Today is the first day of Metatopia 2017. I always feel very…hesitant about Metatopia.
(NOTE before I go any further: if you are an organizer of Double Exposure, I am not talking about Metatopia per se. I am talking about my entirely personal feelings about attending Metatopia. Metatopia, like all the Double Exposure cons, is competently organized and largely pleasant. So please save your fire for someone else.)
Here’s the thing: I don’t feel like a member of the roleplaying game community. Point blank. I never have. The Gauntlet exists entirely because I felt the strong need to make a community where I feel personally accepted, and then I happily discovered it’s a place where other people also feel comfortable, and that’s great! But I find the RPG community at-large, particularly the indie community, to be 1) cliquish, 2) white af and 3) very unforgiving of mistakes and/or poorly chosen words (this is particularly the case if you are a person of color who steps out of bounds; I’m an easy example, but you can look to Mark Diaz Truman and others for evidence).
So…I’m going to be at Metatopia. I don’t have much on my game schedule, and I’m not on any panels (see my parenthetical above about being a person of color in RPGs). If you see me, please come say “Hi.” I am not a bad person. I am a really good person, actually, and there’s a strong chance I’d like to get to know you.
I hate that you feel ostracized like that, Jason. If I can ever help make you feel more included, or if I fail in any way, please let me know. And any conversation circles I’m in at Metatopia you’re explicitly welcome into.
I hate that you feel ostracized like that, Jason. If I can ever help make you feel more included, or if I fail in any way, please let me know. And any conversation circles I’m in at Metatopia you’re explicitly welcome into.
I hope it ends up being a great time for you!
I hope it ends up being a great time for you!
Jason I’ll definitely keep an eye out for you.
Jason I’ll definitely keep an eye out for you.
Looking forward to see you. I feel much safer going to my first US convention because of the Gauntlet and its people I know will be there and I can rely on in case I need it.
Looking forward to see you. I feel much safer going to my first US convention because of the Gauntlet and its people I know will be there and I can rely on in case I need it.
Jason Cordova You are probably the most important voice in role playing for me. Not because you’ve been particularly political about it but for these reasons:
1) The Gauntlet community is EVERYTHING I would want in a role playing community. The support, the inclusion, and the consideration can all be traced to your guidance.
2) Discern Realities IS Dungeon World for me. It wasn’t until listening to you and David that it all came together for me.
3) That drive of yours. Seems like there is always a contest, a new podcast, Gauntlet Con, a great conversation, or just your constant promotion and encouragement of the content creators in the community and beyond.
I might fit perfectly into that nerdy, straight, started-with-D&D, white guy stereotype but I’ve never felt more at home than I do in your company.
Jason Cordova You are probably the most important voice in role playing for me. Not because you’ve been particularly political about it but for these reasons:
1) The Gauntlet community is EVERYTHING I would want in a role playing community. The support, the inclusion, and the consideration can all be traced to your guidance.
2) Discern Realities IS Dungeon World for me. It wasn’t until listening to you and David that it all came together for me.
3) That drive of yours. Seems like there is always a contest, a new podcast, Gauntlet Con, a great conversation, or just your constant promotion and encouragement of the content creators in the community and beyond.
I might fit perfectly into that nerdy, straight, started-with-D&D, white guy stereotype but I’ve never felt more at home than I do in your company.
That’s horrible that we’re doing that to you (never been to Metatopia, just talking as a white gamer). To me you are one of the pillars of the roleplaying game community, more so than the vast majority of developers.
That’s horrible that we’re doing that to you (never been to Metatopia, just talking as a white gamer). To me you are one of the pillars of the roleplaying game community, more so than the vast majority of developers.
Joshua Hillerup It’s not something I talk about a lot, mostly because I want the Gauntlet to be a very positive space, but there are “industry” people who actively ostracize me. Metatopia 2017 is actually a really great example: panels I was asked to be on were rejected specifically because I was asked to be on them. For reasons I have never been able to sort out with any precision, much of the indie design community just can’t stand me. I am a blacklisted person and a victim of whisper campaigns.
Joshua Hillerup It’s not something I talk about a lot, mostly because I want the Gauntlet to be a very positive space, but there are “industry” people who actively ostracize me. Metatopia 2017 is actually a really great example: panels I was asked to be on were rejected specifically because I was asked to be on them. For reasons I have never been able to sort out with any precision, much of the indie design community just can’t stand me. I am a blacklisted person and a victim of whisper campaigns.
Holy fuck. I hate this being in the dark 🙁
Holy fuck. I hate this being in the dark 🙁
I’ve never been a fan of the way the convention scene seems to be so thoroughly interwoven into the indie RPG “community”.
I’ve never been a fan of the way the convention scene seems to be so thoroughly interwoven into the indie RPG “community”.
I see you and I’m sorry our industry is such bullshit. Let’s sit and be miserable.
I see you and I’m sorry our industry is such bullshit. Let’s sit and be miserable.
I am looking forward to seeing you and many more Gauntleteers at Metatopia! I hope that you feel welcome as you make so many others feel.
I am looking forward to seeing you and many more Gauntleteers at Metatopia! I hope that you feel welcome as you make so many others feel.
Have you guys ever heard of the concept of a BarCamp? They are user generated conferences (usually for tech but other groups use them). You just need a place to write down the events that are occurring and let anyone post or attend the events. Sometimes that is accomplished with a wiki or a whiteboard. I’ve heard of these happening within other conferences or meetings.
Entirely possible to have your own panels on your own topics and even host your own games almost anywhere.
I’m just sayin…
en.wikipedia.org – BarCamp – Wikipedia
Also, Jason Cordova, you’re awesome.
Have you guys ever heard of the concept of a BarCamp? They are user generated conferences (usually for tech but other groups use them). You just need a place to write down the events that are occurring and let anyone post or attend the events. Sometimes that is accomplished with a wiki or a whiteboard. I’ve heard of these happening within other conferences or meetings.
Entirely possible to have your own panels on your own topics and even host your own games almost anywhere.
I’m just sayin…
en.wikipedia.org – BarCamp – Wikipedia
Also, Jason Cordova, you’re awesome.
Jason Cordova, sorry you feel that way. It sucks for the community as a whole that people are pushed out. I fall into the white as AF category, but sympathize and support you. I hope I run into you someday, but until then I will continue to listen to your podcasts. Thanks for being you. <3
Jason Cordova, sorry you feel that way. It sucks for the community as a whole that people are pushed out. I fall into the white as AF category, but sympathize and support you. I hope I run into you someday, but until then I will continue to listen to your podcasts. Thanks for being you. <3
Being in Australia I have little chance of going to the big conventions in the U.S. What I can say is this : 1-I’ve been in the discord community for Stop Hack & Roll & All My Fantasy Children, and the Slackroom for Misdirected Mark. All 3 are inclusive positive communities. 2-I see a brighter future through people trying other games and being more accepting, and The Gauntlet, All My Fantasy Children, Stop Hack & Roll and Misdirected Mark seem to share this ideal. This is why i’m a patron of all four. 3-I’ve seen Jason Cordova on youtube and heard his Gauntlet/Discern Realities eps, he is a good GM and person. I’ve also heard from Jeff Stormer (Party of One/All My Fantasy Children) and Brandon Leon Gambeda (Stop Hack & Roll) that Jason is a great guy and fun to game with. I sincerely hope you all have a fun interactive Metatopia.
Being in Australia I have little chance of going to the big conventions in the U.S. What I can say is this : 1-I’ve been in the discord community for Stop Hack & Roll & All My Fantasy Children, and the Slackroom for Misdirected Mark. All 3 are inclusive positive communities. 2-I see a brighter future through people trying other games and being more accepting, and The Gauntlet, All My Fantasy Children, Stop Hack & Roll and Misdirected Mark seem to share this ideal. This is why i’m a patron of all four. 3-I’ve seen Jason Cordova on youtube and heard his Gauntlet/Discern Realities eps, he is a good GM and person. I’ve also heard from Jeff Stormer (Party of One/All My Fantasy Children) and Brandon Leon Gambeda (Stop Hack & Roll) that Jason is a great guy and fun to game with. I sincerely hope you all have a fun interactive Metatopia.
I had a lot of apprehension about trying to find an RPG community, let alone a Dungeon World and story game focused one. My fears were set in the same things that you outlined. And you can see the behaviors that make you feel separate from the RPG community at large in almost every popular online forum for these types of games (and beyond honestly).
I’m incredibly thankful that you’ve built this particular type of community and can only hope that your attendance at Metatopia will help spread the good word!
I had a lot of apprehension about trying to find an RPG community, let alone a Dungeon World and story game focused one. My fears were set in the same things that you outlined. And you can see the behaviors that make you feel separate from the RPG community at large in almost every popular online forum for these types of games (and beyond honestly).
I’m incredibly thankful that you’ve built this particular type of community and can only hope that your attendance at Metatopia will help spread the good word!
Blake Ryan thank you so much, Blake! We do our best!
Jason Cordova, I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Blake Ryan thank you so much, Blake! We do our best!
Jason Cordova, I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Jason, I hope you have a surprisingly great time at Metatopia!
And when you visit Toronto some day, I hope to get a chance to make you feel welcome, and to game with you.
Jason, I hope you have a surprisingly great time at Metatopia!
And when you visit Toronto some day, I hope to get a chance to make you feel welcome, and to game with you.
I hear you, Jason, and I’m here if you need an ear. Or an adult alcoholic beverage. I’m glad to see you here.
I hear you, Jason, and I’m here if you need an ear. Or an adult alcoholic beverage. I’m glad to see you here.
I just wanted to thank you for bringing up this issue, Jason. If you feel this way, I would be willing to bet there are other persons of color who have had similar experiences. That’s not ok. I want to game with awesome, diverse people. If we don’t talk about the problems in the indie community, then things won’t get better. So I really appreciate you standing up. I hope we can continue to talk about how to make our community less racist and more welcoming to gamers of color. Alas, I won’t be at Metatopia to say “hi,” but hopefully I’ll see you online soon.
I just wanted to thank you for bringing up this issue, Jason. If you feel this way, I would be willing to bet there are other persons of color who have had similar experiences. That’s not ok. I want to game with awesome, diverse people. If we don’t talk about the problems in the indie community, then things won’t get better. So I really appreciate you standing up. I hope we can continue to talk about how to make our community less racist and more welcoming to gamers of color. Alas, I won’t be at Metatopia to say “hi,” but hopefully I’ll see you online soon.
Abstract Machine Sorry, I’m confused by your post. Can I ask what “solution” you are referring to?
Abstract Machine Sorry, I’m confused by your post. Can I ask what “solution” you are referring to?
Abstract Machine Ah, I see. Yes, I would agree with your statement, with the caveat that community members must be comitted to and be willing to work to achieve the goals of inclusivity and anti-opprrssion. That’s easier said than done, of course. I’m excited to have that conversation, though. I’m a newcomer to the Gauntlet community, but I already feel quite invested in its future. I’d love to see it continue to flourish & improve.
Abstract Machine Ah, I see. Yes, I would agree with your statement, with the caveat that community members must be comitted to and be willing to work to achieve the goals of inclusivity and anti-opprrssion. That’s easier said than done, of course. I’m excited to have that conversation, though. I’m a newcomer to the Gauntlet community, but I already feel quite invested in its future. I’d love to see it continue to flourish & improve.
Just to be clear, my above statements are about the industry side of the hobby, and the cliquishness and judgmental behavior I have experienced. I am not talking about gameplay or at-the-table experiences. That’s a great conversation to have, but it’s not the one I’m having.
Just to be clear, my above statements are about the industry side of the hobby, and the cliquishness and judgmental behavior I have experienced. I am not talking about gameplay or at-the-table experiences. That’s a great conversation to have, but it’s not the one I’m having.