My Gen Con Schedule and Industry Insider Guest of Honor Panels

As many of you who follow my Twitter feed (@GMSarli) are already aware, I’ve been asked to be an industry insider Guest of Honor at this year’s Gen Con. It’s an incredible honor, and I consider it a rare privilege to get to sit on the same stage with some of the most influential gaming professionals in the world.

The convention staff has finally posted the schedule for the Guest of Honor panels, and I wanted to highlight those that I will be attending.

A Guide to Game Design (SEM1128743)
Thursday, 8/4 from 5 PM to 6 PM
Indianapolis Convention Center room 212
Description: In this high-level overview of game design, our Industry panelists discuss the basic principles, from concept to playtesting. Is it art? science? mathematics? If you have a game idea but aren’t sure what you should do next, let the panelists give you some ins and outs to help guide you.
Panelists: Greg Stolze, Will Hindmarch, Gary M. Sarli, Matt Forbeck, Jeff Neil Bellinger, Stan!

Patronage & Kickstarter: How to Get Paid Up Front (SEM1128827)
Friday, 8/5 from 9 AM to 10 AM
Indianapolis Convention Center room 212
Description: Insights from Industry Insider Guests of Honor Wolfgang Baur, Gary M. Sarli, Daniel Solis, and Greg Stolze on how they funded projects by convincing patrons to donate early in exchange for exclusive access, rewards, and even input into the project.
Panelists: Gary M. Sarli, Wolfgang Baur, Daniel Solis, Greg Stolze

GMing: Techniques & Tips (SEM1128759)
Friday, 8/5 from 5 PM to 6 PM
Indianapolis Convention Center room 212
Description: GMing is a skill, it can be learned & with practice you can get better! Join our guests as they offer ideas on how to improve your existing campaigns, improvise a plot in response to the player’s action, talk about story-oriented roleplaying … “role” playing instead of “roll” playing, & how to bring new life to old campaigns. The best way is to learn & improve is to talk shop with fellow GMs & exchange solutions for common & uncommon problems.
Panelists: Jonathan Tweet, Will Hindmarch, Gary M. Sarli

Freelancing: A Challenging & Exciting Career Path (SEM1128725)
Saturday, 8/6 from 5 PM to 6 PM
Indianapolis Convention Center room 212
Description: Being a freelancer in today’s industry is challenging but rewarding! Join our Industry Insider guests as they share their know-how and discuss how to naviagate through the ins and outs of this exciting career path. These experts will pass along their knowledge to the next generation of freelancers.
Panelists: Will Hindmarch, Matt Forbeck, Greg Stolze, Gary M. Sarli

Given the above panels along with my own e20 System Evolved events and running the GMSarli Games booth in the exhibit hall, here’s what my Gen Con schedule looks like:

Thursday, 8/4

Friday, 8/5

Saturday, 8/6

Sunday, 8/7

  • 10 AM – 12 PM: GMSarli Games booth #2242 in exhibit hall
  • 2 PM – 4 PM: GMSarli Games booth #2242 in exhibit hall (closes at 4 PM)

On most days, I’m literally scheduled from the time I get up until I finally stagger back to the hotel room and collapse. Please excuse me if I seem a little fuzzy and bleary eyed when you run into me. :)

If you want to meet me and chat about games, get an autograph, or otherwise just hang out for a bit, your best times to do so are when I’m in the GMSarli Games booth (#2242) or immediately after a panel I’m attending. (In the latter case, we might need to “walk and talk” if I have another event immediately afterward.) I might briefly step out of the booth from time to time to grab a bite to eat or address other basic biological needs, but I should be there at least 90% of the time listed above.

I absolutely love attending Gen Con every year and getting to meet the fans, and I’m really looking forward to it this year as a reward for all the work we’re doing to finish the e20 System Evolved Core Rulebook on time to release it at the convention. I hope to see you all there!

Gen Con 2011 Exhibitor List, Exhibit Hall Map, and Video Walkthrough

The Gen Con 2011 exhibitor list, exhibit hall map, and a video walkthrough have been posted on the Gen Con community website.

The exhibit hall is not in the same place it has been in years past. Instead of being in Halls A – D (i.e. across from the Marriott Downtown Indianapolis), it has been moved to the larger space of Halls H – K (i.e. where the old Indianapolis Colts dome was located before it was replaced by the RCA Dome). This will be something of an adjustment to those of us who have been to the convention before, but I’m sure we can adapt.

GMSarli Games is in booth #2242. If you’re coming into the exhibit hall through the main doors, we’re close to the back-right corner of the exhibit hall, just around the corner from Wizards of the Coast. If you’re coming into the exhibit hall from Hall G (miniatures and card gaming area), you should be able to see us just off to your left as you walk through the doors.

Since we’re kind of in an out-of-the-way location this year, I’ve highlighted our booth on this map of the exhibit hall (click to enlarge):

You can use this exhibitors list (PDF) to find specific booths. Personally, I like to know the relative layout of the exhibit hall before it opens so I get a chance to get those highly sought (and quick to sell out) items that premiere at the convention.

As I mentioned, the exhibit hall is in a new location this year, so the kind folks at Gen Con put together a video to help you get oriented to the new setting:

Gen Con is going to be insanely busy for me this year. In addition to all the e20 System Evolved events I’m hosting at Gen Con, I’ve been selected to be an industry insider Guest of Honor at the convention as well — and that means I’ll be joining a few more panels. When I have the final schedule, I’ll post it here so you’ll know where to find me at any given time: when I’m in the GMSarli Games booth, when I’m on a panel, when I’m GMing one of the “Graveyard of the Hollow Sky” adventures … pretty much everything.

I hope to see you all there — drop by and say hello when you get a chance!