Rent-a-larp

nzLARPS
#1

Could NZLARPS run a “rent-a-larp” project where members run larps for parties and kid’s birthdays?

All it takes to run some games is a one GM and some printing. The players can costume themselves.

You could charge $200 to run a game like A Dead Man’s Chest, which would be around $20 or less per head. It’s not that much to pay for 3 hours entertainment, in the scheme of things. Some portion of this could be used to pay the person running it, and some portion could go to NZLARPS.

This would work especially well if NZLARPS had a stock of nice-looking latex weapons and shields. We could charge a bit more to provide these, and that would open up the possibility of running battle games (some people would be more interested in fighting than roleplay) and also larps that work well with foam weapons (like Camelot).

We could also charge more to run games that need a bunch of NPCs to work, and pay the crew.

#2

I’ve thought of this very idea.

There’s a company in Australia I think that does this - though again it tends to focus on the murder mystery type stuff. But effectively, yeah they show up with the game and the NPCs and run the show for you.

#3

There’s also an Australian company called Amazing Adventures that runs battle games at parties. The hire cost includes the cost of hiring the gear: foam swords, shields, and helmets.

I can see lots of different styles working. Full-on roleplay, NPC-led “basic” roleplay, battle scenarios, murder mysteries, etc. I can imagine running a Narnia-themed scenario for kids using a handful of NPCs in nice costumes, where the kids could play themselves “transported” into Narnia in their own clothes. Most of these things we have the resources to do immediately. The society already owns a handful of Freeform Games scenarios, plus there are some great scenarios that have been written by members, plus we have experience at running battle games.

Advantages for NZLARPS:
[ul][li]Advocate various types of larp to the public by giving lots of people an easy way to try it with their friends (rather than coming along to play with strangers or join a “club” which isn’t everyone’s bag).[/li]
[li]Earn some money for NZLARPS.[/li]
[li]Earn some money for the NZLARPS members who run the games. [/li]
[li]Have the excuse/income to acquire some nice gear for the society.[/li][/ul]I guess my main thought is that good larp events are the best way to sell larp, and this is a practical way to take them to the people.

#4

I’d be pretty bloody keen to help participate in something like this if we think there’s actual demand - particularly from an admin/comms/business planning perspective (as well as participant in the events).

#5

If we made the service available we’d find out soon enough if there’s a demand.

We could start out by putting up a page on the NZLARPS site offering just a handful of package options that we could already run easily, with prices.

I think the novelty factor would appeal to some.

Cool to hear you’d be interested in it. I’m not particular looking to spearhead the coordination, I might just want to advise/write/help run some games, so that position would be available.

#6

That sounds like a cool idea. I think it would be important to pick the games offered with care, though - there’s some kinds (very intrigue heavy ones, f’r’instance) that can leave very new people completely at a loss. I noticed that for the almost-larp interactive theatre events that came out, they give the paying customers a very strong structure and a lot of guidance (like, you’re detectives and here’s the mystery, go deduct! Or you’re guests at a banquet with a scandal going, here’s what you know at this course, go gossip!)

#7

I’d also be interested to jump in on Team Overall Logistics. This isn’t the first time Ryan’s suggested an idea like this but I think that unlike the last time he did, we could actually pull it off.

#8

I guess it’s the same idea, but it’s evolved somewhat in my mind.

For example, I think we should just brand it as “larp”, not try to find different names to appeal more. Part of the idea is to advocate larp and educate people about what it is and how it can be good, but if we call it something different we’ll sink that. For the same reason, I think that tying very directly to the society may be a good idea, so that people get a good impression of the society from the games we run for them.

Also, I think there are a lot of legs on the kid’s party version, I dunno if I emphasised that before. Looking at the kid’s Skirmish games, and at the many kids parties I’ve been to and heard about (especially ones that have entertainers or go to the Fairy Shop and so on), there’s a definite niche to be filled there. And I’ve got at least one idea about how it could be done, at a typical back-yard birthday, with just three or four larpers (playing a series of roles) and making use of the parents to “fill in” the setting.

Before I was thinking a lot about corporate events. Now I think that’s something we could leave open as an option, but don’t need to emphasise.

As usual, I’m stronger on thinking-about-this than getting-off-my-arse-and-making-it-happen, but if people like it and help get it rolling I’ll definitely be in to help too.

#9

I see a lot of merit in the kids party too. The event I went to at Longbush had an adventure with kids, featuring treasure maps and goblins (puppets) for kids and it was very well received by the kids. They seemed to respond to something more structured than your usual fairy visit or what have you.

And here I was thinking of moving well away from the dirty LARP word but I think maybe you’re right; call it what it is.

The overall message I’m thinking we sell to potential customers is: we will help you every step of the way. We’ll give them what they need to feel comfortable/confident in the experience so they can relax and enjoy it.

When I went to “Death by Chocolate” in Wellington I saw just how into it “normal” people would get if given a clear set of tasks/guidelines + permission to just go for it. It was pretty cool.

#10

Re: Ryan’s note about clear association with NZLARPS … I think that’s an excellent idea, as knowing that the group of “larping weirdos” turning up with foam swords etc… etc… are backed by the NZ LARPing Society, gives things an air of formality, organisation, and (dare I say it) legitimacy, and might help parents feel more comfortable about booking this service.

#11

That being said, would Diatribe then become something of an extension of the “brand” and would our cheery banter ever put off a potential customer/parent?

#12

Diatribe is relatively independent of NZLARPS, brand-wise. Which is a good thing, because it’s for all larpers (not just society members).

In terms of an initial offering, I’m thinking something like:

For kids:
[ul][li]Knight School[/li]
[li]A Narnia adventure[/li]
[li]A Harry Potter adventure[/li][/ul]
For adults:
[ul][li]Battle Games[/li]
[li]A Dead Man’s Chest[/li]
[li]perhaps another Freeform Games scenario, like Curse of the Pharaoh?[/li][/ul]
I can picture how all of these could be run in a backyard. All of them except the kid’s adventures could be run with just one GM. The kid’s adventures are the only bits that need some writing, and that’s something I’d be glad to work on. Having just watched and loved Voyage of the Dawn Treader (preferred it to the last two), I’m having a bit of a Narnia fixation and re-reading the books at the moment. In terms of Harry Potter, I’m picturing a scenario where something magical is happening in their backyard, and a bunch of wizards and magic folk turn up to try to deal with it, and these wizards need the kid’s help (perhaps because they’re also dealing with stuff happening elsewhere at the same time). The kids play themselves, but could “learn” magic to use during the scenario.

While the kids’ adventures would need more NPCs, I think they’d also be shorter. An hour of play time is probably enough, otherwise you may lose their attention. Shorter time = smaller payment per NPC, keeping it affordable for a kids’ party.

I think several of these games would require (or at least benefit from) some nice swords/shields/etc because that gear is great fun to play with and the looks impress young and old. (No, I’m not just trying to sell more stuff). The most gear would be required for Knight School and Battle Games, because those would be all about the fighting.

#13

Actually, a thought occurs to me as I’m sewing…

Corporate "team building’ with a twist. I’m thinking pirates would lend itself here. Imagine being hauled to a team building seminar that starts out dry and horrible, and then you’re suddenly beset by well-armed pirates.

As a potential customer base, corporations pay $$ for team building stuff, and managers are always looking for unique experiences.

#14

Meaning of Life, no? We come in through the windows with ceiling-fan swords.

#15

I just snorted my drink. That would be amazing.

#16

That would be very amusing. I’d totally be in for that.

#17

The more clients you have, the more money you make, yes? The more people you can appeal to, the more people you can get into larping, yes? With these things in mind, I think providing a variety of games is a very good idea; everything from murder-mystery, to structured NPC-led RP, to battle games, to kids games, to corperate ‘team building’, to some full on larp. Every level of immersion for all ages, at a price but with most of the resources provided. I think it would go down a hit with most people, especially considering how keen New Zelanders are to don costumes and pretend to be other people (any public event, so it seems), just so long as we tell the shy ones that it’s perfectly alright to let go and act as someone they’re not :wink:

#18

I often considered running kids larps… after seeing Mike’s ones run so well but have never quite got there (full time work + married + baby + family life = little larp time). I haven’t really considered them as a commercial model though. If we got the right branding and marketing I think it could work well. But it would require people with some disposable time (so not me).

Alf’s Imperial Army have run a couple of battle events in Hamilton recently and incorporated a weapon and shield building exercise prior to the main event, which I think were free or coin donation. They seemed to have some success. They were advertised in the local papers and maybe in the Waikato times.
This is not a far cry from a larp type event and while these had no real income, they could be expanded on. Local papers often look at community groups such as larpers for interest stories, which is essentially free advertising.

Also theres an annual renaissance type faire thing run at one of the Hamilton primary schools, potentially nzlarps could approach groups like these to run Knight School type events within the larger event.

You could potentially use events like these as advertising, handing out flyers and business cards with something like:
NZlarps - Rent a larp - Birthdays, team building, events.

Plus if you had some really talented facepainter to paint up the little orks, cat folk, elementals, fairies then they could generate revenue as well…

#19

I’ve just been looking at fairy party websites. My eyes are bleeding from all the pink. But anyhow, I was in the ballpark in terms of price. Backyard fairy parties go from around $200 up.

Who’d like to help come up with a rent-a-larp offering that can be presented to NZLARPS as a project candidate? Basically this would involve coming up with the services to offer, budgeting them, figuring out what resources are needed, and putting together a web page and any other other materials to market it. We can do it in a private forum that all the committee members can see. If you’d be interested in helping organise, run, make stuff, etc, then reply and we can add everyone in.

EDIT: have added Anna and Jackie seeing you’ve expressed an interest in wrangling it.

#20

I’ve run a lot of Kids Skirmish games. It’s actually quite a complicated project, not least because kids of different ages have different developmental levels and required differing challenges. Plus they need at least one tea break. We typically run Kids Skirmish from 9am till noon. We break the game up into 2 halves, and the kids into 2 teams (7-9, 10+).

We have 4 Major Characters, and each group visits each Major Character (so each MC gets used twice). In between are “interference” type encounters where the groups are attack by minions of the Big Boss. The rules are kept simple, and the classes are Mage, Fighter, Healer, Rogue and this seems enough to cater for all play types. At the end of the game, they come together to defeat the Big Boss.

The parents generally don’t want to participate, they just want to watch. They want entertainment, not participation. Sucks, but that’s how they typically roll. And they’ll follow the groups around, but it doesn’t break immersion because kids have +50 immersion skills.

Tips:

  • You’re going to need a reasonable crew for kids larps.
  • You will need a tea break, but you might be able to get the parents to pack some snacks to share
  • You will need a venue where the two groups can operate without continually colliding with each other. Western Springs quarry is perfect for this.
  • You need good communications between crew

Personally, I think we need to charge in the $300+ range, considering what we are providing.