Collobarative Storytelling and Player vs Player Style Gaming
DeAnna and I were talking today about the LARP and she told me that her husband, who was working on an approval, made a comment that caught both of our attentions. He said (I quote loosely) “I had to step back and realize I’m no longer playing a Player versus Player LARP”.
I’ve talked with several of our players about what makes our LARP different from other organizations game but this is yet another angle to talk about that and hopefully give some ideas on how you can make your game better. The first thing to realize in LARP, Chat Role Play, and Forum Role Play is that you are first and foremost working with the other player to create story for both of you, which is called collaborative storytelling.
MGP Games has two features that set us apart from many of our competitors, but in so doing I personally believe it puts a focus on the story that is to the benefit of all our players. One is our Player Point System. You can spend your real world money to make your character better, to add things to him, and to play the concept you always wanted to play but in other organizations would have to spend years earning the right to do.
What this does by actual observation is gives each player an immediate level of respect for their fellow players. If you walk in and set out to destroy another character, you as a player think twice before going that final path. You realize that the player has put not only his creative juices and effort into that character but quite likely his hard earned money as well.
The other unique point of our organization and game is that we only allow each player to have one character at a time. There is no back burner PC who is quietly collecting experience. If you lose your character then you are back to ground zero. This accomplishes several goals at once. One, you as a player put all your effort, creative juices, basically your heart and soul into that character and you play them the best you can. Two you play smart. You don’t have another character that can just step forward and be of similar power level, so our players tend not to just do silly things in a manic depressive moment with the character. Three, other players think twice again before they kill a player character.
The point here is our game is based on collaborative storytelling as a core concept. It does not in anyway mean that you won’t ever have to kill a player character, but that you should make sure the story makes sense for you to go there. When you are writing a scene with another player, whether it be at a Live Event, a Chat Game, or on the Forums, don’t be afraid to stop and ask that other player to step out of character and discuss where the scene is going.
If you feel a player is pushing you down a path you don’t want to go, ask the other player to discuss what their goal for the scene is. Share with them what you are hoping to accomplish and try to story it out. There is quite often a way out of any scene that does not involve character death but instead creates trials and tribulations for your character and as I’ve blogged before, characters are forged in conflict, so this is GOOD story!
LARP can become all about the players just trying to beat out the other players. When you start working on a character you start focusing on what you have to have on your sheet to ‘survive’. If you make an elder character, you have to make sure you’re not playing ‘diablerie’ bait or similar based on your venue. It becomes all about what you put on the sheet to make sure you don’t die in your first few nights of the game. This is the mentality of ‘Player vs Player’ LARP.
Here our focus is on the Story. It is always the Story. I do not mean the Storytellers Story, nor do I mean just YOUR story. I mean the story that together, the Storytellers, you, and the other players ALL weave together. We are telling a story together.
Never be afraid to talk to other players about things you want to do with your character, or ask them to help you tell the story you want to tell. Remember to talk to them out of character as well, especially if you are confused. If you find yourself wondering why they are picking on you, then ask! Maybe they have a really nifty piece of their story you don’t know about yet, but if they’ll share it with you, can make both of your stories better and thereby enrich the world we all share!
I use the following quote on the site:
It takes a thousand voices to tell a single story. —Native American saying.
Maybe you think I put that in my siggie because I like it, which I do, but the real point is a subtle reminder to you and to my self as well. None of us tells a story alone. If we did, we’d be lonely writers working on our novels hiding from the light of day. We pursue this game/hobby/art because we love the excitement that the other players add to our stories.
So take up the mantra, collaborative storytelling. Chant it to yourself, use it as your battle cry, and when you do lose a character, remember it well then most of all! As you create your next character, think of how you are going to add to the greater story. As you sit down to write a post, think of how you are going to add to the story. As you get ready to go to a game (chat or live) think of how you are going to add to the story.
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