L. Palmer’s Panels (all are Mountain Time)

If you want to see me in action, here is my schedule!

Thursday, February 11 – 4 PM: Playtesting Board Games

Room: Gary Gygax

Co-Panelists: Daniel R. Yocom; Skye Larsen; Justin T. Call;

Playtesting board games is a very important step in the development process. Getting good feedback is vital to ensure the playtest is effective in improving your game. What is the best way to ensure that the communications with your play testers are worthwhile?

Friday, February 12 – 10 AM: Mashing Ideas Together

Room: CS Lewis

Co-Panelists: C Rae D’Arc (M); Max Florschutz; Donna Milakovic; Charlie Pulsipher; Russell Nohelty

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Wagontrain to the Stars. Mashups are everything.

Friday, February 12 – 1 PM: Writing and Editing Software: Scrivener vs. Ulysses vs. Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs and More

Room: Anne McCaffrey

Co-Panelists: John M. Olsen; Chris Jones; Christopher Husberg

A review of the latest writing tools, apps, and websites.

Friday, February 12 – 3 PM: So Let it be Written: Contract Law and Society

Room: JRR Tolkien

Co-Panelists: Stanley Wheeler (M); Kristy S. Gilbert; Kenny Baldwin; J. Anne Campanile

Since Babylonian times, contracts have been an important tool for enforcing agreements between parties; a tool so powerful, that it’s even used as the basis for magic systems and computer languages. How did contract law come to be, and how does it continue to influence societies?

Friday, February 12 – 6 PM: Toiling in Obscurity (The Ten-Year Overnight Success)

Room: Mary Shelley

Co-Panelists: Peter Orullian (M); Megan Lloyd; Jared Garrett; Amy Michelle Carpenter; Emily Martha Sorensen; Stephen Gashler

Having talent isn’t enough. As an emerging creator, you must learn how to develop a “marketable” portfolio, make professional contacts, and market your work to make it pay.

Friday, February 12 – 7 PM: Editing Poetry

Room: Anne McCaffrey

Co-Panelists: M. Todd Gallowglas; Michael D. Young; Daniel Cureton

Poetry, like all writing, can benefit from feedback, but would you edit it like you would a novel? Come learn and practice the basics of editing poetry.

Saturday, February 13 – 9 AM: Conflict, Tension, and Opposition: The String That Keeps the Kite Flying

Room: Mary Shelley

Co-Panelists: Lani Forbes (M); Amy White

Every hero needs strong opponents (whether human, natural, or mechanical) as a source of challenge and testing. Discuss how opposition differs in written and visual fiction.

Saturday, February 13 – 11 AM: Dangerous “Child’s Play” in Successful Movies

Room: Mary Shelley

Co-Panelists: Jared Garrett (M); Blake Casselman; Allie May; Morgan Steinagel

Why do the war games in Maze Runner, Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and such have so much appeal? How can putting your characters in great peril benefit your script or story?

Saturday, February 13 – 12 PM: Mother Knows Best: Structures of Matriarchal Societies

Room: JRR Tolkein

Co-Panelists: Keith Haus; Lynette White; Ariadne Kane

While many societies are organized around fathers, a few have rallied behind mothers. What are differences between matriarchies and patriarchies, besides who leads them? What are examples of historical and modern matriarchal societies? How would having a matriarchy affect gender stereotypes and roles?

Saturday, February 13 – 6 PM: What Platform Should I Build My Game For? PC, Console, VR, etc.

Room: Gary Gygax

Co-Panelists: Brennan “Talonos” Smith (M); Keith Haus; Art Scheel

Different video-game platforms have different strengths and weaknesses. You should consider these when developing your video game. What is the most efficient way to research which platform is right for your game?

Saturday, February 13 – 7 PM: Can Anyone Can Be an Artist?

Room: James Christensen

Co-Panelists: Beth Buck; Rowan North; Michaelbrent Collings

Art therapy: a calming form of self-expression manifested through the creation of art in films, books, paintings, etc. Come learn how to use art therapy in your craft and in your daily life to improve your self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and manage emotional conflicts.

Readers:

• What would you want as your fairy tale fortune?
• What ridiculous things should I say on my panels?