I've found a really good blogger who does the Run A Game blog. The person has only been doing it for a year but they've got some good articles up already. The below are my top picks:
Variant Combat Resolutions That Don't Rely On Murder
This contains a good list of ideas including how one might utilise them - from how it might begin to what sort of challenges might be part of it.
Golden Rule Chicken
The article talks about those situations when players try to get their hands on an incredibly potent power to bypass most plots you could throw at them, forcing you to either nullify that power (which won't be fun for them) or run a non-game where they simply state "I unleash Power X."
God Machine Chronicle System Review
An interesting and in-depth look at the new World of Darkness system. Also known as World of Darkness 2.5. This has been really helpful for me as I have put myself forward to run a God Machine based LARP.
Social Arsonists
Basically the idea behind LARP Storytellers trying to sow discontent between the various characters to cause them to start having a go at each other. After all, the worse thing that can happen with those big multitude of player LARPs is if peace breaks out. There's generally only so much straight up entertaining a Storytelling team can do for 20+ players.
Contingency Envelopes
I considered doing this myself but then worried that it might be too clunky. Apparently it's not. Basically you give players little envelopes with information inside and a label on it saying: "Open if X happens" or "Open at X o'clock." The main issue I have with it is where the players are going to keep them. If they're wearing dresses or skirts or even some women's pants, they're not going to have pockets. Other than that, I really like the idea.
Elysium Style LARP Advice
Really good advice on running a social / political LARP. I think the best advice comes from the warning about introducing too much external plot. External enemies have a habit of driving the different factions together and once peace breaks out the game generally dies. After all, there's only so much investigative action that can happen in an Elysium style LARP, which is generally designed for larger groups of players.
Adventure Style LARP advice
This one gives advice on how to run adventure LARPs where the external plot is the focus of the game, such as is typical in a Call of Cthulhu LARP adventure.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Considering a LARP of my own
A few years ago I ran a pretty successful low-key LARP involving about fifteen pals and acquaintances in a free city venue under the banner of the Adelaide University Roleplaying Something or Other. It was a lot of fun but since it was a pretty closed group the membership dwindled away over two years until I had five regular players whose characters didn't get along.
Now I've gotten the itch again
So naturally, I start thinking back to how much fun my previous vampire LARP was. I mean, sure, you always get some kooky players with some kooky character concepts, but so long as the majority work out then it's fine. If the characters don't get along due to innate differences ... great! They can perpetuate their own stories.
Plus the end of my last campaign introduced a neat concept involving manifestations out of the shadows themselves that was inspired by Alan Wake (though most assuredly different from it too). Why not take that same Adelaide court, leap it thirty years in the future, get some new players and characters to populate the ruins of the old court and go from there?
Of course, everything seems a bit more complicated now.
I can no longer simply register is as part of the university gaming club, which means either seeking out Public Liability insurance and Incorporation *or* paying the higher venue costs and risking greater personal liability. These two elements create a barrier of several hundred dollars.
Since the majority of gamers are either broke or cheap and enough players aren't exactly kicking down the door to pay an up front membership fee of $25 plus session fee for an untested game that doesn't exist yet, it puts me in a bit of a bind. I decided to create a three part semi-standalone series of historical sessions to try to raise money but on further examination found that I'm likely to raise only a little more cash than the cost of the events.
The last time I ran a Troupe Vampire LARP, there were plenty of people looking for a different kind of experience to that presented by the Camarilla (less political, more of a gilded cage, less paperwork - which is an essential part of a global game). However most of those players got what they sought from my campaign and scratched that itch *or* they found my game style wasn't for them and left. This means that I don't have a ready cast of players.
While the rules aren't so much an issue, trying to balance the characters which have been submitted with an eye to creating a fun and coherent game is tricky. It's not that *I* particularly care about a custom ability or a potent combat wombat, it's more what it could do to the game. If one person sinks loads of dots into combat, then anyone who has a mere 3 & 3 (rather than 5 & 4) can end up feeling (or worse, being treated) like a joke. Custom mechanics can also affect the themes of the game in a way that the other players might not like, especially if it unfairly makes one character seem way more special than any other from the get go.
Trying to explain how someone's funky concept or highly focused stat lines could actually shatter immersion and ruin the game for other players is ... well, suffice it to say, it's often kinder to just spout some banal line about "It not being a good fit," and making it sound like I'm being a precious ST trying to protect my own artistic credibility.
So yeah, a lot of complications here. I'll have a chat on the upcoming weeks about the work I've put into it thus far. A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Start Up LARP Organiser.
Now I've gotten the itch again
So naturally, I start thinking back to how much fun my previous vampire LARP was. I mean, sure, you always get some kooky players with some kooky character concepts, but so long as the majority work out then it's fine. If the characters don't get along due to innate differences ... great! They can perpetuate their own stories.
Plus the end of my last campaign introduced a neat concept involving manifestations out of the shadows themselves that was inspired by Alan Wake (though most assuredly different from it too). Why not take that same Adelaide court, leap it thirty years in the future, get some new players and characters to populate the ruins of the old court and go from there?
Of course, everything seems a bit more complicated now.
I can no longer simply register is as part of the university gaming club, which means either seeking out Public Liability insurance and Incorporation *or* paying the higher venue costs and risking greater personal liability. These two elements create a barrier of several hundred dollars.
Since the majority of gamers are either broke or cheap and enough players aren't exactly kicking down the door to pay an up front membership fee of $25 plus session fee for an untested game that doesn't exist yet, it puts me in a bit of a bind. I decided to create a three part semi-standalone series of historical sessions to try to raise money but on further examination found that I'm likely to raise only a little more cash than the cost of the events.
The last time I ran a Troupe Vampire LARP, there were plenty of people looking for a different kind of experience to that presented by the Camarilla (less political, more of a gilded cage, less paperwork - which is an essential part of a global game). However most of those players got what they sought from my campaign and scratched that itch *or* they found my game style wasn't for them and left. This means that I don't have a ready cast of players.
While the rules aren't so much an issue, trying to balance the characters which have been submitted with an eye to creating a fun and coherent game is tricky. It's not that *I* particularly care about a custom ability or a potent combat wombat, it's more what it could do to the game. If one person sinks loads of dots into combat, then anyone who has a mere 3 & 3 (rather than 5 & 4) can end up feeling (or worse, being treated) like a joke. Custom mechanics can also affect the themes of the game in a way that the other players might not like, especially if it unfairly makes one character seem way more special than any other from the get go.
Trying to explain how someone's funky concept or highly focused stat lines could actually shatter immersion and ruin the game for other players is ... well, suffice it to say, it's often kinder to just spout some banal line about "It not being a good fit," and making it sound like I'm being a precious ST trying to protect my own artistic credibility.
So yeah, a lot of complications here. I'll have a chat on the upcoming weeks about the work I've put into it thus far. A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Start Up LARP Organiser.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Musings on Masks: Episode 06
EASTER EGGS: Jackson Elias' upcoming mission in South America ties him into the God of Mitnal adventure which will come up in early to mid-1939 for James. You can find the God of Mitnal adventure included in the Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion.
Mickey Mahoney from the Scoop has been fully established and I think my player will get a real kick from the reintroduction when he returns to London later on.
I'm pretty sure he just sees all these guys as colourful characters and doesn't realise that they're actually core to Masks. There he is, figuring this is all unrelated prologue to the campaign and thus doesn't read too much into them which is a fantastic place to be.
When Jackson Elias finally dies, he will be really shocked.
PS: Sorry about the delays with this post. It's all sorted now.
NOTE: Since there's no numbers prior to Sedated, it has been lifted after Episode 06. Since reuploading takes so long and it's already 10PM, I have labelled this tomorrow's problem. If you're after tonight's session, it's 06Funeral. If you want the previous episode, it is sedated.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Horror on the Home Front Q & A
So I've been talking a lot about my particular creation and I thought it might be time to ask you guys if there's anything you're interested in knowing about. Feel free to drop me a question in the comments box and I'll answer. If it turns out to be a little more complicated than a Comments Box reply would warrant, I'll make it the focus on another Monday segment.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Arrival: Meet The Other Side
So the entire room is silent for a long moment. The woman in charge has just been kidnapped as part of a coup by her eldest son who had just recently been pronounced heir. Her husband is unconscious and badly injured. The eldest son had then been attacked by his own troops and kidnapped as well. No one knew what to do ... or say. Tara looked absolutely lost. She'd been closest to Daniel and obviously had no idea what would come to pass. Michelle looked astonished. Cameron had absolutely no idea what to do.
So Dante (Nico in boy form) tells Cameron that he is in charge now and that he should get everyone to arm up and be ready.
Dante then notices a faceless man with grey skin come out of a nearby door and go over to where that strange door had been opened which remained open for a short while after they left. The Faceless Man crouched down and picked at some of the sand on the floor.
Dante ordered some of the locals to apprehend the Faceless Man, bringing him to their table, forcing him to sit while others went and grabbed the handcuffs to bind him in place. Dante interrogated him, expecting answers, but the Faceless Man insisted he lacked authority to reveal anything. All he revealed was that he had been sent by a monarch to track a group of Loyalists who had been hidden for a time but who had revealed themselves by stepping into that other world. The Monarchs had some vested interest in keeping this community safe and would likely soon send an emissary to speak to the settlement. When Dante inquired if this was the realm of thorns (recall the cupboard that led into such a place, the only other world he's entered), the Faceless Man seemed quite shocked. He slipped the cuffs, ducked the settlers, and disappeared through another doorway.
Now knowing these creatures could enter or leave by any doorway, Dante ordered Cameron to get the settlers onto the roof with their weapons so that they could at least see the enemy coming. Dante sent Johnny and Ruby (Rochelle) to fetch Jack and the weapons so that they could be properly armed themselves. They then retreated to the rooftops with some food and drink and set Ruby up with the sniper rifle from the highest point.
It was a boring couple of hours so Dante decided to head down with Jack and Johnny to try to lure out the bad guys. And to loot Mother's bedroom for information on those big rubies.
On the way to Mother's bedroom, they were intercepted by the Faceless Man and a woman wearing gleaming golden armor and beautiful golden blonde hair. The woman introduced herself as a claviger who worked in service to the Spring Monarch. Apparently some Raven Queen had a vision that Nico Chetaine (who the claviger had identified was Dante's true identity) was necessary for the assault on the Loyalists. If Nico didn't go, then a disaster was assured. Nico was invited to speak with the Monarchs.
Dante wasn't having any of that. Some supernatural demonic somethings-or-others wanted her to step through a doorway into some strange thorny place? A ridiculous idea. Besides which, Dante's upbringing had very much instilled the following belief: "If a demon has taken a loved one, accept that they are dead".
The Spring Claviger, shocked, left with the Faceless Man and the group headed into Mother's room. It seemed to be all above board and normal so Dante asked if Johnny could get a ghost to search about the place. Johnny did so, warning it may take a bit of time since the ghost would have to shove its head through every wall.
They found a trapdoor beneath the bed that led to a little cache of books and paperwork. They had just finished bagging it up when Dante noticed a figure dropping down behind him. Whipping around he shout out a foot, slamming it into the crotch of a short figure wearing grey camouflage nina-style garb whose face was covered with a ninja-style face mask.
Dante took a moment to be surprised by the now writhing on the floor ninja, and then placed a shoe on his chest and pointed his carbine at his chest. Dante demanded answers but, rather than give any, the ninja merely reached out to grasp Dante's ankle.
Dante sighed and shot him in the arm (two lethal). No way was he going to allow body contact!
The kid's fresh set of writhing knocked off his face mask and Dante saw a face that was both familiar and yet unknown. Some fresh-faced sixteen-year-old in this place should have been readily identifiable but Dante just couldn't recall who it was.
In that moment of confusion, the kid grabbed Dante's ankle. Panic, confusion and self-doubt swept through Dante (halving all my dice pools). Dante staggered away, too shocked to think, and tried to protect himself by using his shotgun to parry the kid as he reached for Dante again. Jack got in the way in a sudden burst of full werewolf fur and teeth, leading to a series of swipes that knocked the kid to the wall. The kid squirmed away, only to nearly get knocked down. Dante ordered Johnny to do something, and Johnny queried whether he should try to stop the kid or the big raging wolfman. Johnny settled on trying to stop the wolfman, using his Marionette powers to try to control the wolfman's arms, only managing to slow the big man's swings.
The kid made the sensible decision to scarper and leapt a window, turning it into a gateway into the Hedge as he went.
Dante turned away to the mirror and saw Smiling Jack gesturing for him to follow the kid but Dante just shook his head, too flabbergasted to do anything. The portal slowly closed behind the kid and Dante flopped down on the edge of the bed.
So Dante (Nico in boy form) tells Cameron that he is in charge now and that he should get everyone to arm up and be ready.
Dante then notices a faceless man with grey skin come out of a nearby door and go over to where that strange door had been opened which remained open for a short while after they left. The Faceless Man crouched down and picked at some of the sand on the floor.
Dante ordered some of the locals to apprehend the Faceless Man, bringing him to their table, forcing him to sit while others went and grabbed the handcuffs to bind him in place. Dante interrogated him, expecting answers, but the Faceless Man insisted he lacked authority to reveal anything. All he revealed was that he had been sent by a monarch to track a group of Loyalists who had been hidden for a time but who had revealed themselves by stepping into that other world. The Monarchs had some vested interest in keeping this community safe and would likely soon send an emissary to speak to the settlement. When Dante inquired if this was the realm of thorns (recall the cupboard that led into such a place, the only other world he's entered), the Faceless Man seemed quite shocked. He slipped the cuffs, ducked the settlers, and disappeared through another doorway.
Now knowing these creatures could enter or leave by any doorway, Dante ordered Cameron to get the settlers onto the roof with their weapons so that they could at least see the enemy coming. Dante sent Johnny and Ruby (Rochelle) to fetch Jack and the weapons so that they could be properly armed themselves. They then retreated to the rooftops with some food and drink and set Ruby up with the sniper rifle from the highest point.
It was a boring couple of hours so Dante decided to head down with Jack and Johnny to try to lure out the bad guys. And to loot Mother's bedroom for information on those big rubies.
On the way to Mother's bedroom, they were intercepted by the Faceless Man and a woman wearing gleaming golden armor and beautiful golden blonde hair. The woman introduced herself as a claviger who worked in service to the Spring Monarch. Apparently some Raven Queen had a vision that Nico Chetaine (who the claviger had identified was Dante's true identity) was necessary for the assault on the Loyalists. If Nico didn't go, then a disaster was assured. Nico was invited to speak with the Monarchs.
Dante wasn't having any of that. Some supernatural demonic somethings-or-others wanted her to step through a doorway into some strange thorny place? A ridiculous idea. Besides which, Dante's upbringing had very much instilled the following belief: "If a demon has taken a loved one, accept that they are dead".
The Spring Claviger, shocked, left with the Faceless Man and the group headed into Mother's room. It seemed to be all above board and normal so Dante asked if Johnny could get a ghost to search about the place. Johnny did so, warning it may take a bit of time since the ghost would have to shove its head through every wall.
They found a trapdoor beneath the bed that led to a little cache of books and paperwork. They had just finished bagging it up when Dante noticed a figure dropping down behind him. Whipping around he shout out a foot, slamming it into the crotch of a short figure wearing grey camouflage nina-style garb whose face was covered with a ninja-style face mask.
Dante took a moment to be surprised by the now writhing on the floor ninja, and then placed a shoe on his chest and pointed his carbine at his chest. Dante demanded answers but, rather than give any, the ninja merely reached out to grasp Dante's ankle.
Dante sighed and shot him in the arm (two lethal). No way was he going to allow body contact!
The kid's fresh set of writhing knocked off his face mask and Dante saw a face that was both familiar and yet unknown. Some fresh-faced sixteen-year-old in this place should have been readily identifiable but Dante just couldn't recall who it was.
In that moment of confusion, the kid grabbed Dante's ankle. Panic, confusion and self-doubt swept through Dante (halving all my dice pools). Dante staggered away, too shocked to think, and tried to protect himself by using his shotgun to parry the kid as he reached for Dante again. Jack got in the way in a sudden burst of full werewolf fur and teeth, leading to a series of swipes that knocked the kid to the wall. The kid squirmed away, only to nearly get knocked down. Dante ordered Johnny to do something, and Johnny queried whether he should try to stop the kid or the big raging wolfman. Johnny settled on trying to stop the wolfman, using his Marionette powers to try to control the wolfman's arms, only managing to slow the big man's swings.
The kid made the sensible decision to scarper and leapt a window, turning it into a gateway into the Hedge as he went.
Dante turned away to the mirror and saw Smiling Jack gesturing for him to follow the kid but Dante just shook his head, too flabbergasted to do anything. The portal slowly closed behind the kid and Dante flopped down on the edge of the bed.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Hunter & Vampire LARP in Theory
On the way to work today I got to think about why I'm currently planning on running a Vampire game. I mean, my love and adoration is for the occult paradigm, mundane conspiracies and investigative dilemmas so why do I want to run a LARP involving curmudgeonly vampires being all cranky at each other? While the answer to that question probably involves the variety of occultists, the fact that vampires can actually be the source of those occult blow ups, conspiracies and dilemmas I love so well and, well, the fact that they can mostly entertain themselves with socialising, politicking, and ruminating about history while I go off and have a doze (just kidding), where necessary helps as well.
I mean, straight up investigative games are *haaaard*. Especially LARPs. How do you provide enough clues for everyone? How do you make an interesting enough location? If the sessions themselves don't revolve around working a case by hitting the streets, then what could that session be about? Without city positions, inter-covenant rivalries and status climbing to occupy your time in between the real hard yakka sessions, why bother having a LARP at all?
So I was thinking about the framework for the current vampire game I'm planning and realised that with a bit of work it *could* be adapted to Hunter. I'm figuring on having it be a monthly game with the Kindred gathering as a city for various occasions hosted by the PCs where they gather together, connive for positions, build the reputations of their clan and covenant, swap resources, and also share information and request assistance on a variety of personal projects supported through merit purchases (gotta work for your Cruac), downtimes and the forums. There are mysteries that can be solved, wyrm's nests to clear, and hidden stockpiles of information to locate.
For those who don't want to use the forums, or need a face-to-face approach, I'm planning on including a coffee hour pre-court session where folks can come in, shoot the breeze, and book me for ten minute periods per person (multiple time slots could be booked for pairs or groups) to do downtimes or resolve minor RtRs. Finally, there'll be space on the other fortnight of the month for coterie, clan and covenant sessions which allows for either politicking and socialising to ensure tighter covenants, thematically important situations that don't make as much sense in city gatherings (i.e. Circle ceremonies and Ordo Dracul meetings), and, of course, the hard yakka of investigative or violent work. The aforemention Wyrm's Nest clearing, as an example. There would most likely be treated more as tabletops for simplicity's sake.
It would mean that most players spend most of their time in a monthly game but with two coterie spaces (three hour time slots) on the spare fortnight, they'd get something a little extra every five months or so. If there was something really pertinent that needed doing, I might do an additional coterie session to allow for it though I'd make an effort to spread the time around. Any really keen group can always meet up together to politic or work via the forums to get extra stuff done.
So anyway, keeping this LARP model in mind it's certainly possible to do a Hunter: the Vigil game as I could justify why the various hunter groups would create a central group better than I could with Call of Cthulhu (a beautiful game with very high standards and thus workloads for a LARP). Now I won't be doing this anytime soon. I've put far too much work into the vampire game. But it's something I can toss around and maybe try it out in a few years once this Vampire campaign has run its course (my plans include about two years for this LARP with the option of extending it).
I mean, straight up investigative games are *haaaard*. Especially LARPs. How do you provide enough clues for everyone? How do you make an interesting enough location? If the sessions themselves don't revolve around working a case by hitting the streets, then what could that session be about? Without city positions, inter-covenant rivalries and status climbing to occupy your time in between the real hard yakka sessions, why bother having a LARP at all?
So I was thinking about the framework for the current vampire game I'm planning and realised that with a bit of work it *could* be adapted to Hunter. I'm figuring on having it be a monthly game with the Kindred gathering as a city for various occasions hosted by the PCs where they gather together, connive for positions, build the reputations of their clan and covenant, swap resources, and also share information and request assistance on a variety of personal projects supported through merit purchases (gotta work for your Cruac), downtimes and the forums. There are mysteries that can be solved, wyrm's nests to clear, and hidden stockpiles of information to locate.
For those who don't want to use the forums, or need a face-to-face approach, I'm planning on including a coffee hour pre-court session where folks can come in, shoot the breeze, and book me for ten minute periods per person (multiple time slots could be booked for pairs or groups) to do downtimes or resolve minor RtRs. Finally, there'll be space on the other fortnight of the month for coterie, clan and covenant sessions which allows for either politicking and socialising to ensure tighter covenants, thematically important situations that don't make as much sense in city gatherings (i.e. Circle ceremonies and Ordo Dracul meetings), and, of course, the hard yakka of investigative or violent work. The aforemention Wyrm's Nest clearing, as an example. There would most likely be treated more as tabletops for simplicity's sake.
It would mean that most players spend most of their time in a monthly game but with two coterie spaces (three hour time slots) on the spare fortnight, they'd get something a little extra every five months or so. If there was something really pertinent that needed doing, I might do an additional coterie session to allow for it though I'd make an effort to spread the time around. Any really keen group can always meet up together to politic or work via the forums to get extra stuff done.
So anyway, keeping this LARP model in mind it's certainly possible to do a Hunter: the Vigil game as I could justify why the various hunter groups would create a central group better than I could with Call of Cthulhu (a beautiful game with very high standards and thus workloads for a LARP). Now I won't be doing this anytime soon. I've put far too much work into the vampire game. But it's something I can toss around and maybe try it out in a few years once this Vampire campaign has run its course (my plans include about two years for this LARP with the option of extending it).
Thursday, January 2, 2014
New New Years Resolution
Okay, other than "Include more pictures on this blog", I should also make a resolution to "Follow through on my post promises." Normally I'm pretty good but now that the sound has failed on my laptop, I haven't been so good with uploading my next Masks file. I'm going to make sure they're all prettied up and ready to go to make it easier in future. In other news, I'm preparing to launch a Vampire: the Requiem LARP with an aim to go for two years. I'll start doing some posts on that topic on Wednesdays and alternate it with Game Translations while I have fresh games to do. Finally, is there any other topic people might be interested in me covering?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)