TSR Unearthed Arcana: TSR Policies

[Orius]

Yeah, a lot of this looks like the Comics code, or worse, the Hays Code. Some of it is understandable given the crap from the Satanic Panic. #17 and 18 are almost certanly the result of the Eggbert case, Dark Dungeons, etc. The parts banning explicit language, sex, and violence are understandable as well, given that they were marketing to users 10 and up. And how many people here really have a problem with the rape clause of #9 or #s 11 and 12?

Some of it isn't all that unfamiliar, I remember similar stuff from the writer guidelines for Dragon and Dungeon.

"Anything that violates TSR's Code of Ethics cannot be stored at any site."
Ah. Another excuse for T$R to shut down your personal D&D website.

 

[Kinak]

Most of these are sad signs of the times they were written in, but I have to chuckle at how a few reflect on my games around that time.

'94 would have been around when my players were starting their campaign-long war against the Harmonium in Sigil (Sigil's police, effectively) for a big ol' violation of rules #3 and #4.

But the other campaign I was running at the time involved a thinly veiled version for Inquisition-era Christianity (#14) where the good guys felt justified to use any means necessary and the bad guys were actually pretty reasonable (#1). And orcs, drow, even illithids could *gasp* be reasoned with (#5).

I can accept most of these, really, even today... but #1 and #5 really strike me as defining the adventures I have the least use for. It makes me glad I can buy adventures where the monsters and other opponents aren't just swordcushions.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Zireael]

Well, as previous posters have noted, some of those rules actually do make sense (#6, #9).

And honestly, who needs to be reminded their character is not them?

 

[Kinak]

And honestly, who needs to be reminded their character is not them?

Black Leaf and Tom Hanks

That's a sign of the times, really. I definitely break that one early and often, calling people out by character name for their actions in initiative for example, but it's more of a sad reaction to the Panic of the 80s.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Stormonu]

Most of these are sad signs of the times they were written in, but I have to chuckle at how a few reflect on my games around that time

Cheers!
Kinak

These were anachronistic even for the time they were used; this was during the era of White Wolf, after all. In the 90's, TSR was WAY behind the curve in many areas and ways.

 

[Kinak]

These were anachronistic even for the time they were used; this was during the era of White Wolf, after all. In the 90's, TSR was WAY behind the curve in many areas and ways.

That's probably true, although the flames of the Satanic Panic still hadn't gone out in some areas.

Around that time (maybe a year or two earlier), my very Catholic grandmother was still hearing about how awful D&D was from her priest. I still cherish the Spelljammer boxed set she got me for Christmas because she believed I was a good kid more than she believed her priest.

So, happy memories aside, there was still some degree of freaking out. I honestly think the fearmongers just never realized that White Wolf was even a thing. I'm not really sure if they'd even know what to do with something like the Book of Nod.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Stormonu]

That's probably true, although the flames of the Satanic Panic still hadn't gone out in some areas.

Around that time (maybe a year or two earlier), my very Catholic grandmother was still hearing about how awful D&D was from her priest. I still cherish the Spelljammer boxed set she got me for Christmas because she believed I was a good kid more than she believed her priest.

So, happy memories aside, there was still some degree of freaking out. I honestly think the fearmongers just never realized that White Wolf was even a thing. I'm not really sure if they'd even know what to do with something like the Book of Nod.

Cheers!
Kinak

I live in the South, where the Satanic Panic is still alive and kicking, and I've had a few run-ins with folks to prove it - one last year, in fact. Though its not quite as prevalent as it was, it still exists. More than one person at my church has done a double-take when they find out I play D&D and then began questioning all the bad things they've heard about the game "for years". That attitude is one of the reasons I usually am not forward about me playing the game unless someone directly asks.

 

[Kinak]

A strange question occurs to me, thinking about this some: how much more leeway does Pathfinder have on these issues because it can't call itself D&D?

Because, they definitely push the envelope further than WotC has (or is likely to). And some of that's just not having to answer to Hasbro, I'm sure, but it seems like D&D doing some of the same things would have a risk of reigniting pockets of stupidity due to long memories and name recognition.

I live in the South, where the Satanic Panic is still alive and kicking, and I've had a few run-ins with folks to prove it - one last year, in fact. Though its not quite as prevalent as it was, it still exists. More than one person at my church has done a double-take when they find out I play D&D and then began questioning all the bad things they've heard about the game "for years". That attitude is one of the reasons I usually am not forward about me playing the game unless someone directly asks.

That sucks :/

Nowadays, I live in a good-sized midwestern city (which I suppose it says in my Location) and all my interactions here have been positive. People in my part of the city are quite accepting in general, but it probably doesn't hurt we have Origins every year.

I was actually out a couple weeks ago wearing a gaming shirt and the people running a stall at the farmer's market asked me if I played D&D. They'd just bought the books and were about to start their first game, which was kind of cool. They seemed more concerned with being called geeks than satanists, though.

That said, I think that's a Columbus thing (even a my-neighborhood thing) as much as anything else. There are definitely pockets of intolerance in the Midwest that are competitive with the worst the country has to offer.

Cheers!
Kinak

 

[Stormonu]

A strange question occurs to me, thinking about this some: how much more leeway does Pathfinder have on these issues because it can't call itself D&D?

Because, they definitely push the envelope further than WotC has (or is likely to). And some of that's just not having to answer to Hasbro, I'm sure, but it seems like D&D doing some of the same things would have a risk of reigniting pockets of stupidity due to long memories and name recognition.


Cheers!
Kinak

I'd say its more self-policing than anything else - the 3E Fiendish Codexes, I believe pretty much prove that. Not even an eye was batted back when they came out. D&D is under WotC's umbrella, and they've put out some cards (at least, in the past) that would probably raise more eyebrows than anything D&D has done. So, I think moreso nowadays it's that they've settled into a pattern for their writing style and the tropes they want to work with. Partly, it's the crowd their aiming for, part of it is probably editorial style of the guys in charge, passed down from those before them.

 

[Orius]

These were anachronistic even for the time they were used; this was during the era of White Wolf, after all. In the 90's, TSR was WAY behind the curve in many areas and ways.

Well, like I said they were marketing to minors, and the safest approach where you might risk dealing with irritable, stupid parents is to do things rather conservatively. And because TSR was located in the upper Midwest rather than say, Seattle, it's not too surprising they took some rather staid approaches to things. It's easier for people who want "edgier" content to insert it into their own games than to put up with parents screaming about how you're corrupting their kids with random harlots or something.