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Prodigal
 
Group: Eos Staff
Last Login: Today @ 7:30 PM
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| Hi all, As I've said elsewhere, there are a couple of us Brum-based types looking to run an event or three next year, and hopefully beyond. Now, the way I work best is with lists of things to do. So, I thought I'd try to put one together and then leave it open for you guys to add/suggest alterations to, and let other people read it. Thus, without further ado, here's my list (in no particular order). Anything I've missed? * Design a system
* Playtest it
* Write setting information for players
* Write arc plot
* Write lots of event plot
* Book site (ensuring exclusive access -- no Scouts!)
* Sort insurance
* Publicise well in advance and tell people what it is you'll be running
* Decide how many players you want and how many crew you'll need
* Sort a website and make it sexy
* Sort company registration (to minimise personal liability)
* Sort bank account
* Source kit for the event
* Source crew and players
* Get a first-aider
* Ask for deposits
* Get advance bookings to ensure break-even
* Aim to run at a profit
* Set a go/no go date
* Locate nearest hospital with an A&E department
* Bin bags, loo roll, washing up liquid, gaffa tape, tea/coffee, kettle and tea towels
* Catering or not?
* Make sure you have a driver sober at all times
* Risk-assess the event and get players to sign disclaimers
* Sort some good accounting procedures
* Sort out means of storing kit etc. Cheers,
Joe
---
Joe Rooney, the Enemy Of Fun
Insurrection LRP: high fantasy in a dystopian setting. First event: 24-26 October 2008, in Leicestershire. Book online!
Bladelands: Raoul Ortez - heretic, medium, bodyguard and scumbag
EOS: staff (probably the best job in LRP!)
Joe R's LARPCard
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Champion
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Friday, October 10, 2008 1:45 PM
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| VET the crew and players. Some people will apply who are unsuitable to crew, some will book unsuitable to play, and of course there are those that will always be unsuitable for either (you know who you are...). Seriously good crew and players will make or break your event. Matty J ----
If I wanted to listen to an arsehole, I'd fart!
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Champion
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You don't necessarily need to write a new system of rules and game mechanics.
Several of the existing ones can be used freely by anyone.
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Heroic Knight
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raggedhalo (6/22/2007)
* Get a first-aider
No, no, no. Not "a", "several".
PD: Dr. Jon Flynn
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Wag
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Get a vision-thing. Work out what is broken about every other crap LRP game you ever went to and put together a concept that is better than anything that went before. A good game needs a vision of what it's about, what's the style. Nothing worse than going to a game where the organizers haven't got a clue what it is they actually want to run.
Once you've got that, everything else just falls into place.
History is an important source for LRP. Along with other works of fiction.
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I do talk a good fight
Group: System Moderators
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String, liquid soap, another two rolls of gaffa tape (assume that at least one will be stolen by players, and another one lost), decent kitchen knives if you want to do any cooking (most scout type sites, YHAs, etc., have the shoddiest, bluntest, cheapest, nastiest kitchen knives), salt, pepper, tomato ketchup (the kitchen will either have no condiments at all, or else you won't be able to get anything else in the fridge because it will be brim-full of out-of-date ketchup bottles that other groups brought because they assumed there would be no ketchup, and then abandoned),
Ask other event organizers if you can borrow their kit. Many will be more than happy to loan you stuff.
Designate several people as "Responsible Persons" to deal with First Aid incidents in case your First Aider isn't present.
On the risk assessment front, get someone who's carried out risk assessments with work, and who is also an LRPer, to do yours, if possible.
(I don't use the word "disclaimer" because it's misleading; it's just not really the right word; I get players to sign our "Health & Safety Briefing" to say that they've read & understood it, and the H&S Briefing basically gives our full safety rules & guidelines as well as making them aware of any risks the risk assessmemnt threw up.)
The limited company thing is optional -- it's a toss-up between the costs associated with that (maybe £150 start-up cost + £200 - £400 pa accountancy fees unless you have a very tame accountant) and the costs involved if Matt P is wrong about "Nobody sues in LRP".
http://www.hyboriantales.com
PD: Ghostdance ("The most irritating curse I've ever encountered" -- NPC played by H.)
Riftworld: Rossar Kuug ("Clearly mad, because he thinks he's a Com-Trow Skirmisher" - Aela)
Hyborian Tales: Crew, cook, dogsbody, general labourer, toilet cleaner ("Dangerously overoptimistic ref" -- Tom Nowell)
Otherwise usually crew ("Quite spry & fit, & willing to wear a big costume & run around a lot" -- various event organisers)
"My other oversized foam weapon is THE LORD" -- Questionable Content
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Heroic Knight
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I have to agree with Matt there, Vision Statements are wonderful things. Be clear about the type and style of game you want to run and publish it as part of your rules. That way you get players who want to play that type of game.
*warning personal opinions expressed below*
Don't dilute your ideas. Have a clear stratagy and a coherant plan of how you want your game to play and don't allow yourself to be swayed by the myriad of voices yelling "but wouldn't it be cool if...."
Learn how to say "NO!" and mean it.
Get an insurance quote before you start phoning around sites... many but not all sites require insurance and its useful to know what your talking about and how much it'll be before you start ringing around so you can budget more effectivly...
Budget budget budget... estimate your costs as comprehensivly as you can when planning an event and then add about 30% for unexpected costs to give you your working budget.
Have an idea about how many players your want and how much you want to charge then assume only 2 thirds turn up... this should tie up to your working budget/break even point. If more turn up then treat it as a bonus and cary over the excess funds for the next event.
Don't expect to break even till at least event four (says the guy who still hasn't broken even after 16 events)
Get First Aid trained yourself then designate someone else to cover your first aid. That way there will always be a first aider on site (you) and you'll have a better understanding of what your primary firts aider is talking about.
Don't buy a cheap first aid kit from boots and think that'll be sufficient. Pack your own thats appropriate to the game, mine includes many odd items based on experiance such as a mobile phone and map of the area, snips for cutting barbed wire etc, a knife for cutting rope, leather or undergrowth, blue cylumes (glowsticks) for tagging areas and working at night, water cos your never have any when you need it and a good supply of ambipads and first fields and various types of tape etc...
Put your primary first aid kit in a back pack to be carried by the player ref, that way its always handy and everyone should know where it is.
____________________________________________________________
Idiots can be so much fun, thats why every village wants one....
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Champion
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| this maybe i guess slightly OT, just got 2 comments on Ians replay Ian Sturrock (6/27/2007)
The limited company thing is optional -- it's a toss-up between the costs associated with that (maybe £150 start-up cost + £200 - £400 pa accountancy fees unless you have a very tame accountant) and the costs involved if Matt P is wrong about "Nobody sues in LRP".
first off why become a limited company? if its to get limited liablility in cases of being sued etc then you may be slightly dissapointed, it dosnt work if the person can prove somone in a position of senior responsibility had knowlege or should have had knowlege of the situation. e.g the ref says go climb that tree and somone dose and injures themselves. The second is really a question on the accounting, do many clubs find this a big burden/challenge/cost etc? being limited or not for a small organisation the accounts dont have to be that complicated or indepth for tax or companies house.
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Eos: Sornasian: Gregory Patell; Burning Salamander; Fingers  Club Secretary Heroes and Heroines
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