Fallout: New Jersey

August 9, 2014 4:40 PM

"When Dystopia Rising went well, there were moments that felt natural, perfect. My first night was filled with gang warfare and hunts for a cult of radiation-worshipping Social Darwinists, but one of the parts I remember best was sitting next to a busker who played me a song from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, gave a mythologized retelling of the musical, and ended up explaining the origins of a group I believe was called the Church of Daft Punk" -- The Verge on playing in the massively complex post-apocalyptic LARP ( Live Action Role Playing) game, Dystopia Rising.
posted by The Whelk (10 comments total)

Oh, wow. I know those guys. (Though I mostly hang out with folks from the more traditional sword and sorcery LARP held on the same campground.)
posted by Karmakaze at 6:39 PM on August 9, 2014

Whenever I read something like this, I immediately start re-googling up the bits for a sketched out post-apocalyptic King in Yellow costume.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:12 PM on August 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

My sister and her fiance play Dystopia Rising. They make it sound pretty cool. Kinda makes me wish I enjoyed LARPing.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:28 PM on August 9, 2014

From the article:
[...] one of the parts I remember best was sitting next to a busker who played me a song from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, gave a mythologized retelling of the musical, and ended up explaining the origins of a group I believe was called the Church of Daft Punk (one of the conceits of the larp is that people can and do form religions around just about anything).

They should not let me play this.

³⁹YEA, IF YE WONDER HOW THE HOLY ONES EAT AND BREATHE, AND OTHER SCIENCE FACTS [la la la],
⁴⁰REPEAT ONCE TO THINESELF, "TIS JUST A SHOW, PERHAPS I SHOULD NOT QUESTION THE NATURE OF THE DIVINE."
posted by JHarris at 8:38 PM on August 9, 2014 [5 favorites]

I've never larped, but this sounds like so much fun. Perhaps because it's a genre I prefer over high fantasy.
posted by brundlefly at 10:27 PM on August 9, 2014

I used to love V:tM LARPing, and this makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. Looks like they play in my state. (insert squee here). Thanks so much for this!
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 6:31 AM on August 10, 2014 [1 favorite]

This looks amazing, I'd love to participate. I might read the setting guide, just because :)
posted by Strass at 9:54 AM on August 10, 2014

One of the few "future" LARPs I've heard about that avoids the Airsoft trap. What I'm curious about is if, like most combat games, it's best enjoyed while you're young.
posted by ob1quixote at 12:10 PM on August 10, 2014

One site they forgot to mention is the entire city of Detroit. That game is going so well that the denizens don't even know they are playing!
posted by Renoroc at 9:57 AM on August 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

This actually sounds kind of great.
posted by corb at 10:22 AM on August 11, 2014