TheRPGSite

https://twitter.com/DungeonCommandr/status/1279208531103629312

Here's his (oops, their) statement of victimhood, oops, reasons for resigning https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sra9pq

Note to WotC: Don't hire people who wouldn't pass a psych eval - more accurately, a psych eval from when they meant something.

I imagine WotC will now have to triple-down on their support for LBM, LBGTGERBIL, and all the other causes of the moment. Stand by for Jeremy Crawford wringing his hands in 5, 4, 3 .... I wonder how Critical Role will respond?

I realise this thread has political implications but it does potentially impact what WotC produces going forwards as they try and head off a Twitter storm from the perpetually offended. Dark Sun is not going to be on the table....

So it's all just fake corporate virtue signalling, eh? Imagine my surprise.

I'm shocked! Shocked I say!

Constantly shit talking your employer on Twitter leads to you not having your contract renewed? Who woulda thunk.

Oh no! Now I'll never see a(nother?) product by...um...uh...? Who the fuck was this anyway?

A big loss of the author of... jack and shit? (https://rpggeek.com/geeksearch.php?action=search&objecttype=rpgdesigner&q=orion)

Also,

QuoteSeattle, WA

Your problem right there. What is it with people from Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and the entire Bay Area?

That horror show of a thread is illustrative of the sad state of game design modern D&D. Games are now about injecting their politics rather than being fun and enjoyable.

I'll be sticking with DCCRPG, Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardy and Lion and Dragon for my fantasy needs. No need for the on the rails trash that they publish today.

Quote from: TheShadowSpawn;1137914Games are now about injecting their politics rather than being fun and enjoyable.

I'll be sticking with DCCRPG, Labyrinth Lord, Swords and Wizardy and Lion and Dragon for my fantasy needs. No need for the on the rails trash that they publish today.

Over on Facebook, Gavin Norman, the author of the B/X clone Old School Essentials, shot down various posts on the OSE Facebook Group that tried to bring modern politics into the game.  He basically said that we're here to talk about games, not politics. So good on him.

Also, Chris Gonnerman, author of Basic Fantasy RPG, just today posted on his BFRPG Facebook Group that he also rejects bringing modern politics into his game.

So there are still a few bastions of sanity out there.

Guy/"nonbinary"...(thing?) couldn't advance in a largely dead end job at a soulless corp, so obviously racism was at play and WotC clearly exists only to exploit MaRgInAlIzEd PeOpLeS, as opposed to this being likely the same experience anyone else at the lower end of the totem pole went through and working at a soulless corp not being the dream job anyone like them thought it would.

If you live by the sword, you die by the sword.

WOTC started pandering and now people start slandering

So you tell traditionalists to F off and try to be woke without tearing the establishment down!  Way to start a two front war!

I don't know where this will go but I am chuckling.  This is what you get for being blowhard woke without self destructing.  You will NEVER satisfy the terminally aggrieved.  Never.  They should have just made a game they thought was inclusive enough (if that is their thing) and let it stand.

Once you start the preaching you better sure u for a loyal choir, bitches.

I can't believe the new person in a company wasn't immediately given major responsibilities and had work taken by senior employees.

Quote from: Crusader X;1137915Over on Facebook, Gavin Norman, the author of the B/X clone Old School Essentials, shot down various posts on the OSE Facebook Group that tried to bring modern politics into the game.  He basically said that we're here to talk about games, not politics. So good on him.

Also, Chris Gonnerman, author of Basic Fantasy RPG, just today posted on his BFRPG Facebook Group that he also rejects bringing modern politics into his game.

So there are still a few bastions of sanity out there.

Thank freaking God.

Quote from: Crusader X;1137915Over on Facebook, Gavin Norman, the author of the B/X clone Old School Essentials, shot down various posts on the OSE Facebook Group that tried to bring modern politics into the game.  He basically said that we're here to talk about games, not politics. So good on him.

Did anybody storm off in a huff because everything is politics?

And nothing of value was lost.

Play stupid games Win stupid prizes.

QuoteThe second was to make D&D welcoming to the millions who are scorned by it.

LOL. What a fucking loser...but I can't believe WotC would let go of such a key talent!! It seems so perfect for them.

So what can we do to help the freak brigade storm the walls of WotC and demand it's rehire?

Anything that helps WotC fall faster and deeper into the go woke, go broke trap  is good news.

Quote from: Spinachcat;1137939LOL. What a fucking loser...but I can't believe WotC would let go of such a key talent!! It seems so perfect for them.

So what can we do to help the freak brigade storm the walls of WotC and demand it's rehire?

Anything that helps WotC fall faster and deeper into the go woke, go broke trap  is good news.

On this we agree---if WOTC lives by the sword they can go ahead and fall on their sword. If they show people they will wreck the game to root out subliminal messages, it only encourages the outrage brigade.

Traditionalists probably can't do it alone.  We need the outrage brigade as allies of convenience.

Quote from: VisionStorm;1137917Guy/"nonbinary"...(thing?) couldn't advance in a largely dead end job at a soulless corp, so obviously racism was at play and WotC clearly exists only to exploit MaRgInAlIzEd PeOpLeS, as opposed to this being likely the same experience anyone else at the lower end of the totem pole went through and working at a soulless corp not being the dream job anyone like them thought it would.

Ignoring the obvious and glaring mental illness of the person linked in the OP, this was my immediate take as well. This person was consistently and constantly outplayed and apparently never even realized it.

Newsflash for the snowflakes out there: Corporate environments are intensely political. And no, I'm not talking about your left-wing social / identity politics (nor for any brand of right-wing politics, for that matter). Leave that shit at home. I'm talking about the closer to home, more personal sort. Whether you realize it or not, you are in constant competition for your job. At all times. And no matter how much you advance, it'll never stop being true. The most surefire way to survive: complete your tasks with the utmost commitment to excellence, and make sure everyone knows you're a key contributor. The latter takes tact and some skill. You don't want to make it about you, but about the job you're doing for the company and its product(s). Nothing else matters. I mean that in the most literal possible sense. Which is why your identity politics don't belong in that environment.

Now you might think that's really shitty. And I'd be inclined to agree with you (except for the identity politics part)! But it's also motherfucking reality. You learn to play the game or you get the fuck out.

Welcome to life working under the yoke of the mega corp in other words 'reality'. Being a new employee, and then expecting to be a 'mover and a shaker' and 'change' a corporate entity?? Yeah, good luck with that...

I think most folks have experienced this type of crap over the course of their life. But guess what? You just deal with it and go work for somewhere else. It's not rocket science...

If that was a full time employed gig and I only had to produce 2 assignment in 5 months?  Sign me up!
All that extra free time I would work on my OSR whatever project with lots of whitespace and big font.
Throw that on Drive Thru, mention I was a WOTC designer in the blurb and watch the money roll in.

Quote from: rocksfalleverybodydies;1137969If that was a full time employed gig and I only had to produce 2 assignment in 5 months?  Sign me up!
All that extra free time I would work on my OSR whatever project with lots of whitespace and big font.
Throw that on Drive Thru, mention I was a WOTC designer in the blurb and watch the money roll in.

And if he was a real designer that is exactly what he would have done.

Unfortunately, I suspect Wizards/Hasbro will  not get the right message out of this. The right message would be to stop trying to engage in appeasement with this crowd, because nothing will ever be enough. The reactions on Twitter make it clear that most of the people who responded to this are all people that hated D&D and want to see it gone. WoTC/Hasbro needs to figure out that is NOT their audience.

Contractor doesn't have much to do and doesn't get renewed or kept on permanently, this looks like business as usual, contractors always need to be assuming they won't get renewed and have their next gig in mind.

Also, a contractor trying to influence culture at their employer is on a hiding to nothing, companies hire contractors because they need a specific skillset for a specific time and don't want the expense of having you on the payroll (exception, there is money in the budget for contractors but none for full time people), they don't want you to have a great impact on the culture, just deliver on your contract.

Was they a diversity hire (woke grammar doesn't really work)? Maybe, but they were still willing to pay them for being there and keeping the seat warm. Should have taken the money and quietly worked on something of their own devising.

Quote from: SavageSchemer;1137945Ignoring the obvious and glaring mental illness of the person linked in the OP, this was my immediate take as well. This person was consistently and constantly outplayed and apparently never even realized it.

Newsflash for the snowflakes out there: Corporate environments are intensely political. And no, I'm not talking about your left-wing social / identity politics (nor for any brand of right-wing politics, for that matter). Leave that shit at home. I'm talking about the closer to home, more personal sort. Whether you realize it or not, you are in constant competition for your job. At all times. And no matter how much you advance, it'll never stop being true. The most surefire way to survive: complete your tasks with the utmost commitment to excellence, and make sure everyone knows you're a key contributor. The latter takes tact and some skill. You don't want to make it about you, but about the job you're doing for the company and its product(s). Nothing else matters. I mean that in the most literal possible sense. Which is why your identity politics don't belong in that environment.

Now you might think that's really shitty. And I'd be inclined to agree with you (except for the identity politics part)! But it's also motherfucking reality. You learn to play the game or you get the fuck out.

These truth bombs still catch out women all the time.

After decades in the "workplace" they still complain about the "boys club" - perpetually oblivious to the truth that men are endlessly vicious, petty, ruthless, backstabbing bastards to each other on a regular basis in any competitive occupation.

And when they start to get a taste of it; the cries of sexism ensue...

News Flash: Men are horrible to each other. And can be very equal opportunity to whom they are horrible to.

"Equality" in the workplace is a myth.

It never existed. The real truth is that Feminists and other snowflake hires are have no real interest in it either.

Quote from: rocksfalleverybodydies;1137969If that was a full time employed gig and I only had to produce 2 assignment in 5 months?  Sign me up!
All that extra free time I would work on my OSR whatever project with lots of whitespace and big font.
Throw that on Drive Thru, mention I was a WOTC designer in the blurb and watch the money roll in.

And thus we bear witness to the only real reason to ever become a contract writer to WOTC:

 To give yourself a D&D design "stamp" on your RPG writing CV that will help you sell the product you really wanted to make all along.

Also, the Boys Club is fundamental to the success of any organisation.

You need a group of key people who fundamentally trust each other and can cut through corporate wankery. You need corporate memory. You need competitive people who push each other to do better and achieve more. You need blokes with sharp elbows.

You don't need someone whose mental illness precludes them from being able to determine their own gender or whose only support seems to be coming from the inmates of Arkham asylum - including people who think "fae" is a personal pronoun. (Twatter really is cancer.)

Every one of his complaints is one that I (a cis white hetro male) have experienced or was experienced by a cis white hetro male colleague. TL;DR: even the most "progressive" corporation is, at the end of the day, still a corporation, and it will grind you down regardless of your position on the victimhood pyramid.

Quote from: Jaeger;1138015These truth bombs still catch out women all the time.

After decades in the "workplace" they still complain about the "boys club" - perpetually oblivious to the truth that men are endlessly vicious, petty, ruthless, backstabbing bastards to each other on a regular basis in any competitive occupation.

And when they start to get a taste of it; the cries of sexism ensue...

News Flash: Men are horrible to each other. And can be very equal opportunity to whom they are horrible to.

"Equality" in the workplace is a myth.

It never existed. The real truth is that Feminists and other snowflake hires are have no real interest in it either.




And thus we bear witness to the only real reason to ever become a contract writer to WOTC:

 To give yourself a D&D design "stamp" on your RPG writing CV that will help you sell the product you really wanted to make all along.

Men tend to be nicer to good looking women, they tend to be compedative in the workplace, but if they see a good looking woman that they want to date, biology comes into play, a woman can use her good looks to get ahead of the competition in the workplace, and many often do. Work place romances often occur, and some of those go sour and devolve into work place harrassment or accusations of the same. If you are the boss, you would have to be wary of some of the female employees that work for you, if you are male, they will use their gender to get ahead, they may try to romance you, seduce you, or blackmail you if they can claim that your are sexually harassing them if you don't give them what they want. On the other side of the ledger there is actual sexual harassment, where the boss pressures his female employee to date him, or have a relationship in order to keep of advance their careers. This can complicate the workplace quite a bit.

Quote from: Scrivener of Doom;1138020Also, the Boys Club is fundamental to the success of any organisation.

You need a group of key people who fundamentally trust each other and can cut through corporate wankery. You need corporate memory. You need competitive people who push each other to do better and achieve more. You need blokes with sharp elbows.

You don't need someone whose mental illness precludes them from being able to determine their own gender or whose only support seems to be coming from the inmates of Arkham asylum - including people who think "fae" is a personal pronoun. (Twatter really is cancer.)

Throw in women, then you got to worry about sexual harassment, accusations of sexual harassment, and workplace romances where one partner is high up the corporate ladder than the other. Beautiful women can be powerful influencers of men, they tend to get promoted more quickly if they can grab hold of their boss's "heart strings." Failing that they can use blackmail and threats of sexual harassment lawsuits, there are so many ways this can go wrong.

Quote from: Jaeger;1138015These truth bombs still catch out women all the time.

After decades in the "workplace" they still complain about the "boys club" - perpetually oblivious to the truth that men are endlessly vicious, petty, ruthless, backstabbing bastards to each other on a regular basis in any competitive occupation.

And when they start to get a taste of it; the cries of sexism ensue...

News Flash: Men are horrible to each other. And can be very equal opportunity to whom they are horrible to.

"Equality" in the workplace is a myth.

It never existed. The real truth is that Feminists and other snowflake hires are have no real interest in it either.

What does any of that have to do with rpgs or even the subject at hand? This guy was complaining about race on his Twitter, nothing about women or feminism.

Rollback to Earth 1.0
When people didn't like something, they simply wouldn't do it.
"Adapting" to young dictators demands will be the end of gaming as we know it.

Imagine playing a TRPG in North Korea!

So their major complaint was they were not involving them in a larger number of projects. That they only assigned two projects to them and they had to go around asking to help on others.

But, given WOTC's release schedule, and the fact they worked on their most recent big book, I am not sure that's all that unusual there. They didn't work there that long, and working on two bigger projects seems...about what all the non-big-names do there, right? I suspect it's likely how things work there. You get a couple of bigger assignments and aside from that you're expected to ask to help others with their bigger assignments. Unless you're a top name.

As for niceness not being a substitute for respect, respect is earned. You don't just walk in the door and get it - all you get from walking in the door is the expectation people will treat you like a coworker. They have no noteworthy accomplishments to their name in that industry. Being treated nicely is a pretty good thing, and while not a substitute for respect, it's certainly a substitute for disrespect when you have not earned respect through deeds. They appear to expect respect for..existing?

Waitaminnit.

TheRpgSite is defending WotC? Excuse me for being Devil's Ad, but .... the company that transformed D&D into a ridiculous game where all classes and races are differently-the-same is defended by this site when they practice Racism?

You're posting that WotC is right?

Let me get this straight:

Work on a short term contract.
Kick up a fuss.
Refuse to fit in with dominant work culture.
Whine about it.
Find you are not rehired.
Whine about it.

Holy shit is this "baby's first job outside daycare"??

Quote from: Theory of Games;1138047Waitaminnit.

TheRpgSite is defending WotC? Excuse me for being Devil's Ad, but .... the company that transformed D&D into a ridiculous game where all classes and races are differently-the-same is defended by this site when they practice Racism?

You're posting that WotC is right?

I don't see anyone defending WotC in this thread. All I see are people calling a snowflake on his bullshit and entitlement and calling it racism.

Wizards has plenty of bullshit of their own to dish and when they do, we call them on that as well.

Quote from: SavageSchemer;1138049I don't see anyone defending WotC in this thread. All I see are people calling a snowflake on his bullshit and entitlement and calling it racism.

Wizards has plenty of bullshit of their own to dish and when they do, we call them on that as well.

No.

You're defending the racism of WotC definded by an African American contractor.

Let's be clear.

No, they're defending corporate culture in general (and honestly I wouldn't call it defending so much as a resigned "that's how it is"), not WotC specifically.  There are plenty of posts that are quite pleased that WotC is likely to catch flack over this despite all their surface level attempts to look "diverse".

Quote from: BarefootGaijin;1138048Let me get this straight:

Work on a short term contract.
Kick up a fuss.
Refuse to fit in with dominant work culture.
Whine about it.
Find you are not rehired.
Whine about it.

Holy shit is this "baby's first job outside daycare"??

Sure looks like it and I bet if he they got on his case for not performing or hit any kind of performance goal he would play the racism card.

In some jobs one has to go and seek out more projects. Not sit on one ass and expect co-workers to come beginning on one door.

Though apparently we are "racist" now because we are not in 1000% support of the clearly mentally ill person referenced in the OP. Everytime something does not go according to someone plan in their life it's "RACIISST!!!".

If I owned a business and as one of my employees they are either not performing up to standard, refusing to perform or trying to get by on gender and/or race. Either they improve or get let go or they can quit and go home.

Unless one is the owner of a company and rich one is not going to be changing any current corporate culture. Not unless one implements their own version at one own company. Otherwise for better or worse it's how company work for the foreseeable future or unless forced to change. You can damn well bet they will drag their heels and have to change kicking and screaming.

If WoTC wants to be bankrupt like the comics industry I would say stay the course. If they want to recover and have a fresh start in the future they should stop producing products that require these types of employees. Long term unemployment has the effect of making people more grateful and less cunty when they finally do get a job. Personally I hope they go bankrupt, then someone more deserving could buy the rights cheap.

Quote from: Valatar;1138053No, they're defending corporate culture in general (and honestly I wouldn't call it defending so much as a resigned "that's how it is"), not WotC specifically.  There are plenty of posts that are quite pleased that WotC is likely to catch flack over this despite all their surface level attempts to look "diverse".

So. Racism is the thing. "Get over ethnicity".

Okay.

Quote from: Theory of Games;1138060So. Racism is the thing. "Get over ethnicity".

Okay.

I see your not really interested in listening and no matter what we say your going to push your carefully constructed personal narrative that this site is racist. Anything and everything that goes against said narrative is to be summarily ignored.

Everyone else  and myself included don't feed the troll and move on.

Quote from: Theory of Games;1138047Waitaminnit.

TheRpgSite is defending WotC? Excuse me for being Devil's Ad, but .... the company that transformed D&D into a ridiculous game where all classes and races are differently-the-same is defended by this site when they practice Racism?

You're posting that WotC is right?

A bad employee can work at a bad company. It's not either-or.

Quote from: Theory of Games;1138060So. Racism is the thing. "Get over ethnicity".

Okay.

WotC is so racist that they hired an African American contractor.

So racist.

Quote from: Shasarak;1138083WotC is so racist that they hired an African American contractor.

So racist.

I don't know if they are or not. But I heard most companies within the US must hire and maintain a small percentage of non whites in their work force. I believe you get tax breaks for it, I could be wrong. Contract work is a path of uncertainty. companies can let go of you for several reasons without having to cover unemployment. It's a smart way to keep their employees at full rhythm.

Quote from: Theory of Games;1138060So. Racism is the thing. "Get over ethnicity".

Okay.

Are you believing the complaints by the person against WotC solely based on their version of what happened?
Myself, I've not heard enough to take any firm stand. As it is though, the complainant seems to maybe have entered into the job with some unrealistic expectations. I'd wait to hear more from other folks who were on the scene.

We should all observe a moment of silence, in rememberance  of this creator's contributions to humanity.

Any literally who who shows up as a contractor for a company expecting to fix the systemic persecution in an industry that has never persecuted anything is destined for grave disappointment.  Well, I say that, but given WotC's present stances, they seem quite on board with claiming basically anything was a systemic persecution, so I'm a little startled he wasn't better-received.

Quote from: Blink_Dog;1138058If WoTC wants to be bankrupt like the comics industry I would say stay the course. If they want to recover and have a fresh start in the future they should stop producing products that require these types of employees. Long term unemployment has the effect of making people more grateful and less cunty when they finally do get a job. Personally I hope they go bankrupt, then someone more deserving could buy the rights cheap.

In the alternate world from which you post, do Kangaroos still have tails? If not, do they fall down a lot?

Quote from: FelixGamingX1;1138100I don't know if they are or not. But I heard most companies within the US must hire and maintain a small percentage of non whites in their work force. I believe you get tax breaks for it, I could be wrong

Wow. No, this is not accurate.

We already knew that WoTC are no angels.

But this employee was terribly naive and then seems to feel very 'entitled' just because he is a non-binary black guy. As Simlasa said, you'd really need to here the whole side of the story from some other employee.

Quote from: Mistwell;1138172Wow. No, this is not accurate.

If you bid on federal contracts in the US, it is a requirement that you hire minority employees.

Quote from: Razor 007;1138222If you bid on federal contracts in the US, it is a requirement that you hire minority employees.

Right.  But that is where this is getting off subject, because none of those rules will apply to WotC or any other RPG company.

Quote from: Steven Mitchell;1138226Right.  But that is where this is getting off subject, because none of those rules will apply to WotC or any other RPG company.

WotC DOES know virtue signaling allows them to avoid the SJW Twitter mobs, so even though there's no law, I am certain they at least want the public perception that they have the "right" number of minority employees. How this in any way helps them make better games is beyond my capacity to comprehend.

Quote from: Brad;1138228WotC DOES know virtue signaling allows them to avoid the SJW Twitter mobs, so even though there's no law, I am certain they at least want the public perception that they have the "right" number of minority employees. How this in any way helps them make better games is beyond my capacity to comprehend.

Plus I bet they do have a commissar of inclusivity.

Quote from: Brad;1138228WotC DOES know virtue signaling allows them to avoid the SJW Twitter mobs, so even though there's no law, I am certain they at least want the public perception that they have the "right" number of minority employees. How this in any way helps them make better games is beyond my capacity to comprehend.

Oh, I agree with that.  I could just see the conversation heading to the edge.  I don't know where the line is in the fog, but I know it is nearby.  I'd hate for our first banning under the new policy to be on this topic, of all things.

I can't (or won't) comment on the issues of race and gender, but I can definitely comment on what it's like working for a corporation.  

Firstly...

QuoteLiking a tweet or post, RTing, or even following people who speak ill of WotC can lose you your job in an instant. That's why you never see it happen.

In every single company I've ever worked for, this has been the case.  If you have an issue, you are expected to deal with it internally, not by publicly tweeting about it.  No company... NONE, wants to basically be paying someone to shitcan them publicly.  Even more so if you are a contractor -- it reeks of arrogance.  But there's a further lesson Orion is going to have to learn the hard way... your future employers don't want to hear you shitcanning previous jobs either.  It's a golden rule in interviews -- no matter how much you hated your previous job/boss, don't trash them.  Because you don't want someone contemplating hiring you to be thinking "Gee, if they're so willing to talk trash about their past boss, what are they likely to say about me?"  No one will think you are a warrior or a champion for justice, they'll just think you are a trouble maker.

QuoteI worked hard for a very long time. I got a lot of smiles and vocal support, but it was followed by inaction and being ignored. My coworkers were frustrated for me, and still are now. I confided in them often, cried on shoulders on a few occasions.

No offense, but working on contract for less than a year doesn't really constitute working "hard for a very long time".  WotC has been around for 30 years, and Hasbro has been around for almost 100 years.  A single contractor, working for 9 months isn't going to change embedded cultures in organisations like that.

QuoteI found out that some of my work was stolen, which destroyed me. It lined up with a project they were going to do and I had sent it in to someone in leadership months ago. The project was announced and this person who contributed "forgot" that we had a meeting where I gave them my ideas, and then a follow up document the day after. I knew nothing was going to be done about it. Someone else told me that the person said sorry that they forgot. That's it.

Having had managers pass off my work as their own on a fairly regular occasion, I know how much this sucks.  It's also a pretty regular occurrence in the corporate world.  IMHO, the best solution is to just keep producing good quality work.  Again, trashing your former employer publicly won't really help.

Quote from: Brad;1138228WotC DOES know virtue signaling allows them to avoid the SJW Twitter mobs

Except that it doesn't. QED. They now know for a fact that it doesn't. This isn't even the first time that it hasn't. The question is whether this will change their strategy at all.