alias_sqbr

Ryan Griffen is the Aboriginal creator of the highly lauded indigenous scifi show Cleverman. I haven't actually watched the show but found what he had to say really interesting anyway.
( Read more... )

I had a great time at the con, but spent most of it resting. On the upside, this means I don't have much to write up. This was the first panel I went to and I wrote more detailed notes than I did for any of the others haha.

Captain America Vs America:
There were two old school comics fans, including Stephen Dedman who did his Phd on scifi and the US military, and one younger fan who got into the comics via the movies. They made for a nice variety of points of view.
( Read more... )

Things I was recced:

• Little Witch Story and it's creator's twitter SnowMcNally.
  
• Vampire Saga hidden object game
  
• Space Team cooperative game.
  
• Daniel De Lorne Local author of m/m vampire romance

The Swancon community is apparently 37% male, 50% female and 13% non binary. The registration table this year offered neat little pronoun stickers to put at the bottom of your badge and there were unisex toilets.

Stirfire Studios ran a demonstration of a game they're writing for the HTC Vive Virtual Reality headset/controller, I was one of a long line of people who got to play it for a few minutes. It was SUPER FUN, very immersive. They got me to stay in my wheelchair to see how well that could work, the answer being "not very well" (I couldn't reach anything high up) but that was fine just for playing around. Also I was longer at the front than the system expected so I banged my footplate into a wall before the "stop walking!" warning grid came on. I've had a few interesting conversations with them about accessibility, am curious to see where that goes.

I only stayed for the very beginning of the masquerade and had no costume but everyone else looked great.

I did a clay animal making activity in the family room which was HEAPS of fun, I was a sought after artisan of little eyes since the children had trouble making them neatly.

Non Violent Video Games
So You Want To Make A Video Game

( Various Jane Espenson notes, Science Doesn't Work That Way, Trailer Park, Queer characters: Tokenism, realism and support )

(These are some initial notes for a panel I'm planning on doing at Swancon in March.)
( Read more... )

First, my Dragon Age Inquisitor cosplay.

Second, some random recs:
the movie Joint Security Area
Safety Not Guaranteed
What if my Baby Is A Squib Subtle, dark, Harry Potter fanfic that pokes at the squib=disability thing
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lianne Hearn (next year's guest)
Husbands (by Jane Espenson, ditto, omg)

Third, panel notes:

Has Science Fiction Changed Society?
The general consensus was that it reflects existing changes and can inspire/help individuals, but is rarely on the forefront of any change. It's really bad at predicting the future so not much good at preparing for or inspiring it. I might write up the rest of my notes but while I enjoyed the panel none of it seems worth the effort.

John Scalzi Guest of Honour Speech
The meaning of life is unverifiable.

Poison Elves
I went to this by accident but have always been vaguely curious after seeing the comics in shops, and was amused to discover the hero's name is Lusipher. I wonder if there's a Saetan too.

Science in Speculative Fiction
( Read more... )

I staretd making on as a 10 minute thing and it blew up on me :) Looking for anything from "let me do most of the talking/planning but offer the odd alternative POV" to having the talk be as much yours as mine, I have maybe 30 minutes of slides plus some vids but am flexible.

(The other panel I decided on was Hanako Games, which fits into 10 minutes nicely)

Last panel of the con! I may post some photos but otherwise I am DONE.

Let's get Serious: Games are changing, get involved!
Jane Cocks [University of Sunshine Coast], Izzy Gramp [Independent], Dan Monceaux [Danimations Pty Ltd], Amani Naseem [Copenhagen Game Collective], Paul Stapelberg [Well Placed Cactus]
( Read more... )

A piece of paper came out of my notebook around here, so I'm not 100% sure where one panel ends and the next begins.

Everyone Games: Creating Inclusive Gaming Communities
Ethan Lesh [Founder, Melbourne Gaymers], Alice Clarke [Diversity Lounge Co-Curator, PAX], Joshua Meadows [Co-Organiser, Sydney Gaymers], Jayden Williams [Writer, MMGN], Ashley Zeldin [Independent Developer, Adorkable Games/IGDA Los Angeles]
( Read more... )

I will repeat a little from my previous post here to keep all my notes for these panels together.

( Queering video games )

( Pre-gen vs custom characters )

Last one! I put all the remaining serious-ish topics together. Homestuck panel notes to appear once I have them tidied up!

EDIT: Do not trust the recs. They are a VERY mixed bag.

( Queer women in sff )
( Happy Queer Sff )
( Gender Ambiguity in pop culture )
( Why we like misery and violence in fiction )
( Matriarchies )