Another approach to larp venues

Community Larp discussion
#1

A thread on RPG.net’s larp forum a while back has set me thinking:

forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=311013

What Levi outlines there is an approach to staging, where the venue is divided up into multiple areas and each represents a different place in the setting, possible places at distance from each other. Play occured simultaineously in all the different places.

I’ve heard of theatre-style larps re-using spaces in different ways like this. I guess what’s interesting to me in the way Levi did it is the potential to run multiple scenes all at the same time, with characters moving from scene to scene, and the scenes potentially being far apart in the setting. Levi was particularly keen on how the scenes were player-defined.

Apart from the application that Levi put it to (which had a very multi-stage improv theatre feel I thought), I was thinking that this approach would also be perfect for a larp setting with epic scope.

For example, imagine a Star Wars larp run in this way. Instead of having all the players stuck in one place together, you have them spread across the galaxy, all interacting in separate scenes at the same time and not knowing what’s happening in the other places. You could set it across a series of “days” in the setting, and each day could take half an hour or so of real time. In between play “days” PCs could travel to other planets if they had the means, so end up re-combining with the other PCs in interesting ways. And they could have scenes or “days” shipboard too. You could fit a whole movie’s worth of epic travel and adventure into a single evening.

Obviously, by comparison to a game where you are all (mostly) in the same place at the same time this approach might lose some capability for immersive set-dressing and that real-time feeling of being able to explore an imaginary place over longer periods of time. You could still do some set-dressing with this approach (especially if you had a multi-room venue) but the exploration focus would probably be more between scenes and between characters. Or you could run it really stripped-down, with minimal focus on costume and set-dressing and maximum focus on the characterisation and the developing story - I think that’s how Levi ran his one. Minimal set-dressing would work especially well if characters could define their own scenes.

Anyhow, just thought I’d bring this up as a different option for larp staging.

#2

Somebody mentioned using that for a Soap Opera game. Trying to think of something astute and cogent to add. Failing. Just woke up. Aargh.

#3

It sounds like a very cinematic approach, and narrows the gap between larp and movies. The nice thing is that it trivialises some of the stuff you wouldn’t want to do in a larp, like travel for a long time on your own, just to show up somewhere and deliver a message. I’d play in a game set this way in a flash.

#4

And I note that according to the description the game made a lot of use out of temporary characters made up on the spot. Sounds like fun. V. low immersion, though.

#5

Probably not very immersive surroundings, no. But a lot of times some really good character interaction gives good immersion. I mean, some of my best moments have been in scout halls pretending to be inns. If you’re involved in intense roleplay of whatever sort it’s often enough to totally take you into a fiction.

It sounds like they went minimalist, so it might be like when you’re watching a play against a black backdrop and you forget about it and focus on the people in the foreground.

#6

The organiser of Dustbowl Prophets has released a player’s guide for it. It’s interesting reading on their approach to larp:

members.shaw.ca/LeviK/DustbowlProphets.pdf

#7

A very interesting read. I like the way that scenes emerge as players see fit and can be attended by anyone. Also, I quite like the “This is Lame” rule and the use of black and grey costumes.

#8

Sounds similar to the way I suggested running the Soap Opera larp (as mentioned before).

I envisioned having several (5) small sets around the room. Players move between sets but must enter/leave appropriately. I even though of having simple telephones between scenes, and so on. No interaction with people outside your scene unless using the phone, but once off-scene you can plan with other players…