Community Guidelines

Dystopia Rising: Michigan is committed to maintaining a healthy environment through strong community guidelines. We organized these guidelines based on four oft-cited phrases in our space: “Yes, And”, “No, But”, “Play to Lift”, and “Commit to the Bit.” We ask that all players read and adhere to these community guidelines, as well as to our other Policies and Procedures.

Yes, And

We emphasize the collaborative in collaborative storytelling. The principle of “Yes, And” embodies our commitment to playing with one another and recognizing that we all have something to contribute. When we “Yes, And,” we’re acknowledging someone else’s contribution to a story and helping them to build upon it by adding something of our own. Each of us takes responsibility as active agents to contribute to the good of our community at large. In that spirit, we follow these guidelines:

  • Respect for All: Every participant, regardless of their role, is entitled to a respectful and harassment-free experience. Discrimination, harassment, and bullying are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, actions based on race, ethnicity, national origin or citizenship status, biological sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, age, or religion. We recognize that we grow as storytellers through respectful engagement with peers whose identity attributes differ from our own. Therefore, we root our interactions in respect for our shared human dignity rather than shared life experiences or shared identity attributes.

  • Inclusivity: We strive to create an environment where everyone feels welcome and included. Efforts should be made to accommodate participants with disabilities and to foster an atmosphere where all participants feel valued and empowered to contribute.

  • Community Care: We are a community built on mutual respect and care. Participants are encouraged to look out for one another, offer help when needed, and foster a supportive environment. Not every person within the community will like one another. Not every person within the community will agree with each other or share the same life perspectives. However, community members are expected to respect each other and, when they cannot do so, find ways in which to engage with the hobby without causing additional conflict in the community at large. To assist us in creating this community, we prioritize intention over impact and good-faith questions over call-outs.

No, But

Sometimes, we don’t like an idea or the direction in which a scene is going. “No, But” recognizes that we can (and should!) communicate when something is awry while also acknowledging that it’s our job as individuals to try and make a situation better through proactive self-management and through solutions-oriented thinking. In that spirit, we follow these guidelines:

  • Safety First: All participants are expected to follow safety guidelines and rules. Consent is crucial in all interactions—both physical and verbal. Providing transparency for expectations of the scope of an event is vital for building an educated decision for consent. Therefore, the staff of DR:MI commits to providing participants with adequate information regarding modules or game-at-large content that goes beyond the scope of its post-apocalyptic setting. Players are expected to follow the directives of all staff members to ensure a physically safe environment.

  • Conflict Resolution:  We seek peaceful and constructive solutions to conflicts. Respectful dialogue and mediation are encouraged. Violence, threats, and intimidation are unacceptable.

  • Accountability: Participants are responsible for their actions and their consequences, as well as for their own emotional well-being. We encourage an environment where individuals feel comfortable addressing concerns and conflicts constructively and where appropriate apologies and amends are made.

  • Reporting: Participants are encouraged to report incidents of misconduct, harassment, or safety concerns through designated reporting channels. Reports will be documented and will be treated with confidentiality and sensitivity.

  • Compliance with Laws: All participants must adhere to federal, state, and local laws at all times. In many jurisdictions, there are mandatory reporting laws for specific types of crimes, such as child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Event hosts may be legally required to report such incidents to law enforcement or child protective services.

Play to Lift

The concept of “Play to Lift” comes as an extension of the “Play to Lose” idea that emerged from Nordic LARP scene (we recommend this blog post by Susanne Vejdemo for a full breakdown). In short, the idea is that it is our responsibility as community members to uplift one another in play, focusing on the shared player goal of creating a good story rather than a competitive, winner-takes-all mindset. In that spirit, we observe the following community guidelines:

  • Storytelling Focus: Our conversations and our events should never lose sight of the fact that we’re all storytellers, and that each of us walks a unique path. As such, we focus on curiosity and good-faith questions rather than call-outs or other behaviors meant to humiliate or shame others. We also ensure that in spaces focused specifically on Dystopia Rising games or LARP in general, the conversation remains germane at all times.

  • Good Role Modeling: We think carefully about how we present ourselves and how we treat others within our community. We realize that discussion and mutual respect are the hallmarks of mature storytelling, so we avoid petty behavior, name-calling, inappropriate self-promotion in communications platforms, shadow moderation, tone policing, or malicious reporting. If we’re corrected by others or by staff, we respond with grace. In cases of cultural or religious clashes, we find value in arriving at mutually acceptable accommodations. We do not impose our political, social, or religious beliefs on others or attempt to compel others’ conduct or speech. That said, the DR:MI staff reserves the right to take disciplinary action in cases of harassment or other behaviors deemed unacceptable per these guidelines and our official Code of Conduct.

Commit to the Bit

When we “Commit to the Bit,” we buy-in to the shared storytelling experience and the joys of collaborative play. We take responsibility for ourselves and our actions in creating a community that uplifts, inspires, and encourages everyone involved to grow as storytellers. In that spirit, we adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Integrity and Fair Play: Participants are expected to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. Cheating, exploiting, and manipulating game rules or systems for personal advantage undermine the community and experience for others. This includes not taking hits or calls and overuse of skills.

  • Distinction Between IC and OOC: We avoid having out-of-character discussions while engaged in in-character play. We recognize that contentious topics in particular can escalate to a health and safety risk when discussed in an environment where combat–even pretend combat–is a possibility. We strive to keep in-character and out-of-character conflicts separate and distinct from one another, and we work to navigate both appropriately and in good faith.

  • Conduct: We maintain a high standard of conduct in all interactions within the greater Dystopia Rising Network and with one another. We approach one another with curiosity, compassion, humility, and courteousness. We behave in a manner that is considerate of others and contributes positively to the overall experience.

These guidelines govern our behavior expectations and constitute a large part of our official Code of Conduct. We acknowledge that while we are not perfect and that mistakes will be made, we can each strive to act in a way that creates a positive experience for all, establishing and nourishing a healthy, diverse community of storytelling practice.