Hey y’all, Kiara here! -
As the November hype fully sets in, I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight an important aspect of our game and how that reflects on our community. We’re approaching game three of a new rules set, a new campaign/setting with new leaders at the helm. This is a really dynamic and exciting chapter in Bravado’s history and everyone has taken this period of excitement and adjustment in stride. The support, rules clarifications, patience, and newfound teamwork I’ve seen this season have been really encouraging and inspiring. We do a really good job of checking in with each other both in and out of game - negotiating scenes, well-being check ins, making sure each other stay fed and hydrated, etc. The care and support shown to each other is just so awesome.
In the excitement of a new storyline and deadlier zed, I’ve noticed a new challenge facing our chapter, and I really want to talk about it. Dystopia Rising is a lightest touch game, which means all you need to hit your opponent is a clean, gentle touch. I’ve seen folks throwing the kind of shots that would force a safety marshal in a harder hitting game step in, and that’s not really what we’re trying to do here.
I want to give our community the benefit of the doubt and just chalk up the hard swings to excitement and feeling really immersed in the story-driven tension, but there are probably some other elements at play that I think are worth going over.
One of the reasons folks tend to swing hard is they think their opponent (either another LC or a zed) isn’t taking their shots. A common thought is to swing harder so they feel it, or to “punish” them for not taking the shot. There are a dozen different reasons why your opponent didn’t take your shot, and only one of them is malicious. Perhaps your opponent caught more of a block on that shot than you realized, the weapon hit on a non-strike legal surface, got caught in costuming, your opponent is a very, very new player and unfamiliar with our shots, etc. Ultimately, your shot didn’t land as cleanly as you thought it did, and your opponent didn’t take it. The solution here is to hit cleaner, not harder. A clean shot is a shot (with a boffer or a ranged weapon/packet) that meets the criteria for being considered valid (volley of three, 90 degree swings, light touch), and lands without impediment (such as a block, piece of costuming in the way, incidental face contact, etc) in a valid shot location, like an arm or leg. It’s not necessary to hit other people harder if you’re hitting them cleaner. This usually takes some practice, but it’s part of a certain responsibility to maintain control over your weapons and how you participate in combat.
Sometimes our fellow players have physical issues that keep them from feeling or processing certain hits as timely as we would prefer. I’ve noticed folks that have those physical issues have an extra layer of work they have to do to process and take hits, but they always do their best to take them and maintain a fair play space. This is a great scenario where we can practice empathy and patience toward our fellow player and fight at a cadence that everyone is comfortable with. Even in the midst of a horde of zed and ticking bomb, we have to remember the player in that costume and do our best to look out for each other.
A common misunderstanding is often whether or not a shot correctly connected. If your opponent catches any part of that shot before it connects with their body, it is considered blocked and they do not have to take it. Combat in our game happens fast, and there are a lot of things to keep track of. It could very well be that your opponent caught enough of your shot to negate it completely. You may have a firmly held belief that you landed that shot, you felt it connect, but all it hit was maybe a part of their sword, or probably the outside of their shield. Hit cleaner, not harder.
If all else fails, you’re certain you’re not being treated fairly in that combat exchange, seek out the guide nearby for help. Often talking to the other player and having a guide present will help mitigate any issues, or help clarify what was happening in that scene. Communication is one of the most important aspects of fighting, and reaching out to the other party with understanding and kindness is the best method by which we can resolve our hiccups and return to the gamespace.
The TL;DR of it all: Remember this our community and we’re building a cool story together. Don’t hit your friends harder, hit them cleaner, and be willing to reach out to a guide for clarification. Let’s do our best to play fairly and safely, even while hyped up and fully immersed.
P.S. If anyone wants to talk shop about fighting with me, such as going over shots and practicing blocks, or even just fighting theory and social stuff, I’m super down for that. Find me before or after game and let’s chat!
DR:TX Appreciates Kiara and her insight here. Play nice, friends. Hit cleaner, not harder.