My Metatopia 2013 Schedule

This is the obligatory convention schedule post.

I’ll be at Metatopia this year (2013)! I’m not playtesting any of my own stuff this year; I’m there to network, play some awesome games, and hear some awesome people talk about cool stuff. If you’re reading this post, it means I’d love to see you if you’re there. Just don’t stop me in the hallway, as we’ll block the flow of traffic.

Thursday night is the meet and greet, and I’m still deciding whether I want to wear a costume. It’s Halloween, so it seems appropriate. My only idea is to dress how I envision I’d dress were I ever an incarnation of the Doctor (Doctor Who for those in the know). The problem is that I have no way to really say that, short of a name tag and a sonic screwdriver. We’ll see whether I go through with it or not.

R089: [BETA TEST] Psi*Ops; “The Psi Who Loved Me”

Friday, 9am - 1pm

This is one that I was assigned, but I’m totally looking forward to playing a psychically-gifted spy. I think I’ve heard the name before, but I don’t recognize the company or presenter. I’m still looking forward to this, because come on, it’s spies + paranormal + history.

D014: [PANEL] “How To Work With Editors”

Friday, 1 - 2pm

This one should be obvious. Even as an editor, it’s useful to see how other editors handle themselves and their clients. This also gives me an opportunity to see four awesome people talk. Hopefully, I’ll be able to pick up my print copy of Mythender (I’ve talked about it before) and get Ryan Macklin to sign it for me. I’ll also hopefully get to meet Amanda Valentine, who I’ve never had the opportunity to meet, although I’ve interacted with both her and her husband Clarke over Twitter. Cam Banks is a great guy that I got to meet previously at Dragon*Con last year, but we didn’t get to speak, as he was furiously manning the MWP booth. And I always enjoy talking to/with John, who’s become a real friend and is even letting me crash at his place for the duration of the con.

R130: [ALPHA TEST] Fate Core; “Iron Edda: War of Metal and Bone”

Friday, 2 - 4pm

Tracy Barnett is a designer to keep your eye on. He’s got a wonderful open process, posting about new ideas and how he works on his blog. This is a playtest for a game that he’s going to be kickstarting early next year, and I’m hopefully going to get to write a system hack for one its stretch goals (I’ll be talking more about that as time draws near).

D024: [PANEL] “New School Mechanics In Old School Games (And Vice Versa!)”

Friday, 4 - 5pm

This one has Cam Banks, Rob Donoghue, and Joseph Bloch presenting how to meld the hot new game design thoughts with some old school goodness. I’ve been following Rob Donoghue for a while now, and I think he’s got one of the sharpest minds when it comes to game design analysis I’ve ever seen. I’m really looking forward to hearing him speak and hopefully meeting him face-to-face. Joseph Bloch is someone I’m familiar with, but haven’t had much interaction with. I’m not much of an OSR guy, but I think he’ll bring a good perspective to the panel.

R193: [BETA TEST] “Odyssey”

Friday, 9pm - 12am

This is a playtest of Will Hindmarch’s new game. Will’s an amazing talent (check out Always/Never/Now for just one of the things he’s done), and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what he’s bringing to the table.

R222: [ALPHA TEST] “Five Fires”

Saturday, 10am - 1pm

I’m really excited to check this one out. It’s something that Quinn Murphy from Thoughtcrime Games has been thinking and talking about for a while. It’s a hiphop RPG, and even though I’m not a big fan of hiphop, I am a fan of Quinn. He’s a good friend that I’m currently working on a project with, and I wanted to get in on this as a player. I’m hoping I can bring a good perspective to the testing, as someone who’s on the outside a bit when it comes to hiphop culture.

D046: “The Writing Workshop”

Saturday, 1 - 2pm

John’s going to teach us all how to write well and answer our inane questions. Seriously, another opportunity to hear a good friend talk about a topic that I didn’t even realize I needed. Since I’ve branched out recently and written a short story for a fiction anthology, this one seemed like a no-brainer.

D051: “Inclusivity: Inviting Women To The Table”

Saturday, 4pm - 5pm

It’s not all fun and games in our hobby. While I haven’t been one to talk about some of the more distasteful stuff that goes on in the gaming industry, it’s a real problem; one that many people face on a daily basis. I’m looking forward to hearing this panel and seeing Lillian Cohen-Moore, Elizabeth Sampat, and Shoshana Kessock speak.

D053: “Challenging The Dominant Narrative”

Saturday, 5 - 6pm

This is another serious topic. Historically, the gaming industry has been pretty homogeneous: white, cisgender, heterosexual men. That’s no longer the case, but it’s still an uphill battle to get other viewpoints into the mix. I’m looking forward to this panel, and not just because it’ll be the first chance for me to hear Joe McDaldno, Brennan Taylor, and Krista White speak. It’s another opportunity to hear Elizabeth Sampat speak, too.

R307: “Architects of the Twisted City”

Saturday, 8 - 10pm

I wanted to get in on this one based only on the description. I’ve seen Bret Gilan around G+, but I can’t recall interacting with him all that much. The idea of the game sounds intriguing, and I can’t wait to see what he’s got in store.