about the plans.
Come and pick up your bib & shirt for Orc Stomp 5k Fun Run. Or stop by & get pre-registered for the main event. See Orc Stomp 5k Fun Run event for event details. Bring your Orc Stomp ticket.
Description:
Have you already signed up for Orc Stomp 5k Fun Run? Come by a day early and pick up your t-shirt and race packet! We'll have you sign your waivers, confirm your information and give you your packet. You'll be able to get a few precious minutes of extra sleep on race morning! Are we sold out? We do accept some generic tickets, so stop by and get registered to run! If you miss us, it's OK. Packet Pickup can still be accomplished on the morning of the Orc Stomp as usual. However, please try to stop by. It will allow us to make the Orc Stomp run much more smoothly. Bring your ticket!
A crash course for game designers & publishers on game manufacturing. Tips on component choices & the production process. Ideas for running your Kickstarter campaign will be up for discussion.
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.
Discuss intellectual property law with legal & business professionals working in the game industry. Panelists include James Daily, attorney & author of the Law & the Multiverse blog.
Lecture. Learn about the prelude to World War II. Proxy war & testing ground for new weapons and tactics. Presenter Robert Mosher of the National Security Decision Making, Inc. staff.
NSDM: 50th Anniversary, the Six Day War 1967: Israel vs. the Arab World
Summary:
Lecture explores how events of the 1967 Six-Day Arab-Israeli war changed the world. Presenter Merle Robinson of the National Security Decision Making, Inc. staff.
Chat & ask questions about the legal and professional minutae of being a freelance artist in the game industry. Panelists include attorneys, artists, & creative directors in the game industry.
Chat with Paul Bender, CEO of GTG, & Joshua Githens, North American Sales Director for CGE, about how component choices affect manufacturing cost, sale price, & sales numbers for a board game.
Welcome to the most boring seminar ever! It is seriously just people talking & answering questions about freight & shipping logistics in the board game industry.