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Queen's Court Games
Safe Play Tools

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Collaborative storytelling is a powerful tool for exploring characters we would otherwise never have the chance to inhabit, and situations we would otherwise never have the chance to face. Whether battling immortal evils in a fantasy epic, toppling corporations in a cyberpunk dystopia, or facing our fears in an abandoned asylum, Queen's Court Games exists to bring these experiences to life for our players and our audience.

 

From time to time, this means exposing characters to violence, trauma, sexual situations, and other topics certain people might find awkward, unpleasant, or uncomfortable. Safety tools allow us to explore difficult topics without risking someone's mental or physical well-being -- we can push each other to our respective limits, but not one inch further.

 

In order to to ensure an environment of safety, trust, and mutual respect, we rely on the following safety tools.

​General Rules
  • You Decide What's Right for You

    • No matter how excited or interested others at the table may be in a topic, each player has the final say over topics they are personally willing to engage with. This decision is not up for debate, and no player will attempt to persuade another to pursue an uncomfortable topic or scene.

  • The Default Answer Is "No."

    • All Community Members will complete a consent checklist before play begins, but the improvisational nature of role playing games means other topics might emerge without prior discussion. Every Community Member will secure the group's affirmative consent before introducing a potentially harmful topic, and agrees to immediately end any scene if a Community Member objects to the content depicted therein.​

  • Nobody Has to Explain

    • ​Any Community Member can object to any topic for any reason, without explanation. Period.​

  • Every Topic Has a Spectrum

    • ​A Community Member may be comfortable with scenes involving violence but draw the line at graphic depictions of blood and gore, or consent to platonic affection in-character while refusing overtly sexual acts. All Community Members will afford these incremental boundaries the same respect they would hard-no boundaries.

  • You Can Always Change Your Mind

    • ​Prior consent is not permanent consent. If a Community Member becomes uncomfortable with a topic they previously thought would be okay, all Community Members agree to immediately stop the scene as if they had refused consent in the first place.

  • Anyone Can Leave at Any Time

    • ​Sometimes, stopping a scene isn't enough to restore a safe environment. Any Community Member who feels unsafe at any time can stop play and leave the recording session without excuse or explanation, until they feel comfortable returning.

Consent Checklists

Community Members will be provided with a consent checklist before joining a Queen's Court Game production. While this checklist seeks to address a broad range of topics, it is by no mean comprehensives. Community Members should be sure to note any additional topics they find uncomfortable or objectionable.

 

Session Zero

All Queen's Court Games productions will include at least one "session zero." In addition to discussing the general story, characters, themes, and mood of the game, Community Members will use this time to reiterate potentially harmful topics, address individual concerns, and, if necessary or appropriate, clarify individual responses to consent checklists.

 

Trigger Warnings

All Queen's Court Games productions will be tagged with appropriate trigger warnings. This includes any Discord channels, discussions whether verbal, written, or electronic, and individual podcast or live streamed episodes where those topics may arise.

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Scene Remote

During gameplay, Community Members will have access to "scene remote" tools. These are used to adjust the speed of play -- just as one would use a television remote -- and allow Community Members to control the pace of content that, while sensitive, has not crossed an explicit boundary. These cues can be invoked verbally, by displaying a physical card on a webcam, or by displaying the card on the virtual tabletop. All Community Members have an affirmative responsibility to watch for these cues and verbally acknowledge them when they are invoked.

 

  • Fast Forward

    • Ask the current player to skip over unpleasant material. Use this to immediately wind the scene down, fading to black or quickly summarizing events before moving on to the next scene.

  • Rewind

    • Ask the current player to rewind to a specific point and start again. Use this to address small, specific issues that can be corrected with a quick discussion, working together with the rest of the table to adjust the direction a scene was taking.

  • Slow Motion

    • ​Ask the current player to move slowly through the current scene. Use this when you want to proceed carefully through a scene that is new, sensitive, or something you're unsure about. All players should pay special attention to the group's overall comfort level as the scene progresses

  • Pause

    • ​Ask the current player to pause -- but not stop -- the current scene. Use this when things are currently too intense, but will be fine moving forward without changes or omissions once you've had a moment to catch your breath. 

  • Stop

    • Ask the current player to immediately stop the current scene. Use this the same way you would an X-Card: to stop a scene that has crossed one of your limits or engages a topic you do not consent to participate in.

Corrective Action

If a Community Member fails to adhere to this code of conduct, Queen’s Court Games may pursue corrective action. In most cases, the Company will begin by providing the Team Member with a specific, actionable improvement goals, and a reasonable timetable for achieving them. However, in cases of egregious misconduct, the Company may take more drastic action, up to and including termination a first offense. 

 

Points of Contact

In general, Community Members should direct questions, concerns, and feedback about a specific production to their Producer. If the Producer is unable to resolve a specific issue or if, for any reason, a Community Member feels uncomfortable bringing it to their Producer, they can contact any Queen's Court Games Director through Discord message or e-mail.

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