An international network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games
David Millians, Editor
Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
millians.david@paideiaschool.org
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Hello All,
And just like that, November is over! For members in the U.S., I hope you had some time to spend with friends and family over Thanksgiving dinner (and when you sat down to eat, the conversations weren’t too contentious). We’re hurtling towards the end of the year and a lot is going on for me, both personally and professionally. My son is preparing to go to college, so we’re cycling through a flurry of applications. And I’m working through a major phase of my career as I look forward to the next step, wrapping up my current role and hopeful but (as is often the case) uncertain about the future. I imagine many people can sympathize.
This has resulted in me not getting much done on my gaming front. I’m often behind on preparing for my online Dungeons & Dragons sessions and I’m sometimes too exhausted to work on my other projects, like Mal & Tal Enterprises, LLC. I’ve also seen a noticeable dip in sales as customers shift to the 5.5 Edition of D&D (sometimes known as the 2024 edition). Convincing those customers that the older products are still compatible will be a challenge.
Those challenges are minor compared to what we’re about to face in 2025. As we support diverse groups, many who are members of the CAR-PGA, there is real concern about how the incoming administration will support our colleagues. If you listen to our latest virtual session, it’s an important discussion that people like me with privilege need to participate in. And that conversation is just beginning.
To that end, I was so pleased to host Faith Elisabeth Lilley. Faith is the Chief Product People and Partnerships Officer at World Tree, an innovative project that seeks to redefine the integration of digital and tabletop gaming. Faith has an extensive background in gaming, having previously served as Senior Producer for D&D Beyond, where she played a pivotal role in advancing digital tools for tabletop role-playing games. She also served as Chief Product Officer at Evil Genius Games, leading the development of innovative apps like the Everyday Heroes Dispatch, which revolutionized organized play. We touched on some very important topics around supporting diverse creators and gamers, and what we do going forward.
There is no place to hide from this conversation. Even if it doesn’t personally affect us, cultural battles are playing out in the gaming space. Most recently, Elon Musk derided Wizards of the Coast for providing context in The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons about some of the misogyny and cultural insensitivity found in early rulebooks. That foreword was written by one of our members and prominent historian on D&D, Jon Peterson. Grappling with these issues is nothing new; Ben Riggs, a previous guest of our virtual series, explained why it’s important to address the legacy of D&D’s creators in their entirety.
A cogent argument about addressing our hobby’s history is almost beside the point, though; the quoted passages didn’t even make it into the book. Musk took it upon himself to chastise Wizards on the X platform with his millions of followers, ending with the hope that the company “burns in hell.” The attack on Jon was the final straw for me: I’m no longer engaging on the platform, and have left a pinned post to where I can be found elsewhere.
The coming years are not going to be easy, folks. CAR-PGA’s mission of diversity and inclusion is regularly going to be challenged, if not directly, than through the cultural battles that play out in public spaces. It has always been critical for our organization to embrace players from all walks of life in a game where you can be anything you can imagine. That includes everyone, from the incarcerated, to the entirety of the gender and pride spectrum, to everyone in-between. Acknowledging that sometimes we haven’t always done that in a way that felt welcoming is not minimizing Gygax’s and Arenson’s contributions, it’s recognizing and embracing them in a way where we can all move forward.
Speaking of moving forward, we have one final virtual panel with CAR-PGA member Hereward Proops. Look for the invitation soon. In December, we will also have a board meeting to review our annual report, which we’ll then publish to show our progress.
But that’s to come. For now, I hope you enjoy time with your friends and family, appreciate them even if their views differ from yours (I speak from personal experience), and find some time to game. Happy holidays, and I’ll see you on the other side of 2025.
Sincerely,
Mike Tresca
Committee Chair
NEW MATERIAL
This is a compilation of articles and other resources that have come to the editor’s attention over the last month. Everyone is welcome to send bibliographic information about anything you discover that fits the mission of CAR-PGa and this newsletter.
Bailey, Wakisha (2024 Nov 1) 12-hour Dungeons and Dragons livestream is raising money for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/dungeons-dragons-chop-philadelphia. Sponsored and run by local game store and GMs.
Beard, David (2024 Nov 14) Philosophy and Dungeons & Dragons. https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2024/11/14/philosophy-and-dungeons-dragons. Exploring rather than avoiding discussions of race and society.
Bourke, Mike (2024 Nov 19) Mental Health and the GM. https://www.campaignmastery.com/blog/mental-health-and-the-gm. Recognizing and addressing the natural demands of running a game.
Brave, Luke (2024 Nov 7) Play as Learning: TTRPGs in the Classroom. https://www.rascal.news/play-as-learning-ttrpgs-in-the-classroom. Game recommendations and play implementations.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 4) TTRPGkids x TTEDU youtube – a chat on journaling RPGs for teaching and learning. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/04/ttrpgkids-on-tabletop-edu-youtube-journaling-rpgs-for-teaching-and-learning. Learning through journaling games.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 7) Where to find physical copies of all ages TTRPGs. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/07/where-to-find-physical-copies-of-all-ages-ttrpgs. Links with reviews.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 11) TTRPGkids on Ludology Podcast, Episode 17: Using TTRPGs to teach math. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/11/ttrpgkids-on-ludology-podcast-episode-17-using-ttrpgs-to-teach-math. Applying challenges and game mechanics to explore mathematics.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 18) Tabletop RPG Classroom: In-Game Social Studies Lesson for Elementary School Kids. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/18/tabletop-rpg-classroom-in-game-social-studies-lesson-for-elementary-school-kids. Focus and framework create opportunities for engaged learning.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 21) Review of 15 Minute D&D by The Kid’s Table. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/21/review-of-15-minute-dd-by-the-kids-table. Simplified rules and bite-size sessions allow play with kids as young as five.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 25) Interview with Deb Fuller on educational TTRPG design best practices. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/25/interview-with-deb-fuller-on-educational-ttrpg-design-best-practices. Focus on actionable learning.
Campbell, Steph (2024 Nov 28) Christmas TTRPGs for all ages (kids and grown ups). https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/11/28/christmas-ttrpgs-for-all-ages-kids-and-grown-ups. Yuletide adventures for all.
Carter, Chase (2024 Nov 25) “No Politics” is always a red flag, even when defending your tabletop business. https://www.rascal.news/no-politics-is-always-a-red-flag-even-when-defending-your-tabletop-business. Caution when mixing capitalism and contemporary politics.
Dow, Revka (2024 Nov 22) Sharing Games With The Texas School For The Deaf. https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2024-11-22. Finding new homes for game materials.
Ellis, Caelyn (2024 Nov 21) New Legislation Impacts Games Sales to the European Union. https://www.rascal.news/new-legislation-impacts-games-sales-to-the-european-union. Expanded safety rules require a representative within the EU.
Ellis, Caelyn (2024 Nov 29) Vallejo Factory Workers Go On Strike. https://www.rascal.news/vallejo-factory-workers-go-on-strike. Labor issues at Spanish hobby paint manufacturer.
Evans-Thirwell, Edwin (2024 Oct 24) Why play a fascist? Unpacking the hideousness of the Space Marine. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/why-play-a-fascist-unpacking-the-hideousness-of-the-space-marine. Evolving tensions between satire and facism.
Girdwood, Andrew (2024 Nov 26) Gary Gygax’s daughter calls her father “sexist” in response to recent D&D row. https://www.geeknative.com/169877/gary-gygaxs-daughter-calls-her-father-sexist-in-response-to-recent-dd-row. Heidi Gygax on her father’s attitudes in response to Hoffer article.
Gray, Benjamin (2024 Nov 25) Roleplay Retcon Kicks Off First Sports Movie Remake. https://www.rascal.news/roleplay-retcon-kicks-off-its-first-sports-movie-2. Movie crossover to RPG reconstruction.
Hisham, Khairul (2024 Nov 5) MASAGA 2024. https://hishgraphics.com/masaga-2024. Report on this year’s meeting of the Malaysian Simulation And Gaming Conference.
Hoffer, Christian (2024 Nov 11) Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest Live Experience Details Revealed. https://www.enworld.org/threads/dungeons-dragons-the-immersive-quest-live-experience-details-revealed.707849. Multimedia live adventure, at least partially in the Waterdeep setting, coming to more North American cities.
Hoffer, Christian (2024 Nov 22) Elon Musk Calls for Wizards of the Coast to “Burn in Hell” Over Making of Original D&D Passages. https://www.enworld.org/threads/elon-musk-calls-for-wizards-of-the-coast-to-burn-in-hell-over-making-of-original-d-d-passages.708087. Misinformed emotions on a prominent stage.
Maliszewski, James (2024 Nov 16) Order versus Chaos. https://grognardia.blogspot.com/2024/11/order-versus-chaos.html. Confusion creates stories, but players often seek stability.
Mansky, Jackie & Zócalo Public Square (2022 May 4) The Surprisingly Long History of ‘Choose-Your-Own-Adventure’ Stories. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/surprisingly-long-history-of-choose-your-own-adventure-stories-180980014. Early explorations of tales with choices.
Manuel, Thomas (2024 Oct 29) The Dark Eye Isn’t Just “Germany’s D&D”. https://www.rascal.news/dark-eye-not-just-germanys-dnd. Shared world with lofty ideals and lingering complications.
Manuel, Thomas (2024 Nov 4) How the Cold War influenced RPGs. https://www.rascal.news/how-the-cold-war-influenced-rpgs. Interview with Cold War scholar Malcolm Craig, a Senior Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University.
Manuel, Thomas (2024 Nov 15) Why We Love Playing The Monster. https://www.rascal.news/why-we-love-playing-the-monster. Monsters inside and out.
Manuel, Thomas (2024 Nov 22) Being lucky and playing Steal Away Jordan. https://www.rascal.news/being-lucky-and-playing-steal-away-jordan. Evoking the caprice of the Underground Railroad.
Manuel, Thomas (2024 Nov 29) Anyone else want to meld with the hive mind or is it just me?. https://www.rascal.news/anyone-else-want-to-meld-with-the-hive-mind-or-is-it-just-me. Collectives within collectives when we tell our stories.
Microsoft Network (2024) Role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons still a space for community and camaraderie 50 years after its release. https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/role-playing-game-dungeons-and-dragons-still-a-space-for-community-and-camaraderie-50-years-after-its-release/ar-BB1iMAXJ. Changing player demographics.
Morrissey, Russ (2024 Nov 19) Kickstarter’s ‘U’ Shaped Curve Is A Reverse ‘J’ And More Pronounced Than You Thought. https://www.enworld.org/threads/kickstarters-u-shaped-curve-is-a-reverse-j-and-more-pronounced-than-you-thought.707995. Analyzing the initial pledge spike.
Phoenix, Bronwen Winter (2024 Nov 8) This Glasgow D&D group’s ad is a great example of roleplaying communities at their best. https://www.geeknative.com/169561/this-glasgow-dd-groups-ad-is-a-great-example-of-roleplaying-communities-at-their-best. Community building through play and playfulness.
Placko, Meredith (2024 Nov 10) The Reality Of Tariffs In Tabletop Gaming. https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/2024-11-10. Business planning for 2025.
Randall, Harvey (2024 Nov 14) Gosh, I think D&D’s finally done it—the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide actually does a decent job of teaching you how to run a game. https://www.pcgamer.com/games/gosh-i-think-d-and-ds-finally-done-it-the-2024-dungeon-masters-guide-actually-does-a-decent-job-of-teaching-you-how-to-run-a-game. Review: better support for those wanting to run games.
Scholarch Sorcerous (2024 Nov 4) The Great Tabletop Roleplaying Survey – Belated Results. https://scholomance.substack.com/p/the-great-tabletop-roleplaying-survey-1be. Types and frequencies of RPG play.
Smith, Carey (2024 Nov 13) Children can benefit from playing Dungeons and Dragons. https://www.illinoistimes.com/special-issues/children-can-benefit-from-playing-dungeons-and-dragons-19358909. Fun and learning and acceptance.
Tresca, Mike (2024 Nov 4) Gift Ideas for the Geek Who Has Everything 2024. https://www.enworld.org/threads/rpg-evolution-gift-ideas-for-the-geek-who-has-everything-2024.707694. Games, props, and toys.
Tresca, Mike (2024 Nov 11) Gift Ideas for Fans of Miniatures 2024. https://www.enworld.org/threads/rpg-evolution-gift-ideas-for-fans-of-miniatures-2024.707826. Figures for big imagination.
Tresca, Mike (2024 Nov 18) Gift Ideas for Fans of Miniature Terrain 2024. https://www.enworld.org/threads/rpg-evolution-gift-ideas-for-fans-of-miniature-terrain-2024.707930. Evocative landscapes for play.
Tresca, Mike (2024 Nov 25) Gift Ideas for Horror & Sci-Fi Fans 2024. https://www.enworld.org/threads/rpg-evolution-gift-ideas-for-horror-sci-fi-fans-2024.708026. Otherworldly elements for games.
Weil, Ellery (2024 Nov 14) Racism and Sexism Claims Shake a Modern Fantasy Village. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bicolline-medieval-town-faces-sexism-and-racism. Change and Covid at Bicolline, the largest LARP center in North America.
© Copyright 2024 by the Committee for the Advancement of Role-Playing Games (CAR-PGa), ISSN 1071 7129. The CAR-PGa Newsletter is a monthly publication. For more information contact David Millians, Editor, Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA, phone (404) 808-1070, fax (404) 377-3491, email millians.david@paideiaschool.org. Back issues are available. Contributions of material from the membership are urged, and the byline is responsible for content. Deadline is the last weekday of the month, email preferred. Permission is granted to copy anything in the Newsletter, provided we get a credit line in the publication copying it, and it doesn’t have someone else’s copyright on it. Information, including details on joining CAR-PGa, can be obtained on the Internet at car-pga.org.