DexCon 2013 Schedule

So, it's convention season, which is AWESOME because it's a chance for me to travel and see my friends and spend dedicated time playing games, talking games and enjoying games.

Yes, you can make an argument that I do that all the time anyway, but at least I get to travel to new places to do it. That makes it pretty cool.

First on the circuit is DexCon, July 3 - 7 in Morristown. Yes, that's just down the road from me. Yes, I still count that as travel.

This year is my most ambitious DexCon to date. When I sketched this all out in February, I had no idea that July would arrive so quickly. Here now is what I'm doing and where I'll be hanging out.

WEDNESDAY 

LARP BAZAAR 10p - 2a

From what I gather, this is basically me and my friends hanging out around a table, and people come by and I get to talk to them about the systems I developed for the THREE (yes 3) LARPS I'm associated with. I have no idea what to expect, I don't know if it will actually go until 2am, but it starts late, so at least I can get some dinner.

THURSDAY

(There is a big opening on Thursday, so I'll likely use it to finalize, print out and prep things for the craziness of the coming days. Also, it's 4th of July, so you know, hang out time anyway)

FRIDAY aka DAY ONE OF INSANITY

State of Gaming 2p - 4p

When Ken Hite speaks, I listen. And not just because he's my friend or because we work together from time to time. I like Ken's panels. They're fun. Also, this doesn't start until the afternoon, so anything needing more than Thursday prep can get it in the morning. 

BSG LARP 6p- 12a

Okay, so this is the first "signature event" I'm associated with. I wrote the system for the Battlestar Galactica LARP, I cobbled together the character sheet and I'm really proud of both. Here's to hoping that the tale of ship looking to rejoin the fleet and avoid Cylon-ic death is an interesting one. Also, I get to watch my friends 

act like military commanders, so that's pretty awesome. 

SATURDAY aka DAY TWO OF INSANITY aka LARP DAY FOR JOHN 5000

Night's Black Agents Tournament  10a - 6p

Right, so here's my Saturday. It's the second "signature event" I'm associated with. The plus side is that I get to hang out with my friends and run one of my favorite games. Round 1 of the tournament is a LARP, while Round 2 is a more conventional Tabletop experience. I've written all new, never before seen (but yes, they've been tested), LARP rules to emulate GUMSHOE games, and I think I've really done well. Also the tabletop round has some great adventures. 

I mean, you get to be superspies and fight vampires. Who wouldn't want to spend a Saturday doing that?

Please also note the two hour break where I get to quickly eat something. Please note that this will likely be the second meal of my day, so if you see me Saturday PLEASE ask me if I've eaten, and if I'm doing okay. PLEASE. No, I'm not kidding, there's no sarcasm here. Because even at 6pm after 6 hours of high intensity walking, gaming, speaking and organizing, my day is half done. 

The Unofficial Dresden Files LARP: FINAL FROST 8p - 2a

Check this out. This is a Dresden Files LARP that owes its mechanics to Fate Core (and to a lesser extent Fate Accelerated). I am super ridiculously proud of the system and story I was a part of creating. This event in particular is a big deal, because it's the culmination of a few previous conventions' plot. Basically, this is where shit is going to hit many fans of many sizes. I cannot wait to see how the players react. 

SUNDAY

Writing Workshop 10a - 12p

As per usual, my Writing Workshop is on Sunday morning. Please note that it follows on the heels of what will be the longest work day I've had in MONTHS, and I will very likely be tired and hoarse, but dammit, I will talk about writing and editing and attendees will get their questions answered. 

I expect to sleep for the rest of Sunday and most of the Monday thereafter. 

So, are you coming to DexCon? Are you coming to any event I'm doing? You want to go get an empanada when I'm not running around like a maniac? Leave a comment or two and let's see if we can make some plans. 

See you then. 

Some Kickstarters You Should Support

For those that don't know, Kickstarter is a crowd-funding website that allows people to make financial contributions to projects they want to see become real. And that could be inventions, television shows, books, games, movies, fashion....pretty much anything.

I list today a few Kickstarters I think you should take a look at, and support. Now, I know the tiers say specific value amounts, but once you click to donate, YOU CAN NAME YOUR OWN AMOUNT. So yes, even $1 helps.

Disclosure - I helped with these Kickstarters.

Guide To Village By The Sea by Lillian Cohen-Moore (@lilyorit on Twitter) For those that don't know her, you should. She's a wonderfully talented editor, a marvelous person and very nice. She even interviewed me once.

Her project is a sourcebook (an informational resource) that you can use in your gaming, your fiction and your daily life, and you can find content in that will make an impression, because the Village By The Sea is an evil and scary place. So if you like horror, you like being unsettled and you want to make this project into something tangible, donate!

Project Ninja Panda Taco by Jenn of The Jennisodes (@jennisodes on Twitter). If you've ever wanted to take over the world, this is the game for you. Be a nefarious Mastermind. Be a helpful Minion. Conquer Earth. Have fun doing it.

Jenn and I know each other. We game together. We're friends. She's interviewed me. I've played this game, and it is better than a lot of the games I have on my shelf (I'm looking at you defunct publishers who don't support their back catalog). I edited this game, and can tell you that it really is a lot of fun both to just read through and play. (It's one of a handful of games: Ticket to Ride, Gloom, Forbidden Island come to mind) where I learned the whole game's mechanics in about 3 minutes (however long it takes to re-heat food) and have not tired of the nuance or play.

BONUS Kickstarter! Race to Adventure by Evil Hat Productions(@evilhatofficial on Twitter) If you love pulp then this board game is for you. Based on the Spirit of the Century game (a game very near and dear to me), this board game allows you to be pulp-hero and travel the world in search of treasure. Also, it's way more fun than a board game should be. I'm serious, it's obnoxious fun.

I mention this because one of the Unlockables (I love the way Evil Hat runs Kickstarters) is a Dinocalypse Expansion Pack....based on Dinocalypse Now, which you may remember is the book (the first of a series) that I edited. I really want to see this expansion happen.

DexCon happens later this week, and I've got two events on the docket:

1. The $1,000 Nights Black Agents Tournament -- Saturday afternoon, Ken Hite (he wrote the game Nights Black Agents) and I will put 30 superspies (including Sydney Bristow, Jack Bauer, Sean Connery, Ethan Hunt and someone named 'Codename Mario') through a gauntlet of challenges and scenarios as they attempt to confront a Conspiracy of supernatural horror and world-in-danger-ness.

2. The Writing Workshop At DexCon -- This panel is Sunday morning at 10am (NOT AT MIDNIGHT!! YAY!!) and I'll be speaking for about 2 hours on: "The -ations: Getting Your Project Off The Ground" as well as answering your questions about writing, editing and developing novels, games, and anything with words.

Aside from that, I'll be around all Convention (at Ken's panel Friday Morning, all over the Con all weekend, holding a discussion-breakfast Sunday morning pre-writing workshop (details will be on Twitter), so if you're in the area, come say hello!