Therapeutic Gaming Group
Mental Health | Fun | Camaraderie
Online Gaming
Hop on our Discord server and find people to game with. Veterans from all branches, first responders, and supportive citizens all meet up daily for good times and fun games. Our server of more than 500 active players can help you get settled into a squad for a great gaming experience.
RPG Community
If Role-Playing Games are more your style, contact us to join an existing live game in your area, or to start a new one. Live Role-Playing Games are excellent ways to get together with fellow veterans and play a long term, strategy-based game with good people of a similar background.
Create/Host Live RPG
Start a new game in your area for veterans through United States Rescue.
The purpose behind United States Rescue’s Therapeutic Gaming Group is to readjust attendees to rational thought processes and ultimately create a pattern of healthy decision making. This is achieved in a group setting utilizing a game, up to 6 players, and a game master. While these games traditionally are based on fantasy, they incorporate consequences for decisions that may not have been well considered. For instance, if a group is historically overly aggressive they may encounter a creature that could have been a friend, but due to hostility is now a foe of whom has incredible powers and abilities.
It’s important for each member of the “party” or “group” to see their game piece as a miniature version of themselves, and do what is best for them (and the group) with the advantage of having a top down, big picture view. Over time, this bird’s eye view, in concert with a history of good decision making, application of rational thought, and concern for the greater good of everyone, becomes habit forming. This healthy and habitual pattern can become a practical application in their own lives seamlessly and often without the conscious decision to do so.
Location
The location of the game should be safe and secure, preferably not at a private residence or workplace, but rather a small rental office such as Regus or WeWork. However, if limited to a home game setting, a virtual home tour may be required with the USR Therapeutic Gaming Group staff. The location should have ample power outlets for attendees to plug in phones and tablets, as well as adequate lighting, restrooms, counter/table for food and drink, emergency exits, etc.
Hardware
In order to run a successful game in true United States Rescue Therapeutic Gaming Group format, you will need the following hardware. First, you will need a table roughly 4′ x 8′. This table will hold a flat TV that will be connected to a laptop computer. This is the gaming surface that your players will use. A crude application would be a piece of 4′ x 8′ plywood with the TV supported by blocks where necessary, however, this is not in keeping with the preferred format of the game. The prospective host should have the means to construct a suitable gaming table or have one constructed. Simple plans for gaming tables that utilize TV’s can be found online or by contacting us.
Game pieces and dice should be available for all hosted players. Additionally, the host may require charging cables, HDMI cables, extension cords, etc.
Software
In addition to basic operating software, the GM (game master) or DM (dungeon master) [in other words, “host”] should have an extensive familiarity with the game selected for the group. Additionally, character images, adversary images, maps, and other graphics should be acquired or generated. Many AI graphics programs will generate creatures and terrain images for the host to use. The host should also have a Chat GPT account. The information about the game being played, character names, and other relevant information about the game should be placed into Chat GPT so the AI can manage the game with greater accuracy. Chat GPT frees up the GM/DM to focus on following the party rather than having to create long dialogs regarding encounters on the fly.
Game Selection
There are many games that are suitable for use with this endeavor, such as Fallout, Dungeons & Dragons, and others. It’s important to select the game that is easiest for the host to manage and preferably the game of which the host has the most knowledge. Furthermore, character miniatures, including players, creatures, and structures, should be available for use for the selected game.
Schedule
Once your game is established, it should meet on the same day every week. The preferred time the game should run is a minimum of three hours, and should run no longer than 5 hours to maximize attention span. When establishing the game, special emphasis should be placed upon consideration of a weekly game day that can be attended by all party members. If a party member (or potential party member) has a conflict for the game’s proposed/established schedule that satisfies the majority of the group, the unavailable member should be reassigned to another party.
Performance
Game performance must be fair, impartial, and unimpeachable. All members must be treated with respect regardless of race, gender, branch of service, etc. Game recording, either video or audio, is not authorized. Additionally, live streaming of games is not authorized except with special permission of the United States Rescue C-Level Staff, Nonprofit Board of Directors, and Therapeutic Gaming Group Senior Staff. Violations of our live streaming policies regarding RPG games may result in criminal and civil penalties.
Eligibility
It is preferred that all members of the Live Role Playing Game Party game be veterans of the United States Military. However, in rare instances and if acceptable to each group member, spouses/teenage children of playing veterans may be allowed to play or sit in for their player. Additionally, first responders may also attend so long as the group is in unanimous agreement.