Featuring: Adrienne Ezell, Marguerite Cottrell, Ken Jenkins
When: Friday Oct. 12, 10:30AM-11:30AM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

You’re the next contestant on The Meeple is Right! Test your skills against other SHUX attendees to score fabulous prizes. Audience participation is more than encouraged, it’s down right required.  Can you: guess the game from the component? A smidgeon of cover art? Order games by release year? All to take home fabulous game prizes? Sure you can! Then you could find yourself in the Meeple Showdown!  What’s the Meeple Showdown? Only the fastest round-robin-variety-board-game-amalgamation in the Northern Hemisphere. Are you Meeple enough? Come on down!

Featuring: Eric Zimmerman, Leigh Alexander, Tim Fowers, Mike Selinker
When: Friday Oct. 12, 11:30AM-12:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Game design is f***ing hard. How do you take an idea from raw concept to polished game? Join us as a distinguished group of veteran designers discuss what they love and hate about designing games. Focusing on game design itself, we will cover prototyping and playtesting, balancing and tuning, and how to make a design that connects with players. We will look at best practices for bringing a game to life, as well as the misunderstandings and pitfalls that can happen to the most experienced designers. Bring your questions and ideas – we’ll have plenty of time for Q&A.

Featuring: Molly Johnson, Andrew Cefalo, Emma Larkins. Shawn Stankewich
When: Friday Oct. 12, 12:00PM-1:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

Before you can ship a product, you need to make sure it is actually fun. User testing is a crucial part of guaranteeing that players will have the experience you want them to have. An important part of playtesting is WHO you test with – friends, paid testers, colleagues, or a game designer community. As you strengthen your bonds with these people, so will you strengthen the games and experiences you produce. Good games, good relationships, lots of fun making and breaking games – what more could you want as a game designer?

Featuring: Alan Gerding, Nick Nazzaro
When: Friday Oct. 12, 1:00PM-2:00PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Join in the LIVE creation of a game. Witness and participate in the development of a game with the aim to be published. See Nick Nazzaro (of Dragoon fame) illustrate cards to a game Alan Gerding (of Two Rooms and a Boom) develops with feedback from the audience. Get your name in credits during this behind the scenes LIVE event.

When: Friday Oct. 12, 1:30PM-2:30PM
Where: Special Guest Tables

Featuring: Tim Fowers, Jonathan Ying, Jeff Newell, Alex Hague
When: Friday Oct. 12, 2:00PM-3:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

What could go wrong making your own boardgame? Hear tales of adventure, peril and heroism as this panels discusses the ups and downs of self publishing their boardgames. Learn about different tactics around crowdfunding, manufacturing, shipping and selling your own games.

Featuring: Nels Anderson, Jesse Turner, Quintin Smith
When: Friday Oct. 12, 2:30PM-3:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Sometimes, you just can’t make time to keep up with your favourite card game and have to stop playing. Sometimes that game gets cancelled altogether. Sometimes, the lynchpin DM of your tabletop group takes a new job on the other side of the country. Sometimes, friends drift apart or someone has a kid and you realize you’re never doing to finish that campaign of Imperial Assault.

Part of the magic of games is that they can be these things that persist over months and years. But nothing lasts forever, not even Rome (despite what Concordia might claim). So what happens when sometime we care about deeply comes to an end?

When: Friday Oct. 12, 2:30PM-4:00PM
Where: Special Guest Tables

Featuring: Mike Selinker
When: Friday Oct. 12, 3:30PM-4:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

Mike Selinker, the co-creator of Betrayal at House on the Hill, The Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, and Lords of Vegas, tells stories and answers at least some of your questions.

Featuring: Jonathan Ying, Steve Wolfhard, Nikki Valens, Adrienne Ezell
When: Friday Oct. 12, 4:00PM-5:00PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

It’s an age-old question: “What is Art?” To be honest the answer is “very expensive.” Join this group of nerdy professionals who have come together to discuss the visual aspect of gaming. We’ll answer questions and discuss the role art plays in the design process. We’ll talk about choosing styles, examining portfolios, writing art briefs, and pretty much the whole artist process of how games manage to look so dang pretty these days.

Featuring: Emily Hancock, Nick Nazzaro, Isaac Vega
When: Friday Oct. 12, 5:00PM-6:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

So your game prototype works great- but now what?? Are you in search of an illustrator or graphic designer and you don’t know where do start? Learn some do’s and don’ts from a board game artist’s perspective (Nick Nazzaro – Dragoon, Emily Hancock – Muse, Evolution) and ask advice from a veteran art director! (Isaac Vega – Plaid Hat Games).

Featuring: Quintin Smith, Matt Lees, Paul Dean, Pip Warr
When: Friday Oct. 12, 5:30PM-7:00PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Quinns GMs the adventures of the Star Ship Vancouver. It’s continuing mission: for crewmembers Paul, Matt and Pip to not embarrass the federation.

Featuring: Allison Kinzelman, Evan Lewis, Matthew Moore, Trond Nilsen, Jesse Shepherd, Witt Yao
When: Friday Oct. 12, 6:30PM-7:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

MegaGames are an exciting trend in gaming, combining elements of roleplaying games, board games, and group storytelling into a live-action experience. But what does it take to make one? Join the Seattle MegaGames team as they share everything they know about designing, building, and running a MegaGame! This informal panel will answer your questions as you peer into the madness of the group that put on all the MegaGames at SHUX. Look forward to their stories from the weekend’s games!

Featuring: Eric Zimmerman
When: Friday Oct. 12, 7:00PM-8:30PM
Where: Whale Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Many contemporary games feature designs with multiple characters, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and special powers. But can you balance a game for every possible combination? In this hands-on workshop, we will attempt to balance BattleBattle! a quick to play but unpredictable 1-v-1 tabletop game. Along the way, we’ll explore a number of key game design issues, like randomness vs. control, system balancing, narrative representation, and collaborative playtesting processes. Please come prepared to play hard as we think through some challenging design problems!

Featuring: Elaine & Efka Bladukkas, Matt Lees, Paul Dean, Ross Connell, Marguerite Cottrell
When: Friday Oct. 12, 7:30PM-8:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

A musical panel show hosted by Elaine and Efka of No Pun Included that pits members of SU&SD and other guests guessing the all important question: what board game is this song about? Expect live original music, riotous laughter and poor decision making!

Featuring: Alan Gerding, Efka Bladukas, Jonathan Ying, Lindsey Rode, Isaac Vega, Truth or Bear Cards with Jennifer Abele, Mike Selinker, Alex Hague
When: Friday Oct. 12, 8:00PM-9:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

Join Alan Gerding and a bevy of guests for another episode of the Tuesday Knight Podcast. To celebrate October, guests will be sharing their scary stories for all the interwebs (and audience members) to hear.

Featuring: The Geekenders
When: Friday Oct. 12, 9:00PM-11:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Featuring: Fred Wan
When: Friday Oct. 12, 9:00PM-10:00PM
Where: Whale Workshop
Capacity: TBD

A freeform Q&A session where the audience is encouraged to bring their own questions. Are you a GM trying to make your world more fun for your players? A designer trying to make sure the world your game is set in makes sense? Or maybe a player who wants to explore the worldbuilding in a favorite game or brand? We’ll go through topics that you find interesting, and take a deeper dive into the art and craft of worldbuilding.

Featuring: Alex Hague, Justin Vickers, Matt Lees, Pip Warr, Alan Gerding, Eric Zimmerman, No Pun Included
When: Friday Oct. 12, 9:30PM-10:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Wavelength is a game being developing between Palm Court (Alex Hague, Justin Vickers), Mackenzie Schubert (Secret Hitler) and Wolfgang Warsch, known best for The Mind and Ganz Schon Clever. Wavelength is a social guessing game where you have to read the mind of a teammate. One player knows exactly where their team needs to position a dial, but can only give a brief clue that’s somewhere between two binary categories like “Short – Long” or “Underrated – Overrated.” It’s up to everyone else to guess where they think that is.

Featuring: Aaron Cassidy, Linsae Cassidy, Mandi Hutchinson, Isaac Vega
When: Friday Oct. 12, 11:00PM-12:00AM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 150

Ever wanted to have your Significant Other join you at the game table? Tried and failed to convert them to the hobby? Why not get some very mediocre advice on how to play games with your Significant Other.

Linsae and Aaron of the podcast Ask DATENIGHT are here with Mandi Hutchinson and Isaac Vega to give you advice on Gaming with your S.O.

Ask DATENIGHT is an advice show on how to be an even better human. We’re not experts, but at least we’re trying!

When: Saturday Oct. 13, 9:30AM-12:00PM
Where: Special Guest Tables

Featuring: Kathleen De Vere, Brendan “Beej” Dery, Ian Horner
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 10:00AM-11:00AM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Featuring: Scott Westerfield, Grace Kendall
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 11:30AM-12:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

NYT bestselling novelist Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Leviathan) gives a multimedia talk about narrative in games, focusing on endings. How does a game’s story change when players win by amassing victory points (wheat + [gold x 2] + 5 for most wood), versus taking a specific objective (kill your opponent’s king)? Westerfeld looks at several popular games, critiquing them as if they were novels, including character motivations, climaxes, and endings.

Featuring: Alan Gerding
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 12:00PM-1:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Alan Gerding (co-creator of Two Rooms and a Boom) is known for designing large player count social games. He is asking, once again, for you and your friends to join dozens of others to playtest his soon-to-be-published games. Get to know many people while having tons of fun and getting your name in a game’s credits! Think escape room meets hidden role games.

When: Saturday Oct. 13, 12:00PM-1:30PM
Where: Special Guest Tables

Featuring: Nels Anderson, Joel Burgess, William Armstrong, Jenn Sandercock
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 1:00PM-2:00PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

“How hard could it be?” This question has exploded in the face of many aspiring tabletop designers – but how much does a career of designing video games prepare a creator for the world of tabletop games? This panel answers the question by bringing together three designers who are living that very experience.

William Armstrong is a programmer at Unity and has worked for years in both indie and AAA game Development. He is working on a new board game, Diaspora: Flight, and has spent more time behind a DM screen than in front of one.

Joel Burgess has worked on big honkin’ video games at Bethesda and Ubisoft for 15 years, and is currently developing Dating Pool, a card game about, well… dating.

Jenn Sandercock is a game designer who creates experiences that foster friendship, curiosity, and challenge. Jenn has worked on numerous games including LA Noire, Thimbleweed Park. Her current project is edible games which are tabletop games you have to eat to play.

Featuring: Alan Gerding
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 1:30PM-4:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 50

Stop your President from being blown up! But who is the President? More importantly… Who is the Bomber?!

In this social game of hidden roles and deduction, players are divided into 2 different rooms. Find your teammates, establish trust, and exchange hostages before time runs out and the bomb explodes! It’s the party game that’s always a blast.

Did we mention we’ll be running new, never-before-seen prototype expansions? No? Well that’s because it’s HIDDEN INFORMATION!!

See SU&SD play here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMy2EDfkTa8

When: Saturday Oct. 12, 1:30PM-2:30PM
Where: Special Guest Tables

Featuring: Austin Walker, Ali Acampora, Janine Hawkins, Arthur Martinez-Tebbel, Jacque de Quidt
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 2:30PM-4:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

A live actual play podcast focused on critical worldbuilding, smart characterization, and fun interaction between good friends. Join Austin, Ali, Jack, Janine and Art for a live performance of BFF!

Featuring: Tim Fowers
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 4:30PM-5:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Featuring: A whole lot of cool people!
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 5:00PM-7:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Featuring: Chris Batarlis
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 6:00PM-8:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: 20

Come play the first ever “Mega Board Game”. (A Board Game Mega Game Hybrid!) Join a faction and become either a Vampire or a Human! You’ll be in a team of 1-4 players competing against the other teams battling in the city for ultimate control!

Under the cover of darkness, powerful vampiric and monstrous forces clash with the human cityfolk who hunt them. Do you have the strength of will and the force of personality to leave a lasting legacy when Night Falls? Join a faction and become either a Vampire or a Human! You’ll be in a team of 1-4 players competing against the other teams for area control, diplomacy, upgrading your faction members, and battling in the city for ultimate control!

Featuring: Evan Lewis, Matthew Moore, Jesse Shepherd
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 7:30PM-8:30PM
Where: Whale Workshop
Capacity: TBD

In Heirs of a Shattered Age, 140 players will experience the world’s first-ever multi-generational megagame! Five rivaling families, four generations of intrigue, alliances, and treachery. In this wrap-up session, we’ll learn the full history of the day, share our favorite moments, and connect players with their long-lost relatives!

Everyone is welcome at this panel, but the players involved will get the most out of it.

Featuring: Quintin Smith, Matt Lees, Paul Dean, Pip Warr
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 8:00PM-9:30PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

While our podcasts are often very structured and we have limited time for Q&A, this is your opportunity to indulge in something far, far more freeform. In a more intimate evening session, we open ourselves up to more general questions. Have something burning you’ve always wanted to ask? Curious about something that never quite made sense? Now, at last, you have your chance!

When: 2:30PM-3:30PM
Where: The Shut Up & Stand Up Queue Hall

Math Trades are a fantastic way to do some trading without the hassle of finding trade partners and haggling. Loads of info on BGG at that link if you’re up for some swapsies.

Featuring: Eric Zimmerman
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 8:30PM-9:30PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Come join us at The Metagame Mixer for some highly social gameplay. The Metagame is a card game where you share your most ridiculous and profound opinions about comics, music, film, games, and other kinds of art and culture. And there’s not just one way to play – The Metagame is a card game OS that supports a dozen completely different games. SECRET SUPER BONUS PLUS: We will be premiering a brand new expansion created by none other than your favorite twisted geniuses at Shut Up & Sit Down.

Featuring: Sen-Foong Lim, Jay Cormier, Adrienne Ezell, Elf Creek Games
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 9:00PM-10:00PM
Where: Whale Workshop
Capacity: 10 person pitch capacity, 140 audience seats

Are you a game designer wondering if the pitch of your board game to a publisher is effective or not? We plan to run a “speed dating” pitch session, but not with the intent to find a home for your game, instead it’s to help you hone your pitching skills. You’ll get 3 minutes to pitch and then you’ll receive 7 minutes of feedback about your pitch from designers with over a dozen published games. These designers know their way around a pitch and are eager to help others refine their skills!

We’ll be looking for game designers to volunteer to pitch their game during this session. So come prepared – and we guarantee you’ll leave with a better pitch!

Do you want to pitch your game to the panel and receive feedback? Please register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fW1zCSmEDvLRseANUfcpMrJIEcXIS3dwYta9HVCKpug/viewform?ts=5bb23ee2&edit_requested=true

Featuring: Kathleen De Vere, Brendan “Beej” Dery, Ian Horner
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 10:00PM-11:00PM
Where: The Big Theatre
Capacity: 1000

Featuring: Steve Wolfhard
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 10:00PM-11:00PM
Where: Grizzly Workshop
Capacity: TBD

Have you heard the good news about Blood Bowl? It’s a fantasy football game in which you play as a coach in charge of your own hand-picked and hand-painted team of Orcs, Elves, Ogres, and many other maniacal fantasy races. This workshop introduces you to starting the game, choosing and painting your team, and strategies of league play. Praise Nuffle!

Featuring: Sen-Foong Lim, Jay Cormier
When: Saturday Oct. 13, 10:30PM-12:00AM
Where: Whale Workshop
Capacity: 16-64

Welcome to the Panda GM Game Jam! You (or your team of up to 4 people) will have 60 minutes to design the preliminary concept for a game using ONLY the components from the Panda GM design kit. You will be presenting your ideas to a panel of judges including Jay Cormier and Sen-Foong Lim (The Bamboozle Brothers, designers of Akrotiri, Belfort, Junk Art, etc.) and other Industry people. The judges will be assisting groups during the design process as needed. So sign up, grab a kit, and get your jam on!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sF3zmiN_Bif98Ucx24EihHy2r7O0vHqTRPVHRRfTDNI/viewform?ts=5bb23b14&edit_requested=true