MGibster
Legend
When Vampire 5E was released there was some division among critics about the “disclaimer” in the book. It should come to no surprise that vampires aren’t very nice people. After all, their very existence is predicated on the predation of human beings. Vampires are monsters and this is true of the player characters as well. The authors’ make no bones about Vampire 5E dealing with such unpleasant issues as violence, racism, sexism, and sexual assault among other topics. But we are reminded that while it is okay to deal with these issues in a game, consideration must be made for all participants. What one player might shrug off with indifference may affect another player profoundly and it is important to respect the need for boundaries.
Some scoffed at this disclaimer claiming it infantilizes players. After all, players who sit down for a game of Vampire should know there will be unpleasant things in the game. We’re talking about creatures that sink their fangs into their victims and suck their blood! That’s just horrifyingly gross, right? There were also some grumblings the disclaimer was only included to appease the “Social Justice Warriors, ” though I’m not quite sure how this would appease them. Surly if they find the contents of the game offensive these so-called SJWs aren’t going to change their mind because of a disclaimer.
I dislike thinking of this section of the book as a disclaimer because it implies the authors’ are trying to abrogate any responsibility they have for their work. This isn’t an apology for the contents of the book, but rather some suggestions on how to make sure the game is fun for everyone involved. Far from treating their player base as infants, the authors’ work from the assumption that their audience are rational people with the maturity to discuss sensitive issues but also show consideration for one another by leaving subjects out of the game some participants are uncomfortable with. This is good advice for anyone who wants to run any horror game.
Some scoffed at this disclaimer claiming it infantilizes players. After all, players who sit down for a game of Vampire should know there will be unpleasant things in the game. We’re talking about creatures that sink their fangs into their victims and suck their blood! That’s just horrifyingly gross, right? There were also some grumblings the disclaimer was only included to appease the “Social Justice Warriors, ” though I’m not quite sure how this would appease them. Surly if they find the contents of the game offensive these so-called SJWs aren’t going to change their mind because of a disclaimer.
I dislike thinking of this section of the book as a disclaimer because it implies the authors’ are trying to abrogate any responsibility they have for their work. This isn’t an apology for the contents of the book, but rather some suggestions on how to make sure the game is fun for everyone involved. Far from treating their player base as infants, the authors’ work from the assumption that their audience are rational people with the maturity to discuss sensitive issues but also show consideration for one another by leaving subjects out of the game some participants are uncomfortable with. This is good advice for anyone who wants to run any horror game.
