2024 Helldive - Weird Weekend WhatsIts

There will be a variety of custom mechanics that you may encounter this weekend. Many of them will not be used past this weekend, but if you’re coming to visit and looking to go Helldiving, you’ll want to know about these!

General Custom Mechanics

Here are some calls or keywords that you may hear over the weekend.

Abduct - “Abduct, [Target Name]. Never Here Plus One.”

User stands over a Subdued or willing Target with both boffers on or over them. After 10 seconds, unless interrupted, User goes Out of Character, per Master Stealth, with Target. Where the Target respawns will be dictated by mod or environment with final say by the Guide overseeing the scenario.

• Countered by ‘No Escape.’

• Redirection through the Benediction of the Chiroptera applies.

Absorb - “Absorb, Enter.”

Delivered by Melee Strike. This will be obvious in the moment and clarified if needbe.

• Countered by Avoid

Command - “Psionic: Command, [Three Word Instruction]”

Delivered by white psionic packet. If not defended against, Target must attempt to follow the instructions to the best of their ability. Effect lasts until the Target is put into Bleed Out.

• Countered by Mental Endurance

Flora - A Keyword that applies to some custom threats encountered over the weekend. There are currently no calls or effects that specifically interact with the Keyword Flora, but this may change over the course of the weekend based on player actions.

Blight - A Keyword that Player Characters may gain, and lose, over the course of the Event. Blight has no effect on its own, but characters with it may be vulnerable to other calls that target the “Blighted.”

Underwater Mechanics

This hopefully shouldn’t be a surprise, but a major part of the focus of our event involves diving underwater. This will not be the entire event’s focus, and is entirely opt-in via away modules.

Remaining Underwater without an Air Source

If swimming underwater without a source of air, you can hold your breath for a set amount of time before you begin to take damage. For ease of use, we will call this amount of time your “dive cycle.”

Under 50 XP Spent - A dive cycle is 4 minutes per current Resolve total.

Between 51 and 150 XP Spent - A dive cycle is 2 minutes per current Resolve total.

Over 151 XP Spent - A dive cycle is 1 minute per current Resolve total.

Mechanics:

• If you reach the end of your dive cycle, you may choose to spend 1 Resolve to start a new dive cycle

• Returning to a source of air for 1 minute will reset your dive cycle timer.

• If you cannot, or choose not to, spend Resolve, you will begin to take 10 Body every 30 seconds until you reach an air source.

• Resolve spending mechanics, per the 3.0 Rulebook, still apply. If you reach 0 Resolve during the Event, you may not spend Resolve (including Resolve-costing Items) for the rest of the Event, even if you no longer have 0 Resolve.

• All Full Dead and Saltwise can remain underwater indefinitely without taking damage. Some specific conditions may interfere with this, and will be clarified when they arise.

Sources of Air and Other Defenses

Diving Bell

This submersible has some very limited propulsion in localized areas but is primarily reliant on a ship for navigation. It is not a submarine, and cannot navigate the entirety of the Dead Zone on its own. Its supplies of air and power are limited, which may limit how long it is useful for on a single trip before needing to be replenished.

“Ace Sears Brand” Air Cylinder

This single-use Gizmo provides up to 60 minutes of breathable air for 1 person, but does not provide protection from other environmental hazards. Once ‘opened’, it cannot be resealed in order to save the remaining supply. It cannot be shared with others.

Helscape Deathmask

This Gizmo can provide some limited protection from environmental hazards, but does not count as a source of air.

Deadzone Dives

We are including a Content List as well as a rough start time window for each Dive we plan to run over the weekend. All Dives other than the last will have a limit on how many characters may undertake the voyage. The last Dive will have no limit on participants. All Dives are currently planned to occur in the forest across the road.

Content Warnings and Estimated Start Times for All Dives

All Dives have a chance of featuring thalassophobia, environmental hazards, and the threat of simulated drowning and/or suffocation. All Dives will also take place in the Wasteland (Character v Character Conflict possibility).

Saturday Midnight - 2 am

This Dive may feature themes of underwater exploration, the Mortis Amaranthine, Coordination, Kidnapping, and Zombies.

Saturday 9am - Noon

This Dive may feature themes of Stealth, Larceny, obscured or low vision, and the threat of simulated implosion.

Saturday Noon - 3pm

This Dive may feature themes involving Medical and Wasteland Science, as well as possible hallucinations, themes of unethical behavior, lack of empathy, and limited but avoidable splatter effects.

Saturday 7pm - 10pm

This Dive may feature close quarters areas, claustrophobia, Lineage threat, and themes of revenge.

Saturday 11pm - Sunday 1am

This Dive may feature submechanophobia, temporary isolation or helplessness, temporary loss of agency, and large-scale coordination

Custom Disease

In order to strike a balance between the idea of numerically-limited teamwork while on dangerous away missions, while still enabling each person who wishes to go on one of the smaller preliminary Dives being able to do so, we will be implementing a custom “Disease” to help facilitate that. This mechanic represents being thoroughly exposed to the dangerous chemicals permeating the Dead Zone, and in that regard is not truly a “Disease” in the usual Dystopia Rising sense of the word.

Peacemaker

Transmission Vector: Significant, and sometimes repeated, exposure to the Peacemaker chemicals.

Description: More a debilitating condition than an actual disease, this condition occurs when a character is exposed to significant levels of the toxic chemicals known as “Peacemaker” such as full-body immersion in the waters surrounding the Dead Zone. As internal levels of the chemical increase, their side effects quickly worsen. There is no cure, although the Infection inherent in each Lineage will purge the substance over time once exposure has ceased assuming that exposure stops early enough.

Stages:

• Stage 1: Feelings of contentment, serenity, and lethargy. Occasionally distracted with moments of calm. Ingested Brews and Meals take twice as long to consume.

• Stage 2: As Stage 1, but increased. Lack of fear or aggression. All Injectibles require 2 minutes to take effect.

• Stage 3: As Stage 2, but increased. Inability to attack or inflict harmful effects on any Target that has not done the same first. Must spend 1 Resolve to initiate aggressive actions against a single Target. This is not required once the Target attacks you.

• Stage 4: As Stage 3, but increased. Inability to run or feel pain. May not move faster than a slow walk or use Enhanced Movement. Bleed Out Timer reduced to 2 minutes.

• Stage 5: Painful and agonizing immediate death. Please report to Ops.

Duration Between Stages: This Disease cannot progress on its own. Each significant exposure (ie, a Dive) increase the Stage by 1. Mutants do not have an innate resistance to it, and cannot defend against it. Stage only progresses after exposure has completed (ie, after that Dive has concluded).

Resolution:

• Identifiable with the Basic Medical Skill.

• Not currently treatable. Disease is automatically cured at End of Event.

• Return from Mortis cures Disease: No.

Helldiving in Wisconsin - Local Mechanics, Intro Mod, and Literal Diving

Hi, everyone! You’re probably wondering just what the heck we’ll be doing next weekend, as we take you deeper for our June Helldive event. Especially if you’re traveling, you may be unfamiliar with how Dystopia Rising: Wisconsin does certain things that can vary from other chapters. We have a very specific paper form for conducting Plot Research, for instance. We also use a custom variation of Radiation Sickness for when your characters have been exposed to excessive radiation or certain irradiated threats. On the other hand, that variation of Radiation Sickness and other specific mechanics only exist here while attending Wisconsin events. When you travel elsewhere, it no longer ‘exists’ or affects your character unless your local chapter has said otherwise. We also have quite a few Items that only exist locally, whether crafted or purchased from our local Financial Institutions.

Local Mechanics

We will not be opting into any other branch’s Local Items or Custom Mechanics for our Premier. This includes other Plotkits that we’ve opted into in the past, such as NY’s Red Line and the Network wide Plotkit that introduced Black Fungal Disease to the Wastes. We instead would like to use our Premier to highlight all of the crazy things that make our Wisconsin branch very Wisconsin. Die Wisconsinbly!

This also means that we’ll have our own Local things going on! We’re very fond of Critters and their ecosystem, as many of you might have noticed, and “Bug Island” is aptly named. We will also be introducing a custom “Disease” for just this event. (Don’t panic! Keep reading!)

Local Mechanics, Items, or Rulings are just that: Local to that chapter. While multiple chapters may choose to work together to create a shared story, and often do, most of the time we’re all pretty focused on crafting our local stories for our players. All of those local bits and bobs help to flavor a given branch’s story in ways that are very particular to that game and help promote that game’s story, setting, and culture. Indiana has several Local Items for faith RP, Texas has a lot of different mechanical interactions with their Factions, New York created a fun puzzle game out of a new drug, and Wisconsin has a group of Final Knight librarians that make cheese in their dungeon. Taking all of these different factors into account can be tricky for crafting and balancing a given event, especially if you’re only partially familiar with them as a gamerunner.

Game On

Because our Premier will be set on the uninhabited Bug Island, all characters at Game On will be undergoing a travel mod together, unless you have a mechanical method of bypassing it such as the Nomad Advantage or spending Mind per Proficient or Master Trailblazing. Those physically incapable of participating will not be required to do so. As mentioned in a previous Facebook post, the Great Lakes Trading Company will otherwise be hot-dropping PCs onto the shores of Bug Island, and they will have to travel through the forest to “Site FOB” where several prefab buildings have been literally dropped from airships. Players who are not on this Introduction Mod will be asked to wait in a specific location, out of play, as some last minute setting up will be occurring during the travel mod. They will be allowed to enter play once the Intro mod has concluded and PCs have reached “Site FOB.” Characters entering play after the Intro Mod, whether arriving late or having NPC shift or otherwise, will have had an uneventful journey to the island and its rustic camp.

Players wishing to install WI Room Augments that had been installed in Steel Horse Crossing proper will need to have them transported in during this mod. We will have several carrying containers (IE, storage totes) to act as physical representations, and they will require a two-person carry. The card for the Room Augment should be placed inside of this container, but no other props are required to be physically carried. Props may be staged at their intended install locations before game to make things simpler, and you may choose to install your Room Augments at locations that are not “the usual”. PCs helping to transport an Augment only need to have one hand on the container to help carry it; one-handed weapons, shields, projectile weapons, etc. may still be used as normal.

Upon arrival, an Artisan only needs to spend 15 minutes “installing” the Room Augment. No Mind or other resources will be required. Additional Artisans helping may shorten the installation time by 1 minute each, to a minimum of 5 minutes per Room Augment. Only Basic Artisan is needed to perform this task. You do not need to install the Room Augment in the same Out of Game location as it existed in Steel Horse Crossing, and we encourage putting them in other areas to help give that feeling of being “elsewhere”.

The Dive(s)

While the PCs will be setting up a base camp in the wild wastes known as Bug Island and exploring their surroundings, many may wish to make excursions down under the water to a ruined research facility that has caught many folks’ attention. There will be more than one of these Dives, mostly along the themes of exploring and gathering information before eventually leading up to that last Helldive.

Each of these preliminary dives, other than the last one, will have a maximum number of participants and have set launch times. As is our tradition, we would like as many folks who wish to participate in that last climactic Dive to be able to do so. In order to promote as many people as possible getting a turn at the smaller Dives leading up to it, we are introducing a “Disease” that begins to impose negative mechanical effects for every dive your PC makes. It cannot be spread to others, cannot be inoculated against, and is entirely an environmental side effect of diving into the poisoned waters that make up the surrounding Dead Zone. Time and rest (the end of the Event) will cure it. That first Dive is free!

To help with transparency and Player planning, we will have an Out of Character Sign-Up Sheet with both Dive Times and blank slots for everyone to coordinate. It is our goal to release a list of those Dives and their respective Content Warnings this week before Game, so you can think about which ones you’d like to attend. This sheet will also list the mechanics for what happens when your character is immersed in the “Peacemaker” chemicals that permeate the surrounding waters, so that you can make those delightfully difficult choices as to whether to go on that next dive yourself or to share what you’ve learned with the next team. A Helscape Deathmask may help you against the worst of the immediate exposure effects of the Peacemaker poisons, but full body immersion in the waters of the Dead Zone will begin to take its toll if you continue diving multiple times. Taking too many people at once may also have disastrous consequences, as diving bells and air tanks can only supply so many people. We will have the Sign Up Sheet at Town Hall, near the Job Board.

For more information about our Local Items and Mechanics, please see the following links on our webpage:

Local Mechanics, including our Radiation Sickness variant: https://dystopiarisingwi.com/local-items-mechanics

Local Financial Institutions, including the Items available if you Affiliate with them: https://dystopiarisingwi.com/financial-institutions

November Quarterly Marketplace

The Great Lakes Trading Company proudly presents:

The Steel Horse Crossing Quarterly Marketplace!

After years of prosperity and growth we have a whole host of talented crafters available to show their wares and tempt the wasteland with their delicious foods. Bring your own merchandise and set up your own stall! No taxes will be levied on your sales, no Ironworks to demand their share. Just farmers, artisans and foodies providing goods and services to the broader wastelands!

To register for a booth, let Captain Maggie know where you plan on setting up, and what you plan on selling and she will make sure the area is cleared of debris (and zed and zed debris) before trade begins.

OOC Information:

Folks are encouraged to create “Vendor Booths” in safe locations anywhere on site with space in Town Hall so long as it doesn’t interfere with the workstations or cause fire hazards. Folks are encouraged to promote their businesses, skills and wares in a genre setting to represent the economic growth of SHC.

No real money transactions during game, this should be for IC money only, but you are free to make a list of folks to catch up with after game if need be.

An example: The Corvids will be creating a grab & go counter at their Wayside for the Quarterly Marketplace, selling hot beverages, soups, stews, and pastries. They will be providing eco-friendly, biodegradable to-go containers for convenience.

Be aware of the weather when planning your booths, it will get chilly and you may need a way to stay warm.

You can contact Captain Maggie by emailing CustomerService@dystopiarisingwi.com. Please let us know where you plan on setting up your stall and what you plan on selling. As always, areas are first come first served.

3.0 Updates

Good morning folks!

Some updates for you now that I have had a moment to sit and breathe. You are going to want to read this. ^_^

1. Please wait to update your characters in the 3.0 database as we won't be porting over the 2.0 changes to XP totals until the 14th. Please wait until the 15th to update your characters. If you have already begun creating characters in the 3.0 database you will need to recreate them on the 15th as everything will be wiped with the update. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE 3.0 DATABASE EMAIL ME ASAP SO I CAN GET YOU ACCESS. All the emails have been sent so if you don't have one yet, you aren't going to get one, just email me and I'll get you set up. ^_^ Customerservice@dystopiarisingwi.com

2. I am expecting a flood of emails from folks who didn't know what they wanted to spend their transfer points on. You have until the 20th, end of day, to get me those emails or you will walk into October's game with starting gear only. (Yes, I will be reminding you regularly!) If you need to adjust something for your spreadsheet (add cards you found, add AP you forgot) please let me know asap and I'll get you sorted so you are ready to go on the 21st. Customerservice@dystopiarisingwi.com

3. Many of you have already submitted, but if you have feedback from the last game you can submit it here.

4. Please, Please, Please use the customerservice@dystopiarisingwi.com email to ask questions about the conversion. I am trying to make sure I don't miss anyone's question, but having questions sent to 4 different locations means someone is going to get missed and I don't want to do that. Thank you!

5. Pre-registration for October's game will wait to open until the final 3.0 database port after the 14th. Please bear with us as we learn the new database and get the webpage set up to handle the new way of doing things. This month will not be a normal month as we figure out how 3.0 is going to work on the back end of things. If you have questions or concerns, email and I can get you sorted.

6. We have time skip stories coming soon! Real life stuffs have thrown off our timing. Rest assured we are working to catch up as fast as we can. Thank you all for your patience and I can't wait to see where your stories go from here!

Heather - Logistics Coordinator

The Elder Council and You

As we start gearing up for a time jump, and what that means for the game, there’s been a lingering question from folks that seems easy to address:  What is “The Elder Council”?

When we put together the Wisconsin game years back, we looked across all the games in the network to see how their models worked (or didn’t work) for the game we wanted our players to experience.  One of the things that we took away from that research was the need to have an NPC setup in which the game runners had control over issues that directly impacted the play, well-being and fairness for all players across the game.  The concept of the Elder Council was specifically placed into use for that purpose – when we saw the potential for abuse, or instances where players could inadvertently change the experience for players in a way they hadn’t considered, we had the option of stepping in and having the more nebulous NPC group use certain plot and drivers as course corrections. The aspect was built into history that the original families (and specifically their strains) would keep control over their land with enough input to ensure the Ironworks was appeased, and that the core interests of those groups were a general undertone.

Fast forward a while, and we’ve not only leveraged the original purpose, but also have used the NPC group to advance plot, offer unique opportunities that weren’t easy to build in otherwise, and course correct when things went beyond the bounds of the game we had been running.  We’ve always been open to player agency, but at the same time, we’ve been particularly up front that certain aspects of the world around your characters have their own life and will impact the game just as much as the characters in those cases.  So what does that have to do with today?

If you’ve been to game recently, you’ll know that the town has been given a lot more freedom with the Ironworks mostly out of the picture. (Maybe? For now?  Forever?)  The aspect of building a small portion of the larger ‘city’ area that is Steel Horse has fallen to individual zones, and this game exists in one particular zone, while NPC factions (see 3.0 for more detail there) will exist alongside them in various capacities.  The chance to govern the specific area in question – the place where characters live, gather, and otherwise experience game – means everyone gets a chance to help guide that part of the world.  That also opens the door to options that the game runners will need to keep an eye on.  Are our new players being treated just as fairly as our veterans?  Is there a way that a single person or small group is taking advantage of that system in order to make the game experience worse for others?  Is a core principle of our game’s background disappearing without NPC input?  All those items and more will still require an eye on the general ideals we want to ensure remain true in our play space.

What this doesn’t mean is that the game runners want to run your game and part of town top down.  We aren’t interested in the micromanagement of how the players and their PCs want to play the game aside from providing a fun environment.  We are definitely not going to look at every law a council of PCs would pass and say “Nah, don’t wanna” when it doesn’t impede, or cause problems for, other players.  These NPCs aren’t going to show up for no reason and take over the game.  They are there solely for the constructive well-being and longevity of all players, and when otherwise specifically engaged, to enhance the roleplay of characters.  You can have any number of interactions with them, but they should not be expected to be regular visitors or iron-fisted rulers.  Within some small boundaries, they are there for story and gentle nudging.  Think of them as a kind of NPC landlord: as long as things are going reasonably well, you won’t see them.  As with any NPC, they will also have a life of their own, and respond to PCs accordingly if they are so engaged.

Localizing 3.0 and Downfall 2019

Long ago, just after the Fall, there were only a few Dystopia Rising games.  Those few games grew into a small network, where things worked for the collective groups involved.  During that time, those large national events we’ve seen over the years worked really well.  As the network grew, those events were harder to work into every branch’s schedules, and it was harder to get everyone into one place to have fun together.  

Today, we have so many branches running every weekend that the concept of a single national event conflicts with the goals of having so many local games available.  Players must decide where to spend their time, money and weekends already – a national event just added to that strain.  Each branch voted on whether to change that format up in order to better serve our community, and we unanimously decided to implement a new format for the network.  Today, we’re announcing a change to how things work with PREMIER EVENTS!

Premiere events are special games held once a year by each game.  Those games are now split into regions, so that each region can have these special games available to them.  Each premiere event is a blend of a larger game with nation-wide plot arcs and local flavor.  Regions look like this today:

Region One
Current Games: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut

Region Two
Current Games: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Georgia
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina

Region Three
Current Games: Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio
Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, West Virginia, Virginia, Minnesota

Region Four
Current Games: Washington, Oregon
Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota,

Region Five
Current Games: Northern California, Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico
Nevada, Utah, Arizona

These events will replace the national event format we’ve see in the past, and opens up the door for us to dig into our plot arcs locally and share our flavor with visitors.  At the same time, we’ll still have plot running through the network that we’ll also have access to in these events so we can continue to tie all the chapters together.

Additional information about these events includes:

• Premiere events can be three OR four day events.  A fourth day would add $25 to the overall cost of the event.

• Premiere events offer an optional five (5) additional build, similar to other event games.  That build would $50 to the overall cost of the event.

• Premiere events start in 2019, scheduled with every effort to not overlap other event games.  In the case of DR: Wisconsin, our Premiere event for 2019 is the November game at Camp Evelyn.

• In 2020, all branches may run 1 Premiere even per year as long as they keep up with all the obligations in their contracts.  We will announce the date for a 2020 Premiere game as soon as all branches schedules are submitted, and we have that date!

• Premiere events help tie regions together with plot, opening the door to having players work across multiple games to invest in story and activities even beyond the premiere events.

Overall, this opens to the door to a lot more opportunity, both in focusing on our local communities and our interactions between each branch, which will hopefully bring all our players closer together as well!  We won’t be ignoring branches and regions beyond our own – we can absolutely work with them too – but we want to ensure our focus is on our local communities and the quality we can provide you each game.

This shift also opens the door many future options to focus locally and allows our players to directly support their local branches!  A few more changes that you’ll see as we make this shift include:

• Advanced Memberships will be sold locally, starting around the mid-September time-frame.

• All branch merchandise will shift to the branches directly, and will be sold locally and online, with expanding options for customization.

• Other changes may occur, and we’ll keep you up to date as any new information rolls out!

With the above changes shifting our current practices, it was also decided to cancel the 2019 Downfall event.  More information can be found in the link below, which will also include instructions for anyone that pre-registered for the event.  The goal of every branch, and INC as the company presenting this event, is to ensure you have outstanding customer service through this process.  Please read the link and follow any steps that apply, and know that we will ensure you do not suffer due to this change.  If you have any questions or concerns, we will help you navigate whatever comes up – please do reach out to us for assistance at any point.

http://www.imaginenationcollective.com/downfall2019

We hope you see the benefit and potential for these new changes, and join us for new ways to tell stories with you and your friends as our continued focus.

Heather and Mike Surma

3.0 Questions & Answer Session #2

Q: By my reading, there is no longer FIRE and POISON damage types. Fire simply deals body, but will green packets also go extinct? If not, will Shields still stop poison/green packets? Should we assume that shields only stop blue packets and throwers then?

A: Until more blueprints come out to change the answer, yes.  Shields only stop blue packets and throwers.  We do not currently have green packets in 3.0.  If that changes we will let you know.

Q:  Are the workshop spaces going to have tool props, or should we still carry them ourselves?

A: The workstations will have everything you need, however, if you would like to still carry tools to reinforce your costuming concept you are welcome to.

Q: Particular psionic abilities are incredibly powerful, particularly @ lvl3 (e.g. pyrokinesis)  and there doesn't seem to be any counters available to non-psionic using PCs. Is this power imbalance being evaluated?

A:  Master Mental Endurance gives you the ability to negate all psionic effects, there are also some blueprints that allow you to negate psionic effects as well.  Not to mention how difficult it will be to get Master level skills to begin with.  There is also the aspect of consensual CvC.  If you need to use it against another player, you will need to get their consent.  Yes, that skill is very powerful, but it already has balances in place.

Q: Are having to carry the 12oz bottles a must?

A:  Currently you must phys rep every brew you carry.  3.0 doesn’t change that, but if you are not carrying 6 brews, you don’t have to phys rep those brews.  The supply bag can be totally empty outside of your cards if the weight is a concern. But all brews you plan on using/selling must have a phys rep, just like 2.0.

Q: Can you describe anomaly powers as variants, i.e. instead of base pyrokinesis, my character does the same mechanical effect, but as cold?

A: Not at this time.  The effects are very specific and though there might be blueprints to adjust this in the future but as it stands now, the skill is exactly what it says in the book.

Q: There seems to be disparity between the differences between exotic items and guns. under the Florentine skill it makes these distinctions:

1. "...combination of two melee weapons, exotic weapons, or firearms..."

2. "This six strike flurry only applies when using a combination of melee and exotic weapons (guns fire as fast as they will)..."

So are exotic weapons flurry based or reload based?

A: Exotic weapons are both melee and ranged, so they can be either.

Q: Will concentrate fire and sniped shot be added as blueprint powers?

A: We do not have that information at this time. 

Q:  Do you need to be master level exp to use master level items? To clarify - a base 1 damage can can be still called by any one wilding a master level weapon, right?

A:  Anyone can pick up any weapon and swing for 1s.  If you have the skill to use the master level effect, then you can use that too.  If you do not, then you cannot and it will still swing for 1.

Q: I’ve seen a lot of complaints that the strains have been largely homogenized, particularly Red Stars and Ascensorites, both benefits and detriments. While I can see this as a leveling of the strains, it is at the cost of a great deal of flavor. What was the thinking, here? They aren’t required to defend their own people, anymore, for instance.

A: The 3.0 book was created to help new players come into game as easily as possible.  It cuts back on a lot of the flavor of each strain because that tends to overwhelm new players who just want to jump in and try stuff out.  The flavor is still there and can still be a part of your role play if you wish it to be, it just isn’t a required mechanic anymore.  Want to make it important to your character to defend your own people?  Do it!  It is your role play and that is a totally viable way to tell your story.  The splat books are still cannon.  3.0 doesn’t really cut back on the flavor, but rather removes the mandatory mechanics of playing the strain.  Your role play can still maintain most of what it has today.

Q: Regarding cult Faiths, do we need to maintain ten, or just start with ten? Do we need to replace one if someone dies or starts playing?

A:  When the cult is approved it must have 10 players.  If something happens after that to lessen the numbers we aren’t going to immediately disband the cult, however, we will be requesting you start looking into a different faith if it falls below a sustainable number because at that point it becomes an issue.  But no, we won’t immediately disband the cult for falling below 10 if someone can’t make it to game anymore.

Q: What kind of turnaround time can we expect on action request responses? For example, my ascensorite ascends in November, should I request in October?

A: Giving us more time means you get a better mod to help you with your action request.  We must have the action request at least two weeks prior to game if you aren’t looking for something that requires props or face NPCs.  A month in advance is preferable.  We want to give your request as much time and effort as we can to make the best experience we can.

Q: How much blood (in body points) does a semper need to drink per game?

A: They need to drink once per game.

Q: Will I not mention my characters slave background any longer in 3.0?

A: Your background remains the same.  We simply won’t be allowing new players to enter with slavery in their background going forward.  We are not going to remove your story from play if you were playing during the time slavery was a thing.  We will be asking folks to not focus their role play on that aspect of their character, however.  We will be giving story prompts for the 3 year gap that will give the players a reason to focus on the value of freedom, rather than the hardship of their time during slavery. 

Q: Will there be an approved national blaster list anymore?

A: There will not.  All weapons will be safety checked at every game and will need to be one pull, one dart. 

Q:  Should we change a character's approved background based on things that change in 3.0?

A: If you have questions about your background feel free to email us and we can discuss it.  Generally, the answer is no, but we are happy to go into details with you if you have concerns.  Toss Val an email at val@dystopiarisingwi.com to discuss in more detail.

Q: Will there be an announcement as to which areas of each campground are “civilized” zones and which “cvc-heavy combat” zones?

A: Yup!  We will announce it at opening announcements AND we are planning to have neat little genre’d signs to put up for in game.

Q: Will previously open strains have new costuming/background requirements?

A: They might, we will let you know as we get closer to the date.

Q: A concern I’ve heard (though I don’t suffer it) is requirements for reclaimers to have contacts, full stop. Some folks apparently can’t wear contacts. Is it possible to have a doctor’s note to bypass some of their requirements instead of losing resolve?

A: There is a lot you can do with costuming to meet the required needs however, there are some strains that simply won’t be playable by some folks due to the costuming requirements needed to play the strain.  There are plenty of others to choose from that won’t have the same requirements and we encourage folks to make decisions based on their own costuming limitations.

Q:  How will losing Resolve based on strain traits work? If I'm playing a Solestros., do I have to be obviously and outrageously competitive? How would you make the call for trait-based resolve loss for traits like DJ's lack of smell sense or a Saltwises dry skin?

A:  If a mod tests that strain trait and you don’t follow it, the guide on duty will tap you and discuss it.  Otherwise it is trust based.  You tell us when you feel like your character isn’t following it, or if it is super obvious, we will follow up with you out of character.  But we aren’t going to stalk you to make sure you are playing up your strain 100% all day, every day.

Q:  This may have been asked but is there any idea where or how big the Wasteland (CVC) area will be in SHC? Will it be like outside of the buildings are Wasteland or will it be like (IE. over by the lake this area is the Wastelands?

A: We will have an announcement on that soon!  It depends on the campsite, obviously, but there will be maps!

3.0 Question & Answer Session Transcripts

Q: There are rumors afloat that the only weapon phys reps that will be permitted in 3.0 will be those crafted by DR officially authorized crafters.

A: Incorrect, any artist can create a weapon phys rep.  All weapons must past safety inspection at game as usual.

Q: For the rebuilds will all our experience points be melted down and available only for 1 character?

A: Each character will have their XP totals transferred to the new system.  You may then create or recreate a character with those totals. Keep in mind if you have three characters, you will have three separate totals.  You can put whatever character you like on whatever total you would like.  If you wish to bring a permed character back from the dead, please remember that you MUST get chapter approval to do so.

Q: Is the world building information in the tabletop books still canon? (Other than things such as the Iron strain name/other previously current slavery material, which is obviously no longer relevant to the present).

A: Currently, yes.  Onyx Path may change things in the future, but as it stands the splat books are still viable for canon purposes.

Q: Will those of us who already have Advanced Membership be charged the difference between the previous and new prices? Will our memberships drop or continue?

A: Your Advanced Membership will continue unchanged until it runs out, then you will need to purchase the Advanced Membership at the new rate.

Q: Will plot strings from 2.0 carry over with the time skip? (Such as, if I owe debt to an NPC and don't pay before the skip, will that debt come back to bite?)

A: This is a very personal question.  Some things will carry over the time skip, rover deals, non-time dependent plot strings, etc.  Some things will not.  If you have a specific question feel free to email and we can talk specifics.

Q:  Is strainism gone? Can differences between strains still be remarked upon in RP? Are Lineages to replace strain stratification?

A: Forced strainism is gone.  Baywalkers and Yorkers no longer are forced to hate each other via role play mechanics.  That doesn’t mean you have to like each other, but it’s not the strain that causes the dislike, rather something else.  Example: “That retrograde just gooped in my drink, how gross!”  Lineages are simply new information for the scientifically minded characters.  A research in genetics gave us new information to play with in game.

Q: The language in the book has changed from 2.0: no sexism, racism, etc. to 3.0: no parallels to real world oppression. Does this new language include such things as economic oppression? Are there no longer capitalism or totalitarian horrors in the wastes?

A: The idea of ‘real world oppression’ is personalized oppression based on the protected categories of age, sex, race, etc.  Economic oppression can still be a topic of play.

Q:  This might sound dumb and irrelevant, but I noticed the book only mentions caravans, cars, and airships. Trains still exist...right? If for some reason they don't anymore, did they ever, or did they just stop working?

A: Trains and boats still exist.  It was not an all encompassing list.

Q:  This will probably be answered by plot in the coming months...but is the Ironworks actually just gone?  The Chancellor is gone too? If so, would the Daleys still be considered important in the Ironworks?

A:  Great question!  We don’t know until Onyx Path puts out their book on the subject.  What that means for SHC is that we are going to be focusing our plot on the local area alone.  The people of the Ironworks still exist, but who knows what is going on up at the top?  Most of the big wigs are missing in action and therefore unable to be reached for comment.

Q: Okay I noticed that bullets have been limited to 50 combined darts or packets for guns. I am okay with this if, and it is a big if they could come out with a Gizmo ammo can (properly phys rep) for those of us with resources and time to prepare for a big fight. I have often carried 75 packets in the current system as I have run out of packets in big fights with only 50. I find this limitation along with projectile reduction and projectile immunity on zed to be closer to balancing the difference between melee and projectiles.

A:  The current blueprint list is just the bare bones basic blueprint list to get the game up and running.  There are more prints coming in the future and many possibilities that could happen based on those future blueprints.  This would be a wait and see situation.

Q: What are the differences between the directors? What does experience design mean? For example.

A: There are no more Directors, there are Owners and Employees.  Currently in Dystopia Rising: Wisconsin you have two owners and one employee.  Heather is in charge of Marketing, Customer Service(answering emails and communication), Community Management (keeping folks upbeat and excited) and Logistics (cards, inventory, character sheets), Mike is in charge of Visual Design (the way the game looks) and Conflict Resolution and Val is in charge of Experience Design(plot and story).

Q: As far as new players and exp/build, are new players truly coming in with no skills purchased, the language seems to indicate that to be the case.

A: Correct!  The idea behind 3.0 is to make this as friendly to new players as possible and to focus on story, rather than mechanics.  New players now focus on creating a character with a backstory and a costume and learn skills as they are needed during role play.  New players won’t have to worry about trying to find a build that suites their playstyle, and instead can worry about getting skills they actually need to have to have the experience they wish to have.  Since all weapons skills are inborn, they don’t have to worry about being able to learn those skills to protect themselves.  They can just pick up a weapon and use it!

Q: I'm slightly confused about home chapters vs travel chapters when it comes to an Advanced Membership. It looks like all of your characters now have to be based in the same "home" chapter even with an Advanced Membership, is that accurate?

A: You can role play your character to be based out of any area you would like, but administratively you have one point of contact to deal with character sheet issues and updates.  That is your ‘home’ game. 

Q: Can you explain zones?

A: There are now two ‘zones’ in 3.0.  The more civilized town center where the crafting stations and sleeping areas are and the wasteland where more intense combat and CvC heavy areas are.  Feel free to hang out in the area that most suites your characters!

Q: Perhaps this was handled via updates, however I'm struggling to find how Local Currency is introduced into the game aside from Elitariat Lineage advantage. Is this intended or did I miss a way for other Lineages to activate Proficient and deeper Civilized skills?

A: Most check in skills have gone by the wayside in 3.0.  Local Currency is introduced via plot and local mods.  These mods will be role play heavy with some aspect of toyetics introduced in order to give you a more immersive experience.  Examples: Work orders from the Locals/Navy requesting supplies for currency, Work details where scouting parties get paid for scouting things, etc.

Q:  If you currently have an AP, can you apply for another immediately or do you need to wait until 6 months from the 3.0 start?

A: If you currently have an AP you may start 3.0 with an AP.  Please make sure to check in with your local chapter to make sure you get this aspect of your character set up properly, not all APs are labeled the same.

Q: What's going on with crafting stations? Will there be prints? Can be build our own crafting stations to sequester away in the middle of the woods where Warpaths live?

A: At the start of 3.0 all crafting stations will be provided by the local chapter and will be set up in highly genrefied areas.  We do not know if there will be blueprints in the future to give the players access to ‘mobile crafting units’.  Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Q: Will there still be restricted strains?

A: There are no restricted strains.  There WILL be costuming and backstory requirements for certain strains.  More information about that will be available on our website when updated for 3.0.

Q:  So what is happening with assistance points?

A:  We don’t know yet.  Rest assured we are working on something.  But nothing official has been announced at this time.

Q: How soon after the switch can you apply for a Professional Focus Achievement?

A: 6 months after Downfall.  This will allow us to get everyone up to speed on playing the game in the new format so we can focus on giving you an awesome story to go with your Achievement.

Q: How will transfers be handled leading up to, or after 3.0? I heard that you no longer lose all your items/currency/etc?

A: Correct!  After 3.0 you will no longer have to turn in your cards/currency/blueprints.  If you would like to wait to 3.0 to transfer you are welcome to do so.  Until Downfall, however, transfers will be handled as the norm.

Q: Combat skills seem to be extremely item dependent, and the most items only give damage spike abilites. Is that on purpose, or because we have so few prints?

A: That is on purpose.  We want characters to have an element of danger in the new system.  We want folks to consider their tactics as well as their weapons.  Are you on high ground?  Do you have a way to funnel your enemies?  Be smart about your tactics and you will be just as deadly as before with easier math.

Q: When will we be able to exchange current stuff for 3.0 stuff?

A: The current timeline says August 1st.  There will be more announcements on this as we get closer.

Q: Will we be able to buy Infection and Resolve during the Rewrite Process?

A: You can purchase up to 6 resolve during the rewrite process.  Infection can only be increased with in character role play options.

Q: What is happening with our local cults? Will we be grandfathered in? Do those ten members need to be from the same chapter? Can we become part of the local cult during the time skip?

A:  Local cults who have 10 members will be grandfathered in.  They do not need to be from the same chapter but you will need to check with the local team to make sure they will be accepting that cult in their game after 3.0.  You can not become part of a local cult during the time skip.  If you would like to join one, you are welcome to do so before or after the time jump.

Q: Are NoA considered baptized into their faith in 3.0 to start?  Is that all Devoted, or just Accensorites?

A: We are checking with folks about this, but for the moment, it is just Nation of Accensor.

Q:  Will faith subsects carry over?

A:  Most of them should, yes.

Q:  Is one a "priest" just by taking Faith skills then?

A: One is a priest by their role play.  Do they act like a priest?  Do they follow a faith?  You are what your role play holds up to.  None of the faith-based skills demand you call yourself a priest, but if you want to be considered one, the faith based skills are extremely useful.  You are what you role play, ultimately.  If you want to be a priest that does nothing but preach the tenants of your faith, but has no desire to be able to baptize anyone or do any of the other priestly skills, they are still a priest, just not one with those skills.

Q:  So to be clear - since our characters are turned into "point pools" if we're keeping a character through the rewrite and they are part of a religion, will they be able to keep that religion without having to be rebaptized?

A: Correct.  Cults will need approval, but your base faiths will carry over, yes.  If you want them to.

February Food Drive!

In Game:

Steel Horse Crossing is known for it's food!  It makes sense that we focus on getting the people of the wasteland fed.  With the upheval from the Trade Union's decree and the fight to free the Iron Slaves, not to mention the dangerous temperatures, food is at a premium!  If you donate oog to your local foodbank you can mark that donation in the name of one of the in game factions below.

RPM - The RPM is working directly against the Ironworks and will need help to feed the Irons as they are freed.

Ironworks Brewing Collective - The IBC is supporting change within the Ironworks and will need food to help with the added infrastructure costs.

Twelve-by-2 - Twelve-by-2 and her near raider DJs may still be out there and need food to stay alive during the cold months.

Monster - ???

The faction with the highest number of donations will get an extra special mod at March's game!

Out of Game:

Winter is rough, even more so when you don't have enough food to feed your family.  Food banks are a huge help during these months for families who need a little extra help.  This winter has already shown it's going to be hard for folks so let's do something to make things a little easier for those who are struggling.

How to participate:

1. You can find your local Food Bank here.

2. Drop off your food or money to the Food Bank.

3. Send an email to customerservice@dystopiarisingwi.com   Make sure to let us know how many items/cash you donated, what faction you want to support and to what food shelter you donated to. You can do this as many times you like during the month of February!

4. We will reward you 5 AP for each food item donated or $1-1AP for cash donations (rounded up as needed).

With just a little effort we can help to make the world a better place!

Moving Towards 3.0 - Plot and Transparency

There’s a lot going on right now in the world of plot, and how the landscape is changing in DR to adopt new constructs for the 3.0 release.  While this is extremely exciting news, it has also caused some confusion and even some feeling of ostracism due to where we are located and our setting and genre.  So let’s break that down with a bit of clarity and transparency so we can start off on the same page.  As much as we love open-ended, player-guided plot as part of our game, we also have some specific lines that have been drawn since prior to our first game, and it’s entirely fair to help you see where those lines are and how you can use them to help shape your game!

Let’s start with a few points of clarity.  First, the national plot currently rolling out has no negative connotations targeting our game based in the Ironworks or our players at all.  I’ve heard a number of concerns worrying on that point, but I want to make sure you all read this here because I think it’s extremely important.  As owners we knew, going in, that the changes to the material required changes to our setting as well.  We were, and are, well aware of where things are headed and are also helping to steer parts of this plot with our own experience.  The Ironworks will not disappear, and we will not lose the setting we are already playing in.  While the Iron Works may change, many of the staples we already have in place will remain when everything is said and done.  The changes that come will be positive overall, and no matter how many voices say otherwise, the network will not be simply steamrolling the game at hand.  (Many don’t know quite how big the Iron Works really is, and the true resources they have at their disposal – something you all know very well!)

On slavery and the associated change: As you already are very likely aware, slavery and the Iron Works setting are tied together pretty tightly.  We took that opportunity to work through the difficulties there when our game opened and ensured our players that took on the role of a slave knew what they were getting into and how to work with that system.  There were no concepts approved for “stupid” or “brainless” slaves.  We didn’t allow players to personify a “happy slave”, who was a cherubic champion of slavery due to how excellent it was for whatever reason.  We emphasized the horrific capitalistic oppression of any and all resources, that took people and turned them into objects.  No part of slavery is remotely acceptable in the real world, and we took this setting material on not to make light of real-life history and culture but allow our players the ability to roleplay within the sinister boundaries of a morally bankrupt empire.  Our players did a phenomenal job of portraying this devastating reality, and I appreciate them taking it with gravity it deserved.  If you haven’t read it yet, I’ll link it below as it deserves a read, but the statement made on why slavery is being eliminated is a tribute to realizing a set of books written years ago, with less awareness of how it would impact others, needs to Evolve.  We support this evolution completely and hope you will join us in the respect deserved for making positive steps forward.

On plot and participation with no games until March: Please know that I have gone to huge lengths to ensure our players can participate in a large variety of options to help work themselves into plot until we gather for our next game.  NPCs will be looking for your help or voices, ideas, and ultimately action.  If you want to participate, you are entirely welcome to do so!  This isn’t a gated event – it’s available to everyone in our game who is looking for input and agency in their home game and setting material.

So – what can you change?  To be fair, the list of things you can change are wildly larger than things that are not changing.  As always, the variety of plot items rolling out on the national stage, along with other more localized options, are all available to you.  It will take your impetus to get involved – you need to jump in somewhere and let us know you’re going to touch on one or more plot points via the method or methods provided.  Sometimes you may be posting reactions to IG material, or videos, or sound recordings.  There is a lot to talk about, but it will all be available publicly.  Please keep watching for it!

What won’t change?  We’ve often talked about a few immutable options for our game, as we have committed to a number of things from day one.  First, Wisconsin’s game will not leave the Iron Works barring a requirement for such in 3.0 material.  This game was established as, and will continue to be, in the Iron Works setting.  This is something that we as owners and game runners have deep investment, and we want you as players to understand that line so we don’t have people that are frustrated about not changing that aspect.  To that end, the game will also always have laws issued by the Works.  Those laws, if you’re familiar with them, will absolutely be changing.  Despite those changes, they will still exist.  The laws facilitate a number of other underlying aspects of the game and background and are inherently part of the structure of everything built up behind the game, NPCs, and story.  Lastly, the town will always be ‘owned’ by NPC groups or factions for a variety of OOG reasons as well as some story components.  This is more an administrative item due to a variety of discussions with other chapters, and ensures we avoid other lingering potential issues long term.

Beyond that, the game has an open door to player agency.  I’ve said it before, and it will remain true: your world and NPCs are all interactive.  If you do something, they can and will react.  Sometimes that works in your favor, and other times it doesn’t.  But if you feel strongly about a particular thing you want to change, there are always options for that.

If you have questions about any items on the list above, please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss them.  The game is ultimately about your desired level of involvement, and the enjoyment you derive from it.  If you’d enjoy working on some game aspects while we have downtime from events, I’m here to help.

Mike Surma

mike@dystopiarisingwi.com

Make sure to check out Michael Pucci’s Blog Post - Talking Bluntly - Uprise 2019

Question & Answer Session will be held Saturday, December 29th at 6pm. Join us in Discord!