required reading

Black History Month: Creators to Support

It’s Black History Month, so now’s the time to get acquainted with Black writers, artists, and designers to show them love all year!

Game publishing company New Agenda Publishing is an all star team devoted to hiring people of color, “especially women of color”, for their projects. Misha Bushyager, Jerry D. Grayson, and Eloy Lasanta were recently published by podcast The Jank about their company. It looks like their first game will be Orun, a science fiction game set post human space colonization.

To support creators of color, buy their products and hire them for your projects (we are currently accepting submissions, by the way). If you’re looking for a starting point, Black Game Developers is a list of… it’s in the title. As they say on the site, “Here they are. Hire them. Buy their stuff.”

Finally, if you’re a supporter of RPGs on a budget, Tanya DePass of I Need Diverse Games has the following suggestion:

People talk a good game on here about wanting to support their faves, so do it if you have the means. Pick 5, 10 Patreon creators & kick in a $1. Every supporter helps!

— Tanya DePass (@cypheroftyr) February 1, 2018

Weekly Reading

This week I had the great pleasure of listening to some key podcasts, so this week’s reading takes the for of weekly listening.

Avonelle Wing discussed inclusive conventions and how to create them on Greatway Games. The casters also discussed “community” and terminologies that create strong networks, rather than exclusionary groups. It’s an important conversation for anyone looking to keep their gaming open and diverse.

Also of interest, Dungeon’s & Donations is currently running with raffles and live D&D for charity. Check it out on Twitch!

Weekly Reading

This week I’ve been thinking a lot about inclusion and representation in genre media and gaming. Enjoy the selections below:

Charlie Jane Anders writes about an Ava Duvernay interview where she talks about the perspective she brings to her adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. In it, Duvernay discusses her niece, who is “the real Meg.” It’s important for people of all ages to see themselves depicted in media, but for children most of all.
Though an older article, Gaming as Women posted a breakdown of having the ability to see oneself in your character at the table. Mo writes, “I’d really like everyone engaging with games (and other media) to have equal opportunity to dream themselves beautiful.”
Gaming as Women writer Mo speaks about the importance of seeing herself, literally, in the game Night Witches.
I Need Diverse Games again delivered with a link to the latest episode of This Filipino American Life, where the cast talks about their interactions with games, including Dungeons & Dragons.

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Weekly Reading

This week feels like it has stretched on into eternity, but here we are, on Friday! My Dad just joined Twitter, have you? Tweets are some of the best ways to get solid information on inclusive gaming, better GMing, and learn about new rules systems.

For instance, this morning I came across this excellent tweet by a gamer working to make it more accessible for those who are blind:

For blind gamers you can ask Siri on the iPhone to roll up to 2d6 or just say "Siri give me a random number between 1 and 20" You have a D&D die roller. Please Retweet this so the blind RPGers & people who care about them hear this. Twitter RPG people lets spread the word please?

— Blind Temple (@BlindTemple) November 14, 2017

This use of technology can be used by a variety of people, as noted by some of the commentators:

Also useful for those with other language related difficulties such as those who can speak the language but not write/read it so well or certain visual problems like dyslexia and so forth. Also some dice don't work for the colorblind too.

— Planning to Run for PA13 Rep. in 2020 (@GenericFighter) November 15, 2017

People are already critting with this helpful tip:

This is so cool also I tried it and rolled a crit on my first try. 👌 pic.twitter.com/Ukp1IO2S4y

— 🌒🌓🌔🌕Ches🌕🌖🌗🌘 (@chesmrow) November 16, 2017

Don’t ban phones from your table just yet, and get those mauls rolling!

The hashtage #GMTips on Twitter is also full of helpful aids for making sure your game is accessible. It’s in reference to a show hosted by GM Satine Pheonix, but others are also posting their own tips.

Geek and Sundry posted an article on enhancing the visual impact of your game, which ultimately helps players dive into it more easily.
Jesse Galena shared a post on presenting options to your players, and accepting the options your players present to you as a GM. It’s great article on balancing the interaction between the god-like role of Game Mastering and creating a story you want to be a part of as a player.

Have more tips on must-reads and better inclusivity at the table? Comment below or email info@panoplit.org.

Weekly Reading

This week’s required reading will cover articles that may not be so recent, but led to the founding of PanopLit.

Monica Valentinelli is a giant of the industry, and spoke for many of us when she published “We Have Always Been Here, Mortherfucker” with the SpecFic publisher Uncanny.
Dungeons & Dragons latest editions included guidance on defining your character’s gender identity and how that fit within the setting. This was covered by The Independent, as well as Kotaku, where game designer Jeremy Crawford is quoted as saying “I wasn’t about to have this book go out and not acknowledge that people like me exist.”
A throwback, but this post from Improved Initiative goes above and beyond by providing some actionable suggestions on taking your characters farther. With “The 5 RPG Characters We Should Stop Playing“, Neal Litherland breaks down archetypes we see players picking up again and again, for better or, more often, worse.

If you have not already, please fill out our November survey. This month is all about connecting with other gamers, and how we find members of our party.

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