What Is Dystopia Rising?

Dystopia Rising is a live action role-playing game (larp for short) where you play survivors generations after the zombie apocalypse. You’ll gather in the town of Requiem, where you’ll fight off zombies, explore the world, and bond with other survivors. Some of the activities include:

Lightest Touch Boffer Combat

You’ll fight off hordes of undead (which we call zed), bad-brain raiders, and other threats that attack from the wastelands. When you get to the event, we’ll make sure you understand how to safely fight with boffer weapons.

Designed Modules

Throughout the event, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with non-player characters through modules (also called mods) that let you learn more about the world, and have an impact on the ongoing narrative. Your first experience will be the “new player mod” where you’ll have a chance to experience a mod designed for our New Blood (our in-character term for New Players).

In-Character Interactions

You’ll spend the weekend playing a character; a persona you assume to explore the world of Dystopia Rising. In addition to social opportunities with other players, you’ll have a chance to learn about our economy, and gain money and equipment to outfit your character. When you arrive, we’ll help you design a character to play.

How To Prepare

Once you get to the event, the New Player Marshal will help prepare you to play. However, before you arrive, we’ve put together an unofficial checklist that will make sure you have a safe and comfortable weekend. Don’t forget to check out our Basic Information, which is updated before every event with the latest logistics information.

• Reach out to the New Player Guide - Email us - not only can we introduce you to the New Player Guide, but we can also answer any questions you have.

• Figure out how you’re getting to and from game - The biggest hurdle to playing in your first event is getting to the actual game. If you need help finding a ride to the campsite, or have logistics questions, we can help you.

• Prep your meals - The event lasts all weekend, so you’ll want to eat! We suggest making sure you have both microwaveable meals and some light snacks to replace the calories you’ll burn.

• Pack the essentials - Review our packing list before you come!

• If you can, bring a boffer weapon - We can usually help with a combat-safe weapon, but we encourage you to bring your own. If you have a question about legality, please reach out to us!

• Prep a comfortable costume - You don’t need to do a lot of prep on your character before you arrive. However, if you’re excite to play and looking for something to do, work on the clothes you’re going to wear, to make sure you’re comfortable throughout the event.

What to Expect When You Arrive

The game lasts from 10 pm on Friday until noon on Sunday, however, before the event (at about 8 pm on Friday), our New Player Marshal will go over all the information you need to know. Here are the topics they’ll cover (don’t worry if you don’t have time to read them, we can teach you everything at the event). 

• Building a Character

• Lightest Touch Combat

• Out-Of-Game Signals

• NPC Shifts

After the Game

When the game ends at noon on Sunday, you can expect to be on site for a few more hours. First, you’ll have an hour to change your clothes, clean up your sleeping area, and pack your things. Then, you’ll report to an assigned area to help clean up the camp. After you finish, you can hand in your character sheet and depart. We hope you join us for “afters,” where we meet up at a restaurant to meet the real people behind the characters we’ve been playing all weekend.

Telling Your Story

Our website has information on the setting of Dystopia Rising and our local town of Requiem. Please feel free to explore it and come up with ideas for your character. However, remember that all you have to do is show up, and you’ll learn about them all in-character. 

The most important resource you have throughout the event are the players you’ll meet: don’t hesitate to talk to everyone! They’re excited to meet you and eager to help. The best thing you can do is ask them this question: “Will you show me how?” You’re going to encounter a lot of new things, from combat to economics to religion. Ask another player to do something with you and show you how to do whatever activity you want; we were all new once, and that’s how we learned.

New Player Orientation 

When you get to the event, the New Player Guide has a number of topics to review with you. Here’s an outline of what they’ll cover - you don’t need to remember any of this, but knowing what they’ll cover can help set expectations and make you more comfortable as you prepare for Dystopia Rising.

Creating a Character

To play Dystopia Rising, you need to create a character. Our rulebook will help you learn the mechanics of character creation, but we’ll walk you through that process when you arrive. Some of the specific things we’ll do include:

Character Concept

What does your character do? Rather than focusing on a background, we’ll ask what you want to do during the event. Are you eager to try combat? Would you prefer to be a doctor, or maybe try your hand at the economy? Do you want to use psionic powers? Sneak around in the woods at night? Think of some of the activities you’re excited to try, and build your concept around those.

Lineage and Strain

Each character has evolved in a slight different direction; we call these different offshoots “lineages” and “strains.” If you review the rulebook, you can get a good idea of who these lineages are, as well as how you might want to costume.

Character Name

You’ll need a name for your character! If you’re bad with coming up with names on the spot, you can always change it later.

Mechanics

As a new character, you’ll have 16 “Build” (experience points) with which to create your character. The only choice you need to make is whether there are skills you want to start with, or if you want to learn these skills during play. If you have a strong idea of the skills you want, you can spend the build before entering play, otherwise, you can wait and see which skills you’ll actually use during the game. Don’t worry about making a “good” decision; you can rewrite your character after your first few games. 

Combat

Dystopia Rising uses a lightest touch system for combat, where we swing padded weapons (called boffers), scoring a hit when we make contact with our opponent. We’ll demonstrate this when you arrive, but here are a couple of key terms we’ll teach you:

3-Hit Flurry

When you attack, you can take up to three 90-degree swings before you have to pause. Each swing has to travel a full 90-degree arc before making contact, and can’t hit the face, head, or groin. If the swing hits a weapon or shield before making contact, it’s considered blocked and does no damage.

Damage

When you hit someone, or get hit, you take 2 points of damage from a melee strike, or 5 points of damage from a ranged attack. An exception to this rule: if someone calls out a number with a successful attack, you take damage equal to the number called.

Packets

Dystopia Rising uses two kinds of packets. Red packets represent bullets (as do foam darts fired from blaster weapons, more info here). These cause 5 damage if they hit a person, their weapon, or shield. A weapon that uses red packets can only fire six shots before you have to role-play reloading it for five seconds. White packets represent psionic energy, and are used to attack with special abilities. The ability functions if they hit a person or anything they carry.

Combat Skills

When in combat, you’ll hear people calling out various terms. Here’s a list of some of the more common ones:

• Area of Effect or By My Voice - If you hear “area of effect,” every character within 10 feet of the individual who made the call suffers the effect (i.e. “area of effect, 10 body”). “By my voice” is similar, but it affects everyone within 50 feet.

• Avoid or Defend - If you hear the words “avoid” or “defend,” it means the character who was just hit ignores the strike, and any associated effects. Avoid is a skill you can learn, Defend is a more limited skill used by non-player characters.

• Bane - If you hear this call, it’s typically with a number before it, as well as a type of character (i.e. “10 zed bane”). The strike does double damage to that type of creature.

• Blinding - When you’re hit by an effect that does “blinding” you can’t run or use any skills or items for 10 seconds. You can still walk and fight.

• Break - If you hear this call, it’s typically with a word after it (i.e. “break weapon”). The strike renders the item it hits unusable until it is repaired.

• Body - If you hear this call, it’s typically with a number before it (i.e. “10 body”). The strike does that amount of damage, ignoring armor.

• Line of Sight - A call that lets someone target an individual within 50 feet without making an attack or throwing a packet.

• Mangle - When you’re hit in a limb by an effect that does “mangle,” that limb becomes unusable for one hour. If you’re hit from behind with a mangle, you can’t avoid it.

• Murder - If you hear this call, it’s typically with a number before it (i.e. “10 murder”). If the strike reduces you 0 body, you skip bleed out and die immediately (see below).

• Stun or Takedown - When you’re hit by an effect that does “stun” or “takedown” you must take a knee for five seconds. You can’t move, fight, or use skills or items during that time.

Death and Dying

When you reach 0 body, you enter bleedout. All you can do during bleedout is lie on the ground and call for help (although some specific items may be used). If you’re not healed or stabilized within 5 minutes, you die. Lay still on the ground for 10 minutes, then put up the out-of-game sign and go to ops… we have a special scene in store for you.

If someone saves you by healing you for at least 1 body, you can get up and act normally. If someone “stabilizes” you, you’re no longer dying, but can’t do anything other than walk around… you can’t fight, run or use skills or items. If you’re hit for any damage while stabilized, you enter bleedout again.

Remember: dying in Dystopia Rising isn’t the end of your character, and can be one of the most fun experiences you can have! 

Out of Game Signals

Normally, Dystopia Rising is a 24/7 full immersion experience: everyone will be acting in character the entire time. At various points during the weekend, you might want to talk to people out-of-game, or not be in character. When you do, you can put your fist or your boffer to your head; this is the “out-of-game” signal. Our other out-of-game signal are green headbands. If you see someone with a green headband, they are out-of-game.

When you’re out-of-game, it’s important to not talk around people who are still playing, unless you need to approach them with an out-of-game concern. Remember, people are more important than games! If you need help, have a question, or need to leave a scene, don’t hesitate to go out-of-game. You can also leave any scene or encounter at any time, without repercussions by going out-of-game, and head to operations for assistance.

We do use one specific out-of-game mechanic for player safety: the OK Check-In. If someone makes the “OK” hand gesture at you, they’re asking if you - the player - is okay. In character, you might be angry or crying, but the person making the OK gesture is checking to see if the player is okay. If someone makes the OK gesture at you, you have three options":

• Thumbs Up - If you’re OK, then give them the thumbs up. This lets them know it’s okay to continue roleplay.

• Thumbs Down - If you’re not okay, give them the thumbs down. They’ll know to stop role-playing with you, and go get help.

• Wavering Palm - Sometimes you’re not sure, in which case give them an open, level palm. They’ll still back off and make sure you get some help, but it’s less urgent than a thumbs down.

NPC Shift

At Dystopia Rising, we say “everybody shambles.” This means that every player will spend some time playing the zombies, raiders, and other antagonists for everyone to fight. During your first game, you can expect to be scheduled for a 4-hour NPC shift. The New Player Marshal will help you sign up for an available shift.

Prior to your NPC shift, you have to take off your character’s costume, and leave all your gear either on your bed or underneath it (no one should touch your stuff if it’s on or under your bunk). You should put on the black clothing you brought, and bring your water bottle, as well as any snacks you might want during your shift. You’ll then head to operations and check in with the guide. Try to be at least 5 minutes early.

Your guides will take care of you during your shift, including telling you what costumes to put on and what statistics to use. They’ll also explain what you’re supposed to do during the modules. Make sure to keep up a good attitude, as you’re going to be entertaining the other players, just like they’ll entertain you when they’re on shift.