CAR-PGa NEWSLETTER
Vol. 27, No. 8
An international
network of researchers into all aspects of role-playing games
August 2018
David Millians,
Editor
Paideia School,
1509 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30307 USA
ARTICLES
Archivist Needed
By Paul Cardwell
I
have sent the following to the Board in regard to the new By-laws. In voluntary
associations, no less than in nations, it is a self-evident truth that the just
powers of those in charge come from the consent of the governed. I tried to support
the status quo in this but was essentially told that was then and this is now.
In light of the action, without meaningful participation of the membership, to
vest all powers in a self-perpetuating Board rather than the membership, I
hereby resign as both a Board member and as Archivist. I cannot support a
junta, even if I am granted membership in it. It is with regret that I do so
after a quarter century of service to CAR-PGa, but I must put my action where
my beliefs are. I will continue as a member, for whatever that is worth now,
and will continue the convention calendar for the Newsletter, at least until I
find a more suitable venue.
This
is not the result of any personality clash with any member, nor a threat to
take my marbles and go home if I don't get my way. I have seen this happen
twice in my lifetime; in my childhood in the 1930s and early '40s with
world-wide tragedy resulting; and again with the end of colonialism on a more
local level in the 1960s to current. And I am seeing the trend again in my own
country. I cannot sit idly by and have it become standard throughout society.
Together, we saved RPG from the censors, but that battle is over - at least for
now. It was a good run, and I am sorry to see it end, but as much as I like
RPG, there are things more important.
A
Response from the (Ex-)Chair
Paul is free to resign
if he wishes. However, I am not willing to sit here and let him call the Board
"self-perpetuating" without pointing out a few facts.
Under the old Bylaws,
the "Board of Directors [was] appointed by the other members of the Board
of Directors, subject to the initiative and referendum of the members in that
region." This is how I was appointed to the Board by the
Board, when I became the first and only eligible candidate for the position two
decades ago. I was offered the appointment only
after the Board had voted me in, which the Board did without waiting for any
initiative on my part as a member of the region in question. Nobody
outside of the Board ever voted for me. That is a
self-perpetuating Board. It is also very similar to many methods of corporate
governance that lead to terrible and corrupt results. Furthermore, the old
Bylaws never specified that any call for challengers need ever be issued, and
(as we have seen) there was no real requirement that Board members even
maintain their eligibility to retain their seats, so it was a lifetime
appointment unless there was a recall or impeachment, which were nonexistent
threats until I became Chair. As we saw, this led to a slow, sclerotic,
ineligible Board that actually got angry at me for asking it to govern both
when I was a member of the Board and when I was Chair. It did not lead to a
functioning democracy.
Under the new Bylaws,
members of the Board must receive their seats through election
by the membership, not by the Board. The sole exception is that, if there are
as many candidates as seats, the actual voting process may be skipped, which is
normally designed for the situation where the annual call for challengers goes
out and no challengers appear. Which is how we've always done it; we never held
elections in the decades we put out annual calls for challengers and none
appeared. Another thing that has changed—in addition to not
having the Board appointed by itself—is that annual calls for candidates are
now required by the Bylaws rather than merely a habit of the Chair that could
be done away with at whim. I have, in fact, strengthened the
democratic safeguards by writing into the Bylaws so many of the things we used
to do just because Paul thought they were right . . . which was fine while he
was still in charge, but I am unwilling to trust the future to a system of
norms and customs when, as he says, we can see what happens when someone
decides to ignore them.
As for having the
Chair appointed by the Board, I rather wanted to avoid the situation where a
membership-elected Chair was opposed by the majority of the Board and either
became their puppet to get things done or left the governance gridlocked. One
subverts the will of the voters; the other fails to be a functional government,
and we have had quite enough of that. Also, I object to implication that
parliamentary democracies are somehow undemocratic; there are a few dozen
well-known examples of parliamentary democracies, mainly in Europe, one of
which was given a parliamentary system rather than a presidential system when
the U.S. wrote it a new, democratic constitution in 1947 (Japan). Our Chair
(like all officers) will be responsible to the Board, which is responsible to
the members—this chain of responsibility is known in technical terms as "responsible government" and is the core of the Westminster
system of parliamentary democracy—and the members can veto any appointment of
the Chair (or any other officer) or recall the Chair (or any other officer) at
will.
If you think that the
membership's election of the Board and veto and recall powers do not constitute
consent, then I disagree with you. They have more of a voice now than they had
previously, when the Board appointed itself and could unelect the Chair if it
didn't like the people's choice. (Thank God we never had that constitutional
crisis!)
Sincerely,
M. Alan Thomas II
Who had hoped to have
a successor-in-office by now
NEW MATERIAL
FROM
BILL WALTON
Hoffer,
Christian (2018 ) Joe Manganiello Launches New Line of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
Streetwear at SDCC. comicbook.com/gaming/amp/2018/07/11/joe-manganiello-dungeons-and-dragons-death-saves-shirts.
Actor debuts new clothing line with D&D-themed clothing at San Diego Comic
Con and at San Diego’s Bait retail store.
FROM
DAVID MILLIANS
Ashwell,
Sam Kabo (2018 July 24) Bluebeard’s Bride. heterogenoustasks.wordpress.com/2018/07/24/bluebeards-bride.
A thoughtful review of game play and its social and psychological elements and
implications.
Ashwell,
Sam Kabo (2018 July 24) Diadem. heterogenoustasks.wordpress.com/2018/07/24/diadem.
The promise and perils of history-based games.
Healy,
Chris & Zhang Dayu (2018 July 30) Cosplaying Chinese are creating a
multibillion-dollar world. www.inkstonenews.com/business/hong-kongs-animation-comics-and-games-expo-turns-20/article/2157482.
Report and video from Hong Kong’s Animation, Comics & Games Expo.
Pucci,
Michelle (2018 July 24) Role-playing game aims to help Nunavut youth deal with
anxiety and depression. www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4758577.
Researchers in New Zealand and Canada develop culture-specific games for youth
at risk.
Tauriq
(2018 July 12) The labour of games. ineeddiversegames.net/2018/07/12/the-labour-of-games.
Gamer community deciding who can and cannot work for a game company.
FROM
HAWKE ROBINSON
Robinson,
Hawke (2018 June 13) Research on RPGs Primer & Don’t Split the Party. www2.rpgresearch.com/news/notable-research.
Succinct discussion of research to date with helpful links.
FROM
JOHN BOARDMAN
Hsu,
Tiffany (2018 June 18) W.H.O. Considers Recognizing ‘Gaming Disorder’. The
New York Times, B1. As an official condition, treatment would be more
accessible and higher quality, but many researchers and mental health care
providers question the label.
Herrman,
John (2018 June 18) Amazon Tightens Grip on Video Game Live Streaming. The
New York Times, B1. Competitors face large challenges due to Twitch’s
dominant position in streaming game play.
Rogers,
Katie (2018 ) ‘Lively’ Discussion, Like Many Before It, on Video Games and
Violence. The New York Times, A14. Lots of opinions, few solutions
offered during President Trump’s discussion with game producers and their
critics of violence in games.
CONVENTIONS
New listings this month were provided by Paul Cardwell and Lou
Zocchi. 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.
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. Louis Zocchi will be exhibiting at Conapalooza in
Kingsport, TN, on October 13-14.
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.
August 2018
4-5: Hobart Winter Gamefest, Lenah Valley Community Hall, 22
Creek Rd, Lenah Valley, Tas; hogs.org.au
10-12: Starfleet International Conference, Hilton Minneapolis/St.
Paul Airport, Bloomington, MN; ic2017.org
16-20: Worldcon, San Jose McEnery Convention Center, 150 W San
Carlos St, San Jose, CA; worldcon76.org
17-19: Geekfest, Mayborn Space Theater, Central Texas College,
Killeen, TX; starsatnight.org/geekfest
23-26: Wizard World Comic Con Chicago, Stevens Convention
Center, 5555 N. River Rd, Chicago, IL; wizardworld.com
24-26: Bubonicon, Albuquerque Marriott Uptown, 2101 Louisiana
Blvd NE (at I-40), Albuquerque, NM; bubonicon.com
25-26: Bergenfield Library Comic Con, Bergenfield Public
Library, 50 W Clinton Ave, Bergenfield, NJ; bergenfieldlibrary.org
28-29: PA Dev, Washington State Convention Center, 800
Convention Place, Seattle, WA; penny-arcade.com
30-September 2: B-Con, Ramada Plaza Northglenn/Denver North, 120
E 120th Ave, Northglenn, CO; tabletop.events/conventions/b-con-2018
31-September 2: GEXCon, Fredericksburg Expo Center,
Fredericksburg, VA;
31-September 2: ISU-Con, Hulkman Student Union, Indiana State
University, Terre Haute, IN; indstate.edu/rpguild
31-September 2: Meta Con, Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300
Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN: metaconvention.com
31-September 3: Pacificon, Santa Clara Marriott, 2700 Mission
College Blvd, Santa Clara, CA; pacificonngameexpo.com
31-September 3: PAX West, Washington State Convention Center,
800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA; penny-arcade.com
31-September 3: Strategicon Gateway, Hilton LAX, 5711 W Century
Blvd, Los Angeles, CA; strategicon.net
September 2018
7-9: Impossible Realities, InterAction School of Performing
Arts, 228 Germain Street, Saint John, NB; impossiblerealities.com
7-9: Queen City Conquest, Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153
Franklin St, Buffalo, NY; queencitycon.com
8-9: Washingcon, Georgetown University Conference Center, 3800
Reservoir Rd. NW, Washington, DC; washingcon.com
13-16: Amber Central, Doubletree Bloomington - Minneapolis
South, 7800 Normandale Blvd, Minneapolis, MN; ambercentral.com [Amber
diceless only]
15: Hall of Fame City Comic Con, Canton Civic Center, 1101 N.
Market Ave, Canton OH; hofcitycomiccon.com
15-16: World RPG Fest, Clube da Bola, Rua Francisco Nunes, 110,
Curitiba, PR, Brasil; worldrpgfest.com.br
21-23: Southern Front, Four Points, Raleigh-Durham Airport,
NC; trianglesimsociety.org [miniature
wargames]
22: Owlbear and Wizard's Staff, Bond Factory unit 13, Althorpe
St, Leanington Spa, Waawicks; asakosoh.wordsmith.com
22: Raiders of the Game Cupboard, Waterside Community Centre,
Heath Rd, Stapenhill, Burton on Trent; www.raidersofthegamecupboard.co.uk
29-30: Monster-Con, Wonderland of the Americas Mall, 4522
Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX; monstercon.com
29-30: Schweinfurter Fantasy-Festival, Jugendhaus,
Franz-Schubert-Str, Schweinfurt; fantasy-festival.de
29-October 1: MOAB, Sylvania Heights Community Club, Box Rd,
Sylvania, NSW; [mostly wargame including fantasy]
October 2018
10-14: NordlichtCon, Evangelischer Jugendhof Sachsenhain, Am
Jugendhof 17, Verden an der Aller; nordlichtcon.de
11-14: Festivalinternacionaldejuegascordoba.es, Palacio de los
Merced, Cordoba; festivaldejuegascordoba.es
12-13: NEA Game Fest, Hoxie Service Center, 500 SW Lawrence,
Hoxie, AR; tabletop.events/conventions/nea-game-fest-2018
13-14: Central City Comic Con, Kittitas Valley Event Center,
Ellensburg, WA; centralcitycomiccon.com
19-21: Necronomicon, Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore, 700 N
Westshore Blvd, Tampa, FL; www.facebook.com/NecronomiconFL
20: Spaghetti ConJunction, Geek Retreat, Priory Queensway,
Birmingham; spahetticonjunction.wordpress.com
25-28: Atlanta Game Fest, Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, 5750
Windward Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA; atlantagamefest.com
26-28: Hallowcon, Econolodge, 1507 N Tibb Rd, Dalton, GA; www.facebook.com/events/216406152436385 [horror]
26-28: NEWGamepalooza, Gruenhagen Conference Center, University
of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI; newgamepalooza.com
26-28: Oklahoma City Comic Con, Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad
Gardens, Oklahoma City, OK; wizardworld.com/comiccon/oklahomacity
26-28: PAX Australia, Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention
Centre Pl, South Wharf, Vic; paxaustralia.com.au
27-28: Nor'easter Gaming Expo, Shindigs, 17 Walter St, Bangor,
ME; 207tix.com/e/noreaster-gaming-expo
November 2018
1-3: Underground Comic Con, Delaware Contemporary, 200 S Madison,
Wilmington, DE; undergroundcomixxx.com
1-4: AmberCon NW, McMehamins Edgefield Bed & Breakfast
Resort, Troutsdale, OR; amberconnw.org [Amber
diceless and indie games]
2-4: Shadocon, Westshore Grand, Tampa, FL; events.cwtampa.cbslocal.com/tampa_fl/events/shadocon-2018-/E0-001-107933097-8
3: Con Plus, 35 Duncan Close, Moulton Park, Northampton, UK; www.upcomingcons.com/upcomingcons/29236-Con-Plus
17-18: Darmstadt Spielt, Wissenschafts-und Kongresszentrum
darmstadtium, Darmstadt; darmstadt-spielt.de
17-18: Dreieich Con, Bürgerhaus, Dreieich-Sperndingen,
Fichtestr. 50, Dreieich, Germany; dreieichcon.de
23-25: Stuffed COWS, College of Du Page Student Resource Center,
425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL; coldironconventions.com
30-December 2: PAX Unplugged, Pennsylvania Convention Center,
1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA; paxsite.com
©
Copyright 2018 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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