Norwescon Schedule

All the cool kids are doing it, so here's my schedule for Norwescon.


Thursday
Novelization of a Game 8:00 PM Cascade 7

Many video games today have accompanying fiction, often providing a more detailed storyline of either what was going on in the game, or what came before or after the game’s events. Many roleplaying games have series of novels expanding their worlds with characters and cities and events that become canon in that setting. Join our panelists as they discuss how a game’s setting is translated into a novel that, in turn, gives back to the game.
Janna Silverstein, Richard Baker, Jeff Grubb

Where are All the Sci-Fi Games? 9:00 PM Cascade 7

Dungeons. Dragons. Swords. Magic. What about the lasers? Interstellar space travel? Aliens? Netrunning? The Dark and Gritty Future? Are they all video games these days? Panelists discuss why fantasy is king in gaming right now, when Sci-Fi will make its comeback, and what Sci-Fi gamesAREout there right now.
Randall N. Bills, Jeff Grubb


Friday
The Tabloid Game (Ripped from the Headlines!) 1:00 PM Cascade 5

Our group of expert game masters will create a scenario before your very eyes using only a selection of tabloid newspapers. Come join in the fun and throw out a few suggestions of your own.
Erik Mona, Jeff Grubb, Andy Collins, Darrin Drader

Playing God, Part II: Gods and Religion 8:00 PM Cascade 8

Part of world building is designing the pantheon responsible for the whole thing. Our game experts discuss how they go about filling the cosmos with deities worthy of a hero’s worship, and how they manage to stay upright on such a slippery slope as religion in gaming.
Erik Mona, Wolfgang Baur, Sean Reynolds, Jeff Grubb


Saturday
Autograph Session1 11:00 AM Evergreen 1 & 2

Grab your books! Our Guests of Honor and many of our pros will be available for autographs.

R.A. Salvatore, Geno Salvatore, Todd Lockwood, Richard Baker, John P. Alexander, MH (“Maggie”) Bonham, L.J. Bothell, Ted Butler, Jeff Carlson, Greg Cox, Darrin Drader, Michael Ehart, Elton Elliott, Spencer Ellsworth, Roberta Gregory, Jeff Grubb, Warren Hammond, Paul Melko, G.David Nordley, Sean Reynolds, Kat Richardson, Ken Scholes, Jeff Sturgeon, Tiffany Trent

(Note: I haven't written a new book for years now, so I think this one will be pretty quiet for me. Show up and we'll make fun of the cool kids (and celebrate the fact the Liberty's Crusade finally earned out).

Forgotten Realms: Past, Present, Future 6:00 PM Evergreen 3 & 4

Now in all the lands 'twixt bustling Waterdeep and the sparkling waves of The Sea of Fallen Stars, no men were more loved -- and feared -- than the stoic swordsman Durnan, the blustering old rogue Mirt, and the all-wise, ancient wizard Elminster. Dragon Magazine #218 These were the very first words written about the Forgotten Realms, written in 1967 by an 8-year-old Ed Greenwood, who originally designed it and began writing little stories of his own about heroes adventuring in an imaginary world and publishing a series of short articles detailing the setting in Dragon magazine. Since 1987, this campaign setting has grown and developed, generating over two hundred novels, dozens of computer RPGs, and a host of adventures and gaming supplements. Join our distinguished group of gaming professionals as they discuss the history of the Forgotten Realms, and recount their parts in developing it.
Jeff Grubb, Richard Baker, R.A. Salvatore, Sean Reynolds
(Note: I'm supposed to be leading this one, so expect a train wreck.)

Tolkien Has a Lot to Answer For 7:00 PM Cascade 4

With Lord of the Rings, Tolkien established the fantasy genre and many of the current fantasy traditions. Has this now hindered the growth of the fantasy genre?
Michael Martinez, Jeff Grubb, Eric Mona


Sunday

Writing for Comics 10:00 AM Cascade 4

Somewhere between novels and screenplays can be found the comic book. How does one write for the comics? What's the difference between script-first and plot-first? Can you write for comics if you have no artistic talent whatsoever? How do you break into the field in the first place?
Donna Barr, Jeff Grubb, Paul Chadwick

Expect light blogging as I juggle my regular life and the convention.

More later,