WotC WotC's Chris Perkins On D&D's Inclusivity Processes Going Forward

Over on D&D Beyond, WotC's Chris Perkins has written a blog entry about how the company's processes have been changed to improve the way the D&D studio deals with harmful content and inclusivity. This follows recent issues with racist content in Spelljammer: Adventures in Space, and involves working with external cultural consultants.

The studio’s new process mandates that every word, illustration, and map must be reviewed by multiple outside cultural consultants prior to publication.

Leveling Up Our Creative Process: Learnings From Spelljammer

In this blog post, I'll talk about how we in the D&D Studio are changing our review process following the problematic content that appeared in Spell...

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[GMforPowergamers]

It would be sufficient that you, in good faith, do not want to be offensive. Malice is in the eye of the observer and you cannot prevent every interpretation of your text. This is how it was, at least. Before this strange flip in the duty of proof from the accuser to the accused.

Yes and no... some people don't care what you know or what you mean. They take what THEY assume you meant and beat you with it. Far less serious then racists comments are simple discussions on these boards we see it. And THAT is before purity tests (if you aren't 100% with me you are _______... and yes I realize we just disagree on the degree and way to help, but that is enough).

 

[Bill Zebub]

This is how it was, at least. Before this strange flip in the duty of proof from the accuser to the accused.

Yeah life was definitely easier for those of us in the dominant demographic when those with less power had to prove harm. Because, of course, it’s almost never actually provable. It was a pretty sweet position to be in.

Now that we’ve lost that protection suddenly it seems really unfair to have to prove things, huh?

 

[Umbran]

Left and right are on a very bad mood of radicalization that is not good for democracy. Hope this will come to an end soon.

Because your kids are named Eric and Don Jr.?

Mod Note:
Folks, recognizing some of the problem dynamics is one thing. Direct political reference is another. Please don't go there. Thanks.

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

He's taking ownership. That's worth something, even if it was forced on him by PR or HR or the execs on high.

I'd personally say that there were issues with a number of products he's led on. But there've been insenstive issues with a number of projects he hasn't led, too. Genre fiction is TOUGH. You want to lean into the nostalgia of what you grew up on or what your creative heroes grew up on - like Flash Gordon serials or Indiana Jones. But those old works had a LOT of problems - not only because they are a product of their times,

I suspect that some people has a lot of problems with critical readings. Not those products. I mean it would be sufficient to read things in the context and avoid to use contemporary lens over past works. Doing it, it would be clear what remains bad and what is bad only if it was created now. Robert Louis Stevenson is really racist in a passage or two of treasure island. When I read it to my sons they catch immediately the critical parts and ask me about. I was glad they catch it and explain them the Stevenson era and background depicting them as a context to a wrong idea. They understand and go on. When I hear "let's cancel this because..." I cannot avoid to feel upset and worry. For me, and I excuse myself, it is plain stupidity.

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

Mod Note:
Folks, recognizing some of the problem dynamics is one thing. Direct political reference is another. Please don't go there. Thanks.

Sorry

 

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

I don’t think we need to turn a thread about Dragonlance into one about global politics, eh?

Can I tell you that I really appreciate your efforts to mantain this forum polite, fair and in topic?
But you have to admit that is not people pushing politics in forum. Is politics being pushed in game. The current political debate it's really pervasive. Too much for my taste. Some people talk about it here just because they don't like rpg (and Art in general) turns so ideological.

 

[Morrus]

Can I tell you that I really appreciate your efforts to mantain this forum polite, fair and in topic?
But you have to admit that is not people pushing politics in forum. Is politics being pushed in game. The current political debate it's really pervasive. Too much for my taste. Some people talk about it here just because they don't like rpg (and Art in general) turns so ideological.

You know the rules. Do not challenge moderation posts in-thread. Don’t post in this thread again.

 

[Bill Zebub]

When I hear "let's cancel this because..." I cannot avoid to feel upset and worry. For me, and I excuse myself, it is plain stupidity.

Is it possible when you hear “Let’s cancel this…” what’s actually being said is, “Let’s not sugar-coat this…”. Is every attempt to draw attention to insensitivities of the past a cancelation?

Look, I agree that there are some egregious examples of “cancel culture” but that doesn’t mean that every critique is an example of it.

 

[Dire Bare]

Heh. Just to take a real world example. Here in Japan, people who are of mixed heritage are referred to as "half" (pronounced ha fuh). And perfectly nice, sweet people have told me to my face how lucky I am to have half children. They would likely be utterly mortified to realize how unbelievably offensive that is.

What I've typically done, at least for people that I know, is, as gently as possible, let them know that this doesn't quite mean the same thing in English, and calling someone halfbreed (which is the false friend as @Dannyalcatraz mentions above) is probably not the best look and should likely be avoided as much as possible.

Granted, it took an awful lot of teeth grinding to stop me from biting people's heads off, but, again, me blowing a gasket and venting my spleen over someone who honestly is just ingnorant (as in lacking in knowledge) and 100% not malicious isn't going to be productive at all.

Not losing one's temper is sometimes a really difficult thing to do.

Being called out for being mixed-race is offensive to you . . . but is it offensive within Japanese culture? I honestly don't know. And is it being called out as mixed-race that is the problem? Or the use of the word "half" or "halfbreed"? I don't speak Japanese, but does the Japanese word you mention (ha fuh) have the same connotation in Japanese that "halfbreed" does in English?

If being of mixed-race in Japan isn't seen as a big deal, if the Japanese word used doesn't have a negative connotation within that culture . . . then those folks aren't being racist, not even in a systemic manner. Of course, if folks of mixed-race in Japan are looked down upon, and the word does have a negative connotation, then they most certainly are.

It's understandable however, if being referred to as "ha fuh" or "half" bothered you. It's reasonable to educate your Japanese friends and co-workers on the issue when dealing with those of mixed-race from the US.

I only point all of this out (from my perspective), to make the point that . . . what's racist and what isn't is complicated and the answer isn't always the same depending on the context.

 

[Incenjucar]

Mixed-race status has very specific, localized connotations. In families like mine, it's actively celebrated, but you can cross the street and find people who use the term as an insult. It's extremely complicated.