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The Dreaming LARP

Started by Cramulus, January 27, 2010, 11:10:27 PM

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Cramulus

Quote from: Sigmatic on March 24, 2010, 05:25:17 AM
Quote from: dimo on March 20, 2010, 03:14:40 PM
EDIT: Not that I fully understand exactly what you're doing, 'cuz I don't. But it looks like fun regardless.

I'm not entirely sure either, but it sounds like an augmented reality LARP with a heavy psychological bent.

I think.

Actually I'm guessing.  Someone point to an explanation plz?

tl;dr version: read the "short pitch" at --- http://www.principiadiscordia.com/cramulus/index.php?title=Dreaming_Pitch


The Dreaming is an experimental live action role playing game. It takes place in the world of Dreams, where we all spend about a third of our lives. Your will play the role of one of the people who lives in the Dreaming. You can be a native Dream, a dead human who got lost on the way to the afterlife, a fae refugee, or a God that nobody worships anymore.

Whenever you'd like to play, you just put on the game badge and seek out other players. When you're playing, you treat all those non-players walking around like they're just people who are having a dream. They think they're in the real world and they don't realize that they're asleep.

Unlike other Live Action RPGs, the Dreaming isn't centered on one location - you can play it anywhere that you and your friends feel comfortable gaming. You'll use in-game rituals to give familiar hang out spots significance in the game world. So far, there are larger communities in connecticut and ohio.

The live component of the game goes hand in hand with the game's social networking site. Your actions are coordinated and publicized through a facebook-like website which helps people find each other and collaborate on stories. Your "character sheet" and your "profile" are the same thing.

Dream Walks are adventures you can have within the Dreaming. These are structured game events, sometimes called "modules". The Dreaming website hosts a number of Dream Walk scripts you can print out and play. People in your party will become the monsters and characters you encounter during the adventure.

In order for an action in the Dreaming to "count", somebody will have to archive it - that is, post pictures, videos, or a blog entry about the adventure. In doing this, everybody is constantly generating more content for the website. Players will be able to submit and vote on Dream Walks, so there will be a constant stream of new stuff to do.

By documenting your activities, Dream Walks can affect larger game plotlines. You'll be able to cooperate or compete with players who you may never meet in the flesh.

Some of the Dream Walks are "single player", meaning they are adventures you can go on even if there are no other players in your area. Many of these "LARP Solitaire" adventures involve doing things to the real world which make it seem more dreamlike and surreal. The goal is to interrupt innocent pedestrians and make them question their reality. In essence, we've built a form of culture jamming into the game's reward structure.

Combat is handled through safe foam boffer weapons. You can get into real-time sword fights using our combat system. Some characters can cast spells by throwing little props called "spell packets". If you die, your character vanishes for the day and can return to the Dreaming tomorrow. In the meantime, you can choose to be summoned as somebody's minion.

All these characters in the Dreaming form a society. There are four unique races to choose from, each with their own flavor and role within the Dream world. When they're not going on Dream Walks, characters may wish to form governments, enforce laws, or otherwise build the Dreaming Society. This could potentially involve politics, deceit, betrayal, all those good things which make for memorable stories.





Jasper

Now I'm embarrassed for having gone so long not understanding.

This sounds excellent.

Cramulus

Quote from: Sigmatic on March 24, 2010, 09:30:40 PM
Now I'm embarrassed for having gone so long not understanding.

oh that's cool - I realized recently that the BIGGEST problem with the system is that I haven't figured out how to explain it concisely.

000's suggestion was that I need to be able to pitch the whole thing in like 30 seconds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch

which is true - right now it's too big and nuanced of an idea to easily transmit to people. I need the short and dirty version, some really tight copy. That's next.

Cramulus

Voila!

The pamphlet: http://www.scribd.com/doc/28998397/Dreaming-LARP-Pamphlet

also, a one-page summary of the live combat rules: http://www.scribd.com/doc/28994819/Dreaming-One-Page-Live-Play-Rules


FEEDBACK GREATLY REQUESTED, especially if you haven't been reading this thread at all so far  :p
the pamphlet is supposed to explain the game to a total n00b. So n00bs: how does it sound? Does it grab you by the balls and twist?

Rococo Modem Basilisk

I just read the pamphlet. It works, but it lacks punch -- it feels kinda corporate-bland. I'm not sure that it will work particularly well as a vector for advertisement compared to some of the self-advertising dreamwalks.


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.

the last yatto

a bit.ly/how2dream instrustions page... would work great on flyers
everything in one place how to hit the ground running.


which reminds me... need to get pictures for the map
Look, asshole:  Your 'incomprehensible' act, your word-salad, your pinealism...It BORES ME.  I've been incomprehensible for so long, I TEACH IT TO MBA CANDIDATES.  So if you simply MUST talk about your pineal gland or happy children dancing in the wildflowers, go talk to Roger, because he digs that kind of shit

Cramulus

spent almost all day just playing with layout and stuff

I've been experimenting with laying out the game intro docs and rulebook in a magazine format. I've got a good chunk of it done - check it out:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29030032/Dreaming-Magazine-Draft?secret_password=2oqi2ycl27w72ocxnmzn




Quote from: Enki v. 2.0 on March 26, 2010, 10:58:55 PM
I just read the pamphlet. It works, but it lacks punch -- it feels kinda corporate-bland. I'm not sure that it will work particularly well as a vector for advertisement compared to some of the self-advertising dreamwalks.

that's a good description, it does feel a bit bland.

Cainad (dec.)

So while I was at ICON, I attended a panel called "Running LARPs 101", which made me realize just how experimental and new this whole decentralized thing is. I got some good info, but obviously a lot of the advice from these old larpwrights was oriented towards "everyone gets together at one big place" LARPs.

Then, once it was over, I pitched The Dreaming to two of the guys there... who, as it turned out, had learned all about LARPing from the old Tales of the Dreaming at SUNY Purchase and told me that everything they know about LARP they learned from Professor Cramulus, back in the day. Now, because I suck at networking, I forgot to get their names, but I did write down the link to the ning.com site and advised them to look into it.

Cramulus

Quote from: Cainad on March 29, 2010, 05:26:25 AM
So while I was at ICON, I attended a panel called "Running LARPs 101", which made me realize just how experimental and new this whole decentralized thing is. I got some good info, but obviously a lot of the advice from these old larpwrights was oriented towards "everyone gets together at one big place" LARPs.

Then, once it was over, I pitched The Dreaming to two of the guys there... who, as it turned out, had learned all about LARPing from the old Tales of the Dreaming at SUNY Purchase and told me that everything they know about LARP they learned from Professor Cramulus, back in the day. Now, because I suck at networking, I forgot to get their names, but I did write down the link to the ning.com site and advised them to look into it.

:lulz: who did you talk to? Was it Karl? He's a stand-up comic who works the convention circuit, and used to play a Nightmare in my game. I wonder who the other guy is.


Cainad (dec.)

A bunch of digging finally reveals that the "Systems Malfunction: A Mote In God's Eye" Sci-Fi LARP was being run by Devon Oratz. Not sure who the other guy was.

I would have played, but friends dragged me off to other events.

the last yatto

cram, i included an ad for this game in my copy of intermittens,
let me know if you want any changes...
this is the beta draft, i just need to check printer margins and fix page 2,3

http://ifile.it/5ab90j1/nine.pdf
Look, asshole:  Your 'incomprehensible' act, your word-salad, your pinealism...It BORES ME.  I've been incomprehensible for so long, I TEACH IT TO MBA CANDIDATES.  So if you simply MUST talk about your pineal gland or happy children dancing in the wildflowers, go talk to Roger, because he digs that kind of shit

Cramulus

that looks great! I would recommend setting it in a different font from the story though. Putting a box or frame around the page might also do well to separate it visually from the story it's embedded in.

overall, the issue looks good! the story is in a number of different fonts and styles, which is a little weird, but does seem to fit with the issue's disjointed and schizophrenic motif.

could you add a byline to the chao te ching page? Just attribute it to the Chao Te Ching, you don't need to credit me or lmno. That way if people want to read more, they can at least google it up.

Cramulus


Rococo Modem Basilisk

I may have asked this before, but what image filter did you use for those photos? It looks like the same filter was used in all the Dreaming-affiliated photos (sometimes with added blur), and it looks pretty neat.


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.

Ari

I haven't been able to get into this due to silly meatspace necessities. However, a profile was made tonight, to be fleshed out during the next days. Northern Germany/Denmark/Sweden will become my primary dream location for now. After some solo-work in this town that is.
I'm more in it for the arg-part; love the setting Cram! You've outdone yourself again.

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