LARP -- linear

[jack]

I'm happy: I think I've got the hang of it, and the system -- while I don't know how it compares to other LARP systems -- seems pretty good in absolute, and hitting people with swords is fun -- fencing actually comes in handy, woop!

Though I feel kind of bad that everything I did went wrong. Which isn't a big deal, it's only LARP, and isn't anyone's fault including mine, but all the time I seem to have conversations like:

Someone else: What are you doing here?
My character: [Paraphrases ref's brief, typically "You're a guard patrolling here for blah."]
Someone else: Why the hell are you doing that? Who sent you?
My character: Uh, [adlib]
Someone else: Gah! All guardsmen seem to be idiots.
Me: What am I supposed to do? If I adlib, it's false in character. If I go and ask a ref every question I think my NPC would know the answer to, I'll hold the game up 5 minutes a time. I read all the rules, and was given a one-line description with no motivation, but can't know what's normal in this situation, and taking cues from people who've played before just makes it worse. I'm sorry!

But it was overall good and I will come back next time and do it right. And hopefully develop a character this week for the interactive. And fight chessypig with rubber swords any time the opportunity presents itself :)

Comments

[chess]

All guardsmen are idiots. It's part of the setting.

I don't actually own any swords, only Daggers Of Unsafety. Nick has a mace and a hammer.

[(Anonymous)]

Oi!

The Militia is made up of highly trained officers... and quite a lot of idiots.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

That wasn't me! :)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[satanicsocks.livejournal.com]

LARP seems like improv with constraints. Take the constraints out and it might be fun ;)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I find constraints often helpful. If someone says "Say something funny," I generally go "err", but if they say "Say something funny about green cauliflower," then I can think of something.

[satanicsocks.livejournal.com]

Ahh, the "can I have a word from the audience" trick :)

[theinquisitor.livejournal.com]

...Don't worry, I was the 'someone else' and that was fine.

You aren't supposed to be able to think for yourself as a guardsman - if you could, I'd have promoted you by now...

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

For all I know you *did* promote me -- I might have been the corporal :)