WASTELANDS FAQ
1. What is Wastelands?
Wastelands is a live-action-roleplaying game. (LARP, for short.)
2. What is roleplaying?
Roleplaying is a more complicated version of the game of make-believe. In
it, players create characters and act them out taking part in a storyline that
is flexible and subject to change based upon the actions of the characters.
It is a little like improvisational theater, only the audience typically consists
of only the players, staff, and referees. Typically, roleplaying has detailed
rules for conflict resolution that involve dice for tabletop games, programs
and data processing for online or computer games, or safe-combat rules for live-action
games.
3. What separates Wastelands from other LARPs?
Wastelands has a unique, post-apocalyptic fantasy setting that incorporates
magic, technology, and intrigue. It also incorporates airsoft guns and safety
equipment, which are used to simulate firearms combat, and uses foam weapons
to simulate melee combat. Wastelands is a bridge between traditional mil-sim
airsoft games and camp-style LARP games. There are other LARPs that use airsoft,
but none with our setting or flavor.
4. Is Wastelands a safe activity?
We take maximum care to ensure that proper safety is implemented and observed
throughout a Wastelands game, but no activity is ever one-hundred-percent safe.
As long as players abide by the rules and stipulations of the waivers they must
sign to play, then risk is minimal. As always, your safety is ultimately your
own responsibility. The staff of Wastelands will do their very best to ensure
that you are not hurt, and ask you to do your part to make sure others are not
hurt, as well.
5. Airsoft guns sound dangerous. What are they?
Airsoft guns are replicas of real firearms. Instead of firing bullets, they
utilize compressed air to propel light plastic pellets. They have neither the
range, nor the risk of real weapons. They sting quite a lot when they hit bare
or lightly clothed flesh, and can leave a small welt or bruise, but the pellets
are generally not dangerous unless they hit an eye, get stuck in an ear canal,
or are used recklessly. All of the airsoft guns used in the Wastelands game
are at roughly 250 feet-per-second (fps) or lower, this means that they are
low-powered even for airsoft guns. They’ll sting if they hit you, but
as long as you’ve got eye protection on that meets our standards, they
should not present a danger. Also, rules of Wasteland combat forbid players
from using them at point-blank range, lessening the risk even more. We do not
use gas-powered airsoft guns at the Wastelands larp, and player-brought airsoft
guns are subject to strict guidelines and testing before they are allowed onto
the field. For more information on airsoft guns, see the link below;
6. I don’t want anyone pointing anything like a gun at me! Or hitting
me with foam weapons! And I hate any sort of pain!
Well, I am sorry to say it, but if that is the case then this is not a good
game for you. We wish you well in whatever recreational activity you choose
to undertake, and recommend that you stay away from our games. Airsoft guns
sting, boffer weapons can accidentally hit sensitive targets, and LARPing in
the wilderness generally has some kind of minor discomfort associated with it.
If you do not wish to experience any of that, then please stay away from Wastelands.
7. On the other hand, this sounds kind of interesting… How do I learn
more?
The rest of our website has quite a lot of nifty information scattered around.
The rulebook will be available for download once it has reached final draft
status, and that contains everything you need to know to play the game. The
“Cruel and Unusual Geography” section contains information on the
campaign setting, and the landscape. The Forums are a good place to ask questions
of the staff or just post your thoughts. And if you want to talk to a staff
member, see the “Contact” link. When in doubt, poke around the website
and see what’s there.
(NOTE: Most of the website is currently under construction. Bear with us,
please.)
8. I want to play! What do I have to do?
Well, the first step is to find out when we’re holding Wasteland events.
To do this, go to the main website and follow the “Events” link.
That will tell you a number of important things about the event, such as the
cost to play, the date that it is taking place, the location of the site, and
other miscellaneous information.
9. I want to play, but I am under 18.
Sorry, but our policy does not allow participants that are under 18 years
of age. Please be patient, we aim to be around for many years. You’ll
have a chance to play if you wait.
10. Okay, I’ve chosen an event. Now what?
Now you have a choice. Do you wish to play a character, or play supporting
roles? (The action of playing supporting roles is also called NPCing.) If you
wish to play a character, then you must read over the rulebook and create a
character, then bring whatever costuming, safety equipment, and props that the
character will need. If you don’t want to put a lot of work into that,
then check out the “Archetypes” section of the rulebook for some
fast-play characters. If you wish to play a bit part, then life is easier. Just
show up with whatever safety equipment you wish to wear. You’ll still
need to look over the rules, but you won’t have to worry about creating
a character.
11. What’s the difference between playing a character and NPCing?
The main difference is in your role. When you play a character, you’ll
be paying full price for the event but you’ll be a protagonist…
You’ll have chances to be a big damn hero if you want to be, and your
choices and actions will affect the story. Furthermore, you’ll be able
to earn experience, items, and money for your character, in addition to roleplaying,
and generally doing as you please. The downside to PCing is that your character
will risk death during the game… So come prepared to NPC for part of the
event if your character bites it, or bring equipment and costuming for a backup
character. Anything can happen in the Wastelands.
When you NPC, you pay much less to attend an event, but you will play numerous
roles in service to the plot. Your main task is aiding the to the player enjoyment
of the game, and you won’t really have a choice in a lot of things. You
won’t be guaranteed character development, but you may have a designated
NPC that you are given to play, if you show that you are good natured and willing
to work with the staff. You CAN have the opportunity to suggest plot and future
ideas, if they are awesome enough and you can keep them secret from the player
base. You will still earn experience for your character (if you have one), but
you won’t have opportunities to gain items and money. On the upside, when
you NPC you are guaranteed that your character will not risk death during that
event.
12. Can I bring my own airsoft gun?
Yes, but be aware that it must confirm to our safety standards if you want
to use it in-game. These are as follows;
AIRSOFT GUN REQUIREMENTS
-Must have a muzzle with an orange tip, at least 6mm in width.
-Must be 250 FPS or below. (When tested with a .2 pellet)
-Must be a spring-powered or electric airsoft gun. (Note that if it is electric,
you may not necessarily be able to use it until you obtain the appropriate tag.)
-Must fulfill all county and state requirements that pertain to airsoft guns
-Must be deemed “Safe” by game staff responsible for weapons check.
-Must not have major modifications from factory specs. No increasing the FPS
through spring replacement, nothing that weakens the frame.
13. Why can’t I use an electric gun right away?
There are two reasons for that. The in-game reason is that in our setting,
working semi-automatic and automatic guns are rare outside of corporate forces.
Most existing guns in the campaign world have been refitted to be single action,
meaning that the gun must be cocked for each shot. This is because reliable
bullets are rare outside of areas that support the manufacturing capability,
and most of the Wasteland doesn’t have anything like that. Single action
guns jam or have a minor misfire if they hit a bad bullet, but this usually
doesn’t do major damage to the firearm or wielder. Automatic or semiautomatic
guns can explode or get hideously damaged if a bad bullet causes the gun to
jam or misfire.
The out-of-game reason is that semi-automatic and automatic airsoft guns tend
to cost more than spring-action airsoft guns, and our supplies are limited.
We want to be fair and safe, and to do this our intention is to give the player
base equal footing to start out. This prevents the guy with the $2,000 gun from
dominating the field on his first event, but gives him the chance of using it
if he puts the time and effort into locating and obtaining a Tier 3 firearm
tag, and is willing to pony up the resources for enough reliable bullets to
make it useful.
14. I wanna pwn some noobs, and shoot at my friends!
You might want to look elsewhere, then. Wastelands is designed as a PVE (Play-Versus
the Environment) game, not a PVP (Player-Versus-Player) game. The games can
be quite deadly to characters, and a lot of situations require teamwork to survive.
Also, most in-game settings have laws against things like assault, theft, and
murder. Kill another player just for the fun of it, and you could find yourself
on trial and your character ending his life being executed for his crimes.
Mind you, nothing’s stopping you from going rogue and hunting the other
players. But there will probably be consequences if you do this, and you’ll
have to deal with them in the game.
15. Can I pre-register?
Sadly, we do not have that capability at this time. What you CAN do, is post
on the attendance thread in the forums, and let us know when you’re planning
to attend an event. That will help us immensely, and let us plan things like
food, and sleeping arrangements.
16. I want to help!
Great! We’re not proud, we’ll take all the help we can get! Contact
us or ask on the forums, and we’ll let you know what we need the most
at any given moment. Or if you want to help run the games, we have a limited
number of hats still available. And yes, all you browncoats, they are very shiny
hats indeed.
17. Can I donate something?
Sadly, donations are limited at the minute. We don’t really have the
setup for it, or the space available to store donated stuff. (Yet.) On the other
hand, if it’s donating things like campsites for temporary use, or art
for the website, we’re all over that! Contact us, and we’ll work
something out.
18. I read the rulebook. These rules look complicated!
Yeah, some of them are. If you’re just reading the rulebook, it’s
a lot to absorb. But when you get into game and see how it works, a lot of things
turn out to be fairly simple. The big advantage is that you don’t really
have to know all of the rules, just understand the basics and enough to play
your character. And if you run into a rule or effect or something you don’t
understand, ask the other players or staff or npc’s about it. If it’s
a big thing, call a hold and ask.
19. So, when is the next event?
At the minute, we have no one permanent site for this game, and the financial
details are still being hammered out. So events tend to be scheduled as we can
get the land to run them, usually at least two months in advance. Watch the
forum, and the EVENTS page. Check it every now and again, and that'll tell you
when the next game might be.
20. Where and when do you guys run games?
We will be running games around the Ohio area, as campsites turn up and are
available. We plan to run 2-4 games a year… This number may increase depending
upon demand and financial viability. We may expand to the neighboring states,
if we can afford to do so and the stars are right.
21. Will I enjoy a Wastelands game?
Honestly, I can’t answer that question. I CAN say that we’ve got
a top-notch bunch of experienced and enthusiastic staff, who are doing their
best to make each game awesome for the players. I CAN say that our unique setting
is geared toward a unique blend of horror, ruin, science fiction and fantasy
that you won’t find anywhere else. I CAN say that our combat is quick,
deadly, and exciting, and almost always allows the use of tactics and discipline
to gain an edge on foes. I CAN say that every minute the staff and NPC’s
spend in the game will be devoted to giving each and every player as many opportunities
to enjoy themselves as humanly possible. I CAN say that we have sprinkled surprises
and nifty things and events throughout each and every game. I CAN tell you that
the staff are mature and intelligent people who admit that they are not gods,
and try to be easy to work with and open-minded to constructive criticism and
suggestions. I CAN say that if nothing else, our toys and props are fun to play
with.
But I can’t say that you will enjoy a Wastelands game. YOU are the only
one who can decide that. It’s the same way with any other LARP or any
other game, for that matter… YOU are the only one who knows just how you
like to have fun, and ultimately you are responsible for whether or not you
are satisfied with a game. We can only try to help you with that, and we will
do that to the best of our ability, so long as it doesn’t drag down anyone
else’s fun.
Bottom line… If you come in with an open mind and a good attitude, we
think that you will enjoy a Wastelands game. And if you attend an event and
find that you aren’t, come tell us! We’ll see what we can do.