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Champion
 
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(This is blue sky stuff btw, not a veiled reference to any currently existing system)
So, you get a load of players to come and wander around a big field for a weekend in fantasy LRP kit.
Assume that they know this is probabaly a one-off, so ignore any kind of stats progression.
What "system stuff" do they need to seed interaction (other than one group deciding to beat up another).
I'm thinking of such as;
IC money
Goods which have an at-event IC effect
Goods which have no at-event IC effect
Goods which have no IC effect
Do people need to "win somehow"
Sorry if this is all a bit vague but frankly that is the nature of my query.
Conversely can you manage with NO IC 'items' at all and just instill enough "background related cross reference" to drive some PvP (assuming any large groups get to negotiate a background with the implementing organisers?)
Matt Pennington (4/26/2007)
But I do think LRP is a hobby best enjoyed in a positive state of mind.
If you approach a game with a positive attitude then you're more likely to enjoy yourself there.
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and Minimeister
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| Is it a one off or not? The difference is crucial. DM (6/19/2006)
(This is blue sky stuff btw, not a veiled reference to any currently existing system)
So, you get a load of players to come and wander around a big field for a weekend in fantasy LRP kit.
Assume that they know this is probabaly a one-off, so ignore any kind of stats progression.
What "system stuff" do they need to seed interaction (other than one group deciding to beat up another).
I'm thinking of such as;
IC money
Goods which have an at-event IC effect
Goods which have no at-event IC effect
Goods which have no IC effect
Do people need to "win somehow"
Sorry if this is all a bit vague but frankly that is the nature of my query.
Conversely can you manage with NO IC 'items' at all and just instill enough "background related cross reference" to drive some PvP (assuming any large groups get to negotiate a background with the implementing organisers?)
There is only overconfidence and terror.
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Wag
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Last Login: Thursday, August 21, 2008 11:39 PM
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| System stuff is less important in terms of interaction than character stuff like a good background with lots of conflict inbuilt and therefore a reason for interaction. Nothing gets the interaction going at any scale better than a recent war with unresolved issues or centuries of antipathy between two cultures. Allows the players to decide to either continue the aggression (either diplomatically by refusing co-operation therefore making neutral parties have to work harder to achieve any joint goals or physically by attacking each other) or to try to build bridges for a reconciliation. Both instances are good opportunities for interaction. In terms of system stuff, though, money and goods are useful in terms of measuring 'success'. However, in terms of a one off their impact is lessened considerably as there is no long term gain. Their effect is usually seen in downtime with trade, investments, manufacture and so on all being downtime activities and the uptime activities connected to them are the players making arrangements for these things amongst themselves. In that case, where the players can see a benefit in setting up these downtime activities, they will talk to each other simply to arrange these things. The money/resources etc therefore acts as an excuse - a 'why you are here' - and other interaction can happen as a result. The way your event is written can also be important. There has to be a reason why a bunch of random player characters just happen to all be camped in the same field. Again, an excuse can be a trade fair or festival or war council or something but there may be underlying plot as well. The players are there to trade/attend the festival/complain the king about war taxes or whatever and that in itself leads to interaction. A well written brief (either a general one to all players or a specific one to each player) is a good way to make sure that players are all aware of the issues they need to talk about.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Whispering God is your friend... trust the Whispering God... Ruins of Empire 1st - 3rd Feb, 2008, Gladstone scout centre, Chester
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Heroic Knight
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Might be more compelling if, instead of competing for money (coinage) with an abstract value, players were competing for 'stuff that allows you to do stuff'.
Mana stones are the obvious example (stuff that allows you to do magic). If you make weapons and armour 'breakable' (eg with a 'crush' skill) then these can usefully become a finite resource as well. Other tools (lockpicks spring to mind) might be single-use items. Resources with 'down-time' value are obviously less appealing.
One thing I'd like to see (although logistically difficult) would be a setup where 'territory' - actual parts of the site during time-in - can be won, defended, lost, etc. Rather than the normal state of affairs where you plonk your tents down on friday and they mark an inviolate space for the weekend.
(chris)
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Champion
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What I'm imagining (and currently imagining is all there is) is a yearly fest scale event which takes place in different regions of a specific gameworld.
Thus for most people attending any such event there is no rationale for them to have anything to do with another distant region.
So mostly the groups/characters would be "one-off projects".
A small number may have some continuence capabilty.
Matt Pennington (4/26/2007)
But I do think LRP is a hobby best enjoyed in a positive state of mind.
If you approach a game with a positive attitude then you're more likely to enjoy yourself there.
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Wag
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If it's one-offs, then run an ultra-simple system (no skill progression, no make-X skills, no 'carefully harvesting mana crystals for eventual long-term effect'). Each event runs in as a unique and effectively entirely separate historical "turning point" with lots of different factions and a decent setting. The ostensible goal is bringing your faction out on top (what other general goal can you have in a one-off fest short of asking half the players to monster and running a "we must defeat the bad guy or all is lost!"?). No long term economy, just nice individual items and background relevant stuff (betray your commander, give me his head and I'll make you governor of these lands).
Marios
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Overlord
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| Dave, There does need to be something to fight/scheme over. But I don't think it necessarily need to be currency. The idea you start to develop in yur later post sounds a bit like Nyctophobia.
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Wag
Group: System Moderators
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| Running in different regions but the same gameworld? I see. In that case, surely the progression is going to be entirely plot based? i.e. Game 1: Players turn up as the inhabitants of Zlaarg, a desert country on the edge of the Abyss. They plot and scheme and fight amongst themselves. At the end of the event, certain things are decided (do we invade Garan? What do we do about the Hitite situation? etc). Game 2: Players turn up as inhabitants of Garan, a temprate country on the other side of the Fili sea to Zlaarg. They plot and scheme and fight amongst themselves. At the end of the event certain things are decided.. And so on... Basically, the players play both sides of the plot as different characters. Is this how you see it? If so, then the long term goals will be the survival of each country and the opposition will, ironically enough, be yourself. Decisions the players make at the event will decide the fortunes of the location. When and what they plant, for example, could affect wealth and lead to famine. Where to invade, where to defend, what to buy with money they have and so on. Its an interesting idea but I can see it being a lot of work for you. One thing I'd consider was running each location as a seperate campaign - write it up with all the background and plot assocaited with it - and run them effectively as seperate games with the possibility of returning to that location at a later date so that the consequences of their actions may be seen and responded to. A level of interaction between the locations will also be necessary so that things the players do in one setting can and do affect the others. Logistically it could be a nightmare unless you have good computer aided support.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Whispering God is your friend... trust the Whispering God... Ruins of Empire 1st - 3rd Feb, 2008, Gladstone scout centre, Chester
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 Posted Tuesday, June 20, 2006 12:36 PM |
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