Dystopia Rising events, like most role-playing games, ask a lot of socializing from you. What exhausts us the most in our own lives is crowds and public speaking, so we can't even imagine having those actual fears or phobias! For those of you like us who suffer from social anxiety via event uncertainty we have laid out "what to expect" to help mentally prepare for your post-apocalyptic journey.
PLEASE NOTE: NO MATTER HOW PRESCRIBED YOUR MEDS ARE, YOU MUST MAINTAIN THE SAFEST EQUILIBRIUM AND SOBRIETY WHILE AT OUR EVENTS.
Tour the Best Settlement in Southern California!
Dystopia Rising: Los Angeles is narratively inspired by the intellectual property of Most Improbable, Inc, and centers on local post-apocalyptic horror with zombies and raiders that we've come to love and combat in TTRPGs (tabletop roleplaying games), video games, PC games, VR, etc. LARPing, or live-action roleplaying, is the in-person cosplayed version of gaming where you take the role you imagine and represent it live as your character. Instead of saying, "My character does <this>!" then rolling dice at a table, you actually swing and shoot at the cannibalistic zombies swinging at you, while doing imaginary "hit point" damage with combat-safe weapons! You embrace your character's life (rest/sleep/hydration/meals) for 40 hours! Sound dull? Stop here!
For those familiar with LARPing and gaming, you know that avid gamers are serious and passionate about our hobbies. DR: L.A. is no exception. Gaming aside though, after attending many Wasteland Weekends and its sister event Neotropolis, we feel that 21+ folx want more of a fun party in the wastes than always being in-character swinging foam. (That's not an ED joke, the combat-safe weapons are mostly made of foam.) Our chapter will provide more of a themed backdrop for what the players want to do. We feel this is a better option than constantly sending out mods.
We also love at Dystopia Rising events that players are unapologetically free to be themselves. In the daily survival of the post-apocalypse, there is no room for gender or sex requirements, skin color bias, or modern societal facets that serve nobody. So be who you are, play who you want, and trust that this is a welcoming play space!
While there will be horror and combat at our events, our narrative focus is on constructs humans created that should exist to be made fun of, but instead are causing the fall of humanity now: class and faith warfare. ALL people should get to decide how they're seen and what to worship, not the Haves or only certain groups. If you don’t enjoy the prevailing culture of the Shattered Coast, rise up and change it!
We have made the game 21+ due to state and federal laws, and private site rules. WE DO NOT ALLOW DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AT OUR EVENTS, including marijuana vape pens or edibles. This is due to liability for all involved. Those seeking to be disrespectful to the rules, site, staff, or other players would not enjoy our sober events.
What our events will feature technically and narratively for transparency:
Social Commentary
Simulated, safe melee combat (if fully abled. Can make fun accommodations if not.)
Zombies • Raiders • Critters • Other survivors
Physical activity, including running (if abled. Can make fun accommodations if not.)
In-character roleplay intended to build community and influence the ongoing story
Simulated post-apoc in-character faith displays (set dressing and roleplay; NO REAL-WORLD RELIGIONS ALLOWED IN-GAME.)
Simulated post-apoc in-character politics (fictional local settlement or game network topics only; NO REAL-WORLD POLITICS ALLOWED.)
Simulated, safe post-apoc in-character criminal activity (NO ILLEGAL ACTIVITY ALLOWED. WEAPONS OF ANY KIND ARE PROHIBITED AT EVENTS.)
In-character XP-giving real-life post-apoc skills workshops to help players survive a real apocalypse <Plans pending based on donations and California legal liability.>
Simulated non-player character (NPC) strife to introduce story and social obstacles
As a post-apoc zombie horror LARP, it is our intent to introduce the following simulated elements to your player characters. (Trust us, the adrenaline is very real):
Fear • Horror • Death/Rebirth
Bioweaponry • Isolation • Trauma
Violence • Low technology • Gore
Ego Death • Societal oppression
What we won't allow technically or narratively for the safety of all:
Sexual Assault/Rape • Animal Cruelty
Player Character Pregnancy/Childbirth
Simulated representation of minors
Ableism • Sexism • Racism
Homophobia • Trans-phobia • Anti-SW speech
We trust that anybody 21+ is conscious of their existing limitations, physical and psychological. Please privately inform us of limits so we can try to accommodate you.
Because it must be said: SEX WORK IS WORK, including in a fictional post-apocalypse setting. This topic isn’t off-limits in-game to characters, and staff may approach it narratively. If we can be 21+ adults about this, great. If not, we’ll revisit it.
VISIT THE SUNNY SHATTERED COAST!
Event Arrival:
When you arrive, you'll show your ID to a clearly identified staff member to verify that you're 21+. If you’re not, you'll be asked to leave, regardless of any carpool situation.
After verification, find out where you're camping (if it's an overnight event) and when you can lay claim to your temporary home. Your tent/bunk/sleeping area is off-limits to player characters or NPCs, as “out-of-game." This gives you a protected place to rest and sleep. You're expected to eat and drink in-character, with all modern wrapping removed before game to not break immersion. Pre-Fall name brands are okay if distressed, aged, etc. to not look brightly colored/mass produced.
Registration/(Combat-Safe) Weapons Inspection:
After you set up, you'll head to our operations section ("Ops") and receive the character sheet you'll use for the event. Players who bring combat-safe in-game “weapons” will have them inspected by staff for safety. We don’t expect everyone to already have them, and that’s okay.
If you need to borrow “boffer” weapons, (including those replicating fighting with fists), combat-safe Nerf guns (or packets to throw to represent ranged combat), we'll provide what’s available first-come-first-serve and record what you borrowed on your character sheet. You must return the items before you leave and have a staff member sign off to receive your purchased XP for the event. We reserve the right to ask for your ID to hold as collateral until the items are returned. A lot of time, care, and donations were put into making those items so we need to get them back!
Sleeping Area Claiming/Game Prep:
Once you've received your character sheet and possibly borrowed some items, you can claim your temporary territory and safely get into character dress. People will be slowly arriving and loading in and there will be a LOT of chatting and catching up, so the sooner you get cosplay and makeup ready the better! Feel free to help your friends and strangers pack in to build trust and community right away. You'd be surprised how easily you'll get excited that you're all about to go all in!
Opening Announcement:
Before you know it, opening announcements will be made with everyone in one place. This area will most likely serve as the in-character meeting hall. Owners, directors, guides, and possibly location/site managers will go over safety, expectations, resolutions from past events, site instructions, etc. (Now is no longer the time to socialize; we’ll appreciate not being interrupted.)
When announcements are over, staff calls "game on." If not ready, indicate you're out-of-character and return to your area to get dressed to go in-character. Once ready, you're expected to adopt your character's role, voice, etc. until the end of the event. Yes, it can be intimidating your first time! Feel free to just watch. You're welcome to retreat from the game space to your personal out-of-character area any time. (We only ask that you not retreat to escape in-game consequences.)
Non-Player Character (NPC) Shift:
Everyone has to pitch in for a shared casting shift as the background characters (NPCs) to further the story! Your NPC shift and check-in location will be printed on your character sheet. (Opening announcements will cover where too.) Just before your shift, come up with an in-character reason to leave your social situation with enough time to switch from your character's identifiable costume to some unidentifiable brown or black "distressed" clothes. This clothing change allows you to be placed and dressed over as whatever role the Guides need you to be for your 4 hours of your NPC shift. (The shift may be split into x2 2-hour shifts.) You'll add costume layers onto your NPC clothes with the other NPCs after Guides show you where the nearby applicable costumes are. Once everyone’s ready, you'll be taken out to the game space as character allies or antagonists.
Your Guide will give you adequate instruction as to what you do when encountering player characters. Don't expect to remember it all! What's important is try to don the role given. Feel free to ask dumb questions beforehand, as we all have, and most likely the other NPCs will want to help. Once you're all in the game space, you wait to reveal yourself until the Guide directs you to. You may be shambling zombies who get quickly dispatched but rise again. Or imbalanced Raiders who only know how to engage via chaotic combat. Or maybe friendly neighboring merchants at trade meets. Don't worry, we won't ask anything of you that you aren't comfortable with or able to do. We'll find another way for you to pitch in! Once your Guide ends your shift, they'll initial your character sheet and return it to you. Go back to camp, redress, and re-enter as your character!
Some players may not be able to meet the donation requirements we've set. They can pre-register online for free to be an NPC all weekend instead of adopting their player characters (PCs), but still get event XP. No shame in being a dedicated zombie to consume all your friends! NPC options are available based on your financial ability. We’ll also provide a donation option for others doing financially well enough to pay forward a normal XP (4-hour NPC shift) event!
36-40 HOURS OF SURVIVING THE ZOMBIE POST-APOCALYPSE! (If full weekend!)
Closing Announcements/Game Ended:
Once noon rolls around on Sunday, everyone meets back at the same location as opening announcements. You’re no longer in-character and after closing announcements, you go back into your "civvies" and start packing up your stuff. If not already instructed where to meet after cleaning your camp, you’ll be expected to return with your character sheet to the meeting hall to be assigned site cleanup. (Unless you've purchased opt-out of cleaning requirements, you bougie scum.) Once you’ve finished your section of the site to clean up you will retire your character sheet to staff for them to initial that you're done. You’re free to chat as you pack up, help others, decide if you want to go somewhere to eat and talk, or just...drive offsite. (We have set site cutoff times.)
We'd like to discuss game/event drop, similar to subspace drop (IYKYK.): Much like returning to society from Burning Man, some decompression is suggested first. Going to "afters" with your peers is a great way to bridge the gap from character lives to real lives...while eating a big modern meal! This is completely optional. You won't be looked down upon or penalized for not going, and you're no longer officially at our events or subject to our site rules. Have fun!
What to Pack For Your Trip
An eagerness to try a sober hobby or join a new settlement in the post-apocalyptic network of Dystopia Rising. You're all starting fresh and are equally valid in our story!
First thing’s first: get excited! If you've ever played before you KNOW how fun DR is. Like I always tell people, DR is the most sober fun I've ever had with clothes on. If you think it's impossible to be sober and have an adrenaline-junky good time, this game isn't for you. If you're willing to challenge yourself and your previous paradigm of sober hijinks, then know that the DR hype is 100% real!
A willingness to learn both out-of-character and in-character. (i.e., "new rules system/settlement. who dis?")
We get it. Nobody likes feeling new or uninformed. We’ll do our best to help, but we're counting on other players to kindly guide you on this journey. Be receptive to learning from *everyone*!
On that note, to those who’ve played DR for years or decades: be open to not knowing everything. DR: Live is new for everybody, and this chapter is not based on anything previous. No other chapters have bearing on this settlement's history, and there's no room for confusing players with bad information or narrative. With new players, please limit unnecessary dumping of world canon and past narratives to those who request it, and please be mindful of others wanting to FOIG. (Social cues will always be missed. We won’t always nail it either.) Be kind and encourage new player surprises!
A brief familiarization, however you acquire it, with the game world and genre. (e.g., friends, research, etc.)
We promise we're not asking for you to research Dystopia Rising’s works in its entirety. (We haven’t!) We'd also rather you not feel like you’re doing homework, so we're not expecting you to devote your busy lives to consume the rules and lore. (Filthy casuals unite!) All we ask is that you read the DR: Live - Player's Guide to make a genre-distressed post-apoc costumed character to invest in.
Your character costume, NPC clothing, game items, and camping/sleeping gear. All obvious modern-day items (toiletries, technology, etc.) must be stowed prior to event.
This is a post-apocalypse hundreds of years “after.” In-game technology level is early Industrial Revolution. No one knows what a smart phone was. Please don’t bring modern tech/speech into game.
For more information on what to pack, see Pg.12 of Player's Guide.