The third installment of audio from our gaming group, the Miami Gaming Authority, play-testing 13th Age by Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan Tweet, and the folks at Pelgrane Press. Our Wizard Fifthicus is called off on urgent business, but a mysterious new ranger aides the adventurers.
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It's nice to hear 13th Age in actual playtesting, but it's very disconcerting to hear the woman player taking God's name in vain multiple times. Maybe emphasize that the audio is going to be posted publicly and ask for the players to watch their language?
ReplyDeleteHi There,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you found it useful to hear 13th Age in actual play.
Our podcast is hosted on iTunes and includes the explicit tag, to emphasize the fact that foul language may be heard. I do not emphasize this on the site, however, and will do so. Thank you for catching this. I definitely don't want anyone to be surprised by what they hear.
However, I believe that Actual Play is meant to be heard as authentically as possible with minimal editing. This include editing before the session, and I feel my players should always feel fit to express themselves however they wish.
You should consider that your audience may be offended by such language. Maybe you can bleep out the foul language as a courtesy to your listeners who may not feel it's appropriate to blaspheme in the name of a game test. It's not that difficult to ask your players to watch their language and I don't think they would be as offended by being asked that as I am, and perhaps others are, by hearing the profanity. I think you'll find that your players would be respectful of that and honor that guideline.
ReplyDeleteI think we may have well-established both of our positions, so I will close this comment line.
ReplyDeleteBut to speak to a few points:
Use of foul language is an aesthetic choice for actual plays, and is for the sake of my players, not for the sake of a game test. I record game sessions at the permission and tolerance of the players. We could censor ourselves at the table, but it would alter the experience for its members. I don't believe that any of our language is inconsistent with the current PG-13 rating standards.
However, you'll notice that all of the show audio which is not actual play is completely swear-free. I do believe that information meant to be purely informative rather than entertainment should contain nothing of an offensive nature.
We've actually entertained bleeping previously, if you listen to some recent actual play, I've tested this. It represents a great deal of work, but eventually clean versions may become available.
Until then I would suggest that sensitive listeners confine their listening to reviews.