2026 Policy Update Surrounding Do Not Interact (DNI) Agreements
In order to better serve our community and game staff, we are making an update to our policy around Do Not Interact (DNI) agreements. There will be a standalone page where this and any other local policies will live, and this post will be updated with a link when that page is updated and published.
BACKGROUND
As directors for a chapter of a nationwide LARP, the staff members have two primary, complementary objectives that we are always trying to facilitate and improve upon:
Running exciting and engaging events with smoothness and consistency in operation and frequency
Maintaining a healthy community of players to engage with each other both IC and OOC
When action needs to be taken because of something that disturbs either of these objectives, one tool that we have is Corrective Actions. The levels of response are standardized across the Dystopia Rising Live Network and are respected across chapters, such that the more stringent actions taken to address the most problematic or law-concerning circumstances that occur in one chapter could require an inquiry from another chapter if the player in question attends a different game.
Historically, and thankfully, Dystopia Rising: Colorado has had to deal with very few of these cases.
Another tool that we have used are DNIs, or Do Not Interact agreements (also sometimes called NCAs or No Contact Agreements). When regarding a disagreement between two players that, usually, has nothing to do with IC or game play interaction or anything requiring Corrective Action, that the players have been unable to resolve on their own, a DNI agreement is written up. The understanding of that agreement, that the two players avoid interactions with each other while at game, is reciprocal (two-way), even though the desire for such agreements is usually not reciprocal.
CONCERNING DO NOT INTERACT AGREEMENTS
DNI agreements are not a network standard. Most chapters do not have them, and those that do vary in how they implement and enforce them. For Dystopia Rising: Colorado, the original intent was that these agreements were to be the very limit for which directors would be involved with disagreements between players that do not have anything to do with running events or the safety of the community, and should not be disruptive to the community or its events.
In practice, however, DNI agreements have been very disruptive to both of the directors’ primary objectives. Issues that have arisen from facilitating DNIs include difficulties in scheduling NPC shifts, frustration about being in the same encounters and modules, the spreading of rumors, and general confusion or misunderstanding of how DNIs should be handled by staff or guides.
THE UPDATE
Going forward, in order to facilitate our primary objectives, we are phasing out the DNI process and the few existing DNI agreements still in force at Dystopia Rising: Colorado.
This may feel like we’re no longer interested in player disagreements and aren’t going to be dealing with them anymore. This is the opposite of the intent behind our decision, and we are willing and ready to facilitate and mediate discussions between players that have disagreements when they are ready to have those discussions. DNIs as they were originally put into practice prevented us from properly handling these disagreements, while simultaneously forcing us to reckon with any disruptions in a less than ideal way. We would rather take the time to understand the disagreement early and facilitate a more amicable resolution, rather than spend time later and constantly having to tiptoe around the unsettled dispute; i.e., we will facilitate discussions between players on terms that we feel are best for the mental wellbeing of the directors and the health of the community overall. We also believe that facilitating these conversations will better enable us to focus on our primary objectives.
Please note: The DNI agreements going away does not mean any previously established boundaries defined by those agreements no longer exist. If participants still wish to get game staff involved in an issue unrelated to the game with other players, there will be a Dispute Discussion Request form available.
The phasing out of DNI processes is the only change we are making. Community and event safety will always be and continue to be a top priority for the directors, and we will employ Corrective Actions — including Refusal of Service — as needed when a player’s actions jeopardize or threaten that safety. We will also share this information with other Colorado LARPs and event runners as necessary without hesitation so they can be informed to make the right decisions.
in conclusion
Thank you for continuing to support Dystopia Rising: Colorado. We hope that the extra attention that we’ll pay towards disagreements between participants will contribute towards a stronger and welcoming community for all who wish to attend.