Overall, I believe the installation and performance went well. People/Players were receptive to the game as well as the space. I was told I successfully transformed the space beyond the white cube. I received some excellent written commentary.
A couple of my favorite quotes:
"Eerie and haunting."
"There's just something about this atmosphere...I don't know how to describe it - it is somewhat relaxing, yet an uneasy familiar feeling. Interesting piece."
Most everyone understood the concept and seemed to enjoy themselves. I am pleased with the way things turned out.
I met again with both James and Steve during and after the show.
James felt it was successful, but that my artist statement was a bit heavy handed in terms of spelling out exactly what the piece is about. I told him the reason for this was that I did not expect that every person who walked into the gallery would play the game and I wanted to afford them the opportunity to understand what the piece was about.
Steve seemed to really like the project and the way it turned out. During the Tuesday evening opening he certainly played the game with an aim to potentially break it. Although he played multiple times and as different characters there was a time he came in and said he had lost his pet. We made a lost pet flyer and posted it in the hallway on the bulletin board.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Moving!
Today was the day! I went to get all the furniture from Sarah Lowe and the desk from John's basement. Luckily the weather was cooperative! I rented a U-Haul this morning and Rickey and Marek helped me move everything. I drove the U-Haul it is MUCH larger and MORE scary than my tiny honda. We picked up all the furniture from Sarah without event then proceeded to John's house to get the desk. Did I mention that is the HEAVIEST desk on the face of the planet?!?!?! I couldn't have pulled off moving all this furniture today without friends! I am so lucky to have people to help me...
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Particulars
I have been working on the finer details of the gallery installation. Obtaining small, but necessary things like a small radio to play classical music and various cleaners to make the gallery space actually smell more medical/lobby-esque.
In addition I have put up a small white board with scheduled play sessions for people to come play together.
For Tuesday evening I believe that I will need some help as I anticipate the gallery being quite busy. I have recruited DC Spensley to be a "nurse" and to help facilitate the flow of the game and "hospital."
In addition I have put up a small white board with scheduled play sessions for people to come play together.
For Tuesday evening I believe that I will need some help as I anticipate the gallery being quite busy. I have recruited DC Spensley to be a "nurse" and to help facilitate the flow of the game and "hospital."
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Artist Statement
Finally I finished it:
As an artist, with an interest in sociology, I primarily focus on awareness, interactivity, and social change. The study of sociology is an integral part of my work as I always strive to engage the community regarding public concerns. In addition, I believe in creating the platform for the viewer/user to have an experience which hopefully allows them to see things from a new perspective.
Death Receptionist is an experiential role playing game. My motivation for this project is mostly personal. I have always wanted to create a work that reflected the wide range of emotions being experienced at my 'day job' as a veterinary receptionist in a 24 hour emergency hospital. For me it made the most sense to create a role playing game so that players would be able to experience things firsthand. Every other alternative seemed to dramatically downplay the seriousness of the decisions that must be made regarding lives and regarding money.
The reception lobby in the gallery was created with stage props. It was important to me that people were not only able to play the game in the gallery space, but that a stage was created to promote awareness regarding the complexity of the emotionally charged decisions. I want to encourage a more careful consideration of pet ownership.
For the audience, I am hoping the game offers some insight. I would be delighted if participants walked away with more questions than when they came in to play. Perhaps a discussion will spark about the legality and morality of euthanasia based on financial decisions, or perhaps people will begin talking about what it means to watch a close family member battle with terminal illness, or perhaps there will be a conversation about the financial situation 99% of all Americans face. I am hoping this game sets the stage for a new conversation – one you may not have had otherwise. For me, I am hoping this will add closure to a chapter in my life.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Actual Game; The bulk of It Anyhow
death receptionist.
an experiential role-playing game.
pre-play, the introduction
each player please take some time to answer the following questions and discuss your answers with the others.
1. your name?
2. do you have a favorite kind of animal? why?
3. are you allergic to pets? if so, what kind?
4. have you ever had any pets in your life?
5. what kind? their names?
6. do you have any pets now?
7. what kind? their names?
character creation
there are three types of characters in this game:
the client: this character fills out the client information sheet. while in this role the player is free to communicate with the other players in anyway that they deem fitting – so long as it does not result in physical harm for any of the [RL] players. [ie no actual injections of euthanol, hitting or stabbing etc].
the pet: this character observes their environment and listens to the client and the receptionist work out the details of their life. the pet may only communicate with the other players via miming and noises appropriate to their species. although this player may not seem to have much to do, aside plead for their life, they are the second most powerful player in the game because they have the option to die at any point they choose. once the pet dies the client, if left with no other pets, is also terminated from the game.
the receptionist: this character essentially takes on the role of the gm – more on that later.
character stats
you embody your own stats. there are no charts or tables or graphs for this. you are who you are – bring what ever baggage and experience you have to the table.
game mechanics
** just a suggestion: be nice to the receptionist – they have more power than you may think.
injury and ailment
determining your pet's injury or ailment, you are at a veterinary hospital after all. roll a 1d6 and consult the receptionist.
money
clients receive money at the beginning of the game, based on their finances from the client information sheet. let me just say this – there are not many ways in this game to get more money, but there are ways if you are creative and you come across someone compassionate enough. all decisions regarding money must be approved by the receptionist.
receptionist ONLY information below [aka gm stuff]
if you aren't the gm go play with your pet or manipulate your owner...whichever case fits.
receptionist ONLY information [aka gm stuff]
you are the receptionist at a busy multi-doctor veterinary emergency hospital for dogs and cats. your job is to ensure the hospital runs smoothly. you may see yourself as an advocate for the pets or you may just consider this a job to pay the bills. either way you are here to ensure the other players don't do anything unethical. you are here to facilitate their experience.
kindly tell those players with any type of pet other than a dog or a cat that this hospital does not have a veterinarian that is able to see them. if they are looking to euthanize their pet due to ethical emergent medical problems the doctors here can help with that only.
cost of euthanasia $100.00
cost of cremation with ashes returned to client $250.00
cost of cremation with no ashes returned to client $100.00
if pet is sick or injured, but does not require euthanasia give them the phone numbers to a couple other veterinary hospitals [you know those hospitals do not have veterinarians that will see their pets, but that is all you can do – i wouldn't recommend telling the clients that].
illness/ailment chart
| Dice Roll | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Canine | diarrhea | BBBD | rat bait toxicity | GI FB | CHF | hemangiosarcoma |
| Feline | abscess | UO | fibrosarcoma | diabetic crisis | RF | lymphoma |
illness/ailment descriptions
feel free to add any circumstantial or situational information as you deem appropriate [ie “you came home to find your dog had explosive diarrhea all over your brand new white carpet and you rush to the vet” etc]. additionally, there are sometimes options other than the recommended treatment: euthanasia, home hospice care, surrender to the hospital, and AMA [leaving against medical advice].
euthanasia: a client may elect euthanasia at any point in the treatment process however it is up to you to inform the client whether or not it is an ethical decision. if you feel like it is medically appropriate and you don’t think the client is unnecessarily euthanizing their pet then have the client fill out a euthanasia form. don’t forget to discuss care of remains.
cost of euthanasia $100.00
cost of cremation with ashes returned to client $250.00
cost of cremation with no ashes returned to client $100.00
cost of home burial $0.00
home hospice care: this option is only available to clients that have terminally ill pets.
if additional home hospice care is elected roll 1d6 – number rolled represents number of months left to live. each month requires home care medications.
cost of home hospice care $100.00 per month
surrender to the hospital: the receptionist is the only player that knows this is an option. this
option is only available to one client for the entire duration of the game so choose wisely.
have the client roll 1d6 and if the roll is 3 or greater the surrender is complete.
surrendering the pet to the hospital requires that the client pay any incurred charges prior to this point. this results in game termination for this client player. the pet will be cured and can be re-adopted out to any other willing player, if no such player exists game termination for that pet player.
if 1 or 2 then surrendering is not an option.
AMA: this is not an option that is encouraged or even suggested, but this happens when the
client elects to take their pet home [without hospice care] or to another veterinary
facility. be sure to have the client sign the AMA paperwork. this action results in game
termination for this client and their pet.
below are the list of ailments and treatments and costs. as the receptionist you do have the liberty to change things as you see fit based, but remember that your most important job is to ensure player satisfaction.
diarrhea: there are many causes of diarrhea in dogs. the less aggressive method of
treatment is to give SQ fluids [fluids under the skin] to help with dehydration and to prescribe a medication called metronidazole or flagyl (fla-jill) which is an intestinal antibiotic given orally at home. the dog should also be placed on a bland diet of boiled skinless boneless chicken [no spices or oils] and cooked white rice. if no better or worsens have the pet rechecked for further diagnostics.
cost $200.00 for initial treatment
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 3 or higher then treatment worked.
if 1 or 2 then re-evaluation and further diagnostics are recommended.
cost for further diagnostics and treatment $600.00 – then cured.
BBBD [bit by big dog]: laceration and puncture wound on left side of abdomen
just behind the shoulder. an anesthetic procedure is recommended to clean the area
place sutures [stitches] to close the wound. the dog will also be prescribed clavamox (clav-uh-mox) which is an antibiotic used to prevent infection.
cost $500.00 for treatment
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 3 or higher then treatment worked.
If 1 or 2 then anesthesia complication occurs and life saving measures
are recommended.
cost for life saving measures $850.00
if life saving measures are elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher pet survives
and has no further complications.
if 1 then pet dies – game termination for this client.
rat bait toxicity: pet is exhibiting signs of rat poison ingestion [pale gums, coughing,
weak]. recommend diagnostic blood work to reveal blood clotting time, hospitalization, fluids and vitamin K therapy. prognosis is good as long as pet receives treatment.
cost for treatment $1500.00
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 3 or higher pet recovers without further complications.
if 1 or 2 pet requires blood transfusions and longer stay in the hospital for further treatment.
cost for further treatment $1300.00
if further treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher pet recovers without further complications.
if 1 then pet dies – game termination for this client.
GI FB [gastro intestinal foreign body]: pet presents with history of vomiting and not eating for
last three days. x-rays are recommended for diagnostics.
cost for x-rays $400.00
if x-rays are elected they show some sort of foreign material in the
intestinal tract which does not look like it will pass through on its own.
surgery is recommended to remove the foreign body.
cost for surgery $3500.00
if surgery is elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher foreign body is removed successfully without complications.
roll 1d6 to see what the material was
1 = tampon
2 = corn cob
3 = bloody maxi pad
4 = rubber duckie
5 = wine cork
6 = underwear
if 1 then a mass on the liver was found during surgery and it is recommended that it be surgically removed while the pet is under anesthesia.
cost for mass removal and biopsy $700.00
if mass removal and biopsy are elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher mass is removed and biopsy results show that it is non-cancerous. pet recovers well without any further complications.
if 1 then surgical procedure goes well, but biopsy results show that the mass was cancerous. chemo therapy is recommended.
cost for initial chemo treatments $2000.00
if chemo treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or higher pet goes into remission for remainder of the game.
if 1,2 or 3 then additional chemo treatments are needed, but prognosis is guarded [not good chances of survival].
cost for additional chemo treatments $1800.00
if additional chemo treatments are elected roll 1d6 – number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $150.00
CHF [congestive heart failure]: pet presents with coughing and respiratory distress. oxygen
therapy, hospitalization, x-rays, and IV medications [enalapril (en-all-uh-prill) and lasix] (lay-sicks) are recommended.
cost for treatment $1500.00
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or 5 then stabilization is successful
and patient continues to be stable for the remainder of the game.
if 3 or 4 then patient is stabilized for now, but will require additional time in the hospital and follow up care over the next 6 months or more.
cost for additional care $4500.00
if additional care is elected roll 1d6 to see how much longer patient
survives number rolled represents number of months left to live.
each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $50.00
if 1 or 2 patient dies – game termination for this client.
hemangiosarcoma: patient transferred from general practice veterinarian (RDVM) where they
have already had some initial diagnostics done to determine the need for surgery.
hemangiosarcoma is a form of cancerous tissue that arises in the lining of blood
vessels. This form of cancer tends to be aggressive, recur locally, and spread widely. predisposing factors include radiotherapy [x-rays], foreign materials [such as steel and plastic] in the body, and environmental agents [such as arsenic solutions used to spray grapevines and vinyl chloride in the plastic industry].
cost of RDVM $500.00
cost of surgery $4500.00
if surgery is elected roll 1d6 – if 3 or higher surgery is completed without
complications and chemo therapy is recommended.
cost for initial chemo treatments $2000.00
if chemo treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or higher pet goes into remission for remainder of the game.
if 1,2 or 3 then additional chemo treatments are needed, but prognosis is guarded [not good chances of survival].
cost for additional chemo treatments $1800.00
if additional chemo treatments are elected roll 1d6 – number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $150.00
if 1 or 2 pet dies during surgery from unforeseen complications – game
termination for this client.
abscess: pet presents with golf ball sized swelling on hind end. history of cat fight.
recommend mild sedation, lance, and drain. Also send home on oral antibiotic clavamox (clav-uh-mox).
cost for treatment $350.00
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher then procedure goes well
and patient is cured.
if 1 then patient pulls out the drain once back at home and it needs to be
replaced.
cost for drain replacement $250.00 then cured
UO [urinary obstruction]: pet presents straining to urinate howling and crying.
immediate anesthetic procedure to unblock the urethra is recommended.
Hospitalization, SQ fluid therapy, phenoxybenzamine (fen-oxy-ben-za-meen) [sphincter relaxer], and antibiotics recommended. males are more prone to this problem since their urethra is much narrower.
cost de-obstruction $1500.00 [for females add $200.00]
if de-obstruction is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or 5 then stabilization is successful and patient continues to be stable for the remainder of the game.
if 2, 3 or 4 then patient is stabilized for now, but will re-obstruct within three days and will require additional care.
cost for additional care $2000.00
if additional care is elected roll 1d6 to see how much longer pet will
need to be hospitalized. number shown is equal to number of days
hospitalized.
cost for one day of additional hospitalization $350.00
if 1 is rolled then patient dies of ruptured bladder – game termination for this client.
fibrosarcoma: pet presents with walnut sized lump above right shoulder. Aspirate to see what
the lump consists of is recommended. Fibrosarcoma is a cancerous mass that many times is induced by vaccination injection – specifically from the FELV or feline leukemia vaccination.
cost for aspirate $150.00
if aspirate is elected then results show confirmed diagnosis of
fibrosarcoma. x-rays to determine if cancer has spread is recommended.
if x-rays are elected roll 1d6 if 2 or higher the cancer has not
spread. chemo therapy is recommended.
if 1 then cancer has spread and hospice care or euthanasia
is recommended.
if hospice care is elected roll 1d6 - number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $150.00
cost for initial chemo treatments $2000.00
if chemo treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or higher pet goes into remission for remainder of the game.
if 1,2 or 3 then additional chemo treatments are needed, but prognosis is guarded [not good chances of survival].
cost for additional chemo treatments $1800.00
if additional chemo treatments are elected roll 1d6 – number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $150.00
if 1 or 2 pet dies during surgery from unforeseen complications – game
termination for this client.
diabetic crisis: patient presents comatose. Immediate life saving measures [IV fluids, glucose
test, possible administration of glucose recommended.
cost of life saving measures $800.00
if life saving measures are recommended roll 1d6 and if 3 or higher
patient is stabilized. Further hospitalization is recommended.
Cost of hospitalization $1200.00
if hospitalization elected patient recovers without
complication and home care treatment with insulin is
recommended.
cost for home care per month $50.00
if 1 or 2 then life saving measures fail and patient dies – game
termination for this client.
HBC [hit by car]: pet presents not walking, obvious bleeding wounds on left shoulder, possible
broken left front leg. pain medication and x-rays recommended.
cost for x-rays and pain medication $450.00
if elected pain medication is administered and x-rays show front left limb
is fractured in two places. surgery is recommended.
cost for surgery $2500.00
if surgery is elected roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher internal bleeding is
discovered during surgery and immediate life saving measures are recommended.
roll 1d6 – if 2 or higher bleeding is stopped and pet is
stabilized.
cost for additional stabilization $600.00
if 1 then surgery to repair the limb with pins is successful.
RF [renal failure]: pet presents severely dehydrated with history of decreased appetite for last few days. pet also noted to be drinking excessive amounts of water and urinating more than normal. hospitalization and IV fluids are recommended.
cost for treatment $1500.00
if treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or 5 then stabilization is successful
and patient continues to be stable for the remainder of the game.
if 3 or 4 then patient is stabilized for now, but will require additional time in the hospital and follow up care over the next 6 months or more.
cost for additional care $4500.00
if additional care is elected roll 1d6 to see how much longer patient survives number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $50.00
if 1 or 2 patient dies – game termination for this client.
lymphoma: intestinal lymphoma [cancer] is now the most common form of lymphoma in cats. pet presents with a history of vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and appetite loss.
recommend chemo therapy.
cost for initial chemo treatments $2000.00
if chemo treatment is elected roll 1d6 – if 4 or higher pet goes into remission for remainder of the game.
if 1,2 or 3 then additional chemo treatments are needed, but prognosis is guarded [not good chances of survival].
cost for additional chemo treatments $1800.00
if additional chemo treatments are elected roll 1d6 – number rolled represents number of months left to live. each additional month requires home care medications.
cost for one month supply of home care medications $150.00
if 1 or 2 pet dies does not go into remission and dies two days later from complications – game termination for this client.
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