Wednesday 22 February 2012

Attracting a Crowd

Have decided to just go ahead and get something done. 

So yeah, if you want to take part in a social sci-fantasy LARP, comment below or find me on G+.

The setting I want to use is what I'd long planned - Rampart during the Li-Halan takeover.  I'd start with PCs on both sides having to broker a peace, then try to keep it (with attempts on both sides to get their own way and third parties trying to screw everything, of course) with downtime estate management thrown in.

I'm going to run it in London, because I live in Lambeth and don't have a car.  I'm approaching UCL and my old uni to see if I can run it there, but I'm pretty much open to any location that looks right and has a good amount of space for the money.

I'd really love to get somewhere near where I work (we have loads of nice buildings around here), but I suspect The Royal Courts of Justice don't hire out.  I know people who use their local Masonic Hall - maybe the masons will let me hire out their United Grand Lodge.

It's also making me think a lot about how to sell it to other people.  After all, my love for it is one thing, but it is niche and the massive levels of setting details can scare noobs.  I've also been playing a lot of computer games lately, which makes me think of how computer and tabletop games share DNA.

So, how to interest people? (I'm just throwing out random ideas here)

  • Emphasise the power fantasy element.  You are one of the 10%, after all and that kind of power trip is rather nice in these straightened times (guess who's been playing Saints Row The Third and Space Marine lately?) 
  • Say it beats the alternatives.  One of the reasons I'm doing this is because there aren't any good sci-fi shows on.  And I'd rather be in a grand drama than sitting on my bum, passively watching one.
  • Emphasise the courtly drama and maybe cosplay elements to appeal to a wider bunch.  I also like having a decent gender balance - sausage fests aren't my thing socially, and I want to encourage la femmes to come along, so pimp the in-depth social conflict and less of the dumb male violence. 
  • It's cheap; the sheer variety of styles and outfits in the Known Worlds means that you can look in all kinds of places for stuff - vintage clothing, ex-military, cod fantasy and renaissance-style outfits.  
  • Things and stuff...