4x larp Event Template

Communicating a game idea is difficult, especially before play testing. Perhaps my intro did not help explain the concept of the 4x larp. There are tons of details that need ironing out. It might be helpful to walk through a 4x combat larp event, as I envision it at the moment. First we'll need to mention Event Write ups.

Why a 4x larp?

Larp Guidebooks or rule books have introductions which give the player an idea of what kind of game they are getting themselves into. For inexperience players most larps additionally have to answer the question "What is Larp?" This is super tiring, and has been done better by others. Leaving Mundania answers the basic question, and leaves us free to address what this game is doing differently. So let's introduce players to the 4x larp concept.

4x Larp Index

This post is going to function as an index page for a 4x larp guide book. It's a bit of a dry post, but a necessary one. As a work in progress it's going to change over time. Each section will get linked as it's written and fill in over time. What needs clarification? What needs to be cleaned up? What do you want to know more about? There will probably be a 'guidebook' version on a static page, which will have titles/headings which are less like a blog post, and more like a book. Here is the general outline as it stands right now.

Social Status and Character Creation in Larp.

Social status is an interesting issue in many U.S. combat larps. Some game systems leave it up to the players to write their status into the character backstory. Some have elaborate game mechanics which allow the purchase of status with experience. But lots of games have no official way to limit players from claiming any title they want (however silly that title may be). Many players abuse this and tell extremely similar stories. Games overflow with 'Counts', 'Dukes', and the brothers, nephews and sons of titled nobility who come complete with some kind of tragic backstory.

Many players also tend to ignore the interesting down to earth stories, and instead shoot straight for the Eurocentric Feudal landed caste. Occasionally players choose an Asian style Feudal landed caste to spice things up. This similarity of story is frustrating, limiting, and not all that fun. I've attempted to address this lack of depth with a character creation system based on group dynamics. It can generate nobility, but far more often produces 'salt of the earth' type folks. Today let's address the game mechanics of a social system.

How to, theoretically, earn a living with Larp.

This is entirely theoretical, as I have a day job. Most career advice is 'follow your passion'. What if you passion is constructing fake weapons out of plumbing supplies? What if your passion tends to have more to do with leather, chain, and plate rather than spreadsheets and office work? These days there is not much call for larp as a career choice. But there just may be some tangential career paths that could be relevant to larp.

How to build a hybrid boffer weapon.

If you've had a few years of experience building boffer weapons, you may be considering the construction of ultra light weapons. The machinery needed to make really good eva/camp pad weapons is a bit daunting. Fortunately there's a middle step which produces durable, functional boffer weapons with a camp pad twist.

Rules of Combat

Usually these rules are easier to go over in person during practice. Learning how to execute the rules of combat effectively is exactly the reason why we practice. It takes time and experience to train yourself to know the rules and play them correctly. Here are the rules of combat that we're using at practice and in the 4x larp.

Rules for using armor in Hit Location Larps.

We know from Common Larp Weapons how we deal damage, but we should also know how to prevent it. Armor is less universal across larps and there can be all kinds of major and minor differences. This is the rough outline for the rules of my 4x larp, check with your own game system before assuming they are the same. There will be many details which are different.

Boffer Shopping List

Originally the Steps to weapon construction post was going to contain these links, but it became a giant post! So here's a handy shopping list for heading to the hardware store (or online shopping). Generally constructing a boffer costs around $5.00 per weapon. But you usually have to buy enough material to make 4 weapons. Expect to spend around $30 to $40 for your first batch of weapons. After that many of the materials don't have to be purchased again right away.

10 steps to weapon construction.

Previously we've discussed the rules for weapon construction. But that doesn't really tell you exactly how to build a boffer. Here is a DIY guide for making a boffer weapon step by step in pictures. Don't forget to grab a copy of the shopping list before starting this process! This is a very long post, with lots of giant pictures which you can also find on my Pinterest board.

Rules of Boffer Weapon Construction

When you're new to larp (or starting a new larp) getting started could be expensive in both time and money. There are so many fancy armors, and latex weapons out there. Purchasing them is so tempting. But while DIY boffer weapon construction does take time, it doesn't have to be expensive. Making your weapons yourself is also a lot more rewarding. With these guidelines, some practice, and by following 10 steps you can be making low cost boffer weapons.

The 6 common larp weapons.

At practice last week I was asked about the rules that we follow for weapons. Players wanted to know what the lengths are and the impact of those lengths on the rules. Fortunately the rules are fairly standard and should give the general audience an idea of what weapons are usually like. However, if you are not a member of my practice do check with your game system, as some systems can vary quite a bit.

As a new player it's fairly easy to spot that most Boffer and Latex weapons conform to certain lengths. These standards exist as game mechanics for game play balance not historic accuracy. They have been handed down from one game system to the next for quite some time and as far as I know have origins in the SCA. Most, but not all, larps use similar weapon lengths and skills. Here the 5 common larp weapons.

How to get started larping.

In 1990 finding a larp was a fairly difficult thing. You had to know the right kind of people, and they had to agree to take you. In some places you could get lucky and have 1 or 2 larps to choose from. Generally your first introduction was a physical one. These days, like everything else, anyone interested can find larp via social media. You can study it intently before ever setting foot on the field. Learning about larp via the internet means that many first introductions are not physical, larp is starting to have a 'last mile' problem. R/larp gets a lot of requests for "How do I get started larping?"

2 methods for Resource Gathering in a 4x Larp

While thinking about building and play testing the 4x larp concept it occurred to me that the collection of resources is unnecessary. Earning resources from holding territory doesn't impact actual game play very much. It wouldn't change many tactical decisions, or add tension to combat. Collecting resources seemed like a tacked on concept with didn't really matter... So I removed it. And then I had a brilliant idea.

How much Technology should there be in a Larp?

If you listen to Fear the Boot, or other RPG podcasts, you'll know that table top gamers have a terrible time with digital devices and social media. Fantasy Larp to a greater extent is free from the same intrusions, because we specifically remove modern items from our kit when playing. How much modern tech do we want to include in our larping experience? This is not a rhetoric question, I really don't know. Empire's pictures are really amazing, btw. Definitely check out their War Rhino.

Orcs vs Photographer! Empire Larp

Completed Shields

It has taken a while, but two of the shields have been completed! They are functional and fun. Despite being a bit smaller than commonly made they provide good coverage and work well. Although inspired by some more historic examples, they are both pretty much boffer shields. The wooden shield should last a year, maybe a bit more. The plastic shield should last indefinitely.

7 types of larp battles

When transitioning from player to event holder, the event holding options available to you can quickly become overwhelming. Being able to narrow down the scope from completely pie in the sky ideas to something concrete is crucial. Usually this comes with time and practice, but there are shortcuts. Here are 7 types of battles you can use at an event to lay the foundation for role playing and interaction.

Concept: Larp + 4x

What would a larp be like if there were a strategic layer of activity above the combat itself? Would that help role playing? More importantly would that be fun? Would people get involved with the game because it contains that aspect? Here are some ideas about what a larp would be like if concepts from 4x strategy games were added.

How to make 100 different NPC's

Let's say your larp consists of 20 players (on a good day). You have a budget of whatever you can scrape together. You have some basic skills, such as building weapons, simple sewing, basic construction... But with limited garb and resources how do you make varied NPC's? How do show the players what monster they face with verisimilitude and without expensive garb? How do you make that disposable hoard come to life? Here is one simple thing you can do to make 100's of NPC's, with the basic skills you already have.

GoPro for Larp?

I have acquired a GoPro Hero3 White Edition. As well as a fairly significant number of devices which strap it to myself and other things. The box has a handy plastic plate which looks durable enough to mount on a shield. :) Free mount, that was intended to be packaging. Thanks GoPro!

The camera is small! The picture that you see on this page is not much smaller than the camera itself. Well Ok, the picture is about half the size of the real camera. Perhaps my perspective is skewed due to my size. Everything about the camera is tiny.

My intention was to film practice last week, but it ended up not happening. Filming yourself is a great way to learn what you're doing wrong that you don't notice. You will notice some tiny, and some not so tiny things you don't even know you're doing.

While I'm learning how to use it I'll need to shoot movies of interesting things. Gosh, where ever shall I find something interesting to take pictures of?! Hopefully I can bring it with me to a larp or two.

Kite Shield Progress, and a great handle trick.

There may currently be three ongoing shield projects in my home, at the moment.  This was not in any way intentional. But suddenly there are all these opportunities to get crafty. Captain Tripps is entirely at fault for being so dang inspirational! Check out his shield, entirely foam, and plastidip. It's amazing. Now let's check out what I've been up to.

First Playtest Session.

The first play test session of Relational Character Creation is complete. It went well. Some unexpected things came up, and some interesting new sample houses were generated. Most of them are ones that I would enjoy playing. Additionally I learned some things about what to do and what not to do while play testing.

Dungeon Bar Crawl 2014

So apparently there was this thing called the "Dungeon Bar Crawl" held in 2013. A bunch of gamers got together and created a bar crawl "Because, at some point in your life, you've wanted to walk into a bar, and be approached by a mysterious figure saying, 'I am hiring adventurers for a quest. Would you like to go on a quest?' ". When asked to join the 2014 DBC, I was initially apprehensive. But was talked into joining because it's basically larp.

Firefly 2014

It's been a while since I went camping. When the opportunity came up to visit Firefly this year, I decided to go. It wasn't a sure bet, as the group of people who go are not usually the crowd that I hanging around with. Any trepidation on my part, in retrospect, was less about how they are as a community and more about my own social anxiety. It was a great event, attended by many wonderful people. By Friday I decided I want to go back.

Playtesting A Larp Fiasco

The next step to polishing Relational Character Design for Larp is some individual playtesting. This is somewhat analogous to paper prototyping for software game development. This system does not really need a wire frame, as there is no UI. The current rules set can simply be printed out on paper and then roll some dice. Here are some cleaned up versions of the prototypes in Google Docs format.

Review: Leaving Mundania

"Leaving Mundania "

by Lizzie Stark

A nonfiction story about the crazy folks who dress up like characters from fiction and battle each other. Why do we participate in something so outlandish? What do people get out of this weird thing called larp? Lizzie wanted to know, and this book is the story of her finding out.

Bonus Post: The Gym

There was a little scheduling snafu last week. A rough draft of this weeks blog post was accidentally published last Friday. One panicked rewrite later, and all is well... Except there's no post for this week. Well some quick thoughts realized while training at the gym. Training at the gym is not fun. And that's because of larp.

Larp Shield Progress

There have been some changes to the plan but the shields are coming along nicely. In terms of timing it took quite a bit longer to buy materials, and cut materials, than anticipated. Because of that we're dropping the cloth covering due to drying time. We're going full on boffer construction, instead of historic. But the trip to Home Depot, although long, was very fruitful. Modern retail building materials offer some amazing short cuts in the construction of larp gear. 

How to set up a larp fiasco.

Today we're going to get into the intent and the direction behind Relational Character Design. Then start laying out the 'rules' of how the concept works. At some point there needs to be some play testing, probably a dry run to find any obvious dilemmas. Then a run through with a group to see how it plays with other people and their notions of what a larp should be.

Larp Viking Style Shield on a budget.

Taking an objective look at my armor, and thinking about where it can go, and what story it can tell, some viking additions seem in order. Although not watching Vikings on the History Channel, there may be some inspiration there. My current shield, although an awesome giant scarab beetle, really does not tell that story very well. Fortunately I found some inspiration for the new look.

No more ads.

Since 4/5/2011 my blog earned over $120 in AdSense Revenue. But the bulk of that came when the blog was more about computer game design. Now that I'm pursuing a fringe hobby (larp) the numbers are way down. But salary at the Day Job is way up in comparison... So I don't really need the ads/affiliate programs anymore.

So the blog is focused on larp and game design with no ads. I feel better already.

Happy Adventuring!

Current Gear

Here's a look at my garb and armor at the moment. Let's walk through each piece, and take a look at each. There are pros and there are cons to the look and the use of each item and there are plenty of areas where things can be improved. All this can be found in this gallery, if you just want to see the pictures. Tons of pictures below the jump!

Categories and Elements For Relational Character Design

Fiasco is an amazing indie table top RPG by Bully Pulpit Games. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend doing so. Put it on the list of 'must plays' for your next Con. The game inspired me to use the same concept a character creation system that attempts to address some issues with larp. Relational Character Design for Larp discusses the general outline of the idea. Below the cut we have the Categories and Elements as they could be used for a larp.

Improvisational Combat Larp

As an event holder do you hate it when the players do something that wrecks your plot? As a player, do you sometimes feel bored while 'plot' is being set up? Everyone hates those times when everything stops because there's a need to patch the plot. Maybe a player did something unexpected. Or a villain lost when they should have won. These problems all stem from an attempt to predict the future. Something which humans are really terrible at. There is a better way. Improvisational Combat Larp.

Relational Character Design in Larp

Ever tried to sit down with a group of your fellow combat larpers and create a group with a cohesive story? Everyone has their own ideas, and they are often at odds. One player wants to be a pirate, one a Stark clone, and of course there is the steam punk. Somewhere along the line you pick up 'Dark Elf Loner' #362 How do you get everyone to agree on one theme which coherently tells a story? I've enforced it top down before, but that rubs some players the wrong way.

5 details that make better persona.

Some small or new larps may not have a great way to build a character. They will have you select class, and pick skills. You get the weapons and garb together. Officially your 'character' may be done with just stats and skills. But what is that person, or being, like? What motivates their behavior? If your game doesn't have a place to start, beginning can be overwhelming. Here are five things you can use to take that character, and round them out into a persona.

Questions and Answers about Dormouse Games.

Josh at Pixels or Death asked me some questions about my experience with Dormouse Games. First off, it was a ton of great experience, it was absolutely worth doing. Eric and I had a blast giving it a go. Eric is great to work with, and awesome to sit down with and just have brunch and talk about games, sci fi, writing, anything. And he hosts some killer cocktail parties too. So my writing doesn't necessarily reflect how I feel. It's a statement of fact, and how I look at things at this moment (therefore subject to change over time). Keep that in mind while reading.

3 solutions the biggest newbie problem in larp

WWE Legends house went Larping, in sneakers.

What do you put on your feet to larp in? This is so hard because most people have plenty of modern sneakers and boots that look terrible in a larp setting. Most designs for sports are brightly colored, ventilated and plastic. Modern foot wear is a reoccurring problem for all new players joining larp. Even leather boots that would otherwise be great have zippers, which are mainly products of the industrial revolution. There are plenty of riding boots which would other wise be perfect, except for the zippers.  So here are some solutions to all of the problems of modern foot-gear in fantasy larps.

3 recent respectable news stories about larp.

Larp has gotten some media coverage lately. Just minor stories. But notable for lack of sensationalism. Fox News reports on larp, and it's not what you think. And Kotaku talks about Warhammer at a Castle in the Czech Republic.

LRP or LARP?

Broadly larp used be an acronym that stood for 'Live Action Role Playing'. Larp has since become a word all it's own, like scuba or laser. In general use the word can mean live theater, or Nordic Larp, or Combat Larp. It could mean a hit point system or a hit location system. It can mean game mechanics and story telling, hitting things with foam covered weapons or deeply emotional narrative explorations of important topics. It’s a generic term for a larger subset of activities. So how do you know what you like? Jeepform, free form, larp, lrp? What is your style?

From Computer Game Design to Board Game Design

Agricola and the idea of playing Caverna have completely hooked me recently. These amazing games add so much depth, and are great games to learn. There is so much to learn, and so much fun to be had from playing these games! Check out why game developers of all types and genres should play these games.

The bravest person I know.

Take a moment and read this article. It barely hints at the terrible treatment that people can inflict when you get your game on Steam Greenlight... if you happen to be female. Through facebook I saw a little bit more of what this struggle was really like and I do not know 1/10th of what actually happened. If you want to know the bravest person, check out Zoe Quinn and Depression Quest. You can play the game for free on the website. If it impacts you emotionally, purchase the game and support what she's trying to accomplish. Alternately be her patron.

Edit:
And now Game_Jam. Just another mountain of shit on someone who does not need it. They tried to hold a $400,000 game jam and record it. And one man ruined it all.

And now she's upgraded herself into a cyborg. With a giant fucking needle. Yeah. Super brave! I'm just gonna go and do my socially unacceptable larp stuff in obscurity, because I am not that awesome.

Larp Notes.

A quick note. Got one practice in this past Sunday. It is a little to cold in New England to really get out there. Fortunately 'official' practice is starting on the 30th! I am super excited to get the season underway. And very sore from only an hour of practice. Larp definitely requires different muscles than those worked at the gym. Or maybe I haven't figure out the gym yet.

TempleCon 2014

TempleCon is this weekend! We're mostly going to spend our time in the board game room playing all the free board games we can get our grubby little hands on. If we're not shopping or going to the show, we'll be playing all those giant expensive board games we're not sure about buying. Just drooling over the best of the bunch. Over the past few months a list has been forming of 'must play' games while we're there. Click more to see the list!

Why the long silence?

Well, It’s 2014. Some old projects have ended, and some new projects are about to start. It’s an exciting time, and things have been happening. Unfortunately this blog has been the thing to be put on the back burner. Thanks for sticking around, I have not abandoned writing about games and gaming. There are exciting things coming up, and I want to share them.