Hosted by Ross Payton and Tom Church
Ending music: Warning Forever by Sabrepulse
Synopsis: Eventually every gamer encounters an adult theme in gaming. However, it can be hard to handle these topics, given the lack of maturity in many gamers. We discuss past games with mature themes, how to run a game with these topics and what to avoid. If you’ve ever wondered how to make your game more dramatic and realistic, give this an episode a listen. And as always, if you have any questions or comments, please let us know.
On another note, we here at RPPR had a good holiday. Tom got some kewl loot for Christmas and Ross got some writing done. Check out his article in Knights of the Dinner Table #134, a Gamemaster’s Workshop essay on incorporating a new player into an existing group. Plus, a letter from Tom to a classic D&D monster, the mind flayer and a gaming anecdote.
Shout Outs: Horribleville, a very funny webcomic from KC Green, Tyrants of the Nine Hells and Alien loves Predator.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:32 — 32.3MB)
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::chuckles:: Maybe this wasn’t such a great topic idea for your show. ::giggle::
But I thought it was a good thing you guys brought up the idea that there are certain types of situations you shouldn’t just spring on your players. For example: rape. That is one of those things that can trigger REALLY negitive reactions in players. It’s one of those things that can easily make a player uncomfortable, for lots of different reasons. I think a lot of a player’s reaction to potentially disturbing adult situations depends on a lot of different factors (for example: comfortability with the other players) and a lot of gamemasters (espacially ones that have made the mistake of sending a player into tears or brakedowns over such things) tend to shy away from them.
ANECDOTE:
One personal experience I’ve had was one of my first table top gaming experiences. I was playing an Amalthean priestess in a Fading Suns game. Fairly stereotypical: very opptimistic about other people, generally kinds, etc….and trusting to a fault. Well needless to say she wandered off by herself in a city and got kidnapped and raped, rather disturbingly and rather graphically. The worst part was the GM took me out int he hallway to do this scene.
To set the scene for you, at that point I was about 5 feet tall, less than 100lbs, and the Gm was over 6 feet tall and in the 300lb range. So having a guy alone with you out in the hallway having him discuss something like that is a little…..well…intimidating.
I wasn’t in tears or anything, but I think I was shaking, because one of the guys we were playing with asked if I was okay. I just nodded and didn’t talk much the rest of the game. Well most people think this should have been where I headed for the hills and got out of gaming all together. But I’ve stuck it out, and I pretty much use this story as an opportunity to tell people ESPECIALLY female gamers that if something like thsi bothers you that you have a RIGHT to stop the scene and you should remove yourself fromt eh situation if the GM insists on continuing. Honestly I’ve gotten itno a lot of gaming situatiosn in the past that have really upset me because I was too afraid to walk away because people would think I “couldn’t handle it”.
As a side note, other than that I enjoyed the game, and Fading Suns is still my favorite system…okay setting….I can admit the mechanics blow.
Great topic guys! I myself was the subject of something similar to one point you talked about. My Mind Melter in Rifts had a girlfriend. She was part of the group and all was well. Then my sneaky GM decided to bring Vampirella into the mix. Yeah…Vampirella. It was Rifts, did you expect any less? Needless to say I dropped my current girlfriend almost immediately for a Vampire woman from another planet. (Yeah, we used that story) Anywho, the girlfriend died, partly due to me and the fact that I drove her into a suicidal depression of sorts, and I was made to look the fool, then Vampirella died too. Because Crypt exploded through her from the inside. I can’t remember why. I’m sure it was something lame. Can you tell our GM was huge into comics?
Wow, talk about sucking, I lost both women. Did I learn a lesson from that? Nah… I killed the pain by destroying everything in my path. It’s what I did. Later.
Please say both women were NPCs.
I liked the show – as always. I too have the The Guide of Erotic Fantasy (I think that’s right). I is indeed . . . interesting in some respects.
I once played a character in D&D (a fighter/rogue) named Vars Fursten. He and his party took shelter for a while in this inn/brothel that the GM said was owned by one of the NPC’s in the party. I had fell in love with one of the jennys there – a rubenesque beauty named Colette – and it turned out to be a really great story arc for my character on top of the one already developing from his background story. The GM really had a great talent for playing Colette. It really seemed as though my character had a concerned gf waiting for him back at home. It even raised questions on what will I do with my life once my personal quest is done. I even began playing my character a little less recklessly because I knew I had someone who didn’t want to get the news that “Vars isn’t going t return”. It was a really fun campaign to play in. Too bad life got in the way and screwed up everyone’s schedules. . . .