May Event Updates, and More!

Hey Survivors! We apologize for the quick pivots here, but with all new things (like a new campsite) we often times have to make adjustments. We’ve been able to do it before (March 2020, August 2021), and we can do it again. So please read this fully as there are major things to consider.

Bunks, or Lack Thereof

Unfortunately, it was discovered during the YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake work day that the bunks were structurally unsound and will not be available to be slept in — they have been removed from the cabins. New bunks have been ordered but they are currently scheduled for a mid-June delivery.

This means there will be a very limited number of beds available on site, and likely not in the cabins. So, we are asking all players to bring cots or inflatable mattresses for this event. Bring any number of either to the game for others to use as well and we’ll give you 20 CAPs for each one you bring, even for the one you sleep on.

If you buy one before the next event (Memorial Day weekend is coming up, might be a good time to go to REI or Wal Mart for a cot or an Intex), keep your receipt and we’ll give you 1-for-$1 in CAPs as well, and you still keep the cot or mattress.

If you can bring for more than just yourself, or if you need one, please fill out this form.

May 2024 Meal Service Now Available

Now that we know what the state of the kitchen will be, you can order meal service! If you got a Cancelled Event Reconciliation ticket and bought meal service for the canceled event in November 2023, you don’t have to do anything; we’ll carry forward that purchase to this coming event.

August 2024 Event Date Change

Due to a discovered conflict with YMCA, we have to change the date of our August event from 8/15-8/18 to 8/9-8/11. This will still be our premiere event weekend. We are looking at the possibility of going through Monday on 8/12, so stay tuned for updates and don’t get your plane tickets quite yet.

October 2024 Event Date Acquired

We have an October 2024 event! It will be 10/4 - 10/6 at Camp Tumbleson Lake.

Thank you for your dexterity and patience!

Important updates and our first live-in-person event of 2024!

Survivors!

Join us at YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake in Ward, Colorado on May 31st, 2024 for our first live-in-person event of the season! Tickets are on sale now, but please scroll through here FIRST for some very important updates:

New Site!

As previously announced, we are going to be at Camp Tumbleson Lake this year. YMCA of Northern Colorado recently purchased this 100+ year-old campsite from the Boy Scouts of Colorado and are currently in the process of making renovations and new construction, so availability of amenities will fluctuate as the season progresses. In June and July it will be used for day-camp, but the plan is that it will be used for overnight camp in 2025, so they will be adding tent pads and renovating existing buildings to accommodate larger volumes of campers and volunteers.

Want to check out the site? Join us for the Work Day and get XP!

If you want a hands-on preview of the site, you should join us for the Epic Day of Service volunteer day on May 18th. You’ll get to meet up with players and other volunteers, and in doing so earn 10 XP, thanks a special offer from the Dystopia Rising Network! Get all the information from our previous blog post about it.

Kitchen being renovated

While the campsite has a sufficiently-sized dining hall, its kitchen was old and too small to handle overnight camping attendees, so it’s undergoing renovations and refurbishing with new equipment. Since we don’t currently know the state of the kitchen, we will be delaying food service sales until closer to the event, when we’ll either have access to the new kitchen or choose a more rustic option.

You might need a new COVID-19 vaccine

CDC has updated their guidance and vaccinations prior to September of 2023 are no longer sufficient for protection against the current strains of COVID-19. This was made very apparent when several of our players tested positive after the October 2023 event! For the safety of all, we have updated our COVID-19 policy and you can see those updates on our local expectations page.

Price changes

On October 1st, 2023, the Dystopia Rising Network changed prices of tickets across all chapters. The current nationwide price structure is as follow:

• No Casting: $120 (was $105)

• Minimum Casting (2 hours NPC): $105 (was $85)

• Standard Casting (4 hours NPC): $85 (was $65)

• Maximum Casting (6 hours NPC): $45 (no change)

• 10-Hour Play (2 hours NPC): $35 (no change)

• New Players: first event free (was $35)

• Extra XP: $15 for 1, $30 for 2 (no change)

• Non-Attending/Buyback for local players: as Standard Casting

But wait! We’re going to make a few changes here

We have analyzed our business model, past attendance, site costs and have come up with some amendments to Network Pricing to start the 2024 season, some which may be familiar to our players.

• If you pre-register for a Standard Casting ticket via this website, you will have three options:

  • Get a pre-registration discount of $10 - that’s right, it’ll only be $75 instead of $85 for the standard ticket.

  • Oh what the heck: if you pre-register and choose the Pay at Door option for the Standard ticket, we’ll give you the $75 price as well! We accept cash and cards with a chip or tap function at the door.

  • Support our chapter a little more with the full-price High Altitude Ticket! It’s the Standard Casting option at the normal DR Network price of $85 and we’ll give you an unique, personalized Event Chit as well! Check out our past blog post about Event Chits, under “Dishes Network Update”, for details about Event Chits!

• We will have a limited number of Max Casting tickets, as this ticket actually costs us money to offer (e.g. it does not generate enough revenue to cover the site and royalty costs). However, we will continue to have an unlimited number of Casting Champion tickets (Max Casting plus 2 Extra XP) for $75, the same price as before.

• We will presently not be offering the No Casting or Casting Only options, but we will have a limited number of Sunday Minimum Casting tickets for $105 each. For this one, you will do the Sunday morning casting shift, after breakfast and before lay-off/closing announcements.

• Our Star Line program will continue to be available! This will be at the Network-standard $85 price for a donated Standard Ticket, and we will continue to offer 1-for-$1 on CAPs and a special Chit for all benefactors as well.

• Note that Buybacks for prior events are sold at the Standard Casting price for when they were originally offered. So Buybacks of live events for 2019-2023 will still only be $65, and Buybacks of events going forward will be $85.

Wait! Not so fast!

Before you buy your ticket, you may want to double check your emails because if you’re a local player, it’s highly likely you purchased a ticket for the November 2023 which ended up getting cancelled due to site complications. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to see the Cancelled Event Reconciliation option. We will honor any tickets that were sold for that event for the upcoming events, or you can pick a different option, but please use that ticket to get registered or make a decision about the ticket you’re still due.

Phew! That was a lot

You can get your tickets on this website now. Also make sure to check on the Dystopia Rising Database to register your ticket and secure your Casting shift. And join us on our Discord to chat with members and get hyped for the first live-in-person DR:CO event of 2024!

Want some XP? Join us for the Camp Tumbleson Lake Workday!

Survivors!

We have an incredible opportunity for ALL members of the Dystopia Rising network. On May 18th, 2024, YMCA of Northern Colorado in conjunction with Rotary Club is hosting a work day at YMCANOCO’s newest campsite, Camp Tumbleson Lake, just outside of Ward, Colorado. This is the site that we and other local LARPs are looking to use in 2024.

On this day alone, DR:CO will be able to give….not CAPs, but 10 XP to everyone who shows up to work! Normal expectations about Basic vs. Advanced Memberships apply to this award.

This will be a cleanup and preparation day with a variety of manual tasks needed, starting PROMPTLY at 9 am and going until 4 pm. Lunch will be provided. Dress for a mess, bring sunscreen, and show up on time!

This event may pose challenges or limitations for people who use mobility aids, given the nature of the work; we trust you to use your judgment on that

To take part in this incredible opportunity to give back to the community, and hang out with some other LARPers, please register for this event in advance.

Additional event information

Additional site information

DR:CO Virtual Public Works update and one more virtual event added

Hey Survivors! First of all, we have added another virtual event to our calendar for April 26th-April 28th, 2024. Get your tickets for March and April now!

Second, we want to provide an additional update for how we’re doing Public Works. Basically, we’re doing it the same way we did in March — you can review the details here — but we’re adding an additional option called Efficient Producers.

If you are electing to be an Efficient Producer, instead of using your 6 or 8 hours of gathering and/or crafting for this event, you may pick from ONE of many extra-efficient options for one of your checked-in characters (and only that one character). That character must meet the requirements listed; the blueprints are available in the Town Library, and there are absolutely no substitutions allowed. This may be combined with your “no-time” skills (e.g. Trailblazing, Trade Connections).

All of the options available under Efficient Producers consume more time than the 6 or 8 hour options.

In order to engage with crafting and econ this weekend, make a copy of the Public Works template and share your completed spreadsheet to drco.logistics@gmail.com any time before 12 PM Mountain Time on Sunday (the end of the event). Item cards will be mailed out the following week.

A Primer on the Barker Meadow Necropolis

As our February virtual event quickly approaches, we wanted to put together this little guide to let you know what you're heading into. Before the Wycked White settled in at the end of last season, Barker Meadow warped into a Necropolis - a place where the Grave holds powerful sway. Much (but not all!) of the weekend’s content will focus on interacting with, understanding and fixing the distorted Necropolis. Let’s talk about how we got here, where things are now and how the Necropolis might be dealt with.

How Did We Get Here?

Back before the early arrival of the Wycked White, the Barkers used Cracked Psionic Crystal Weapons of Mortis Destruction to defeat Flesher Calonyction. The ancient Graverobber had used strange Grave science to convert himself into a mass of Infection with the intent to overtake the local Gravemind. These weapon - the Cracked Crystal Projectile Shell and Cracked Crystal Coating - were understood to have terrible effects on the surrounding land. 

The Cracked Crystal Projectile Shell works by draining off Infectious mass and energy when it impacts a target, which then causes a backlash when that mass and energy interacts with the psionic crystals inside the shell. This causes necrosystemic and ecological damage where the shells land, weakening the bacterial biosphere that forms a barrier between the Mortis Amaranthine and the world “topside” while pulling the Mortis layer closer to the surface.

The Cracked Crystal Coating sinks into the soil and stimulates the growth of Cracked Crystal clusters. Since these clusters are typically an immune response meant to strengthen damaged or weakened Morgues, these clusters forming outside of conditions they are typically found in caused distorted Grave phenomena as they absorbed and concentrated Infectious material.

Where Are We Now?

This Necropolis is a region of unchecked Mortis expansion and growth, like a damaged organ replicating cancerous cells and spreading them to areas far beyond where they are meant to be. The Barker Meadow Reservoir Necropolis blurs the line that Strains understand to exist between the Mortis Amaranthine and the world they live in. Masses of Infection cause high concentrations of DMT - leading to psycho-reactant landscapes - while memories churned from deep in the Mortis spur it to fabricate corrupted structures and artifacts to recreate the past.

Although the freezing temperatures of the Wycked White have slowed the spread of decay, the winter will not hold forever. If allowed to continue in this manner after the thaw, this Necropolis will continue to build on itself. The end result will be the creation of a localized necrosphere deep in the Overgrowth. 

So, How Do We Stop This?

The Necropolis must be pushed back - both physically and psychologically in the minds of the people that live here. This will require the excavation and removal of the Cracked Crystal clusters, as well as the treatment of the land to repair the biosphere. The Mortis layer will then have to somehow be pushed back and repaired, while the tumorous Grave masses will need to be surgically, radioactively or chemically removed to prevent the Mortis from resurfacing. Finally, something must be done to lay the Necropolis to rest in the minds of Barker Meadow Reservoir - something to convince the entire town to accept the paradigm that the Necropolis is no more. What that is exactly? Well…

Continue the conversation on our main Facebook group, our private Facebook hype group, in our Discord server, and on Instagram. And we’ll see you in the “Wycked Wonderland” that is the Necropolis in Barker Meadow Reservoir.

DR:CO 2024 Virtual Event Public Works/Econ Update

With the network changes to how LIT usage works that went into effect on January 1, 2024, we wanted to be transparent about how we will be handling gathering, crafting and other econ skills during our upcoming virtual events at Dystopia Rising: Colorado. Our goal is to bring our virtual Public Works in-line with other online events happening across the network given the eventual elimination of LIT, and to give players – that’s you! – more opportunities to focus on using their characters’ mind and abilities within our modules and content during the event.

This policy will be in effect for the February 2024 virtual event and is subject to change before the March 2024 virtual event (so be sure to check back for any such updates!).

A spreadsheet template will be provided for players to fill out and submit. This will provide our logistics team with a clear list to write out your cards. This form can be filled out by any players who are attending our event, and can be submitted up until the end of the event.

Our next event is February 23-25 and will be held over Discord.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions, plus how to grab your Econ Form: 

How Many Hours of Crafting are Available to Me?

You will be allotted six (6) hours of crafting and gathering, with no mind spent. This limit is per player and not per character. If any gathering or crafting requires a Resolve expenditure, this will be expended for that character for the event.

SPECIAL BONUS: You may gain access to two (2) additional crafting/gathering hours, if (and only if) the entirety of the eight (8) hours spent – including any “no-time” requirement skills – does not require any interaction with LIT on the Public Works. This includes expending items in LIT, going negative, or anything that subtracts from LIT (including turning in cards later).

Here are some examples to provide you with a better understanding:

Ex: [Character] just wants to farm up Basic Herb. Since they are not removing anything from LIT or expending items from cards to get that herb, they get two bonus hours and receive 48 Basic Herb.

Ex: [Character] spends six hours farming up Basic Herb. They want to make some brews, so they use the Shortest Path and two bonus hours to make 12 Uncle Todd’s Serums. They will receive 12 Basic Herb and 12 Uncle Todd’s Serum as a result.

Ex: [Character] wants to make Uncle Todd’s, but their Basic Herb is on cards or in LIT. With the Shortest Path they may make a total of 36 Uncle Todd’s Serum over the six hours they receive, but do not get any bonus time.

Ex: [Character 1] spends two hours farming Basic Herb and one hour making 6 Uncle Todd’s Serum. They will receive the 6 Uncle Todd’s Serum after the event. They then switch to [Character 2] and that character does the same thing. They would get 2 bonus hours that they can use to farm up 12 more Basic Herb, for either character.

Ex: Same as above, except [Character 2] spends their three hours making Uncle Todd’s from Basic Herb that they have in LIT or on Cards. Character 1 gets 6 Uncle Todd’s Serums and Character 2 spends 36 Basic Herb to get 18 Uncle Todd’s Serums, but no bonus hours are rewarded.

Will There Be Any Crafting Stations Available?

Yes. Your characters will have access to the following:

• Shortest Path Distillation Kit

• Paradigm Print Workshop

• Grinding Mill (which will expend your character’s Resolve, per the item’s mechanic)

• Forged Mechanical Crafting Area

No other items that reduce time or increase output will be permitted.

I’d Like to Trade Items Between My Character and Another Player’s Character. Can I Do It Through the Public Works During a Virtual Event?

No. Trading between characters will not be managed by the Public Works at this time – not even if you bribe our Public Works overlord with a free cruise. Any trading you would like to plan with others, we ask that you please coordinate with them on how you will exchange those items since we can no longer enter trades in LIT and our team is unable to facilitate card/item trades.

If it is something that is coming from your LIT, you may denote that you are cashing that out for the purpose of facilitating a trade on your own time, but keep in mind that will affect your two-hour crafting bonus.

Where Can I Log My Crafting?

We are using a spreadsheet template that you will be able to log your crafting hours. Crafting/Gathering logs include: Salvaging, Foraging, Agriculture, Artisan, Culinary, Hunting, Print Copying (Education).

Each character that is checked in for the event can also check in the “no-time” requirement skills. These skills include: Proficient/Master Financial, Sailing, Trade Connections, Trailblazing, Criminal Influence.

Please note that due to the “free mind” component of this mechanic, Vehicles, Gizmos, or Augments which enhance, change or add to the output (including the GOAT Cycle) will not be used or honored. Vouchers, Caravan Maps, Trade Papers, Dock Worker Contracts and CAPs expenditures will be honored as per usual.

You may pull items from your LIT/go into the negative, which represents expending physical cards that you will need to reconcile (e.g. turn in or mark off) with the Public Works/logistics personnel at your local chapter.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will need to save a copy of the form, update the document title to include your name and player number. Email/share access with our Logistics Director (drco.logistics@gmail.com) as an Editor no later than the end of the event.

We can’t wait to see you at our Virtual Event, WYCKED WONDERLAND, on February 23-25. Be sure to grab your tickets here and don’t forget to complete your checkin. For additional questions and updates, you can find us on our Discord server, Instagram, our main Facebook group and our private Facebook hype group!

2024 Virtual Events!

Hey folks, it's time to shake off the dust and get ready for the 2024! I know there's been a lot of stuff going on in the network, and we've been working diligently behind the scenes to make the right decisions and get things ready. We still need to get confirmations from our sites for the live events, but we are ready to go and announce our two virtual events for the winter season!

This winter, Barker Meadow Reservoir in the Big Rock Mountains of Lorado has been inundated by snow, ice, and more than anything, encompassed by death. As winter loomed, its residents unleashed weaponry that turned Barker into a Necropolis to save their town from apocalyptic threat. With Barker turned into a wicked winter Mortis horror, can wastelanders rescue the town from its graven fate?

Our virtual events will be on February 23rd - February 25th and March 29th - March 31st. Tickets for both events are now on sale. The event will be held on Discord. Make sure to check in on the database before your event as well (February and March respectively).

APOCALYPSE! Tickets for our Season Closer are now on sale!

A season of revelations and destruction concludes with the possible end of Barker Meadow. Our survivors have learned much in their time in town, will it be enough to save them from the horrors that are to come? Or will the town be lost forever to the darkness at the heart of their home?

Tickets for our season closer/November event, “Apocalypse”, are now on sale!

If you already purchased a “Autumn All In” ticket, make sure to check in on the database! See the link below.

Special Note about Lay Off on Sunday:

• Due to Daylight Savings ending on Sunday, November 5th, and the weather expectations, we’re going to lay off (end game and have closing announcements) at 11 AM on Sunday instead of noon. The last Casting Shift will be from 9 am to 11 am. This will give all of us (locals, anyway) enough time to get home while there’s still daylight out.

Ticket prices are going to remain the same for the last event of the season!

• Dystopia Rising announced in August that prices across the network increased on October 1st, 2023. That announcement also stated that chapters are free to discount from that price increase or delay the increases until a later date. The Colorado chapter is electing to delay our increases until 2024. Stay tuned for more info on that after the 2023 season is finished.

Special offer for November:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 9 am to 11 am. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85. No other casting shifts are available for this ticket type.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Buy your tickets and meal service here
November event database checkin
Site details here

Tickets for the remainder of the season are now on sale!

Our last two events of the season are within three weekends of each other, bookending Halloween! Tickets and food service for “In The Flesh”, our October event, are now on sale!

If you’re ready, purchase an “Autumn All In” ticket and get an special End of Season chit to use at game! This ticket is either a Standard Casting or Maximum Casting ticket for both October and the November “Apocalypse” event, along with 2 Extra XP and meal service for both events!

Ticket prices are going to remain the same for the last two events of the season!

• Dystopia Rising announced in August that prices across the network will be increasing on October 1st, 2023. That announcement also stated that chapters are free to discount from that price increase or delay the increases until a later date. The Colorado chapter is electing to delay our increases until 2024. Stay tuned for more info on that after the 2023 season is finished.

Special offer for October:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 10 am to 12 noon. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85. No other casting shifts are available for this ticket type.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Buy your tickets and meal service here
October event database checkin
November event database checkin
Site details here

"TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS" - September Event Tickets Now On Sale!

Survivors! Tickets for our September 22nd event are finally on sale!

Based on feedback and experience, we’re going to the following in September (different from some of our previous events):

• Opening Announcements will be at 9 PM on Friday, with Lay On to follow. Guides should be prepared to meet at 8:30 PM for a quick briefing in the room next to the Public Works.

• Friday night dinner will open at 8:00 PM and be available until after opening announcements.

• Lay Off at noon on Sunday!

Special offer for September:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 10 am to 12 noon. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85. No other casting shifts are available for this ticket type.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Buy your tickets and meal service here
September event database checkin
Site details here

Weapon and Combat Safety Guidelines, Updated!

Hey folks! Your safety guide here to provide updated, comprehensive combat safety and weapon construction guidelines. Check out our Google Doc here.

Only a few days until our PREMIERE Event! Get all the details.

August PREMIERE Event: Weather and Environment!

Just a few days until our PREMIERE EVENT begins, and I wanted to keep you apprised of the environment you'll be coming to if you haven't been to the site before, and I'm including a few notes even if you have!

Camp Santa Maria is at 8200 feet above sea level. At that elevation, oxygen levels as a percentage of "air" are reduced from 21% (sea level) to 15.5% (us locals are used to 17.5%, so there's even a decrease for us). This means you might get tired easier, have to rest more frequently during exertion, etc. Take your time when moving around, don't go wild, take breaks. Sit down and breathe deep and slowly if you feel yourself wheezing. Canned oxygen is available at most stores like Wal Mart; we'll have a few cans at Public Works, but it's highly recommended you have your own if you're likely to use a lot.

If you have a collapsible cart, and can bring it, it is highly recommended. There may be a few other carts available for transporting your stuff between your car and your cabin. If you want to purchase a cart to use and then donate afterwards, keep your receipt for a CAPs reward and we will keep it for future use.

Friday: Pool time from 10 am to 12:30 pm, assuming no thunderstorms! Please bring a suit and a good towel if you want to participate, and be prepared to not wear your costuming, makeup and/or prosthetics. There are changing rooms near the pool. If it's been a while since you've swam or aren't usually comfortable swimming, I recommend going to a resale shop like ARC (of which there are many Colorado locations) to pick up something that fits well and covers everything you want to be covered.

As with all of our events, all other water areas (Danger River, Danger Lake, Danger Pond) are off limits—feel free to go by, just don’t go in. The river is higher this year than it has been in a while and is still running very fast, even this late in the year.

Weather forecasts are very typical for this time of year: sunny or partly sunny in the morning, “afternoon showers” usually means a few bouts of light rain lasting 5-15 minutes. While this could be during any time of the day, it’s usually between 3 pm and 7 pm. There could be lightning or wind; in the case of either, make sure your tents (if any) are well-staked down, and be inside a building if there’s lightning rather than inside a tent.

Even with rain, humidity is likely to be low throughout the event. Bring your genre canteens and bottles and remember to fill them anytime you’re near the saloon, as staying hydrated will help with temperature regulation and breathing regardless of the temperature.

It could be cool at night, particularly if there’s wind, so bring another layer just in case. Other things you can do to ensure your comfort throughout the weekend:

• Take a shower

• Change your shirt

• Put on new socks

• Eat something

Want more info? Check out our local expectations and additional tips for visitors.