Happy Day after July 4th! Hopefully everyone got all or at least part of the day off to stand outside and sweat by a BBQ watching fireworks :)
Thinking about the reason for the season, as it were, got me thinking about holidays in other worlds. People as far back as we can figure have had their own celebrations. They've had special days that commemorate events, nature, the seasons, deities, and whatever else was important to them. It follows, then, that your created world could have the same thing!
Due to scheduling, it's not always possible for a LARP to set aside a certain date for your holiday. But there's no reason why your world can't have a, say, mid-summer festival. Or really any type of festival that commemorates a certain event around a certain time of year. PCs, you could even start this off by recognizing a previous event you were a part of (Happy Day of the Dead Lich everyone!). Then keep doing it at the same time every year.
This can add a lot to the in-game atmosphere. Holidays are something that gives a people an identity, as what you celebrate says a lot about you. Look at Americans - we've got quite a few days that others don't specifically share, like 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day; and that says a lot about what Americans have valued as the holidays were created. Some days may be wild, some may be somber, but it can really help build your world and your NPCs. If you only run a few events a year, these holidays could even be the reason for the gathering. Rather than referencing the last "market day" or whatever your group uses, you could instead talk about what happened at your harvest festival, or last Dragonslaying Day.
As plot, I've always loved using holidays (maybe a bit too much) as inspiration for mods or other encounters. If anyone remembers the 3-legged turkeys at Ashton around Thanksgiving, I apologize :) But holidays can give you great ideas for mods where you need them. In spring, maybe some potions at your Festival of Love got out of hand. In the fall, maybe different groups need help harvesting. After going to a lot of events, they can run together, so giving something a theme can make that game memorable.
You can also use it as a reason to have games, contests, and other events. Staff doesn't need to set it up, they can work with an interested PC to help it come up. These can be contests of skill using in-game and out-of-game skills. I've found it's good to have both, so that people who are good at one or the other can still participate! And don't leave out non-martial talents like art, baking, or performance. This is fun for the players and also helps Staff take breaks as the games are going on so they can concentrate on other mods knowing the PCs are occupied.
I will say that this sort of all-out fair can't be done too often. Every one of your events can't have contests of strength, as that can get boring - unless, of course, you've got a fun plot reason. A town of barbarians may regularly see who's stronger to determine leadership or something. This could even evolve into a ritual of some kind - but I digress :) In general I think the character that was the strongest at the June event will be the strongest at the July event, so in LARP time doing this once or twice a year makes more sense. I think the specifics about running a game-day festival could be a whole new post, so I won't go into it more.
You can also support the theme in other ways. Have someone make a special Midwinter treat that you only make that time of year. Give out little trinkets that represent the holiday. Come up with traditions for your NPCs to mention, and even incorporate them in game. Example: If you have a day of remembrance, bring in one of your NPCs to lead a candlelight vigil, make a speech/toast, add new names to the banner of the fallen etc. This specific example double-dips, since it goes back to the post about remembering fallen characters (see what I did there)! :)
But what do you think? Does your game have any regular festivals? How can it work for you?
Showing posts with label Theory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theory. Show all posts
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Randoms & You
I've heard it said that the easiest way to make an event decent is to run randoms every 20 minutes. For me, that doesn't make my event, and I don't really like randoms at all as a PC. Usually they are not presented in any interesting way, they can break game momentum, they can roll PCs who just want a break, and as Staff they can drain resources that PCs would prefer to use on mods. And worst for me, they don't make sense. Why did a squad of orcs decide to attack superior numbers of armed adventurers in what is supposed to be a well-established and guarded settlement? I don't know :)
That being said, I think they might be necessary in a lot of games, and can add a lot. So how can randoms work for you?
That being said, randoms can work to your advantage. When you have a larger PC group, they're not going to be going on all your mods, and giving them something to fight can help entertain them. Newer players or players who just like the thrill of killing things can enjoy random monster slaying. And you also don't want your PC areas to feel too safe - the thrill of danger is part of the draw for a lot of players.
So, how to do it right?
First, timing is everything. If you send randoms out at the wrong time, you could derail mods - which most people enjoy much more than any random! Be aware of what the rest of your team is doing and what mods need to get done. Don't take resources away from them if you can help it (you can be a one-man random!). And try to keep an eye on what the PCs are doing. Ask your NPCs who were just in town, or PCs who are at the shack, how things are going. Also, if your PCs have set up some major event, like a ceremony or festival, try not to ruin it (unless it's good plot, of course! :) ).
Second, scaling is still important. If you're sending out goblins into a town that's all above level 20, it's probably not going to be as fun (unless there's plot or you do something interesting). And if you send down a horde of death knights and there are only 2 people awake, that can make for grumpy PCs. Again, ask people what the town atmosphere is like and scout it out. If you're not sure if people are around, try starting out with something small and work your way up to the big guns if needed. Also, make sure that your NPCs aren't out to kill people. Always make sure they know the limits you want on the encounter and how tough they should be. No one likes to resurrect from random spiders :)
Make it worth their while. PCs hate it when they get through a fight and the NPC doesn't have treasure. Don't over-reward, but make sure and put appropriate treasure on the monsters. You can then use this to even out treasure distribution for your event as well. If you have the space, put a couple random minor magic items on the occasional kobold, and people will be more interested in engaging them!
Spread the love - alternate where the randoms come from and what they're doing. If you do the same thing every time, you can get those types of folks who just sit and splatter the NPC as it spawns before anyone else can get to it. Especially if you start giving out good items here and there. Changing it up can help keep more people entertained.
And finally, my favorite point. Try to make the randoms make sense. A pack of wolves isn't going to attack a town under normal circumstances, so think about things that might. You can really use this to your advantage to reinforce plot lines. If there's an evil druid plot, maybe they are sending their new twisted tree creations in to test their strength. Maybe the goblin army has suicide bombers trying to destroy morale. Or the mad alchemist is sending minions to plant poison distributors. Or the ancient elder dragon's presence is driving the forest creatures mad. Not only are you entertaining people, you're fleshing out your plot lines!
If you run out of those ideas, try "hook randoms." These are mini encounters that take place within eye/ear shot of town. They're not just monster x attacking the PCs, but they can still be of any level, and the entire town can engage. Example - a traveling merchant runs in saying orcs attacked his wagon on his way to the tavern. Something that requires basically no prep, and you can run it in town. You're adding a little bit of extra depth to the random to have it make sense and be a little more exciting to the PCs, but you can use the exact same resources and monsters. All you need is a little creativity and a few minutes of planning to figure out an idea that will work. This is basically putting hook mods in Staff's hands from time to time.
Don't forget that role-play NPCs entertain people too. Not every random has to be for fighters! Your role-players and puzzle-solvers are also waiting around town for their next mod, so send in a strange merchant, an old story-teller, or some other engaging NPC. These tend to entertain smaller amounts of people, but can be very welcome to those PCs who don't like killing poor, defenseless bugbears all day :) You can use random time to put in an informative NPC for your plot line, or to engage a character's back story. Or just for fun. To get a little wider appeal, have them do things like host impromptu contests (riddles? singing? stories from the PCs?). You can even use these types of characters to help recharge a drained PC group by selling or giving out supplies or recharges - for the right price.
Purposeful randoms can be a great chance for Staff & NPCs who had some wacky ideas that don't quite work for plots or mods to use them!
In smaller games where PCs can go on more mods, randoms may not be as necessary. In these cases, if the PCs aren't modding, they're probably resting or refreshing and randoms can actually hurt more than they help by draining resources on both sides of the table. But then again, you can use a few of these ideas to bring danger into the town - instead of hooking a mod, have it happen there!
What ideas do you have for making random monsters fun and useful?
That being said, I think they might be necessary in a lot of games, and can add a lot. So how can randoms work for you?
That being said, randoms can work to your advantage. When you have a larger PC group, they're not going to be going on all your mods, and giving them something to fight can help entertain them. Newer players or players who just like the thrill of killing things can enjoy random monster slaying. And you also don't want your PC areas to feel too safe - the thrill of danger is part of the draw for a lot of players.
So, how to do it right?
First, timing is everything. If you send randoms out at the wrong time, you could derail mods - which most people enjoy much more than any random! Be aware of what the rest of your team is doing and what mods need to get done. Don't take resources away from them if you can help it (you can be a one-man random!). And try to keep an eye on what the PCs are doing. Ask your NPCs who were just in town, or PCs who are at the shack, how things are going. Also, if your PCs have set up some major event, like a ceremony or festival, try not to ruin it (unless it's good plot, of course! :) ).
Second, scaling is still important. If you're sending out goblins into a town that's all above level 20, it's probably not going to be as fun (unless there's plot or you do something interesting). And if you send down a horde of death knights and there are only 2 people awake, that can make for grumpy PCs. Again, ask people what the town atmosphere is like and scout it out. If you're not sure if people are around, try starting out with something small and work your way up to the big guns if needed. Also, make sure that your NPCs aren't out to kill people. Always make sure they know the limits you want on the encounter and how tough they should be. No one likes to resurrect from random spiders :)
Make it worth their while. PCs hate it when they get through a fight and the NPC doesn't have treasure. Don't over-reward, but make sure and put appropriate treasure on the monsters. You can then use this to even out treasure distribution for your event as well. If you have the space, put a couple random minor magic items on the occasional kobold, and people will be more interested in engaging them!
Spread the love - alternate where the randoms come from and what they're doing. If you do the same thing every time, you can get those types of folks who just sit and splatter the NPC as it spawns before anyone else can get to it. Especially if you start giving out good items here and there. Changing it up can help keep more people entertained.
And finally, my favorite point. Try to make the randoms make sense. A pack of wolves isn't going to attack a town under normal circumstances, so think about things that might. You can really use this to your advantage to reinforce plot lines. If there's an evil druid plot, maybe they are sending their new twisted tree creations in to test their strength. Maybe the goblin army has suicide bombers trying to destroy morale. Or the mad alchemist is sending minions to plant poison distributors. Or the ancient elder dragon's presence is driving the forest creatures mad. Not only are you entertaining people, you're fleshing out your plot lines!
If you run out of those ideas, try "hook randoms." These are mini encounters that take place within eye/ear shot of town. They're not just monster x attacking the PCs, but they can still be of any level, and the entire town can engage. Example - a traveling merchant runs in saying orcs attacked his wagon on his way to the tavern. Something that requires basically no prep, and you can run it in town. You're adding a little bit of extra depth to the random to have it make sense and be a little more exciting to the PCs, but you can use the exact same resources and monsters. All you need is a little creativity and a few minutes of planning to figure out an idea that will work. This is basically putting hook mods in Staff's hands from time to time.
Don't forget that role-play NPCs entertain people too. Not every random has to be for fighters! Your role-players and puzzle-solvers are also waiting around town for their next mod, so send in a strange merchant, an old story-teller, or some other engaging NPC. These tend to entertain smaller amounts of people, but can be very welcome to those PCs who don't like killing poor, defenseless bugbears all day :) You can use random time to put in an informative NPC for your plot line, or to engage a character's back story. Or just for fun. To get a little wider appeal, have them do things like host impromptu contests (riddles? singing? stories from the PCs?). You can even use these types of characters to help recharge a drained PC group by selling or giving out supplies or recharges - for the right price.
Purposeful randoms can be a great chance for Staff & NPCs who had some wacky ideas that don't quite work for plots or mods to use them!
In smaller games where PCs can go on more mods, randoms may not be as necessary. In these cases, if the PCs aren't modding, they're probably resting or refreshing and randoms can actually hurt more than they help by draining resources on both sides of the table. But then again, you can use a few of these ideas to bring danger into the town - instead of hooking a mod, have it happen there!
What ideas do you have for making random monsters fun and useful?
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Nordic LARP Wiki
Know what's awesome? Nordic LARPing has a Wiki.
http://nordiclarpwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
If you love game design, I totally suggest digging into this bad boy.
http://nordiclarpwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page
If you love game design, I totally suggest digging into this bad boy.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Limited Run Games
On teh Facebooks, Stephen, long time commenter, brought up an excellent point about NERO. Here's what he said:
I just figured out Nero's problem. Or at least it's IG one. There are no mysteries left. There are no "final frontiers" to explore.
Absolutely brilliant.
Now, I know that today's post may seem a like a foreign concept to LARPers in Ohio, but there are actually a number of games that have solved this problem by running games on a limited timeline. The idea is that you start the game with a story to tell, and know that in a few years, when that story is told, you can move on to the next great LARP adventure.
I know that Bloodlines, as well as many Accelerant games (Madrigal 1, Aftermath, Endgame, Invictus, etc) have done or will do this, at varying levels of success.
These games usually run between 2-5 years in length, and have a set storyline that will unfold during that time. The organizers are then given more leeway to mess with the structure of the world, and can have the PCs create a bigger impact at the end, since they know they can pull out the stops. Also, there is little worry about a major power creep, like has been experienced at NERO.
The downside? The most obvious downside is that players that are interested in character growth via skills and abilities may not like the idea of a game that will end, leaving them with nothing. The other problem is that limited run games cannot do much cross-chapter work. Accelerant solves that problem with CP exchange (if you NPC at Madrigal, you can put your experience on your character in Mirror Mirror, End Game, 7 Virtues, etc).
I would love to participate in a limited run game here in Ohio. Would you play in a limited run game?
I just figured out Nero's problem. Or at least it's IG one. There are no mysteries left. There are no "final frontiers" to explore.
Absolutely brilliant.
Now, I know that today's post may seem a like a foreign concept to LARPers in Ohio, but there are actually a number of games that have solved this problem by running games on a limited timeline. The idea is that you start the game with a story to tell, and know that in a few years, when that story is told, you can move on to the next great LARP adventure.
I know that Bloodlines, as well as many Accelerant games (Madrigal 1, Aftermath, Endgame, Invictus, etc) have done or will do this, at varying levels of success.
These games usually run between 2-5 years in length, and have a set storyline that will unfold during that time. The organizers are then given more leeway to mess with the structure of the world, and can have the PCs create a bigger impact at the end, since they know they can pull out the stops. Also, there is little worry about a major power creep, like has been experienced at NERO.
The downside? The most obvious downside is that players that are interested in character growth via skills and abilities may not like the idea of a game that will end, leaving them with nothing. The other problem is that limited run games cannot do much cross-chapter work. Accelerant solves that problem with CP exchange (if you NPC at Madrigal, you can put your experience on your character in Mirror Mirror, End Game, 7 Virtues, etc).
I would love to participate in a limited run game here in Ohio. Would you play in a limited run game?
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Touchie-Feelie LARPie
Tuesday WAS the 1st of May, but this is a topic I've brushed by a few times in my past posts on romance and significant others at LARP. The Touchie-Feelie Rule. WAR has it, but not all NERO chapters do I'm told - so what is good and bad about it? Should it be at your game?
One of the biggest considerations I feel in having a "no touchie-feelie" rule is if you allow minors at your game. If you do, that's a big vote from me to have this in place. No one wants to ever hear "but I thought she was 18" and deal with the legal ramifications of randy teenagers.
Having the rule in place puts a check on the hormones and sets the ground rule of what's acceptable and what's not. I don't think it adds to anyone's game to see people making out in a corner of the tavern, or to accidentally walk in on it. But more importantly, it is a safety net for players. As we all know, there are some weird people in the world, and you probably don't want them touching you. With touch casting and first aid, everyone's got an "oops, that was your..." story - but with physical contact being limited you can feel safer knowing that this kind of thing should always be an accident. Not everyone is okay with physical role-play, either. This rule saves you. And it saves the staff from dealing with the drama.
And for the outside world, especially parents, a rule like this can set their minds at ease.
So, can a game without this rule be a good thing? I'm not talking about a crazy free love compound or anything, but I mean just being able to hug your significant other without feeling like someone might report you. And when it's cold, you can (*gasp*) sleep in the same bed. Things like that. People can (and do) sneak off even with a rule in place, so it's not really that part of it - it's more the comfort and convenience of being able to be a couple and do things like share toiletries because you can use the same bathroom to brush your teeth. :)
And it is nice to have an "we're all adults here" feel. However, all it takes is one bad apple, and it can ruin a lot. It may be best to put a rule like this in place before the bad apple gets into the barrel. In a smaller game, where it's 18 and over, it's easier to keep an eye on people and keep the drama to a minimum. So it might work for those games, at least for a while. I have to admit, though, it's nice to be able to relax just that bit extra those 7-10 weekends of my year! :)
But what do you think? Should a game always have a touchie-feelie rule, or are there situations where it's okay to go without?
One of the biggest considerations I feel in having a "no touchie-feelie" rule is if you allow minors at your game. If you do, that's a big vote from me to have this in place. No one wants to ever hear "but I thought she was 18" and deal with the legal ramifications of randy teenagers.
Having the rule in place puts a check on the hormones and sets the ground rule of what's acceptable and what's not. I don't think it adds to anyone's game to see people making out in a corner of the tavern, or to accidentally walk in on it. But more importantly, it is a safety net for players. As we all know, there are some weird people in the world, and you probably don't want them touching you. With touch casting and first aid, everyone's got an "oops, that was your..." story - but with physical contact being limited you can feel safer knowing that this kind of thing should always be an accident. Not everyone is okay with physical role-play, either. This rule saves you. And it saves the staff from dealing with the drama.
And for the outside world, especially parents, a rule like this can set their minds at ease.
So, can a game without this rule be a good thing? I'm not talking about a crazy free love compound or anything, but I mean just being able to hug your significant other without feeling like someone might report you. And when it's cold, you can (*gasp*) sleep in the same bed. Things like that. People can (and do) sneak off even with a rule in place, so it's not really that part of it - it's more the comfort and convenience of being able to be a couple and do things like share toiletries because you can use the same bathroom to brush your teeth. :)
And it is nice to have an "we're all adults here" feel. However, all it takes is one bad apple, and it can ruin a lot. It may be best to put a rule like this in place before the bad apple gets into the barrel. In a smaller game, where it's 18 and over, it's easier to keep an eye on people and keep the drama to a minimum. So it might work for those games, at least for a while. I have to admit, though, it's nice to be able to relax just that bit extra those 7-10 weekends of my year! :)
But what do you think? Should a game always have a touchie-feelie rule, or are there situations where it's okay to go without?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Jaded
A lot of LARPers have been playing for a long time. They've seen so much and heard so much. They've experienced highs and lows, both IG as their characters and OOG in the community.
So it's no surprise that so many people end up jaded.
Hell, I myself am jaded when put into certain situations. I often have to take a step back and ask myself why I'm getting all worked up or upset about something that often has no real bearing on me.
This post is a response to something I noticed at Exiles. I'm not saying these people are bad people in any way, but we have a few players who are known for being jaded at NERO.
But you know what? You would never know that by playing Exiles with them. Having them around was a blast.
This clearly indicates to me that it's a problem with a particular community rather than a player themselves. If someone is mistreated too many times, or has the goals that he has for a LARP game (immersion, gamist, storytelling) broken too many times, that player is more likely to become jaded. LARP communities have the same problems as any other community, such as gossip, cliques, and the like. We people stop acting decent to each other, players get jaded.
The obvious solution is just to start being nice to each other.
So next time you see a player who's jaded, just be aware that there's a good chance that there's a reason why they're jaded. And if your particular game breeds jaded players, then maybe a holistic look at the health of that community is in order.
Oh yeah, and do your best not to be a dick.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
NPC Sign Ups
Getting NPCs has always been a problem with most LARPs. There have been all sorts of tips and tricks listed - improved rewards, creating an inviting atmosphere, enticing with interesting NPC roles, etc. However, there are some times and some games where this still doesn't get enough NPCs to give your PCs a good time. So then what do you do to get the NPCs you need?
A few games are more forceful in their recruiting. They ask or require PCs to put in some sort of NPC time, whether helping in the shack, with logistics, with the kitchen, or whatever else the staff team needs.
Obviously the push-back on this is that not everyone will be okay with paying for a game they also have to work at - and I can't really blame them. After all, I don't always want to spend my weekend working! :) So I've seen in some of the more commercial/business games a reluctance to request or require NPC time.
The down side of this then is that, when you're not getting the NPCs, your games don't have enough bodies to give everyone a quality time people pay for. It's a bit of a catch-22. In more community oriented games, I see more people willing to give time with the mentality that helping just a little will ensure that everyone has more fun.
There are still issues with the volunteer method. One is that if it's volunteer, you end up leaning on the people who come to help out, and the people who don't do the work get to enjoy the rewards. The second is that there tend to be more volunteers earlier in the event - when things start winding down people get tired, they want to fit in as much play time as possible, and no one wants to miss those climactic night-time mods! And arguably, those final mods are when you need help the most - your NPCs are tired too, and you need more bodies to make those end fights tough!
One thought I've had is to request NPC time or kitchen help via a sign up sheet. We haven't tried it fully yet, but the goal is to nicely ask for help, and provide slots people can sign up for. That would allow the bodies to get spread out over the event, and give us the volume we need when we need it. Obviously we can't predict all the times extra help will be needed, but at least we'd be better covered.
It doesn't help with the inequality if some people end up doing more volunteering than others. We can try to help with this by providing more rewards to those who do step up, but we hate to require people to NPC. Hopefully this would just be fill in for those events where we don't get the NPCs.
If your game was short on NPCs, how would you feel about signing up for a shift?
On the other end, there are the games that require NPC time. I've not been to one, but I've never heard anyone who plays in one hate on the idea either - when it's built into the community as part of the game experience, people aren't as reluctant I think. If you have played in this type of game, how does mandatory NPC time work?
Or does your game get volunteers another way?
When it comes down to it, NPCing is a dirty job. You are there to give someone else a good time, and you work your butt off doing it. It's just hard to sell that. If you've got good tips, please post them up!
A few games are more forceful in their recruiting. They ask or require PCs to put in some sort of NPC time, whether helping in the shack, with logistics, with the kitchen, or whatever else the staff team needs.
Obviously the push-back on this is that not everyone will be okay with paying for a game they also have to work at - and I can't really blame them. After all, I don't always want to spend my weekend working! :) So I've seen in some of the more commercial/business games a reluctance to request or require NPC time.
The down side of this then is that, when you're not getting the NPCs, your games don't have enough bodies to give everyone a quality time people pay for. It's a bit of a catch-22. In more community oriented games, I see more people willing to give time with the mentality that helping just a little will ensure that everyone has more fun.
There are still issues with the volunteer method. One is that if it's volunteer, you end up leaning on the people who come to help out, and the people who don't do the work get to enjoy the rewards. The second is that there tend to be more volunteers earlier in the event - when things start winding down people get tired, they want to fit in as much play time as possible, and no one wants to miss those climactic night-time mods! And arguably, those final mods are when you need help the most - your NPCs are tired too, and you need more bodies to make those end fights tough!
One thought I've had is to request NPC time or kitchen help via a sign up sheet. We haven't tried it fully yet, but the goal is to nicely ask for help, and provide slots people can sign up for. That would allow the bodies to get spread out over the event, and give us the volume we need when we need it. Obviously we can't predict all the times extra help will be needed, but at least we'd be better covered.
It doesn't help with the inequality if some people end up doing more volunteering than others. We can try to help with this by providing more rewards to those who do step up, but we hate to require people to NPC. Hopefully this would just be fill in for those events where we don't get the NPCs.
If your game was short on NPCs, how would you feel about signing up for a shift?
On the other end, there are the games that require NPC time. I've not been to one, but I've never heard anyone who plays in one hate on the idea either - when it's built into the community as part of the game experience, people aren't as reluctant I think. If you have played in this type of game, how does mandatory NPC time work?
Or does your game get volunteers another way?
When it comes down to it, NPCing is a dirty job. You are there to give someone else a good time, and you work your butt off doing it. It's just hard to sell that. If you've got good tips, please post them up!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Religion in LARP
So this past weekend was Easter, for those of you observing, and it got me thinking - what's the place of religion in a LARP?
When I first started, WAR was proud of saying that there was no religion in the game. The plot and setting didn't have it, and the oog atmosphere was neutral. Being able to say this is a nice point to tout to outsiders. Nervous parents can come and see that the game is not a cult, and those who might be predisposed to see some sort of devil worship can be told otherwise.
It also makes players of all creeds and none more welcome. No one has to worry about being discriminated against, or having awkward moments in (or hopefully out of) the game. No holy wars or inquisitions that everyone may not be comfortable with.
However, over time, I also started seeing negatives. Religion is a strong aspect in most table-top and fantasy settings. Historically, humans have had beliefs in deities probably since the beginning, and so an absence of those beliefs can feel like a hole in the story. Especially as your world tries to explain the big questions (even just in game). What happens when characters die? Where does magic come from? Are there greater powers out there? And so on.
From a story standpoint, having religion of some sort can add a lot of atmosphere. You can create a pantheon that suits your setting and allows your players to explore different aspects of the world. You can set up religious orders to guide the PCs and provide plot hooks, as well as make for easy points of story and conflict. With religion, there's an automatic system in place that characters step into that helps them categorize the world. If you see followers of Bobthor the Destroyer, you know they're bad; and if you see people wearing the symbol of Bambi the Healer, you know they're helpful (well, in general :) ).
And of course, religious figures allow you to insert powerful beings that can be challenging villains, or can simply step in to take action when things need to be steered in a certain direction. Having an established NPC with that sort of clout may keep people in line without ruining your immersion - if it makes sense. Obviously staff should avoid being heavy-handed with this, and let the PCs decide their own fate as much as possible. But in those instances where it might make sense, you can give your PCs a clue or a little help. Maybe even save them from death if they've put in the time and effort.
For PCs, it can be an interesting role-play experience to follow a certain path, as the restrictions or beliefs of various orders can make for good characters. These paths can also (with enough work) lead to things that make that character unique, like certain knowledge, abilities, or items.
WAR has since gone to what I see as a middle ground with the elemental paths and having the transform/apprenticeship system. Basically, the elementals fill in the deity role - they're powerful, involved, and can grant information and other favors. They also come with a built in recognition system - water vs. fire, death vs. life, and so on. This allows plot to build various groups and orders and stories with the same themes of an actual religion (devotion to a cause, fighting the enemy, and so on), but they don't ever need to take it to the point of saying "god" "worship" or otherwise confirming it is a religion. So basically they can still claim the "no religion" immunity while allowing the good stuff in :)
It also works for their transform system, since you can give each character their own sort of path and contact. Without that ability to customize, it can be frustrating for everyone following the same path to have the same NPC contacts, the same role-play suggestions/restrictions, etc.
But depending on your game, a pantheon or religious system may add a lot of immersion. For example, if you've got more of a historical theme, religion is a huge part of most time periods. Players can live out roles they grew up watching/reading about, like secret monastic orders and holy warriors. Having a pantheon can help get your players into the atmosphere, give them something to do, and give them something to shoot for. You can still single out characters for rewards, but there's not the same pressure to give everyone their own interaction.
And I think there's some weight behind saying someone was touched by an angel, vs. saying they were touched by an elemental - we've got more of an ancestral memory that gives the spiritual some heavier recognition. And you can use real-world happenings, documents, languages, and iconography to enrich your story and setting (hey, it's hard to make it all up yourself!). Most people attracted to gaming and LARP are usually understanding of the line between life and fiction, and aren't offended by in-game representations. But if you're casting the widest net, certainly a game that references real-world religion may put off more people.
Can the religious aspect be avoided all together? I'm sure, but it's probably going to be hard to keep it that way and keep it in game. Characters and players are going to want to know the answers to the big questions, especially as they get more attached to their characters. And now that LARP and gaming in general are becoming much more mainstream, and everyone is forgetting about the whole "Mazes & Monsters" nonsense, having to counter anti-fantasy stereotypes seems to be less and less important.
So what do you think? What's the place of religion in your game?
When I first started, WAR was proud of saying that there was no religion in the game. The plot and setting didn't have it, and the oog atmosphere was neutral. Being able to say this is a nice point to tout to outsiders. Nervous parents can come and see that the game is not a cult, and those who might be predisposed to see some sort of devil worship can be told otherwise.
It also makes players of all creeds and none more welcome. No one has to worry about being discriminated against, or having awkward moments in (or hopefully out of) the game. No holy wars or inquisitions that everyone may not be comfortable with.
However, over time, I also started seeing negatives. Religion is a strong aspect in most table-top and fantasy settings. Historically, humans have had beliefs in deities probably since the beginning, and so an absence of those beliefs can feel like a hole in the story. Especially as your world tries to explain the big questions (even just in game). What happens when characters die? Where does magic come from? Are there greater powers out there? And so on.
From a story standpoint, having religion of some sort can add a lot of atmosphere. You can create a pantheon that suits your setting and allows your players to explore different aspects of the world. You can set up religious orders to guide the PCs and provide plot hooks, as well as make for easy points of story and conflict. With religion, there's an automatic system in place that characters step into that helps them categorize the world. If you see followers of Bobthor the Destroyer, you know they're bad; and if you see people wearing the symbol of Bambi the Healer, you know they're helpful (well, in general :) ).
And of course, religious figures allow you to insert powerful beings that can be challenging villains, or can simply step in to take action when things need to be steered in a certain direction. Having an established NPC with that sort of clout may keep people in line without ruining your immersion - if it makes sense. Obviously staff should avoid being heavy-handed with this, and let the PCs decide their own fate as much as possible. But in those instances where it might make sense, you can give your PCs a clue or a little help. Maybe even save them from death if they've put in the time and effort.
For PCs, it can be an interesting role-play experience to follow a certain path, as the restrictions or beliefs of various orders can make for good characters. These paths can also (with enough work) lead to things that make that character unique, like certain knowledge, abilities, or items.
WAR has since gone to what I see as a middle ground with the elemental paths and having the transform/apprenticeship system. Basically, the elementals fill in the deity role - they're powerful, involved, and can grant information and other favors. They also come with a built in recognition system - water vs. fire, death vs. life, and so on. This allows plot to build various groups and orders and stories with the same themes of an actual religion (devotion to a cause, fighting the enemy, and so on), but they don't ever need to take it to the point of saying "god" "worship" or otherwise confirming it is a religion. So basically they can still claim the "no religion" immunity while allowing the good stuff in :)
It also works for their transform system, since you can give each character their own sort of path and contact. Without that ability to customize, it can be frustrating for everyone following the same path to have the same NPC contacts, the same role-play suggestions/restrictions, etc.
But depending on your game, a pantheon or religious system may add a lot of immersion. For example, if you've got more of a historical theme, religion is a huge part of most time periods. Players can live out roles they grew up watching/reading about, like secret monastic orders and holy warriors. Having a pantheon can help get your players into the atmosphere, give them something to do, and give them something to shoot for. You can still single out characters for rewards, but there's not the same pressure to give everyone their own interaction.
And I think there's some weight behind saying someone was touched by an angel, vs. saying they were touched by an elemental - we've got more of an ancestral memory that gives the spiritual some heavier recognition. And you can use real-world happenings, documents, languages, and iconography to enrich your story and setting (hey, it's hard to make it all up yourself!). Most people attracted to gaming and LARP are usually understanding of the line between life and fiction, and aren't offended by in-game representations. But if you're casting the widest net, certainly a game that references real-world religion may put off more people.
Can the religious aspect be avoided all together? I'm sure, but it's probably going to be hard to keep it that way and keep it in game. Characters and players are going to want to know the answers to the big questions, especially as they get more attached to their characters. And now that LARP and gaming in general are becoming much more mainstream, and everyone is forgetting about the whole "Mazes & Monsters" nonsense, having to counter anti-fantasy stereotypes seems to be less and less important.
So what do you think? What's the place of religion in your game?
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
New Blog on the Block: Gamesthetic
I'm always a fan of new LARP blogs that come out, no matter what the information is about. I'm also a bit of a nut for theory on rules and game design.
So it's no surprise that I'm pretty excited about Rob Ciccolini's new blog, Gamesthetic.
For those of you who are not familiar with Rob's work, you need look no further than the Madrigal and the Accelerant ruleset. He's been involved with LARPing for a very long time and has played in tons of different systems, and those experiences have shaped the simple and intuitive nature of his game.
Even though he only has a few posts so far, I find that most of them contain some gem of information that sparks insight in my mind, such as his suggestion to focus on player interaction rather than plot interaction if you want to become involved.
If you consider yourself a connoisseur of game design, or are running a game and really want to take it to the next level, I highly suggest that you subscribe to his blog and read it religiously.
You can get to his blog at http://gamesthetic.blogspot.com/ or in the blogroll on this blog.
So it's no surprise that I'm pretty excited about Rob Ciccolini's new blog, Gamesthetic.
For those of you who are not familiar with Rob's work, you need look no further than the Madrigal and the Accelerant ruleset. He's been involved with LARPing for a very long time and has played in tons of different systems, and those experiences have shaped the simple and intuitive nature of his game.
Even though he only has a few posts so far, I find that most of them contain some gem of information that sparks insight in my mind, such as his suggestion to focus on player interaction rather than plot interaction if you want to become involved.
If you consider yourself a connoisseur of game design, or are running a game and really want to take it to the next level, I highly suggest that you subscribe to his blog and read it religiously.
You can get to his blog at http://gamesthetic.blogspot.com/ or in the blogroll on this blog.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Mid-Event Recharge
Last week I talked about keeping it clean at events. One benefit I mentioned was that it helps refresh you, and that's the topic for today! LARPing gets tiring, especially if your game runs Friday night through to Sunday. Not just being caked in mud and sweat, but also the lack of sleep and the (probably) unusual amounts of activity and excitement. Especially if you're NPCing. And if you're Staff, your brain is probably on overload trying to handle running the event and dealing with the unexpected. So take some time out to recharge.
If you arrange an hour or so out of your afternoon, it can make a world of difference. It's not just physically resting, but letting your brain take a break as well. Get your thoughts in order, figure out what you want to tackle next, and set up for the rest of the game. This is important in any length of game, but for a 1-day or Saturday-Sunday game there isn't as much time, and theoretically you won't be as tired.
I speak a lot to our NPC/Staff people out there, but this can help a PC too. You can enjoy the game more if you're feeling rested and up for the action, and you can make sure and fit in all those things you want to do if you do a little organization.
What to do? A power nap always works wonders. Even just shutting your eyes and resting for an hour can help. This is a perfect time to take a shower and change your garb. If you can't do these things, just change your socks and sit with your boots off. Get a snack or drink if appropriate (something healthy works best to recharge your body).
Go someplace quiet and environmentally comfortable - rainy, hot, or snowy weather wears on you as well. Just a break from the elements in someplace dry/cool/warm will remind your body you still love it.
I know some folks use energy drinks at opportune moments. I am still testing it, but I think that an hour's rest is better. Or maybe both? Or all of the above?
For me, when I'm PCing I like to sneak in a book and read for a little while. Reading always makes me feel recharged, if it's the right book! And it can even make you feel more immersed if what you're reading is appropriate to the setting. Depressing epic fantasy, while thematic, may not work here since you have to dedicate a lot of mental power to it :)
How to find the time? Well, if you just went on a mod and you know you won't be leaving for another soon, seize the moment! Chances are you'll have an hour at least before everyone gets it together for the next run. Anytime is a good time if you feel yourself dragging or getting cranky - taking a time out will help you enjoy the event more later, not to mention being able to move better and remember all your calls!
As Staff, arrange a rotation with your team where everyone can take a break. Don't just go off without telling anyone, and make sure things are covered. Try to hook role-play sessions or smaller mods during this time so that you don't need everyone. Make sure and enforce it if you see someone getting worn out or grumpy - and let go for long enough to rest up. NPCs will be more energized, more focused, and more likely to last through the Big Battle.
Try it and see! Or maybe you already do - what do you do for your LARP reacharge?
If you arrange an hour or so out of your afternoon, it can make a world of difference. It's not just physically resting, but letting your brain take a break as well. Get your thoughts in order, figure out what you want to tackle next, and set up for the rest of the game. This is important in any length of game, but for a 1-day or Saturday-Sunday game there isn't as much time, and theoretically you won't be as tired.
I speak a lot to our NPC/Staff people out there, but this can help a PC too. You can enjoy the game more if you're feeling rested and up for the action, and you can make sure and fit in all those things you want to do if you do a little organization.
What to do? A power nap always works wonders. Even just shutting your eyes and resting for an hour can help. This is a perfect time to take a shower and change your garb. If you can't do these things, just change your socks and sit with your boots off. Get a snack or drink if appropriate (something healthy works best to recharge your body).
Go someplace quiet and environmentally comfortable - rainy, hot, or snowy weather wears on you as well. Just a break from the elements in someplace dry/cool/warm will remind your body you still love it.
I know some folks use energy drinks at opportune moments. I am still testing it, but I think that an hour's rest is better. Or maybe both? Or all of the above?
For me, when I'm PCing I like to sneak in a book and read for a little while. Reading always makes me feel recharged, if it's the right book! And it can even make you feel more immersed if what you're reading is appropriate to the setting. Depressing epic fantasy, while thematic, may not work here since you have to dedicate a lot of mental power to it :)
How to find the time? Well, if you just went on a mod and you know you won't be leaving for another soon, seize the moment! Chances are you'll have an hour at least before everyone gets it together for the next run. Anytime is a good time if you feel yourself dragging or getting cranky - taking a time out will help you enjoy the event more later, not to mention being able to move better and remember all your calls!
As Staff, arrange a rotation with your team where everyone can take a break. Don't just go off without telling anyone, and make sure things are covered. Try to hook role-play sessions or smaller mods during this time so that you don't need everyone. Make sure and enforce it if you see someone getting worn out or grumpy - and let go for long enough to rest up. NPCs will be more energized, more focused, and more likely to last through the Big Battle.
Try it and see! Or maybe you already do - what do you do for your LARP reacharge?
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Last Resort: Banishment
We play a game where characters in a universe filled with fighting and death and adventures. No matter how real we try and make it, there are certain concepts that will never actually translate well. Characters will never really feel pain. Characters often don't fear death, especially in games where death is not necessarily the end*.
So what is the worst possible thing you could do to punish someone in a world like this?
Banishment.
Really, Banishment should be reserved for the worst of the worst crimes, like Treason or Serial Murder. And yet, I have seen a lot of people throw it around lightly in my years at NERO.
When you banish someone's character, you're telling them that the player can never play that character at your game ever again. In most cases, it ends up being an OOG punishment for IG actions made by the player. And that's fine for certain crimes, as this offers the risk that games with limited death can't offer. You know, "Go Big or Go Home."
So what's the point of this article?
You should only be banishing characters for premeditated and extreme crimes and you should never banish someone for something that's accidental or may not have been clearly illegal.
I remember Galavast, where for a time the PCs had made the punishment for every crime "Death, Banishment, and loss of all possessions." On the surface, it looks like it's just someone trying to prevent crime with harsh punishments. But, in essence, a PC was punishing players OOG for committing crimes by banishing them. That PC was essentially banning players from playing at Galavast for anything, even victimless crimes.
That's a terrible business model.
Now, in some games I've seen a much better punishment that banishment. Characters are permitted to remain, but they are no longer protected by the laws of the land. They lose the security that they once had but they can continue to hang out with their friends and participate in the game, albeit more difficult to stay safe.
So let this be a public service announcement - Banishment is a heavy handed punishment reserved for high risk crimes. PCs should never have the ability to issue banishment, and plot should only ever use banishment for premeditated crimes where the players know the cost of failure.
*Players may fear death, but they don't fear it in the same way as real life. They fear losing their character, but they don't fear the unknown that accompanies death.
*Players may fear death, but they don't fear it in the same way as real life. They fear losing their character, but they don't fear the unknown that accompanies death.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Larpcast 26: World Building
Brand new episode of Larpcast went up today! In this episode, Mickey and I talk about world building in LARP, with a guest spot from WAR's Bryan Mularcik (GM and Plot member for Rage Hollow). Dig it!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Fighting LARP Funk
In the light of all the serious business that has been discussed lately, I'd like to go for a slightly lighter topic that is dear to my heart: stinkiness. Yes, we are usually camping in the woods, so there is a certain level of hygiene that cannot be attained. But there are ways we can fight the funk, and germs, that come with sweating in the dirt for 3 days :)
First, a few supplies can go a long way. Easy: a small bottle of anti-bacterial gel. If you're eating on the go, or just don't have easy access to running water, this can save your immune system. A lot of LARP foods are handheld: burgers, grilled cheese, packaged snacks, etc. When you think about where your hands have been at a camp without many bathrooms, and how often you eat with those fingers, well, it may just be a good idea :)
I also like to bring a jug of water and a bar of soap. You never know when you might need it. If you do have to use latrines, this way you know you can wash your hands. I also use it for brushing my teeth and washing the worst of the grime off when showers aren't available. It makes me feel better, and even a washcloth bath is better than no bath - your friends and bunk-mates will thank you!
And don't forget the simple things. Wear extra deodorant. Re-apply. Freshen your smell with a little body spray - you can get travel size for men or women at most any drug store. You may not realize that your aroma has gone a bit south, so apply lightly for the good of those around you. :)
Next, try bringing some extra costuming. Friday nights are dark and short, so putting your B-Team costume on then to get it dirty can be worth it when you get to enjoy fresh, clean garb the next day. Especially socks and undies of course, but having a cheap alternate shirt and pants can really help making you feel cleaner and smell better. Not to mention being useful if it's raining or muddy! If you don't have alternates, try hanging up what you can to air out. You could even bring some Febreeze. I also like to bring a few small plastic bags and use one to quarantine dirty clothes!
Make sure you're cleaning your costume between games too!
And finally, keep the area clean. It's not only considerate, but it helps fight down on yuck. Put away your food, drinks, and dirty clothes so they don't stink up the place! :) Bring a trash bag, or just use one of your shopping bags, where you can contain half-eaten food, wrappers, and sticky pop cans. Leaving these out attracts bugs and even animals to your cabin, which is not a fun thing to wake up to!
It's just common sense, but I've often encountered a feeling of "it's hardcore to be dirty". I'm not saying we should all live in a hypoallergenic bubble, but I'm always surprised at people who just choose not to take a few steps in the cleanly direction. And I know that showers at a camp are often kind of weird/scary - but so was whatever I rolled in last night :) Not only will it wash off the grime, but I always feel refreshed and revitalized afterward. Everyone's got different levels of what's comfortable, though.
Just a few ounces of prevention are good for you, and those around you! :) So help a girl out and fight the funk!
Got any more ideas for fighting LARP funk and keeping germs at bay?
First, a few supplies can go a long way. Easy: a small bottle of anti-bacterial gel. If you're eating on the go, or just don't have easy access to running water, this can save your immune system. A lot of LARP foods are handheld: burgers, grilled cheese, packaged snacks, etc. When you think about where your hands have been at a camp without many bathrooms, and how often you eat with those fingers, well, it may just be a good idea :)
I also like to bring a jug of water and a bar of soap. You never know when you might need it. If you do have to use latrines, this way you know you can wash your hands. I also use it for brushing my teeth and washing the worst of the grime off when showers aren't available. It makes me feel better, and even a washcloth bath is better than no bath - your friends and bunk-mates will thank you!
And don't forget the simple things. Wear extra deodorant. Re-apply. Freshen your smell with a little body spray - you can get travel size for men or women at most any drug store. You may not realize that your aroma has gone a bit south, so apply lightly for the good of those around you. :)
Next, try bringing some extra costuming. Friday nights are dark and short, so putting your B-Team costume on then to get it dirty can be worth it when you get to enjoy fresh, clean garb the next day. Especially socks and undies of course, but having a cheap alternate shirt and pants can really help making you feel cleaner and smell better. Not to mention being useful if it's raining or muddy! If you don't have alternates, try hanging up what you can to air out. You could even bring some Febreeze. I also like to bring a few small plastic bags and use one to quarantine dirty clothes!
Make sure you're cleaning your costume between games too!
And finally, keep the area clean. It's not only considerate, but it helps fight down on yuck. Put away your food, drinks, and dirty clothes so they don't stink up the place! :) Bring a trash bag, or just use one of your shopping bags, where you can contain half-eaten food, wrappers, and sticky pop cans. Leaving these out attracts bugs and even animals to your cabin, which is not a fun thing to wake up to!
It's just common sense, but I've often encountered a feeling of "it's hardcore to be dirty". I'm not saying we should all live in a hypoallergenic bubble, but I'm always surprised at people who just choose not to take a few steps in the cleanly direction. And I know that showers at a camp are often kind of weird/scary - but so was whatever I rolled in last night :) Not only will it wash off the grime, but I always feel refreshed and revitalized afterward. Everyone's got different levels of what's comfortable, though.
Just a few ounces of prevention are good for you, and those around you! :) So help a girl out and fight the funk!
Got any more ideas for fighting LARP funk and keeping germs at bay?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
LARPs Can Change the World
In the midst of all this drama, I think it's important to point out some of the wonderful, positive benefits that LARPs can show us. So, as usual, we should take a look to the Norwegians, who have recently appointed a long time gamer and LARPer to the position of Minister of International Development. Here's the article.
Not only is this guy totally in the open about his hobby (which, admittedly is easier in Norway), but he's actually using strategies and tactics from various LARPs in his work as Minister. He claims that "LARP can change the world, because it lets people understand that humans under pressure may act differently than in the normal life, when you’re safe." Then he talks about a LARP project where they are trying to have Israelis and Palestinians in each others shoes, in hopes of building bridges.
It's pretty easy for people (including ourselves) to focus on the surface of what we do without looking at the deeper impact and value that LARPs provide. I, for one, cannot wait until the day when we can feel proud to say "I'm a LARPer" and actually have our hobby make a difference.
How about you? Are you proud and open about what you do, and have you ever used concepts from LARP, and not just skills acquired at LARP, in the professional world?
Not only is this guy totally in the open about his hobby (which, admittedly is easier in Norway), but he's actually using strategies and tactics from various LARPs in his work as Minister. He claims that "LARP can change the world, because it lets people understand that humans under pressure may act differently than in the normal life, when you’re safe." Then he talks about a LARP project where they are trying to have Israelis and Palestinians in each others shoes, in hopes of building bridges.
It's pretty easy for people (including ourselves) to focus on the surface of what we do without looking at the deeper impact and value that LARPs provide. I, for one, cannot wait until the day when we can feel proud to say "I'm a LARPer" and actually have our hobby make a difference.
How about you? Are you proud and open about what you do, and have you ever used concepts from LARP, and not just skills acquired at LARP, in the professional world?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Business of LARP
Money is one of the largest causes of argument in any relationship. Everyone wants more of it, and everyone has different ideas of how to get it. From a LARP perspective, it's been a lot on my mind lately. With the NERO potential issue of buying magic items, I've been wondering more and more: Should a LARP operate like other for-profit businesses?
Let me just say first off that I've never owned a for-profit LARP, and I don't know the specifics of how any of the local games do things. So I am not trying to call anyone out or point fingers or say what anyone is doing wrong. I don't know what goes on, so my thoughts are just based on general observations and curiosity. There's a disclaimer for you :)
If you're running a LARP as a business, then obviously a goal, if not THE goal, is to make money. You should create a product that people want - which means running a game at consistent quality (rules, mechanics, plot, phys reps, all that). It should follow all the laws and guidelines of the business - whether that means acting ethically or not is probably a philosophical issue that's too big for this post :) However, if you're not creating an environment where your customers are treated well and fairly, you're likely to go out of business.
So on the thought of "LARP as money-maker" - is there a problem with offering in-game items for out of game money? Well, in the world, if you have more money, you get better stuff. From that perspective, then it makes sense. Heck, look at the free to play mmo's that are everywhere - that's how they make their money. It seems things are shifting in that direction.
But a LARP, to many people, is more than just a business out to make a buck. First, they don't often make much money, so operating like they're Apple might seem silly. :) Second, the community becomes very close-knit, and is small enough that it's hard to say "it's not personal, it's business." It becomes very personal to the people who play, and they become very invested in the game and the society that grows around it. Making decisions based just off of the "it's a business" aspect can be tough if they're unpopular - especially at smaller games.
In the end, most people run games for the same reason they play them. They enjoy a story where they can act out an adventure, they like the role-play, and they enjoy the people. They want a good game. Most people aren't thinking of making money off of it. And those that are, I think they eventually want to share the profit with their "employees" - after all, it's the staff who make the game what it is! But I think that most games can't get that far.
The game should make enough money to break even, pay for upgrades, and maybe even pay out to the people running it (gas money? prop budget? Ahh, I can dream!). But is there enough capital, and is it worth it, to make it for-profit in the very business sense of the idea? Or is it enough to run the game, since the people running it are doing it for-the-love anyway in most cases, give people a good time, and put any profit right back into the pot rather than worrying about who's getting paid? Do you think that kind of game is successful?
As I said, I don't know how for-profit games do it. I'd be interested to hear how the LARP business works for them!
Let me just say first off that I've never owned a for-profit LARP, and I don't know the specifics of how any of the local games do things. So I am not trying to call anyone out or point fingers or say what anyone is doing wrong. I don't know what goes on, so my thoughts are just based on general observations and curiosity. There's a disclaimer for you :)
If you're running a LARP as a business, then obviously a goal, if not THE goal, is to make money. You should create a product that people want - which means running a game at consistent quality (rules, mechanics, plot, phys reps, all that). It should follow all the laws and guidelines of the business - whether that means acting ethically or not is probably a philosophical issue that's too big for this post :) However, if you're not creating an environment where your customers are treated well and fairly, you're likely to go out of business.
So on the thought of "LARP as money-maker" - is there a problem with offering in-game items for out of game money? Well, in the world, if you have more money, you get better stuff. From that perspective, then it makes sense. Heck, look at the free to play mmo's that are everywhere - that's how they make their money. It seems things are shifting in that direction.
But a LARP, to many people, is more than just a business out to make a buck. First, they don't often make much money, so operating like they're Apple might seem silly. :) Second, the community becomes very close-knit, and is small enough that it's hard to say "it's not personal, it's business." It becomes very personal to the people who play, and they become very invested in the game and the society that grows around it. Making decisions based just off of the "it's a business" aspect can be tough if they're unpopular - especially at smaller games.
In the end, most people run games for the same reason they play them. They enjoy a story where they can act out an adventure, they like the role-play, and they enjoy the people. They want a good game. Most people aren't thinking of making money off of it. And those that are, I think they eventually want to share the profit with their "employees" - after all, it's the staff who make the game what it is! But I think that most games can't get that far.
The game should make enough money to break even, pay for upgrades, and maybe even pay out to the people running it (gas money? prop budget? Ahh, I can dream!). But is there enough capital, and is it worth it, to make it for-profit in the very business sense of the idea? Or is it enough to run the game, since the people running it are doing it for-the-love anyway in most cases, give people a good time, and put any profit right back into the pot rather than worrying about who's getting paid? Do you think that kind of game is successful?
As I said, I don't know how for-profit games do it. I'd be interested to hear how the LARP business works for them!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Acceptable Levels of Cheating
I'll be the first to admit that cheating really pushes my buttons. I'm not talking about crazy level cheating where players simply don't play by the rules of the game at all. I'm talking about throwing too many spells, taking too much damage, fake protectives, etc.
But Mickey turned me on to the idea of acceptable levels of cheating.
It's hard, but I'm starting to wrap my mind around it. You see, we're in an honor based game where cheating is going to happen. Sometimes people will do it accidentally because too many things are happening at once and they simply lose track. Sometimes people do it because they're afraid of loss and might cheese something to make their character seem cool.
And you know what? Who cares?
I mean, in a perfect world, we should all strive to be better at keeping track of things and we should all play by the rules. But fact is, cheaters gonna cheat. You can yell about it until you're blue in the face, but unless they're maliciously and severely cheating, noting will really come from this. So why bother?
You see, it's more fun to LARP with people than to LARP alone. Incidental cheating is kind of like the friend who has a lazy eye. They're fun to have around, if you can overlook the creepy eye thing*.
I think this is an important bit to hold on to when designing new policies. Almost any rule or policy change can be argued against by focusing on how the world will end if someone cheats a little bit. I assure you, it will happen and the world won't end. The real trick is making it so that malicious or severe cheating is either easy to spot or limited in some way.
But don't dwell on incidental cheating though. You'll never get anything done and you'll probably give yourself ulcers.
*It's cool, I've got a lazy eye so I can say whatever I want.
But Mickey turned me on to the idea of acceptable levels of cheating.
It's hard, but I'm starting to wrap my mind around it. You see, we're in an honor based game where cheating is going to happen. Sometimes people will do it accidentally because too many things are happening at once and they simply lose track. Sometimes people do it because they're afraid of loss and might cheese something to make their character seem cool.
And you know what? Who cares?
I mean, in a perfect world, we should all strive to be better at keeping track of things and we should all play by the rules. But fact is, cheaters gonna cheat. You can yell about it until you're blue in the face, but unless they're maliciously and severely cheating, noting will really come from this. So why bother?
You see, it's more fun to LARP with people than to LARP alone. Incidental cheating is kind of like the friend who has a lazy eye. They're fun to have around, if you can overlook the creepy eye thing*.
I think this is an important bit to hold on to when designing new policies. Almost any rule or policy change can be argued against by focusing on how the world will end if someone cheats a little bit. I assure you, it will happen and the world won't end. The real trick is making it so that malicious or severe cheating is either easy to spot or limited in some way.
But don't dwell on incidental cheating though. You'll never get anything done and you'll probably give yourself ulcers.
*It's cool, I've got a lazy eye so I can say whatever I want.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Making People Mingle: Part 2
Yesterday I showed you all an example from Final Haven on how you can drive the Zero NPC moment home with game design that fosters a high level of PC on PC interaction.
So now you're interested in trying to put something like this in your game. Here are some things you need to know.
1. Greater Than a Team
LARPs tend to already be team sports. Adding mechanics that require 2-4 people is probably not going to change a whole lot for the game. In order to get people to go outside of their normal group, you're going to have to set goals at a much higher number of people than normally travel together.
2. Competitive Nature
While the system should encourage cooperation, it should also foster a form of competition. Anyone who has played a German board game like Settlers of Catan should have an idea of what we're talking about. To be successful, you need to work well with others. However, as Dan put it yesterday, your success may mean that someone else does not succeed. This is how you create the political aspect of the game, where start making deals to get the support they need.
3. Sky's the Limit
You don't want to build the system to a point where it caps out. Once that happens, people will go back to business as usual. Make it so that people can continue to grow, but like most things, slow down the rate of growth. That way up-and-comers can at least try and compete with the big dogs.
4. Emphasize Players
There are a lot of things in LARPs that higher players can do way better than lower level players. But when we're talking about politicking and gaining support, try and balance the power towards number of players instead of number of levels. Now, feel free to give a little bit more power to higher level players (like Final Haven did), but make sure that everyone has a chance to have a voice and to create sway in your system. That helps it feel like an immersive world where even a new player can feel like they're making a difference.
Get crackin'!
So now you're interested in trying to put something like this in your game. Here are some things you need to know.
1. Greater Than a Team
LARPs tend to already be team sports. Adding mechanics that require 2-4 people is probably not going to change a whole lot for the game. In order to get people to go outside of their normal group, you're going to have to set goals at a much higher number of people than normally travel together.
2. Competitive Nature
While the system should encourage cooperation, it should also foster a form of competition. Anyone who has played a German board game like Settlers of Catan should have an idea of what we're talking about. To be successful, you need to work well with others. However, as Dan put it yesterday, your success may mean that someone else does not succeed. This is how you create the political aspect of the game, where start making deals to get the support they need.
3. Sky's the Limit
You don't want to build the system to a point where it caps out. Once that happens, people will go back to business as usual. Make it so that people can continue to grow, but like most things, slow down the rate of growth. That way up-and-comers can at least try and compete with the big dogs.
4. Emphasize Players
There are a lot of things in LARPs that higher players can do way better than lower level players. But when we're talking about politicking and gaining support, try and balance the power towards number of players instead of number of levels. Now, feel free to give a little bit more power to higher level players (like Final Haven did), but make sure that everyone has a chance to have a voice and to create sway in your system. That helps it feel like an immersive world where even a new player can feel like they're making a difference.
Get crackin'!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Making People Mingle: Part 1
I've talked before about the legendary Zero NPC Moment, and how you as plot can get there. But now I want to take a step back and talk about how game designers can make that step.
I recently heard a story from Dan Comstock about a game (Final Haven) whose entire political and macro-economic system was organically created by the players based off a very simple principle - Influence.
Dan, forgive me if I get details wrong. Feel free to elaborate in the comments!
You see, in order to buy new skills in this game, you need experience and you need a consumable item that matches the type of skill. So mages would need scrolls, psionic skills would require crystals, and so on.
Back to influence! Each player had a certain amount of influence based on their level and race. The sole purpose of this influence was to throw it behind someone in hopes of creating a guild. Guilds were the primary means of making the items used for purchasing new skills. But each guild can only produce one type of item.
Shortly after the game started, they formed the first guild. Inevitably, some of the people in that guild were disappointed, as they didn't choose the items they wanted. At some point, a large portion of the first guild broke off to form a second one.
4 years later, those two guilds represent two warring kingdoms...
Tomorrow, I'll talk about how you can try and get these moments in your game.
I recently heard a story from Dan Comstock about a game (Final Haven) whose entire political and macro-economic system was organically created by the players based off a very simple principle - Influence.
Dan, forgive me if I get details wrong. Feel free to elaborate in the comments!
You see, in order to buy new skills in this game, you need experience and you need a consumable item that matches the type of skill. So mages would need scrolls, psionic skills would require crystals, and so on.
Back to influence! Each player had a certain amount of influence based on their level and race. The sole purpose of this influence was to throw it behind someone in hopes of creating a guild. Guilds were the primary means of making the items used for purchasing new skills. But each guild can only produce one type of item.
Shortly after the game started, they formed the first guild. Inevitably, some of the people in that guild were disappointed, as they didn't choose the items they wanted. At some point, a large portion of the first guild broke off to form a second one.
4 years later, those two guilds represent two warring kingdoms...
Tomorrow, I'll talk about how you can try and get these moments in your game.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Why "Competition" is Good
There's been a lot of commenting going on based on Bill's last couple posts. Really, I couldn't say it any better than a lot of the points made. We all know, logically, that diversity is a good thing.
But at the same time, when new LARPs have come up, people tend to have a knee-jerk reaction and view these upstarts with suspicion, if not outright hostility. These games, even if not the same type or theme, are seen as out to bring down "their" game. They are full of people who can't play, who play to hard, or who just don't get it. They are, in some way, inferior, and a threat to our good time.
From what I've seen, though, people don't make LARPs to bring others down, or because they like controlling people and telling them what to do (mostly). At least in the beginning, people make LARPs because they have a vision of a way to create a new, fun way of creating the LARP experience and they want to share it with like-minded people. They have a dream - and the dream is not, in general, to be High Supreme LARP Overlord. :) That may come later, of course, but at the heart, everyone just wants to play a fun game.
Unfortunately, those who see other games as competition aren't totally wrong. LARPers are only a small percentage of the overall population, and it's very difficult to have multiple, successful, large games in the same area. Or is that just in Ohio? :)
So how can you both support diversity and ensure the survival of your particular brand of LARP?
Support these other games. It may not make sense in a business model, but LARPs aren't really there to make people money. Or at least, I don't think they should be, and I don't think that most do a very good job of it. So instead, games should act more like a club or a hobby - and you don't see different Girl Scout troops trying to cause the other to fail (or at least, I didn't :) ). No one wants their hobby to have a negative, hostile atmosphere - even if it's directed at the other team. No one wants to feel like they're bad people for playing another game. Why not be a knight one weekend and a space marine the next?
And, as anyone who's a fan of capitalism knows, competition can create a lot of good things. If you don't have to try to succeed, things get stale, and old. I'm not saying to change for the sake of change, but certainly be open to it. Competition brings new ideas, new ways of doing things. It challenges us to keep up, to do better. With our friendly competition here, I'm not advocating that we constantly try to outdo each other and prove how we're better - that just leads right back to hostility and everything else. But certainly there could be a little of that, deep inside - I mean, we've all got our pride, right? :)
We can all learn from each other to keep up a good quality game. What is that game doing that people like? Why do certain players play there, and how can we get them to also play here? What cool prop-making have they thought of?
On a personal level, it can be really nice to have somewhere to go where you can just have fun. If you run a game, you can "vacation" at the other one without feeling responsible. If you're heavily involved in one game, playing others can create a break and freshen your outlook.
I've been very impressed at how our 3 big NERO chapters have been working together recently (at least outwardly). They seem to support decisions made, they try not to schedule over each other, and they maintain a positive atmosphere. And I think it is working - I know I'm more encouraged to play different chapters, because I feel like I'd be welcome.
And once you work together, it makes you a stronger force. When one chapter goes against National, it's easier to ignore than 3. And when several games group up, they can share information and players, but also have a force in the community. They can do demos, go to fairs, and so on - and the more people you have, and the more diversity, the more likely you are to suck in new players and break the stigma.
So maybe what I'm talking about isn't really competition. Maybe what I'm saying is still "diversity is good," and we shouldn't circle the wagons when we hear about new LARPs. Try them out, learn a few things, keep an open mind. Bill is right: We want to be a community made up of many voices that make all of our hobbies stronger and better.
But at the same time, when new LARPs have come up, people tend to have a knee-jerk reaction and view these upstarts with suspicion, if not outright hostility. These games, even if not the same type or theme, are seen as out to bring down "their" game. They are full of people who can't play, who play to hard, or who just don't get it. They are, in some way, inferior, and a threat to our good time.
From what I've seen, though, people don't make LARPs to bring others down, or because they like controlling people and telling them what to do (mostly). At least in the beginning, people make LARPs because they have a vision of a way to create a new, fun way of creating the LARP experience and they want to share it with like-minded people. They have a dream - and the dream is not, in general, to be High Supreme LARP Overlord. :) That may come later, of course, but at the heart, everyone just wants to play a fun game.
Unfortunately, those who see other games as competition aren't totally wrong. LARPers are only a small percentage of the overall population, and it's very difficult to have multiple, successful, large games in the same area. Or is that just in Ohio? :)
So how can you both support diversity and ensure the survival of your particular brand of LARP?
Support these other games. It may not make sense in a business model, but LARPs aren't really there to make people money. Or at least, I don't think they should be, and I don't think that most do a very good job of it. So instead, games should act more like a club or a hobby - and you don't see different Girl Scout troops trying to cause the other to fail (or at least, I didn't :) ). No one wants their hobby to have a negative, hostile atmosphere - even if it's directed at the other team. No one wants to feel like they're bad people for playing another game. Why not be a knight one weekend and a space marine the next?
And, as anyone who's a fan of capitalism knows, competition can create a lot of good things. If you don't have to try to succeed, things get stale, and old. I'm not saying to change for the sake of change, but certainly be open to it. Competition brings new ideas, new ways of doing things. It challenges us to keep up, to do better. With our friendly competition here, I'm not advocating that we constantly try to outdo each other and prove how we're better - that just leads right back to hostility and everything else. But certainly there could be a little of that, deep inside - I mean, we've all got our pride, right? :)
We can all learn from each other to keep up a good quality game. What is that game doing that people like? Why do certain players play there, and how can we get them to also play here? What cool prop-making have they thought of?
On a personal level, it can be really nice to have somewhere to go where you can just have fun. If you run a game, you can "vacation" at the other one without feeling responsible. If you're heavily involved in one game, playing others can create a break and freshen your outlook.
I've been very impressed at how our 3 big NERO chapters have been working together recently (at least outwardly). They seem to support decisions made, they try not to schedule over each other, and they maintain a positive atmosphere. And I think it is working - I know I'm more encouraged to play different chapters, because I feel like I'd be welcome.
And once you work together, it makes you a stronger force. When one chapter goes against National, it's easier to ignore than 3. And when several games group up, they can share information and players, but also have a force in the community. They can do demos, go to fairs, and so on - and the more people you have, and the more diversity, the more likely you are to suck in new players and break the stigma.
So maybe what I'm talking about isn't really competition. Maybe what I'm saying is still "diversity is good," and we shouldn't circle the wagons when we hear about new LARPs. Try them out, learn a few things, keep an open mind. Bill is right: We want to be a community made up of many voices that make all of our hobbies stronger and better.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Kickstarter for LARPs
A while back, I posted about my interest in running an Osiris Sanction game. I was pretty pumped about it. But as it turns out, the cost of the equipment is pretty steep, and it's going to take far more than I'm willing to invest for a project like this.
And then I had the post on Friday where I wrote about the show LARPers on Indiegogo, and how they're raising money, and it really made me think.
Do you think that there's a place for raising funds for a LARP on Kickstarter?
For those of you who aren't familiar with the site, it allows for people to give donations to a proposed project. There are various donation levels, and the creator will post some sort of benefit, usually related to the project (be it signed material, copies of media, etc). If the project makes their goal, they get the money. If they don't reach the goal, no one is charged anything.
The way I was thinking about doing it, almost all of the donations would include some form of membership fee (which is there for players only participating in alpha/beta phases of Osiris Sanction). But there's also some other cool stuff that you could add in for some of the higher donation levels without breaking the game.
How would you feel if someone tried to raise money for their LARP via Kickstarter?
And then I had the post on Friday where I wrote about the show LARPers on Indiegogo, and how they're raising money, and it really made me think.
Do you think that there's a place for raising funds for a LARP on Kickstarter?
For those of you who aren't familiar with the site, it allows for people to give donations to a proposed project. There are various donation levels, and the creator will post some sort of benefit, usually related to the project (be it signed material, copies of media, etc). If the project makes their goal, they get the money. If they don't reach the goal, no one is charged anything.
The way I was thinking about doing it, almost all of the donations would include some form of membership fee (which is there for players only participating in alpha/beta phases of Osiris Sanction). But there's also some other cool stuff that you could add in for some of the higher donation levels without breaking the game.
How would you feel if someone tried to raise money for their LARP via Kickstarter?
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