soddersays | In Regards to Content Warnings: A Game Wide Update

Content Warnings for Players

Hello Deerlings. Horror games are often designed to create an uncomfortable and unsettling atmosphere, but we do not want to risk genuine upset of any player nor do we want accidental upset happening between players. As of March 2020, we have decided to create a player-run excel spreadsheet for players to use in order to detail the specifications of their personal triggers. This spreadsheet is meant specifically for genuine triggers and intense phobias: please do not include minor discomforts/squicks. Content warnings should be used strictly for genuinely upsetting content that can cause active PTSD flashbacks or intense stress/reactions/harmful head spaces for other various mental reasons/conditions. We hope that this will help people better understand the intended functionality of CWs in the game.

We encourage players to be consistently open with each other as well as the mod team about their possible triggers. Please notify players/mod ASAP about possible missteps in labeling CWs.

This is a united effort towards comfort. Please understand that people might make mistakes or might misunderstand what constitutes as specific triggers. Correct people kindly and allow yourselves to be corrected. Even with the excel spreadsheet, be understanding of the fact that people may still make errors or simply forget. We encourage people to try to be as diligent as possible, but it is important to remember that content warnings can and often are tricky to navigate. If anyone ever feels like players are not being considerate after requests for adjustments, please feel free to contact any one of the mod team.

When putting your information on the list, please make sure to include detailed notes so that people can better understand your requested content warnings. Try not to be vague in your notes since it might cause miscommunication/misunderstandings about what does or does not trigger/upset you.

Even if you do not have any content warnings/triggers we do encourage you to fill out a section on the list so that other people can know ahead of time. You can simply put N/A for your line. This is a player-run list, so please be responsible for any appropriate adjustments such as the addition or removal of characters/content warnings.

We will still include what content warnings you need on character applications so that players might have a point of reference on your actual journal.

Filling a section out on this excel sheet is not required: it is merely a suggestion to improve communication.

The excel spreadsheet can be found here.

If you have any questions about this please feel free to leave a comment below. Due to the sensitive nature of content warnings we have screened comments for the privacy of our players.