Frequently Asked Questions

Updated 10/1/2024

Downfall is our first event featuring the DR Live ruleset, so we know you have some questions. We’ve tried to collect the ones we anticipate here, but we will add more as they come along.

Questions about Mechanics:

When do the DR Live Rules come out?
- The majority of the DR Books will be released to the public on July 1st, 2024. Stay tuned and follow along on the Dystopia Rising Live website. The following books will be available to read, with feedback to follow at a later date:
  - Player’s Guide
  - Guide’s Guide
  - Sample Zombie & Raider Threats & Support Materials
  - A Global Plot Kit - "Illusions of Civility"
  - A World Kit - The Grave Divers
  - A sample from the book in progress "Strained Ancestry" which includes how strain variants work (with the Devoted written as a sample).
Is this a playtest for the new rule set?

Yes and no. We are excited to host an event using the Dystopia Rising: Live rule set in our Bravado setting. This is a chance for everyone to experience the new rules in game setting and we are looking forward to giving you that experience with a unique Texan flavor. However, it’s still the beta version of the ruleset. Stuff may not work. Other stuff may not be ready yet. Please be patient, kind and prepared to show our team grace. This is literally our first game ever of the system too!
Dystopia Rising: Texas will provide an opportunity for feedback after the event, where you can submit event feedback for our chapter’s improvement and growth, and we will submit additional feedback about the DR Live experience based on our game.

Is this the launch of the DR Live system across the network?

No. This is the first time we will be using the DR Live rules across a weekend-long event, but it’s not the launch of the new system. The primary goal of Downfall is getting to see how all the new rules come together, and we are focused on the full game experience of DR Live.
The full launch of DR Live will happen in February 2025 for DR:TX with our event “Cradle’s Lullaby”. You can expect more information as we get closer to the end of the year.

How do I build a character? Can I bring my favorite LC? What options do I have if I don’t want to play my LC?

You can absolutely bring your favorite LC! While you can play alts at Downfall, we recommend focusing on just one character. You’ll be learning the new rules in person, and we believe it’ll be easier to adapt to the changes with just one character at first. But, if you want to have fun as your alternate character, go for it!
You will only receive one set of Gear Loadouts (the starting items, plus your two choices of role items) in total, regardless of how many alts you check in. You can split these items between characters if you choose.
If you have an Advanced Membership, you’ll still receive XP on all three of your characters that are checked in for the event.
Characters will be built with your current XP totals on the brand new DRL Database prior to the event, plus the bonus 50 XP characters will get at the launch of DR Live. You’ll be able to fully rebuild your character from scratch and even try out new professions and skills you didn’t have before.
You can read more about the Character Creation process here.
If you don’t want to rebuild your current character, we will have some pre-built characters available for you to try out the system. Pre-generated characters will have 300 XP builds, and we will have a few different core archetypes to test out.

Questions about Items and Gear

How does gear work for a character? Can I bring my own gear?
- No, you won’t need to bring any existing gear items with you to the game.
- The launch of DR Live isn’t here just yet, so we won’t be converting existing crafted items like armor, weapons, blueprints, or gizmos. Every item has been changed in slight ways and some stuff no longer works how it did in 3.0. Plus, if we converted it during our game, we’d have to convert it right back for the remaining 3.0 events of the year.
- Instead, we will provide one of your characters with a starting loadout of helpful items to get started in the game. We want to replicate the scarcity economy of the game’s premise.
- In game, your characters will be able to leave their items safely “off-camera” to avoid bringing in any strange radiation into the Glow Shroom experiment, and you will be issued new items provided by the Mustang Loyalists and the Wells Society.
- You can also elect to try to play the game on hard mode and come in with just starter gear and your wits if you want to try the pure Dystopia Rising Live experience.
What gear will be available to me in this new system?
- We will provide starting ‘loadouts’ for one of your characters in play that include armor, weapons, gizmos, and a few useful brews. We want to make sure that everyone has about the same level of equipment to start, regardless of how long you’ve been playing. Your starting loadout for every character will include:
  - Weapon
  - Armor
  - Lineage Healing Injectable
  - Gizmo
- You should get a survey in your email asking about your preferred items for the loadout. If you have no preferences, you can choose “RANDOM”, and we will provide you with one of the new items available for DR Live in that slot.
- You’ll be able to choose two extra items from a selection of choices based on several iconic roles:

Can I keep my loot?

YES! All items will become active once DRL officially starts, but will start their expiration dates at that point. You get to keep anything you craft/steal/loot during the event, plus anything that comes with your starting loadout, but these items will only be usable once the new system is launched across the network.
Some rules changes should be expected, and some items might change after the Downfall event. Please set proper expectations that not every item you crafted during our event may be the same during your first official DR Live events.

Can I bring my scrap, herb, and currency to Downfall?
- Yes. Most scrap, herbs, and produce continue to exist in a similar form in the DRL system, and we will not need to issue new cards for these items.
- The Local Currency of the area is the Brass Note, and this currency will be required to use the Travel Buy List unless you are a member of a Nomad Lineage.
- Players that registered before August 30th will receive a Survivor’s Kit that will provide a package of collectible currencies from our region if you are one of those many collectors across the network along with a few other useful items.
Can I make new items during the game?
- You’ll be able to use your current scrap and herbs and any others you acquire during game to make new DRL items during the event, but you’ll need to the appropriate DRL blueprint to do so.
- There will be several ways to obtain new DRL blueprints during the event, through zone of mechanics, plots, NPCs, and other players. You’ll be able to keep any blueprints you manage to copy or acquire over the course of the event too!
Should I bring my current 3.0 blueprints?

Not really. Leave them safely at home. You are welcome to bring your binders and other useful profession props, but you won’t need to bring your existing 3.0 print collections.
EDIT: With the lack of easy Blueprint access in the DR Live database, we have made the decision to honor blueprints that have a 1:1 equivalent in DR Live. You can bring your current 3.0 blueprints and they will ‘count as’ the equivalent blueprint in DRL for purposes of copying or crafting.
- For instance, if you have an existing copy of Saint John’s Recovery Brew as a 3.0 print, you can count that print as if it was the Master-tier Culinary print in DRL.
You can find a complete list of the blueprints we will have available for the Downfall event at our Downfall Blueprint Checklist. Note, this is not all of the blueprints that will be available at the launch of the new system and not every blueprint has a 1:1 replacement.
Keep in mind there are many brand-new blueprints for DRL that will need to be acquired through other means, such as a Zone of Mechanics or interactions with a NPC.
We won’t be doing any conversion of existing blueprints for this event. You’ll need to either reference the DRL material needs for the print from a digital source, or check at the Post Office.

Can I acquire new DRL Blueprints?

Yes, there will be a mechanic to obtain new Blueprints in game. You might find an NPC willing to trade a new blueprint for a favor or be able to use a zone of mechanics in game. Some enemies may have blueprints you can loot and there will be other player crews working to acquire blueprints that you can trade with during the game.
In general, the mechanics to acquire new blueprints from scratch will require spending 1 Resolve and completing a kinetic role play task at an appropriate location in game. You’ll be able to do this as many times as you have Resolve, but keep in mind that Resolve is much more precious in the new edition.
The Zone of Mechanics “RRC Invention Exchange” will allow you to acquire new Blueprints by spending Resolve, and you can spend 50 local CAPs to acquire a new blueprint, as detailed on our Community Action Points page.

Questions about Gameplay

Can I die permanently during the playtest?

No. If your character would lose their last infection or take 5 Fractures (which is fatal in the new ruleset), they won’t be available to play for the rest of the weekend. You’ll still be able to play an Alternate character, help out as an NPC, or use a pre-generated character instead. You won’t lose any permanent infection on your character, as these DRL versions of the character will only exist for this event.
In game, your character survives to escape Bastion and returns home wounded but alive. Apparently, their wounds weren’t quite as bad as they looked…

How does CVC work in our game?

The entire campsite will be considered Wasteland for the event. This means you can commit CVC actions against other characters as outlined on p. 66 in the DR Live Player’s Guide.

What’s different about DR: Texas?

You can read more about our unique culture in DR:TX on our webpage HERE.

Questions about Story

Where does this event take place in the setting?

Bastion, a Fallow Hope fortress near the town of Bravado in the San Saba region. You can read more about the location HERE .
We shared a bit about a day in the life of living in Bastion in our blog post, HERE.
While our game will take place in our usual site at Camp Bluebonnet Shores, our buildings and cabins will be repurposed for a new settlement for this event, representing a nearby rival town to our home of Bravado. Many of the usual locations will serve different purposes during the game, to help create the feel of a brand-new in-game location for this special event.

What is the story?

You read more about our story HERE, including the teaser and premise for the event.
We will be using the plotkit “Illusions of Civility” during this event, detailing a new resource that a faction known as the Wells Society is introducing to the wastes. They claim to have a way to reverse radiation via a plant known as a Glow Shroom.

Who are the major NPC characters and factions?

You can read more about the Dramatis Personae HERE.
The Mustang Loyalists are a militant faction of the Fallow Hope that follow the leadership of a demagogue named General Mustang. They have claimed the city of Bastion as their own, and have deployed a powerful military force into the settlement. They offer safety and security to those willing to swear allegiance to their rule, and have invited settlements across the wastes to their home as part of the Wells Society Initiative.
The Wells Society emerged from the vacuum left by the Trade Union’s withdrawal and stands as a testament to the potential for collaboration across diverse factions, each bringing unique perspectives and resources to a shared vision. The Wells Society’s mission goes beyond just survival; it seeks to reclaim and rehabilitate the ravaged earth, fostering conditions where life can flourish anew.
The Temple of Evolution sees radiation as the light of truth in a false world created by the Mortis. Under the guidance of Curie Pierre, the Temple of Evolution believes that the Mortis gives the wasteland strength to survive, and it will eventually turn all of creation into a single organism. Free will, individual exceptionalism, and evolution does not thrive in a single organism environment without reason to evolve.
The Servants of the Undying are a sect that worships the Mortis Amaranthine, the Infection, and the role the Mortis plays in the cycle of creation and destruction. In the eyes of the Servants of the Undying, the Mortis is an aspect of existence that should not only be respected and revered, but also propagated and expanded whenever possible.

Questions about tickets

How much do tickets cost for Downfall?

Ticket pricing is as follows, and depends on the NPC shift you choose. There are several tiers of tickets to choose from, but please keep in mind some of these options sell out quickly. Tickets go on sale Monday, July 1 at 1pm CST.
4 hour NPC shift is $85.
6 hour NPC shift (max casting) is $65. These are limited in quantity and are expected to sell out fast.
NPC Opt-out (no casting) is $120. These are limited in quantity and sell out fast.
We’re introducing a new ticket tier that includes an NPC shift opt out, a clean-up opt out, and max XP for $300. This option removes your obligation to an NPC shift and post event clean-up. It provides max XP to your character (s). These tickets are limited in quantity and expected to sell out fast.
New Player tickets are always available. For this event, New Player tickets are $35 for their first game. Check out the perks for New Players here.

What if I cannot afford a ticket to the game?

The Widow’s Fund is always available for donations. We accept donations to the Fund, and in turn provide tickets to folks who request financial support to attend our events. We offer a 2:1 CAPs exchange for donations to the Fund.
- Read more about the Widow’s Fund here.

When do tickets go on sale?
- Tickets go on sale Monday July 1, at 1pm CST

Logistics Questions

What is the address of your site?
- 14750 Camp Kachina Rd, Belton, TX 76513
- The camp site is a well known location, and you should be able to easily find driving directions on any service like Google Maps or Apple Maps.
What’s the nearest Airport?

Dallas (DFW/is about three and a half hours from the site, and offers two major airports at DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field. Rental cars are generally available from all of the major vendors for the trip south, and you can seek out ride share options on our Discord server under #travel-planning
Austin (AUS) is the closet airport to our site, with the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport available for arrivals. However, the weekend that we are hosting our event will have some major competing events in the area so we recommend booking tickets and car rentals soon.

What’s nearby your site?

There are a few restaurants in Morgan’s Point, a few minutes away from camp with a BBQ and Mexican restaurant being the easiest to find.
There is a Walmart about 15 minutes away from camp in nearby Belton. There are also a Starbucks, Whataburger, and several other fast food restaurants in this same general area. If you are willing to travel closer to I-35, you can find most any restaurant or genre you might be craving.
There are CareNow and other Urgent medical care locations nearby in Belton should an emergency occur. The closest emergency hospital to site is the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center.
We hold our afters at Dynasty Restaurant on Sunday afternoons, and plan a reservation for food and socials after our games.

What amenities does our site offer?

Bluebonnet Shores is a fully-functional Girl Scout camp site with clean running water, an industrial kitchen, climate controlled cabins, and lots of open air cabin space and well maintained trails. Tenting areas are also available, and we offer an additional CAPs reward for those that choose to bring their own tents.
The majority of beds available on the site are platform beds with a foam mattress topper, a little smaller than twin sized. We recommend players bring additional blankets, sleeping bags, or sheets to put over the mattresses, and air mattresses or other padding can improve the quality of your sleep.
Each of these open air cabins sleeps about 4 people, plus room for an air mattress. Most open air cabins do not have access to electricity.
Our site has kitchen access, microwave access, refrigerator access in most major cabins, and a very nice shower building in the center of the camp with hot water and private bathroom stalls. There are other open air shower buildings, but these are much more primitive.
There are many Fire pits around the site, but you must watch any fire and extinguish it after use. We may have a prohibition against campfires if the local county has declared a burn ban. Pay attention to our social media pages prior to the event, as we will announce any Burn Bans in advance.

How do the Sleeping Arrangements work?

Most sleeping spaces are first come, first served (with the except of Med Sleep and our New Player Cabins). You can coordinate sleeping arrangements with fellow travelers, or reach out on our Discord server (#travel-planning) to plan. Take a look at our Site Information to see what’s available. We’re offering incentives for folks to tent, and there are several offsite options available in Airbnbs and nearby hotels.

How do I find a ride to a game?

Reach out on our Discord server (#travel-planning) to plan with fellow travelers or coordinate with players across Texas. Public transit isn’t readily viable in Texas outside of major metropolitan areas, so please plan accordingly.

How does the Medical Cabin work?

Please email us should you need to request medical accommodations
Medical Sleep Cabin priority will be given to folks who need electricity for CPAP and other machines, or who must be undisturbed during sleep (out of game sleep). If you need Medical Sleep, you must email us in advance at info@dystopiarisingtx.com. The medical cabin, labeled OAK CABIN on our camp maps, is also a non-combat zone after dark due to the large amount of rocky terrain around this building.

I have to leave the event early. What are my options for early clean up?

We have several options for folks who need an early clean up. Our full Opt Out package includes an opt out for clean up (as well as an NPC opt out and max XP), but these are limited in number. We also offer a few opportunities for an early clean up shift throughout the event, and you can sign up for one of them during Check-In on Thursday and Friday. These slots are first come, first served.
Sign up at site for early cleanup and let us know if you need to leave early.

Do I need to attend Thursday?

No, but it would be nice. We have a lot of fun, social events planned to help folks get ready for the new rule set and to meet their fellow players before the game. Come and share a s’mores with us!

How do you check in on Friday if you can’t make it Thursday?

We highly encourage folks to attend Thursday, but recognize that may not be feasible for everyone. We have a second check in for late players, but we may not be able to individually onboard you during this time. We will answer questions about the event and the site, and do our best to address specific rules questions you may have at this time.
Second check-in - 6-8 PM FRIDAY