core book (images of women) really bad for me. Don't want players to lose their characters. Ideas?

[serendipitous]

Y'all have been a lot of help.

The campaign is going pretty well, but I'm having trouble mastering the rules because I just hate picking up the core book. Yesterday I was doing pretty well, going over material in the back, and just got stopped by the cartoon at the bottom of the Humanoid Table on p.380.

I guess I probably come across as totally over-sensitive. Over-sensitized is probably more accurate. Cartoons like this one, and the one about armor, totally break immersion for me and I hate, hate them. This is not fantasy or fun for me. It is the nasty stuff in real life, it is what I want to avoid in a RPG. I have had senior scientists pretend to be interested in my work because they thought I was cute and wanted to spend time chatting with me. I've heard guys talk about women who are stupid and/or ugly but still fun to look at 'cause they're stacked. I've done the whole interview-outfit thing, knowing that women get dinged if they aren't cute enough and dinged if they are too cute. I've been grabbed, I've put up with nasty jokes while I was trying to work, I had a guy I didn't know grab me in an airport and forcibly kiss me, I've been ignored by guy friends when scantily clad women were around. It is not fun for me, it is not funny, I don't want to spend a second more dealing with it and one of the great blessings of being 47 years old is that I don't have to anymore.

I wish it were as not-okay to use women for eye candy as it is not-okay to racially stereotype. I wish that all the images of females in the DCC books were images of females that men would be willing to role-play around their daughters. Or mothers.

I thought I could do a good job judging for DCC but don't think I can because I just hate reading the rulebook. But I'm several sessions into my campaign, my players are a bit burned out (for reasons, not my stuff, I just started DMing for us) and they've put a lot into their characters. One especially LOVES DCC and that's why I am trying to run this. And they are getting a kick out of all their loot, they just acquired a semi-sentient sailing ship that uses its arms to scoot around the arctic on skis.

Any ideas? I'm really not trying to dump on the system or the producers, I just feel stuck. Am grateful for ideas. Maybe just slap post-its on everything, it is still not FUN to read the rulebook but that could prevent it from being horrid. I wish this were fun and restorative. Thanks in advance.

[Raven_Crowking]

Find art you prefer. Print it on fairly thick paper or tab stock, at a size that matches the images you find offensive. Then, image by image, replace the art.

[serendipitous]

Find art you prefer. Print it on fairly thick paper or tab stock, at a size that matches the images you find offensive. Then, image by image, replace the art.

Well, that's clever and kind. Plus much, much better than post-its. Thank you for the actionable, effective idea.

[GnomeBoy]

If I were changing images in the book, those two cartoons would definitely be the top of the list. I can still remember first getting the book and looking through it in 2012 and thinking "really? now...?"

[Raven_Crowking]

Find art you prefer. Print it on fairly thick paper or tab stock, at a size that matches the images you find offensive. Then, image by image, replace the art.

Well, that's clever and kind. Plus much, much better than post-its. Thank you for the actionable, effective idea.

You are very welcome!

[Jim Skach]

I wish that all the images of females in the DCC books were images of females that men would be willing to role-play around their daughters.

I am the worst father ever.

[Vort]

You could take the PDF version of the book and get an editor/viewer that either allows you to toggle images off or delete images from the document. Won't be hardcopy but it'll quickly give you the rules without any art.

[serendipitous]

Thanks to everybody. Also, I realize that just because something drives me batty doesn't mean it is inherently flawed. I'm grateful for y'all's help.

I wish that all the images of females in the DCC books were images of females that men would be willing to role-play around their daughters.

I am the worst father ever.

You could take the PDF version of the book and get an editor/viewer that either allows you to toggle images off or delete images from the document. Won't be hardcopy but it'll quickly give you the rules without any art.

This is a terrific idea. Thanks!

[ThickSkullAdv]

In the spirit of @Raven_Crowking's suggestion, almost all the 3rd party folks have swag stickers. The cover of my "table copy" is covered with stickers from Dark Trails, Hobonomicon, etc.

If you would like some Thick Skull Adventures stickers just let me know and i'll pop some into snail mail for you. You can DM me on Twitter or Facebook, I'm pretty easy to find

[Zariel]

Those couple images do stink. I like the suggestion of printing out an alternative illustration and covering it. Maybe just something from alsewhere on the book.

Use good paper and archival glue or gluestick and it will look fine. Just be sure to let it dry completely before closing.

[finarvyn]

I wish it were as not-okay to use women for eye candy as it is not-okay to racially stereotype. I wish that all the images of females in the DCC books were images of females that men would be willing to role-play around their daughters. Or mothers.

I had this exact problem with the d20 Conan rules set by Mongoose Games. My gaming group is composed of my wife, sister, son, and his finance, and I think I could maybe talk them into playing the Conan RPG but the core rulebook has borders with topless women on every single page. Not something I could leave around the house in case my daughter (who used to play RPGs with us) might happen to see it.

DCC RPG artwork isn't as bad as that, but I am sorry that it troubles anyone. I'm not the kind of person who parades "political correctness" around, but at the same time if anyone doesn't want to read a rulebook because of the illustrations then there is an issue that perhaps Goodman Games would want to ponder.

[serendipitous]

In the spirit of @Raven_Crowking's suggestion, almost all the 3rd party folks have swag stickers. The cover of my "table copy" is covered with stickers from Dark Trails, Hobonomicon, etc.

If you would like some Thick Skull Adventures stickers just let me know and i'll pop some into snail mail for you. You can DM me on Twitter or Facebook, I'm pretty easy to find

I realize I'm late in reading this, but I'm on it!!! Thanks.

Those couple images do stink. I like the suggestion of printing out an alternative illustration and covering it. Maybe just something from alsewhere on the book.

Use good paper and archival glue or gluestick and it will look fine. Just be sure to let it dry completely before closing.

Zariel, this is a very good idea. It is close to what I ended up with: my older son gave me a Mother's Day gift of gender-inclusiving my book. But he used archival tape. Glue would have been much more elegant.

I had this exact problem with the d20 Conan rules set by Mongoose Games. My gaming group is composed of my wife, sister, son, and his finance, and I think I could maybe talk them into playing the Conan RPG but the core rulebook has borders with topless women on every single page. Not something I could leave around the house in case my daughter (who used to play RPGs with us) might happen to see it.

DCC RPG artwork isn't as bad as that, but I am sorry that it troubles anyone. I'm not the kind of person who parades "political correctness" around, but at the same time if anyone doesn't want to read a rulebook because of the illustrations then there is an issue that perhaps Goodman Games would want to ponder.

Yeah, I myself don't relate to the "political correctness" thing. I do like to be in spaces where folks treat each other kindly & with a sense of respect. Hoping that, as you say, Goodman Games ponders-more inclusive images & text. I'd be on that kickstarter like honey on a biscuit.

[TithianKing]

Personally triggered by all the muscular cis-handsome warriors.