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

 

[MGibster]

Because we still read Lovecraft, but don't otherwise read history. So we see Lovecraft's problems, and have to deal with them. Other problems of the day are much less visible, and so easy to dismiss. This allows us to keep up an idea of exceptionalism, by positioning the problems we see as isolated, extreme, and unusual.

I'm intrigued by your ideas and I would like to subscribe to your publication. I suspect it's also because it's much easier to create a satisfying narrative when we name indivudals and/or organizations as the villain. It's more difficult to examine the systemic problems or come to terms with the fact that a great majority of our ancestors had some very, very unpleasant beliefs.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Wouldn't it be better, though, if every culture, including European ones, got treated better?

Sure, I'm not sure you'll find anyone arguing against that.
But ofc people will read that and go yeah good point, you tell him, here' is an XP for making such a solid unassailable point.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Wouldn't it be better, though, if every culture, including European ones, got treated better?

yes... but also I like to mix and match myself so that my cultures have the air of being realistic and familiar but still aliens and different,

 

[Vaalingrade]

Sure, I'm not sure you find anyone arguing against that.

I... have some terrible news. You'd better sit down.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That wasn't Claremont either. Giant-Size X-Men #1 was written by Len Wein and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. Claremont took over from Uncanny* X-Men #94, the first regular issue after Giant-Size X-Men.

What Claremont added was a very strong sense of continuity. Basically, the book became a soap opera, with plotlines stretching out for years while also keeping each issue relatively self-explanatory.

* At the time only called X-Men. The name changed with issue #114, but to avoid confusion Uncanny is applied to issues before that to keep them from being confused with the (adjectiveless) X-Men book starting in 1991.

Again, more than one person involved, so multiple people share credit.

I had forgotten about the provenance of Giant-Size X-Men. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Umbran]

They are not producing text books and they certainly do not have an infinite budget.

Not having the budget is not an excuse for treating people disrespectfully.

 

[Faolyn]

yes... but also I like to mix and match myself so that my cultures have the air of being realistic and familiar but still aliens and different,

Sure, and I do that too, but... According to that series of tweets, Mythic Polynesia was supposed to be actual, real-world Polynesia, but magical. Whereas the Realms (or Mystara, etc.) aren't supposed to be actual, real-world European countries. They're fantasy places whose flavor was taken from real places.

So, personally, I think comparing the vaguely pan-Eurpoean style of a typical D&D-type setting to a book that's supposed to be about real-world places is... not a very useful comparison.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Sure, and I do that too, but... According to that series of tweets, Mythic Polynesia was supposed to be actual, real-world Polynesia, but magical. Whereas the Realms (or Mystara, etc.) aren't supposed to be actual, real-world European countries. They're fantasy places whose flavor was taken from real places.

right and this is why you don't get as much about Rashaman and Callamsham as you do about this book

So, personally, I think comparing the vaguely pan-Eurpoean style of a typical D&D-type setting to a book that's supposed to be about real-world places is... not a very useful comparison.

okay

 

[AnotherGuy]

Not having the budget is not an excuse for treating people disrespectfully.

Ofc not, but 2 things.
1. Like many have said - the publishers likely do not believe they have treated people disrespectfully; And
2. Money is money that is the reality. If you do not have it, you do not have it.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I... have some terrible news. You'd better sit down.

Things aren't that bad on here.