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

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

The dragon has to be killed because it was singing reggaetone.

I hope this could help against the prejudices:

Two housands years ago the "Latinos" (Roman empire) were the supreme power, and the blonde+blue-eyed barbarians from the North of Europe the "third world". After the fall of the Roman empire when the Visigoths arrive to the Iberian peninsule (and without green card in those times) the relations with the native weren't too good. Hispanolatinos and Hispanogoths had got different legal codes. The mixed marriage was totally forbidden. Step by step this started to be allowed, and in the end both community became one, the Spaniards. Do you remember the old movies of Robin Hood and the conflicts between Saxons and Normands? And who cares about this now?

The morale of D&D should be: "we can be radically different people, with different origins or talents, but we work together as a team, and we share some common moral values (= the Natural Law) then we together can do wonderful things" (while the bad guys are killing each other and after their souls are sent to the infernal planes).

I don't like the term "inclusive" because when I read it I suspect there is somebody who is going to be excluded. I would rather the term "cosmpolitan", because a cosmopolis is a city with people from different places.

 

[Umbran]

I don't like the term "inclusive" because when I read it I suspect there is somebody who is going to be excluded.
I would rather the term "cosmpolitan", because a cosmopolis is a city with people from different places.

I don't see how changing the word should change your trust in their honesty. You could just as well say that when they claim to be cosmopolitan, you fear they'll actually be parochial.

It is not enough to have all types of people merely present, they ought to have something like equal footing, which being "cosmopolitan" doesn't really guarantee (at least, the term doesn't carry that connotation in common English), as the world's most cosmopolitan cities are rife with class divisions, racism, and sexism. Being "cosmopolitan" carries a bit of a classist connotation around here. Wealthy people sipping martinis in penthouses talk about how "cosmopolitan" they are.

Right now, there's people who are already being excluded, and have historically been excluded. Attempts at being more inclusive are a reaction to realizing this.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

.

 

[Gradine]

I don't see how changing the word should change your trust in their honesty. You could just as well say that when they claim to be cosmopolitan, you fear they'll actually be parochial.

It is not enough to have all types of people merely present, they ought to have something like equal footing, which being "cosmopolitan" doesn't really guarantee (at least, the term doesn't carry that connotation in common English), as the world's most cosmopolitan cities are rife with class divisions, racism, and sexism. Being "cosmopolitan" carries a bit of a classist connotation around here. Wealthy people sipping martinis in penthouses talk about how "cosmopolitan" they are.

Right now, there's people who are already being excluded, and have historically been excluded. Attempts at being more inclusive are a reaction to realizing this.

Not to mention, to flog the dead horse that is Popper's Paradox, there are going to be people excluded from "inclusive" spaces; namely, openly bigoted people. Which is a feature, and not a bug.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I don't see how changing the word should change your trust in their honesty. You could just as well say that when they claim to be cosmopolitan, you fear they'll actually be parochial.

It is not enough to have all types of people merely present, they ought to have something like equal footing, which being "cosmopolitan" doesn't really guarantee (at least, the term doesn't carry that connotation in common English), as the world's most cosmopolitan cities are rife with class divisions, racism, and sexism. Being "cosmopolitan" carries a bit of a classist connotation around here. Wealthy people sipping martinis in penthouses talk about how "cosmopolitan" they are.

Right now, there's people who are already being excluded, and have historically been excluded. Attempts at being more inclusive are a reaction to realizing this.

Two small issues-

First, for those who are not fully aware ... the term "cosmopolitan" has an unfortunate history. Combined with a specific adjective, it is a longstanding slur. But even the base word is often used as an anti-Semitic dog whistle.

So I'd avoid that, myself.

On a deeper level, we run into the problem with re-defining terms. The problem with using euphemisms, or better terms for terms that have become fraught with baggage is this- if the underlying concept is unfavorable, then the term itself will eventually acquire the baggage. This happens over and over again.

Changing the signifier can help. But what matters is how we think of what is being signified.

 

[darjr]

An example.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I just saw that book on DriveThruRPG last night and had said "hooray, a Polynesia book!" before seeing it wasn't for 5E. Looks like I dodged a bullet even if it had been for D&D.

 

[darjr]

I just saw that book on DriveThruRPG last night and had said "hooray, a Polynesia book!" before seeing it wasn't for 5E. Looks like I dodged a bullet even if it had been for D&D.

I waited to see if TDM had anything to say or were going to do anything about it, but radio silence.

Realizing it’s a Monday and this is probably not their day job.

I’ll def post if they respond.

 

[Dire Bare]

An example.

Oof.

This is the kind of book I'd expect to be published in the 90s, before our RPG community started having these conversations about representation. But today? Oof.

I'm sure, of course, that the authors of this book had no ill intent, and took on the project feeling an interest and respect for Polynesian culture, but . . . . oof.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is why books like Islands of Sina Una, Tales of Sina Una, Reach of the Roach God and, to a lesser extent, Brancalonia are so great to see. I am interested in having a wider spread of stuff in my games, when it's created by people who are members of those cultures and will get it right, whether it's meant to be a one-to-one historical setting or an "inspired by" one.