Tips for new players at weekend games

Community Larp discussion
#1

What tips would you give people who are totally new to larp, who are starting by attending a weekend game? Assume that they’ll be creating their own character (or crewing), it’s an ongoing campaign, likely to be at a scout camp, etc. - all the usual stuff that comes with weekend games in NZ.

This is in the same spirit as previous threads about defining larp for people who’ve never heard of it and things that make people nervous of trying larp in that your suggestions might be used in a guide for potential new larpers. Those previous threads were really helpful for writing whatislarp.co.nz

#2

Drink lots of water, bring some snacks with you, and remember to get some sleep. :slight_smile:

From a roleplaying point of view, remember that it’s OK to take some risks - you can make a stand about some issue that’s (in-character) unpopular with other people, and let that drive your interactions with people. Trying hard to get something you want can make for really engaging storylines, whether you win or lose it’s still interesting.

From a safety point of view, remember that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. If something is making you uncomfortable, it’s OK to say so right away so that the situation can be changed (that’s both physical and emotional safety, since these things can get pretty intense sometimes.)

#3

Buy caffeinated drinks (if you’re keen on such things) and keep them in your room. Take one on the Saturday morning, and one on the Sunday morning, and at any point during the game when you feel like you could use the energy. Except, of course, a few hours before you intend to get some sleep. I’ve found caffeinated drinks keep me alive over an entire weekend of epic roleplay, but I’m not sure if it works for anyone else.

Keep your room locked (if you can) when nobody is in it. Every so often an opportunist with a lack of respect for other people’s property will make their way through the camp (if you’re using a camp) or other such venue and take advantage of any unlocked, unoccupied rooms. If your room doesn’t lock, the GM’s will most likely have a room in which you can stash your valuables (such as your wallet) if you don’t have a car to put such things in. Use this room to stash your OOC valuables to make sure they don’t get stolen.

Plan any transport to and from the venue well in advance. This will save you money on airfares if you’re traveling by plane, as well as making it easier to get to the venue when the day comes to do so as you’ll have had time to prepare for the trip.

Lure as many of your friends to come along as possible. Having people there that you know will make your time at the game a lot more enjoyable. Having said that; make sure you branch out from your group and talk to as many people at the game as you can get away with while still acting in-character. You’ll most likely find that a great many of them will be fun to roleplay with.

Your character background is a reflection on the sort of events that you want the GM’s to throw at you. Leave heaps of unresolved events in your character’s past to ensure that such things come back to get you during the course of the campaign. If you like surprises, leave unsolved mysteries in your character’s past, e.g. “I walked in on my brother’s murderer as they did the wicked deed, but I did not catch their face in the darkness. They fled through the window, and all I saw of them was a wide brimmed black hat and a red cloak.” Such a line makes your brother’s murderer an unknown person, but the wide brimmed hat and red cloak make them identifiable, should the GM’s choose to bring this mysterious murderer back into your character’s life during the course of the roleplay.

If you can, write shared background events with other roleplayers. This will give you reasons to interact with those people when you go to the game.

Make sure you involve your character in historical events and factions from the setting of the LARP. This way your character will have reasons to react to events in-game that involve the factions and historical events that you wrote them into.

The most important thing you can give your character to ensure that you have a reason to get involved in things going on around you is a reason for your character to want to be in the LARP’s setting. Why are they here? How did they get here? Why do they want to stay? What do they want to do while they’re here? These sorts of questions will give your character a firm grounding and rationale for making themselves a part of what is going on around them. Badass loners might sound cool as a concept, but being lonely during a campaign LARP session is no fun at all.

That’s all that comes to mind right now, I hope it helps.

#4

Sturdy supportive comfortable footwear. You will be on your feet a lot. You will walk a lot. You will run a fair amount. And the terrain maybe variable from bush to mud. Having good footwear is important, and this may need to be at the cost of style. Sturdy plain brown or black shoes are a good place to start gor almost any genre.

#5

Shared Backgrounds with plot points are a big plus. It gets you more involved.

Take extra time to give key characters names - unless the idea is you don’t know them. I found in my first Teonn game that lack of these finer details made a meeting quite awkward when I didn’t have a name for a character in my past. Also re-read your submission before the game, either the afternoon before, or just before briefing, so you can remember all your cool skills and various background people etc. Since NPC’s are probably briefed off your submission, remembering the details will be paramount when a random person starts talking to you like an old buddy / someone you knew, ex lover etc.

Preperation for props. Weapons, phys rep items etc certainly helps. Get your kit together & get dressed before the actual game. This makes sure you can carry every practically carried item, can you easily draw a weapon, or will you need to carry it around? Do you have room on your belt for your drink. Did you pack your first aid bandages or potions or pick locks etc etc. DO you have a spell book, rope, cutlery & plates etc?

I’ve made a simple text document that lists everything I can use on my Teonn character, so I know what to pack. It includes the list of skills that I can use, my HP and AC - so I remember the things I can do during the game.

#6

  1. Have IC connections with other players. Knowing at least one other person IC, even distantly (a cousin you’ve never met) will help you jump in character and feel less lonely or overhwlemed.

  2. Have solid reason for being in the area the game is set. You’ll have a better time intigrating yourself to the setting if your character has a genuine reason for being there - preferably one that affords a long-term reason for staying.

  3. Bring changes of clothes - especially socks! You don’t need 5 fancy dresses (unless you’re Alyssa de Beauvais, ahem) but you should have extra basic items that can be swapped out in case you get muddy, wet, rained on.

  4. If it’s winter, bring a hot water bottle to snuggle up with - it can be a lifesaver on a cold night!

  5. Earplugs. Seriously. You won’t get as much sleep as you usually do, so make those hours count by blocking out snoring, coughing, or the tuis who cheerfully remind you you’ve gone to bed one hour before sun-up.

  6. You won’t be able to be a part of all of the plot, all of the time. If you try, you run the risk of doing things that your character actually wouldn’t do and can end up feeling rushed off your feet.

  7. Know that there’s as much (if not more) fun to be had in the small, intense, intimate scenes as the big battles. Player generated/personal plot and in-character interactions are rich and intensely rewarding and are often where you feel the most “in character”.

  8. Give other people their time in the spotlight and make them look good. This can be as simple as asking someone to tell you where they’ve come from - allowing them to spill their backstory that they’ve worked so hard to create. It’s a way to find connections with other PCs, hear some great stories and enrich the game.

  9. Help out OOCly. There’s often a need for people to help load/unload gear, assist in the kitchen and clean up after the game. Make sure you do your fair share of the work - especially after the game when everyone’s tired and ready for a rest.

  10. Tale care of yourself and others - if you’re confused, anxious or not having fun ask a GM or fellow player for advice. Likewise, if you notice someone who seems upset or unhappy make sure they’re OK.

  11. Get involved with the community before the game. If the game has a forum or website where you can talk to other players, sign up, introduce yourself and check out any available resources that are there for you.

#7

I wholeheartedly endorse the point about earplugs, as someone who both uses them and at times has been one of the ones unintentionally making too much noise…

The only thing I can really think of that might not be mentioned is that anyone crewing should expect that they will not know about everything that is going on in the game, especially at a larger game. Obviously as a crew member you’re unlikely to know about inter-player plots going on that never involve crew, but in my experience I frequently don’t know about a lot the player-crew interactions that go on while I’m at the game (and instead hear of some of them afterwards at some point).

Oh, and no matter who you are, write a list of everything you’ll need to bring with you to check off against as you pack. Preferably start writing it some days before the game, to give you time to remember things you might have forgotten initially. This goes for both players and crew, with the major difference being what clothing/costuming they’re expected to bring. I do this every game, and its probably the only way that I ensure I don’t forget something important but not necessarily at the forefront of my mind, e.g. a towel, blanket or pillow.

#8

Don’t let people tell you that losing a character is a bad thing. Embrace death and always bring a spare costume.

#9

My tip would be to not do that. Like as not you’ll just get your head bitten off for trying to help, so it’s just not worth the trouble.

#10

My tip would be to not do that. Like as not you’ll just get your head bitten off for trying to help, so it’s just not worth the trouble.[/quote]
Are you kidding me? I once left a campaign never to return because nobody noticed that I was upset.

#11

During play, the trick is knowing whether someone is actually upset, or just playing their character as upset. Which is something a new player may not be well placed to determine unless the other person makes it clear.

#12

And if you’re unsure whether somebody is upset in or out of character, asking is generally a good idea.

#13

Oh, well if it’s IN character then you can get some awesome roleplaying out of it. Definitely always go for that.

#14

At my first weekend game ever, which was in the Mordavia campaign, I got into a big fight with someone IC and stomped off to sulk over lunch. I was sitting in the inn, glumly eating lunch, and one of the GMs sat down nearby as an NPC started a conversation, including asking me if I was all right. I replied in character saying I’d just had a big fight with someone, and he very kindly reassured me that it was all in character and nobody was really mad at me and not worry. I wasn’t the least bit upset out of character but it was really really reassuring that complete strangers were taking an interest in my well being and my enjoyment of the game when I was just one of a dozen random teenage newbies.

I’d rather have my head bitten off than to hear later that they really needed somebody and nobody helped them.

#15

[quote=“Anna K”]At my first weekend game ever, which was in the Mordavia campaign, I got into a big fight with someone IC and stomped off to sulk over lunch. I was sitting in the inn, glumly eating lunch, and one of the GMs sat down nearby as an NPC started a conversation, including asking me if I was all right. I replied in character saying I’d just had a big fight with someone, and he very kindly reassured me that it was all in character and nobody was really mad at me and not worry. I wasn’t the least bit upset out of character but it was really really reassuring that complete strangers were taking an interest in my well being and my enjoyment of the game when I was just one of a dozen random teenage newbies.

I’d rather have my head bitten off than to hear later that they really needed somebody and nobody helped them.[/quote]
Are you now dating that NPC? :smiley: Honnest question :stuck_out_tongue:

#16

Yes :stuck_out_tongue: But he was a complete stranger at the time, and it was some eighteen months before he decided he fancied me. And it’s not argument against asking newbies how they’re going. It could be the start of something magical :laughing:

#17

Yes :stuck_out_tongue: But he was a complete stranger at the time, and it was some eighteen months before he decided he fancied me. And it’s not argument against asking newbies how they’re going. It could be the start of something magical :laughing:[/quote]

I would say it supports the argument of asking newbies how they’re going :slight_smile: