Go Play NW is a small tabletop gaming convention based in Seattle, WA. At Go Play NW, we seek to create a welcoming space for new and experienced players and GMs to explore and play indie story games, with particular attention to attendees of color, LGBTQIA+ attendees, and attendees with disabilities. To outline what we mean by “welcoming space,” we’ve developed this general code of conduct for both our volunteers and visitors.

We ask that everyone examine this document before attending or volunteering at an event with us.

Let’s meet new people, and play fun games!

Please…

1. Respect yourself! And others.
   At Go Play NW, games are important, but people are more important. Our fun should not come at the cost of another’s safety and comfort. Let’s take care of ourselves and those around us by…
   1. respecting the identity, presentation, and autonomy of all people in our space.
      1. As we strive to provide a welcoming, safe environment for all attendees, content associated with historical atrocities, current hate groups, or material otherwise promoting bigotry are strictly forbidden from all Go Play NW events and spaces. This includes any memes, jokes, or off-hand comments (textual or otherwise) made in Discord channels which promote hate speech including (but not limited to): neo-facscism, anti-trans or transphobic rhetoric, xenophobia, ableism, fatphobia, anti-Semitism, or classism.
      2. We (Go Play NW) stand firmly against toxic hate, fear, and violence and, in situations of uncertainty regarding a raised issue, will ultimately decide what is and is not considered hate speech at our events.
   2. understanding the necessity of enthusiastic consent in all types of interactions.
      1. When asking for something, the answer might be “maybe” or “no.” Only “yes” means “yes.”
      2. When someone asks us for something, it’s ok to say “no!”
      3. Consent is an ongoing process; make sure to keep checking in during games and understand that anyone may revoke consent at any time for any reason.
   3. playing kindly, safely, and patiently
      1. Discuss with the table: what kinds of safety and calibration tools are most appropriate for today’s game?
      2. Honor the table’s chosen safety tools.
      3. Eat food; drink water; and take breaks.
      4. Online spaces can make communication difficult for some, while physical spaces can be more difficult for others. Let’s work together to make all convention spaces welcoming by communicating in good faith, with patience, and with respect for our own and others’ access needs.
   4. participating in our community.
      1. Go Play NW is at its best when we welcome new people enthusiastically.
      2. Everyone has the power to both play and run games. We can contribute by actively creating fun games.
      3. That said, not all games align with Go Play NW’s values or principles and are prohibited from our events. (Please see our Prohibited Games list for more details.)
2. Abide by Go Play NW procedures and appreciate our staff’s time and effort.
   Go Play NW’s staff (volunteers, administrators, and safety team members) work hard to make our event shine. When we attend Go Play NW, we show respect for that effort by…
   1. participating in Go Play NW events with empathy and patience.
      1. Events like the Donut may have limited space, and the games on offer are not guaranteed. It’s ok to be disappointed, but it’s not ok to be rude to Go Play NW staff.
      2. Go Play NW staff work hard, but during peak times, they can have limited capacity. We can support them by approaching waits patiently and requesting attention politely.
   2. choosing appropriate spaces for personal items and conversation and moving these when asked. For example,
      1. Not every conversation is appropriate for every space. Staff may request that online conversation be moved to a different channel, or off of the public Discord.
      2. During in-person events, personal items may crowd aisles that need to be open for safety reasons. Staff may ask that these items be moved or removed from an area so that everyone can safely and easily traverse the space.
      3. If a request feels inappropriate, feedback can be submitted to business@goplaynw.org or referred to a safety officer by flagging a comment in the Discord or requesting escalation in person.
   3. complying with age restriction policies.
      1. Go Play NW is an age-restricted event. All attendees must be over the age of 18 years at time of attendance.
      2. We believe that young gamers need age-appropriate games, and all gamers should play in an environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves freely. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the necessary separate gaming space for all-ages gaming.
      3. While Go Play NW is not an event for young gamers, we want young gamers to flourish. We highly recommend OrcaCon, Geek Girl Con, and Dragonflight, who sponsor family-friendly roleplaying events in the Seattle area.

Sometimes the best support we can supply is through conscientious criticism or boundary assertion. Escalation to community management may be necessary. Safety concerns can be directed to business@goplaynw.org or our staff on Discord. General feedback for Go Play NW can be directed to business@goplaynw.org.

Failure to abide by this document may result in Go lay NW taking any of these actions, as the situation requires:

• Verbal warnings
• Mediation by Go Play NW volunteers
• Contacting convention safety staff or administrators
• Expulsion from Go Play NW events on a temporary or permanent basis
• Turning the individual over to venue security staff
• Contacting local law enforcement

Lastly, Go Play NW would like to acknowledge that the land on which we host our in person events is unceded ancestral land belonging to the Duwamish people. The Duwamish are a people that still live and work in Seattle today.  We recognize, also, that a simple land acknowledgment cannot be enough. To find out more about how you can lend your support to the Duwamish Tribe, click here.

If you are curious about why Go Play NW is making a land acknowledgment or wish to find out more about land acknowledgments as a practice, click here.

This Code of Conduct represents a living document, and we welcome your feedback. If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please contact us via our Discord server or at business@goplaynw.org.

Written by E.T. (with reference to Big Bad Con, Indie Games on Demand NW, Emerald City Comic Con, and OrcaCon’s respective Codes of Conduct and Community Standards)

Last updated September, 2021