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This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- start [2026/06/10 08:33] – Hidden page on player side gm_emma
+++ start [2026/07/04 18:20] (current) – gm_izzy
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-This page is currently not available to players. If you are a GM, please see the GM version of this page.
+> I love snooping around the other research labs after hours. You can find some truly bizarre things that people work on, but nothing could compete with the neuroscience labs. The other day, I came across one of those. There were the usual whiteboards covered in symbols, sheets of paper covering the desks, but the star of the show was, as always, the machinery. In the centre of the room there was a nest of wires, lamps and buttons surrounding a chair with a helmet.
+>
+> Once I put it on, the hum of the machine started to quiet down, and I was left alone in a void. The void turned into a mist, which solidified into a beach. As far as the eyes could see, endless dunes stretched out in one direction and a mirror-like sea in the other. The sand rustled under my feet with every step.
+>
+>"Who are you?" said a voice behind me. Turning around, I saw a robed bearded man drawing shapes in the sand with a stick. "Why are you here?"
+You are an ordinary member of the public, living an ordinary life. But now, thanks to a newspaper competition, you've won the ultimate opportunity; the chance to experience the Alusia Foundation's Bookworm. This Bookworm is like nothing you've every seen before -- a machine that will allow you to experience and interact with any form of written media. The possibilities are endless.
+====== Welcome ======
+Welcome to //Reference II//, one of two [[https://oxfordrpg.com|ORPGSoc]] Society Games for Summer 2026, the other being [[https://newgameplus.oxfordrpg.com/|New Game Plus]]. The full schedule for //Reference II// can be found [[.:start:when_where|here]].
+//Reference II// is a game that intends to explore innovation, value and identity. Characters will be the first to fully experience a brand new technology, as well as the excitement and dangers that come with it. What can be learned, what value do In-Story experiences have, and are the people the characters become in Stories a reflection of their true selves?
+====== Getting Started ======
+If you're new to Society Games, then a good place to start is the [[.:system:wiki_intro|Society Game Wikis]] page, which walks through how to navigate this Wiki.
+For information on accessibility, including how to change the Wiki theme to 'Readable', please see [[.:info:accessibility|Accessibility]].
+If you're new to online games, then you may find it helpful to read the [[.:system:discord_intro|Introduction to Discord Games]] page. Conventions and Discord bots that are specific to //Reference II// are explained in the [[.:system:discord_intro|Discord in Reference II page]].
+Sessions in //Reference II// will run biweekly and consist of two parts: an Uptime which takes place over Discord, followed by a Downtime, where characters will be able to interact through emails. Each session will conclude with a GM-written Epilogue, which replace the traditional Turnsheet used in other Society Games. To understand what Uptimes, Downtimes and Epilogues will look like in //Reference II//, see the [[.:system:uptimes_sessions|Uptimes and Sessions]] and [[.:system:downtimes_turnsheets|Downtimes and Turnsheets]] pages.
+To get an idea of the game's tone and central themes, see [[.:start:style_tone|Style and Tone]]. Some sensitive themes are expected to occur within //Reference II//, while others are not permitted to occur at all. To play in  //Reference II//, you must have read our [[.:start:cat|Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy]].
+To learn more about the game's setting, there are four pages in this wiki:
+  * [[.:setting:bookworm|The Bookworm]] explains more about the Bookworm -- the machine used to experience Stories.
+  * [[.:setting:stories|Stories]] explains how Stories are experienced by characters.
+  * [[.:setting:alusia|The Alusia Foundation]] explains more about the place where the Bookworm is kept and characters will be spending all Uptimes and Downtimes.
+  * [[.:setting:world|The World]] explains more about the setting of the world of //Reference II// and may be used to help create a character and their backstory.
+For more information about Player Characters in //Reference II// and how to create your own character, please see [[.:gameplay:character_creation|Character Creation]]. An example of the types of characters you can create if you want to explore certain themes can be found in [[.:gameplay:character_inspiration|Character Inspiration]].
+======Joining The Game======
+In order to play in //Reference II//, you will need to fill in the Ballot Form by **19:00 on Monday 6th July** to express your interest in playing. If you ballot //Reference II//, you will then need to create a character by **12:00 on Friday 10th July**. For more information on how to ballot and create a character, please see the [[.:start#ballot|Ballot]] section below and the [[.:gameplay:character_creation|Character Creation]] page.
+//Reference II// is also looking for Crew members. More information on what crewing entails and how to apply to crew can be found [[.:gameplay:gms_crew#crew|here]].
+You will also need to have read both the [[https://oxfordrpg.com/CATPolicy2025.pdf|ORPGSoc Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy]] and the [[.:start:cat| Reference II Conduct and Acceptable Themes Policy]].
+Further, we ask that everyone involved in //Reference II// (whether as a player, crew member or GM), becomes a member of the [[https://oxfordrpg.com|Oxford Role-Playing Games Society]] if they are not one already. If you are not already a member, contact the treasurer Heather by Discord DM (@queenbluedragon) or [[christie94h@gmail.com|email]] to learn more about how to join the society. Note that you may join the Character Creation session without becoming a member.
+All //Reference II// players must be 16 years or older to play. Most players will be between the ages of 18 and 30. If you are under 18 years of age, you must disclose this to the GM team for safeguarding reasons.
+===== Ballot =====
+So that the GMs can maintain a manageable workload during //Reference II//, we will be imposing a limit of 18 players for the game. In the event that there are more people than this who want to play in //Reference II//, we will need to run a Ballot to allocate the available spaces.
+We will be conducting this Ballot jointly with [[https://newgameplus.oxfordrpg.com/|New Game Plus]], so that as many people as possible can play in one of the two games. You will be able to state which, if either, of the two games you would rather play in. If you did express a preference, you will also be able to state whether this is the only game you would be interested in playing, or whether you would be willing to play the other game instead of playing neither game. Balloting will be done in the following priority groups:
+  - People who have never played a Society Game before.
+  - People who have played a Society Game before.
+There is also an option on the Ballot form to opt out of balloting if the game is oversubscribed and join [[.:gameplay:gms_crew|the GM team]], which will expand the available places for other people. As a GM, you will be responsible for helping write and run Stories in uptime, writing Epilogues and advocating for a select number of players.
+Results will be released on the Discord servers for ORPGSoc, //New Game Plus// and //Reference II//. If you do not have access to these, please [[gm@referenceii.oxfordrpg.com|let us know]] so we can send you the results by email. After this, if there are any places remaining, anyone who did not participate in balloting for any reason will be able to claim them at the GM teams' discretion and on a first-come, first-served basis.
+The balloting will be run using [[https://codeberg.org/roryao/RPGSocBallot|this code]] developed by Rory A, with config.py modified to reflect the options available to these games. If you have questions about the process for this Ballot, reach out to the [[.:gameplay:gms_crew#gms|GM Team]] and we will do our best to answer.
+The Ballot form can be found [[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2EmPE4YK_OGYwgzdDwgz_SjpJZixsIGshcFEvxNEup3tDZg/viewform?usp=header|here]]. The deadline for completing the Ballot form is **19:00 on Monday 6th July**.
+Balloting to Crew will be run separately to this Ballot. More information on balloting to Crew can be found [[.:gameplay:gms_crew#crew|here]].