There is a lot of drama going on right now in certain gaming circles on G+. I myself don’t get involved, but I watch it. This drama involves many of the usual suspects, and it’s forcing people to feel like they have to leave social media or abandon the hobby altogether. I’d say it makes me sad, but it actually doesn’t (the hobby doesn’t have that kind of emotional power over me; the day it starts to, I will also abandon it). But I do think it’s disappointing. When I look at our Gauntlet spaces (meaning G+, Slack and Gauntlet Hangouts), I see a community of people who are exceedingly kind to one another. Our culture is one of respect, mutual admiration, and genuine affection. We’re serious about our games, but we’re also serious about making sure everyone is being friendly and giving. And we have maintained that for a long time. Occasionally, someone who fundamentally doesn’t understand the Gauntlet tries to inject themselves into things and cause trouble, but that’s pretty rare.
Are we perfect? Fuck no. One of the things I wish we were better at was finding those people who feel pushed out of the hobby and letting them know we are a haven from that bullshit. We also have no discernible structure, which is probably confusing, at best, and suspicious, at worst.
But what we’re doing is working. If I knew how to export it to other hobby spaces, I would.
Yeah, I always try to direct people who feel adrift and without an option for games here and signal boost the site. Aside from posting my campaign reports, that’s about the only thing I do regularly with the Gauntlet besides lurk and try to keep up with the podcasts.
The community is one of the most welcoming I’ve experienced.
Yeah, I always try to direct people who feel adrift and without an option for games here and signal boost the site. Aside from posting my campaign reports, that’s about the only thing I do regularly with the Gauntlet besides lurk and try to keep up with the podcasts.
The community is one of the most welcoming I’ve experienced.
I really appreciate everything this community offers. Don’t have much more to say than that.
I really appreciate everything this community offers. Don’t have much more to say than that.
I’m Ray Otus, for whatever the fuck that is worth, and I support this message. 🙂
I’m Ray Otus, for whatever the fuck that is worth, and I support this message. 🙂
amen! the gauntlet community has been such a boon in my life, and i am ever so happy to be a part of it. i had a crazy summer, but the fact that i had good games with good people to look forward to at the end of the week kept me sane.
amen! the gauntlet community has been such a boon in my life, and i am ever so happy to be a part of it. i had a crazy summer, but the fact that i had good games with good people to look forward to at the end of the week kept me sane.
So I’m unfamiliar with the drama you are referring to (quick explanation, anyone) but as someone who is a member of various social groups, including gaming focused ones, I’ve seen drama come and go.
Currently there is a bit of drama in an in person gaming group surrounding a desire to make a space inclusive and it makes me a little sad to see stubbornness get in the way of sharing the hobby with others.
So I’m unfamiliar with the drama you are referring to (quick explanation, anyone) but as someone who is a member of various social groups, including gaming focused ones, I’ve seen drama come and go.
Currently there is a bit of drama in an in person gaming group surrounding a desire to make a space inclusive and it makes me a little sad to see stubbornness get in the way of sharing the hobby with others.
I’m assuming the drama is centered around OSR and “what is OSR” and “are you OSR enough to be in our club” and “do you support (by +1’ing, commenting, having a private conversation, etc etc) someone who abused me in the past – if so you are by default garbage” and so forth.
I once spent over an hour crafting a post to a specific person (who probably likes the song Paranoid); and then deleted it as I didn’t want to get drawn in – who needs the aggravation?. Which is why I appreciate the Gauntlet community so much. Plenty of sassiness and humor; but the respect level stays high at all times I think.
I’m assuming the drama is centered around OSR and “what is OSR” and “are you OSR enough to be in our club” and “do you support (by +1’ing, commenting, having a private conversation, etc etc) someone who abused me in the past – if so you are by default garbage” and so forth.
I once spent over an hour crafting a post to a specific person (who probably likes the song Paranoid); and then deleted it as I didn’t want to get drawn in – who needs the aggravation?. Which is why I appreciate the Gauntlet community so much. Plenty of sassiness and humor; but the respect level stays high at all times I think.
The drama is indeed centered on “do you support someone who abused me in the past?”–which, to me, does not seem a trivial question. (Not to suggest anyone was saying it was trivial… Merely trying to elucidate the core problem without bringing up names and specifics.)
The drama is indeed centered on “do you support someone who abused me in the past?”–which, to me, does not seem a trivial question. (Not to suggest anyone was saying it was trivial… Merely trying to elucidate the core problem without bringing up names and specifics.)
I’m bad at participating in G+ communities, but I know that I have referred people to this community when they have said they want a bullshit-free space to talk about games.
I’m bad at participating in G+ communities, but I know that I have referred people to this community when they have said they want a bullshit-free space to talk about games.
Eddie Hardy It’s not a trivial question, but the wide-open definition of support (any time I plus anything by said person) and the assumption that I agree that “you” were abused as an absolute is pretty faulty. It expects us to know and/or dig up and research past events as well as accept that person’s version of the story as absolutely true. Which is ridiculous, especially since a lot of such things get deleted or go on behind closed doors or feature hidden agendas. IOW, it’s asking a lot and it’s asking us to take sides even though we don’t/can’t know the whole story. Worse, it’s assuming we ARE taking sides no matter what we do, post or not post, plus or not plus. That’s pretty antisocial behavior.
Eddie Hardy It’s not a trivial question, but the wide-open definition of support (any time I plus anything by said person) and the assumption that I agree that “you” were abused as an absolute is pretty faulty. It expects us to know and/or dig up and research past events as well as accept that person’s version of the story as absolutely true. Which is ridiculous, especially since a lot of such things get deleted or go on behind closed doors or feature hidden agendas. IOW, it’s asking a lot and it’s asking us to take sides even though we don’t/can’t know the whole story. Worse, it’s assuming we ARE taking sides no matter what we do, post or not post, plus or not plus. That’s pretty antisocial behavior.
Ray Otus I wholeheartedly agree. I have seen similar situations result in people accused of abuse be completely ostracized from communities by people who don’t even know the specifics of the accusations. I have also seen people be ostracized for making accusations in the first place. All of it is so complex that trying to parse what has “really happened” when those things happened on the internet is, as you say, ridiculous.
Ray Otus I wholeheartedly agree. I have seen similar situations result in people accused of abuse be completely ostracized from communities by people who don’t even know the specifics of the accusations. I have also seen people be ostracized for making accusations in the first place. All of it is so complex that trying to parse what has “really happened” when those things happened on the internet is, as you say, ridiculous.
Eddie Hardy Sure. That’s true when you get into one person v. one person. It can be tricky, especially online. But one person v. 30, 40, 50 people? All saying the same thing? About the same person? And telling the same story?
Past a certain point, throwing your hands in the air and saying “who knows what REALLY happened” becomes intentional ignorance.
Eddie Hardy Sure. That’s true when you get into one person v. one person. It can be tricky, especially online. But one person v. 30, 40, 50 people? All saying the same thing? About the same person? And telling the same story?
Past a certain point, throwing your hands in the air and saying “who knows what REALLY happened” becomes intentional ignorance.
Anna Kreider On a somewhat positive note, I’m seeing a lot of people who defended He Who Shall Not Be Named in the past starting to realize how abusive he is. It’s frustrating it took them so long, but at least it seems like it’s starting to happen. Also worth pointing out: I’m pretty sure Ray Otus and Eddie Hardy are talking about his tactics, which demand that everyone pays attention to every +1 and every comment from the last ten years, and then absolutely toes his line on it, or otherwise they are complicit in the abuse he has allegedly suffered.
Anna Kreider On a somewhat positive note, I’m seeing a lot of people who defended He Who Shall Not Be Named in the past starting to realize how abusive he is. It’s frustrating it took them so long, but at least it seems like it’s starting to happen. Also worth pointing out: I’m pretty sure Ray Otus and Eddie Hardy are talking about his tactics, which demand that everyone pays attention to every +1 and every comment from the last ten years, and then absolutely toes his line on it, or otherwise they are complicit in the abuse he has allegedly suffered.
Oh sure. And sorry if I’m coming off as being salty at the wrong parties. It’s just frustrating having women and enbys say the same stuff for literally years and then when it’s a dude being targeted suddenly people are Concerned and Action Must Be Taken.
Not surprising, mind. Just frustrating.
Oh sure. And sorry if I’m coming off as being salty at the wrong parties. It’s just frustrating having women and enbys say the same stuff for literally years and then when it’s a dude being targeted suddenly people are Concerned and Action Must Be Taken.
Not surprising, mind. Just frustrating.
Thanks. Yes. Speaking in vague terms so as not to name the devil is risky! #goatsforpaolo, #goatsforterra, etc.
Thanks. Yes. Speaking in vague terms so as not to name the devil is risky! #goatsforpaolo, #goatsforterra, etc.
Anna Kreider Totally fair. He has come after me a few times in the last couple of years, and I just shrug it off for the good of the Gauntlet. But a lot of people don’t have the same support systems I do, and I get that.
Anna Kreider Totally fair. He has come after me a few times in the last couple of years, and I just shrug it off for the good of the Gauntlet. But a lot of people don’t have the same support systems I do, and I get that.
Thank you, Jason Cordova. For a moment there I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking I had accidentally defended exactly what I was trying to denounce. Abusers are often very good at turning the tables so that they look like victims, and that can muddy the waters.
Thank you, Jason Cordova. For a moment there I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking I had accidentally defended exactly what I was trying to denounce. Abusers are often very good at turning the tables so that they look like victims, and that can muddy the waters.
Eddie HardyYeah, that’s the game he’s playing right now. He thinks it is very clever to use the language of people who have suffered legit harassment and abuse.
Eddie HardyYeah, that’s the game he’s playing right now. He thinks it is very clever to use the language of people who have suffered legit harassment and abuse.
But all of this is a divergence from the real point of this thread, that the Gauntlet is full of awesome people and not abusive prickholes.
But all of this is a divergence from the real point of this thread, that the Gauntlet is full of awesome people and not abusive prickholes.
Ray Otus Yes! Also worth pointing out: my op is about several controversies raging at the moment, not all of which are connected to Z.S.
Ray Otus Yes! Also worth pointing out: my op is about several controversies raging at the moment, not all of which are connected to Z.S.
Yup! True. He’s not the only person who causes problems. And sometimes he does cool stuff too. We all have our dysfunctional moments, but when they get out of control it’s disappointing. It’s important that we not all give up on making this space the best it can be. Otherwise we won’t have this space. And if we get another space, we’ll ruin it too. It’s our duty to support, admire, love, care for each other.
Yup! True. He’s not the only person who causes problems. And sometimes he does cool stuff too. We all have our dysfunctional moments, but when they get out of control it’s disappointing. It’s important that we not all give up on making this space the best it can be. Otherwise we won’t have this space. And if we get another space, we’ll ruin it too. It’s our duty to support, admire, love, care for each other.
Thank you for the community you helped create, Jason.
Thank you for the community you helped create, Jason.
If only we could suck all the Cool Content out of The Fellow Under Discussion’s brain and put it in the brain of someone without his… issues.
EDIT: Which actually sounds like a great horror short story. Will write now.
If only we could suck all the Cool Content out of The Fellow Under Discussion’s brain and put it in the brain of someone without his… issues.
EDIT: Which actually sounds like a great horror short story. Will write now.
As far as I’m concerned, his “cool content” is spoiled by his rottenness. Forever tainted.
As far as I’m concerned, his “cool content” is spoiled by his rottenness. Forever tainted.
You can always buy one of these.
shop.spreadshirt.ie – OSR SHIT SHIRTS
You can always buy one of these.
shop.spreadshirt.ie – OSR SHIT SHIRTS
Jason Cordova “One of the things I wish we were better at was finding those people who feel pushed out of the hobby and letting them know we are a haven from that bullshit.” To do it, do it. So how do we? How do I trigger the when you let a marginalised RPGamer know you support them move?
Jason Cordova “One of the things I wish we were better at was finding those people who feel pushed out of the hobby and letting them know we are a haven from that bullshit.” To do it, do it. So how do we? How do I trigger the when you let a marginalised RPGamer know you support them move?
You all give me hope
You all give me hope
Dylan Bowden It’s a great question. Despite the fact the Gauntlet does so much (podcasts, gaming calendar, zine, online convention), we’re actually very deliberate about every little thing we do, and we don’t engage in huge amounts of outreach (to marginalized gamers or otherwise).
Part of the difficulty of saying “Hey, come join the Gauntlet!” is it’s not even clear what it means to be “in” the Gauntlet. Does that mean playing games with us? Listening to our podcasts? Joining G+? Subscribing to our Patreon? Slack? I think it’s probably some combination of those things, but it’s not exactly an easy pitch. It’s also not easy to convey the general kindness and good vibe of our community spaces, without people just experiencing it for themselves.
Word of mouth helps. And we depend on that in a huge way.
Dylan Bowden It’s a great question. Despite the fact the Gauntlet does so much (podcasts, gaming calendar, zine, online convention), we’re actually very deliberate about every little thing we do, and we don’t engage in huge amounts of outreach (to marginalized gamers or otherwise).
Part of the difficulty of saying “Hey, come join the Gauntlet!” is it’s not even clear what it means to be “in” the Gauntlet. Does that mean playing games with us? Listening to our podcasts? Joining G+? Subscribing to our Patreon? Slack? I think it’s probably some combination of those things, but it’s not exactly an easy pitch. It’s also not easy to convey the general kindness and good vibe of our community spaces, without people just experiencing it for themselves.
Word of mouth helps. And we depend on that in a huge way.