How do we design games to promote health? Be a part of the discussion in this audience-engaged seminar investigating the possible uses of games in health promotion and capacity-building.
Description:
It is becoming more common to use games in the classroom - and for good reason. Research shows games can help motivate and engage people to learn and try new things. But what about outside of the classroom? Can we use games to teach skills, to promote health, or to change hearts and minds?
The event will include a brief introduction to games and health. Then, in teams, audience members will tackle a scenario by planning, discussing, and sharing their ideas for designing successful and engaging games to promote health.
Join developer Carlos Cabrera as he goes over the design and development process for the Welcome to Night Vale Roleplaying Game with Renegade Game Studios.
Description:
Carlos Cabrera, founder of Something Clever Games and developer on the Welcome to Night Vale Roleplaying Game, will walk you through his experience on working with Renegade Games Studios to bring the RPG based on the hit fictional podcast to life with tips, lessons learned, and working directly with every aspect of the tabletop industry.
Methods to simplify company documentation and how to be prepared for when things go wrong and make sure they don't go worse.
Description:
Drawing on a decade of experience operating a game store to show methods to simplify your information and make things easier for yourself. As well as discussing how to set business boundaries and be prepared to handle things when problems occur.
We will discuss the results of a study which looked at whether having college students analyze games in a Math class actually helped them perform better in those games.
Description:
In Spring of 2025 Dr. Heidenreich and Dr. Joy will run a study funded by a NASA grant looking at whether mathematically analyzing games actually helps students play the games better. This study will be conducted on Dr. Heidenreich's "Math of Games" class at Loras College, where the students' success will be compared against that of a control group. The nature of the mathematical analysis the students performed for class, the methodology of the study, and the results of the study will all be discussed.
Dune The Boardgame - Gamifying General Education Humanities
Summary:
Learn how and why to gamify your GE courses and see/participate in an example using Dune the Boardgame.
Description:
Frank Herberts Dune is an intricate exploration of power, institutional fragility, and the consequences of unchecked political ambition. Participants step into the roles of key factions within Dune, navigating the same dilemmas of negotiation, compromise, and survival that define the novels political landscape.
Dr. Geoffrey West is a lecturer in the Humanities at the University of California San Diego. His research on political power and military service is intimately connected to the themes of texts like Dune.
This session is designed for educators and librarians interested in innovative approaches to teaching literature, history, and political philosophy. No prior experience with the Dune board game is necessaryjust an openness to new pedagogical methods and an interest in interactive, student-centered learning.
Dungeons & Dragons & Democracy: How TTRPGS Can Build Stronger Civic Communities
Summary:
Democracy needs help. Playing RPGs can help citizens form the skills and collaborative habits that communities need to thrive. Learn how they can form engaged citizens. Educators of all ages welcome.
Description:
Polls show people are losing faith in democratic governments. But how do we form strong, committed citizens when the most of civic education is School House Rock? Enter TTRPGs. These games demand imagination, creative problem solving, and collaboration from players - the same habits needed for citizenship in a thriving democracy. This session will highlight how to leverage TTRPGs as civic formation tools. Whether you are running games in classroom or as community facing programs, let's help foster promote civic skills and growth. We will talk about Kat Schrier's work We The Gamers where she takes national standards for civic education and shows how games came meet those outcomes. We'll workshop campaign themes or game systems that help build cooperation in tense times. Educators of all ages welcome.
Using the curriculum guide created for the game, Five-Hundred-Year-Old Vampire, Dr. Jason Cox will illustrate a process for adapting games into a curriculum.
Description:
** GAME DESIGN ACADEMY ONLY EVENT / NOT INTENDED FOR GENERAL TRADE DAY AUDIENCE **
Emergence: A Theoretical & Practical Approach To Games-Based Transformation
Summary:
Explore how tabletop roleplaying games foster growth through storytelling and co-creation. Gain tools to design transformative games for education, coaching, and creativity, driving real-world change.
Description:
Emergence is a process of consciously engaging in our own transformation. In this session, participants will explore how TTRPGs create unique opportunities for transformation in educational, professional, and personal contexts. Drawing on concepts from emergence coaching, this workshop examines how character creation and collaborative storytelling in TTRPGs mirror real-life development. Participants will first be introduced to the essential elements of transformation and explore how TTRPGs can be implemented for this purpose. In the second half, attendees will engage in a collaborative activity in small groups, designing a game setting and characters, focusing on opportunities for transformative play. By the sessions end, participants will leave with actionable strategies to integrate TTRPG-inspired practices into their own work, whether as educators, coaches, or creative facilitators.
Engaging Research - Using RPGs to Guide Research Driven Creative Writing
Summary:
Research with RPGs? How can that be possible? In this session we will learn how to engage students in interest driven research, applying the methods needed for long term skills.
Description:
From topic selection to finished product, keeping students engaged in research can be frustratingly tricky. Come discuss the purposes of research-based writing, and explore an interest driven approach to teaching students the steps and methods of applying research through a non-traditional source: Role Playing Games. From D&D and Pathfinder, to My Little Pony and more, RPGs have basic components that can be used to build student buy-in and engagement while applying research in an authentic way. In the presenters experience, this method has a positive track record of not just positive engagement, but enthusiastic participation.
The goal of this workshop is to give participants another tool in their toolbox for building authentic student engagement. All student templates will be given at the end as a handout, as well as contact information for further support or sample materials.
Epic Success Or Critical Fail: Which Is Your Financial Plan?
Summary:
These are more advanced financial topics, for those with more financial savvy. Come pick the brain and get some financial education!
Description:
Roll a d20: Pick a topic (Or we can do a roll off, if folks have something in particular they want to discuss) 1: Long Term Care Asset-Based vs Traditional; 2: Passive Income Generators; 3: Personal Pensions; 4: Downside Protection; 5: Legacy Plays; 6: Incorporating Trusts; 7: Roth Conversions; 8: Mega-Back Door Roth; 9: 529 vs IUL; 10: Infinite Banking; 11: Buy/Sell Agreements (Business Owners); 12: Golden Handcuffs (Business Owners); 13: Cash Balance Pension Plans (Business Owners); 14: Business Owner Executive Services (Business Owners); 15: Socially Responsible Investing (SRI/ESG); 16: RILAs ;17: Gap DI; 18: 72(t)/72(q) SEPP (2022-6); 19: QCDs; 20: CRITs/CRATs. This is intended to be a open forum for discussion, with more advanced financial topics. Normally this would cost big bucks, but I've been coming to GenCon for decades, and I might as well educate folks.