To many games?

Community Larp discussion
#1

I was dragging out some of the various toys I have accumulated over the years doing SCA and medieval stuff for some guests to have a look at. I’ve accumulated quite a few cool things over the years and if I ever have the need to portray any kind of medieval persona I can usually do this reasonably well without having to build myself a new costume.

It has taken a long time to get all this kit together and I can’t help but think that the reason I have so many cool things is because I stuck to pretty much a single genre. I started rough and replaced things as time went on.

I’m looking at the number of genres that are happening in the current games and I’m wondering if people aren’t getting spread a bit thin.

I don’t want to be a wet blanket - I’m just wondering if other people have had the same thoughts.

#2

I think there’s some value in consistency, it means you really focus.

But I wouldn’t want to feel tied down to only a few genres or looks.

The advantage of modern and near-future settings is that you don’t need a lot of resources. Modern clothes can be used for a lot of things. Fairly adaptable to settings like Stargate, for example. Or the lost on an island concept. Or any military concept (assuming lots of people have camo and stuff, which it seems they do).

As for pirates, it’s not too hard a stretch from mediecval and the added elements resemble renaissance stuff that might be useful for some just-post-medieval settings like the Warhammer one.

Obviously some visions are extremely specific, like Brian’s gothic romance idea with everyone dressed and made up in white, red and black. But probably quite worth it to achieve such a striking result, and it still allows a lot fo reuse of existing gear.

Are there any particular settings that you think involve too much investment for their results?

#3

One of the considerations the committee will make before funding a game through nzLARPS is how re-usable the stuff that comes out of the game will be. This isn’t limited to gear but gear-making skills, story-telling, the overall experience and what we have to put in the store-room afterwards.

If someone were to propose an underwater larp and want to buy scuba gear, which would be fricken cool, we probably wouldn’t run with it because we can’t support it with any of our existing assets hard or soft.