Pro-Tip Thursday Welcome to camp!

Pro-Tip Thursday the… “What Day is it?” Edition! 

Greetings Survivors!!  Welcome Back to Pro-Tip Thursday!  Yes I am pretty sure its not Thursday but life has been a crazy rollercoaster ride for me the last month so I am going to move forward as it's close enough to Thursday you will just chuckle at Curtis and his Mush Brain…    

So Let's get Started with today’s Pro-Tip.   With our Premier Event Coming up I we are going to have a lot of new faces at the game.  So I thought we would give some insight to our camp and our check in procedures! 

Let's get started with looking at how big the camp is.  When you arrive at camp and you drive past the rangers house. You take the main road for 2 miles until your see the Lodge at the top of the Hill.  This is our Operations base and where you go for NPC time.    To give you an idea of the drive.

Once you past the lodge on your left, you will drive on down the hill to the QuarterMaster or what we call the post office!

This is where you check in for the game!     

Once you check into the game you can set up your camp.  There is a large field next to the dining hall. That is a safe area to camp. The other campsites are officially in the wastelands!     A camping suggestion we do suggest is bring your clothes and costume in tubs that can be sealed against rain!  There are places to set up tents that you can run extension cords to run fans or electric blankets for warmth! 

We have cabins that are on top of the hill. But be very warned.  They are very rustic. Yes there are beds and yes there is a roof.  Most of our players opt to tent or stay in the large communal sleeping area in the lodge.  The Caboose does have sleeping space but it is first come first served.   

Once you have set up your tent, you can drop off your food in the kitchen at the dining hall.  The kitchen is available for use if you have an Arkansas food handlers license for the stoves.  You can use the microwave or crock pots without a license.  If you are cooking with someone else with a license they can be responsible for the cooking. 

Once you have gotten everything squared away you can park your car in the parking area and walk down to the dining hall to hang out!        

One of the things we ask while you are hanging out is to look for the people wearing the Blue Arm Bands!  These are our Bluebirds!  Brand new players who are within their first 3 games at DR ever!   Say hello to them and let them know who you are out of game before they meet your character!     That makes it easier for them to separate the player from the Character!   

Going to wrap it up there and talk more about this next week! 

Till Next time Survivors!  

See you in the Waste!!

Pro-Tip Thursday! Secret Societies!

Pro-Tip Thursday… Friday edition! 

Greetings Survivors!!   Welcome to the Friday Edition of Pro-Tip Thursday!  Things have been busy in my world which is why we have missed a few Thursdays and this one is getting out late!   I will trust that you will forgive me for my laziness… 

The good news is… Ya can’t fire me sooooo…  here we go on Friday!!!  ;-)  

Today’s Topic is about Secret Societies in Dystopia Rising!!!  

Our Gameworld is one that has many different layers of Roleplay.  Secret groups are one layer that our players can interact with.   They can be local creations, or they can be National Groups. An example is Murder Inc.  

 Murder Inc is a national group of assassins within our Gameworld.  Every Chapter in our game has a Murder Inc group.    We as players have knowledge of this group. We have seen their new cool Blueprints that do cool things.  But we have to remember that our PLAYER KNOWLEDGE does not equate to CHARACTER Knowledge!  

These groups are roleplay opportunities that you choose to become involved in.  You choose to have your character get involved in this level of roleplay at our game.  Players who are involved in these groups take this roleplay seriously for their characters.   

This conversation is to make sure that players understand the Consequences of choices in regarding roleplay with these types of groups.  Having items that are specifically for this type of roleplay tells other players that you are inviting this form of roleplay.   Back to our example of Murder Inc. if you are walking around with Murder Inc items or Blueprints, Members of Murder inc may have very pointed questions for you.  As to where you got the info and what you are doing with them.  

And when I say pointed questions… it means they may be using a dagger to get the answers!  

So, what I am really saying is that.  In the game we make choices.  The consequences of those choices may be bad.  Moving forward we need to remember that these groups that people join are serious about that form of roleplay and we need to remember that when dealing with that story.   

People who are members of those groups will most likely give you a chance to explain yourself and give up items or blueprints the first time it comes up. But if you choose to constantly seek out that type of roleplay by going after items you have been warned about.  Then the consequences may escalate because of your choice.   

Now if you really want these items… well Join the group.   That will solve the issue as well.    

So, survivor’s that is really the pro-tip for the day… Choices have consequences, they may be good, and they may be bad.   But it’s all part of the story.   

Till next time Friends! 

See you in the Waste!   

October Campout Announcement

Good Afternoon Everyone!

We Have pretty exciting news about our upcoming Camp out event! Not only will you be able to get xp for attending, you will be able to buy extra xp just like a normal event!

So this is how it will work. Click on the ticket page

https://www.dystopiarisingar.com/tickets

You will select a casting only ticket if you are attending. Then when you check out you can choose to purchase 2 extra xp tickets!

You will have to attend the event to receive the xp, so if you cant physically attend dont sign up!

2023 Schedule Announcement!

Good morning All!!! We are starting your weekend with a big announcement!!!

We Have the first part of 2023 scheduled! So, get ready for some Dates!

But before we give you the dates, we want to explain our plan for next year. We are going to change a few things in order to preserve the Mental health of the Staff. So, we have decided to lower our number of games down to 8 instead of 10. We are also going to break the year into 2 seasons. Spring and Fall.

We are going to follow this format next year. We will have a online game followed by 3 live games. The online game will set the stage then we will chase plot throughout the next 3 live games. The plan will also give 5 weeks between each live game to give everyone time to rest and reset for the next game.

So, our Spring Dates are:
3-3- 2023 to 3-5-2023 online

3-31-2023 to 4-2-2023 Live at Rodgers Scout Reserve

5-12-2023 to 5 -14-2023 Live at Rodgers Scout Reserve

6-23-2025 to 6-25-2023 Live at Rodgers Scout Reserve

We will take the month of July off completely and start our Fall Schedule with an Online game In August. We have not received the available dates yet from the scouts for the fall season so we will post those as soon as we get them. We hope that this decision is met with understanding, but if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!

Pro-Tip Thursday 9-1-2022

Greetings Survivors, today’s Pro-Tip Is from another member of the team. Today Beth has some words for us.

“So, let’s talk. Grab your stuffies, bring your juice box, come sit in the circle. Let’s Talk. 

We’re friends here. I am so happy to say that we are friends. I’m glad to know every single one of you, and I want everyone to have a great time, both at game and at home. I’m glad that so many of you feel comfortable telling me when you’re not having a great time. I’m glad that many of you are getting better at expressing your needs and boundaries to others. 

But this game is not a replacement for therapy. If any larp on this continent claims to be a replacement for therapy, do not buy a ticket, that’s a scam. If you’re struggling with feeling unwanted or burdensome at game, a new skill tree is not going to help. If you’re struggling with stress or trauma, a shiny new lovable idiot character is not the answer. Trust me, I’ve tried. I’ve struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. I have been lost in the darkness for years, but I found my way out, and now I’m back with a lantern. 

“Well jinkies Beth, if I can’t talk to my friends about what’s going on in my head, then what the heck am I supposed to do?” Hold onto your stuffies, that’s what we’re here to talk about today. How to recognize if you’re struggling with mental health issues, and what to do about it. 

First and foremost is identifying the problem. 

If you’re struggling to interact with your fellow players, it’s probably not because everyone hates you and is totally sick of you. Nor is it because you’re just the absolute worst, or a complete fuckup. Your mental health is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. It takes time and effort to fix, but it is up to you to put in that time and effort. It is not other people’s responsibility to manage your mental state. That’s on you. 

Remember that anxiety isn’t just feeling scared all the time. It can manifest in a lot of different ways, ranging from fear to depression to anger. Lashing out at people and avoiding confrontations altogether are both symptoms, despite being polar opposite reactions to stimuli. Trust me, it’s confusing.

Talk to a doctor, take an anxiety assessment test. Office visits are pricey, but this is worth the investment. Ask about mood stabilizers, ask about counseling. Do not give up and say that this is just who you are. Trust me, it’s not. 

I could go on for ages giving examples and brainstorming solutions for you guys, because I want every single one of you to feel happy and healthy. But the point of this is, I am not your therapist. I have a therapist, I can recommend an inexpensive telehealth counselor, but I am not a counselor. That’s not my job, or Curtis or Ro’s. We’re here for the same thing you are: to play a game together. And if you can’t make your own neurotransmitters, store bought is fine. 

TL:DR, do drugs and talk to strangers. “ 

Pro-Tip Thursday 08/18/2022 Do The Dumb!!!

Good Morning Survivors!!!  With a game this weekend I have a short and sweet pro-tip for this weekend!   Ok maybe it won't be short because you all know that I can go on, and on, and on, and on….     

But the simple statement for this weekend is dive in and have fun.  Do the dumb, yes follow the strange person into the woods.  Fight the bad things and have big damm Hero moments!  

Talk to other players. Engage with people who are new to you.  Meet their characters. Engage with shenanigans with characters you dont normally hang out with.  

Our game is made up of wonderful characters that have been created to tell stories with you.  So open up your circle of friends and engage with people you dont know very well.  

I love that we have crews of friends that play this game together. Having a crew makes this game easier when you have several people working together for a goal. But its really easy for you to get tunnel vision and only see your crew.   

One of the changes the 3.0 rules has made is the creation of a lot of character centric plot.   Not only are there personal plot requests, there are Professional Focus achievement (PFA’s for short) and Master Skill Plot request.   All of these are great fun and we have a tendency to invite our friends to come with us for the adventure.  These are great adventures with our friends, but it also leaves other people out. So reach out to someone new to join you in shenanigans.  

We have a lot of new faces in town.  Pull them into the fun.  Show them the ropes, Teach them that doing the dumb can be great fun and lead to awesome stories! 

Till next time Survivors!! 

See you in the Waste!!!

Pro-Tip Thursday 08/11/2022 De-escalation leads to Adult Conversations!

Greetings Survivors!   With us returning to our LIVE game schedule I thought we might have another conversation about how we deal with each other.  

One of the challenges we have in our community is the need to separate the difference between ourselves and the characters we play.  We have spoken in the past about the need to have Adult conversations between each other to find the path to compromise and past hurt feelings.   

What I would like to discuss today is De-escalation.  In the moment, it is super easy to ramp up the emotions to a point where we are causing damage to our relationships that are hard to repair and rebuild.  We have all been there.  We respond out of anger and emotion instead of trying to have an adult conversation about the issue.   So in order to help us all, I thought a list of De-escalation techniques might help arm us all with the skills to de-escalate a situation.  The best thing about these techniques is that you can use them every day in your real life and relationships. De-escalation techniques and resources

To begin, it’s important to understand that no single response or technique will work in every situation. When responding to escalating behavior, consider the individual, the circumstances, and the overall context of the situation. 

De-escalation is one technique that can be used when confronted with aggressive behavior. De-escalation means “transferring your sense of calm and genuine interest in what the other party wants to tell you by using respectful, clear, limit setting boundaries. 

The following tips — published by the Crisis Prevention Institute and the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine — may provide a useful starting point for the de-escalation process. (2-3)

 

1. Move to a private area.

If it seems safe to do so, it may be helpful to move the other person away from public spaces and into a private area to talk.

2. Be empathetic and non-judgmental.

“Focus on understanding the person’s feelings. Whether or not you think those feelings are justified, they’re real to the other person.” 

3. Respect personal space.

“If possible, stand 1.5 to three feet away from the person . . . Allowing personal space tends to decrease a person’s anxiety and can help prevent acting-out behavior. Do not block exits.”

 

4. Keep your tone and body language neutral.

“The more a person loses control, the less they hear your words — and the more they react to your nonverbal communication. Relax your body and keep your hands in front of you, palms facing outward.”

 

5.  Avoid overreacting.

“Remain calm, rational, and professional. While you cannot control the person’s behavior, how you respond to their behavior can affect whether the situation escalates or defuses. Empathize with feelings, not behavior.”

Possible response: “I understand you are ___________, but it’s not okay to yell at me.

 

6. Focus on the thoughts behind the feelings.

“Some people have trouble identifying how they feel about what’s happening to them.”

Possible response: “Help me understand what you need.”

Possible response: “What has helped you in the past?”

Possible response: “Tell me if I have this right.”

Not: “Tell me how you feel.”

7. Ignore challenging questions.

“Answering challenging questions often results in a power struggle. If a person challenges you, redirect their attention to the issue at hand. Ignore the challenge, not the person.”

8. Set boundaries.

“If the person’s behavior is belligerent, defensive, or disruptive, give them clear, simple, and enforceable limits. Offer concise and respectful choices and consequences.”

Possible response: “It's important for you to be calm in order for us to be able to talk. How can that be accomplished?”

9. Choose boundaries wisely.

“Carefully consider which rules are negotiable and which rules are not. If you can offer a person options and flexibility, you may be able to avoid unnecessary altercations.” 

 

10. Allow silence.

By letting silence occur, you are giving the person a chance to reflect on what’s happening and how to proceed.

11. Allow time for decisions.

“When a person is upset, they may not be able to think clearly. Give them a few moments to think through what you’ve said.”

Sample response: “I’ve just shared a lot of information with you. I’ll come back in about 10 minutes after you’ve had time to think about it.”

These Techniques can help us all be better to each other.  Taking the time to “ Take The Time” to step back and let a clear head deal with a situation can lead to a lot less pain being caused to each other.  This also allows us to have a clearer head to have those adult conversations that lead to us having a healthier community.     

So Survivors,  I am looking forward to being back in camp with all of you! 

Don't forget we will require everyone to have a clean Covid test 48 hours before coming on site.  We will post a code word to write on the exam when you send it in! 

Till next time,  SEE YOU IN THE WASTE!!!

Pro-Tip Thursday 7-28-2022 How to Fill out Online Character Log!

Greetings Survivors! Welcome to Pro-Tip Thursday!!!   

Today's topic is a reminder on how to fill out our Online Production sheet for our game this weekend!   

We will be sharing a copy of the production sheet with each player before the event starts.    

It looks like this! 

You will start by filling out your player number and player name and character name.:

During the event you will fill out your character actions: 

Make sure you are putting the actions in the proper 12’s 

When the sheets are filled out, our guides will be able to transfer things to Lit.    

During the event you will participate in combat and use of skills during the mods.  Remember that at the beginning of every mod you start with your FULL mind and body.  Make sure you look at last week's Pro-Tip about Crystal Creek Conflict. Our Online rules for conflict.  https://www.dystopiarisingar.com/crystal-creek-conflict 

You will still write down what your character did, because our guides will do sheet checks. You will also write down any loot you receive from those mods on the sheets.   

One of the major things to remember is that if two characters are trading things between yourselves, you both must write it down.  One player writes “I gave X thing to Player 2” and Player 2 writes “I received X thing from Player One” 

During the event, guides will be available to answer questions if you need help!  

So, till next time Survivors! 

See you in the Waste and Have a good Time on our Online Event! 

Pro-Tip Thursday 7/21/2022 How to play in a online event!

Greetings Survivors!    Welcome To Pro-Tip Thursday!  

As most are aware, we had to cancel our Live event this month and are switching to our Online Format.  So today’s Pro-Tip is how to make the most of your online experience and to make sure you are prepared to engage in the game! 

So the first thing we want to do is make sure that you have read our online rules. 

On our webpage www.dystopiarisingar.com you will find the Settings Drop down menu.  On that menu you will find the rules for Crystal Creek Conflict.  These are the tools for playing DR online.   You can follow this direct link 

https://www.dystopiarisingar.com/crystal-creek-conflict  

This page has all the instructions about turning your live game characters into the online version of itself!  You will be able to view your normal character sheet on the character database.  

https://characters.dystopiarisingnetwork.com/ 

During the next week we will release a schedule of Mods that you can sign up for. During these modules you will engage with the Guide who is directing the story and your fellow players to determine what happens during the module and how it affects the rest of the event. 

When these mods are not taking place you will be able to hang out in different online channels to farm, cook, forge and all of the other ways to produce.  Each player will be limited to 24hrs of production time.  The best way to view this is each player has a maximum of 2 sets of 12s for production.  If you are playing multiple characters you will split that time between the characters.  IE 2 players would get 12 hrs each and 3 characters would be 8 hrs each.    

Now this time is real time. You must document when you start your production and when you are finished in the channel that you are producing in. 

During this time is a great opportunity to role play with your fellow characters in the different channels.   

Guides will be available all weekend to help make sure you are getting the most of your event!  Feel free to reach out to us as we are running mods to ask us any questions!  Some of the mods will be very free form and flexible in story to fit what you are interested in.    

So make sure you have a comfortable chair and plenty of snacks!  

Till Next Time Survivors!  

See you in the waste!!

Pro-Tip Thursday 7-14-2022 Lets Talk Augments!

Greetings Survivors!!   Welcome to Pro-Tip Thursday!    

Today’s topic is a Fun one in my opinion! Because as a Player, I love things that allow me to make my Character even cooler!  So today we are talking about Augments!  

I am sure there are a few of you out there saying “ What the Heck is an Augment?”   

An, “Augment”  is a new type of item that attaches to your existing item in game.  They are things you can add to your existing items, Armor, Weapons, Rooms and many other things.  They add special effects to the item and character who wields them.   

It's important to note that they only last 3 months.  You can only have one augment attached to an item at a time. If you remove an attachment early you will destroy it. So you cannot switch back and forth between augments.  

Now these blueprints are being released so your characters are going to have to track down the blueprints you want to have.   But while you are in the process of that, it kind of helps to know what is available.  So go here: Augments Collection.pdf

Read them all and learn what they do.  Figure out what you and your crew want to invest in.  Plus decide if the Town needs to add something to town Items.    

These give everyone the ability to customize their character and be the big damn hero they want to be!   

Till Next Time Survivors!!! 

See You In the Waste!!!  

Pro-Tip Thursday 7-7-2022 HAIL HYDRATE!!!

Today, I am hiding in my cave experiencing Texas Winter.  You know that time of year that Texans hide in their houses from the Extreme heat like people from up north Hide during the extreme cold of winter.    We are keeping the lights off, the screens down and we listen to our Air Conditioning cry as it tries to keep the house as cool as it can in 104 heat.   Needless to say, I am a little warm in the house.   

But it does provide me with a great Pro-tip Thursday conversation to have.  How to stay Hydrated at a game.   

Yes…. I hear you…  Gee man, You Talked about this in MAY!!!   

Well, you are wrong… Go back and read it again… Because that was about Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion.  Not Hydration.   There is a difference between them.   Yes a lack of hydration can lead to them both…  You know what… Go back and read it now. If you can't find it, it was dated 5-12-2022.   Go ahead… I will wait…   

You read it??  Ok now we will move forward with Hydration.   

So now that we have re-educated ourselves on the perils of over heating. ( You read it right?  I wasn’t kidding… its important…)    So running around in this heat, wearing the clothes we wear and whacking each other with foam covered sticks can lead to another peril of being overheated.  Dehydration. 

Dehydration is the absence of a sufficient amount of water in your body. The best way to beat dehydration is to drink before you get thirsty. If you're thirsty, you're already mildly dehydrated.  

What are the 5 symptoms of dehydration?

Symptoms of dehydration in adults and children include:

feeling thirsty.

dark yellow and strong-smelling pee.

feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

feeling tired.

a dry mouth, lips and eyes.

So staying hydrated becomes really important during our super hot months at the game.  So here are some good suggestions for staying hydrated: *

Be aware of weather conditions - Even if it is cloudy and breezy, hot summer temperatures can still cause water loss. After the sun goes down, while temperatures hover in the 70-to-80 degree range, your body will remain warm and need hydration when you are outside, regardless of whether you are working or sitting.

* Consider the level of activity - According to Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/ ), if you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for fluid loss. An extra 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat and the duration and type of exercise.

* Drink plenty of liquids - While water is the best overall source of hydration, additional beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. After extended periods of exercise, some minerals and electrolytes need to be replenished. A banana and water with a bit of salt added will work, as will a sports drink. However, most sports drinks have refined sugar which adds calories, and the dye can cause allergies for some people.

* Avoid caffeinated beverages - Drinking iced tea or caffeinated sodas counts toward liquid intake. However, because of the diuretic effect of caffeine, these beverages may cause an increase in water loss through the urine. Especially when exercising or spending extended time in the sun, water is still the best overall choice to keep hydrated. Energy drinks are not a viable option for hydration, due to the high caffeine content.

* Eat foods with high water content - Fluid intake can be easily complemented by eating foods with a high water content. Watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries are among fruits with the highest water content. Containing slightly less water are raspberries, pineapple, plums, apricots and peaches. Apples, cherries, grapes and pears are also good choices.

Among vegetables with high water content, cucumbers and iceberg lettuce come in highest, and celery, tomatoes and zucchini are next. Then comes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet peppers and spinach. Carrots and peas are also good 

* Dress wisely - Not all summer clothing is created equal for keeping you cool. The best overall fabric is made of cotton, which allows air to circulate. This makes heat more bearable. Other good fabric choices are linen and rayon. Most t-shirts, shorts and skirts use blends of two or more fabrics. Cotton blended with polyester, spandex or nylon can still keep you cool and wick moisture away from the body.

I know we are all looking at that last one with the side eyes because of Costuming.  We need to make sure we have our summer costumes on. Plan ahead.  Make sure you have a comfortable look to wear during the summer.   

The big thing to remember is to carry some water with you.  Take an orange or banana as well to replace vitamins and minerals during the heat.  AVOID High sugar, High Caffeine drinks…  (he says as he hides his Monster energy drink)   

The next two games can be some of the highest temps of the season.  So let's be smart and be safe.  More importantly, watch out for each other!   

Till Next time MY friends!!!  

See you in the waste! And Hail Hydrate! 

Pro-Tip Thursday, Setting Bounderies

Pro-Tip Thursday 6-30-2022 

 

Greetings Survivors! Welcome to the evening edition of Pro-Tip Thursday! 

 

Today's topic is important to me and therefore harder for me to write about. Which is why this is being posted in the evening instead of first thing in the morning. I did not want to rush this topic nor be too flippant while writing it. So this is a heartfelt article that I would like to share with you all.  

Over the run of my Pro-Tip Thursdays we have spoken a lot about our community and how we are in this together. We have talked about communication and making sure we have adult conversations between ourselves as players and characters to make sure that we are engaging each other from a good place and trying to play to lift each other up. So today I want to add another important block of being healthy both in game and out of game. That building block is learning how to set boundaries that protect yourself both physically and mentally.    

 

Boundaries help to establish the ‘line’ between what is OK and not OK to do, say, or expect from someone. Without boundaries, relationships can become unhealthy and imbalanced. People who have a hard time setting boundaries with their friends often feel taken advantage of and like their friendships aren’t reciprocal. 

 

I could write a bunch of tips on this topic but I am not an expert. I found a great article that I would rather direct everyone to: 

https://www.wellandgood.com/how-set-healthy-boundaries-with-friends/

 

(If this article is not to your taste please feel free to search out the topic.)  

 

But boundaries are important for us in the game. Setting boundaries in game on how much we will take on as player, what our characters want to do in game. How other players and characters interact with us is very important to us having a healthy community so I propose the following 5 simple tips :

 

1. Talk to the other players as soon as possible, don't let things fester.

2. Express the value of your friendship, and remember that setting boundaries isn't about hurting the other person, but rather about protecting yourself.

3. Be clear, concise, and firm in your boundary setting. There should be no wiggle room for misunderstandings.

4. Get help. If the first conversation doesn't go well, please reach out to staff for help with mediation. This is a service we offer because we want to help our community grow and foster good relationships with each other.

5. Be willing to compromise. You have to be willing to meet the other person halfway during tense situations, so everyone feels as though they've been heard and have a say in how to resolve the issue.

 

But this goes both ways. I have been learning that we as the employees have to set proper boundaries as well.  

 

It's hard for us. We care about all of the players and want everyone to have a good time. We work hard to provide great stories and epic adventures. We work to make sure we have a safe community where everyone is valued and heard. That being said, we do all have day jobs and our lives are full of the same struggles that everyone has to deal with during the month. 

 

Beth, Ro, and I have been in leadership roles from near the beginning as marshals and storytellers. However, we three as a team are new to some of the more complex issues of ownership and ask for your patience as we navigate the challenges that come along with that. We all started as players, and all still have a passion for playing with our friends and engaging in the stories that are being collectively told. We are seeking balance in our roles as owners against our roles as members of the community.

 

To that end, we've realized that we need to set a few boundaries so that by the time we all get to game, we're energized and ready to go and can provide the best possible experience for everyone on both sides of the coin. We have discussed this over the course of the last few weeks, and we feel that the following steps will be the best path for us to implement. 

 

1. In the next couple of days, we will be adding a new page to our website with our contact information, Job Duties and our office hours. Each of our employees will have their own office hours that they do their particular task. Not only will this help us, but it will also help you guys know exactly who to talk to about issues and what their availability is between games. 

2. Official issues will now come to us from the website as well. If there is an issue that requires us to be involved officially, it will have to be presented in our feedback channel. We have the ability to have anonymous feedback turned into us if you do not feel comfortable being known as the person who said something. Now as a friend an employee or owner can still listen to venting if they choose, but we will ask if this is venting, or do you need us to wear our Employee hat? If it’s venting, please remember to ask your friend if they have the energy to hear your venting. If it's the employee hat, we will ask you to put it into the feedback section, so it is official. We cannot solve problems that aren’t officially reported. If official action is wanted and we need to get involved this is the vehicle to use.

3. We ask for patience. We ask that you remember that we are human and have full time jobs and have the same day to day responsibilities that most people have. So, give us time to solve the issues. 

4. And finally, we ask for Forgiveness. We are trying hard, but we are not perfect. If we have failed in something, we will learn from it and get better. Hopefully we will not repeat the same mistakes. 

 

As a note, we want to remind you that when we choose as friends to listen to vent sessions, we are putting ourselves in the position where we can't solve the problem without breaching trust put in us by our friends, while we are left desperately wanting to resolve whatever the issue may be. To put it simply, it ties our hands on what actions we can take. The boundaries we are setting here will help both us and you find the balance between our two roles.

 

All said and done, you can see why this is an important topic for us all. We are in this together as we build this community.   

 

Till next time my friends… 

 

See you in the waste!!  

Pro-Tip Thursday Social CVC!

Greetings Survivors!  Welcome to the pre-game Pro-Tip Thursday! 

This week I want to speak about Social CVC.  We have spoken about Combat Character Vs Character actions in past Pro-Tip Thursdays.   CVC is something we speak about before every game, but we often forget to speak about how Social CVC fits into conversation.   

Social CVC is Defined as Social or Economical actions directed towards other characters.  It may be taking actions to have your character be in charge of things or a business deal that hurts another character's plan.   Anytime your Character effects another Character in a negative way.  As much as I would love to say that our town is always a warm welcoming society that everyone has a glorious time,  I can not say that with a straight face.   We are people and people have a tendency to upset other people. 

So this is where we remember our concept of Play to Lift and we remember how we engage in CVC actions.   

First we check in with each other.  Have an adult conversation with each other and honestly talk about how things are making you feel.  If something is happening in the game, take time beforehand to speak to the other person about what is going on.   

Secondly, If an event has happened, check in with the other person after the game.  Players are not their characters.  Have an honest adult conversation with that player and work out a solution.  Communicate with each other on things to make sure you are comfortable with the roll play. 

Finally,  Ask for help.  If you and the other player cannot see a solution, The staff will mediate a meeting to talk about the problem.  We are here to help. We will gladly schedule time with both parties to help.    

Now this is a deep topic, which I will go into more detail over the next couple of weeks but the game is this weekend.  So these are the basic building blocks.  We have to work together to make sure everyone is having a good time.   

But Its important to know that all players have their plans and sometimes those plans collide with other players plans.  Those issues can escalate in Combat CVC so make sure you are touching base with each other.  To make sure the roll play is actual roll play not hurt feelings escalating into angry feelings in real life. Be Kind to each other.  

So as we head off to game, Drink water, change your socks and have a good time.  

Oh.. and don't forget the bug spray! 

See you in the Waste!!!

Pro-Tip Thursday 6-9-2022 What is going on in the Kitchen??

Greetings Survivors!  Welcome to This week's edition of Pro-Tip Thursday!  Let's talk about what's on the Menu!!! Or also known as “Culinary Skills”   

The Culinary skill is a pretty important skill in our game.  Making Brews and Cooking meals are very important to recovering mind and body during the game.    As you can read on page 115 of the book you can make a basic meal or brew by reading the blueprint, spending 5 mind and spending 20 minutes in the Culinary Area.  Pretty simple to understand.  The Proficient Skill on page 117 and the Master skill on page 120 are also pretty easy to understand.   

What makes things more difficult to keep straight are the new blueprints that have created some pretty cool items that are being used in the culinary area.  So I thought we would dive into those and some of the rules around those items.  

To begin with, Let’s take a look at the Individual Item named Angry Anchor Mess Kit.  This has gained a lot of popularity over the last few games because of the  bonus it gives  when eating a meal.  This is a gizmo that a player uses when eating a meal and this gizmo increases either the amount of Body or Mind restored by the meal by 5 - if the meal restores both, the user decides which to increase, but they cannot increase an amount the meal does not already restore.   That is a pretty good bonus to have in your pocket when restoring mind or Body.  Now it's important to note, that if the meal does not increase either mind or body (like a generic meal) it will NOT give you a bonus. Even with this limitation,  you can see why a lot of our players have been getting this made for themselves!  

Now our town has some pretty generous players in it and they have made some pretty cool items to use inside the culinary area for use while cooking.  These items are important to know the rules on.  So The first item we are going to discuss is the Glitter Gulch Prep Station! This gizmo must be set up in a culinary station and it cannot be moved or stolen.   The is awesome thing that this station provides is the following:

A character utilizing Culinary in the area this augment has been set up in to create a meal may be assisted by another character who has at least Basic Culinary. The time, Mind, and Resolve costs of creating the meal can be split between the two characters however they wish.  

That last part of the statement however is slightly different for us in Arkansas.  The time must be split evenly between the two people doing the meal.   Our feelings on this is that the idea of playing the game is to spend time together, so we are going to encourage a 50-50 split of time.   This might get changed in the future but we are going to start with that interpretation. The next item is a very specific gizmo that also helps cut the time of a meal being prepared.  That is the Green Light Frying Pan.  This pan is lineage specific.  When you have this created you choose what lineage it is for.  Then it provides the following:

When cooking a lineage-specific meal that matches the chosen lineage noted on the card, halve the cooking time of the meal. This gizmo stacks with other item effects, but not with additional Frying Pans. 

So that means if you are using the prep station and the Frying pan. You cut the time twice.  This includes procedures like Canning or deep Frying that extends the life of food but adds time to cooking a meal.   

So in example: I cook the meal and use the procedure at the same time, the greenlight cuts the lineage meal in half, then the prep station can cut it in half again. So, If I have the canning procedure and a friend to help, Total time is 80 minutes. Use the pan to cut to 40 minutes , Then the prep station  to take it down to 20.  

You can see these are some great things we have available!  Make sure you are reading the blueprints correctly when it comes to splitting the time with a partner!  All materials, time and mind must be used correctly.  

Now this topic has made me hungry for dinner!!  

So till next time Fam!!   See you in the waste!!!

Pro-Tip Thursday. Play to Lift

Greetings Survivors!!    

Welcome to this week's installment of Pro-Tip Thursday.  This week's topic is a rather serious one. It's about how we treat each other in Game and out of Game.   

Our game consists of two different worlds. The real world of the mundane 9-5 where we live our real lives and the exciting weekend when we get to play our game in the post-apocalyptic zombie infested world we enjoy so much. This is represented in the two different titles we all share: Players and Characters.   

It is important to remember that characters we are playing are different from the player who is in the game. One concept that we deal with is called Character Bleed.  That is the effect of having in game actions bleed into our day to day life and relationships.  You hear us advise all the time to reach out to the player you had an intense scene with and make sure you are both OK afterwards.  The warning about that kind of bleed is always discussed and we even suggest that you touch base at afters to check in with each other.  

But what we forget is that it’s not always Big Things that cause us to be unhappy with each other.  It's often the small things that make us feel forgotten, looked over and not cared for.   

It is super easy to forget that players feel the small slights their character receives. Be they real or just perceived.  It is easy for a player to think that they are ignored for personal reasons.  We feel the rejection of our characters' ideas and concerns.   Because we put so much effort and feelings into the creation of our characters.  This is the type of bleed that causes many to to quietly suffer in frustration.  

Then there is the other side of the coin.  The bleed from being the character in the game.  There are times when in the game a player is miserable from all the expectations that are laid on the character.  The perceived guilt if they are not there to do X thing. To be constantly told the problems in town and be expected to solve them.  To feel they have to grind constantly to keep up with all the favors that are being asked for them.  They get stressed out, worn out and then burned out.  To the point they no longer care about what happens to other players because they no longer want to be involved.     

All of these issues have come up in our feedback at one time or another.  As we receive this type of feedback it is often with the phrase “ I don't know what you can do about it But… “  or “ I know it's a player thing but… “  These statements are correct.  They are things that are hard for us to fix or correct.   It's not like a broken rule that can be brainstormed or fixing the mifi for the post office.   It's about dealing with people on a personal level.   

We have one tool to work on this issue.  That tool is communication.  We talk about it in hopes that our communication starts other conversations between people.   

The first step of this process is to remember that we are all Human.   We all have feelings and fears that we deal with.  When we are playing our game remember that the Player behind the character is Human.   If there is something happening, take a moment to talk to them.  You may think that you are having a great argument with a character in game but you might be causing a player to feel slighted or left out.   You may be sitting in a group making plans and blowing past an idea someone is trying to say.   We all have felt that before.  It makes you feel left out and not valued.   Also, remember that they may not understand what they are doing.  So remember to approach each other with the idea of not doing harm and be ready to believe that it may not be intentional as it happens.  

The second step of this process is to LISTEN.   Communication goes both ways. It requires us to listen to what is being said to us.  It’s hard in games to make sure you are listening to everything that is being said.   It's even harder to listen to HOW things are being said.  This is what causes us to miss the fact we are causing pain to each other.  When we are actively listening, we can catch those moments when we need to check in on each other.  

The last step is to Talk about it.  Too many times,  people will suffer quietly instead of speaking up. Speaking up is very hard sometimes.  There are many reasons why someone may not feel they have the right to speak up.  That is where we can help a little. We have feedback methods on our website.  We also offer to moderate issues between players.   

On our website, there is a link under the community tab labeled “ Play to Lift”.  It talks about us being a community of friends playing a game.  When you click on the link on that page that takes you to an excellent blog.  Here is an excerpt from that :
“Play to Lift'' means that the responsibility for your drama and your character also rests on all your co-players. You have to _lift_ each other. You don’t, off game, have to worry about delivering the best speech ever just because everyone knows that your character is the best orator in the country. The reason that you don’t need to worry is because the other players will lift your character up, and applaud loudly – they will give you a win. An alternative name to Play to Lift might actually be: “Play to Let Others Win”. 

This is the key to us all having a great time together.   Help each other win.  Now the “win” may be a horrible character death full of angst and misery. If that is your character's win, I promise to be there for you when you come out of the morgue!  (well if it's not too late.. Let's be real… ;-)   

So, you might notice that I am posting this pretty late on a Thursday night because this was a hard topic to figure out how to say it best.  Hopefully, what I have said resonates with everyone.  But we are in this together.   So let us all try to lift each other up! 

Till next time Fam!  

See you in the waste!!! 

Pro-Tip Thursday!!! Larceny and you!

Pro-Tip Thursday 5-26-2022 

Good Afternoon Fam!!!  And welcome to the afternoon version of Pro-Tip Thursday!  

I hope everyone is recovering well from the weekend!  It was a great game and if you weren't there you were missed! 

So Today’s topic Is about the rules regarding Theft in our game.   The world is a rough place and there are indeed people who will take your stuff for themselves if they can!  They can pick your pocket, Lift your items you left behind in the bar or even just simply mug you for your stuff!    

But it's really important to understand the rules regarding in-game theft in our game.  There is a very big difference between the 2.0 rules and the 3.0 rules.  Theft is considered a CvC action in both versions but it's how we deal differently with CvC in 3.0 that really makes it different. 

So to begin, let's look at page 163 in the rule book!  The chapter headed “Thick as Thieves”. One of the best things to learn about these rules is that thieving is flying the CvC flag.  So the basic CvC rules come into play.  You must have been in play 4 hours and remain in play for 4 hours after the theft.   

I know you are saying… Gee Curtis that is the same as 2.0.  Well you would be correct but what is different is the mentality difference between 2.0 and 3,0. The key word is consent.   Now stealing does not require you to check in with a character before you do it, ( unless you are mugging them, then consent for CvC combat must be attained) but you should really think about the Players mental and emotional health will be affected before you steal from them. 

The Mechanical rules for thieving are important to be followed.  Let's go over them real quick. 

1. You must get a Guide to witness the theft. 

2. Once you have performed a theft you must log it in at the post office within 30 minutes. 

Those are some pretty simple rules.  However there are details to go over. 

To pickpocket a player or Npc you must have the Basic larceny skill.  You achieve this by attaching a black clothes pin to their supply bag.  Be advised if your mark sees you attaching that clip you are now subject to CvC!!!  

Now you can simply steal something that has been left on a table in the bar.  If someone has left their weapon, shield, items or even money  lying around you can pick it up without any larceny skills.  However, the rules for theft apply. You must have a guide witness it and you must log it into the post office!  

Now we are not going to police your playing choices, But the priority should always  be the mental health of the Player you are interacting with.  There are a lot of opportunities to steal from NPC’s and other within the game if you really want to show off your master thief skills!   Reach out to the Game runners and ask them for opportunities in game! 

Let us know if you have any questions on this topic!   

Till next time Fam!  

See you in the Waste!!    

National Wants Your Help!

Hey Fam! Do you have a good idea for a new blueprint? Have you thought of a great idea you want to share with National? Well they want to hear it! Follow the link below and share with them your Idea!

Go here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeer1D3ul936oroQtgh7x-NPqz1-kXsWSEYG_5VQdrbpyBMWg/viewform

Pro-Tip Thursday! Its getting hot up in here!!!

Welcome back for another Pro-tip Thursday!  

This week's Pro-Tip is an easy one for me to write.  Because it's a topic that we will write about at least once a year.  Taking care of yourself while playing Dystopia Rising in the HEAT!   

Yes, My friends we are moving into the Hot summer months of our Game!  Being prepared to play in the heat is very important and making sure you take care of yourself so you don't fall out because of the heat! 

To start it off, let's talk about our Favorite Word “Hydration”.  Please for the love of whatever holy creature you believe in, PLEASE DRINK WATER!!  Anytime you are sitting around, drink some water.  We have water everywhere for you to drink.  A cup should be a part of your Kit now.  So you should always have your cup.  FILL IT WITH WATER AND DRINK IT!!!!  Sugary drinks, Sodas and Monsters are not always hydrating.  So make sure you add good old fashioned H2O to your drinking choices!   

You also want to start Hydrating before the game!  Start drinking extra water the week before the game as well! 

The second part of this post is about watching yourself and your friends for Heat Related Illness.  

The first level of heat illness is 

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt, usually through excessive sweating. 

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Headache

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Weakness

• Irritability

• Thirst

• Heavy sweating

• Elevated body temperature

• Decreased urine output

After that comes 

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. When heat stroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not given.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

• Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech

• Loss of consciousness (coma)

• Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating

• Seizures

• Very high body temperature

First Aid

Treat a Player suffering from heat exhaustion with the following:

• Take Player to Med Cabin and get them out of heat

• give liquids to drink.

• Remove unnecessary clothing, including shoes and socks.

• Cool the Player with cold compresses or have the Player wash head, face, and neck with cold water.

• Encourage frequent sips of cool water.

This is the basic care to provide for heat illness.  The Idea is to watch out for each other to make sure we don't over do anything.  

With the rise in temperature, we have decided to begin our Summer Hours earlier this season.  So in this game we will start having quiet hours during the hottest parts of the day from 1 to 4.  Roll play is still encouraged during this time.  But we won't be running mods during these hours to protect our players.    

So let's keep an eye on each other next weekend!  Keep each other safe and listen to your friends when they tell you to drink and take it easy! 

Till Next Time My friend!!  

Hail Hydrate!!!!  

Quiet Hollows General Store is OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

Happy Monday Fam! We have some very exciting news to share today! The Quiet Hollows General Store Is Now Open for Business!!

And what is the Quiet Hollows General Store you ask? It is an On-line store where you can pick up your favorite Dystopia Rising Arkansas items to show off to your friends in the real world! We have created a storefront on Zazzle that will be full of t-shirts, mugs and other items so you can carry a piece of Dystopia Rising with you as you travel the real world!

You will find the direct link on our web page under stores. Click on the Quiet Hollows General Store and you should be directed to our Zazzle store front. Currently we have 6 designs to see how this works! You may have to sign in because somebody (Ok, it was Curtis) Originally set the rating for the items at PG13. This has been changed so it may soon be easy to see without signing in.

This is an experiment for us. In the past, we did things all ourselves which was a very large undertaking. We want to try this to see if it works out. Let us know about the quality of the products you get. If this works out, and our community is happy with this, we will add more items later!

We want to Thank Nikki and Logan for their work to begin this project! They have created the designs you will see! You might recognize one that looks like a patch we have floating around! ';-)

https://www.zazzle.com/store/dystopiarisingar

Let us know what Feedback you may have on this through our normal Feedback link on the Web Page!

Till next time! We will see you in the waste!

Pro-Tip Thursday! LETS TALK ABOUT TENTS!!!

Greetings FAM!!!!  It’s Pro-Tip Thursday!!    

With the new site having more tenting than the old site, I thought it would be a good idea to go over the Rules regarding engaging characters and character items in Tents.  

We are going to start on page number…. Wait… I sure its here…  I mean this is the rule book…  hmmmmmm……    

OK just kidding this is NOT in the Rulebook.   You will find this information on our web page. Click on the Community Tab and then go to Local Policies.  This is important to do at ANY DR event.  Understanding the local rules and guidelines that may be different than ours is important.  

Under Local Policies for us, you will find the Following:

TENTING

Tents are not Out of Game (OOG) areas and are not immune to IG consequences or actions that must be made by characters. Someone might be dying on the doorstep of your tent and your characters must choose between their safety and the lives of others. We encourage you to engage in this moral dilemma.

During quiet hours (2am-ish to 8am-ish) tents are 'off limits', for the most part. When an attack does occur you can expect the following.

- A Guide will announce their presence and if they intend to attack.

- The occupants then have 30 seconds to exit their tent and meet the threat.

- If the occupants choose not to exit the tent the Guide may call damage from outside. This damage will equally affect all occupants.

- During this encounter no one is permitted to enter your tent or remove you from the tent on an OOG level.

All Character versus Character (CvC) actions require a Guide. CvC against a tent occurs similarly to NPC attacks against a tent.

- The Guide will announce the attack and the occupants have 30 seconds to exit and meet the attack before damage can be declared.

CvC Theft is handled differently, since usually the occupant will not be present.

-The Guide will announce themselves and confirm if anyone is in the tent before entering the tent with the thief player.

-They may look for items (cards/phys reps) that have been left out, but may not toss the tent looking for things. They also must avoid things with a black cloth over them (traditional OOG marking) or clearly marked OOG.

The key thing to remember when tenting is that we understand that this is your personal property and we will respect it.  We will move fights away from the tents so they are not harmed and we try to keep people from harming themselves by tripping on tents.   

A couple of extra Suggestions about Tenting.  

If You are a Non-Combat Player have an Orange Glow hanging outside your tent Or have an Orange glow nearby incase you get called out at night.  Headbands are hard to see in the dark.  

If you have to sleep out of game you should be staying in the lodge or in the Medical Cabin.  But if you have been approved for out of game sleeping and you are still willing to stay in a tent,  Have a green Glow for your door so Guides will know to stay away from your tent.  

Let me know if you have any questions on this topic! 

Till Next Time Fam!!! 

SEE YOU IN THE WASTE!!!