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Good Gameplay Guide

Edinburgh Indie Gamers is committed to fostering a safe, welcoming, and inclusive play culture where people of all backgrounds and tastes can enjoy themselves. We take this culture very seriously, and we try to model what we feel creates such an environment. These are not formal rules, but rather guidelines on what has worked for us over the years in ensuring games are enjoyable for all.

Guidelines

  • Make communication a norm rather than just a problem-solving tool. This takes the pressure off of using safety tools or having conversations about the game, and makes it feel less like a confrontation and more like part of the collaborative process.
  • Communicate your boundaries and expectations clearly. This includes giving a clear outline of what your game is going to be like and saying if there are some boundaries on content or behaviour you would like observed. The safety tools and pitch template are there to facilitate these conversations.
  • Respect your own and other people’s boundaries. Be sensitive to the boundaries other people set and don’t cross them. Also, if you feel your boundaries are being crossed, feel free to use the safety tools in play to call attention to this and ask it to stop. This is not a penalty or punishment, but a normal part of communication at the table.
  • Ask first and also check in afterwards. If you’re not sure about something, like the kind of content the game will cover or how people will feel about your contribution, ask first what people think about it. Even if you are sure about it, it can help to check first just in case. Also check in after to see if people are still okay with it.
  • If you make a mistake, take a step back, apologise, and work together to find a way forward. Mistakes can happen, and it’s up to all of us to act in good faith and rectify them.
  • Be collaborative. The games we play are often about working together with other players to tell a story. Listen to others’ input at the table, and when someone is stuck try and help them out if they are open to it.
  • Share the spotlight. Make sure everyone gets to have a moment to shine, and gets to be part of the group. If you are the game’s facilitator, you often have a wider overview of how the game is going, so take that opportunity to make sure everyone is involved in the game.
  • Help ensure in-character conflict stays fun. Some games pit players against each other. But even then, make sure you are all on the same page about how the game handles player-versus-player interactions, and you can incorporate everyone’s input in play.
  • Lean in to the game and its tone. Most games work best when everyone commits to the premise, genre, and tone. It’s okay if you need some time to warm up to it or get a feel for a game.
  • Ask if you need help understanding a game’s rules and mechanics. If you are facilitating a game, make sure you are familiar enough with the game to be able to explain it to new players.

Thanks and Attribution

This document was compiled by members of Edinburgh Indie Gamers based on advice and practices that are commonplace within the club. It embodies the play culture we try and promote at our events.

This document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. We encourage other events and organisations to take a similar approach to try articulate and encourage what they see as a positive and inclusive play culture.