Git 'R DunDraCon

Once more I flee the gray miseries attendant on February in Chicago for the temptations of sunlight, seafood, sushi, and suchlike in the scenic San Francisco Bay area. Specifically, this weekend I sprawl across the less-scenic San Ramon Marriott, home of my much-beloved DunDraCon! As always, they have me panel-ing to my (and hopefully the attendees') heart's content, the details of which panel-ing are available should you ask. Go ahead, ask. C'mon. Ask. I'm not going to wait around here all day, you know. (Indistinguishable murmur from crowd) I'm glad you asked!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15

How to Get Into the RPG Business
Friday, 4:00-5:00 PM in Tri Valley 2
Presenters: Chris Rutkowsky, Kenneth Hite, Jason Walters, John Post, Charlie Krank

Presentation and Q&A with game publishers on getting into the RPG business. This seminar repeats Saturday at 6pm, albeit without me.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16

City Building
Saturday, 3:00-5:00 PM in Tri Valley 2
Presenters: Anders Swenson, Mike Blum, Kenneth Hite

City Building is the long-running seminar where we explore the urban experience as it is translated for the many times and cultures found in our RPGs. This year, we will address a number of issues, including these possible topics listed below.

* Criminals and Enforcement: how does the city find criminals and catch them? What escalation happens when criminals (player-characters, heh) become too tough for the lowest level of public order enforcers to handle? What are some criminal groups besides the usual "Thieves' Guild"?

* Public Accomodations: probably 75% of RPG encounters happen in places where the public can gather and have a conversation -- taverns, bars, and so forth. What sort of places might these have been in various past cultures -- how large, what do they offer besides shelter from the weather and a place to talk?

* Transport: so you're in a city -- how do you get around? Are there buses, sedan chairs, magical carpets? In a future city with routine teleportation or antigravity, will there even be roads that we would recognize?

* Declining and dead cities. The seeds of many adventures lie in the past, and many cities and even dungeons are built of layers of outdated past construction. Why do neighborhoods and cities decline? What are the effects and consequences?

War College: Alternate Histories
Saturday 6:00-7:30 PM in Salon C
Presenters: Dana Lombardy, Kenneth Hite

Dana and I talk alternate histories, most likely alternate military histories, focusing on their design and use in gaming. Bring your favorite what-ifs!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17

What's Cool
Sunday 10:00-11:00 AM in Tri Valley 2
Presenters: Bruce Harlick, Kenneth Hite

Long time Grognards Ken Hite and Bruce Harlick talk about all the cool games on the shelves right now!

What's New with Pelgrane Press?
Sunday, 11:00 AM-Noon in Tri Valley 2
Presenter: Kenneth Hite

Pelgrane full-time contractor Ken Hite lays out the projected publications of Pelgrane Press for products like the Dying Earth RPG, GUMSHOE, and more

What's New With Indie Gaming?
Sunday, 4:00-5:00 PM in Tri Valley 2
Presenters: Ken Hite, Carl Rigney, Jason Walters

Ken Hite, Carl Rigney, and Jason Walters discuss what is new in the world of micro-published and self-published tabletop games.

Hope to see all of my West Coastal folks there!