Dystopia Rising SoCal New Guide application form
The Southern California Chapter of Dystopia Rising is always looking for individuals that would like to be a Guide for our game. The Guide position, whether it be for Operations, Rules, Logi or Specialized roles are all key to the function of the live action role play event as we run them under the Dystopia Rising network. Saying that, we would like to take the opportunity to list some basic obligations to the role of one of these Guide positions.
Guides are expected to always act with empathy. Viewing things from the mindset of the person you are engaging with is important. You can know rules backwards and forwards, run every threat correctly and be the best mod runner or cast wrangler in the land - but if you don’t have the capability to interact with others and really empathize with them, you will be challenged to be a Guide for our game.
Guides should always represent what is best about the Community. Our Community is comprised of all kinds of different people, from all walks of life. Race, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation are irrelevant - in our Community, everyone is equal. We show respect to one another, and make sure that we insure a safe play space for all. The actions of a Guide reflect the totality of the game, as players will look to them as an example of the Team producing the event.
Guide applicants should consider the amount of stress that comes with the position. It would be unfair for us to tell you that this is an easy job. It can be very rewarding, and that is why many do it. But it can have a profound impact on your out of game life, and sometimes that can be negative. While we allow players to be able to apply for a Guide position after only three games with us, we encourage those that have been here for some time to apply - as they best know the stresses that can occur at one of our events.
OPERATIONS Guides
An Operations Guide is a position that involves “running” the game from the “driver’s seat”. Your main responsibilities are to ensure that the “White Board” system is being used properly, and that you are maintaining the flow of modules and content that are going out into the game. Other facets needed for the position not only include a working knowledge of the rules, but the ability to create reactive plot, gauge the interest of the player base during their shift, and record key information for the Writing Team to review after the game. Operations Guides typically never leave the Operations trailer, and interact with the game via their Rules Guides and cast on shift. In order to be considered for this position, one must first complete the training of a Rules Guide.
Rules Guide
Rules Guides are the individuals that are seen running content in the field. They are the ones that take the content that the Writers and Ops Guides create and make it play out in the game environment. They need a strong understanding of the rules, and the ability to keep their cast focused, and the ability to stick to a schedule. During their four hours in this role, a Rules Guide may be involved in running as many as twelve individual modules/encounters. The Rules Guides are the backbone of the Story Team - they are the eyes, ears, and hands of Operations. In order to be considered for this position, a player must have first played at least three games with our Chapter, and have no disciplinary actions on record. Rules Guides will be taught three different one hour classes spread out over their first three events as a Guide, and also learn from the field and in some instances working with other Guides.
Logi Guides
Logistics, or “Logi” Guides are the ones that fill out the numerous item cards that exist in the game. They take the raw ingredient cards turned in, and fill out the item card that results. They work in a building that is in game called the Post Office, so they “work” as a cast character for their four hour shift. Dystopia Rising has a very robust in-game economy that is character driven, and so there are many, many item cards to fill out. A calm disposition (long lines of irate crafters can be daunting) and a willingness to learn and adhere to the process that Logistics has set up is important for the role. Coordination Guides are required to go through Rules Guide training. Due to the specialized training of a Coord Guide, Rules and Ops Guide may not help out in that capacity unless they undergo that training (cards need to be filled out correctly - the standard action that a Guide takes when finding a card is not filled out correctly typically is to tear them up - while this may seem harsh, it is a baseline that we adhere to to minimize opportunities for players to cheat) - however Coord Guides can help out as a Rules Guide should the need arise, as they have received a modicum of training for that role.
Specialized Guide Roles
There are many particular aspects to a larp production. For Season 11, we are returning to a specialized Guide role system that we have used in the past. These are singular in nature - the Guide roles described below is the “head” of that department, in other words. Some of these roles may include time not at game, and those hours will be attributed to your total contributions to your Guide role. Specialized Guide roles can award CAPs for players that help out in their particular department. Some roles will include interfacing with Story game runner to tailor-fit efforts to mesh with each individual game over the course of the season. Here are the following roles for Season 11.
Art Design
A role to enhance the visual artistic aspects of the game, from physical signs, banners, flyers, to “event” art created for each monthly game.
Prop Master
A role to create, handle, store, and set out the props in our storage unit for our events, and direct volunteers to help.
Costume Design
A role to create, handle and store costuming for our events.
Makeup
A role to oversee the application of makeup using good practice techniques, and direct others with the same training to fit the needs of the event.
Photography
A role to oversee volunteers and apply good practice techniques unique to the larp experience to capture the images that reflect each individual event and the season as a whole.
Weapon Safety
A role to oversee/disseminate the construction methods used in creating safe weapons for game, for storage of our weapons, loaners, and the basic weapon check for each event.
Marketing
A role to create interest in our game, via online content, traditional methods (such as promotion at gaming stores), and actual mod content at gaming conventions or other venues where the participants of that event are able to first hand interact with a larp experience.
New Player Guide
New players are the lifeblood of the game. You are the person that works with marketing and other avenues to interact with and promote the game to a new generation of new players.
Below find the creed in verbatim that was created by Michael Pucci in the 1.0 version of our game, back when they were first starting out. It is still relevant today.
The Creed
“Game must be safe, and it is my responsibility to act to ensure the safety of my game. I will act instead of watch, I will say instead of being silent to ensure the safety of all.
Game must be fun, and it is my responsibility to ensure that people are having fun. If people are not having fun, it is my responsibility to find out why they are not having fun. If it is within my power to help make game fun, I will do so. If it is not within my power to make game fun for them, I will communicate to other staff members what I have witness. Making game more fun begins with me.
I will understand the rules, work to know them, and understand the genre that the rules are trying to enforce.
I will respect my fellow staff members regardless of my opinions of who they are or what they are doing. When I disagree with what I see or have concerns I will voice these concerns, however, I will voice them
in private to the person that they concern. If resolution cannot be found, I will then speak to someone up the chain from me to ensure the issue is taken care of.
Game is a fun hobby, and I will do what I can to make sure that it stays fun for me as well. While I have accepted responsibilities to my friends and my game, I will NOT become over focused on game so that it ***encompasses all of my life***.
If I say I am going to do something, I will do it. If I find myself in a unique situation where I cannot do what it is that I have said I will do, I will let others know so that I am not hindering the experience of others.
I will not abuse my position.
I will not act in a way that will unfairly help myself or my friends, nor will I ever take real world perks for abuse of my game authority.
Details of what is discussed as a team member will remain within the team and I will not share these details outside of it.”
If, after reading and understanding the importance of the above criteria, you are interested in being a Guide for our Chapter, please read and fill out the application below. Answer the questions with care and thought.
This application is based on many other Chapters' own criteria across the Dystopia Rising network, and we are looking for thought and effort to be put into answering our queries. Once this application is completed it will be reviewed by Experience Design and Logistics. If your application is accepted we’ll reach out to you with further information.