Convention larps

Community Larp discussion
#1

This year at Chimera, more than ever, I got a strong impression that conventions have some unusual constraints and the larps need to be written with that in mind. A larp that might work really well stand-alone might experience problems at a convention.

Most people are playing in many games over the weekend, and can’t remember a lot of details for each game. I found myself re-reading each character sheet just before each game, and struggling to remember all the details in play. Especially who was who and what my character knew about them. In games where people knew a lot of other characters and info, heaps of players looked confused and referred to their character sheets a lot. This tended to only happen for the first half of a game until people got into the flow, but it’s probably not ideal. If the players were only playing that single game, they’d have way more time and focus to study their character and these problems would be much less. At a con co-occupying with five other games in the players’ minds, it’s different.

Roaming games across a wide area with lots of equipment (including shared gear for crew) are also harder to get rolling than games in a confined area where everyone is a player who brings all their own equipment.

There are also a lot of people who are new to larp, and have a lot to absorb apart from complex characters.

As the con reaches the end, some people are really tired and it’s even harder to remember details and get energy together as minds start fraying.

As I especially learned this year, being a GM at a con isn’t like being a GM at a stand-alone game. You can’t set your own timeline, and if you’re playing in a lot of games as well as GMing your own game, your time and energy to prepare for your game is divided, in a way it wouldn’t be when running a stand-alone larp. So big, ambitious set-dressing/props/costumes become that much harder to pull off.

So - what kind of stuff do you think works best in a con larp, given the context of taking place amongst so many other games in a strict timeframe, with a high ratio of new larpers and with GMs who also have other games on their mind?

The Queen's Justice
#2

I’d say that sublety is overrated for Chimera games (fatigue and all). I think that getting all your player specific information onto one A4 page, and all your background info onto another, makes a reasonable chunk of reading to aim for - more than that and you run the risk of people forgetting things.

EDITED: That, and be as mind-boggingly ready to go as you can be, so that you get the best use out of your slot. Like, plan to have everything printed out and your props assembled by the weekend before at the latest, so that you can worry about the games that you’re playing in. (I’ve never yet made that deadline, but it’s surely helped me to try for it.) (And yeah, I’ve broken my own guidelines on how much reading is required, too.)

#3

[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]There are also a lot of people who are new to larp, and have a lot to absorb apart from complex characters.

As the con reaches the end, some people are really tired and it’s even harder to remember details and get energy together as minds start fraying.

So - what kind of stuff do you think works best in a con larp, given the context of taking place amongst so many other games in a strict timeframe, with a high ratio of new larpers and with GMs who also have other games on their mind?[/quote]

I think we could look at other activities at the Chimera as well as larps. Maybe some workshops on making weapons, face-painting, make up, acting etc.

Also, I’d like to float the idea of a “tournament” in one of the game slots. Maybe the middle Saturday slot, with full costume and pageantry and a trophy.

I’ve run more than a couple of tournaments over the years and I’d be very happy to run one.

#4

[quote=“Derek”]Also, I’d like to float the idea of a “tournament” in one of the game slots. Maybe the middle Saturday slot, with full costume and pageantry and a trophy.

I’ve run more than a couple of tournaments over the years and I’d be very happy to run one.[/quote]

I think that would make an excellent addition to the lineup. And its certainly an option for a dressed-up Brawl (have some one on one then a grand tourney)

#5

Short character sheets and background information. People’s eyes tend to glaze over after a page or two, so write tightly and concisely to get it all in.

Strong, easily graspable character concepts. This doesn’t mean “simple”, but providing people with a big fat hook to hang a portrayal off makes their job easier. Genre is a powerful crutch here as well. “This is a Wodehouse game”, or “this is a Regency game, like Pride & Prejudice” gives people an instant idea of how to act, and how other people are likely to act.

Get your character sheets out early, particularly if your sheets and background are long. People are more likely to remember the details if they can study their character sheets repeatedly before the game. Obviously this doesn’t help with drop-ins, but it helps everybody else.

Envelopes. They keep bits of paper together, provide a convenient and relatively discrete handheld pocket for people whose costumes don’t have any, and there’s less chance of getting two of them stuck together and someone’s character sheet going missing as a result.

Design your game to run short. Yes, you’ve theoretically got three hours. But someone will be late, someone else will be a drop-in who needs gear, and someone will have forgotten something absolutely vital. So Murphy will steal the first half an hour, just like that.

Keep props, set-dressing and gear to the minimum you can. There’s not a lot of time for setup, and you don’t have a party of native bearers to carry your stuff.

Pre-empt Murphy if you can. If you can find out who your drop-ins and new players are early, and brief and/or equip them in a break, then that will allow more time for play. Obviously this won’t always be possible - but its worth doing if you can.

#6

Whatever you did for Forgotten Gods, Ryan, it worked, as Murphy stole half of the game time (I think quite literally!) and despite this we somehow managed to do so much.

#7

I think it suffered a little from the time, but it did very, very well in other areas (particularly getting characters out early, and having strong concepts for the players to work with)

#8

The Scummit ended up only being about 2 hours long. It was closer to 3 the first time it was run, but being pressed for time actually resulted in a tighter, better paced game, which was (I think) a lot more enjoyable for the players.

#9

Actually (and I repeat this every year) you have a three hour slot for the entirety of your game, including briefings, set up and pack down. That means it really is only two-two hours of game time. I try to make this clear every year and it still somehow gets lost.

#10

I think the workshops idea is a good one as is the tournament. Good intro for newbies and a bit of downtime to recoup, regroup etc. Also as spectators for bits you get to interact with people as yourself for a little while - lessens the chances of developing schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder en masse.

Tanya

#11

This is exactly what I’m thinking too. A one page character sheet, and one page of setting/situation/rules description is something that can be read before the game even if the players only have ten minutes, are fatigued, are new larpers, also have to sort out a costume, etc. They could be printed front and back on the same piece of paper, so players aren’t handling multiple sheets. With such a short amount of space, it would be hard to fit in too much info, including knowledge of other characters and rules, so that any player should be able to absorb it without needing to refer to their paper during play.

I like to think I have a pretty good reading comprehension. But for a couple of games, I literally felt like I was cramming for an exam beforehand, and seriously in danger of failing. I had read the character sheets when I first got them, but then needed to refresh my mind on everything before the game. The game I ran was probably the same for some people, so this isn’t a criticism of anyone’s game, it’s a new learning for me. Not every player can be expected to have better-than-average reading comprehension, either, if we want to be inclusive. I reckon stretching players in terms of reading and memorisation for the flagship larp is okay, but personally my preference for the other con games would be keeping it short. Which wouldn’t actually make it easier to write the characters sheets - if anything it’s harder. Some famous wit once wrote “I’m sorry this letter is so long, but I didn’t have time to write a short one”. Editing text to be short and concise, and making it easy to absorb quickly, is a lot of extra work and an acquired skill.

Yep. The thing is, I started preparing months in advance. That gave me a false sense of security, and I became over-ambitious with what I could make. So it’s not just about starting early and working hard, but also about not going over-the-top with ambitions, writing a game that doesn’t need the really hard stuff.

#12

along the lines of a tournament perhaps have a helmet standard headblow (crowning top of the helmet hit only) category?,i understand typically larp doesnt do that as most people dont have helmets but for the purposes of a one on one styled medieval tournament you’d just need to have 2 loaner helmets for people to use and if they have their own then sweet

could offer a bit of difference for those that want to try it

#13

I hate to sound like a fun-killer, but I personally prefer the idea “headshots are not allowed in larp under ANY circumstances”, because it makes things simple and clear and leaves no space for confusion and forgetting and silly rumours. That was just an opinion of a random larper, as I’m not likely to go fight in that tournament anyway.

#14

I think its fine in particular games with appropriate safety equipment.

#15

sure,just a random idea im throwing out there people may be open or closed to it as the case may be but throwing it out there all the same

#16

I like the idea of workshops, especially larp specific things such as weapons.

#17

Just throwing it out there, have been a singer/actor for a number of years so if people ever wanted a workshop for either of those run, consider my hand up :slight_smile:

#18

If the aim is to give people practical, hands-on experience, and give them a weapon they can take away at the end of things, then it probably won’t work. Three hours is enough to either make a sandwich, or carve a blade, add a crossguard and make a sandwich for hilt - and even then you’ll be spending a lot of time waiting for glue to dry. While you could demonstrate both steps by getting them to make a sandwich, then handing them one you prepared earlier to do the rest with, they’d end up with an unlatexed weapon, and possibly a room you couldn’t use because its full of things under bricks.

It would however be a useful way of adding to the gear pool if you need new weapons.

(Shields are I think easier, in that you could provide standard heater or round sandwiches, and show people how to tape, strap, edge, and face them, but you’d still end up with a pile of stuff under bricks at the end of it. Heaters could be used uncovered the next day; rounds you’d need to cover and boss (and possible decorate, depending on style) first).

#19

Perhaps, but I think she’s got a point in that sometimes newbies can be easily confused.

Those must be some damn fine sandwiches.

#20

I’ll say the same thing I said on the Teonn thread about hardcore combat in larps - I think there are enough avenues for people interested in that kind of thing available in Auckland. I won’t be introducing head blow combat at Chimera.

With regards to workshops - I will include on this year’s post-Chimera feedback survey a section on if people want to see workshops next Chimera. I’m reluctant because I have always envisaged it as a gaming event, but I will ask the people what they want :slight_smile: