Scheduling and Running a Game

So you're writing (or have written) a game and you want to run it in the MIT Assassins' Guild? Have I got a deal for you!

This page needs to be updated.

Getting Scheduled

If you want to run in the Guild, you'll have to get on our schedule. How this works:

Call for Games

Scheduling is generally done in four chunks: Fall, IAP, Spring, and Summer. For each chunk, a Call For Games email goes out generally about 2 months ahead of time. If you want to get scheduled for a Fall term, reply to the Fall Call For Games.

Zampolit

A game running in the Guild must have a Zampolit -- an experienced member of Guild privy to the game's state but not a GM, and who is reporting to the High Council about its readiness to run. You will need to have a Zampolit report filed in order to get scheduled; for games being written in the Guild we recommend recruiting a Zampolit fairly early on in the writing process and using them to san-check your progress.

If you like, you can ask the High Council to assign or recommend a Zampolit rather than picking one out yourself.

Reserving Rooms

You're presumably going to want to get some rooms reserved in which to run your game. The Call For Games will ask you for what rooms you want; while you don't have to answer then, the earlier you specify rooms, the more likely you are to get the ones you want. A listing of reservable rooms can be found here.

You may not be able to get all of the rooms you want; try to provide a flexible plan for the Grandmaster to work with. Once the Grandmaster hears back from Schedules about your room reservations, they will forward you the confirmation email, and if the reservation doesn't work for you, you can go back and forth requesting changes. Keep the final confirmation email handy when running in case you need to prove that we have certain rooms reserved.

Poster

Especially if you're running a longer (3-day or 10-day game), you should make a poster (or get someone to make you a poster). We'll post it in our bulletin board space to advertise for the Guild and for your game. It's also useful for getting reimbursed for any money that is spent on your game.

Posters need to include the Undergraduate Association logo: gif or png.

Before You Run

Runtime

When you get scheduled, you'll usually be assigned to a weekend. When precisely during that weekend you run will be up to you. If you're assigned a weekend shared with another game, you need to coordinate with that other game so that you don't try to run in the same time and place, or at the same time with the same players.

Patrol

If you intend to run Saturday evening (overlapping with 8-11pm), you should talk to Patrol-Comm about whether that will be a problem with them. If you intend to run Saturday evening and use 36-1, you need to talk to Patrol-Comm and get their permission -- that space is reserved for Patrol.

Guild Equipment

The Guild maintains an armory of loanable guns for use in games. An inventory of it can be found here. The Guild also has a variety of other props, costumes, and equipment you can use, including a bunch of two-way radios, a bunch of cheap laptops, and a mobile printer cart. If there are any props or other things that you want for your game but the Guild doesn't already have, you should talk to the Secretary of the Exchequer about the possibility of getting reimbursed by the Guild for them.

CP Information

We need to provide the Campus Police certain information regarding your game in order to reduce the likelihood that a SWAT team shows up to "investigate" your event. The Grandmaster will ask you for this information after you've been scheduled, but it may be useful to be aware of it ahead of time.

Most importantly, you'll be asked precisely when and where you're running. Be nice to the Grandmaster and let them know as soon as you've figured this out.

In addition, you'll be asked about the weapon physreps used, the genre of any costuming, and any distinguishing garb (such as headbands or namebadges of a particular color). The last bears some consideration -- the CPs really prefer that people playing game are easily distinguished from non-players. Every person participating in your game must be wearing a namebadge or a headband.

Office Access

The Guild office is at W20-447. It can be a useful location for printing and producing your game, and is where Guild supplies are stored. There is a combination lock on each of the two doors that are between it and the outside world. The combination is stored in a file on Athena; if you don't have access to it, ask the High Council to change that: /mit/assassin/Office/office.combo.

Gamespace Cleanup

We reserve space for games on the sufferance of the MIT Schedules Office. We do not want to make them displeased with us. So, clean up after your game -- take down any signs and similar and dispose of them in the appropriate receptacle; if classroom trash is overflowing, bag it up and remove it to a larger bin; be especially certain to clean up after any food that may have been present. Also, make sure to get all items belonging to the Guild back from your players.

After You Run

Reimbursement

If you spend money on your game, you can probably get reimbursed for it. What you can get reimbursed for is a conversation you should have with the Secretary of the Exchequer before you spend the money. After the game, you should contact them about actually getting reimbursed.

Office Cleanup

You should return to the office anything you borrowed from the Guild, and you should clean up the office before the next game wants to use the office for its own production. If you don't clean up the office in a timely manner, we reserve the right to not reimburse you for your game.

Appendix: Gamespace Considerations

In addition to Patrol, there are a few other considerations in selecting a time and place to run your game. These include:

Infinite Corridor

Try to avoid having game action occur within line of sight of the first floor of the Infinite Corridor -- there will always be Non-Players there; try to avoid having 12-1 be a major thoroughway for players.

Building 26

There are experiments going on in Building 26 that are highly vibration-sensitive. Try to avoid giving people a reason to run in Building 26, and do \emph{not} have SIK-game combat happening in that building.

Sunday School

There's a group that reserves all of the rooms in 34-3 until 2pm on most Sundays. They clear out fairly quickly, but you won't be able to use the space until somewhat later than 2.

See Also

The original Greensheet.