Real-world advice to create an inclusive and safe gaming space where shy, marginalized kids feel comfortable putting themselves out there and create a world where they see themselves represented.
Description:
What do youth expect in an age of D&D Tik Toks and actual-play podcasts? How can you create an inclusive space where shy, marginalized kids feel comfortable putting themselves out there? And where do you fit in as a game master and the adult supervision? This session will share insights from years playing games with racially diverse, neurodivergent, queer, disabled, and otherwise marginalized youth aged 10-24 for LGBTQ+ community groups, online clubs, libraries, and more. Come with questions!
Running Magic: The Gathering Club - Increasing Student & LGS Involvement
Summary:
Learn how to leveraged the "cool" teachers and LGS to increase student involvement, and how to used the same branding that Varsity Sports uses to celebrate MTG kids.
Description:
After having three years of afterschool Magic: The Gathering Club, this third year had the biggest student involvement (from 6 to 20 regular members), and the most involvement from our LGS. I'll also talk about no-cost things I asked for from my LGS to help parents and students get more involved in the club AND with the LGS.
Saturday Assignment Session - Theme: The Game Industry Ecosystem
Summary:
Zoom out to examine the broader landscape from indie publishing & crowdfunding to manufacturing, marketing, & community mgmt. Todays quests will send you out to look at everything around the games.
Description:
Get your daily assignment during this session. Today, explore publishing, production, marketing, and community-building.
Shaping The Future Of Tabletop Game Book Publishing: Trends & Opportunities
Summary:
Join us for a discussion exploring the current landscape of publishing in tabletop game design and development. We will delve into the latest trends, key players, and emerging needs in the market.
Description:
This panel is a must-attend for game designers, publishers, educators, and enthusiasts eager to understand the evolving dynamics of tabletop game publishing and discover opportunities for creating impactful content.
Including
Join Sean Connelly of CRC Press Geoff Engelstein of the Tabletop Game Designers Association, and Susan Haarman of Loyola University, among others, and bring your questions and book ideas and join the conversation as we chart the course for the future of publishing in tabletop game design and development!
Dive into game design for education! This workshop is for teachers and educators eager to create fun, engaging games for their classrooms. Learn, play, and innovate in a hands-on session.
Description:
In this workshop, a silly kid who became an even sillier adult will walk you through an overview of the process of creating educational game experiences, from dreaming up your game's big idea to figuring out the nitty-gritty details that make a game truly engaging. You'll get to play around with game mechanics and learn how to weave educational content into your games, making learning an adventure that students look forward to. You'll leave with a bunch of cool ideas and the know-how to turn those ideas into real games for your classroom or any educational setting. Whether you're looking to shake up your teaching routine or just add a dash of fun to your educational toolkit, this workshop is your ticket to a world where learning and play go hand in hand. So, let's make some games that will have everyone learning and laughing!
So You Want To Build A Game: Getting Started With Rapid Prototyping
Summary:
You are a game designer, and in this session, we will prove it to you by showing you how to prototype some of those ideas you have floating around in your bag of holding.
Description:
As we go through our education, we are taught to write, we are taught to question, and we are occasionally allowed to play. But play is not taken for the serious work that it is. Building a game, like writing a paper or a book, takes time and dedication. And it takes practice.
** GAME DESIGN ACADEMY ONLY EVENT / NOT INTENDED FOR GENERAL TRADE DAY AUDIENCE **
Social media marketing can be a powerful tool for promoting your store/events. Its a great way to reach a large audience quickly & can help you engage with potential customers in a meaningful way.
Description:
Using social media to highlight special promotions, share product or event information, or even create digital campaigns to drive traffic to your store or events. Additionally, social media can be used to create a sense of community among your customers, helping to build relationships and encourage loyalty. Come pick the brain of Gen Cons Community Development Manager who before becoming the social media manager for Gen Con worked in a Friendly Local Game Store and was a customer as well.
Use storytelling, gaming and creating to engage new library patrons while highlighting services, programs and collections.
Description:
Learn how our library held a full day, system-wide library con across three locations. We'll share our strategy for working with community partners to offer LARP demonstrations, Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs, cosplay demos and miniature painting, a costume contest and an outdoor movie night.
Strategies for Crafting Your Own TTRPG Courses at the Collegiate Level
Summary:
Discover strategies for crafting collegiate TTRPG classes. Learn from IU's pioneering course, review assignments, and understand the academic benefits of integrating TTRPGs into curricula.
Description:
Cultural Impact: TTRPGs have influenced popular media. They are an artform for storytelling and should be studied.
Current Curriculum Focus: Game curriculums primarily focus on computer design, programming, and 3D modeling through platforms like Unreal Engine 5 and Unity.
Challenges: Developing curriculum in this area requires support from deans and department chairs and creating appropriate layers of rigor.
Course Development: Mathew A. Powers and Jason Peercy have been developing Indiana Universitys first class dedicated to TTRPGs, now entering its third year with a new Advanced TTRPG Design and Development course launching in Fall 2025.
Seminar Goals: The seminar aims to inform, demonstrate, and teach educators how to create TTRPG classes, showcase class operations, review assignments and their impact, examine student feedback, and assist in developing TTRPG classes.