About the Game

The stories of the characters take place within the walls of the fictional rehabilitation institute, which is represented by the military hospital in Theresienstadt. A significant element of the game is the strict discipline of pupils and the consistent adherence to their regular daily routine. The game time is divided into several units that have a clearly defined schedule for blocks of activities, rest, therapies, and sleep. The pupils attend regular sessions with the therapists and undergo drama therapy and other, more drastic therapeutic procedures if necessary. Within the game, the element of repetition is essential; the stories of characters move forward and develop by repeating the seemingly identical activities that are in fact gradually moving somewhere or being put into new frames. The possible blurring or distorting of the players’ orientation in time as well as light sleep deprivation are recognized elements of the game. You will be familiarized with the entire game schedule from the beginning, and as players you will also know the approximate moments when the most important decisions should be made so that you can adjust the story of your character accordingly. The game environment is often bizarre and visually disturbing and uses various musical and light effects.

The game is of the touching type, which means that lighter forms of intimacy and violence are role-played in quite a realistic way, 1:1, game to reality—an embrace is an embrace, a kiss is a kiss, a brawl is a brawl. At the same time, during the introductory workshops before the game, all players can state and set their limits—the violence and intimacy borderlines they are not willing to cross within the game—and others must respect that limit. We also use a variety of other means to create a safe enough environment (see the design document for details).

Players taking the roles of pupils and staff are not expected to do any kind of intense preparation before the game. In fact, it is highly recommended just to read your diary (which will be purposefully distributed days before the game), perhaps watch some of the recommended television series and movies and maybe one of the books, and finally arrive and play right away. No preplay or pregame negotiation is involved.

The roles of therapists are a bit more complex concerning game materials: Therapists will receive the diaries of all pupils a month before the game. There is no need for extensive research of the historical problematics; you will get a basic overview from your game materials and the basic idea from the recommended films. Each participant will receive an already complete character with a sophisticated past, personality, and his or her own plots, the description of which will be provided in advance shortly before the game. The costumes are also provided by us. The players will only need to bring their own shoes and warm/functional undergarments to put on under the costume. The pupils will also need simple gym attire.

The game takes approximately 32 real-life hours and is divided into three time blocks, each representing one game day. Each game day is then precisely divided into smaller units with clearly set content. For easier orientation, each character gets a personal chart with a schedule that is similar to a school timetable, which precisely defines the activities the character is supposed to dedicate his or her time to. These timetables have a precise purpose, and they are fine-tuned to serve the game as much as possible. The personal timetables are not in the game to oppress the players; on the contrary, they serve them by improving the options of the game layout, creating interesting situations, and revealing in advance when some of the breakthroughs in their stories will occur. The pupils are also always provided with a certain amount of free time, in which they can walk freely through the Institute and handle their own agendas.

The regular changing of activities and blocks allows us to put enough incentives into a time-constrained game and to prepare all necessary procedures and effects technically. At the same time, we believe that it will provide you with a frame that you can fill with your acting.

At some moments, the game deliberately blurs the boundaries between reality and fiction, the supernatural or the psychotropic states of some characters. At the same time, it does not define one official truth: what is in fact reality and what is just a dream, what happened in the real world and what happened only in someone’s mind. The game’s environment is often bizarre and visually disturbing and uses various musical, sound, and light effects. All these are nevertheless just a backdrop for the game. There is no sense in dealing with technicalities during the game, such as “Where is this scary music coming from?” or “Why has the light colour suddenly changed?” It is better to use these elements for more interesting scenes. We work with recorded music as background or theme music. Most of the rooms in the Institute are sound-equipped, and many have their own musical themes that are constantly playing in them. Likewise, music has its role in particular significant scenes, and some characters may have their own tunes which herald their approach.

There is a personal file administered by the therapists on every single pupil. It is strictly forbidden for pupils to even see their own files. The staff may be allowed to have a look under certain exceptional circumstances.

From the very beginning, the file will contain information about the pupils, including such information that the pupils have no idea of or are not willing to admit even to themselves. It also serves as a record for the staff and therapists, who can lead the rehabilitation accordingly and push the stories forward. All the characters in the game, including the staff and psychotherapists, will have their own diaries. It is mandatory for the pupils to keep their diaries on a daily basis; the staff can do so on a voluntary basis.The diaries contain all the important information that will be needed during the game and give the players a chance to remind themselves of their key relationships and character goals whenever necessary. It also enables you to easily find the schedule and is complemented by the acknowledged “breakthrough choices” for your character.

The breakthrough choices are key decisions that you have to make within the game.You are told about them in advance, and it is a great part of the experience to make these decisions. Not only have we put many arguments in the game to provide for all possibilities, but you will also get time and space to dramatize your choice and improve your story yourself.

The game runs non-stop from the very start to the very end, and there is no space for leaving your roles. The only exception is in “Chamber no. 5” in the Institute’s washrooms (nowhere near the real bathroom). Here it is possible to take a rest, abandon your character for a little while, read through your materials, etc. It is also possible to consult anything with us here without disrupting the game. You just have to use the Institute’s internal telephone and call the “janitor,” and one of the organizers will look you up and have an out-of-game talk with you. We will be here to ensure both your physical and mental safety, for consultations regarding your next steps in the game, and to resolve any other sort of issues, questions, or uncertainties. It is very important to note, though, that Chamber no. 5 is a very solitary place where no conversations with other players are to be taken. The game is based on the principles of consensual playing and shared responsibility. You can find more details in the respective parts of the design document.

The game runs non-stop from the very start to the very end, and there is no space for leaving your roles. The only exception is in “Chamber no. 5” in the Institute’s washrooms (nowhere near the real bathroom). Here it is possible to take a rest, abandon your character for a little while, read through your materials, etc. It is also possible to consult anything with us here without disrupting the game. You just have to use the Institute’s internal telephone and call the “janitor,” and one of the organizers will look you up and have an out-of-game talk with you. We will be here to ensure both your physical and mental safety, for consultations regarding your next steps in the game, and to resolve any other sort of issues, questions, or uncertainties. It is very important to note, though, that Chamber no. 5 is a very solitary place where no conversations with other players are to be taken. The game is based on the principles of consensual playing and shared responsibility. You can find more details in the respective parts of the design document.