TTRPG Streaming & Safety Tools: A REVIEW THREAD.

No channels or productions are going to be named. I simply want to list & reflect on my experiences.

The first couple games I was invited to be a part of were one-shots on separate channels. Both implemented the "X,N, O (&O?)" cards in private chat & on-screen by explicitly instructing and explaining to the cast during pre-roll what they were for. Excellent for a new player.

I didn't use them myself, but it got me thinking about the idea that I, as a player, had the right to opt-in to story elements. It wasn't until I GM'd on-screen that I felt comfortable to X-card something a player's character had done. Honestly? It was terrifying to do that.

The reaction of the player was compliant and supportive, but also, they were shocked & ashamed. Having to pull the X-card for my own health made me feel guilty for making a player feel like that. So, the X-card isn't great by itself for streams & narrative fluidity.

That leads to the next tool: Lines & Veils.

L&V are often paired with the X/N/O/O? tools on-stream as a quick session zero. "Here's an anonymous spreadsheet, fill it out, it's a living document always up for change." Another pretty interesting tool!

I got into the habit of always putting down "spiders" as a line, and "sexual assault/harrassment" if it wasn't already there. Then, as I played more, I realized my list of L&V's was getting pretty long...but I needed more context of the table & it's intended narrative.

For streams that are hip with the safety, these two tools paired together are the golden standard. They work well together, but they are reactive tools & put the responsibility on the person harmed.

A moment that haunts me to this day was when a regular group I was playing in decided to try an evil campaign every now and again when our DM couldn't show up. We didn't put anything in terms of safety in place, bc we thought we knew each other.

I messed up. I chose an attack bc statistically, a fellow PC wasn't going to be harmed even though they were in line of fire. I ended up killing that PC's animal companion, and it was a big no-no that I didn't think about. I still feel awful, but I use this as my big lesson.

In that instance, tools that could have prevented this: A Session Zero discussion, with a Consent Checklist + Line & Veils. But more importantly, we have to respect the boundaries of communication btwn players vs their PC's.

Some ppl think that it ruins immersion if I as a player want to inform Player B about what my PC intends on doing beforehand, but I'd rather have that quick convo than for the pain & bleed to cause irreparable harm. That's mutual respect for the table & the story.