Opening up Character Setup Spaces

As characters get settled into The Grove Quarter of Old Port, we want everyone to have space to set up and make this new town feel like home.
But we still want to maintain the Community Center as an open and neutral space where all characters, no matter their affiliations, can gather freely.

Our solution… Opening up cabins on the “boys side” of camp for what we will be calling: Character Setup Spaces!

If you’re interested in setting up a faith center, hospital, research center/library, bar, or any other town staple you can think of, this is the post for you!

These spaces will be available for free, but will need to be reserved in advance so that we can coordinate with our campsite; and provide a more equal opportunity for those who can’t always get to site first to “claim” a space.
Character setup space reservations will be added to our store as a free add on option, when registration tickets and build go up before each event.


Policies for Reserving and setting up In character spaces:

- Reserving An In Character Space: Building reservations will be first come first serve every month. You are welcome to reserve the same space each month, but reserving an in character setup space one month does not guarantee you the same, or any, building in following months.
If you and someone else would like to swap your reserved buildings, please email dystopiarisingmass@gmail.com ahead of the event, so we can label them properly during set up.

- Reservation Limit: To allow as many people as possible the opportunity to set up in character spaces; there is a limit of 1 building reservation per person.

- Amenities & Resources: These buildings will have the same conditions as the sleeping cabins. They are all open air, with no direct electricity— and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide power to these spaces. Individuals are welcome to bring their own solar or generator power for their setup spaces.

- How The Space Can Be Used: All character setup spaces will need to remain open and accessible to all Players throughout the whole weekend, like the Community Center— however, you are welcome to utilize the character setup spaces for group and other character initiatives (faith chapel, lounge, bar, etc). These spaces do not need to remain neutral or unaffiliated.

- Setup Restrictions: Inline with our site’s safety and fire requirements, there can be no flame based appliances. Electrical cooking appliances are ok (please make sure to clean up any food trash to prevent animal visitors).
Live fire cooking appliances (grills, campfires, etc) are not permitted in/around these buildings, and must remain on cement per the site’s fire safety policy.
Smoking (hookah, cigarettes, etc) is not permitted in any of these buildings.

- Sleeping In Character Setup Spaces: These Character Setup Spaces aren’t intended to be private sleeping cabins (stay tuned after our May game for an announcement about that!).
However, if you choose to sleep in the building you’ve reserved, please keep in mind that it will still need to remain accessible throughout the whole weekend to all players, no matter the time or day.
For example: If you set up a bar or hospital in the front section of a long building; and choose to sleep in the back section— You can “close” the bar service for the night and go to bed, but other players may still come and go to RP and utilize the space no matter the time of night.

- Wasteland: A lot of work goes into the creation of these spaces, and we want everyone to feel like they have say over the experience they have and engage with at game. All character setup spaces will, by default, not count as Wasteland; however these buildings can opt into being wasteland.
To do so, the individual who reserved the space may come to Ops and register their space as Wasteland, where they will get added to the list and given a Wasteland sign to hang on the door.

As with non wasteland cabins, non wasteland character setup spaces are still subject to standard CvC and gameplay rules. While they will also not be targeted by wasteland only threats/mods, these spaces are still subject to passing mods and standard combat— the same as the Community Center.

- Cleanup: As of now, all reserved character setup spaces will be considered personal cleanup. Camp cleanup will include a survey of any trash in the areas outside of the cabins; but the breakdown, packing, and cleanup of all character setup spaces will be personal cleanup.

Wasteland Warriors Where?

Hi all, today’s blog is a quick update with a mixture of important information for everyone as we quickly approach the start of our live event opener!!

First things first, Wasteland:
Our website has now been updated with our Wasteland information!

Projected timelines for Friday:
While sometimes our timeline gets a little delayed, these are our estimated times for the start of our event.
Full hours of operation are also viewable now on the website!

2pm FRI - Early set up arrival and start (please meet at Ops)
5pm FRI - Site opens to all attendees
7pm FRI - Checkin opens (at the Post Office)
9pm FRI - Opening announcements
10pm (est) FRI - Game on (for this month we will all be entering game together so make sure to come to Opening announcements to hear all the specifics)

Site Reminders:

  • Camp Marshall gets DARK at night. We will be providing solar powered lights at night, but we highly recommend you bring your own red lights (portable and for your sleeping spaces)

  • All of our cabins are open air and Do Not have power running to them. It is unfortunately forecasted to be rainy and a little cold this weekend; we highly recommend bring extra changes of clothes. As well as warm bedding, and sheets/tarps to block off airflow to your cabins.

  • It’s tick season! Remember to prepare your clothing with tick repellent (give it time to dry completely!) and bring bug spray.

  • We will only have a fridge and microwave available as kitchen/food amenities; there is no kitchen available for cooking. You are welcome to bring plug-in cooking appliances to use in the community center.

Cabin Layout
As mentioned in our previous blog post all about Cabins, we have a pre-selected number of cabins that will be unlocked and available to claim a bed in when site opens. Below is a map of the cabin layout, and which cabins you can expect to be unlocked when you arrive onsite.

Any cabin marked “open” is available for all players to stay in, beds are claimed on a first come first served basis— please do not reserve or save beds for others who are not on site yet.

Addendum 4/27 1:30pm:
Covid Requirements and Waivers
Also a reminder that all attendees must submit our new digital waivers. It only take a minute to fill out; electronic waivers signed for DR:NJ are accepted.
Anyone under 18 years of age, will still need a paper waiver signed by a legal guardian.

Full covid vaccination, plus at least one booster or a negative covid test from the last 72 hours is required to attend all DR:MA events.
Full details on our covid policy and how to submit vaccination records can be found here

DRMA Cross Plot with DRNY and DRPA: "Echoes of the Common Fall"

Get ready to travel, because to celebrate the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania chapters’ return to live play, we are teaming up with Dystopia Rising New York to run a three-part, cross-chapter plot! “Echoes of the Common Fall” will run on three consecutive weekends, beginning April 28 - 30 in Massachusetts, continuing May 5 - 7 in Pennsylvania, and concluding May 12 - 14 in New York.


“Echoes of the Common Fall” is a set of three modules, each of which will be run and designed by the individual chapters with a common narrative. Focused on Jonesing and Faith, the modules examine an ancient religion that existed just after the Fall, and introduces Nuclear Glass, a new local scrap that can be used in all three chapters. Each module will also introduce part of a new Benediction usable at all three chapters - if you bring your copy from one chapter to another you not only unlock new uses of the Benediction, but if you secure the full blueprint, you’ll get three different PFA abilities.


The weather is warming, chapters are re-opening, and Spring is a great season to send your character on a DR roadtrip to the Oldest Port, Luxury and Requiem!

Cabins, Camping, and You!

As mentioned in our blog post getting to know Camp Marshall, We rent our cabins individually each month, based on how many players we are expecting.
All beds are first come first serve; but there are plenty of beds, and we can add on additional cabins as needed if we reach capacity!

What are the Cabins like?

There are 2 sizes of cabin, we’ll refer to them as Small and Big cabins.

The small cabins can range from around 5-8 beds. In a square single room layout; most of the beds are singles, with 1 or 2 bunk beds.

The big cabins can range from around 8-12 beds. In a longer rectangular layout, with a wall frame dividing the space slightly; and a mixture of single and bunk beds.
These frame walls can be used to separate the front and back of the buildings if, for example, your cabin wants to make the smaller front portion a sitting/hangout room or lounge. If you are setting up part of your sleeping cabin as non-sleeping space, please make sure you are not taking away available beds; and that everyone in the cabin is ok with having the set up inside.

If you rearrange any furniture within your cabin please take a picture of the original set up first, so that we can put everything back where it belongs at the end of the weekend!


Power, Heating&Cooling

An important note we want everyone to be aware of is that the cabins do not have electricity in them.

There is an exterior light pole we can turn on/off to illuminate the area around the cabins; but we encourage everyone to set up battery powered lanterns and string lights, along with any other cabin decorations you want to bring. This site can get DARK at night (red lights are highly encouraged for this reason)!!

While this also means we can’t use heating/cooling appliances, the cabins are open air (with screens) so in the warmer months— which is primarily when we will be here— there will be some good cross breeze. And in the cooler months (we won’t be here in winter) hanging an extra curtain or blanket should help keep things insulated if there’s possibilities of evening temps dipping lower.

There will still be outlets available to use at various locations onsite including the Bathhouse, to use as needed. But please be cautious if you choose to leave personal items plugged in and unattended.



Medical Sleep

Cabin 12, the closest to the bathhouse, is our designated med sleep building. We will be running an extension cord from the bathhouse to this cabin, for anyone who needs to power medical equipment.
When possible, please email dystopiarisingmass@gmail.com and let us know in advance if you will need access to this space. No doctor’s note is required, but please let us know in your email what/if any specific needs you have so that we can plan properly and accommodate everyone as much as possible (including things like # of med sleep beds we’ll need, how many people will need electricity for medical equipment, etc).

By default our Medical Sleep cabin is a Non-Combat space.



Tenting

As of now our designated tenting area will be in between cabins 3 and 5 (behind cabin 4), and between cabins 5 and 7 (behind cabin 6). If enough people tent and fill up these spaces, will will designate a secondary tenting area!

Since the tenting spaces are in higher traffic in-game spaces, please make sure your tenting set up is appropriately genred!

All tent lines must be marked with red glow sticks or other red lights for night time safety.



Wasteland Cabins

Inline with the Wasteland system, we will be utilizing an opt-in practice for cabins.
While all cabins are subject to regular mods and combat passing through, opting into Wasteland is intended to provide the potential for a more intense game experience.
In addition to the standard rules for Wasteland Spaces, opting into a Wasteland cabin may include but is not limited to: higher level threats and late night raids, with potentially high value loot.

The decision to become a Wasteland cabin must be unanimous with everyone staying in the cabin. If you decide to opt into this experience, please send someone to Ops to have your cabin added to our list, and collect a Wasteland cabin sign that you will post on your front door.

Wasteland cabins are always considered CvC active. All CvC actions performed within a Wasteland cabin (murder, in-game theft*, etc) must still follow standard Wasteland rules; and we heavily recommend having a Guide with you.
*Note: Stealing from bed spaces (on or underneath a person’s bed; and going inside of their bags/personal belongings in this space) is not permitted.

At any point in the weekend, a cabin can decide to opt back out of being Wasteland. In this situation please remove the sign from your cabin door and return it to Ops, where you can notify our team to remove your cabin from our Wasteland list.


By default these sleeping and personal spaces will not be Wasteland:

  • Medical Sleep

  • Personal tents (individual players may opt the area of their set up into Wasteland. But no one may enter a personal tent without expressed permission by the owner)

  • Bathrooms


Cabin Reference Pictures

Left - Large cabin
Center- Small cabin

Small Cabin- Exterior

Small Cabin- Inside (number of beds, and layout may vary)

Large Cabin- Exterior

Large Cabin- Interior (number of beds, and layout may vary)

Large Cabin- Back Section (number of beds, and layout may vary)

Large Cabin- Front Section (number of beds, and layout may vary)

Medical Sleep- Exterior
*The Camp is working on installing an access ramp to the side of the porch

Medical Sleep- Interior (number of beds, and layout may vary)

Medical Sleep- Interior (number of beds, and layout may vary)
Taken from inside corner to the left of entrance.

New Site-- Get to Know Camp Marshall!

When going to a new camp site, one of the biggest questions on everyone’s minds is: What does the site look like, and where is everything?

Well this is the blog post for you!, Here we will be giving a full breakdown of our new site, Camp Marshall, and where everything will be that we have access to during our event weekends!

(Another post is coming soon with details specifically about cabins, so stay tuned!)


When driving onto site you will come down a long winding drive. This drive is marked in green on the map.


The Upper Grounds
As you approach, on your left side will be the Upper Grounds (you’ll see a big red barn and other buildings and vehicles). Please avoid going into this area, it is a separate rental space and not a space we have access to!
This space is marked in RED on the map


The Lower Grounds+ Parking
On your right side, as you approach, is the Lower Grounds. This is the space we have access to for our events.

Right at the entrance, there is a large lot for everyone to park in!
Note: You can drive your cars down to the sleeping spaces, but please be aware that it is on a down slope and there are plenty of roots.



Sleeping Spaces
As you come down the hill into the Lower Grounds, on your right side (left on the map, labeled “Girls’ Side”) is where our sleeping cabins are!

We rent these cabins individually each month, and there are plenty of beds in each, so no need to worry about having somewhere to sleep! We will designate each month which cabins are open.
One of the cabins will be designated as Medical Sleep.

Also within this area is a (open air) bath house— with toilets, sinks, and showers! These will be open for everyone to use.

*The sleeping spaces on the left (right on the map, labeled “boy’s side”) will not be open for player sleep, unless we need to open up more cabins for sleeping space. Players can mingle and hang out in this area, but please don’t try and enter the buildings here unless they are opened up for use. We also ask that we try and keep the noise in this section down, as we will have our decompression space here.



Tenting
Location for this is still being determined, we will update on this once a decision has been made!



Decompression Space

One of the cabins, cabin #2, in the left side (Right on the map, labeled “boy’s side”) will be our designated Decompression Space. If at any point you need somewhere quiet to step out of game, this cabin will be an open access space where you can sit and take the time you need away from noise and crowds.
Please keep in mind that this is not a sleeping space.



Town Center

Continuing down the hill from the sleeping spaces you will enter into the main part of town.
Here you will find plenty of outdoor spaces to hang out; and some centralized spaces.
The first location you will come to is a divided building, with one half being a bathroom, and the other half will be our Post Office (more on this below)! As well as the Community Center, pavilion, and the Mod Building.



Post Office

The Post office will now have it’s own separate space! You can come here for any and all of your in game paperwork needs, as well as a central hub where you can come if you need OOG help or if there’s an emergency. When open, our post office will always have a radio they can use to contact a director as needed.

This building is also where we will be running Check-In each month (not Ops)!

Post Office Hours will be:
10pm Friday - 2am Sat
10am - 2pm Sat
(2pm-4pm Closed for Siesta)
4pm Sat - 2am Sun
8am - Noon Sun



Community Center

Connected to the Post Office building, is what we are calling our town’s Community Center.
These buildings are adjoined by a cement patio with an outdoor fireplace (Camp Marshall asks for only small fires only in there please!)

The Community Center is a place where everyone is welcome to hang out and come together. In the back room there is a large fridge/freezer where everyone is welcome to store personal food.
There is no longer a kitchen available in this space, but there are plenty of outlets for appliances— we will be providing a microwave for everyone to use— and the camp has given us permission for folks to bring grills/other outdoor cooking appliances so long as they stay on the cement outside.

It is our intention to keep the Community Center open and accessible to everyone so, while everyone is welcome to hang out here, we ask that no one/group set up in this space as their “base”/business/turf etc.



Mod Building

Behind the Communty Center is the Pole Barn, which we will be using as our Mod Building. This is where we will be setting up some more immersive+environmental mod builds for everyone to expereince.
Please don’t enter this building unless a mod brings you in there, or you are directed by a team member!



Ops/Monster Camp

At the bottom of the hill there is a large field with a few buildings. To the left on your way down, will be a Green Shack, where the half of our Director team is staying.
Next to it will be a colorfully decorated cabin, called the Arts&Crafts Cabin (marked red on the map). Please avoid this building! it is an old building that is very fragile and a favorite of the site’s younger guests— and they have asked us not to go near it.

At the far end of the field is the Lodge, which we will be using as our Ops/Monster Camp. This is where you will come to checkin for your NPC times; get into costume/makeup; as well as for character deaths, story questions, etc.

The other half of our Director team will be staying in the back rooms of this building.



The Waterfront and Boathouse

Past the field and Ops is the waterfront of the lake.
We ask that you do not go in the lake if there is not a Lifeguard on duty; as well as to not enter the Boathouse, or use their boats/kayaks.

There will be designated times when we have a lifeguard on duty for players to go in the water (and maybe a water/lake mod or two…).


Site Pics!

Player Parking Lot. This was taken from the path leading down into the Lower Grounds. The road/driveway you will be on coming into site in on the right of this picture.

The Sleeping Area can be seen on the right side of the path, coming down from the parking lot.

Cabins in the Sleeping Area. There is a mixture of shorter and longer cabins.

Outside of the Bathouse. The med sleep cabin is just to the right of this picture.

Inside the bathhouse.

The first door on the left is one of the entrances to the Post office. The second door is the bathroom. In the background is the Community Center.

Entering the post office from the side door. Pardon the clown in the window, it will be gone for our events!

Inside the Post Office.

The Community Center

Inside the Community Center

The Pole Barn/Mod Building

The Arts & Crafts Building— Please stay away from here!

The Lodge/ Ops