A Dystopia Rising game has many parts: the economy, roaming threats of zed and raiders, and persistent NPCs (or “Casted Characters”) to name a few. One staple of the Dystopia Rising experience are mods; short stories that typically last an hour or so, using the players on NPC shift. At their best, mods are creative and original, creating a memorable experience. At their worst, they’re formulaic and forgettable. The staff of every game commits to creating the highest quality of mods that they can, but even experienced designers don’t hit their marks every time. So how does a player make sure they have a good time on mods?
Remember that mods are just an opportunity for role-play
Mods aren’t stories in and of themselves, they’re opportunities to tell a story. Designers spend a lot of time making their hooks original and their encounters challenging, but all that really matters is “did the players engage and have fun?” When a mod goes out, it’s going to wander the area of play, offering players the chance to engage. Remember this: if you choose to engage in a mod, commit to the bit. If a merchant mod comes out with NPCs selling items and equipment, put down what you’re doing and talk to that NPC. Play “yes, and…” or “no, but…” with the NPC, building a rapport more than “how much money for those item cards.” You don’t have to engage with a mod, but when you do, fully engage with it. A mod is just an opportunity, don’t half-commit to that opportunity.
Understand the structure
While designers strive for creativity, predictable structures aren’t bad: they let the players know how to engage in the mod. Mods often have a set structure: a hook goes out to let players know “hey, this thing is happening,” (i.e. zed are coming out of the morgue), then the challenge occurs after the players gather at the location, and finally, there’s some resolution at the end. The heart of the mod is usually the challenge: that’s the reason the mod goes out, so players have something to do. Gathering for the mod is an important response to committing to the opportunity (see below), but players also have a hand in resolution. Remember, the NPCs are going to go back to ops, drink water, put their clothes back on racks, and then get ready to go again. There’s not much opportunity to have resolution beyond the point where the NPCs head back, so realize you have leave everything on the table before the end of the mod. Say what you want to say to the NPCs as if you’ll never see them again, make sure you get any rewards you think are due, because once the mod ends, there might not be any follow-up. And, of course, leaving nothing unsaid makes the mod more memorable, which actually increases the chance of follow-up.
Gather your forces
Mods are usually timed (i.e. “4 pm on Saturday”), so you never know who’s around when the mod goes out. Instead of looking for your friends, try a new version of the 10-foot rule… ask everyone within 10 feet of you if they’ll help. Having a motley crew of strangers out on a mod is often more interesting than going out with the people you hang with all the time. If someone you rarely role-play with asks for your help, and you’re not doing anything, consider going with them and committing to the bit.
You can’t control the mods that go out, but you can control how you engage. These three tips… commit to the bit, leave everything on the table, and the 10-foot rule… will help maximize your enjoyment on mods, regardless of the situation.