Chimera Newbie seeks advice!

Auckland Chimera
#1

Hi folks,

I’ve done some LARPing before, but Chimera 2010 represents the first LARP convention I will have attended, and it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to ask those of you who are seasoned Chimera/Kapcon people- how many LARPS would you usually sign up for over the weekend? There are a few I’d love to play, but I’m conscious that I don’t want to wear myself out, and also- as I’m a girl- I don’t want to take too many of the female roles and deny other womenfolk their fun.
So, any guidance on how many? Or do I just sign up for as many as I can get my costumed mitts on?

#2

[quote=“AhGoodTheSea”]I’ve done some LARPing before, but Chimera 2010 represents the first LARP convention I will have attended, and it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to ask those of you who are seasoned Chimera/Kapcon people- how many LARPS would you usually sign up for over the weekend? There are a few I’d love to play, but I’m conscious that I don’t want to wear myself out, and also- as I’m a girl- I don’t want to take too many of the female roles and deny other womenfolk their fun.
So, any guidance on how many? Or do I just sign up for as many as I can get my costumed mitts on?[/quote]

Last year I signed up for a larp a session - if I’m travelling, I want to make the trip worthwhile. They had cheap V, so tiredness wasn’t an issue.

Looking at the games on offer, there does seem to be a lack of female roles in many of them (I presume because the games are sourced over the web, and reflect the gender balance from overseas several years ago). IIRC last year the women were well organised and all female slots disappeared within a day after goign up. So, you’ll need to be quick to preregister…

#3

go to every session :smiley:

#4

Let the game runners and the con organisers worry about gender balance. Just nab every appealing role you can lay your hands on, without apology.

Games can often be re-written with a different gender balance. I’m running Vox, which is heavy on male humans and genderless aliens, but some of the male humans could easily be recast as female - they’re probably only male because their players in the original run were male. And the con runners can add additional events with a different gender mix.

if gender mix is an issue across the con, then all the event runners may want to have a look at rejigging their games for better balance now, before game selection goes live. It’s easier to rewrite selected males to female before casting, instead of being left with some males that are very hard to re-gender.

#5

The man speaks truth. Let me worry about gender balance, you just sign up for everything that catches your fancy.

We have caffiene on site, so sign up for every round and prepare to be shattered by the end of the weekend :smiley:

#6

Whee!

Agreed, sign up for a game a session. Yes, it means you have to lug lots of costumes up from Wellington but it’s worth it. Last year was my first year at Chimera and … well now I’m just a little hooked on LARP.

You’ll have a super time!

#7

I’m gonna hit a larp each session this year.

The biggy though is the Flagship LARP but I’m bias this year.

#8

And make sure you do some different genre stuff… do a live combat fantasy, do a spy larp, do a vampire game, do the flagship (otherwise what the hell will you do on Saturday night?). Make sure you do something in every session. And at the end, you will have tried many things, met many people and you will have had a blast!

#9

Since there’s been a hint of a Wolfgang’s game, I’m tempted to try that (though I’d probably need to borrow weapons on the day) - its not something I’ve tried before. And I’ll play “Prayers” if someone else runs it. I’ve run Swedish games before, but never got to play in any,a nd that’s something I’d like to change.

#10

Drink lots of water. :slight_smile:

In terms of sign ups, it’s cool to go for every game and any female part you like, although I find that all 6 sessions is very tiring and either skipping a session or switching to one with low roleplaying demands is good for my energy levels (but I get tired easily, like.) It’s a good chance for you to try out some games with padded weapon combat, which there isn’t much of in Wellington.

And have fun!

#11

Kerry and I are trying to balance out the roles in Truth, Justice and Spandex! between the genders as well, but a lot of them should be able to be switched around if need be.

It is absolutely worth staying at Motu Moana for the entire convention and going to a larp every round. Some people do take rounds off, but there should also be lighter larps (that dont involve running around fields) to look at if you want. It’ll be great to have you along though!

#12

Thank you for the advice everyone- consider me on for stalking the website on sign-ups day!
I am definitely up for as many games as I can. And considering my Dad brought me up on westerns, there’s no way I’m missing the Saturday night!

I should probably book the Monday after off, hmm? :smiley:

#13

[quote=“AhGoodTheSea”]Thank you for the advice everyone- consider me on for stalking the website on sign-ups day!
[/quote]

You can actually register right now!

#14

I’m already registered to attend- I meant the signing up for the specific games (unless those sign ups have already opened and I somehow missed it).

I’m really getting excited about this- I would imagine I’ll be having trouble sitting still or talking about anything but LARPs by August…

By the way, how does the signing up for games work? (Feel free to direct me to the thread I probably didn’t spot before)

#15

There will be a game selection form on the website, you fill it in and submit it. It’ll probably look similar to last year’s:

Last year’s game selection form

Note: the 2009 form no longer shows all the game options that were available, because as games got booked out they were removed from the options.

Then the con organisers play a game of Twister with the GMs, trying to give as many players as possible their preferred games and characters.

Getting in early does help - if a GM is looking at two people who both want the same role, sometimes the only thing in it is who booked first.

#16

[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]There will be a game selection form on the website, you fill it in and submit it. It’ll probably look similar to last year’s:

Last year’s game selection form[/quote]

Ah, good. I was hoping it would be something like that. Thank you!

And that mental image just made my afternoon.

#17

Just started reading the forums again :blush: I really should pay attention more.

But as per a note aobve re gender balance in the game I have written there is only 1 character that is gender specific. This has made writing a bit more interesting to say the least. But then again at least I am prepared for a almost all female/male cast :slight_smile:

Anyways I should go back to reading or writing like a mad thing :slight_smile:

#18

AS for Truth Justice and Spandex, we are planning 7 male, 7 female and 4 roles which could be made into either