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LARPGASM

Started by Cramulus, August 28, 2009, 05:36:33 AM

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Cramulus

a tangent of the still undeveloped ARGGASM--------

initial discussion summarized here: http://www.principiadiscordia.com/cramulus/index.php?title=LARPGASM
   participants: Cramulus, Verbatim, Pixie, Cainad

social networking site here: http://larpgasm.ning.com/

Epimetheus

POST-SINGULARITY POCKET ORGASM TOAD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Cain

I knew I should have gone on IRC yesterday.

I think this will work better as an ARG than a LARP per se (since a LARP tends to be geographically defined, whereas an ARG, with its online component, is not bounded by such quibbles) but I'll want to look at the logs before making any sort of sweeping judgements like that.

Oh, damn.

Pope Pixie Pickle

Quote from: Cain on August 28, 2009, 10:22:56 AM
I knew I should have gone on IRC yesterday.

I think this will work better as an ARG than a LARP per se (since a LARP tends to be geographically defined, whereas an ARG, with its online component, is not bounded by such quibbles) but I'll want to look at the logs before making any sort of sweeping judgements like that.

Oh, damn.

hehe... #nerdspag was On Fire last night.

Cram we need to discuss another character class/ type  to go on there.

And the Social Networking site is fucking gorgeous!

Might write The Birth of LARPGASM for it.

Cramulus

Quote from: Cain on August 28, 2009, 10:22:56 AM
I knew I should have gone on IRC yesterday.

I think this will work better as an ARG than a LARP per se (since a LARP tends to be geographically defined, whereas an ARG, with its online component, is not bounded by such quibbles) but I'll want to look at the logs before making any sort of sweeping judgements like that.

Oh, damn.

this really is on the cusp between a LARP and an ARG. Because you can go out into meatspace on postergasm quests (or whatever quest you're on), and try to solve problems "as your character" - having a fictional persona allows you to explore what it could be like to be a different type of Discordian than you might already be. Or if you're actually NOT a discordian IRL, this gives you the opportunity to try out the headspace. It's sneaky like that. If this takes off, we can use it to con non-discordians into thinking like Discordians and going on GASMs.

As you can see, there's a faction that's right up your alley. We'll have to think about these factions and what makes them unique in terms of gameplay. Each one should a distinct approach to the game.

Quote from: Pixie O'Fubar on August 28, 2009, 10:56:55 AM
Cram we need to discuss another character class/ type  to go on there.

yeah we really need a fifth, huh? And some new names too. The stuff there is just placeholder until we develop those ideas further.

QuoteAnd the Social Networking site is fucking gorgeous!

:jebus:

the cool thing is - we can already start playing. The game's framework is loose enough that people can play RIGHT NOW! no further details are needed, but they will give the game more depth. We can come up with that as we go.

the basic things you do in this game:
a) post missions
b) go on missions
c) post mission reports
d) spend ballots by linking to a mission report or mission writeup.



And if we make big decisions about how the game should work differently, it's not too late to change the rules.



the big challenge right now is working with what we have. We have to find a way to make the game work on ning. Ning isn't quite as customizable as I'd like. For example, their forum software doesn't have polls. And I can't create two different "types" of user groups - (factions vs cabals). But I can have you list that info in your profile.

raise your hand if you want to help run this thing / moderate the game / be a faction leader

Cain

Yes, I did notice a faction which would appeal to me.

One idea I considered on the way to work is that the Discordian factions could be "gateway factions" and through the course of playing, progressively weirder and more mind-bending factions could be revealed (Subgenii, FSM, Cthulhu Cultists, P2, the Order of Nine Angels, the Office of Special Plans etc) mostly as part of an open-ended plot, but with minature, fully plotted out games and missions involved with them.

Because it aint much fun being a Discordian without taking the fight to Grayface now and again.

Rococo Modem Basilisk

This idea wins.

:mittens: to the thread.


I am not "full of hate" as if I were some passive container. I am a generator of hate, and my rage is a renewable resource, like sunshine.

Pope Pixie Pickle

Quote from: Gramulus on August 28, 2009, 01:37:37 PM
Quote from: Cain on August 28, 2009, 10:22:56 AM
I knew I should have gone on IRC yesterday.

I think this will work better as an ARG than a LARP per se (since a LARP tends to be geographically defined, whereas an ARG, with its online component, is not bounded by such quibbles) but I'll want to look at the logs before making any sort of sweeping judgements like that.

Oh, damn.

this really is on the cusp between a LARP and an ARG. Because you can go out into meatspace on postergasm quests (or whatever quest you're on), and try to solve problems "as your character" - having a fictional persona allows you to explore what it could be like to be a different type of Discordian than you might already be. Or if you're actually NOT a discordian IRL, this gives you the opportunity to try out the headspace. It's sneaky like that. If this takes off, we can use it to con non-discordians into thinking like Discordians and going on GASMs.

As you can see, there's a faction that's right up your alley. We'll have to think about these factions and what makes them unique in terms of gameplay. Each one should a distinct approach to the game.

Quote from: Pixie O'Fubar on August 28, 2009, 10:56:55 AM
Cram we need to discuss another character class/ type  to go on there.

yeah we really need a fifth, huh? And some new names too. The stuff there is just placeholder until we develop those ideas further.

QuoteAnd the Social Networking site is fucking gorgeous!

:jebus:

the cool thing is - we can already start playing. The game's framework is loose enough that people can play RIGHT NOW! no further details are needed, but they will give the game more depth. We can come up with that as we go.

the basic things you do in this game:
a) post missions
b) go on missions
c) post mission reports
d) spend ballots by linking to a mission report or mission writeup.



And if we make big decisions about how the game should work differently, it's not too late to change the rules.



the big challenge right now is working with what we have. We have to find a way to make the game work on ning. Ning isn't quite as customizable as I'd like. For example, their forum software doesn't have polls. And I can't create two different "types" of user groups - (factions vs cabals). But I can have you list that info in your profile.

raise your hand if you want to help run this thing / moderate the game / be a faction leader
I'm up for moderating the game, , May move on to other aspects as we roll with is.

Also I will send the site to a couple of people who might be able to give us some pointers.

Captain Utopia

Quote from: Cain on August 28, 2009, 03:37:48 PM
Yes, I did notice a faction which would appeal to me.

One idea I considered on the way to work is that the Discordian factions could be "gateway factions" and through the course of playing, progressively weirder and more mind-bending factions could be revealed (Subgenii, FSM, Cthulhu Cultists, P2, the Order of Nine Angels, the Office of Special Plans etc) mostly as part of an open-ended plot, but with minature, fully plotted out games and missions involved with them.

Because it aint much fun being a Discordian without taking the fight to Grayface now and again.
I like this idea a lot. Is it possible to hide content depending upon the factions a player is a member of? If not, once the ground rules are a little more trodden, the hidden factions need not be on the same site, or even tie into the same ning API. E.g. a small faction might be able to point-score amongst themselves, or not even care about points - as long as they hold some puppet strings for other factions.

Cramulus


Cramulus

idea:

http://www.principiadiscordia.com/cramulus/index.php?title=LRP_mechanics



also, there will be a meeting to rap about the game in #nerdspag some time on Saturday.

Pope Pixie Pickle

knowing plenty of nerdspags I have just stuck it on mah facebooks, the ning linky.

what time cram? (oh please convert into GMT+1, i suck and fail @ timezones.)

Triple Zero

I just read the wiki page and "the Discordian society that we wished existed" would that suggest a setting similar to LMNO-PI's "the City"? (which is again, afaik, loosely based on Transmetropolitan's City?)
Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.

Pope Pixie Pickle

ooooooh we've been aching for a good background.... Larps suck without good reading material to engage teh realitiez shiftings

LMNO-PI... would you be up for this kinda theme to be pinched and maybe changed a bit?

Maybe sourced on the wiki as a potential starting place for background.

Thing being is that all the non discordians who are just plain nerdspagz need stuff to get into the mindset.

WE GOTTA MAKE EM WANT TO BE ASSHATS! FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY! :lulz:

Cramulus

A few notes on the backstory:

-the game is sending you into the real world. Sometimes you might be interacting with strangers. So our game takes place in the real world, or a close cousin of it. When you go in-game you're in a slightly altered universe. So the backstory can't make any visible changes to the world. It's still the year 2009. Obama is still the US President.
-So the modifications to the world need to be things that the average joe doesn't know about. Sort of like how the White Wolf universe looks just like our universe at a glance. You'd only know there was a difference if you were part of one of the many secret societies. Many secret societies coexist without even being aware of each other. Things like aliens and magic are also acceptable.
-The characters are aware that they're playing a game, taking orders from a website.
-So one thing we need to explain is how this website / game is framed in the context of this great discordian conspiracy we'd like to imagine exists. Does it have ties to RAW literature? The government? Or is it something else now?