Oh hey OrcaCon is this weekend! Here’s my panel schedule y’all.

Saturday, January 12th

10:00 am Better Realism for Better Worlds: We Did the Research for You

I don’t want to hear about how arm-chair “realistic” it is to default to miss-recorded Western medieval standards of race, gender, sexuality. This panel dissects the 101 History student’s argument that history was like X. Panelists present AWESOME books/research that shows the place of strong peoples in a world beyond Europe’s Dark Ages. The book 1491 comes immediately to mind (America before Columbus), as does Rejected Princesses. Attendees leave with a reading (arguing) list of 20+ books.

Panelists: Wes Schneider [M], Katherine Cross, Lynne Hardy, Tanya DePass

1:00 pm Playing the Other

A discussion about how to play/portray characters who are different from you, as a player, GM, or even a creator. On the one hand, roleplaying is a great opportunity to empathize and experience things vicariously, but on the other, it’s easy to fetishize or stereotype the experience of others. What’s appropriate and how do you make the most effective use of this opportunity?

Panelists: Steve Kenson [M], Shana T. Bryant, Tanya DePass, Crystal Frasier, Sarah G.

2:00 pm Acting the Part: Bringing your RP Character to Life

Learning complicated rules systems and battling recalcitrant dice is one thing, but when it comes to tabletop role playing games, one of the most difficult aspects for both new and experienced players is the actual role playing. Going from a mild mannered, introverted geek, to a smooth talking space pirate or brash, half orc warrior with a love of bad puns can be a stretch. We’ll focus on using basic acting and improv techniques to help you learn to inhabit your characters and bring them to life at the table.

Panelists: Bianca Anderson [M], Katherine Cross, Tanya DePass

Sunday, January 13th

1:00 pm Charlatanry and Chicanery: Gamemastering on the Fly

Deep wells of research, reams of notes, and mountains of game statistics–these are all good Game Mastering tools, but there’s one skill that can’t be prepared: improvisation. The best GMs can create memorable experiences for players out of nearly any challenge, whether the players’ decisions have entirely derailed their plans or the players just aren’t picking up the hints they’re dropping. In short, being a good GM is about being a consummate BSer. Join the best BSers in the business for tips, tricks, and philosophies, plus answers to your questions about how to handle the most challenging scenarios players might throw your way.

Panelists: Amanda Hamon Kunz [M], Liz Courts, Tanya DePass, Lynne Hardy

Published by cypheroftyr

Tanya DePass is the founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a not-for-profit organization based in Chicago, which is dedicated to better diversification of all aspects of gaming. I Need Diverse Games serves the community by supporting marginalized developers, attendance at the Game Developer Conference by participating in the GDC Scholarship program, helps assist attendance at other industry events, and is seeking partnership with organizations and initiatives. Tanya is a lifelong Chicagoan who loves everything about gaming, #INeedDiverseGames spawn point, and wants to make the industry better and more inclusive for everyone. She’s part of the Rivals of Waterdeep actual play stream on twitch.tv/rivalsofwaterdeep, a partnered Twitch variety broadcaster; and often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics online, at conventions and as a public speaker.. She’s also contributed to publications at Green Ronin, Paizo and Monte Cook Games and is the co-developer for the Fifth Season RPG based on N.K. Jemisin’s three time Hugo award winning Broken Earth trilogy. She’s the creator and Creative Director of Into the Mother Lands, a Twitch supported RPG and Actual Play stream, airing weekly on her channel, twitch.tv/cypheroftyr. Additionally, she is a Senior Annenberg labs Civic Media Fellow at USC. She’s also the creator and Creative Director of Into the Mother Lands, a new sci fi afro-futurist RPG developed with a team of all POC and Black creators; live streamed on her twitch channel, /cypheroftyr. She’s named as one of The Game Awards Future Class 2020, a diverse group of builders, thinkers and dreamers whose voices elevate and diversify our artform. It recognizes individuals around the world who represent the bright, bold and inclusive future for video games. She was also named as one of Gamers of the Year 2020 by Kotaku along with three of her contemporaries. She was also invited to the Xbox MVP program in February 2021. Her work to make the industry more inclusive has been highlighted in Game Changer, Directed by Tina Charles, WNBA star & olympian as well as filmmaker. The short documentary premiered at Tribeca 2021, as part of the Queen Collective; an initiative started by Queen Latifah, supported by Proctor & Gamble in an effort to get more Black women into film making. Game Changer was also featured as part of BETHer’s 2021 Juneteenth Programming on 19 June 2021. Tanya is the programming & diversity coordinator for OrcaCon and GaymerX. She also serves on the Board of Directors for OrcaCon and was named the Chair for Take This in January 2023. She often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at conventions. Her writing about games and games critique appears in Uncanny Magazine, Polygon, Wiscon Chronicles, Vice Gaming, Paste Games, Mic, and other publications. She’s the editor of Game Devs and Others: Tales from the Margins (2018, CRC Press) and contributed to The Advanced Game Narrative Toolbox. (2019, CRC Press) Writer Bio for pubs: Tanya is the Founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a not-for-profit organization based in Chicago. She’s part of Rivals of Waterdeep, an actual play D&D show on twitch.tv/rivalsofwaterdeep; the programming coordinator for OrcaCon & GaymerX; and often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at conventions. She’s on the Board of Take This as well as a Stream Ambassador, and was part of the inaugural cohort of The Game Awards Future Class. Her work to make the industry more inclusive has been highlighted in Game Changer, Directed by Tina Charles, WNBA star & olympian as well as filmmaker. The short documentary premiered at Tribeca 2021, as part of the Queen Collective; an initiative started by Queen Latifah, supported by Proctor & Gamble in an effort to get more Black women into film making. Game Changer was also featured as part of BETHer’s 2021 Juneteenth Programming on 19 June 2021.