tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781060643507162251.post607212390321116273..comments2023-10-08T08:54:40.079-04:00Comments on LARP Ohio: Understanding Plot ToneTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437406306299325645noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781060643507162251.post-24006767709065881292011-07-16T11:25:53.184-04:002011-07-16T11:25:53.184-04:00I trend towards more serious stuff myself, but tos...I trend towards more serious stuff myself, but toss in some humor from time to time. But there's a note I want to make about LARP humor which Bill essentially made in his original post but it bears reiteration. <br /><br />Basically, there are two kinds of humorous moments in a LARP. One kind pulls you into the game more and the other snaps you out of it. Humor that relies on an awareness of out of game elements is the latter and drives me kind of nuts. For example (and these are *real* examples), the Barney monster that makes you sing when near him or the Keebler elves that turn people into cookies. Yes, I am not kidding. Now, I have been guilty of making a joke like this while running, but I have seen entire plotlines based on this kind of humor and it really just destroys immersion.<br /><br />The other kind of humor relies on in game elements. While you, as a player, may also find it funny, it's making your character laugh first and foremost. It's creating in game bonds and camaraderie and shared experiences through in game humor. Last Madrigal event we had a singer come into game and sing a song to make fun of the Princess' suitors. 100% in game, very funny, and much better for a LARP than if the song also tried to reference the fact that the NPC who plays the Princess is real-life engaged.Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08410370955403380206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781060643507162251.post-51224621004165004052011-07-15T11:41:04.583-04:002011-07-15T11:41:04.583-04:00Sweet post! I think tone preferences is something ...Sweet post! I think tone preferences is something most larpers could definitely dedicate more thought to. Here are my additions:<br /><br />Casual<-->Formal (you can really emphasize this with NPC word choice)<br />Dark<-->Optimistic<br />Mundane<-->Dramatic (I think some of what people term "emotional plot" is really dramatic, where as 'the same thing we do every night, Pinky, kill some kobolds and take their loot' is more mundane)<br /><br />And then you can mix and match, for encounter tones that sound like your Netflix preferences categories:<br />Casual, Darkly Humorous, Gritty Action<br />Optimistic, Fantastical Heroic Dramedy<br /><br />And, that conversation about tone shift is totally relevant here, too. Do what you like to do, but don't be a 1-trick plot member :/Jynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18124821846804935787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781060643507162251.post-76624062298916516982011-07-15T09:42:20.742-04:002011-07-15T09:42:20.742-04:00@Cralyssse
You make some good points. I had orig...@Cralyssse<br /><br />You make some good points. I had originally melded some points together, like fantastical and narrative, and serious an emotional. But if I were to break it out further, it would probably look like this.<br /><br />Narrative <-> Active<br />Combat <-> Roleplay<br />Gritty <-> Fantastical<br />Serious <-> Humorous<br />Satire is a subset of humorous<br />Emotional is a subset of Roleplay and SeriousAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10979935681444364292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7781060643507162251.post-16709499745618787992011-07-15T09:14:00.895-04:002011-07-15T09:14:00.895-04:00Aww, thanks Bill! Personally I like doing funny s...Aww, thanks Bill! Personally I like doing funny stuff too and sometimes have trouble keeping myself from cracking jokes the entire time I NPC, so keep me on target. :)<br /><br />I am thinking of 2 others but I may not be able to explain them very well. For one, I might say that "Descriptive" is a better term than "Fantastical" at least so far as what I think you said. Or maybe it could be separate. Anyway, I'd say this is where the plot is more of a narrative, and it's usually best for individuals or small groups who don't mind not having combat or physical actions. You can use dialogue and the players' choices to affect the outcome. This might be what you already meant and I'm just not awake yet :).<br /><br />Then, like the Action one, I'd say another one is Emotional plot tone which could be said to come out of the above. This is plot that's heavy on role-play and personal interaction, and is meant to make players dig deep into their role-play banks and feel something and react as their characters. Personal plot is a good example of this, but any plot that tugs on the ol' heart strings is possible (lost love, children in danger, sad ghosts, and yes, even romance :) ). I've seen these and they're usually still not main plotlines, but they can involve more action and combat than a purely Descriptive tone. <br /><br />I've heard some people call the last one "girl plot" but I'd like to point out that it can be done in ways that won't offend manly sensitivities :) Then again, you DO have girls at LARP, and secretly some of us enjoy a bit of that sometimes, so it's not bad to put it in for those that do :)<br /><br />Some thoughts!Coralysssenoreply@blogger.com