The X-Card is a technique for moderating content while playing tabletop role-playing games, also known as a safety tool. Gameplay pauses when a player touches a card marked with an X, enabling the group to remove any uncomfortable material from the narrative and/or address players' mental and emotional wellbeing.
X-Card: Safety Tools for Simulations and Role-Playing Games by John Stavropoulos
The X-Card is an auxiliary ruleset added to roleplaying or simulation games that allows all players, including the gamemaster, to remove content from the game if it has made a player uncomfortable. Players indicate that they want to edit out that content by tapping or holding up the X-Card.[1][2][3]TTRPG Safety Toolkit states "the group can change, rewind, or skip the content" after the X-Card is used.[4] Stavropoulos describes the physical X-Card as simply an X drawn on an index card by the player facilitating the introduction of this tool in a game.[1]Consent in Gaming comments that a player may or may not wish to elaborate on "problem content" so boundaries can be updated after a game session where the X-Card is used.[5] It is advised that the groups respect what the player is "willing to discuss and what they might simply want to leave in the past".[5]
Stavropoulos highlighted that the X-Card gives players an "exit strategy" during an uncomfortable moment of gameplay.[1]: 7 On why to use this safety tool, he stated that:
The X-card creates a specific mood at the table. It says "We're here together. If you need to stop, we'll stop. The people playing are more important than the game we are playing." [...] Just having the X-Card present can increase the group's heightened awareness of everyone's risks and responsibilities. Even if the X-Card is never used, it still is a potent tool for getting everyone to think about each other first, and the game second.[1]: 7
Publication historyedit
The X-Card was invented by John Stavropoulos in 2013 who originally developed it for games with strangers, such as convention-based play.[1][6] He released it under a Creative Commons Share Alike license[a] which enables other games to include it in instructional materials.[7] The X-Card was one of several safety tools included in Consent in Gaming (2019) published by Monte Cook Games.[5] It was also included in the TTRPG Safety Toolkit which won the 2020 ENNIE Award for "Best Free Game / Product".[8][9] In 2021, Stavropoulos worked on the writing team for Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, the first official Dungeons & Dragons book to include the X-Card.[10] Also in 2021, Evil Hat Productions created a free RPG Safety Toolkit for Roll20 that includes the X-Card.[11][12] Soon after, Roll20 added X-Card functionality to its main user interface.[12] Evil Hat stated that "a content warning and the use of Safety Tools (like the X card, Script Change, or Lines & Veils) creates an atmosphere of trust and respect. You're setting the boundaries".[13]
Receptionedit
The X-Card is known for its simplicity of use and for helping players explore dark themes with the security of an agreed-upon way to stop.[2][3]CBC Life called it "one of the most commonly-used tools".[14] Mollie Russell of Wargamer compared the X-Card to consent tools in the BDSM community.[15] The X-Card is also popular with LGBT players.[16]
Maddie Cullen of Dicebreaker suggested the X-Card as the safety tool for when "something unexpected might still come up" even after determining game boundaries.[17] Cullen stated that "this kind of thing takes minutes to discuss and makes sure everyone enjoys themselves".[17] Rory Bristol of GeekDad wrote, "the X-Card helps a DM consider the needs of their group with a concise and simple tool. [...] Do what's best for your table, and if the X-Card can help even a little, put it to use, and everyone wins".[18]
James D'Amato, in the book The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book (2020), commented that "if a player uses the X-Card, they are not being picky or difficult – they are playing by the rules. With this tool, there is an established protocol to be considerate of each other's comfort".[19] D'Amato stated the pros of this safety tool are that it "streamlines communication" and is "easy to learn". However, as cons, D'Amato viewed the X-Card as a "reactive, not preventive" tool and that it "still requires someone to communicate in a difficult moment".[19] Academics Matthew Guzdial et al also highlighted the limitations of safety tools such as the X-Card and others. They commented that the X-Card is "an example of changing the space of play during the game itself [...]. If players are uncomfortable or would like to shift the way that the story is going during play, they can tap or raise the X-Card and all players drop the current storytelling thread".[20]
William J. White, a professor at Penn State Altoona, in a historical retrospect examined the early online discourse in The Forge diaspora on the X-Card including a discussion prompted by game designer Vincent Baker in 2013.[6] White highlighted that Stavropoulos was an event organizer who developed the tool to help ensure a "positive experience in convention-based play" with strangers, however, many online commentators assumed "play takes place within stable, pre-existing groups" which is "an important distinction in understanding the issue".[6] Some felt the X-Card "more or less obviously implies curtailing the range of normal activity at the table" and the tool was subject to ridicule while others "pointed to a legitimate need for safety mechanisms, challenging the critics on the jurisdictional grounds that they are misinterpreting the intent of the X-Card".[6] In 2013, Baker felt that X-card was an "unnecessary or harmful" game hack counter to the intentions of the game designer as "competent game designers" would be deliberate about including or excluding "emotional safety mechanisms".[6] This position was challenged, including by Stavropoulos himself, and the ensuing online discussion outlined positive experiences using the X-Card. Baker has since "completely reversed" his position and stated "my take now is that stand-alone safety tools that players can bring with them from game to game are valuable and important".[6]
^ abcReynolds, Sean K.; Germain, Shanna (2019). Consent in Gaming. Monte Cook Games. p. 6.
^ abcdefWhite, William J. (2020-09-21). "The Discourse of Player Safety in the Forge Diaspora, 2003-2013". Japanese Journal of Analog Role-Playing Game Studies. 1: 35–47. doi:10.14989/jarps_1_35. ISSN 2434-9682. S2CID 229018932.
^Hall, Charlie (2018-07-31). "How to work through your backlog of tabletop RPGs". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-04-05. One commonly used trick is called the X-Card, and it was first standardized by John Stavropoulos. [...] Many games, including the upcoming Star Crossed, incorporate this tool under its Creative Commons license.
^Girdwood, Andrew (2020-08-01). "The ENnies 2020 winners have been announced, and a doom metal art RPG won Best Product of the Year". Geek Native. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^"2020 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards". Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^Hall, Charlie (2021-05-12). "Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft is the biggest, best D&D book of this generation". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^"RPG Safety Tools - Play on the Roll20 Virtual Tabletop". Roll20. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^ abJarvis, Matt (2021-06-30). "Roll20 adds official safety tools to its online RPG sessions". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^"How Tabletop RPGs Are Being Reclaimed From Bigots and Jerks". Vice. January 31, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
^Yūe, Sebastian (May 7, 2020). "Just roll with it: How to move your in-person tabletop game online". CBC Life. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
^"The BDSM community can teach DnD players a lot about consent". Wargamer. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^Tunningley, Cole. "Exploring queer identity through Dungeons & Dragons". City Pulse. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^ ab"How to run a Session 0 for D&D and other RPGs". Dicebreaker. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
^Bristol, Rory (2016-10-03). "D&D For Young DMs and Players: The X-Card". GeekDad. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
^ abD'Amato, James (2020). The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book: 40 Fast, Easy, and Fun Tabletop Games (First ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 13–18. ISBN978-1-5072-1286-8. OCLC 1151490303.
^Guzdial, Matthew; Acharya, Devi; Kreminski, Max; Cook, Michael; Eladhari, Mirjam; Liapis, Antonios; Sullivan, Anne (2020-09-17). "Tabletop Roleplaying Games as Procedural Content Generators". International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games. FDG '20. New York, NY, USA: Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 1–9. doi:10.1145/3402942.3409605. ISBN978-1-4503-8807-8. S2CID 220496261.
March 13, 2024
card, technique, moderating, content, while, playing, tabletop, role, playing, games, also, known, safety, tool, gameplay, pauses, when, player, touches, card, marked, with, enabling, group, remove, uncomfortable, material, from, narrative, address, players, m. The X Card is a technique for moderating content while playing tabletop role playing games also known as a safety tool Gameplay pauses when a player touches a card marked with an X enabling the group to remove any uncomfortable material from the narrative and or address players mental and emotional wellbeing X CardDesignersJohn StavropoulosYears active2013 to presentGenresTabletop role playing gameMedia typeSafety tool Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Publication history 3 Reception 4 Games containing the X Card 5 Notes 6 ReferencesGameplay edit nbsp X Card Safety Tools for Simulations and Role Playing Games by John StavropoulosThe X Card is an auxiliary ruleset added to roleplaying or simulation games that allows all players including the gamemaster to remove content from the game if it has made a player uncomfortable Players indicate that they want to edit out that content by tapping or holding up the X Card 1 2 3 TTRPG Safety Toolkit states the group can change rewind or skip the content after the X Card is used 4 Stavropoulos describes the physical X Card as simply an X drawn on an index card by the player facilitating the introduction of this tool in a game 1 Consent in Gaming comments that a player may or may not wish to elaborate on problem content so boundaries can be updated after a game session where the X Card is used 5 It is advised that the groups respect what the player is willing to discuss and what they might simply want to leave in the past 5 Stavropoulos highlighted that the X Card gives players an exit strategy during an uncomfortable moment of gameplay 1 7 On why to use this safety tool he stated that The X card creates a specific mood at the table It says We re here together If you need to stop we ll stop The people playing are more important than the game we are playing Just having the X Card present can increase the group s heightened awareness of everyone s risks and responsibilities Even if the X Card is never used it still is a potent tool for getting everyone to think about each other first and the game second 1 7 Publication history editThe X Card was invented by John Stavropoulos in 2013 who originally developed it for games with strangers such as convention based play 1 6 He released it under a Creative Commons Share Alike license a which enables other games to include it in instructional materials 7 The X Card was one of several safety tools included in Consent in Gaming 2019 published by Monte Cook Games 5 It was also included in the TTRPG Safety Toolkit which won the 2020 ENNIE Award for Best Free Game Product 8 9 In 2021 Stavropoulos worked on the writing team for Van Richten s Guide to Ravenloft the first official Dungeons amp Dragons book to include the X Card 10 Also in 2021 Evil Hat Productions created a free RPG Safety Toolkit for Roll20 that includes the X Card 11 12 Soon after Roll20 added X Card functionality to its main user interface 12 Evil Hat stated that a content warning and the use of Safety Tools like the X card Script Change or Lines amp Veils creates an atmosphere of trust and respect You re setting the boundaries 13 Reception editThe X Card is known for its simplicity of use and for helping players explore dark themes with the security of an agreed upon way to stop 2 3 CBC Life called it one of the most commonly used tools 14 Mollie Russell of Wargamer compared the X Card to consent tools in the BDSM community 15 The X Card is also popular with LGBT players 16 Maddie Cullen of Dicebreaker suggested the X Card as the safety tool for when something unexpected might still come up even after determining game boundaries 17 Cullen stated that this kind of thing takes minutes to discuss and makes sure everyone enjoys themselves 17 Rory Bristol of GeekDad wrote the X Card helps a DM consider the needs of their group with a concise and simple tool Do what s best for your table and if the X Card can help even a little put it to use and everyone wins 18 James D Amato in the book The Ultimate Micro RPG Book 2020 commented that if a player uses the X Card they are not being picky or difficult they are playing by the rules With this tool there is an established protocol to be considerate of each other s comfort 19 D Amato stated the pros of this safety tool are that it streamlines communication and is easy to learn However as cons D Amato viewed the X Card as a reactive not preventive tool and that it still requires someone to communicate in a difficult moment 19 Academics Matthew Guzdial et al also highlighted the limitations of safety tools such as the X Card and others They commented that the X Card is an example of changing the space of play during the game itself If players are uncomfortable or would like to shift the way that the story is going during play they can tap or raise the X Card and all players drop the current storytelling thread 20 William J White a professor at Penn State Altoona in a historical retrospect examined the early online discourse in The Forge diaspora on the X Card including a discussion prompted by game designer Vincent Baker in 2013 6 White highlighted that Stavropoulos was an event organizer who developed the tool to help ensure a positive experience in convention based play with strangers however many online commentators assumed play takes place within stable pre existing groups which is an important distinction in understanding the issue 6 Some felt the X Card more or less obviously implies curtailing the range of normal activity at the table and the tool was subject to ridicule while others pointed to a legitimate need for safety mechanisms challenging the critics on the jurisdictional grounds that they are misinterpreting the intent of the X Card 6 In 2013 Baker felt that X card was an unnecessary or harmful game hack counter to the intentions of the game designer as competent game designers would be deliberate about including or excluding emotional safety mechanisms 6 This position was challenged including by Stavropoulos himself and the ensuing online discussion outlined positive experiences using the X Card Baker has since completely reversed his position and stated my take now is that stand alone safety tools that players can bring with them from game to game are valuable and important 6 Games containing the X Card editThis article contains dynamic lists that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources Van Richten s Guide to Ravenloft For the Queen Alex Roberts Thirsty Sword Lesbians April Kit Walsh Visigoths vs Mall Goths Lucian Kahn Notes edit Specifically the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3 0 Unported CC BY SA 3 0 License 1 References edit a b c d e f Stavropoulos John 2013 X Card Safety Tools for Simulations and Role Playing Games Google Docs Self published Retrieved 2023 04 05 a b Gailloreto Coleman 2021 05 18 Three Tabletop RPG Safety Tools And Why They re Important ScreenRant Retrieved 2023 04 05 a b Nelson Samantha 2019 02 21 A beginner s guide to playing Dungeons and Dragons Polygon Retrieved 2023 04 05 Shaw Kienna Bryant Monk Lauren August 12 2021 TTRPG Safety Toolkit v 2 5 Smooching Knife Retrieved April 5 2023 a b c Reynolds Sean K Germain Shanna 2019 Consent in Gaming Monte Cook Games p 6 a b c d e f White William J 2020 09 21 The Discourse of Player Safety in the Forge Diaspora 2003 2013 Japanese Journal of Analog Role Playing Game Studies 1 35 47 doi 10 14989 jarps 1 35 ISSN 2434 9682 S2CID 229018932 Hall Charlie 2018 07 31 How to work through your backlog of tabletop RPGs Polygon Retrieved 2023 04 05 One commonly used trick is called the X Card and it was first standardized by John Stavropoulos Many games including the upcoming Star Crossed incorporate this tool under its Creative Commons license Girdwood Andrew 2020 08 01 The ENnies 2020 winners have been announced and a doom metal art RPG won Best Product of the Year Geek Native Retrieved 2023 04 05 2020 Nominees and Winners ENNIE Awards Retrieved 2023 04 05 Hall Charlie 2021 05 12 Van Richten s Guide to Ravenloft is the biggest best D amp D book of this generation Polygon Retrieved 2023 04 05 RPG Safety Tools Play on the Roll20 Virtual Tabletop Roll20 Retrieved 2023 04 05 a b Jarvis Matt 2021 06 30 Roll20 adds official safety tools to its online RPG sessions Dicebreaker Retrieved 2023 04 05 How Tabletop RPGs Are Being Reclaimed From Bigots and Jerks Vice January 31 2020 Retrieved 2021 04 21 Yue Sebastian May 7 2020 Just roll with it How to move your in person tabletop game online CBC Life Retrieved April 5 2023 The BDSM community can teach DnD players a lot about consent Wargamer Retrieved 2023 04 05 Tunningley Cole Exploring queer identity through Dungeons amp Dragons City Pulse Retrieved 2023 04 05 a b How to run a Session 0 for D amp D and other RPGs Dicebreaker July 12 2022 Retrieved July 13 2022 Bristol Rory 2016 10 03 D amp D For Young DMs and Players The X Card GeekDad Retrieved 2023 04 05 a b D Amato James 2020 The Ultimate Micro RPG Book 40 Fast Easy and Fun Tabletop Games First ed New York Simon and Schuster pp 13 18 ISBN 978 1 5072 1286 8 OCLC 1151490303 Guzdial Matthew Acharya Devi Kreminski Max Cook Michael Eladhari Mirjam Liapis Antonios Sullivan Anne 2020 09 17 Tabletop Roleplaying Games as Procedural Content Generators International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games FDG 20 New York NY USA Association for Computing Machinery pp 1 9 doi 10 1145 3402942 3409605 ISBN 978 1 4503 8807 8 S2CID 220496261 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title X Card amp oldid 1209282516, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
