The Dreaming LARP

[Phosphatidylserine]

Does ning have any direct competitors in the make-a-small-social-network-site business? Or, is it just all semi-homebrew CMSes and setting up forums and wikis as an alternative?

[Dr. Paes]

http://venturebeatprofiles.com/company/profile/ning/competitors
http://www.siterapture.com/sitesimilarsites.asp?SiteID=161

Not sure how much competition any of those are to ning, but there they are for you to decide for yourself.

[Cramulus]

I'm currently investigating spruz.com, which looks like a pretty good alternative.

there are scores of other ninglike sites out there.

[Telarus]

I'm asking Fenris and Squink, the old Irreality admin what they would recommend....

[Triple Zero]

To be fair, I never really liked Ning. When you go to a *.ning.com domain to check out a community, the front page is always this huge ancient 2003-web-style clusterfuck of boxes that just doesn't communicate anything to a newcomer. Can't speak for a regular, cause I never became one.

Now facebook groups are a somewhat similar clusterfuck, but the difference is that you're already on Facebook, so you already got a membership and don't need a spiffy 3-paragraph web2.0 marketing introduction friendly GET STARTED link.
Ning tries to be all these somewhat separate communities, plus they're not as big as Facebook, so whenever someone might want to join such a place, they are new, and are going to need to be taken by the hand.

This is somewhat similar to the Elevator Pitch thing I told you Cram, but the reality is that also Ning isn't very helpful in guiding you that way, at least, most of the other communities there also never seemed really "open" for outsiders, easy to immediately grasp the sense of "what can I do here?".

BTW, seriously, if I want to get started with the Dreaming. What do I have to do? How do I get started? What is the minimum stuff I got to read?

[Phosphatidylserine]

People might be more keen on the web-side of The Dreaming were it, say, a facebook app -- there's less learning curve. On the other hand, nobody will join facebook to play The Dreaming (while they might join a ninglike).

[Triple Zero]

Indeed, I'm not going to sign up to Facebook just in order to be able to play.

[Cramulus]

This is somewhat similar to the Elevator Pitch thing I told you Cram, but the reality is that also Ning isn't very helpful in guiding you that way, at least, most of the other communities there also never seemed really "open" for outsiders, easy to immediately grasp the sense of "what can I do here?".

Yeah, I agree. Having looked at some other social networking builders, I think ning's has the most attractive templates, but probably not the best interface.

BTW, seriously, if I want to get started with the Dreaming. What do I have to do? How do I get started? What is the minimum stuff I got to read?

right now I'd say the easiest way to start would be:

If you're going to be doing any live play which involves boffer combat, read the Basic Rules

Build a character by coming up with a character concept, then, pick a race and class. You make these choices when creating a profile for the website.

Then, you're ready to play! Pick one of the Dream Walks (adventures), gather up your friends (unless it's a solo adventure), and play! Take photos of gameplay and post them to the website.

[Cramulus]

From March to May of 2010, I ran The Dreaming, a decentralized live action RPG which could take place anywhere in America. A social networking site was used to coordinate players, organize plotlines, and post about adventures. This magazine summarizes the stuff posted between March and May.

(it's a rough draft)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/35795236/First-Draft-of-Dream-LARP-Magazine-Body

[Cainad]

Woooowww, all of that stuff happened in 3 months? Dayum.

I gave it the thumbs-up on Stumbleupon, now I'm gonna do the same to the Dreaming ning site. HIGHLY recommend that everyone else do the same, since pages on Stumbleupon get the most attention if they're given lots of thumbs-up in a short space of time.

[Cramulus]

other than this magazine thing, the project is on hold for the moment. So we're not in dire need of publicity, but it couldn't hurt!

[Richter]

The RI contingent sort of hemorhaged due to my time going away, and Agitato moving (maybe to nearer Cramville...)

There are folks still into the idea though...  I'll read up on that when I can stumble back home.

[the last yatto]

Why not just use a gps site like foursquare or something that isn't a startup

And then work on the sourcebook,
Since it includes a lot of campaign elements
it might appeal to the round table crowd better
as say pdf/hardback then a wiki.

Also as a physical object it could create a dreaming around itself
and be a game item as default. Also borrowing from say d&d elements locations are important only until you beat the boss then after usually the paper adventure goes else where.

I really like the merchant class for its roles that is useful more in a social setting.
 Sad that I didn't put much effort into playing, I did scout a few places tho.