Only a few steps more and your are right in the middle of this glamorous, claustrophobic world where nothing is happening in secret. For some HEALING is a new beginning, for others it’s the end. You gather your courage – you can do it! Yet, the familiar humming on your wrist immediately dampens your spirits: your LIFESCORE just dropped. Again, even tough the show has barely started. Chin up! Smile!
HEALING awaits you – who will you be? What are your goals? The door to the bunker is opening, revealing a tunnel of light and glamour. Most likely the TRIBUNAL is already passing their first evaluation – high time for your entrance.
HEALING is a game where nothing stays unobserved. Everything has consequences. HEALING is about a show with participants stemming from the various fringes of society and for whom absolutely everything is on the line. Each and every one of their actions is monitored and evaluated. In here they fight for their LIFESCORE – the rating system determining your entire life. And for their freedom. Write your own story.
Half of the players will be participating in HEALING live on-site at the Spitalseebunker in Schweinfurt, Bavaria, Germany. Awaiting them there is a multi-storied venue, combining the barren charms of a mental institution with the pulsating aesthetics of game-shows. In this immersive play world there is always something to be discovered. Weird figures and their stories, an elaborate technical surveillance apparatus and futuristic greenhouses. In cooperation with professional performers the players themselves will bring this fictional entertainment show to full life.
The other half of the audience will be playing online – they are the TRIBUNAL. Through a custom-built 3D-game-environment they are able to follow, access and control the proceedings via video, voice and text chat and can observe everything via the in-house surveillance system. Their task is to control and evaluate the other players – but everyone has their own secret agendas as well. Careful: even the TRIBUNAL is constantly being evaluated and controlled.
Both participant-groups online and on-site create their own roles with a specially created configurator. They equip their characters with background stories, purposes and hopes, strengths and weaknesses. HEALING is played ruthlessly without pulling any punches – but outside of the game all involved act in concert: the objective is to create a exceptional, safe and enriching experience for everybody – together.
One iteration of HEALING takes approximately six hours. HEALING will be accompanied by a rich framework of different events and workshops connected to the game. The project is designed to be realizable while observing safety distance and will be adjusted to the current hygienic measures. All participants will be kept informed about relevant developments.
What kind of experience will I be making in HEALING?
“HEALING” is a game wherein all involved play a different character. In doing so, you and the other participants will be supported by professional performers. You can join in on-site in Schweinfurt or online at home. “HEALING” is about a fictional game show, the likes you know from other stories but from the real world as well. In the world of “HEALING” our lives are determined by the so-called LIFESCORE – every action is registered in this scoring system, a high score brings privileges, a low one ensures repression. Similar social credit system are already existing, for example in China. The show’s contestants need to prove themselves in order to get reintegrated into society. Their actions are monitored and rated by other participants. At the same time the characters pursue their very own secret agendas. The whole affair is a mix between improvisational theater and role playing games. First and foremost HEALING is supposed to be fun and to invite playing around and trying yourself out. The on-site set of the game as well as the complex online world offer much to discover. At the same time cameras, microphones and more technical elements provide an exciting and multifaceted connection between the online world and the Spitalseebunker. We furthermore deal with an intense setting, covering very urgent contemporary issues: how can, given increasing surveillance and privatization of public and virtual sites, nevertheless spaces where free agency is possible be created and sustained? Therefore you will experience an intense six-hour game, you will get to know other people and after the event you even have the possibility to stay in contact with them via our community-platform.
Do I need prior knowledge? Do I need to be able to act?
No. You need neither experience with roleplaying nor with improvisational theater. The game is designed to give experienced players their money’s worth, but simultaneously be easily accessible for beginners.
What is happening over six hours? What does one do during the LARP?
The event opens with a short workshop to get to now each other and to communicate on the rules of the game. After this the actual game begins, divided in different phases. For six hours your character has time to pursue their very own goals and at the same time prove themselves in the show. It’s not about winning the game but about telling an exciting story together. You can care for the plants in the greenhouse, hatch plots with your fellow participants, play on love stories, or sit together at the bar – but your characters are always being observed and evaluated via cameras by other players, the “Tribunal”. Furthermore there are performers online and on-site in the Spitalseebunker that bring interesting stories with them and are a good contact point if you are feeling at a loss. First and foremost it’s yourself that designs how exactly you are actually playing HEALING.
What happens with my data and the camera recordings? Will I end up on the internet?
No. We handle your data and recordings with strict confidence. For this purposes together with creative coding experts we specifically developed software and platforms that provide data security. No recording of you is ever going to be publicly shown without your consent.
How can I prepare for the experience? Do I need to be in costume?
We will provide you with some information about the game and the world up front. You can build the character you want to play in the specifically for HEALING developed generator. There you can influence which game tendency you would like to experience: Are you more about rebellion and secrets or do you want to be loyal to the system and try to persist in such a world? Are you about humane benevolence and emotion or about popularity and fame? We cordially invite you to dress up for your character – even if you’re playing online. For this your imagination should know no limits: depending on the character you may wear everything between plain and extravagant – futuristic elements, flamboyant makeup but also very neutral attire – everything goes. Let your character inspire you. Please note, in the length of time the bunker’s inside is rather chilly and cold-feeted, so maybe take some warmer clothing as well. The event is aimed at all interested over the age of 18.
Our set team contrived the features of our installation specifically for the current hygiene regulations. Also our game is designed to allow for safety distances. Furthermore all participants must wear medical masks and either have proof of a negative test result (from the same day), of a complete vaccination (at least 14 days prior to the event) or of a recovery (not older that six months).
Yes. For this very reason we have our cozy break room, where no play is happening. In return, within the game areas only those actions and conversations should take place that actually are part of the game.
Safety/security: is it going to be dangerous or very exhausting? Is there an emotional safety concept?
HEALING is not a physically demanding or dangerous game. However within the framework of our surveillance-setting emotionally demanding and stressful situations are definitely possible. Therefore it is of vital importance that we take care of each other and respect boundaries. During the game you can always seek talks with the organizer team or completely leave the game if you feel the need for it. After all HEALING is no social experiment or suchlike, but a game that is supposed to be fun. We developed an extensive security concept for HEALING in order to ensure a physically and emotionally safe experience for all participants. After registration will be send to you via email, but you can already read it now on our blog.
The game is only partly accessible – there are for example steps leading to the second floor. Nevertheless we strive to enable a beautiful experience for everybody – please contact us directly if your have special needs or questions about accessibility.
HEALING is a game that is designed to be actively co-created by the participants. A requirement for this is the willingness to take some time and invest it to get to know the project. For this you will for example receive documents after your registration, that introduce you to the world of the game. Bring along openness and a gaming mood – with this you will already be well equipped for HEALING.
Ticket sales for HEALING will be starting at the end of June.
The amount of your financial contribution will be decided by yourself (and your wallet). We offer tickets for €15 / €20 / €30. Your choice of price has no influence on content of the game whatsoever.
On ticket acquisition the players can choose between participating online as part of the TRIBUNAL or participating on-site in the Spitalseebunker in Schweinfurt. After registration further steps will be explained – a collaborative preparatory workshop, background information and a link to the character-configurator to create your own role.
Buy tickets for our events on
07. / 08. / 14. / 15. / 21. / 22. / 28. / 29.08.2021 by following these links
HEALING ONLINE Internet
10:30 am - 7 pm
HEALING OFFLINE Schweinfurt
10:00 am - 7 pm
WE ARE
about denialofservice.fail
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denialofservice.fail, shortened to DOS.FAIL is a framework and an association of different agents from a multitude of diverse backgrounds who united for the common purpose of creating eventful and adventurous art.
Acting critical, diverse, transparent and genuine are the criteria by which we attempt to realize projects of a playful and vibrant character.
HEALING assembles expertise of the diverse fields of theater, participatory arts, cultural management, creative coding, live action role playing, set design, lighting design & engineering, acting and game design.
HEALING is employing the new platform NEXUS that has also been launched in summer 2021 by DOS.FAIL and that has been designed to serve the community as a save haven for immersive art. The software developed for HEALING is open source and will be made available for other projects.
