Re:Play

Shanna Germain (she/her) is one of the co-founders of Monte Cook Games (MCG). As a veteran tabletop game designer and an award-winning erotica author, she has forgotten more about building and using safety tools than many of us will ever learn. Join us as Shanna reveals how discussions about consent and boundaries at our tables lead to healthier tabletop gaming experiences!

00:01:20 - Who Is Shanna Germain?

00:08:48 - No Thank You Evil (aka How Yoshi Made Shanna Happy Cry)

00:14:13 - The Importance of Pre-Negotiation | TTRPG = BDSM

00:20:08 - Why Consent Needs to Be Invited To Our Games

00:26:30 - A Quick and Dirty Guide to Shanna's Consent in Gaming Checklist

00:29:15 - Establishing Boundaries & Improving Communication at the Table

00:39:33 - How Better Communication Increases a Game's Accessibility

00:45:17 - Safety Tools As Building Blocks For Self-Advocacy

00:52:34 - Tools and Tips For Empowering Your Table

01:00:01 - Closing Remarks

The Poison Eater - https://www.montecookgames.com/store/product/the-poison-eater/

Consent in Gaming Checklist - https://www.montecookgames.com/consent-in-gaming/

Cypher System - https://www.montecookgames.com/store/product/cypher-system-rulebook-2/

As Kinky as You Wanna Be - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/As-Kinky-as-You-Wanna-Be/Shanna-Germain/9781627780629

No Thank You Evil - https://www.montecookgames.com/store/product/no-thank-you-evil/

We Are All Mad Here - https://www.montecookgames.com/store/product/we-are-all-mad-here/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest - Shanna Germain, https://www.shannagermain.com/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. - https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson - https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host - Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers-- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editor - Anna Hughes

Production Assistant - Bishop Clarke

Sereia Spinner (they/them) is a sensitivity consultant, burlesque performer, avid LARPer, a historian. In all that they do, Sereia specializes in bringing important truths to the spotlight while motivating others to do the same. In this episode, Sereia speaks on the need for sensitivity consultants in creative projects, why LARPs should care about making their communities inclusive, and how to make your LARP more accessible to people of color.

00:00 - Intro

02:02 - Play & Games As Survival Skills

04:40 - Sereia’s First Forays Into Gaming

04:50 - “What is D&D but text based rp spoken out loud with dice?”

06:28 - How Sereia Found LARPing

12:30 - A Sensitivity Consultant Is Born

18:10 - Why Games Need Sensitivity Consultants

27:54 - LARPing in Color

31:46 - Consulting as an Act of Care

36:34 - Getting More POC in LARPs

42:46 - The Necessity of Intentionality & Accessibility in LARP

50:54 - Final Thoughts

LARPing in Color: Consultant List -- https://larpingincolor.com/consultants

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest -- Sereia Spinner, [email protected]

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Anna Hughes

Production Assistance -- Bishop Clarke

 

Shannon McDowell (she/her) is a board game inventor and puzzle designer who was hired to research and mitigate cultural bias in the puzzles for the 2019 Red Bull Escape Room World Championships. Shannon walks us through how she became a professional puzzle designer, how cultural biases manifest in escape rooms & puzzle design, and how to design puzzles that are challenging while remaining inclusive.

00:02:07 - How We Connect Through Games

00:04:28 - Meet Shannon

00:10:21 - “We Haven’t Seen Everything That’s Possible”

00:17:36 - Cultural Bias in Escape Rooms

00:20:26 - Five Categories of Cultural Bias in Puzzles

00:24:55 - How to Make a Bad Escape Room

00:38:18 - How Hints Can Make or Break A Puzzle

00:50:55 - On Physical Accessibility in Escape Rooms

01:01:00 - The Value of Inclusivity in Gaming

Shannon’s publications - https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/publications-media

Shannon’s free puzzles - https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/puzzles

SCRAP Entertainment Inc - https://realescapegame.com/about/

2019 Red Bull Escape Room World Championship - https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/red-bull-escape-room-world-championships-final

Cryptex Hunt - https://cryptexhunt.com/2022/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest - Shannon McDowell, https://www.shannonmcdowell.ca/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. - https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson - https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host - Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers-- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing - Anna Hughes

TW: sexual assault and abuse, grooming, bullying, threats, talk of suicide, racism.

Raquel Skellington (she/her), the world’s first full-time professional LARPer, tells the story of how she built her career, survived a traumatic public character assassination during the peak of cancel culture, and now represents some of the biggest companies in the LARP sphere. She also shares her thoughts about being the first pro LARPer as a woman of color, and what that means for her.

00:02:06 -- Meet Raquel!

00:13:02 -- “LARP fundamentally changed me”

00:22:49 -- Becoming a professional LARPer

00:39:38 -- When modeling and LARPing converge

00:47:59 -- Surviving a racially fueled public attack

01:06:51 -- Recovery and growth

01:21:21 -- What keeps Raquel going

Sims series -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims

House of the Dead 2 -- https://bit.ly/39cqL25

Civilization series -- https://bit.ly/3zpXWK9

Paladins -- https://www.paladins.com/

Dystopia Rising -- http://www.dystopiarisinglarp.com/

Dammerung -- https://www.larpcoop.com/dammerung

Calimacil -- https://calimacil.com/?aff=117

Ateliers Nemesis -- https://ateliers-nemesis.com/en/

Drachenfest US -- https://www.drachenfest.us/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest -- Raquel Skellington, https://raquel-skellington.carrd.co/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Anna Hughes

Elaine Gómez (she/her), Puerto Rican game designer at Brass Lion Entertainment, shares how game design can be a tool for exploring and celebrating culture, and how she’s leaving a legacy of accessibility through her work in the video game industry.

00:01:19 -- Meet Elaine!

00:15:11 -- A beautiful storybook

00:20:40 -- Game design philosophy

00:29:20 -- Leaving your mark as a designer

00:39:36 -- Representing cultures with sensitivity

00:51:22 -- The importance of accessibility design

01:03:21 -- The industry needs to learn to share

01:15:15 -- Getting started with accessible design

Child of Light -- https://bit.ly/3wqQwUR

Assassin’s Creed 3 -- https://bit.ly/3815A2g

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey -- https://bit.ly/3FYHbH8

Mulaka -- https://www.lienzo.mx/mulaka/

The Last of Us -- https://bit.ly/3G6gnVy

Brass Lion Entertainment Careers -- https://brasslionentertainment.com/careers/

AbleGamers -- https://ablegamers.org/

Accessible Player Experiences (APX) -- https://accessible.games/accessible-player-experiences/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest -- Elaine Gómez (she/her), @chulatastic or http://www.elaine-gomez.com/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Anna Hughes

“If you like video games and music so much, why don’t you write music for video games?” Today’s guest said “BET!” Tune in for a behind the scenes look at game audio and insights on networking in the game industry, featuring Chel Wong (she/they), award-winning game music composer and sound designer with credits on games such as Kine, OnlyCans, and Whisker Squadron.

01:06 -- Meet Chel!

08:27 -- A life shaped by games

14:00 -- The secret life of game audio

28:47 -- “I failed teaching”

32:21 -- Advice on getting into audio

38:11 -- Networking for gamers

50:30 -- Curated spaces

Kine -- https://www.kinegame.com/kine-home

OnlyCans -- https://oxyoxspring.itch.io/onlycans

Whisker Squadron -- https://bit.ly/3MKO0yf

She Dreams Elsewhere -- https://www.studiozevere.com/

Death’s Door -- https://playdeathsdoor.com/

Sable -- https://www.shed-works.co.uk/sable

Guilty Gear Strive -- https://www.guiltygear.com/ggst/en/

Outer Wilds -- https://www.mobiusdigitalgames.com/outer-wilds.html

NieR Gestalt – https://bit.ly/3sbp6zP

Trails in the Sky -- https://bit.ly/3ycgUDs

Pokemon Diamond -- https://diamondpearl.pokemon.com/en-us/

RedOut -- https://redout.games/

F-Zero -- https://bit.ly/3w3xRNG

Kirby Air Ride -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Air_Ride

Ghost Trick -- https://bit.ly/3KC76oF

Team Fortress 2 -- https://www.teamfortress.com/

Undertale -- https://undertale.com/

A Hat in Time -- https://www.gearsforbreakfast.com/games/a-hat-in-time/

Heroes of the Storm -- https://heroesofthestorm.com/en-us/

Warframe -- https://www.warframe.com/landing

Hyper Light Drifter -- https://www.heartmachine.com/hyper-light-drifter

Charity EP Jam -- https://charityepjam.bandcamp.com/music

AbleGamers -- https://ablegamers.org/

Andrew Prahlow (composer for Outer Wilds) -- http://www.andrewprahlow.com/

Akash Thakkar (music for Hyper Light Drifter) -- https://www.akashthakkar.com/

Support my show! www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guest -- Chel Wong (she/they), @chelwongaudio on Twitter/IG or https://linktr.ee/chelwongaudio

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Anna Hughes

The season 3 premiere features Lawrence Moore (he/him), Founder and CEO of LARPing in Color (LINC), and Dr. Rachael Cofield (they/them), Director of Programs and Operations at LINC. Tune in to hear the full story of the first time Lawrence cried at LARP, the origins of LINC, and the importance of normalizing inclusive behaviors to make LARP better for future players. And don’t forget to apply for free sensitivity consulting through the Normalize Paid Emotional Labor (NPEL) program!

00:01:23 -- Meet Lawrence and Rachael!

00:17:56 -- Lawrence gets scared and cries at a LARP

00:25:06 -- LARPing for emotional impact

00:30:56 -- LARPing in Color origin story

00:42:24 -- Document your values, or Rachael’s PHD in “go the f*** home”

00:53:20 -- Free (and paid) diversity resources

01:05:15 -- Building a community based on values

Garden of Destinies (LARP) -- https://gardenofdestinieslarp.com/

Pantheon LARP -- https://www.clockworkmonsterproductions.com/pantheon

LARPing in Color -- https://larpingincolor.com/

NPEL Program -- https://larpingincolor.com/npel

Support my show! >> www.bubblegumbitchcraft.etsy.com

Guests -- Lawrence Moore and Dr. Rachael Cofield (@rachaeldoesgeography on Twitter)

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount (@bubblegum_titan on Twitter)

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Anna Hughes

Unpopular opinion: impostor syndrome isn’t a bad thing, and if you’re lucky, it never goes away. Tune in to hear Michelle Flamm, Senior Systems Designer at WB Games San Francisco, talk about why impostor syndrome makes you a great designer, what the Blizzard lawsuit represents to her as a woman in the industry, and how game studios can provide ongoing support for marginalized employees.

01:07 -- Meet Michelle!

13:10 -- Supporting diversity in games

19:55 -- Blizzard lawsuits

28:09 -- Impostor syndrome hot take

31:40 -- HR, get out the way

41:53 -- Mentorship 101

Animal Crossing -- https://animal-crossing.com/

Destiny franchise -- https://www.bungie.net/

World of Warcraft -- https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/

Final Fantasy XIV -- https://www.finalfantasyxiv.com/

Sniper Elite -- https://sniperelitegames.com/en

Boyfriend Dungeon -- https://www.boyfrienddungeon.com/

Final Fantasy 11 -- http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/index.shtml

Timeline of the Blizzard controversy -- https://bit.ly/3HLocjC

Women directors leaving Blizzard -- https://bit.ly/3CFmyML

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Guest -- Michelle Flamm, @mmogirlkai on IG or https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleflamm/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Aaron Trnka

When you were a kid, did you ever think that making video games could be a career? Turns out, a lot of us didn’t… but some of us found our way to it anyway. Tune in to hear Jarory de Jesus, Technical Designer at Elodie Games, talk about his nontraditional path to the industry, the challenges that are unique to aspiring game devs of color, and how game studios can evolve to be more inclusive.

01:20 -- Meet Jarory!

13:28 -- A nontraditional way in

21:43 -- Barriers to entry

36:30 -- Advice for aspiring game devs

41:00 -- Advancing devs of color

54:54 -- How can we be better?

Rust -- https://rust.facepunch.com/

Duck Hunt (NES) -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Hunt

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order -- https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/jedi-fallen-order

Persona 5 -- https://atlus.com/p5r/

Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) -- https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/home

Madden NFL -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_NFL

Unity (game engine) -- https://unity.com/

Extra Credits -- https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz

Game Maker’s Toolkit -- https://www.youtube.com/user/McBacon1337

Blacks in Gaming (Facebook) -- https://bit.ly/3oG25nJ

Blacks in Gaming (Discord) -- https://discord.com/invite/eSrZ476ecj

Latinx in Gaming -- https://www.latinxingaming.com/

Games Industry Gathering -- https://games.industrygathering.com/home.html

International Game Developers Association (IGDA) -- https://igda.org/

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Guest -- Jarory de Jesus, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarory-de-jesus/

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Aaron Trnka

How can diversity across the gaming industry enrich gaming experiences for all of us? And how do we make sure we’re leaving the world a better place for those who come after us? Join us as we talk with DeAngelo Murillo, creator of geek media site TheGeekLyfe.com, about Latinx experiences in the gaming community, the importance of normalizing mental health through the games we play, and the inspiration behind his brand-new inclusive TTRPG, Emerald Templars.

01:18 -- Meet DeAngelo!

14:10 -- Questionable Latinx representation

23:08 -- The community bands together

30:05 -- A grimdark inclusive TTRPG

38:40 -- Normalizing mental health through play

50:35 -- Advice for creatives

Apex Legends -- https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends

World of Warcraft -- https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/

Coyote & Crow -- https://coyoteandcrow.net/

Into the Mother Lands -- https://motherlandsrpg.com/

Emerald Templars -- https://thegeeklyfe.com/emeraldtemplars/

Cortex RPG -- https://www.cortexrpg.com/

The Geek Lyfe -- https://thegeeklyfe.com/

DeAngelo’s Twitch Channel -- https://www.twitch.tv/that_deangelo

DeAngelo’s Discord community -- https://discord.com/invite/pFcsdwR

Don’t forget to check out our friends at the Quit The Build podcast! https://www.quitthebuild.com/

Guest -- DeAngelo Murillo, https://linktr.ee/deangelomurillo

Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/

Original Music by Byson -- https://spoti.fi/3eoC47l

Creator / Host -- Clara Mount

Executive Producers -- J.B. Adams and Gerard Mitchell

Sound Editing -- Aaron Trnka