NORWESCON 2015 - Friday

I started the day with having a continental breakfast in the hotel eatery.

Then it was onto Overlooked Horror Classics, moderated by Jorden B with Nathan Crowder, Jude-Marie Green and Bryan Syme. Lots of favorites of the panelists and audience were mentioned. Standouts I'd like to see is American Scream (documentary about late night scary movie hosts), Penny Dreadful tv series, Val Lewton films, Attack the Block, Wolfen, The Hitcher (original) and Yellow Brick Road.

Next was the entertaining Neutrinos Blast Right Through You talk, given by Corey L Lee. Her enthusiasm for the science of neutrinos was infectious. I knew a little about the particle and now I not only know more but have some RPG/story ideas.

Then it was a walking lunch with snacks and a banana.

First panel for the afternoon for me was What If's of Military History moderated by Russel Ervin with Bill Gruner, Joseph Malik and Alan Paulsen. Presented to the audience were three scenarios: How Rome could have not fallen, How could the Aztek nation repulse Cortez, What would happen if the 1434 CE Chinese Navy was not scuttled but instead sailed around Africa to Europe? The group split into three smaller groups and tacked these ideas by discussing politics, economy, social, science, religion and military changes or results from change. The round table discussion format was very interesting how it fleshed out the alternative world we were creating.

Then it was Do We Live In A Bad Neighbourhood moderated by Cathy Plesko with John Cramer, Stephen L Gillett, Loretta McKibben and Amy Mainzer. Very interesting and enheartining panel on world ending events from space borne materiel. It also was about what we have done to analyse past events and to detect space borne materiel. Using infa-red space telescopes to find the asteroids, in particular, was a standout. Check out one of their recommended sites, the Minor Planet Center.

Then was an hour in the dealers room where I met my wife and showed each other things that the other had missed in there.

Then it was Let's Playstorm an RPG Campaign moderated by Jorden B with Eric Cagle, Jeff Combos, Ogre Whiteside and Dylan S. Then group discussed how to engage your players to create an adventure. The rest of the panel then had the audience present the genre, setting and tone of an RPG game they would like. From there it was a coherent whirlwind of ideas and world building of the story were would tell. I can see myself using these techniques to jumpstart something different.

Lastly it was Intricate Worlds moderated by Brenda Carre with Carol Berg, B.D. Kellmer and Kim Ritchie. This panel discussed how to make your fantasy world that you are creating feel real and not forced. No information dumping. The main bit of advice was to make every person or thing have a purpose for being there, but only reveal to your audience what you want them to see to advance the story. Reminds me of the cantina scene in Star Wars: A New Hope. Every creature is doing something. Not standing/sitting there. Each feels like a character that you want to know more about but don't in the movie. The cantina convinces you it is a den of villainy. In the TV show Deadwood, all the extras in the town were given a list of things they were doing that day and they would do them as the shooting for that day progressed. They were not cardboard and made the feel of the town real to the viewer.

Supper was at Sharps Roasthouse. A great eating establishment for slow roasted meat carnivores.

Then I relaxed until the Burlesque show with Purple Devil Productions. They had a Game of Thrones theme this year and I thought lining up a half hour prior to would be enough but only got seats in the very back. I watched most of it but the stage was too low so I left towards the end. I have enjoyed watching burlesque shows because of the self-confidence and joy the women give off as they are performing. Its not about the nudity because for me, its the positive sense of self.

I retired to the hotel room to plan out Saturday and headed to bed.