Missoula's Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention

Joshua Pate-Terry

MisCon 38 Panel Volunteer

Josh is a tabletop role-playing game master and a licensed clinical social worker from Butte, MT. He currently works in hospice and is also a certified clinical anxiety treatment professional. He has been playing tabletop RPGs off and on since about 1987 and he is currently working on a video series talking about tabletop games from a behavioral health perspective.

Scheduled Panels and Presentations:

Key: =On a Panel =Moderating =GMing

(Tentative)

• Sat Noon - 12:50 PM, Surviving the Con: Mental Health Tips, Patio Tent
  Panelists: Joshua Pate-Terry

  Large events like conventions can be difficult to manage from a mental health perspective, particularly if you have a history of something like depression or anxiety. This panel is a chance to speak with a mental health professional about some of the challenges you might face and to gain some tools for managing the stress or anxiety of not just this convention, but other large social events as well.

• Break Sat 12:50 - Sat 5:00
• Sat 5:00 - 5:50 PM, Alignment, Personality and Traits - Giving Characters Depth, Dragon Pavilion (1)
  Moderator: Joshua Pate-Terry; Panelists: Stan! Brown, Jeff Grubb, Joshua Pate-Terry

  Lots of role-playing games have tools to help outline, refine, or define who your character is. These range from simple tools to narrow behavior, to narrative tools that can have real mechanical effects in the game itself. Let’s talk about some of these systems, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to use them better for both player’s and game master’s characters.

• Break Sat 5:50 - Sun 10:00
• Sun 10:00 - 10:50 AM, Managing Problem Behaviors at the Game Table, Patio Tent
  Moderator: Joshua Pate-Terry; Panelists: Stan! Brown, Jeff Grubb, Joshua Pate-Terry

  As game masters, we’ve all run into problem behaviors at our game table at some point. These behaviors could range from a player spending too much time on their phone to full outbursts and arguments. As game masters, we often have a heightened responsibility for managing behavior at our game table, sometimes appropriately and sometimes not. Our panelists will discuss some common behaviors, some personal experiences, and will provide tools and techniques for managing problematic player behavior

• Break Sun 10:50 - Sun Noon
• Sun Noon - 12:50 PM, The New Game Master Starter Set, Patio Tent
  Moderator: Joshua Pate-Terry; Panelists: Erik Evjen, Joshua Pate-Terry

  Are you a new game master, or thinking about becoming a game master? There’s a good likelihood that you are nervous about getting started. Our panelists will provide insights into getting started including managing your expectations, fears, time and energy as well as tools to make the process easier for you to get started. Our goal is that you not only have a good first experience running a table, but want to keep doing it. Our hobby needs more game masters like you.