LARP Ohio

Internal Conflict Between Character and Player

2012-01-31T09:35:00.003-05:00

Everyone's run into that moment. You know, the one where your character wouldn't do something but you totally would? Or maybe vice-versa?

In a recent podcast (which I assume will be posted soon), Mickey told me all about some of the mechanisms that are used at Madrigal in order to mitigate these internal conflicts between player and character, and I must say, I was blown away. Something that wasn't even on my radar before that conversation is now very prominent in my field of vision.

The big example Mickey gave me was "the plague." If a player isn't feeling well or doesn't want to go on a module due to OOG circumstances, they might say something like "The plague has taken me." That is a sign to all the other players that while the character would definitely go, the player isn't up to it. The plague exists as a concept in the game, so there's very little break in immersion. And what might be more important, other players cannot refute or "dog" that person into going, because he or she has the plague!

So without stealing any thunder from the podcast, I'd like to talk about some important points to remember when trying to implement these conventions into your game.

1. Everyone Accepts the Rule
Obviously, if someone says they've got the plague and someone else tells them to tough it up or starts trying to convince the player that they should go on the module, the convention doesn't actually save immersion. All players need to understand that conventions like this shouldn't be challenged or discussed. If players aren't going to be willing to do that, then your game might not be the kind of heavy immersion game that would benefit from mechanisms like this.

2. Build It Into Setting
These mechanics should fit somewhere in the setting, so that they can be discussed IG and so that all characters understand the meaning. This trick can also be used in reference to use of various pieces of anachronistic safety equipment.

For example, Babylon (Knutepunkt 2011) used airsoft equipment which required face protection. In that game, the world was known to have poisonous gas/airborne viruses that characters had to protect themselves against. So whenever fighting was going to commence, sirens went off indicating that the air was contaminated, so players put on their masks.

Osiris Sanction uses this mechanic to explain all the laser tag equipment on the players as well as why players don't really feel pain. All of the fighting in that game takes place on a surreal data network, where a person's avatar is very close to their real self.

3. Empower the Player to Control the Character
Now, these mechanics are designed to give the player the comfort level they need at a LARP. So when you're designing these systems, try and find ways of actually empowering the player to invoke the mechanic, rather than the system or the character. I know this might seem like a no-brainer, but some games would rather put those controls in the hands of the staff running it rather than an individual player.

Simply put, you have to trust your players to use these mechanics appropriately, and just deal with players that you think might be abusing a system. This is definitely one aspect of the game that shouldn't have to be micromanaged by the staff.

What do you think? Does your game use any concepts like this? Do you think they would benefit from having a mechanic like "the plague?"

If Wishes Were Donations

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

So I'm totally going to steal an idea that came up at the WAR All-Staff meeting last weekend. I heard this from one of the attendees, and I'm not sure to whom to give the credit. So whoever you are - great idea! I'm actually embarrassed I didn't think of it.

Create an Amazon wishlist for your game (or even for your PC).

There you go. Now, some of you may already do this, so we might be behind. But an Amazon wishlist is a great place to keep track of all the things you need and want for your game. And there are ALWAYS things that we need and want!

If it's on the internet, you can add it to the wishlist through their Universal Wishlist button. You can set the quantity and rate each one by priority. In the notes section, you can detail out any more specifics (such as color, etc).

Maintenance is super easy as well. Items purchased through Amazon (and they have basics of almost everything themselves through their third-party sellers - though the prices may not be be best) come off automatically. Items that are available on other sites can be "reserved" so that other people know not to get them. The owner of the list can make updates, delete items, etc., with ease.

Maybe best of all, you show/link to EXACTLY what you need. Players are more likely to pick something up if you make it easy for them :) And you don't have to keep posting up a thread on the forums - just direct people to the list.

You can even keep a list of dream items for your PC, so that when you come into some extra money you remember just where you found that super awesome thing you've always wanted.

Now, there's still going to be issues, so you may still caution people to be careful, read notes, and contact you for anything they're not sure of. But all in all, it seemed like a fantastic way to keep track of things!

What do you think? Do you use something better?

Note - I just tried adding some items that weren't from actual "stores." I was able to add a page called "spell packet construction" that showed what type of spell packet I might actually want. So even if you want things that you can't actually buy online, if you can find an example of it on the Internet it looks like you can still add the page to your Wishlist. Just make sure to have clear notes!

Another Towel is Thrown

2012-01-26T08:25:00.002-05:00

Quick note: I just found out that Wastelands (the post-apocalyptic airsoft LARP here in Ohio) is calling it quits. The head of the game is stepping down and ending the game, and as far as I know no one is picking it up.

LARP is a tough business!

YouTube Friday: Documentary and Nature Magic

2012-01-20T08:21:00.003-05:00

Because it's Friday, I've got to throw up a video. This is a documentary from Brighton University about LARP, and despite the less professional quality of the video, I think that the people in the video sound like average, everyday people who happen to LARP. I love content like this.

Enjoy!

-----

So I've promised to talk about the pros of the Nature Playtest from WAR/NCN. So here we go!

1. Straight Forward Goal
A lot of playtests don't have a clear goal when they're submitted. Goals are important, because it lets everyone start on the same page. If someone submitted a playtest with a goal to improve production skills and in the text unbalanced melee combat, I would know that I could change the melee combat part without affecting the goal of the playtest. Additionally, if someone submitted a playtest to make hoblings better, I know that I could drop the playtest right away, as the goal of the playtest doesn't fit the balance goals of NERO.

Nature magic had the goal of adding another school of magic for two reasons. First, it added additional variety to magic in the game. Second, it targeted some common fantasy archtypes that didn't really exist in the game at the time. This is why the animal spells were adopted into the core rules by National.

2. Balance
Undertaking a new school is tough. There's so many things you have to worry about. How many takedowns are in the school? Does it obsolete something? Are there worthwhile spells to cast at every level? Is the formal magic worth it? What about Cantrips?

Other than a handful of mechanics (most of which I mentioned in the earlier post), the system was actually pretty balanced (before the last revision). And that's after having played with it in one form or another for almost 4 of the 11 years I've been playing.

3. Completion
Some playtests don't handle all the collateral damage they create. They tend to have glaring errors that leaving gaping holes in the rules that are up for interpretation. As a whole, Nature Magic is complete. It covers battle, cantrip, and formal magic. The new effects that are used are included in the playtest. There's very little that is up to interpretation.

Don't get me wrong, Nature still has a way to go before it could become a National Playtest. It's under a particularly high amount of scrutiny, due to the fact that it adds a lot of effects and is a new build purchased skill, rather than a playtest that modifies an already existing skill. But hopefully people can take away some lessons from this when writing playtests for 9th edition.

And yes, we'll be setting a way for people to submit playtests. We just have to get it through the proper channels.

Favorite File Sharing

2012-01-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

We talk a lot about what YOU can do to improve the LARP experience at your game. But a lot of running a game is working with a team. How you interact with them can make or break the event - unless you have a small game and super metabolism, it is almost impossible to run a great game by yourself. And one major element to getting everyone on the same page is sharing content.

What's the best way to manage content between people? Well, my favorite so far is Dropbox. I'll tell you why. :)

So I started using Dropbox at work. It is a free service that allows you to download a folder onto your computer. Within the folder you can make additional folders and share them with other people. If you want to share each of those folders with different people, you can. Everyone has to download Dropbox onto their system for it to work, of course.

The documents (or whatever) inside can be edited by each person you invite, as long as they're not protected. Otherwise they would just view the documents. Each person can just open, edit, and save - and Dropbox will update it to each shared person's system, like you would have on a network. In fact, that might be just what it is, but I'm not computer savvy enough to know the specifics :) Documents you protect are still protected, and so on. And your material is also backed up online, at the Dropbox site; so if someone's drive crashes or people quit, the material is still there.

Now, the free service is only good up to a certain size, so this may not work for those sharing large amounts of images, videos, etc.

I've found so far that it combines the sharing capabilities of Google docs (Yahoo! doesn't allow shared editing, the person who uploads the file has to manage it) with the easy-to-organize system of Yahoo! groups. I haven't been impressed with the organization system of Google docs. It does allow sharing, and for small amounts of files where you want multiple contributors it's great (although I know it doesn't work for all emails, as my work email can't use it). But once you start getting into using it for a content library, or for things like your character sheet database, I've gotten frustrated and been unhappy with their options. Maybe I'm doing it wrong :)

I didn't have those issues with Dropbox, though. It was intuitive for a Windows user like me; it's just like another folder, so it's wonderful for keeping everything organized so I can stay sane. :) So far for me, Dropbox has all the things I want, and removes the negatives.

I haven't been using it for long, but I encourage people to give it a test drive and see what they think.

Or maybe you use something even better?

Pause for the Cause

2012-01-18T07:24:00.004-05:00

I was going to talk about the positive aspects of a Nature Magic, but I wanted to stop and talk about SOPA/PIPA. The "Stop Online Piracy" and "Protect IP" acts were "designed" to protect copyrighted material online. However, the bills put a lot of control in the government's hands to censor the internet, which could severely hamper first amendment rights online. If you're concerned about these rights (which you should be), contact your local representative and let them know!

One of my favorite Nerd Rappers, Adam WarRock, did a song about SOPA. It does have some explicit language though, so you'll have to go off-site to watch it.

Tomorrow, we'll be back to talking about running around in the woods, dressed like wizards.

NERO: Developing a Playtest

2012-01-17T11:04:00.003-05:00

I figured I'd do a little talk about developing playtests for NERO, since it's one of the major jobs for National Rules right now, and that there's some talk about the Nature Magic Playtest in WAR.

As it stands, the Nature Playtest gives some examples of things that should not be included in Playtest submissions. Even though the system as a whole is a decent idea, there are a number of small details that derail the objective of the system. This post will use examples from Nature Magic on what not to do. Next post will be on the aspects of the Nature Playtest that are beneficial and would make for a good playtest.

So without further ado, here are things that you shouldn't do when writing a playtest.

1. Violate Core Concepts without that being the Goal of the Playtest
Nature does three things that are basically in gross violation of core concepts of NERO.

First, the Cocoon spell states that you cannot refuse touch casting. That rule that allows refusal regardless of the situation is in place in part to curb uncomfortable and unwanted physical contact. Cocoon basically allows other players to continue to touch a player while they are essentially helpless, causing an uncomfortable situation for players who don't want to ruin immersion, but don't want to be touched.

The second instance is from the Natural Carapace Cantrip, which is the only in-game effect that actually varies based on class. All distinctions between the various classes are intended to be off-board.

The third instance is the Revival ability (cantrip and formal) which prevents players from resurrecting normally, which is a pretty significant part of the game.

Now, if the goal of the playtest was to reduce the chance of death, then Revival might be appropriate for that playtest (but still might not be accepted if that goal isn't shared by National). But that's not the goal of Nature. Nature is supposed to add more choices and add an archetype that isn't currently represented by the game.

2. Add Excessive Effects and Complexity
Adding effects to the game is something that should be done slowly to prevent players from having to remember more effects. Nature has at least four new effects to 9th edition and a new damage type. These can be overwhelming for new or traveling players who don't use the playtest. Simply put, there's too much going on.

Mend could just as easily be cure light wounds without causing too much trouble. Entangles could just be made into physical pins/binds/webs (with the spell level brought to the appropriate point). Pestilence is too complicated. Petrify is very close to another effect, so again, it could be a physical imprison instead of it's own effect.

Those small changes would remove half the complexity from nature without a lot of substance/balance changes. So when there's an effect that almost works for what you're going for, use it. Additionally, don't use flavor as an excuse to add complexity where it's not needed.

3. Consistency with Other Skills
There are some serious consistency issues with Nature. Regenerate operates differently and is a different spell level from an identical spell. The moving of bind effects from key attack levels 5 and 8 causes some imbalance with regards to takedowns. Armor buffs are not congruent with other magic schools.

Rules are a lot easier to follow when they follow a pattern. Additionally, some of the things that you think are a minor change (reducing entangle spell levels by 1) might actually cause a greater imbalance than expected. In general, try and keep the bulk of things identical, if possible.

What do you think?

Camps for Sale!

2012-01-13T14:27:00.003-05:00

Sorry to bump Bill's post, but I have a quick follow-up to my post. It seems like the Girl Scouts are selling some of their camps in Ohio. I believe they're all in the northeast, but there are 5 that will be going up for sale. Now's your chance to get that camp you've always wanted! I mean, how expensive can they be, right? :)

The camps are: Camp Crowell/Hilaka (Summit County), Great Trail Camp (Carroll County), Camp Lejnar (Lake County), Camp Pleasant Valley (Seneca County), and Camp Sugarbush (Trumbull County).

http://www.woio.com/Global/story.asp?S=14458968

YouTube Friday: Knightmare!

2012-01-13T13:04:00.002-05:00

This video was shared by the Grand Expidition UK on facebook. They're a group that gets people from the UK to attend the two big European games (Conquest of Mythodea and Drachenfest).

This particular video was uploaded by Corridor Digital, who has a bunch of videos where they act out video games in real life. And this one is no different. As an added benefit, there are two possible endings!

Enjoy!

The Perfect Camp

2012-01-12T12:27:00.002-05:00

I'm involved in booking camps for the 6th year now, and it has been a pain every time. Thankfully, a kind and innocent fellow LARP blogger is helping us this year :) But still being involved, I can still see that it's a huge hassle. For those who have never been involved - you don't know what you're missing :) Fees change, reservation policies change, you want to find a new camp, you can't get dates. Ugh. Sometimes I'm amazed we have as many LARPs as we do, just from being able to find a place to play!

It's not easy to find a camp with the facilities you need, at the price you can afford. But that got me thinking - what do you really need in a camp? It's different for everyone, I think, and every game. What makes or breaks a camp for you? Is it running water? A full kitchen? Beds? Heat?

Obviously the camp needs to have facilities you can use to run your mods in the weather you're playing in - so at least something with a cover. If you run in winter, have heat of some kind. You should have at least a latrine (other women may be able to do the woods thing with more ease, but not me, thankyouverymuch! :) ). And of course if you stay overnight, somewhere to sleep out of the weather.

For me, I also ask for at least 1-2 buildings with electric, and we need a partial kitchen to prepare food. I also want privacy - even if it's at a park, I don't want it to be in a heavily traveled area or right in the public eye. When I'm getting away from it all, I don't want to look over and see a family on a picnic snapping shots. :)

Now, for as long as I've been playing, I've heard starry-eyed LARPers talking about how if they won the lottery they'd build a camp just for the game. So when you talk about the perfect camp, what would you have? We could go crazy and have celebrity chefs and a spa, but I'm more wondering what people would really like at their LARP location that would actually add to the game and be within reason.

So what's in your perfect camp? Or simply, what do you wish your camp had now that it doesn't?

Spotlight: CollabNarration

2012-01-11T09:56:00.003-05:00

I didn't have a proper chance to welcome Zoë into the fold when her blog originally came out. I was taking a little break *coughstarwarscough* at the time, but her blog seems to be moving right along.

And you know what's great? You can add to it, too!

Her blog, CollabNarration, gives LARPers a chance to submit stories to the site. I think it's a great idea. We tend to lack a central forum for LARPers from different games, and even when that happens, people don't like surprise walls of text.

So, now we have a place where people can put their stories (in-character or out-of-game) for others to enjoy. Much better than a common forum, because people know to expect a wall of text, and flaming is a little more difficult when someone can just delete your comments.

I know the best part of LARPing for me is the stories, and I know that I plan to submit some stuff to CollabNarration once I get a little more free time *coughstarwarscough*.

Seriously, though. Check it out, throw those people who have posted stories some support in the comments, and if you're brave enough, submit some content of your own!

YouTube Friday: T.A.S.C

2012-01-06T09:56:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

One of the goals we have for this year is to design a simplified Airsoft LARP. There will be some form of advancement, but it's just a way to be in-character while airsofting. Should be totally fun.

So today's video is a short Airsoft game run in Germany. Love it.

BTW, we don't endorse playing without a full face mask when using any kind of gas/electric airsoft guns with > 300 fps.

Enjoy!

4 Health Myths at LARP

2012-01-05T09:23:00.003-05:00

Well, it's a new year. Millions of Americans have made a resolution to lose weight, and I'm sure lots of LARPers are among them, including myself. While I'm probably the last person to give advice on weight loss and healthy eating (general disclaimer: talk to your doctor and do what's right for you), I have identified some wishful thinking. Heck, I've had these thoughts myself. LARPing is a good thing since it IS activity, just don't let misconceptions stand in the way of the benefits! Here are some myths I've heard from multiple people:

1.) I don't exercise, I LARP. Yes, it's true, getting outside and moving around is good! And that alone might be a step up. But if you want to lose weight, or even maintain a healthy weight, moving around 1-2 days a month isn't going to cut it. Usually you need to exercise 3-5 days a week to lose weight.

When you break down how much "exercise" type activity you do at a LARP, it's not as much as many think, at least for most PCs. We go on an average of maybe 7 mods? And how many minutes of exercise are we doing on those mods? I'm talking actual activity - is it 10 minutes per mod? I'd guess it's less, but even being generous, just doing LARP is probably not going to get anyone in shape.

2.) I need those cheeseburgers because I'm LARPing. You need to make sure your body has enough fuel - what that fuel is is far too complicated for me to even try to talk about. But having fuel doesn't mean over-eating or eating bad foods. You should still eat right, and in correct amounts, for your body and the activity level.

I was always surprised about not coming back from events minus a few pounds - in fact usually it was the other way. But then I started counting up what myself actually ate - and I see plenty of other people doing worse. Food tends to be grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, and other un-lean meals - and people eat them in multiples for every meal. Plus snacks. It's usually way more than we need - and part of that goes back to #1 where we feel that we do more exercise than we are. Figure out how much you should eat for your body and how much exercise you do and try to stick to it.

3.) I can't eat healthy at LARP. Some people use the usually greasy foods of the standard LARP tavern to indulge. If you want to stick to a diet, it is possible to reduce the damage, or even avoid it. One of the easiest ways to fix that is to bring your own food. Pick up some oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, chicken breast for other meals, fresh veggies or nuts for snacks (or whatever is good for you). A lot of LARP cooks will grill up what you bring, sometimes for a small fee.

Even if you don't want to shell out for your own food, you can adjust the tavern food to suit your diet. Cut down on the snacks around meals, and the size of your portions. Avoid unhealthy additions where you can. Just paying attention to what you're eating can help keep you in fighting shape.

4.) Being hardcore means ignoring my physical ailments. Everyone wants to be the hero. Some people seem to think that being a hero at LARP means ignoring common sense, for whatever reason. One of the biggest things is hydration. Water is best, in hot or cold weather. And if you need caffeine, tea or coffee is better than pop. Not only does it cut the sugar, but the buzz is better (no sugar crash). And take care of yourself. That means taking time out for any medication, taking care of injuries, and resting when you need it. Sure, heroes get bloody, and chicks dig scars - but no one actually wants you to bleed on them. And nothing ruins immersion (and a game) more than bringing an ambulance in.

Good luck in whatever your goals are this year! Do you have any suggestions, or corrections, I missed?

And We're Back!

2012-01-04T08:36:00.002-05:00

It was nice to take a bit of a break during the holiday season. Let's be honest - when Christmas and New Years both fall on a weekend, it makes LARPing kind of difficult to pull off. And that isn't even considering the weather.

Things are still slow, so I may hold off on "The Week In LARP" posts until I start to see some real events on the horizon. Maybe I'll even get that calender working as intended, so people can have more than a week's notice.

Let's hope 2012 will be as good as 2011!

New Year's LARP Resolution

2011-12-29T09:00:00.003-05:00

Winter gives us time to catch up, rest, and prepare for spring. It also gives us time to take a deep breath and reflect both on the previous year and what we want to do in the coming one. Thus New Year's resolutions!

While most of us will have various real life goals, now's also a good time to think about what you want to do with your LARP career. I believe Bill had a post on this last year, but I think it's a great idea.

What do you want to do in LARP in 2012?

Maybe you want to make a new costume or reps, or maybe you want to hone your skills at fighting or throwing. Perhaps you've always wanted to come into game with a book of period songs, but never got around to looking them up. Now's the time to do all that crafting, research, and practicing! And in Ohio, we have a lot of different games, so if you want to try something new, keep an eye on their websites for the year's schedule and block it into your calendar.

Are you bored with your character? Think about creating goals that will keep you invested. Start sending feelers out to your plot people about what you want to do. Whether you want to get involved in plot, start up a personal quest, get involved with a faction, or anything else you can come up with; start working with someone to make it happen. They may not have anything for you until closer to the season, but plant those seeds now!

Sometimes, though, it's just time to retire an old character whose story is done. Don't hold on to a character that's not fun, this can just create a feeling of obligation and burn you out faster. You've got time to create a new persona that taps into an aspect of the game you haven't explored before. You could even bring some friends along! :)

Speaking of obligation, maybe you've been thinking about giving back to the game in some way. Get involved! They need you :) Even if it's on a small scale, the game probably has some way you can help.

Or, on the opposite end, maybe you're burnt out already - in that case, re-evaluate what you want to do with your play time. If you're just not interested in playing as often, that's okay. The community and constant momentum of a LARP tends to create the attitude that you'll let people down or get left out if you don't come to every event. Don't get me wrong, this is a good business model :) And it's also a little true - the world will move on if you're not there, sad to say. But if you just don't get the same kick out of using all your weekends to LARP; cut back. Maybe it's the heat or cold that gets you, or your characters don't mesh in one of the towns; you can start by holding back on those events. You can still stay involved by keeping in contact with other players and staff, and continuing goals for your character. But don't ruin your weekends by forcing yourself to go to games where you won't have fun. Play at your own pace.

On the staffing side, LARPs will always need volunteers, but if you are coming to think of each event with dread, maybe it's time to find a replacement or scale back your involvement. Be honest about it. It's better to be upfront than to gradually just stop contributing without telling anyone, or to quit suddenly when the game's in full swing.

There are lots of things you can do to improve your game. After all, it is still a hobby, and the point is to have fun!

So what's your 2012 LARP resolution?

Traveling LARP Group

2011-12-27T11:22:00.003-05:00

I had a suggestion from a reader about an interesting topic. Sean writes:

I have an idea for a discussion topic for the blog. It's a theoretical idea of a new kind of NERO (or general larp, but mostly pertains to NERO)

I was thinking about ways that a chapter could set itself apart from all the others, but without taking attendance from the other local chapters. That's how I came upon the idea of a mobile NERO chapter. It will be an actual chapter in all the classical means: XP gained, tags and production, plot, roleplay, etc. However the catch is that instead of hosting weekend events averaging once a month, they will provide a traveling mod day service.

In the perfect plan of the chapter, groups of players will "hire" the chapter to drive to them and provide X amount of hours of official NERO mods. This system would not be to detract from weekend events, but to supplement current players who might want to play more NERO when there otherwise would be none.

The cost of this service would be determined by the amount of gas money required to transport plot and props to the location, and the fees for the players to partake in the mods. It would only be in the tri-state area, and could have the minumum of 6 players registered for example. The plot team would drive to the "event host's" preferred location. This would also not be a private event, but it would allow a group of people to go on a mod day on their own terms.

*Obviously this is a long shot of a service, but with the right business plan and general planning it might be something players would like.*

This is just a theoretical discussion, all opinions are welcome.

This is a great topic. Sean hits most of the big points on the discussion, including whether or not something like this would be totally viable on it's own, due to costs.

I'm not going to go into details on how one would run something like this - I think Sean covered it. But what I will talk about is the way a group like this could possibly mitigate some of the costs of doing something like this.

You see, a group like this has to be focused on private roleplaying events, of which NERO is one of them.

A company like this should be as open to running any kind of game as possible. This might be a tough pill to swallow for large, competing, national organizations (Alliance/NERO), but as long as they're getting the royalties and the visibility, they shouldn't be too concerned.

Additionally, a group like this could run private events for non-boffer and even non-LARPer activities. I'm basing this model around a group called 5th Wall Gaming, who I met with at Origins a few years back.

You see, they get the bulk of their work doing murder mystery dinners and team building activities for businesses - not for LARPers. Truth is, businesses are much more willing to shill out some serious dough than poor college students.

For anyone contemplating running private NERO mods, I would suggest checking through the 5WG and seeing some of the offerings that they have. That would be the best way to make an endeavor like this more sustainable.

Thanks Sean!

A Kind of Magic

2011-12-22T09:00:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

It's that wonderful time of year where everything seems a little more magical. Remember being a kid and feeling all that excitement? Remember (most of you, anyway?) believing in Santa? And I’m sure we all remember when (spoiler alert!) we found out the truth about Mr. Claus. A lot of kids realize what’s going on before being officially told. And one big reason? Parents can't explain how it all works, and "it's magic" stops being a believable answer. In short, it breaks their immersion. :)

LARPing is similar (look at that tie-in! Okay, maybe a stretch... :) ). People never stop asking questions, and they never stop wondering how things work. We do our best to suspend our disbelief and go along with the “it works because it’s magic” idea, but it’s a lot easier to do that when there are some answers to our questions of how and why.

My sister sent me this link to a fantastic chart that lists some of the most popular magical worlds and their guidelines. Where does magic come from? Who gets it? How do you use it? These worlds usually have a system in place to answer those questions, either obvious to the reader or behind the scenes. Having that system helps to create atmosphere and build story – and you should consider doing the same for your LARP.

I’m not saying you should write an in-depth history of magic, or list out every rule precisely. But give the world a basic magical structure. Is magic given by the gods? The elements? Does it come from the land itself? How do people get it? Is it hereditary, or completely random? Is it caused by some kind of infusion of energy? Are people chosen to wield it? Is it different for different races or different types of magic? If you’re a player, you can work this into your character’s background – having this foundation can add a lot of role-play.

Now, you might be saying, wait, doesn’t having rules put limits on what I can do? Well, yes and no. If you’re anything like me, having a bit of information can actually spur creativity. Magic comes from a giant well? What happens if that well is blocked, or tainted, or siphoned off? You can still go pretty wild, but putting your plotlines in the context of the world setting can make it appeal more personally to your characters, and can add to the immersion of your game. It adds consistency as well, amongst both players and staff.

You might not be in a position to make the big calls. In that case, consider putting some local setting information down. Bug your plot people for details that you can use as your character – this might prompt them to work out anything they don’t have and make the game a little better for everyone :) Are there mage schools? How do they work? Do different groups/races in your area have different ways of learning? Are there multiple factions? Can players become involved in them, or earn ranks? Now just think of all the stories you can make out of that!

Having background of any kind makes the world come together. Even if you don’t use everything all at once, you can start dropping it in. Then later on when you do make a plot out of it there are those “ah ha” moments that every player loves and every plot person (I think) strives for. You can do that in part by having an established and consistent setting – and that means putting some guidelines down for that most non-logical of concepts: magic.

A little magical thinking for your holidays! How would you/have you built magical structure into your world or your background?

The Theory of "Play More" Mechanics

2011-12-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today's post was prompted by a discussion over at the Wasteland's forum about the magic rules in the game.

You see, there is some concern about the power level of the mage. But a lot of this is really a faux issue. You see, the mechanic for regaining your magic skills is intended to let mages "play more" instead of playing harder.

In short, mages can meditate to regain their "focus" (magic points). This process takes 5 minutes, which makes it difficult to pull off on the battlefield. If you use a consumable item, you just get back the maximum focus. If you do not use that item, you get back your focus, but your max focus drops by 5 points until the end of the game day.

Truth be told, this is a really solid design for a "play more" skill. It has most of the features you want. It's hard to restore it on a module, so building encounters around conserving resources would be easy. It answers the problem of frivolous use.

Really, the only problem I see with the system is that it doesn't scale perfectly from low level to high level.

Players who start a mage will probably have a maximum of about 20 focus, and that's if they void themselves of anything non-magical. Players who decide to pick up a gun skill (important, as this is an airsoft game) will have less. When I played, I think I had 9 focus.

Obviously, the hit to max focus at that level is pretty significant. Even the best starting mages lose 25% of their effectiveness if they meditate without an item. And to top it off, Wastelands is a game where resources are quite sparse, so getting your hands on those items isn't the easiest thing.

On the other side of the coin, high level mages have a lot of focus, so depending on the number of modules they play, they might not care much about the hit to max focus. Additionally, the magic crafting skill doesn't have a lot of stuff going on there, so higher level mages who have that skill have pretty regular access to those items. Magical healing is still more expensive than regular healing (unless you have a godly mage, but I don't think anyone has that level of magic yet).

I think a percentage of focus would work better and help bridge the gap between low and high level mages, but I'm a math person and that math might be confusing for non-math people. But all in all, I don't think the system is really as bad as some people make it out to be.

But the point is, stop treating a "Play More" mechanic like it's giving someone more power. It's meant to let the mage play the entire day, rather than using their spells and then sitting out.

The Nerdiest of Presents

2011-12-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

With Christmas quickly approaching, I think it's important to get someone the right gift. But what do you give your nerdy friends?

Chocolate D&D Dice

Game. Set. Match.

The Week In LARP - December 19th

2011-12-19T09:47:00.001-05:00

Last Week In LARP

Did you attend a LARP event last weekend? Let us know how it was in the comments!

This Week In LARP

Let's be honest. I doubt there will be any LARPs this weekend, unless they involve a fat guy in a beard. And no, I'm not referring to Kevin Smith.

If you've got a game running this week and we didn't mention you, either drop a comment here or shoot an email to larp.plot.tips@gmail.com, and we'll add you as soon as possible!

5 Easy Crafts That Will Improve Your Look

2011-12-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

As you’ve noticed, Ohio LARPers, it’s cold outside. That means we stay indoors more than usual, and wait until the season really goes into gear. But there are things you can do to keep up your LARP cred in the off season, as you might have read in previous posts. Some things require more crafting ability than others, but here are a few things that are cheap and can be done by anyone – and will make you look totally 1337! :)

1.) Be-Dazzle Your Documents – Chances are your character could be carrying some sort of paper. It could be your formal rituals, a noble writ, a mercenary company charter, or even a book of in-game notes. It’s easy to just print things out, or not have a copy of them at all, but try taking some time to create some cool-looking phys reps. Put things on a paper stock that is thematic to your character – sparkles for fae, natural fibers for nature types, even use transparencies for futuristic settings (paper making is fairly easy, if you want to get into a new craft). And don’t stop there – try using different colored inks and including sketches or other additions. With the scrapbooking boom, you can go to any craft store and get stuff to stick on paper; or to attach to your books and scroll cases. And wax seals are easy to find online.

2.) Customize Your Weapons – A few modifications can go a long way (as long as they’re safe). Add a colored grip to your boffer made of yarn or scraps of leather or fabric. Glue jewels or other additions to your hilt. If you’ve got patience, you can cut out designs in duct tape and just tape them right on to your weapon. Try painting, too. You can add a design to your hilt or even flames and other effects to the blade. And of course, with a shield you’ve got a blank canvas ready to go! If you use fabric covered boffers, fabric paint is easy to buy, or just get a unique fabric. LARPs that use guns allow for a lot of modification – paint your wood so that you have a pearl grip, add a few copper coils for the steampunk look, or maybe even some lights for sci-fi. And any weapon can look cooler by adding runes or symbols to it.

3.) Tech Your Gear – Add convenience to your costume by making some easy-access pouches or holders for scrolls, components, tags, potions, and other commonly used items. Strips of elastic or cord can be threaded through a cuff or other material and tied off to make an easy vial holder. You can tie it onto your wrist, or just hang it off your belt. Some people put plastic envelopes on the back of their shields to hold scrolls, etc – consider if you could benefit from that. Now’s the time to make some separate containers so you can stop digging through your main pouch for things! A fabric pouch is easy to make out of scraps, and you can sew it yourself. It doesn’t need to look super fabulous, as long as it makes your life easier.

4.) Jazz Up Your Jewelry – Still wearing plastic Mardi Gras beads to rep your magic items? Make a few more period items to use as your reps. Craft stores offer hemp, leather, and even chains in their jewelry making section. You can find beads and pendants of every kind, and they go on sale regularly. You can go to thrift and antique stores and get some costume jewelry. If the whole thing is a bit much, you can always take them apart and just use the parts you like. You can even paint things like buttons, or check out your hardware store. Try Ebay for lot sales of buttons and beads, and for things like watch gears. As a tip, LARP jewelry often works best when it’s a little bigger or brighter than what you’d normally wear – otherwise it just looks like your rl stuff. :)

5.) Add More Reps – Accessories are everything! If you have a character with a craft, gather up some things to put out at game to show what you do. I mentioned papers and inks, etc., for paper-related crafts. If you’re a potion maker, get some cheap glass bottles and jars and fill them with various substances. You can use spices from the grocery, bath products, or just colored water. You can even use these kinds of reps for in-game alchemy (it will also help you tell them apart at a glance!). Maybe your character tells fortunes – make your own cards, rune stones, or even bones out of things you can find at craft stores and a little paint. If you’re more modern, consider getting some old tools (or new ones) and modifying them or just painting them to carry around. Your character just hits things? What about repping combat trophies? It doesn't have to be icky (or it could be) - you could rep a tablet or other item where you mark how many kills you've made. You don’t need a whole box full of gear, unless you want it, but a few additions to carry with you can really round out your character.

Got more ideas for easy LARP crafts?

NERO National Rules Committee Update

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of having a blog like this is that you can use it as a springboard for other things.

As I mentioned previously, I am now a part of the NERO National Rules committee. Now, you might ask, what does someone on the National Rules committee do?

Good Question.

I mean, we all know that they handle rules adjudications when they crop up, but what about the other 99% of the time?

Well, I thought I'd let you all know what's currently in the pipeline.

Blog
Obviously I like my blog, but we were thinking that having a blog specifically for NERO National would be a good thing to do. Since it seems to be slow going with adoption of social media, and three of the members of the rules committee (including myself) already have experience with Blogging, I figured we'd take it upon ourselves to put it up and keep you all abreast of goings on.

Playtest Submissions
One of the big things that people have been clamoring for is a system for playtest submission. Don't worry, we're working on it. We're going to try and make it more formal than in the past, and we're going to try and keep communication open. We're also going to put a lot more pressure on the players to test the playtests and to provide feedback, because they won't run forever (like they did in 8th).

Transform Restrictions
We decided that standardizing transforms/golems is quite an endeavor. In the meantime, we thought it would be appropriate to put out an errata listing the things that players are not to be given for transforms/golems. It's mostly obvious things, but some things are logistical nightmares, which are why they'll be banned. But other than what you can't do, local chapters will be able to do whatever they want for now.

Rules Errata
We know that there are a few things wrong in the rulebook. We're going to go through and straighten out and make rulings on things that are contradictory. For example, weakness in all of its forms will be indefinite. We're going to try and keep this up to date.

We've also got some bigger projects that we might go to the players for input, but I don't want to spoil everything for you guys.

Male Privilege in LARP

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

I was turned on to this article by a facebook friend of mine, and I think this is something of huge import when it comes to LARPing.

Male Privilage is alive and well in LARPs. For those of you who don't want to sift through the article or wikipedia, it basically means that there are things that male players take for granted that female players tend to have to remain congnisent of or, at the very worst, actively work do dispel or defend themselves against.

It's not that we (men) are bad people. It's just that we really have no concept for how the other half lives and how much we might take for granted.

Now, the article I linked is more specific to comics, but the same rules apply at LARPs. In fact, it might be more important, based on the fact that most LARP groups are rather tightly knit social clubs, which means that one or two bad apples can ruin a LARP.

Now, I'm not an expert on this subject, so I'm not going to go in depth in fear of saying the wrong thing. But here are some things that I believe you might want to consider on the subject of male privilege and how it affects female LARPers.

No Gender Stereotyping
I know that some games like to fall back on realism to defend some forms of stereotyping, but the fact is that realism tends to be a weak argument for LARPs, as they almost always involve some form of fantasy and/or magic. Don't automatically assume that women need to be healers and men need to be fighters. And stop making sexest jokes while you're at it, even if it's "in good fun".

Don't Be an Asshole
This should go without saying but it bears repeating. Even if your "character" is an asshole, you want to gauge how well others react to your roleplaying before embracing said character. LARP is not intended to be a place where you can be a chauvenist dick without any real life consequences.

IG Love Interest
Don't fawn over someone IG unless you've discussed it with them OOG. You might think it makes for good roleplaying, but it's probably more creepy than anything else. And for the love of God, if you get turned down IG, don't keep pursuing it. If you do, you're going to make the other person think you're going to go all Wild Hunt on them.

Don't Be a Creeper
I think Doctor Nerdlove puts it best with his article of the same name.

Avoid Taboo Subjects
I really don't think any roleplay situation is improved by topics such as domestic violence or sexual assault. It's not clever or cutting-edge. It's just uncomfortable for everyone.

What do you think? Have any more tips on how to make LARPing a better environment for female players?

PS: It's my birthday, so go easy on me if I said something wrong.

The Week In LARP - December 19th

2011-12-12T08:41:00.003-05:00

Last Week In LARP

Did you attend a LARP event last weekend? Let us know how it was in the comments!

This Week In LARP

Let's be honest. I really doubt there will be any LARPing this weekend. Unless it involves a fat man with a beard.

YouTube Friday: The Corporate Wizard...

2011-12-09T08:42:00.004-05:00

And the Adventures in the Land of LARP!

I received this video from Brad, one of our readers. Brad writes:

I know you are always on the lookout for LARP videos so I wanted to send you one. There is a place in minneapolis, MN called the Soap Factory. It is an artistic organization. They sponsored a LARP earlier this year - they ran it as an art project. They converted their space into a tavern, outdoor space, and caverns and ran a LARP there. It was run using the Alliance rules set and the southern minnesota Alliance chapter marshalled the event. It was called the Corporate Wizard in the Land of LARP. It was a little anachronistic but not as bad as you might think. Here is a post-event video they put together. They put a lot of effort into scenery and costuming. They also have a Facebook group which has a lot of pictures from the event. It was open to the public - people could walk in and watch the event and they ran some modules in a nearby park. The head of the Soap Factory calls it a "performance piece" utilizing LARP but really it's just a LARP with good costuming and props.

I thought it was especially interesting that most of the players in this "LARP" didn't really know the rules for what they were doing, but they had fun with it anyways. To me, that's so far from the norm that I can barely wrap my mind around it.

Enjoy!