Special Team Roles

The Dystopia Rising Texas team includes several specialized Special Team Roles that do not confer full Guide status or benefits, but still perform an important function for our events. These teams are involved in several specialized tasks that enable our game to run smoothly, from props creation, taking photos and videos for use in our marketing campaigns, unloading and loading items from our storage before each event, and our trained medical volunteers.

Each team reports to a member of the Admin Team and assists the game in various duties.

general responsibilities

  • All Special Team roles are fired and re-hired every summer. When you apply, we do expect you to be present for the entire upcoming season (8 events).

  • All Special Team members are expected to attend each DR:TX game as a rule and have it as your home chapter. Regular attendance is required, so please let us know if you cannot attend an event as soon as possible so we can plan around your absence.

  • Special Team roles must be upstanding members of the DR:TX community, espouse our community guidelines with gusto, and be able to separate their personal feelings, characters, and plot interests from their support role as needed to better serve the community.

  • Special Teams may have alternate or reduced NPC shifts, monetary compensation, or receive CAPS for these duties, depending on the team.

Settings Team

  • The Settings Team role is very variable based on each event’s plot and hours may be broken up across the weekend. You will need to be on site earlier on Friday to assist with key prop setup and tear-down areas.

  • Setting folks are a small team that includes three main skill sets: props and immersion, makeup and costuming, and Logistics supplies inventory. Being highly competent in one or more is a plus!

  • Before events, participate in a Settings chat where you are briefed on the plot needs for that weekend, and coordinate with props crafters and Storytelling staff as needed to develop the vision for spaces.

  • Inspect on-site living areas for genre-appropriateness and help ensure that players are in-character in all required spaces, including helping them to adjust their costuming and props to fit within our immersion requirements.

  • Help to gently correct non-genre or immersion-breaking behavior in our in-character spaces, and help players find better spaces for any out-of-character needs, such as decompression, OOC chat, etc. Where needed, escalate to a Guide for a warning.

  • Ensure that any usage-restricted spaces are used appropriately (i.e., kitchens, OOC sleeping spaces) and gently correct players who are not using them correctly.

  • You may be asked to do some/all of the following each event:

    • Lead and oversee the setup of key in-character areas such as the Morgue, Crafting/Production areas, the General Store and Depot, and any special plot spaces, on Friday afternoon.

    • As needed during key events, assist in applying special makeup to NPCs, providing costuming guides, and help set up key module sites and props for special encounters. An interest or skill in efficient but effective costume makeup application is very useful in this role.

    • Help to keep props and Guide resources in Ops/Logistics and the Post Office straightened, organized, and inventoried, and communicate any purchase needs to the Storytelling Admin Assistant (Amber) or Logistics Assistant (Joscelyn).

Photography TEAM

  • Photographers split up at least 2 hours throughout the event taking photographs of players candidly and discreetly. This duty replaces your normal NPC shift for the event.

  • You will wear a green headband and interact ‘out of character’, if possible.

  • After the event, you must edit and send high-quality photographs from the event to the game runners in a timely fashion (no more than 2 weeks post-event) for use in our marketing.

  • You must provide your own photography equipment.

truck/setup Crew

  • Arrive at the storage locker at 11 am the day of game and be present at 12 pm on Sunday when game ends. This duty replaces the normal NPC shift for the event.

  • Assist the Truck Team Lead with 2 hours of assistance on Friday and 2 hours on Sunday setting up and tearing down our props around the site and at Ops/Logistics.

  • Having a personal truck or high-capacity vehicle is helpful and will be given preference.

  • Be able to lift and move heavy objects and totes, and perform basic physical activities is a requirement of the role.

  • Be present for most, if not all DR:TX Events.

  • Complimentary Tickets or monetary compensation may be offered to consistent Site Setup Crew members who go above and beyond. This could incur taxable income at the end of the year, if it exceeds federal and state minimums.

Prop Team

  • This role does not replace your usual NPC shift but is supplemental to your player role if you choose to play.

  • Coordinate with the Storytelling Team monthly to create/source whatever props are needed for that event.

  • You will be compensated monetarily for your prop budget and time, but must be able to track and submit receipts and invoices for time and materials. This could incur taxable income at the end of the year, if it exceeds federal and state minimums.

  • Must be able to meet a deadline and deliver props to the event in a timely fashion.

  • As needed, spend time on site repairing and checking on our prop inventory and coordinating with Gamerunners to maintain the collection.

Medics and Emotional Support Staff

  • This role does not replace your usual NPC shift, but is helpful to Gamerunners to know who is able to provide medical assistance in the event of emergencies on site.

  • Let us know what certifications and qualifications you have and in what capacity

  • We will add you to our on-site health and safety guide for reference to players and staff