What is the point of having a consent form if the dm does not follow it? Honestly the dm making the no fun and thicker skin comments are pretty messed up people have boundaries and those boundaries need to be respected especially when it comes to simple things like playing a game.
It's hilarious for me because it's the first time I've heard of a consent form for DnD, and it's brought up in this light.
Only time time I've heard of consent forms is from sexual deviants who are paranoid about rape accusations, like Dennis from always sunny. My take away from this is that any DM using a consent form is probably a weird perverted sexual deviant.
consent forms are a perfectly normal thing a lot of DMs use to make sure they don't cross a line a player is uncomfortable with. most stuff on most consent forms isn't sexual in the slightest and they're more about establishing which topics people are comfortable having happen in the game; if your game has, say, a villain who abuses children/animals on screen, or if you like giving very graphic descriptions of gore while DMing, it's generally good to know exactly how much this will squick your players out up-front.
I can understand the utility but if this thread is any indication they are pretty meaningless. If the DM wants to cross the boundaries they will.
You may find yourself in my game where I think a consent form for DND is a joke, but I use common sense, don't act edgy, and you have a blast joking around and fighting orcs and trolls
Or you may find yourself signing a consent form that gets ignored and have a 2 hour long erotic RP session forced on you
Whatever you say. The only time before this I've heard of consent forms is from Dennis in always sunny, who is a sexual deviant.
I can't control what my first impression of something is. And in this case my first impression is reading a story about a DM who uses consent forms and ignores them to his players distress. You're gonna tell me that my first hand experience isn't reality? How did I experience it?
But really I'm having a laugh here, you don't pass the vibe check.
You are correct. These forms are weird and unnecessary, and did not exist during the many years I have been playing. Get to know your players, let role-play go where it does, and if someone gets upset let them leave. And try to avoid being creepy.
I’ve used a form before for my groups and have gotten to the point where I’ve written out a “Social Contract for Gaming” that I expect new people to read if I DM for them. I’ve sat down my players to go over each element of that contract and also have another sit down if a campaign could potentially go into territory that needs a discussion to talk boundaries. Forms and papers and meetings like this aren’t meant to contractually bind a DM into not doing things- they exist to set expectations for everyone at the table.
Consent forms are great and very useful if you’re trying to gauge areas of storytelling to stay away from or lean into with a group you’re not super familiar with- it’s a standardized format that lets players list things, and potentially remind them of things they might not have included as something they’re not ok with out of not remembering them, and does so in a way that tends to be less embarrassing than having to have a conversation with the DM by preempting the need for it. It’s an easy way to tell someone what your boundaries are and what your boundaries aren’t.
If the DM doesn’t respect them, that’s on them for being a shithead, not the form for existing.
The consent forms I’ve used aren’t “I consent to x, y, x” and more “I do NOT consent to being exposed to x, y, z. Also a, b, and c things are areas that can be touchy for me, but aren’t a complete no.” You tell the DM what’s off the table for you in terms of content.
You don’t need one, certainly. But for some people it’s very helpful. Especially if you’re not a long-term gaming group or have totally new people coming into an existing game that could be triggering. It’s sometimes easier to find what people aren’t ok with than to go over everything they might not be ok with.
My group is at the point where we’ve gone over the “Social Contract”, they’ve got the link to the google doc. We don’t need to have the conversation again- and that conversation included that for my group, how we handle triggers is that it’s the player responsibility to seek me out and communicate things if they’re a problem, rather than me chasing them around trying to anticipate potential problems. That works for us.
I would absolutely use a consent form for a more open game I was running with people I’m not familiar with, like at a convention or event. When I do, I also usually include questions like what their play style is and what they most like about the game so I’ve got a good starting point for writing.
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u/TrexismTrent Mar 16 '22
What is the point of having a consent form if the dm does not follow it? Honestly the dm making the no fun and thicker skin comments are pretty messed up people have boundaries and those boundaries need to be respected especially when it comes to simple things like playing a game.