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,
You might have noticed that we recently posted two articles from the CAR-PGA’s history. One is a monthly newsletter (1994), the other is a letter to GAMA (1996). From what we can gather, when GAMA asked the CAR-PGA for cash dues to participate, Paul wrote the letter to educate GAMA on how CAR-PGA operated and why we weren’t going to pay the $50 fee to participate. The letter is an illuminating snapshot of both the CAR-PGA and our relationship with GAMA at the time. Both the newsletter and the GAMA letter now appear in the archives of the site in chronological order. If we keep this up, we’ll have an entire back archive of newsletters! Thank you, Jason!
Our guest this month was David Hartless, our newest board member. David Hartless’ extensive experience with Dungeons & Dragons begins with Curse as a Software Engineering Manager and Architect for D&D beyond, later transitioning to Fandom where he became Vice President of Engineering, and then Wizard of the Coast where he was Director of Software Engineering. You can view our conversation on our YouTube channel.
This month I recently attended the Twenty-Sided Tavern, an off-Broadway improv show featuring actors playing Dungeons & Dragons, and early next month I’ll be hiking the Appalachian Trail (for just a weekend).
I just wrapped up another session of the Game Design merit badge for my Scout troop, where we oversaw a mini tournament in which the players fought off a series of young dragons of various colors. I look forward to reporting on all these adventures, both real-life and imagined, next month. In the meantime, I hope you have some adventures of your own!
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.
Cadence (2024 May 15) “The Women of Dungeons & Dragons” USC Library Display Case. https://www.enworld.org/threads/the-women-of-dungeons-dragons-usc-library-display-case.704232. Part of the “Women in Science Fiction: From Frankenstein to Dungeons and Dragons” at the University of South Carolina Thomas Cooper Library.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 6) Review of Hairy Shanks, a rune-base TTRPG about wonderfully wild characters. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/06/review-of-hairy-shanks-a-rune-base-ttrpg-about-wonderfully-wild-characters. Simple characters and setting drive tales propelled by clever spatial randomization mechanics.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 9) Review: Coincides spinner, dice alternative. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/09/review-coinsides-spinner-dice-mechanics-compatible-dice-alternative. Fun, different approach to the math of game probability with less danger of choking.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 16) TTRPGkids on Ludology Podcast, Episode 12: Pacing TTRPGs for young players. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/16/ttrpgkids-on-ludology-podcast-episode-12-pacing-ttrpgs-for-young-players. Keeping kids engaged with ongoing stories.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 13) Kid-friendly tabletop RPGs about dragons! https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/13/kid-friendly-tabletop-rpgs-about-dragons. Fun being dragons and helping dragons.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 27) Interview with Kade Wells, Dungeons & Dragons Teacher. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/27/interview-with-kade-wells-dungeons-dragons-teacher. Benefits and methods of teaching students to play and run D&D games.
Campbell, Stephanie (2024 May 31) Review of Space Aces: VOY, a wonderfully fun sci-fi TTRPG. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/30/review-of-space-aces-voy-a-wonderfully-fun-sci-fi-ttrpg. Whimsical space-faring adventures with a simple, intuitive system.
Carter, Chase (2024 May 3) Dungeons & Dragons maker says it doesn’t publicly address every AI allegation to protect artist privacy. https://www.dicebreaker.com/companies/wizards-of-the-coast/news/wizards-of-the-coast-generative-ai-art-faq. Possibly kind but definitely not transparent.
Cullen, Ian (2024 May 22) A 50th Anniversary Book Celebrating the Many Worlds, Planes, and Settings of Dungeons & Dragons. https://www.scifipulse.net/a-50th-anniversary-book-celebrating-the-many-worlds-planes-and-settings-of-dungeons-dragons. Excited preview of another fiftieth anniversary publication.
Engelstein, Geoff, Elizabeth Hargrace, and Sen-Foong Lim (2024 May) Tabletop Game Designers Association. https://www.ttgda.org. Forming a community of game designers to provide support to one another. An interview with Sen-Foong Lim by Rascal News.
Girdwood, Andrew (2024 May 6) D&D will have two SRDs by 2025 in a massive new update. https://www.geeknative.com/166173/dd-will-have-two-srds-by-2025-in-a-massive-new-update. SRD 5.1 and the new SRD 5.2 for D&D 2024 will exist in parallel.
Girdwood, Andrew (2024 May 10) Critical Role launch Beacon as TTRPG nudges towards subscriptions. https://www.geeknative.com/166246/critical-role-launch-beacon-as-ttrpg-nudges-towards-subscriptions. Early access and other perks for members through a possible in-house competitor to Twitch and YouTube.
Girdwood, Andrew (2024 May 24) Forget blockchains, Kickstarter fights back at BackerKit and co. https://www.geeknative.com/166435/forget-blockchains-kickstarter-fights-back-at-backerkit-and-co. Introducing new features to compete for projects.
hisham (2024 May 12) TTRPG News Malaysia, May 2024. https://hishgraphics.com/ttrpg-news-malaysia-may-2024. Organizing play in Kuala Lumpur.
IWGB (2024 May 10) IWGB Union opens doors to tabletop game workers. https://iwgb.org.uk/en/post/iwgb-tabletop-workers. Independent Workers Union of Great Britain unanimously approves entry. Interview with creator Colin Le Sueur by Chase Carter.
Justice, Daniel (2024 May 10) Hack The Orcs, Loot The Tomb, And Take The Land. https://www.rascal.news/hack-the-orcs-loot-the-tomb-and-take-the-land. Colonialism and the growth of roleplaying games.
Lares, Jenni (2024 May 20) Possibilities for Historical Larp: Court Justice in 17th-century Finland. https://nordiclarp.org/2024/05/20/possibilities-of-historical-larp-court-of-justice-in-17th-century-finland. The possibilities and perils of crafting history-based games.
Meehan, Alex (2024 May 16) “You don’t know when something profound is going to happen”: Designer behind Critical Role’s new RPG on the therapeutic potential of tabletop games. https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/for-the-queen-second-edition/feature/alex-roberts-interview. Interview with Alex Roberts, professional counselor and creator of Star Crossed and For the Queen.
Merrick, Alyssia, Wendy Wen, and Dan Miller (2023) A Study on the Efficacy of the Tabletop Roleplaying Game Dungeons & Dragons for Improving Mental Health and Self-Concepts in a Community Sample. Games for Health Journal, 13 (2) pp. 128-133. Small sample but found positive results. Available online.
Miller, Matt (2024 May 14) The Art Of The New Dungeons & Dragons. https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/14/the-art-of-the-new-dungeons-dragons. Drama and homages to fifty years of gaming.
Morrissey, Russ (2024 May 2) Hasbro Has Invested $1B In Video Games, Including A New D&D Game. https://www.enworld.org/threads/hasbro-has-invested-1b-in-video-games-including-a-new-d-d-game.704001. Hoping to follow up on the success of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Morrissey, Russ (2024 May 7) Kobold Press’ Black Flag System Reference Document Released. https://www.enworld.org/threads/kobold-press-black-flag-system-reference-document-released.704095. Another response within the Open Creative License to the OGL debacle of last year.
Newitz, Annalee (2023 Nov) How fantasy worlds spark real change. https://www.ted.com/talks/annalee_newitz_how_fantasy_worlds_can_spark_real_change. Science fiction author promotes the value of imagination.
O’Brien, Michael (2024 May 10) Call of Cthulhu comes to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. https://www.chaosium.com/blogcall-of-cthulhu-comes-to-the-edinburgh-fringe-festival. Arts and culture event to feature live roleplaying game in August.
Purchese, Robert (2024 May 5) From Creating D&D to making Baldur’s Gate 3: meet the man who coined the term XP. https://www.eurogamer.net/from-creating-dd-to-making-baldurs-gate-3-meet-the-man-who-coined-the-term-xp. Interview-homage of Lawrence Schick.
sassypants (2024 May 20) DMs Wanted For Pantsless PRIDE. https://www.rascal.news/pantsless-tables-is-looking-for-dms-for-an-upcoming-48-hour-charity-event. Charity fundraiser in June for Trans Lifeline.
Stannex (2024 May 1) 50 Years in the Dungeon – Episode 14 – David “Zeb” Cook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pH2f99-xO4. TSR employee from 1979 with many credits and lots of stories.
Taylor, Rick (2024 May 28) Streamers Com Together To Raise Emergency Fund For The Trans Empowerment Project. https://www.rascal.news/streamers-come-together-to-raise-emergency-funds-for-the-trans-empowerment-project. Runs through July 1, 2024.
Torner, Evan (2024 May 16) Combat In Dungeons & Dragons. https://www.rascal.news/combat-dnd-fifty-years-dungeons-dragons-evan-torner-excerpt-mit-press. Excerpt from Torner’s chapter in new book, Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons.
Vincentelli, Elisabeth (2024 May 17) ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Review: Community Building One Dice Roll at a Time. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/17/theater/dungeons-dragons-review.html. Short review of stage show “D&D: The Twenty-Sided Tavern” now on Theatre Row in Manhattan.
Wilson, Thomas (2024 May 20) How To Support Neurodiverse Players at the Game Table: From The Perspective of a Neuro Diversity Specialist. https://www.ttrpgkids.com/2024/05/20/how-to-support-neurodiverse-players-at-the-game-table-from-the-perspective-of-a-neuro-diversity-specialist. Guest post on TTRPGkids about knowledge, safety, and trust.
Winter, Kit (2024 May 28) Life Needs Things to Live: A Meditation on the Raven Queen Reframing via Critical Role and D&D, and Living by Kit Winter. https://keepontheheathlands.com/2024/05/28/life-needs-things-to-live-a-meditation-on-the-raven-queen-reframing-via-critical-role-and-dd-and-living-by-kit-winter. Mental illness, reflections, and healing, as framed by roleplaying games.
Zeoli, Rowan (2024 May 9) Itch.Io Is The Collective Organizing Platform We Have, But Is It The One We Need?. https://www.rascal.news/itch-io-collective-organizing-ttrpg-charity-delay-payout. Delays in communications and payments.
Zeoli, Rowan (2024 May 16) Severe Flooding Endangers Brazil’s Largest TTRPG Publisher. https://www.rascal.news/severe-flooding-endangers-brazils-largest-ttrpg-publisher. Jambô Editora loses at least two of three warehouses in Porto Alegra. Fundraising has already begun to help.
© 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.