| From: | Marc Renouf renouf@********.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Getting Nasty to Your Players |
| Date: | Tue, 31 Aug 1999 15:14:40 -0400 (EDT) |
> > I've said it before, and I'll say it again. If this is a problem
> > for your group, you're playing with the wrong people.
>
> A game should never include these kinds of elements that are likely to cause
> abuse or bring up flashbacks up past traumas or even simply be uncomfortable
> or disturbing.
Be careful when bandying about terms like "never" and "always."
If people are going to be having flashbacks or be mentally scarred by
something that happens in my game, they have their own issues. Murder is
a pretty traumatic thing, but I don't hear you advocating that everyone
play pacifists.
In short, if you don't want to play that way, don't. If you fear
emotional wounding, then perhaps you shouldn't be playing a game that
deals with the kind of subject matter that Shadowrun deals with.
> It has nothing to do with maturity. Generally it's the more mature
> crowds who will find these subjects less and less tastefull and the
> adolescent or depraved ones who find a need to be disturbing or
> disturbed or who find pleasure in such depravity.
I find this patently untrue and more than mildly insulting.
There's a reason that movies are rated for age, and that some things are
"intended for mature audiences." Subject matter that comes up in games
should be similarly rated for the maturity of the people involved in the
game. If you or your players can't handle a subject or someone would be
disturbed by it, then yes, certainly avoid it. But if not, what's the
point?
Play the game however you want, but pontificating that those whose
games deal with more graphic, disturbing, or dark subject matter are
somehow mentally- or emotionally-diseased adolescents smacks of high-horse
preaching to the unwashed masses. If you don't like the way someone's
game works, don't play in it. Otherwise, get over it.
Marc Renouf (ShadowRN GridSec - "Bad Cop" Division)
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