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

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

You are free to instead of Vikings use a different group which often gets copied in RPGs who currently do not get the same kind of care and support from the public.

Polish/Russians for example (Area around Rashemen) for example.

Were they enslaved for hundreds of years? Are they still systemically oppressed in much of the modern world?

 

[Azzy]

Do nothing about what? Let’s get specific!

Oh, bless your heart.

 

[overgeeked]

I bet this thread is locked before it hits page #16.

Just need to thread ban 1-2 people.

 

[FrogReaver]

"Nu-uh, you!"?

Again, some people not being offended does not negate the ones that are.

Instead of actually answering the question you just repeat a comment you previously made that I already responded to.

I’m going to step away now because nothing good happens when the discussion devolves to such a point.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Just need to thread ban one person.

More like three now. But, yeah, this issue would be solved if there were just a few people removed from the conversation. Discussions about this topic would be way more productive.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Then why would someone of that race say it’s not offensive?

because people are different, and take offense at different things. I don't care what of 5 ways you can say my name. I don't care if you make jokes about 2/3 of my heritage (even though it is the one I have more familiar growing up with) but I don't want to be around people making jokes about the other 1/3 of my heritage. I don't take offense to my weight being joked about... but my medical conditions or my mental abilities I WILL take offense...

someone else in the exact same place as me might be reversed in every way...

them NOT being offended by things I am and me NOT being offended by things they are do not negate.

 

[Ixal]

Were they enslaved for hundreds of years? Are they still systemically oppressed in much of the modern world?

The Polish? Yes. Their entire country got partitioned twice and is now in a different place then it originally was. And even when they had their own country they were dominated by Germany and the UDSSR, including violent purges. And even today, or at least in the last century the other people of Europe looked down on them with them being near synonymous to (car) thief.

And the word slave was thought for a long time to come from the name of the slavic culture which should tell you how they fared in history, being a playball of other powers and, for example, for centuries having their children stolen to be trained into religious warriors.

 

[Azzy]

Instead of actually answering the question you just repeat a comment you previously made that I already responded to.

If you asked what is essentially the same question, you'll get the same answer.

I’m going to step away now because nothing good happens when the discussion devolves to such a point.

This is for the best for both of us.

 

[SakanaSensei]

This is reminding me of a very uncomfortable exchange I had with an in-law I had a few years ago, because said in-law thought it was totally okay to make remarks about an ethnic group neither of us are a part of. Thing is, I was a teacher serving a community largely made up of that ethnic group, and even when bad things would happen, I freaking LOVED my kids. It was the only time I've ever raised my voice to that in-law and I had to, in pretty quick order, remove myself from the situation.

I'm sure they still think that I was the one being a jerk.

Surely I was allowed to feel hurt on the behalf of people I care about, no? You get enough empathy in you, and that starts extending to people you don't know directly as well.

 

[FrogReaver]

because people are different, and take offense at different things. I don't care what of 5 ways you can say my name. I don't care if you make jokes about 2/3 of my heritage (even though it is the one I have more familiar growing up with) but I don't want to be around people making jokes about the other 1/3 of my heritage. I don't take offense to my weight being joked about... but my medical conditions or my mental abilities I WILL take offense...

someone else in the exact same place as me might be reversed in every way...

them NOT being offended by things I am and me NOT being offended by things they are do not negate.

That’s precisely my point. I’d say it enhances my position rather than diminishes it.