Asking Me to be in a TTRPG

Asking Me to be in a TTRPG

(or panel, podcast, co-stream, event, etc.)

Let me preface this by saying it’s likely the most pretentious thing I’ve written in a while. A to-do list for asking me (or anyone) to be in a (streamed) TTRPG or project? Who the heck am I to think anyone would want to ask me to be in things, or that they might need a heads up on how I’d like to be asked?

Good question! As for me, I’ve been streaming for about 8 years, working with companies and organizations for a lot of game releases, charity campaigns, and special events. I’ve been in a long-running streamed TTRPG series, a few shorter campaigns, and several one-shots. I’ve also been invited as a guest or co-host on a lot of streamed panels and podcasts. So I’m familiar with being asked to participate in things!

This post started out as a list in a .txt file of the things I want to ask, and honestly, it was drawn from both good and bad experiences I’ve had before, and I wanted to turn the negative ones into a net positive and try to be well-informed for next time. A lot of items mentioned are going to fall back on the old “5 W’s and 1 H”: what, where, when, why, who, and how. Which should seem like common sense, and yet…

All of these things will not apply to your situation, and that’s fine. Whether you’re a streamer, player, organizer, producer, one-time guest, etc. this list was created for me, by me and focused on, “What information do I need to know up-front so that I can best be organized and prepared for the event?”

If this all seems overwhelming, that’s OK, that’s normal. Having a checklist helps, as does asking others for help. As streamers, we’re used to managing everything on our own, but when putting on a special event, you may need to wrangle in more people: a producer, moderators to manage chat, someone to monitor questions or donations. For many events, people are happy to volunteer, but if you’re able to pay them for their time (even if that’s requested “exposure”) please consider it.

But enough from me, let’s dive in… to more words from me. Because this is my website. Anyway…

Actually first, a huge thank you to Val aka spacevalkyries for proofreading this chomker of a document. Ok, now let’s get into it.

What Are We Playing?

For a TTRPG stream, this one seems like a no-brainer, right? Well… I’ve definitely been invited to some that completely fail to mention what system will be used in the initial email or DM. I can’t always assume that it’s going to be D&D 5e. It may be what I’ve played the most in recent years, but it’s not the default game.

Give a good idea of what the stream is all about, say what the game is going to be. If there are multiple game options, like during a marathon, say what the options are. Or if the games aren’t fully decided by the GMs, say so, but realize that someone may not be interested in playing just any game. I always want to know what system is being played at the table before committing.

Another thing is if I express interest in playing a particular system and it changes or falls through, let me know as soon as possible. I wouldn’t want to start the in-person or virtual session zero and suddenly discover we’ll be playing something that I didn’t prepare for.

For non-TTRPG streams, much the same thing, really. Give me an idea of what you want to discuss, what the topics are, if there are talking points or an agenda ahead of time. We won’t always have all the information, but making your players and guests as prepared as possible will get the best response.

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Who’s Invited?

Who you’re inviting to play in the game or event, in my opinion, is just as important as what we’ll be playing. I admit that it can be tricky, because it may inadvertently put you in the position of managing people and their personalities instead of just inviting folks to participate.

In the event you have no idea who else is playing yet–maybe it was an open call on social media, or in my case, there’s been one charity event that the organizer specifically says the tradition is that I’m the first person they ask each year. Be as upfront as you can about the kind of players you’re asking. Whether that’s “a lot of actual play experience,” “strong preference towards players of color,” or even “people I just think are neat”.

And, this is the tricky part, please be OK with me saying no specifically based on who else will be playing. I or others may tell you, in any level of detail, that we don’t want to be at the table with specific people. Or we may not and just say no. 

The TTRPG and streaming spaces seem big, but at the end of the day it’s a small world. So sometimes this can lead to a “Today I Learned” moment about someone in the gaming space and I ask that you respect my or anyone’s decision to decline. 

It might also be nothing more than, “this table skews heavily towards an overrepresented group… plus me.” As a queer black streamer and player, I want to encourage diverse and inclusive spaces and not feel like a “diversity hire”. However, on the flip side… you might mention a name that makes me think, “Holy crap, I definitely want to participate in this event!”

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What Other Things Have You Done?

This one is a bit of a pet peeve. Harsh as it may sound, don’t assume I’m familiar with anything you’ve done, just give me a title and a summary, or send a link to a Twitch or YouTube playlist. Especially if what you’re asking about is in a similar vein. And it can be a link to something that is the inspiration for the style or content of the game, even if it’s not yours.

It’s very Communication 101, putting your best foot forward and highlighting your achievements. But it does stem from me getting a few emails or DMs and someone says, quite confidently, “Just like my last event, [Event Name]!” And then I immediately go to Google or their social media links trying to find an example of it.

There are so many streams and actual plays happening all of the time, it’s not possible to keep up with them all. (I still haven’t watched all of Critical Role.) And it’s fine if I’ve never heard of what you’ve done before now, that shouldn’t stop you from asking, but unless your previous projects have a ton of buzz or you’ve seen me specifically talking about them before, assume nothing.

Consider links to specific moments, social media posts, or even a highlight reel. Honestly, that last one, I don’t have time to do, so I don’t expect anyone else to. But even just a link to one video you’re most proud of will give me an idea of you as an event runner, GM or player.

It will also eliminate the awkwardness of me politely and professionally trying to pretend I have a working knowledge of the thing you just mentioned, because chances are I won’t. It’s not you, it’s me. I have a day job, I stream, and I try to do shows every now and then. Free time is not something I have in abundance.

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When Is It Happening?

Speaking of free time… when is the game or event? That’s it. That’s the question. As the saying goes, “Scheduling is the final boss of every TTRPG campaign.”

I am the kind of person that will virtually pencil in calendar items for something the moment I know it exists, so I can see whether I have existing conflicts, and so I can see how other proposed events may overlap.

Even vague dates will work, especially since you’re probably dealing with multiple people, all of whom have their own schedules to manage. And you need everyone to weigh in and confirm, “That date works for me.” 

Narrow down when you want to have the game, weekdays or weekends, mornings or evenings. And always (always always) include your time zone when you discuss times and dates. It’s nice if you can include my time zone, but I use online tools to convert the time math that I can’t do in my head.

If it helps, make use of an online calendar tool that everyone can mark available dates and times in, and that keeps everyone up to date on the most likely available dates. And once you have confirmation, send out a calendar invite to everyone. Even if they don’t RSVP “Yes,” it’s still on their calendar.

I’ll have more on this later, but when you’re thinking about dates and times, once you know the time zones of participants, consider the time and duration you’re asking for. Most TTRPG streams last 2-3 hours, including up to 1 hour for set up. Does that time overlap the work day, or meal time for a participant? The main reasons I decline invitations are that I’m working, I’m streaming, or it runs past my bedtime.

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How Many Sessions?

Tying back into the point about dates is also how many sessions are you thinking, and how long are you expecting them to run? Please note that the inevitable, “I’d love to get these characters together again!” that comes after a one-shot–and may never happen–does not count as an additional session for planning purposes.

It won’t always apply, since I get asked more about TTRPG one-shots or special events with a specific date than anything else, but if you’re asking me to be involved in something, the number of sessions is super important to lead with. A few hours on a single day is easier to plan for than asking for the same regular commitment 10 weeks in a row.

I definitely need to know how long to block out time for. Especially knowing there may be more time in the beginning for technical setup, and in some cases extra time at the end for an aftershow or talkback. What are the start and end times for the actual show/event vs. the call times for cast and crew.

Again, always (always always) include the time zone in every communication, never assume I know. Most of us interact online, we don’t actively know where each other live and what time zone we’re in.

Will there be a break and for how long? For a 1-2 hour panel, stream or game, it’s not that necessary, but longer than that, your cast will need a break. Also if you’re streaming, it’s a great time to run your own ads since TTRPGs can’t always stop every 30 or 60 mins. If any game runs right up against or overlaps with my dinner time, I’ll need a break to eat. And as I’m being good and drinking more water this year, I’ll definitely need a potty break.

And, as someone who streams, I like it when people consider that I have a regularly scheduled stream on the weekends. So if they’re asking me to do anything else on the weekend, I’ll have already been on camera 2-3 hours that day. For me to give my best alert and attentive performance, I’ll need proper time in between to recharge (and probably shove food in my face).

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Is There a Session Zero?

While not always necessary, I love a good Session Zero. And I mean not necessary in that much of it can be handled over email, Discord or group DMs and we don’t always have to be on a call. But I do like at least a note of introduction or a group message to all of us, since while TTRPG is a small space, we don’t all know each other.

It’s a great time to go over the concept of the one-shot or series in more detail, get the genre and tone, figure out how to best craft our characters, and determine what the rating is. PG-13 is often the default for streamed games, but it’s good to get everyone on the same page just in case you don’t want repeated F-bombs throughout the session. (Or in case you do!)

Think about it like keywords, especially if you’re using a sign up or audition form for games. Check with the GM(s) to get a game summary or at least some basics:

• Tone: funny, gritty, dramatic, chaotic
• Crunch: combat heavy, narrative focused, PVP
• Genre (if not obvious from system): fantasy, sci-fi, isekai, cyberpunk, mystery
• Playstyle: theater of the mind, VTT, maps, player-driven, on rails (or light rails) to GM’s finale
• Rules: as written, rule of cool, house rules

I have gotten to a Session Zero and found out that the game the GM had planned was not the game that I had been invited to or had in mind, so it is important especially if you want full buy in from the players/cast.

But for me, and several others, the most important thing to touch on during a Session Zero is safety tools. I hope I don’t have to cover why they’re necessary, but the quick summary is to make sure everyone at the table has their boundaries respected and is comfortable with the ongoing content of the game.

Talking about the genre, tone, and rating will go a long way towards setting player expectations, however you should still check in with players to make sure they have a means of giving a thumbs up or down to content that might show up, as well as being able to mention elements they want to see happen in the game.

For ease, here are links to some of the most often used methods: 

• Lines & Veils – Ron Edwards
• Consent in Gaming PDF (Google Form version) – Monte Cook Games
• X-Card – John Stavropoulos
• Script Change – Beau Jágr Sheldon
• TTRPG Safety Toolkit PDF – Kienna Shaw

I don’t see any of these as a hindrance to the kind of game I want to be in. If you see them as a hindrance to the kind of game you want to run, that tells me a lot. Mostly that I probably don’t want to be in your game.

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How Do I Sign Up?

This is less about a direct ask to participate in something, and more for when you put out an open call on social media for auditions or sign ups to be in a game or participate in an event. These posts can be great for engagement and reach, but I’ve found they’re often lacking helpful information I as an applicant would love to know.

If there’s a deadline or cut-off date for applications, say it clearly either in the social media post, or on the sign up form. Let applicants know if there’s a date that they will hear a yes or no by, or if they haven’t heard anything by a certain date, that indicates they weren’t chosen. 

That last one seems obvious, but it’s nice to know when I can focus my energy and attention elsewhere. It’s more considerate of my time as an applicant and should be something you already know up front. And it helps me know that you weren’t just collecting replies and reactions for engagement. (This is more throwing shade on streaming opportunities and activations than TTRPG ones, I’ll admit.)

If you create a signup form and the event isn’t under an NDA, make it something that the applicant can keep a copy of, or a copy of which gets emailed back to them. For a lot of things, it’s my first time putting myself forward, and a lot of applications ask for the same information and answers. I’m not above reusing or giving a quick editorial pass on previous text to submit with the next application. 

(Don’t talk to me about my Google Document with at least 20 versions of my bio in it. Please just don’t.)

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Any Technical Details?

Now I’m starting to get into the more technical stuff, while still being something I’d like to know: how are we all going to connect for the game and what are the technical requests and/or requirements? It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the initial ask, but hopefully the person running the event still has it in mind to mention fairly soon after.

Will we be using cameras and are green screens requested, will there be a producer, how much tech setup do we need, is audio also being recorded separately, are we using a separate site for music or closed captioning?

Ok, I take back what I said, since some people assume what a tech baseline is, you might do well to ask, “Are you comfortable being on camera, do you have a good microphone setup, and stable internet?” I am, I do, and I do. I prefer to be on camera at least with the other players so it’s easier for us to interact with each other and not step on each other’s contributions.

If you have super-specific requirements, now is the time to bring those up. For instance, one series I was on preferred cast members’ microphones not be in their camera shot. Most of us have our mics nearby, so it took a little extra configuring that I wish I’d known about ahead of time.

The four main video call services I’ve used, in order of robustness:

• Zoom
• Discord
• Stream Together (formerly Twitch’s Guest Star)
• VDO.Ninja

Mainly the number of features and ease of use wins out. Zoom and Discord are more user-friendly, Stream Together and VDO.Ninja have less features and rely more on everyone’s internet connection for stability.

Let me know if you’re running the stream yourself, or if you’re lucky enough to have a producer on deck. Most of us are our own producers, but if you’re able to afford one, or get one to volunteer, it really does take a lot of the technical worries out of your hands so you can focus on the game.

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Paid and/or Promotion?

Some of this will apply more to opportunities than TTRPG actual play, but I wanted to make sure I touched on the elephant in the room: getting compensated for our time. There are a few discussions happening on social media about getting actual play to the level that money flowing into projects is the norm instead of the exception.

I rarely expect to get paid for appearing in games, series or one-shot. It’s lucky that the one long-running series I was in could pay the cast and crew, but that’s not a common experience.

If I’m appearing in a charity game, then I can easily consider the time I’m giving part of my contribution to the charity. If it’s an event or game being run or sponsored by an established company or organization, then I do have to wonder if we’re being compensated, and if not, why not? Why wasn’t it factored into their budget?

On the off chance you are working with a major organization that will be paying you, they should draw up and send over a contract. It should detail precisely what is expected, what the deliverables are, and most importantly: how and when you get paid. Generally it’s 30-45 days after you send them an invoice. (I like to make a calendar appointment to send an invoice the day after my deliverable, then add a second calendar appointment the appropriate number of days out to check that the payment has arrived.)

We joke about it, but streamers cannot survive on exposure. We can get by on tips, if you’re willing. Adding a link to Ko-fi or totalling up the cheers and subscriptions that come in during the stream, then dividing it out among the cast is appreciated, but again, generally not expected.

And that’s not to say that exposure can’t help, but you have to commit to it. Get our social media handles and headshots, make posts tagging us, repost our posts about the game. Make a graphic suitable for the various platforms and give us any account handles or hashtags that we should use in our posts. Hype is still a valid currency on social media, so let’s make sure we’re using it to its fullest. 

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Final Thoughts

No thoughts. Head empty. Please, ask and invite me to be in your TTRPG actual plays, podcasts, panels, and other special events.

I’m very willing… but I might have some questions first. 😉

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