Players 'distressed' by gang-rape role-playing game

dragoner · Jun 2, 2019

Any rape or anything, nope. We have kicked GM's from the group, it's why some of us get asked to GM all the time, because we can run an interesting game without resorting to "shock", and some aren't allowed to GM.

mythago · Jun 2, 2019

LordEntrails said:
Yep, some do. And the best thing to do is to handle it quickly, openly, and relatively quietly.

Why 'relatively quietly' (which is somewhat of a contradiction to 'openly')? Nothing is served by shutting up and agreeing never to speak of it again. For one thing, the convention's quick and decisive response is a good model for other groups to follow. For another, it's great PR for gaming to be a more welcoming place that it's historically been.

LordEntrails · Jun 2, 2019

mythago said:
Why 'relatively quietly' (which is somewhat of a contradiction to 'openly')? Nothing is served by shutting up and agreeing never to speak of it again. For one thing, the convention's quick and decisive response is a good model for other groups to follow. For another, it's great PR for gaming to be a more welcoming place that it's historically been.

'Relatively quietly' because what value is it to blow it up and make it the front page? Those that need to know, know.

I never said or even implied that anyone should be "shutting up and agreeing to never speak of it again." Quite contradictory to what I said. It almost seems like you just want to start some big, useless, internet debate.

We agreed it was handled appropriately. It has been socialize/publicized to the community. Nothing more needs to be said about it.

Dannyalcatraz · Jun 2, 2019

Gauging how quiet is too quiet is tricky, though.

Not that I’m at the nexus of all things gaming, but I wouldn’t have heard of this without this thread in particular. I’d think that this guy’s ID should be shared with other persons and organizations running conversations. WORLDWIDE.

Think of it like the anti-hooligan regulations that exist in the soccer world.

Morrus · Jun 3, 2019

LordEntrails said:
Exactly what should have been done, and nothing else should really be expected. No point in the community blowing up over this.

I think we can talk about things which are important to us.

Tonguez · Jun 3, 2019

I've used settings in which things like Orcs raping victims occur in the background and ran a demon corrupted Monstary where corrupted monks were implied to pedophiles, and one of my characters was captured and tortured by bandits (three of his fingers were cut off) but still it is never okay for PCs to be victims of rape or for anyone to go through the process of describing it to them.

This particular DM needs therapy, thinking it was okay to introduce shock value into a public con was entirely inappropriate

LordEntrails · Jun 3, 2019

Morrus said:
I think we can talk about things which are important to us.

Absolutely. Talk, discuss. Guess I'm just expecting a bunch of hyperbole and uninformed statements of socio-political blah.

But, obviously not something I should or care to engage in, so I will remove myself from the thread.

Hussar · Jun 3, 2019

It is somewhat encouraging that this was dealt with quickly and publicly. I have a sneaking suspicion that in the not too distant past, this sort of thing would be brushed off as "boys being boys" and likely never even addressed. The fact that players can actually bring attention to this and not be immediately dogpiled for being "too sensitive" (outside, apparently, some fringe Reddit comments) is actually something good I think we can take away from this.

Man in the Funny Hat · Jun 3, 2019

There will always be those in this hobby who just don't get it; people who don't have properly developed concepts regarding appropriate behavior (in public OR private), courtesy, decorum, etc. They flew "under the radar" for a LONG time, with such actions being overlooked or tolerated when they should have been roundly condemned and faithfully chased out. I think the hobby is playing catch-up as far as that goes. It's reaching a wider audience and drawing more attention at the same time that tolerance for such behavior ANYWHERE has now worn all but completely away. Even with exemplary self-policing at stores and cons the "neanderthals" are going to slip through from time to time. You don't expect to change human nature, you just reach for the best and do what you can to keep the darker side and the worst people as strongly in check as possible - same as everywhere else in life.

Celebrim · Jun 3, 2019

I'm always astounded at people's capacity for stupidity and evil. This sort of horror story always sounds made up, simply because it's so unbelievable that anyone would do this sort of thing. And yet, it keeps happening apparently again and again.

Also, "shock value" is so trite and overrated. After Charles Baudelaire cornered that market like 150 years ago, if you are still thinking you are being edgy by being "shocking", you are just stupid and ignorant. Nothing so proves the inability to write and create by resorting to "shocking" elements. If your RPG seems like it could use a character translator between F.A.T.A.L. and back, you really need to reevaluate what you are doing with your life.

The really interesting assertion for me in this thread though was the idea that at some time in the past this would have been considered acceptable. I've never been into the Con scene, and obviously I'm a "prude" and a lot of things don't fly with me that might fly with some other groups (and I could list some designers as proof of that), but it's hard for me to imagine a group that I've been in which wouldn't get wierded out by some GM running a psycho-sexual scenario. Like we all firmly want to keep that sort of "role-play" out of our games, is one thing I think every player I've ever met would agree on. I can sort of get that some wierdo or crazy might go to a convention to get their twisted kicks, but is it really true that at one time this would have been brushed over as not weird?