CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER
Vol. 27, No. 1
An international network of researchers
into all aspects of role-playing games
January 2018
David Millians, Editor
Paideia School, 1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue,
Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
ANNUAL REPORT
for 2017
for 2017
from the Chair
(M. Alan Thomas II)
(M. Alan Thomas II)
Membership
Members: We stand at 19 memberships representing 20 members. This represents a
gain of 1 new member. Under the current Newsletter auto-subscription and points
rules, it is impossible for members to be dropped for lack of activity and we
have had no resignations from the Committee.
Activity/Points: Points were awarded this year under the rules
laid down by Paul as best I understood them, plus additional points as I
considered necessary and reasonable. Additionally, all members are currently
receiving 1 point for having a Newsletter subscription. Under the current
system, 11 memberships (12 members) are considered Active, a decrease of 1 from
last year’s report. On the flip side, 7 members had zero activity reported to the
Chair this year and are subsisting entirely on points from the Newsletter,
positions in CAR-PGa, or jobs in the RPG industry. This is not always bad,
where those represent actual commitments of time and energy that support our
cause, but the increase from last year’s 4 is worrisome.
Leadership
Chair: I intend to present a reform package to the Board and membership
alongside this report and resign as soon as it is fully implemented or
defeated. (Implementation of Bylaws reform would require new elections, and I
do not intend to stand for election.)
Board: The Board took no action as a body this year.
Elections: Any position may be challenged at any time. As noted above, I intend
to resign within the next few months, and passing the Bylaws reform will force
new elections anyway, so you might want to start planning for that rather than
challenging someone for a position now.
However,
it is traditional to call for opposition in the Annual Report, so here it is:
This is the standard notice that anyone wanting to contest an office should
state their platform now. Voting under the current Bylaws is by the Instant
Runoff Voting system - vote for first, second, third, etc. choice, as far down
as you wish (or candidates exist), and the lowest vote is dropped with the rest
of those votes redistributed until someone gets a majority. This involves not
only the Chair but the Board.
Newsletter
Current status: The Editor is David Millians. Publication hasn’t been perfect, but
it’s been respectable and free. We are fairly light on content, as usual; the
email discussion list has taken over a certain amount of content that would
have been published in the Newsletter in the days before digital primacy.
Convention Calendar: The convention calendar is a major part of the
Newsletter. It is probably the most comprehensive in the industry, but it is
still far from complete. We need members to submit to the Editor any
conventions they know of, preferably in our usual format: dates, name, specific
location, website, and a point of contact with email address or similar.
However, we will accept information in any form, fliers for the cons and online
lists being the most common.
Due to the increased prevalence of reports of
sexual harassment, interest in preventing harassment at conventions, and the
widespread adoption of the Scalzi Convention Policy [http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/07/02/my-new-convention-harassment-policy/] in the half decade since it was formulated,
anyone submitting a convention is also asked to submit a link to its harassment
policy, if known, and especially to report if it is ever shown to be
unenforced.
Archive
Current Status: The Archivist is Paul Cardwell. A variety of articles and
announcements of varying relevance were added to the Archive this year, as
always. Please note that access to archived materials is not restricted to
members; if you know someone conducting relevant research who would like
access, that is entirely possible!
Issues
Attacks: There is a federal prison (FCI Sandstone) which is banning RPG
materials due, insofar as I can tell, to the warden’s personal views, which
appear to include an assortment of the usual moral panic items coupled with
generic “discipline and safety” clauses that are, on a practical level, immune
to legal review. We are in contact with a prisoner there and seeking solutions.
Harassment: Reports of sexual harassment within the industry and without became a
deluge this year, but there were still no responses from CAR-PGa members.
Gender equity among gamers has been a longtime interest of CAR-PGa, and there
is work yet to be done on this front. For example, see the final paragraph of
the Newsletter section, above.
Finances
Current: The Treasurer remains Paul Cardwell. I am unaware of any income or
expenses this year; therefore the numbers from two years ago remain unchanged.
Future: There is, however, an anticipated future expense: By long-standing
arrangement, whenever Paul replaces machinery that he has used to produce
copies of the Newsletter, to print out copies of internet resources for the
Archive, and to fulfill copy requests, CAR-PGa contributes a pro-rated sum to
represent our share of the use of that machinery. One such expense is coming
up. We have sufficient funds to cover it at this time, but it is worth noting
that we will, in the long-term (post-2018), need to raise additional funds at
some point.
NEW MATERIAL
FROM
DAVID MILLIANS
Laskow,
Sarah (2017 December 1) Welcome to Interactive Fiction: You’re a
Wizard-Sniffing Pig. www.atlasobscura.com/articles/welcome-interactive-fiction-wizard-sniffing-pig-controversy-video-games. History and
issues in an evolving art form.
Melamed,
Samantha (2017 December 28) Why are Philly Hipsters now all playing Dungeons
& Dragons?. www.philly.com/philly/living/dungeons-dragons-d-d-philadelphia-drinks-black-cat-tavern-20171228.html. In stores, bars,
cafés, and family nights, what was once nerdy is now cool and communal.
Mubeen,
Jumaid (2017 December 23) What board games can teach educators. medium.com/@fjmubeen/what-board-games-can-teach-educators-c7d527799101. Individualized
learning-by-doing, led by an informed guru.
Peterson,
Jon (2017 December 20) Gary Gygax on “Tomorrow” with Tom Snyder (1979). playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/gary-gygax-on-tomorrow-with-tom-snyder.html. Audio and
transcript of interview in which Gygax takes Snyder on a short dungeon crawl.
Peterson,
Jon (2017 December 28) D&D in the News (1976): The Duke and the Evil
Balrog. playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2017/12/d-in-news-1976-duke-and-evil-balrog.html. Reports on early
gameplay.
FROM
MICHAEL TRESCA
Tresca,
Michael (2017 December 10) How Did D&D Become a Bestseller?. www.patreon.com/posts/how-did-d-d-best-15723739. Xanathar's Guide to Everything (Wizards) gets top rating from Publisher’s Weekly
and The Wall Street Journal.
FROM
WILLIAM A. HAWKES-ROBINSON
Hawke-Robinson,
William A. (2017 November 29) Using Role-Playing Games to Enhance the Learning
Process, from the Cognitive Neuropsychology Approach. www.patreon.com/posts/using-role-games-15610091. Analysis of
learning techniques within RPG imagery and activity.
ARCHIVES FINANCIAL
INCOME $48.04
contributions
OUTGO $ 3.22 postage
BALANCE $44.82
CONVENTIONS
New listings this month were provided by Paul
Cardwell. Others are urged to submit information. If you attend a convention,
be sure and check the conventions table and let us have a copy of the fliers
(or at very least the when, what, where, and contact information) for upcoming
conventions available there. CAR-PGa is international, so this includes
anywhere in the world. In 2017, we noted conventions in 22 countries.
Dates, precise venue, contacts' URLs or phone numbers,
and other information, where missing from this list, would be particularly
appreciated.
"[LARP]" means only LARP events as many RPG
cons include at least some LARP, as likewise applies to the mention of specific
game systems. The same bracketed information applies as well to game systems when
the con will have only those games present.
In an attempt to get more face-to-face meetings of the
membership, we list who will be going to what convention, if they will tell us.
Get this type of information in at least two months before the convention
itself, so we can run it at least once. Support your local cons by helping in
the staff. It is a good way to promote RPG and you generally get in free for
the brief time spent helping.
A review of any attended convention afterwards for the
Newsletter would be appreciated too. These reviews should include demographic
data such as attendance, percentage male/female, white/ethnic minorities (or
what- ever is the majority/white/others), games in addition to tabletop RPG,
and more subjective matters such as unusual events, quality of games and
dealers' room, encouragement of new gamers, and whatever seems worth reporting.
We need to work to restore CAR-PGa's reputation as the media's go-to on gamer
demographics, especially since the media are still citing a study that cut off
all those over 35 - at a time when that was the median age of gamers - it is
closer to 40 now - which indicates we also need to work on recruiting younger
players, although some increase in college age players at conventions has been
noted.
Conventions are currently being compiled by archivist
Paul Cardwell, 1127 Cedar, Bonham, TX 75418 or plcardwell@gmail.com so please send them there.
January 2018
5-7: Wizard World Comic Con New Orleans, Morial
Conference Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA; wizardworld.com/comiccon/new-orleans
11-14: Midwinter Gaming Convention, Hilton City
Center, 509 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI; midwintergamingconvention.com
12-14: Siege of Augusta, Augusta Doubletree, Augusta,
GA; siegeofaugusta.org [mainly mini wargaming]
13-14: SwampCon Frontier, Reitz Student Union, 686 Museum Rd, University of Florida, Gainesville,
FL; swampcon.com
17-21: ConTingency, Sandy Balls Holiday Village,
Godshill, Fordingbridge, The New Forest; contingency.uk
26-28: GCOM Winter Games Fest, Elks Lodge, 878 Stevenson Rd, Severn, MD; winterquest.Gamesclubofmd.org
27: Charlotte Mini-Con, Grady Cole Center; 310 N Kings Dr, Charlotte, NC; upcomingcons.com/Charlotte- [Mini-Con]
February 2018
8-11: Rapier, Jacksonville Airport Doubletree,
Jacksonville, FL; rapiercon.com [mostly board and miniature]
10: Spaghetti ConJunction, Geek Retreat, 38 The Priory
Queensway, Birmingham, W. Mids; ukroleplayers.com
16-18: London Anime Con, London Metropolitan
University, Rocket Complex, London; londonanimecons.com
16-18: Planet Comicon, Kansas City Convention Center,
301 W 13th St, Kansas City, MO; planetcomicon.com
17-18: Oddmall, Expedition Elsewhere, Canton, OH;
[Free Admission]
22-25: Hoop and Stick Con, Ravenwood Castle, 65666
Bethel Rd, New Plymouth, OH; www.ravenwoodcastle.com/hoopandstick
23-25: Fire and Ice Convention, Manitowoc County Expo
Center, 4921 Expo Dr, Manitowoc, WI; fireandiceconvention.com
March 2018
2-3: PlatteCon, Ullsvik Hall, 1 University Plaza, University of Wisconsin Platteville,
Platteville, WI; plattevillegaming.com
9-11: Fogcon, Walnut Creek Marriott, 2355 N Main St, Walnut Creek, CA; fogcon.org [primarily writer workshop]
9-11: Lexington Comic Con, Lexington Convention
Center, 430 W Vine, Lexington, KY; lexingtoncomiccon.com
9-11: Madicon, Festival Conference Center, 1301 Carrier Dr, James Madison University,
Harrisonburg, VA; madicon.org
9-18: South by Southwest, Palmer Events Center, 900
Barton Springs Rd, Austin, Texas 78704; sxsw.com
10: March to Oblivion, InterAction School of
Performing Arts, 228 Germain Street, Saint John, NB; impossiblerealities.com
23-25: Hydra, Brookfield Scout Camp, Rd 1 562 Moore
Valley Rd., Wainuiomata, Wellington, NZ; nzlarps.org [LARP]
24-25: Terminal City Tabletop Convention, Croatian
Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Dr., Vancouver, BC; terminalcitytabletop.com
29-April 1: Norwescon, Doubletree Seattle Airport,
18740 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA; norwescon.org
30-April 1: Marmalade Dog, Bernhard Center, 1903 W.
Michigan Ave, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; marmaladedog.org
30-April 2: Conquest, Melbourne High School, Forest
St, South Yarra, Melbourne, Vic; conquest.asn.au
©
Copyright 2017 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, e-mail 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.
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