I felt that the current tech tree was looking slim and very bland, so I'm adding some devices; some very typically steampunk, others more general science fiction.
Resonance device: Used during a sabotage attempt instead of dynamite which will work on any size building. Can fully collapse a building without looking like it was malicious.
(Tesla)
Televiewer: You may reserve one order to be made after viewing the results of all orders in a particular hex, effectively seeing into the future. I might have this be more orders than just one, but I didn't want a whole lot of companies producing this type of device and then having basically days to resolve all the orders. The viewing/resolution of the orders for multiple televiewers will be first in last out.
(Phillip K Dick)
Neutralization Gas: X% of personnel on a hex cannot be used in a field battle (effectively dazed or pacified).
Telepathic Projector: A player may attempt to order personnel on a hex they are on despite those personnel hold no loyalty to them. X% chance of success.
Telepathic Inhibitor: Orders made with a telepathic projector have a reduced % chance of success.
Tesla Cannon: Used before battles to slay combat personnel, especially during boarding actions. This will have to be tweaked a lot.
Automatons: this shouldn't need an explination
Zombies: but not the type that infect
Ætherships: vessels that sail on the Æther.
Plasma Cannons: Projects plasma projectiles into enemies
Replicators: a la Star Trek, this is a very powerful technology and would pretty much destroy an economy, unless copyright laws are amazingly enforced.
Teleporters: a la everywhere
There are a ton more of weird science-y stuff we'll be playing with in the game, but this is just a taste. The rule book will fully disclose the whole tech tree for super planers.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
1st Progress Update
So I have been working mostly diligently on the rules and I am excusing my lack of posts due to this mostly diligent work. The work comes in outline form so I can bounce from topic to topic as they come to mind.
The brunt of today's work lies in mostly the nitty gritty of the institution: the company. I've been developing types of reports, orders, and officers. I'm also deep into creating how the production of material goods, research projects, and the construction of structures is to work. For material good production, you'll need personnel/prospectors, building materials, tools, and facilities to produce the good. This could be from the production of knives to the grandiose Ætherships.
If this sounds overwhelming for a game where we shoot bb guns at each other, its for the people who have megalomania on the mind. I want to embrace all levels of organization, from "wolf packs" of players to massive conglomerates of companies raging war on each other. It will really serve as a good way to get a sense of scale and enormity to the game when it gets rolling months into it.
And it seems because of these rules I'm working on, most of the rule book will not need to be read by most players since they won't be running massive companies--they'll be a part of one.
But these complicated rules are for something, when there is a diverse and extensive economic model; then the chance for exploitation is great. Who needs to destroy a marching army, when you went behind them and slaughtered the personnel who were transporting their food and ammunition? Why research and develop technology when you can steal the blueprints from the laboratory that produced them? The more complicated it gets (without getting boring, no one will need to produce shoes, axle grease, etc), the more niches players and their companies can fill.
Further, with such an economic model, war becomes much more interesting and really ominous. When you have no needs, there is no reason to kill the guy over the next hill to steal the bread from his mouth. But when you chance starvation, the rock looks ever more interesting to use as a weapon to bash your neighbor's head in. I wanted to play a real in-depth war game, and I intend to deliver.
The brunt of today's work lies in mostly the nitty gritty of the institution: the company. I've been developing types of reports, orders, and officers. I'm also deep into creating how the production of material goods, research projects, and the construction of structures is to work. For material good production, you'll need personnel/prospectors, building materials, tools, and facilities to produce the good. This could be from the production of knives to the grandiose Ætherships.
If this sounds overwhelming for a game where we shoot bb guns at each other, its for the people who have megalomania on the mind. I want to embrace all levels of organization, from "wolf packs" of players to massive conglomerates of companies raging war on each other. It will really serve as a good way to get a sense of scale and enormity to the game when it gets rolling months into it.
And it seems because of these rules I'm working on, most of the rule book will not need to be read by most players since they won't be running massive companies--they'll be a part of one.
But these complicated rules are for something, when there is a diverse and extensive economic model; then the chance for exploitation is great. Who needs to destroy a marching army, when you went behind them and slaughtered the personnel who were transporting their food and ammunition? Why research and develop technology when you can steal the blueprints from the laboratory that produced them? The more complicated it gets (without getting boring, no one will need to produce shoes, axle grease, etc), the more niches players and their companies can fill.
Further, with such an economic model, war becomes much more interesting and really ominous. When you have no needs, there is no reason to kill the guy over the next hill to steal the bread from his mouth. But when you chance starvation, the rock looks ever more interesting to use as a weapon to bash your neighbor's head in. I wanted to play a real in-depth war game, and I intend to deliver.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Avast!
So now its been months since your first expedition into AP and you've either found nothing, or bandits. But over these few months you've been able to sell and fight your way to a small stash of bank notes you are reserving until you have enough to start an outpost, and a source of income like a mineral vein or industry niche to fill, like research.
You've recruited a few more players, either new or disenfranchised from other companies, and now stand at about 15 members. Its a sizable expedition, with so many player characters marching through the heart of AP. You've stuck to one of the larger islands you think has the least amount of player characters on it. Its mostly mountainous and hilly towards the interior and proves slow to scout. But even if you don't find any ruins you are sure you'll find some mineral veins eventually.
Since player characters don't have any morale requirements, the group is fairly unhindered by supply needs, with the exception of MMT's and ammunition. It can be risky without a entourage of mercenaries to accompany you in the case you find other aggressive player company groups, or a massive bandit camp; but without the supplies or funding, traveling light is your only option.
The rough terrain takes you months to traverse, but the use of horses helps. Now 8 months in since you started your company and you've chanced upon ruins! This story battle day will prove interesting. And its time for the Tinkerer in you to shine, since the mission type requires a modestly ranked Tinkerer to accomplish it.
The mission is to defeat any ancient defenses left in the ruins and activate the package, which will be a briefcase sized object with a dozen or so switches, valves, toggles, gauges, and other things in the box that will need to be switched from off to on (red to green) before the timer that starts when you open the box ends.
You have seen a few of these missions before and have even played a part in the defenses. Usually it will be a combination of automated turrets, automatons, and other mechanizations designed by the OG's. They are harder the more advanced the technology to be discovered is. But even when you have the technology, you may not have enough of the lexicon to translate the blue prints given. You've purchased from the ETC, who purchased it from a player company, two parts of the lexicon. You're not sure how many parts there are to the lexicon, but you assume many.
Luckily, the technology will never be one already discovered by other players; so you know when you find one, it will be valuable. However, just because you found a ruin, doesn't mean that the ruin hasn't yet already been looted. But the amount of exploitation into the ruins is dependent on the ability of the surveyor of the hex, and you have a decent mid-level agent with perks in scouting and feel confident that even if the ruins were previously explored, you may still find more loot. So a ruin contains two things you will find valuable: technology and loot.
You are first on the list this time, and players line up to play. The OG pulls a group of players away, but you know that the number actually going out into the field isn't how many players leave with the OG since it will be secret until the horn blares. The OG will explain what the players will be and you'll be able to identify what they are by the color of the armband they wear is.
Some temporary wall segments have been set up on the top of a hill. They are made of 2x4 frames and canvas stappled to them with large bolts holding 8'X8' segments together. You set up your group at the spawn zone the OG leads your group to and wait, your plan already made.
The air horn blares and your forward group charges for the closest cover to the entrance to the ruins. They tote two shield generators with them as they quickly march down the field. As they do, you hear and see streams of bbs being fired in their direction, you assume automated turrets, but it could be plasma rifle equipped automatons--you hope not since they'll make mince meat out of you.
You take cover 20 yards behind and to the right of your forward group. 3 Agents are part of your support group and while still out by 70 yards, they start taking shots at the windows of the ruins. You can't tell where the players are hiding since its dark inside the temp structure, but a lucky shot can take out an automaton. Still not sure what is in the building, you and your forward group close the distance to 50 yards as they hit closer cover.
Little cover is close to the structure as you climb the hill; the shield generators covering the forward group is the only cover they have for the last 30 yards. Your support group now crouches 50 yards away. The incoming fire from the turrets took out your field surgeon on your last dash for cover and seriously jeopardizes the operation. But the forward group is loaded with disruption grenades and should prove dangerous when they enter melee range.
Since the quarters will be tight in the temp building acting as ruins, all players will have to switch to melee weapons. And since the disruption grenades aren't airsoft, they're just thrown and affect on touch, you feel confident that if there aren't too many automatons in the ruins they should fair well.
The forward group closes the gap to one side of the building and about 10 yards from the entrance. They hug the wall as they chuck two airsoft grenades into the ruin. They go off, but without a clear view you don't know how many players were knocked out. The last member of the forward team primes and chucks a smoke grenade into the entrance and soon afterwards the team files quickly one by one into the building. As soon as the airsoft grenades went off though, your group was already at a full sprint towards the opposite side of the entrance.
Smoke bellows out of the temp building and you here shouts out of it as melee ensues. You barge into the building, throwing disruption grenades at anyone not wearing one of your company's arm bands. With knives and sabers at the ready, you chop down the stunned automatons. You've lost half of the forward group and your field surgeon, but still win the ruins!
Now the second part of the mission, activating the package. An OG steps into the ruin after the smoke clears and asks to see the Passport of a character who will attempt to activate the package. You hand him yours and she nods; body language that states your character is of high enough rank to attempt the activation. You kneel at the case, its covered in copper piping, gears, metal plates and other hardware typical of Steampunk.
You take a breath as you twist the knobs keeping the case shut. As soon as you open it fully you can see a digital timer counting down from 58 seconds, it started as soon as you started opening the case. Your eyes dart around the case, and you spot at least 8 valves with red paint on them. You hesitate as you take it all in and start switching all of the valves from red to green. It doesn't take long and you still have 30 seconds on the clock as you look at the OG who is looking over your shoulder; she doesn't give you a nod which means some of the switches are hidden--go figure. You scramble around the case with your hands and eyes for a hidden switch or toggle. Copper tubing crisscrosses the case and your hands navigate each tube on the bottom side for the hidden switch. The clock dwindles down to 10 seconds and counting and you get desperate; you didn't lose 4 player characters and all this time to fail here. With just 3 seconds to spare you find the last switch and the clock stops. You don't know if it was the heat of the day, the action of the battle, or the desperation you had staring at the copper tubes in the case but a bead of sweat drips off your chin into the case. Congratulations! You have successfully obtained a previously undiscovered technology!
Looking at the OG with anticipation she hands you a blue print document and on its title line it says: Phantasmagoric Gas. From the rule book you have scoured this means you have access to a purple colored gas grenade that whomever the gas touches becomes delirious and suffers the effects of mortal wounds, further any player characters touched by it cannot respawn for the rest of the battle (The effects of the Phantasmagoric grenade are still up for debate).
You also recover 3 dozen units of the mysterious element native only to AP, valuable as an asset or building material as well as 2 Phantasmagoric Grenades' operator licenses. You still have to supply the physical object, but you have the license to use it in a story battle.
With the technology and materials in tow, you intend to make a bee line for the nearest ETC outpost to make a trade and start the beginnings of a company outpost for yourself. You have found your major break!
---
Player companies will need to pay for the salaries of personnel and the supplies to keep them content and the building materials to construct the structures that make up an outpost. A player company can either save up enough bank notes to start their own base, sell newly discovered technologies to player companies or the ETC, or secure a loan from the ETC to start an outpost by showing a viable business plan. The first two can take quite a bit of time, but if a player company chances upon a large vein of the mysterious element they may find the ETC very interested in supplying a loan to them.
Although a business plan does not always have to include a mine of the mysterious element; other plans could include the supply of arms or other supplies to the ETC or other buyers.
But make sure to pay off the loan in time, or the ETC will bring in their para-military forces to claim what they believe is the value of the unpaid loan in your outpost materials. And should those prove insufficient, they might jail your character for a few months; keeping him or her from performing any monthly actions, giving orders, or taking part in battles.
But with the ETC loan, player companies can start up bases a lot faster than they would without them; the ETC wants you to do well as it does well for them!
You've recruited a few more players, either new or disenfranchised from other companies, and now stand at about 15 members. Its a sizable expedition, with so many player characters marching through the heart of AP. You've stuck to one of the larger islands you think has the least amount of player characters on it. Its mostly mountainous and hilly towards the interior and proves slow to scout. But even if you don't find any ruins you are sure you'll find some mineral veins eventually.
Since player characters don't have any morale requirements, the group is fairly unhindered by supply needs, with the exception of MMT's and ammunition. It can be risky without a entourage of mercenaries to accompany you in the case you find other aggressive player company groups, or a massive bandit camp; but without the supplies or funding, traveling light is your only option.
The rough terrain takes you months to traverse, but the use of horses helps. Now 8 months in since you started your company and you've chanced upon ruins! This story battle day will prove interesting. And its time for the Tinkerer in you to shine, since the mission type requires a modestly ranked Tinkerer to accomplish it.
The mission is to defeat any ancient defenses left in the ruins and activate the package, which will be a briefcase sized object with a dozen or so switches, valves, toggles, gauges, and other things in the box that will need to be switched from off to on (red to green) before the timer that starts when you open the box ends.
You have seen a few of these missions before and have even played a part in the defenses. Usually it will be a combination of automated turrets, automatons, and other mechanizations designed by the OG's. They are harder the more advanced the technology to be discovered is. But even when you have the technology, you may not have enough of the lexicon to translate the blue prints given. You've purchased from the ETC, who purchased it from a player company, two parts of the lexicon. You're not sure how many parts there are to the lexicon, but you assume many.
Luckily, the technology will never be one already discovered by other players; so you know when you find one, it will be valuable. However, just because you found a ruin, doesn't mean that the ruin hasn't yet already been looted. But the amount of exploitation into the ruins is dependent on the ability of the surveyor of the hex, and you have a decent mid-level agent with perks in scouting and feel confident that even if the ruins were previously explored, you may still find more loot. So a ruin contains two things you will find valuable: technology and loot.
You are first on the list this time, and players line up to play. The OG pulls a group of players away, but you know that the number actually going out into the field isn't how many players leave with the OG since it will be secret until the horn blares. The OG will explain what the players will be and you'll be able to identify what they are by the color of the armband they wear is.
Some temporary wall segments have been set up on the top of a hill. They are made of 2x4 frames and canvas stappled to them with large bolts holding 8'X8' segments together. You set up your group at the spawn zone the OG leads your group to and wait, your plan already made.
The air horn blares and your forward group charges for the closest cover to the entrance to the ruins. They tote two shield generators with them as they quickly march down the field. As they do, you hear and see streams of bbs being fired in their direction, you assume automated turrets, but it could be plasma rifle equipped automatons--you hope not since they'll make mince meat out of you.
You take cover 20 yards behind and to the right of your forward group. 3 Agents are part of your support group and while still out by 70 yards, they start taking shots at the windows of the ruins. You can't tell where the players are hiding since its dark inside the temp structure, but a lucky shot can take out an automaton. Still not sure what is in the building, you and your forward group close the distance to 50 yards as they hit closer cover.
Little cover is close to the structure as you climb the hill; the shield generators covering the forward group is the only cover they have for the last 30 yards. Your support group now crouches 50 yards away. The incoming fire from the turrets took out your field surgeon on your last dash for cover and seriously jeopardizes the operation. But the forward group is loaded with disruption grenades and should prove dangerous when they enter melee range.
Since the quarters will be tight in the temp building acting as ruins, all players will have to switch to melee weapons. And since the disruption grenades aren't airsoft, they're just thrown and affect on touch, you feel confident that if there aren't too many automatons in the ruins they should fair well.
The forward group closes the gap to one side of the building and about 10 yards from the entrance. They hug the wall as they chuck two airsoft grenades into the ruin. They go off, but without a clear view you don't know how many players were knocked out. The last member of the forward team primes and chucks a smoke grenade into the entrance and soon afterwards the team files quickly one by one into the building. As soon as the airsoft grenades went off though, your group was already at a full sprint towards the opposite side of the entrance.
Smoke bellows out of the temp building and you here shouts out of it as melee ensues. You barge into the building, throwing disruption grenades at anyone not wearing one of your company's arm bands. With knives and sabers at the ready, you chop down the stunned automatons. You've lost half of the forward group and your field surgeon, but still win the ruins!
Now the second part of the mission, activating the package. An OG steps into the ruin after the smoke clears and asks to see the Passport of a character who will attempt to activate the package. You hand him yours and she nods; body language that states your character is of high enough rank to attempt the activation. You kneel at the case, its covered in copper piping, gears, metal plates and other hardware typical of Steampunk.
You take a breath as you twist the knobs keeping the case shut. As soon as you open it fully you can see a digital timer counting down from 58 seconds, it started as soon as you started opening the case. Your eyes dart around the case, and you spot at least 8 valves with red paint on them. You hesitate as you take it all in and start switching all of the valves from red to green. It doesn't take long and you still have 30 seconds on the clock as you look at the OG who is looking over your shoulder; she doesn't give you a nod which means some of the switches are hidden--go figure. You scramble around the case with your hands and eyes for a hidden switch or toggle. Copper tubing crisscrosses the case and your hands navigate each tube on the bottom side for the hidden switch. The clock dwindles down to 10 seconds and counting and you get desperate; you didn't lose 4 player characters and all this time to fail here. With just 3 seconds to spare you find the last switch and the clock stops. You don't know if it was the heat of the day, the action of the battle, or the desperation you had staring at the copper tubes in the case but a bead of sweat drips off your chin into the case. Congratulations! You have successfully obtained a previously undiscovered technology!
Looking at the OG with anticipation she hands you a blue print document and on its title line it says: Phantasmagoric Gas. From the rule book you have scoured this means you have access to a purple colored gas grenade that whomever the gas touches becomes delirious and suffers the effects of mortal wounds, further any player characters touched by it cannot respawn for the rest of the battle (The effects of the Phantasmagoric grenade are still up for debate).
You also recover 3 dozen units of the mysterious element native only to AP, valuable as an asset or building material as well as 2 Phantasmagoric Grenades' operator licenses. You still have to supply the physical object, but you have the license to use it in a story battle.
With the technology and materials in tow, you intend to make a bee line for the nearest ETC outpost to make a trade and start the beginnings of a company outpost for yourself. You have found your major break!
---
Player companies will need to pay for the salaries of personnel and the supplies to keep them content and the building materials to construct the structures that make up an outpost. A player company can either save up enough bank notes to start their own base, sell newly discovered technologies to player companies or the ETC, or secure a loan from the ETC to start an outpost by showing a viable business plan. The first two can take quite a bit of time, but if a player company chances upon a large vein of the mysterious element they may find the ETC very interested in supplying a loan to them.
Although a business plan does not always have to include a mine of the mysterious element; other plans could include the supply of arms or other supplies to the ETC or other buyers.
But make sure to pay off the loan in time, or the ETC will bring in their para-military forces to claim what they believe is the value of the unpaid loan in your outpost materials. And should those prove insufficient, they might jail your character for a few months; keeping him or her from performing any monthly actions, giving orders, or taking part in battles.
But with the ETC loan, player companies can start up bases a lot faster than they would without them; the ETC wants you to do well as it does well for them!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Second Story Battle Day
Today, you find out the results of your survey and it fills you with excitement. You speed through check in and find that while you did not discover any ruins, a small group of bandits have taken residence in the hex. Your company's name is on the board as the fourth event down. One of the agents in your company who surveyed the hex discovers that the bandit camp is more numerous than your group, but are poorly equipped in comparison. While that still makes the encounter dangerous, you have the upper hand with the technology purchases you made. Your company is small and you have not hired any mercenaries, so its just you against whomever shows up.
You fight in one of the earlier battles of the day, but you and your company opt out to make plans on how to attack the bandits the two games before yours. You've got some grenades and you figure if you can close the distance with some cover fire from your agents, you should be able to knock out a lot of bandits at once. A few of your fellows are Man-at-arms and are carrying repeater rifles and low tech body armor--something to keep you all in the game. And with a field surgeon, you should fair well against a larger but poorly armed group of bandits.
The battle before yours ends bloody but quickly, and now comes the time to resolve your battle. You line up and bid nothing since no mercenaries exist for others to play, and about 15 other players line up, not in opposition, but in the neutral line which means they aren't against you, they just want to play. With no bids by the bandits, you have the added advantage of having something to really lose, while the players acting as bandits have nothing to lose.
You divide your group into two: one for support, and the other to soak up fire and push ahead. You have to defend yourself against 10 bandits. The field is open with a hill in the middle, and you set up opposite of the bandits you hope to defeat.
The OG signals the begining of the battle and your first group goes first followed by the second. You rush for the hill and spot the group of bandits spreading out amongst the brush facing the hill. You spot that half of them are carrying pistols and revolvers and the other single action rifles. This combination of weapons signals to you that they'll be easier to engage in long range combat rather than charging in and throwing grenades out. You line up on the ridge of the hill and start focusing on the group with the highest concentration of rifles.
The bandits have little in the way of plans or strategy and they remain stationary taking shots at your group in the hopes they knock a player out or two. A few players are hit, but with some quick reactions from the field surgeon, who keeps out of the thick of it, you keep everyone in the game while you whittle away the bandit group. In this moment you decide not to take any chances and charge the group; your patience pays off and only a few armed with pistols and revolvers remain.
Your CQB squad charges down the hill towards a clump of cover that is more than 30 yards away from the last group of bandits. You wait for them to get in their position and after giving a hand signal, lay down suppressive fire while they move to within effective shotgun range. The disorganized bandits can't handle two fronts and fold quickly to flanking fire. The air horn blares and you have officially won your first battle as a company!
The OG shows you the list of loot on the bodies and you take everything of value. The Field Surgeon ran through a lot of Medical Material Tokens (MMT's from here on out) healing your group, but the bandits' cache of ammunition means you can continue your expedition without going back for supplies. A great victory indeed!
You continue playing in other story battles gathering more bank notes for your company to fuel endeavors in the future as well as purchasing perks for your character. The day was quite productive for your company.
---
When a player character dies in a story battle, that character will have to "respawn" at an ETC outpost nearest to the site of death, or wherever that character calls home, like a company owned barracks or house on the hex map. This penalizes characters on the field that die but has no permanent effects, so a player who makes a mistake doesn't loose their character because of it.
Every rank, a character can take a perk; to make money valuable to players beyond just the purchase of war materials these perks will have to be purchased to unlock them. These perks will vary from battlefield perks that gives a player character extra respawns on the field, to perks that increase the efficiency of personnel on a hex they are on.
Characters can have a perk for every rank they have up to 20, after that a character may exchange a perk every level past that. I'm thinking that a player can have more than one character active, as a reward for ranking a character past 20. (So your first character ranks to 21, you can have an additional character active, if that character ranks to 21 as well, you can have a third additional character active). This would work as an incentive to rank up characters, but if the game doesn't have an end then it would be possible that a player could have dozens of active characters and it would be a huge advantage over other players.
This brings me to another point that may be unique for a LARP: you can win the game. Since the ETC is supposed to be very powerful and acts as the buffer between the world and AP, if a player company could destroy the ETC, or be responsible for its loss on its monopoly on trade in and out of AP; then they could be considered the winners of AP. And in addition to this there could be a "final technology" that when researched and put to use causes a victory to the company who achieves it.
This is problematic because players can get really vested in their characters and companies, and if the game has an end, then it may lose that feeling of investment that is important to the game. Further, I think there should be rewards to those who win the game and what should those be is another issue. And if a group of players gets in on the game late it may discourage them from really getting into the game until it resets. In defense of my end game finale, the tech tree becomes a moot point when all technologies have been researched, and there will be a lot of less useful tinkerers and scientist personnel. I think when the time comes, it should be debated.
Now you got something to read! I would love to hear any ideas you all have concerning the end game issue, as it may prove controversial within the community we develop in this LARP.
You fight in one of the earlier battles of the day, but you and your company opt out to make plans on how to attack the bandits the two games before yours. You've got some grenades and you figure if you can close the distance with some cover fire from your agents, you should be able to knock out a lot of bandits at once. A few of your fellows are Man-at-arms and are carrying repeater rifles and low tech body armor--something to keep you all in the game. And with a field surgeon, you should fair well against a larger but poorly armed group of bandits.
The battle before yours ends bloody but quickly, and now comes the time to resolve your battle. You line up and bid nothing since no mercenaries exist for others to play, and about 15 other players line up, not in opposition, but in the neutral line which means they aren't against you, they just want to play. With no bids by the bandits, you have the added advantage of having something to really lose, while the players acting as bandits have nothing to lose.
You divide your group into two: one for support, and the other to soak up fire and push ahead. You have to defend yourself against 10 bandits. The field is open with a hill in the middle, and you set up opposite of the bandits you hope to defeat.
The OG signals the begining of the battle and your first group goes first followed by the second. You rush for the hill and spot the group of bandits spreading out amongst the brush facing the hill. You spot that half of them are carrying pistols and revolvers and the other single action rifles. This combination of weapons signals to you that they'll be easier to engage in long range combat rather than charging in and throwing grenades out. You line up on the ridge of the hill and start focusing on the group with the highest concentration of rifles.
The bandits have little in the way of plans or strategy and they remain stationary taking shots at your group in the hopes they knock a player out or two. A few players are hit, but with some quick reactions from the field surgeon, who keeps out of the thick of it, you keep everyone in the game while you whittle away the bandit group. In this moment you decide not to take any chances and charge the group; your patience pays off and only a few armed with pistols and revolvers remain.
Your CQB squad charges down the hill towards a clump of cover that is more than 30 yards away from the last group of bandits. You wait for them to get in their position and after giving a hand signal, lay down suppressive fire while they move to within effective shotgun range. The disorganized bandits can't handle two fronts and fold quickly to flanking fire. The air horn blares and you have officially won your first battle as a company!
The OG shows you the list of loot on the bodies and you take everything of value. The Field Surgeon ran through a lot of Medical Material Tokens (MMT's from here on out) healing your group, but the bandits' cache of ammunition means you can continue your expedition without going back for supplies. A great victory indeed!
You continue playing in other story battles gathering more bank notes for your company to fuel endeavors in the future as well as purchasing perks for your character. The day was quite productive for your company.
---
When a player character dies in a story battle, that character will have to "respawn" at an ETC outpost nearest to the site of death, or wherever that character calls home, like a company owned barracks or house on the hex map. This penalizes characters on the field that die but has no permanent effects, so a player who makes a mistake doesn't loose their character because of it.
Every rank, a character can take a perk; to make money valuable to players beyond just the purchase of war materials these perks will have to be purchased to unlock them. These perks will vary from battlefield perks that gives a player character extra respawns on the field, to perks that increase the efficiency of personnel on a hex they are on.
Characters can have a perk for every rank they have up to 20, after that a character may exchange a perk every level past that. I'm thinking that a player can have more than one character active, as a reward for ranking a character past 20. (So your first character ranks to 21, you can have an additional character active, if that character ranks to 21 as well, you can have a third additional character active). This would work as an incentive to rank up characters, but if the game doesn't have an end then it would be possible that a player could have dozens of active characters and it would be a huge advantage over other players.
This brings me to another point that may be unique for a LARP: you can win the game. Since the ETC is supposed to be very powerful and acts as the buffer between the world and AP, if a player company could destroy the ETC, or be responsible for its loss on its monopoly on trade in and out of AP; then they could be considered the winners of AP. And in addition to this there could be a "final technology" that when researched and put to use causes a victory to the company who achieves it.
This is problematic because players can get really vested in their characters and companies, and if the game has an end, then it may lose that feeling of investment that is important to the game. Further, I think there should be rewards to those who win the game and what should those be is another issue. And if a group of players gets in on the game late it may discourage them from really getting into the game until it resets. In defense of my end game finale, the tech tree becomes a moot point when all technologies have been researched, and there will be a lot of less useful tinkerers and scientist personnel. I think when the time comes, it should be debated.
Now you got something to read! I would love to hear any ideas you all have concerning the end game issue, as it may prove controversial within the community we develop in this LARP.
Monday, April 16, 2012
First Official Game Day
The tentative start date of the official game will be May 12th 2012, or at least that Sunday. I will have a working rule book by this date; hold me to it!
Also, anyone who helped play test the game will receive their first rank-up as a reward for supporting the game, we've learned a lot from the trials and I thank-you for the support guys!
Also, anyone who helped play test the game will receive their first rank-up as a reward for supporting the game, we've learned a lot from the trials and I thank-you for the support guys!
John Chapman created this video for the game, check it out its great!
You're extra excited today as you drive up to the event parking-- its your fifth event! Now all those bank notes you've been stock piling over the last four events are about to be used to a good purpose. Counting the fifty bank notes your first character starts with in AP, you have 90 bank notes. The experience you have collected including today will rank up your new character. After watching what the roles do on the field and off; the Man-at-arms, Agent, Tinkerer, and Field Surgeon, you think that the Tinkerer is the best suited for you.
The game has a tech tree with levels 0 to 4, and the highest level tech you've seen on the field is 2, which means there is still plenty more to understand about the technologies left by the ancient race responsible for the ruins strewn about the archipelago. Although the role would still be useful in the final stages of technology since their also responsible for the engineering of AP.
You figure that while a lot of the land has been taken up by the companies before you, you can still make it big by exploring the ruins still untapped with powerful technologies. The ETC is known for trading large amounts of bank notes for fresh technologies to eager explorers of AP.
In this ilk, you have convinced a few of your friends to join the game and a few other players you have networked with to help you in your venture: discovering and selling of new technology.
You walk up to the check-in and the OG asks which role will you adopt for your first character, you state confidently your choice and explain your monthly action, in conjunction with your fellows you set off into the heart of the least explored parts of the archipelago. The equipment you buy includes a horse to each prospector to get them further faster and a lot of ammunition and other weapons up to date with the tech level to battle whatever bandit groups you might encounter.
The Free Battle Day is going by quickly, as you're excited by what you might find by your survey action reaching into the heart of AP (and with the aid of a half dozen players, some of them agents you're sure you'll find anything that there is to find on the hex you selected to survey). You hope to find ruins, but minerals or loaded bandits wouldn't hurt either.
Now that you have a vested interest in the outcome of the monthly actions, you find yourself anxious for the next event to come by. You wonder if others have already exploited what was to be had on the hex. You wonder if others would steal what you earned from your exploration. You are glad that unless players have an ear to the group and keep tabs on you, you can go right under their radar and do what you please. As a small and newly formed company without assets, you are certain the larger and more powerful companies will leave you be while they plan and plot against each other.
The event is useful for the organization of your company on the field. You have a small group, but with training they can play off of each others strengths. With a well rounded group of player characters you can take on larger groups and still come out the victor. But still you hope that on the hex you find some abandoned ruins and not a bandit camp of overwhelming proportions, for while death is not a threat to your character, restarting at an ETC outpost and away from your group would hinder the progress you make in a world filled with stiff competition from other player companies.
Your mind is filled with excitement about your new company the whole day and battle after battle, you can't be pulled from the subject in your mind. The sun sets and you can't wait to see what the results are of your survey in the next Story Battle Day.
You're extra excited today as you drive up to the event parking-- its your fifth event! Now all those bank notes you've been stock piling over the last four events are about to be used to a good purpose. Counting the fifty bank notes your first character starts with in AP, you have 90 bank notes. The experience you have collected including today will rank up your new character. After watching what the roles do on the field and off; the Man-at-arms, Agent, Tinkerer, and Field Surgeon, you think that the Tinkerer is the best suited for you.
The game has a tech tree with levels 0 to 4, and the highest level tech you've seen on the field is 2, which means there is still plenty more to understand about the technologies left by the ancient race responsible for the ruins strewn about the archipelago. Although the role would still be useful in the final stages of technology since their also responsible for the engineering of AP.
You figure that while a lot of the land has been taken up by the companies before you, you can still make it big by exploring the ruins still untapped with powerful technologies. The ETC is known for trading large amounts of bank notes for fresh technologies to eager explorers of AP.
In this ilk, you have convinced a few of your friends to join the game and a few other players you have networked with to help you in your venture: discovering and selling of new technology.
You walk up to the check-in and the OG asks which role will you adopt for your first character, you state confidently your choice and explain your monthly action, in conjunction with your fellows you set off into the heart of the least explored parts of the archipelago. The equipment you buy includes a horse to each prospector to get them further faster and a lot of ammunition and other weapons up to date with the tech level to battle whatever bandit groups you might encounter.
The Free Battle Day is going by quickly, as you're excited by what you might find by your survey action reaching into the heart of AP (and with the aid of a half dozen players, some of them agents you're sure you'll find anything that there is to find on the hex you selected to survey). You hope to find ruins, but minerals or loaded bandits wouldn't hurt either.
Now that you have a vested interest in the outcome of the monthly actions, you find yourself anxious for the next event to come by. You wonder if others have already exploited what was to be had on the hex. You wonder if others would steal what you earned from your exploration. You are glad that unless players have an ear to the group and keep tabs on you, you can go right under their radar and do what you please. As a small and newly formed company without assets, you are certain the larger and more powerful companies will leave you be while they plan and plot against each other.
The event is useful for the organization of your company on the field. You have a small group, but with training they can play off of each others strengths. With a well rounded group of player characters you can take on larger groups and still come out the victor. But still you hope that on the hex you find some abandoned ruins and not a bandit camp of overwhelming proportions, for while death is not a threat to your character, restarting at an ETC outpost and away from your group would hinder the progress you make in a world filled with stiff competition from other player companies.
Your mind is filled with excitement about your new company the whole day and battle after battle, you can't be pulled from the subject in your mind. The sun sets and you can't wait to see what the results are of your survey in the next Story Battle Day.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Story Battle Day Conclusion
Continued from last post.
The players who were killed sit down with their hand on their head at the spot where they died. Since you routed the group with the aid of the Spec Ops you quickly cross the bridge and loot the bodies. The only useful thing your group finds is the Maxim Gun, which you turn on the center defending group and spray them with suppressive fire. The Spec Ops, fueled by their earlier success charge down the center. They are hit by a hail of disruption grenades and then mowed down by the maxim gun in the center. They also drop to a knee with a hand on their head.
The loss of the Spec Ops is a blow to your confidence, but the fact your group has taken their bridge and have a flanking position you feel good that your side will win. The player with the grenade in your squad pulls the pin, waits 2 seconds, and then throws her grenade into the position of the center group. It shocks them out of their position, and the player using the maxim gun in your squad mows 3 defenders down before they take new cover further towards their spawn zone. During this distraction, the center group takes the advantage and pushes up and over the center bridge.
An air horn blares and the dead players retreat to their respective spawn zones. The last attacking group on the left side of the field did not do well, a lucky grenade and some maxim fire took the whole group. They all run back towards the spawn zone of the attackers.
The respawned defenders have taken a hill near their spawn zone. and it has 2 maxim guns posted over the crest. The rest of the defenders are hard to see. The last forward defending group withdraws, since they have the opening. Your squad as well as the central squad take shots as they are running and 2 more defenders take a knee.
Now three maxim guns sit at the crest, and 20 yards of clear field separate the attackers from the defenders. The third attacking squad catches up to the 2 other squads and you all spread out around the defenders position. The Spec Ops get grenades from the players carrying them and prepare to assault the hill. They take the same flank as last time, this time chucking 3 grenades and hitting the deck. This opens up time for your group to charge up the hill and they do so. But this time the defenders are better prepared and spray the assaulting players with fire from the maxim guns.
The 3 players who are using their characters weather the barrage behind their shield generators. 2 or 3 players hide behind them as they march up the hill. A hail of disruption grenades takes down the shield generator to the right and the maxim guns take out 3 players including the player character and they take a knee. The other two shield generator toting groups manage to break the crest of the hill and knock out 2 of the maxim guns. The Spec Ops players get back up and flank the hill, putting semi-auto fire into the defending group. Now flanked the defenders fire in all directions with little command.
Gaining confidence from their chaos you charge with the rest of the group up the hill and help rout the remaining forces from their hill. A third air horn blares and each take to their spawn zones. The defender's spawn zone is in sight, but you know from the rules that you cannot fire from within or into the spawn zones. And that after the OG says to respawn you must make haste in leaving or count as a death on your side.
The defenders spread out, the last dozen or so of them readying rifles. The OG in their spawn zone gives them the signal to get back into the game, and they all simultaneously leave the spawn zone and start firing. Their last stand nets them another half dozen kills, but they all have a hand on their head. The battle is won!
Since the air horns go off in intervals of 5 minutes, you believe the battle took 20 minutes or less to complete. You liked this experience and crave more, and after you receive your 2 bank notes you line up ready for the next mission. This is how the day progresses, you play a battle, sometimes you win sometimes you don't, but usually you still get paid a pittance for your support. At the end of the day you end up with 12 bank notes, and without even moving your character!
With all the story battles complete, most players leave the field sated in their need for simulation violence. A dozen or so stay to play with what remaining daylight there is. You are exhausted and call it a day. You got to network with other players, make some in game cash, and get in game experience as well as practice for how to play the game well on the battlefield.
---
I think that for the first five events a new player cannot start a character. This way they have time to develop a better understanding of what equipment to buy for their first character, what kind of role they would most like to play having seen them on the field, and what to do with their monthly actions and lastly develop a goal for that character. This is similar to Darkon, which I will borrow from in terms of some organizational as well as rule inspiration. Hey, if it works, don't fix it!
The next post will take us to the first event we get to declare a monthly action and buy our first perk!
The players who were killed sit down with their hand on their head at the spot where they died. Since you routed the group with the aid of the Spec Ops you quickly cross the bridge and loot the bodies. The only useful thing your group finds is the Maxim Gun, which you turn on the center defending group and spray them with suppressive fire. The Spec Ops, fueled by their earlier success charge down the center. They are hit by a hail of disruption grenades and then mowed down by the maxim gun in the center. They also drop to a knee with a hand on their head.
The loss of the Spec Ops is a blow to your confidence, but the fact your group has taken their bridge and have a flanking position you feel good that your side will win. The player with the grenade in your squad pulls the pin, waits 2 seconds, and then throws her grenade into the position of the center group. It shocks them out of their position, and the player using the maxim gun in your squad mows 3 defenders down before they take new cover further towards their spawn zone. During this distraction, the center group takes the advantage and pushes up and over the center bridge.
An air horn blares and the dead players retreat to their respective spawn zones. The last attacking group on the left side of the field did not do well, a lucky grenade and some maxim fire took the whole group. They all run back towards the spawn zone of the attackers.
The respawned defenders have taken a hill near their spawn zone. and it has 2 maxim guns posted over the crest. The rest of the defenders are hard to see. The last forward defending group withdraws, since they have the opening. Your squad as well as the central squad take shots as they are running and 2 more defenders take a knee.
Now three maxim guns sit at the crest, and 20 yards of clear field separate the attackers from the defenders. The third attacking squad catches up to the 2 other squads and you all spread out around the defenders position. The Spec Ops get grenades from the players carrying them and prepare to assault the hill. They take the same flank as last time, this time chucking 3 grenades and hitting the deck. This opens up time for your group to charge up the hill and they do so. But this time the defenders are better prepared and spray the assaulting players with fire from the maxim guns.
The 3 players who are using their characters weather the barrage behind their shield generators. 2 or 3 players hide behind them as they march up the hill. A hail of disruption grenades takes down the shield generator to the right and the maxim guns take out 3 players including the player character and they take a knee. The other two shield generator toting groups manage to break the crest of the hill and knock out 2 of the maxim guns. The Spec Ops players get back up and flank the hill, putting semi-auto fire into the defending group. Now flanked the defenders fire in all directions with little command.
Gaining confidence from their chaos you charge with the rest of the group up the hill and help rout the remaining forces from their hill. A third air horn blares and each take to their spawn zones. The defender's spawn zone is in sight, but you know from the rules that you cannot fire from within or into the spawn zones. And that after the OG says to respawn you must make haste in leaving or count as a death on your side.
The defenders spread out, the last dozen or so of them readying rifles. The OG in their spawn zone gives them the signal to get back into the game, and they all simultaneously leave the spawn zone and start firing. Their last stand nets them another half dozen kills, but they all have a hand on their head. The battle is won!
Since the air horns go off in intervals of 5 minutes, you believe the battle took 20 minutes or less to complete. You liked this experience and crave more, and after you receive your 2 bank notes you line up ready for the next mission. This is how the day progresses, you play a battle, sometimes you win sometimes you don't, but usually you still get paid a pittance for your support. At the end of the day you end up with 12 bank notes, and without even moving your character!
With all the story battles complete, most players leave the field sated in their need for simulation violence. A dozen or so stay to play with what remaining daylight there is. You are exhausted and call it a day. You got to network with other players, make some in game cash, and get in game experience as well as practice for how to play the game well on the battlefield.
---
I think that for the first five events a new player cannot start a character. This way they have time to develop a better understanding of what equipment to buy for their first character, what kind of role they would most like to play having seen them on the field, and what to do with their monthly actions and lastly develop a goal for that character. This is similar to Darkon, which I will borrow from in terms of some organizational as well as rule inspiration. Hey, if it works, don't fix it!
The next post will take us to the first event we get to declare a monthly action and buy our first perk!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Story Battle Day
I'm late, but here nonetheless! This post is what I envision for new players on their first story battle day. This will only depict player driven battles, but Officer of Game (OG) led battles will be present throughout the game.
Two weeks and you're all ready for the next game. You're better prepared for the check-in procedure, but you feel left out of the loop since you cannot yet take monthly actions. You finish checking in and see that there is a board with company names on it and times as well as field hex names. You're not sure what to make of it, and ask the nearest OG what's going on on the board. She tells you that the board is to organize the events of the day. Each company and player submitted monthly actions, and these battles are the result of those monthly actions. They may have surveyed a hex with ruins or bandits on it, they may have attacked a group, or been attacked by a group. You're worried you won't get to play since you have yet to ally with a company or even have a monthly action to use. She assuages your worries telling you that players not part of the companies in question can still play in those battles and most if not all companies will pay a small fee to have players join them to represent the mercenaries they hired to protect their assets or attack others'.
You're still confused, but feel better that you will be playing today. The first group on the board has a large engagement with another group. It will take place on the hex with a creek running through it. An hour after the check-in starts an OG announces the first game between two companies you don't know yet. The head officers of both companies get up to the front of the group alongside the OG announcing and both bid 1 bank note (BN) up front for volunteers and 1 BN for winning. The attacker declares it will attack with 100 mercenaries and 10 special ops NPCs, as well as their characters on the hex. The defender declares it will defend with 50 mercenaries. The OG asks that those supporting the defender line up in front of him, and those supporting the attacker to line up in front of her, last those who just wish to fight to line up between the first two groups. The largest line lays in the middle, those who just want to fight; but between the two supporting lines, the defenders are favored. The OG, trying to get as many players into the game, takes the middle line and adds it to the attackers, since they are proportionally capable of running more players at a time. You placed yourself in the middle line, since you didn't know enough about the companies to support them. He places you with the attackers.
The OG finds that the attacking side can use 40 players, and the defender 20. The Attacker may count 1 player as a special operator per every 10 players counting as standard mercenaries. so she deploys 37 players as mercenaries and 3 as special operators. Thus the proportionality of players reflects the mercenaries on both sides attacking and defending.
The OG then requests reactions by the defender, who states they will stand and defend. Then the OG asks the attacker if she will use the Spec Ops to outflank, which she states she will. Now since the battlefield is chosen, the armies made, and the battle ready, each side starts off to their spawn zones on the battlefield. The OG tells them they have 10 minutes from now to plan, after which an air horn will blare and the game is on. You follow the band of attackers as they make their plans with an OG who has a ticker and a chart of information on the army attacking.
The creek is crossed by 3 bridges and so they divide their attacking force into 3 groups of 12. You are part of the far left group. As represented by the gear they have available to the mercenaries attacking the defenders, each player playing as a mercenary has a rifle (non-repeater), and a knife. One in each group has 1 grenade. The special operators each have a repeater rifle, a knife, and a distortion generator which allows them to ignore any shot made by a player not wearing distortion canceling goggles. Those who did not have the proper equipment are given on loan that equipment from the company responsible for the attack, which includes the 3 grenades. Since you are just playing a mercenary, you have that basic equipment already which is a knife and a basic rifle. The ammunition is restricted to 100 bb's per mercenary. The head officer of the company you fight for gave the OG in charge of the battle 100 ammunition vouchers in exchange for 100 premeasured bags of biodegradable bb's.
The attackers have their own company members play their characters, since they were part of the group that attacked and not elsewhere in AP. They lead each group, except for the Spec Ops that are now running to get in place in their spawn zone, which is adjacent to the defender's spawn zone. The commanding players of the attacking company organize each of their attack groups. You are told to follow a man carrying a shield generator and do as he says. The other two groups take positions further down the spawn zone of the attackers.
The horn blares a minute afterwards and the attackers move in on the creek. Your leader heads the group, keeping it close to the far right of the battlefield's hexagonal border. You spot the defenders through the light brush, they have divided their forces into three groups, each taking positions 20 yards ahead of each bridge. Each group has a player toting a maxim gun, which takes a knee behind cover and counts to ten, before laying down suppressive fire against the attackers. This includes your group as you use the brush to cover your moves towards the furthest bridge. Now 50 yards away, you and your team makes start taking shots at the maxim gun operator covering the bridge you intend to take.
Looking down the field you see that both other groups on your side have taken up the same distance of engagement and are shooting at the defenders. If the battle continues like this, you think, then it will take up the full hour and force the attackers to use another month trying to defeat the defenders in this hex. Then your group leader orders your group to run for cover closer to the defenders matching your assault group after getting a nod from the head officer in the middle group. You then see the Spec Ops players getting into position on the far right side of the group you are matched up against. The player leading your group tells your group to charge when he gives a hand signal to the Spec Ops. His hand goes up in the air and you and the outflankers take the defenders by two sides. The defenders were expecting the Spec Ops, but can't shoot at them because of the distortion generators. it distracts a couple of the defenders and causes pause for the maxim gun operator. This is the opening your group needs as they charge for the brush flanking the bridge.
A few of your squad mates lays down some covering fire as you and the rest of the group take the closest cover to the bridge. At the same time, the charging spec ops characters hit the deck as they lay down fire against the defenders. with two different angles of attacking fire the defenders buckle and retreat towards the center of the field. You and your squad mates take this opportunity to take shots at the defenders. only 2 survive to meet with the center group.
Hah! cliffhanger.
Two weeks and you're all ready for the next game. You're better prepared for the check-in procedure, but you feel left out of the loop since you cannot yet take monthly actions. You finish checking in and see that there is a board with company names on it and times as well as field hex names. You're not sure what to make of it, and ask the nearest OG what's going on on the board. She tells you that the board is to organize the events of the day. Each company and player submitted monthly actions, and these battles are the result of those monthly actions. They may have surveyed a hex with ruins or bandits on it, they may have attacked a group, or been attacked by a group. You're worried you won't get to play since you have yet to ally with a company or even have a monthly action to use. She assuages your worries telling you that players not part of the companies in question can still play in those battles and most if not all companies will pay a small fee to have players join them to represent the mercenaries they hired to protect their assets or attack others'.
You're still confused, but feel better that you will be playing today. The first group on the board has a large engagement with another group. It will take place on the hex with a creek running through it. An hour after the check-in starts an OG announces the first game between two companies you don't know yet. The head officers of both companies get up to the front of the group alongside the OG announcing and both bid 1 bank note (BN) up front for volunteers and 1 BN for winning. The attacker declares it will attack with 100 mercenaries and 10 special ops NPCs, as well as their characters on the hex. The defender declares it will defend with 50 mercenaries. The OG asks that those supporting the defender line up in front of him, and those supporting the attacker to line up in front of her, last those who just wish to fight to line up between the first two groups. The largest line lays in the middle, those who just want to fight; but between the two supporting lines, the defenders are favored. The OG, trying to get as many players into the game, takes the middle line and adds it to the attackers, since they are proportionally capable of running more players at a time. You placed yourself in the middle line, since you didn't know enough about the companies to support them. He places you with the attackers.
The OG finds that the attacking side can use 40 players, and the defender 20. The Attacker may count 1 player as a special operator per every 10 players counting as standard mercenaries. so she deploys 37 players as mercenaries and 3 as special operators. Thus the proportionality of players reflects the mercenaries on both sides attacking and defending.
The OG then requests reactions by the defender, who states they will stand and defend. Then the OG asks the attacker if she will use the Spec Ops to outflank, which she states she will. Now since the battlefield is chosen, the armies made, and the battle ready, each side starts off to their spawn zones on the battlefield. The OG tells them they have 10 minutes from now to plan, after which an air horn will blare and the game is on. You follow the band of attackers as they make their plans with an OG who has a ticker and a chart of information on the army attacking.
The creek is crossed by 3 bridges and so they divide their attacking force into 3 groups of 12. You are part of the far left group. As represented by the gear they have available to the mercenaries attacking the defenders, each player playing as a mercenary has a rifle (non-repeater), and a knife. One in each group has 1 grenade. The special operators each have a repeater rifle, a knife, and a distortion generator which allows them to ignore any shot made by a player not wearing distortion canceling goggles. Those who did not have the proper equipment are given on loan that equipment from the company responsible for the attack, which includes the 3 grenades. Since you are just playing a mercenary, you have that basic equipment already which is a knife and a basic rifle. The ammunition is restricted to 100 bb's per mercenary. The head officer of the company you fight for gave the OG in charge of the battle 100 ammunition vouchers in exchange for 100 premeasured bags of biodegradable bb's.
The attackers have their own company members play their characters, since they were part of the group that attacked and not elsewhere in AP. They lead each group, except for the Spec Ops that are now running to get in place in their spawn zone, which is adjacent to the defender's spawn zone. The commanding players of the attacking company organize each of their attack groups. You are told to follow a man carrying a shield generator and do as he says. The other two groups take positions further down the spawn zone of the attackers.
The horn blares a minute afterwards and the attackers move in on the creek. Your leader heads the group, keeping it close to the far right of the battlefield's hexagonal border. You spot the defenders through the light brush, they have divided their forces into three groups, each taking positions 20 yards ahead of each bridge. Each group has a player toting a maxim gun, which takes a knee behind cover and counts to ten, before laying down suppressive fire against the attackers. This includes your group as you use the brush to cover your moves towards the furthest bridge. Now 50 yards away, you and your team makes start taking shots at the maxim gun operator covering the bridge you intend to take.
Looking down the field you see that both other groups on your side have taken up the same distance of engagement and are shooting at the defenders. If the battle continues like this, you think, then it will take up the full hour and force the attackers to use another month trying to defeat the defenders in this hex. Then your group leader orders your group to run for cover closer to the defenders matching your assault group after getting a nod from the head officer in the middle group. You then see the Spec Ops players getting into position on the far right side of the group you are matched up against. The player leading your group tells your group to charge when he gives a hand signal to the Spec Ops. His hand goes up in the air and you and the outflankers take the defenders by two sides. The defenders were expecting the Spec Ops, but can't shoot at them because of the distortion generators. it distracts a couple of the defenders and causes pause for the maxim gun operator. This is the opening your group needs as they charge for the brush flanking the bridge.
A few of your squad mates lays down some covering fire as you and the rest of the group take the closest cover to the bridge. At the same time, the charging spec ops characters hit the deck as they lay down fire against the defenders. with two different angles of attacking fire the defenders buckle and retreat towards the center of the field. You and your squad mates take this opportunity to take shots at the defenders. only 2 survive to meet with the center group.
Hah! cliffhanger.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
So before I get into how the rules of the game will work, let me explain how I vision players interacting with the game, from walking into a meeting, to their adventures.
Its your first meeting and you roll up to the event, parking your car next to the many others nearby. You get your gear and head up to the tables where a few people are going though a check-in process with players. You walk up to the person sitting at the far end of the table who asks for your passport, or if you are a new player, to get your name to make you a passport for your character. You're confused for a brisk second and realize that the passport is just a character sheet with spaces to fill out on your character's name, role, and exp earned and perks taken. You fill out the passport and move on to the next person on the table.
This person asks to see all of your weapons, she has a chronographer that will tell if your airsoft weapons do not pass the maximum FPS rating and tests out your boffer weapons to see they are safe. She then asks to see your goggles, which you have and are checked to make sure they will protect you against the airsoft weapons. She points you to the next person.
He asks for your operator's licenses, of which you have none. and so he points you to the next officer of game sitting at the table. But if you did, he'd make sure all the devices you are carrying met the requirements they have to be used. You now move to the last person at the table.
She asks your character's name and what monthly actions you have to complete. Its a new character so you say none, since you have no idea what to do, but see hands you 50 bank notes and a list of prices for gear in game. She tells you to pick the starting gear you'd like for your character. You brought a lot of guns, and worry you can't use them all in the game; which is a downer. But you pick a main weapon, side arm, ammunition and hold the rest for a rainy day. You tell her what you want and she tells you that you might want more ammunition as you don't want to run out of that when you're out in story day field battles. You add more ammunition and she gives you operator's licenses for the gear you have, it says unlootable on it since it's starter gear and it would be a pain to lose it to some jerk first game. You fill out your name at the top and so does she adding the date to the top as well. She tells you today is a free battle day, and you can use whatever gear you have. She tells you every other game is a free battle day so you can practice with the gear you have but might not have in game as of yet.
She also explains that your character, depending on its role, can do special actions each month. Or you can move and explore hexes nearby to your character's starting position. She points to a map on a nearby table and says you can start at any of these ETC outposts and prospect for minerals or explore ruins. She says this map and the rules are on the website and to check them out before the next free battle day is so you can declare your monthly actions.
You're a little lost as to what to do now, but see a huge hexagon marked off with tape where some people are dividing themselves up into two groups. They have their weapons and take to opposite sides of the large hexagon. Its a clear field, but you see other similarly taped up hexagons in a dense forest, another where a steep hill is, and one last one where a creek crosses down the middle. You're sure there are more about the property.
The two groups go towards the opposite sides of the hex and when an airhorn blares the two sides are running towards the center, each firing at each other. Some of them have shields they hide behind and fire from around it as they move up. Others crouch in the high grass taking cover that way. One player underhand tosses a grenade and a few seconds later two people on the other side are sprayed with bb's from where it landed. There are a lot of different colored head bands on people and you don't yet know what they mean. eventually, the two sides close and they switch from airsoft weapons to boffer weapons. Some players get into grapples while others just parry and swing at each other until one goes down, hand on their head and shouting dead when they drop to a knee.
At last, only a few people from the side nearest to you are left standing in the middle of the field. The airhorn blasts again, and both sides get back up and head to their respective sides and at the same time the man with the airhorn asks if there are new players to enter to the center to be distributed to the sides. You are about to move until you hear another person shout for any person who is new or has not been to at least 5 events yet. You walk towards this group.
She tells you how damage is dealt and what some of the head bands mean. She tells you what things you aren't allowed to do and what your weapons must be like. She explains the basic rules you need to know how to operate the gear you have, and you are directed to the game that is about to start again. She calls to the man using the air horn and he splits the newly added players by company and to each side of the game.
Alright, what you came for! You walk with the group you are joined with and they're all tactics. They tell you this and that about how to play, but its all a blur. You're too excited to listen to any of it, you just wanna shoot someone! A lot of the people have armbands that are specific colors and with symbols on them. A group here or there has all the same armbands, you were told this is how to identify who is in which company. You make note of who is on your side. The air horn blares again, and a few groups rush towards the center; they have shotguns, shields, and other things more suited to close quarters combat. Other groups have a lot of rifles and machine guns suited to longer range encounters while most groups have a mix. They tend to stay close to each other, and while there isn't a lot of cohesion between groups, there is within groups. You don't have a group, but you stay near the group that was talking to you most. You've got your gun and start rushing with them. Its an open field battle, and the bb's are flying this way and that.
You don't keep quite as low as you should, and get caught in the left arm with a bb. You recall you can't use that arm anymore with the one exception that you can use it to manually cock a spring pistol and go to your side arm. You take to a knee and look at any targets that are close to you. the closest one is another new player but he's 40 yards away. A few more bb's get close to your head and you hit the deck. You can't see much now, but you start to crawl towards that new player you saw coming towards you. He's still got all his limbs but he's running full tilt towards you. You're not sure if he saw you or what dazed by all the action going on around you. A grenade is tossed close to you, but it sprays away from you. It saves you but kills a lot of the players in the group you were with. Now with no support and a bumb arm, you are worried you don't even fire off a bb your first game.
The other new player gets close to you, his eyes getting really big as you assume he didn't know you were there. You react first, getting a knife out and slash at his arm. He staggers back from the surprise and draws his own. but he fumbles and you stab into his chest as he struggles to draw his own knife. He and you know he's mortal and he drops to the ground. instead of waiting for you to serve him his final blow, he shouts dead and puts his hand on his head.
So elated about your first kill, you temporarily forget your surroundings and stand upright. A spray from a nearby shotgun gets you square in the face. Looking at the player you offed, you also get onto one knee and practice the ritual of death. You and he smile, comrades in a game of surprise. You do regret you didn't even fire an airsoft weapon your first game, but at least you made it 1 for 1.
You continue in these skirmishes until day light runs out, and you are tired and hot. You return to your car, talking to the players of the first group you ran out with on your first skirmish. They offer you to join them in their company, but you have some friends you're bringing to the game next time and you wanted to start a company with them.
So, this was the kind of thing I had in mind for new players on a free battle day. tomorrow I'll post about their first experiences on a story battle day.
I know that first part wasn't exciting, but its necessary to operate a kind of game like this.
Its your first meeting and you roll up to the event, parking your car next to the many others nearby. You get your gear and head up to the tables where a few people are going though a check-in process with players. You walk up to the person sitting at the far end of the table who asks for your passport, or if you are a new player, to get your name to make you a passport for your character. You're confused for a brisk second and realize that the passport is just a character sheet with spaces to fill out on your character's name, role, and exp earned and perks taken. You fill out the passport and move on to the next person on the table.
This person asks to see all of your weapons, she has a chronographer that will tell if your airsoft weapons do not pass the maximum FPS rating and tests out your boffer weapons to see they are safe. She then asks to see your goggles, which you have and are checked to make sure they will protect you against the airsoft weapons. She points you to the next person.
He asks for your operator's licenses, of which you have none. and so he points you to the next officer of game sitting at the table. But if you did, he'd make sure all the devices you are carrying met the requirements they have to be used. You now move to the last person at the table.
She asks your character's name and what monthly actions you have to complete. Its a new character so you say none, since you have no idea what to do, but see hands you 50 bank notes and a list of prices for gear in game. She tells you to pick the starting gear you'd like for your character. You brought a lot of guns, and worry you can't use them all in the game; which is a downer. But you pick a main weapon, side arm, ammunition and hold the rest for a rainy day. You tell her what you want and she tells you that you might want more ammunition as you don't want to run out of that when you're out in story day field battles. You add more ammunition and she gives you operator's licenses for the gear you have, it says unlootable on it since it's starter gear and it would be a pain to lose it to some jerk first game. You fill out your name at the top and so does she adding the date to the top as well. She tells you today is a free battle day, and you can use whatever gear you have. She tells you every other game is a free battle day so you can practice with the gear you have but might not have in game as of yet.
She also explains that your character, depending on its role, can do special actions each month. Or you can move and explore hexes nearby to your character's starting position. She points to a map on a nearby table and says you can start at any of these ETC outposts and prospect for minerals or explore ruins. She says this map and the rules are on the website and to check them out before the next free battle day is so you can declare your monthly actions.
You're a little lost as to what to do now, but see a huge hexagon marked off with tape where some people are dividing themselves up into two groups. They have their weapons and take to opposite sides of the large hexagon. Its a clear field, but you see other similarly taped up hexagons in a dense forest, another where a steep hill is, and one last one where a creek crosses down the middle. You're sure there are more about the property.
The two groups go towards the opposite sides of the hex and when an airhorn blares the two sides are running towards the center, each firing at each other. Some of them have shields they hide behind and fire from around it as they move up. Others crouch in the high grass taking cover that way. One player underhand tosses a grenade and a few seconds later two people on the other side are sprayed with bb's from where it landed. There are a lot of different colored head bands on people and you don't yet know what they mean. eventually, the two sides close and they switch from airsoft weapons to boffer weapons. Some players get into grapples while others just parry and swing at each other until one goes down, hand on their head and shouting dead when they drop to a knee.
At last, only a few people from the side nearest to you are left standing in the middle of the field. The airhorn blasts again, and both sides get back up and head to their respective sides and at the same time the man with the airhorn asks if there are new players to enter to the center to be distributed to the sides. You are about to move until you hear another person shout for any person who is new or has not been to at least 5 events yet. You walk towards this group.
She tells you how damage is dealt and what some of the head bands mean. She tells you what things you aren't allowed to do and what your weapons must be like. She explains the basic rules you need to know how to operate the gear you have, and you are directed to the game that is about to start again. She calls to the man using the air horn and he splits the newly added players by company and to each side of the game.
Alright, what you came for! You walk with the group you are joined with and they're all tactics. They tell you this and that about how to play, but its all a blur. You're too excited to listen to any of it, you just wanna shoot someone! A lot of the people have armbands that are specific colors and with symbols on them. A group here or there has all the same armbands, you were told this is how to identify who is in which company. You make note of who is on your side. The air horn blares again, and a few groups rush towards the center; they have shotguns, shields, and other things more suited to close quarters combat. Other groups have a lot of rifles and machine guns suited to longer range encounters while most groups have a mix. They tend to stay close to each other, and while there isn't a lot of cohesion between groups, there is within groups. You don't have a group, but you stay near the group that was talking to you most. You've got your gun and start rushing with them. Its an open field battle, and the bb's are flying this way and that.
You don't keep quite as low as you should, and get caught in the left arm with a bb. You recall you can't use that arm anymore with the one exception that you can use it to manually cock a spring pistol and go to your side arm. You take to a knee and look at any targets that are close to you. the closest one is another new player but he's 40 yards away. A few more bb's get close to your head and you hit the deck. You can't see much now, but you start to crawl towards that new player you saw coming towards you. He's still got all his limbs but he's running full tilt towards you. You're not sure if he saw you or what dazed by all the action going on around you. A grenade is tossed close to you, but it sprays away from you. It saves you but kills a lot of the players in the group you were with. Now with no support and a bumb arm, you are worried you don't even fire off a bb your first game.
The other new player gets close to you, his eyes getting really big as you assume he didn't know you were there. You react first, getting a knife out and slash at his arm. He staggers back from the surprise and draws his own. but he fumbles and you stab into his chest as he struggles to draw his own knife. He and you know he's mortal and he drops to the ground. instead of waiting for you to serve him his final blow, he shouts dead and puts his hand on his head.
So elated about your first kill, you temporarily forget your surroundings and stand upright. A spray from a nearby shotgun gets you square in the face. Looking at the player you offed, you also get onto one knee and practice the ritual of death. You and he smile, comrades in a game of surprise. You do regret you didn't even fire an airsoft weapon your first game, but at least you made it 1 for 1.
You continue in these skirmishes until day light runs out, and you are tired and hot. You return to your car, talking to the players of the first group you ran out with on your first skirmish. They offer you to join them in their company, but you have some friends you're bringing to the game next time and you wanted to start a company with them.
So, this was the kind of thing I had in mind for new players on a free battle day. tomorrow I'll post about their first experiences on a story battle day.
I know that first part wasn't exciting, but its necessary to operate a kind of game like this.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
ETC Bank Note, 10
A little something to keep you interested! I know how you like pictures...
This image was created by Anna Hanson-Justice.
Explore the world of Antarctica Paradisium!
Who am I?
I am a budding LARP developer for a steampunk themed airsoft/boffer full contact game. You can find the facebook group by the same name as this blog: Antarctica Paradisium.
What's that?
The setting rests in an alternate 1870 where a newly formed company called "Element Trading Company" (ETC from here on) discovers that at the center of Antarctica lies an archipelago geothermally heated. On this archipelago are two things: ruins of an ancient and long dead civilization, and an element not previously known to man which has strange and wondrous qualities. The ETC secures from a newly formed league of nations the exclusive exportation and importation rights to the archipelago which they dub: "Antarctica Paradisium" (AP for short). Players of the game are prospectors, exploring and devloping the industry necessary to exploit the newly discovered element, or explore the ruins abundant on the archipelago and discover fantastic devices.
But maybe you're not the industrious type? Violence is an acceptable avenue to riches in AP. See, the ETC is not a policing organization; they don't care who or how they get the new element from, just that they get it at the best price. Stealing or murder from the ETC is cause for a bounty by the ETC, but not from unaffiliated companies.
In AP you can produce, trade, steal, or kill your way to glory and riches; nothing is sacred in your adventures in AP!
The major themes of this game are as such: A steampunk setting/world, economics, politics, warfare, intelligence, and research & development of new technologies. The hope is that with a developed economic model the players will have cause to produce, trade, or steal the things they will need to be successful in AP. This element of economics should fuel politics within the world, and from there war (which hopefully will be inevitable) between companies in AP. The players only know what they have discovered in the game, so if a group of players wished to form a pirating group, other players would have to seek them out to destroy them. Lastly, the game will have an extensive technology tree so players will have to compete to develop ever more fantastic devices to use on and off the battlefield to defeat each other. I hope you're excited about this like I have been!
We will meet twice a month to do two things: monthly actions and field battles. Anything that does not take place on a battlefield, will be resolved in two meetings: the first where players declare the actions their companies and characters will take, and then the resolution of those actions. The battles that result from these actions will be resolved in real life on the second meeting, anything else will be explained to the players who need to know by officers of game (OG's from now on).
Field battles are the bread and butter of this game, and really are the focus of the game. Since the first meeting is when we declare monthly actions and the battles aren't yet organized, the first meeting will split all the players into two groups (while keeping companies together) and will complete battles as we see fit. These range from the classic slaughter the other side battles, to steal the device and set all red valves to green. These missions will reflect the same kind of things players can do as their monthly actions. The second meeting of the month will run all of the field battles the characters or companies of players are involved in. In the cases where a side has hired personnel like mercenaries to defend their assets, players can play games similar in function to the battlefield series where each side has a number of tickets with which they will use to respawn after already dying in the battle. Since no one wants to sit on the side lines while others are playing, other players who have a vested interest in one side winning over the other can join at the discretion of the company they are attempting to help. These concepts will be better explored later in the blog.
To simulate combat on the field we will use two types of weapons: boffer and airsoft. A boffer weapon is simply a padded stick used to safely strike other players. An airsoft weapon is a toy gun that shoots plastic bb's at other players. The only mandatory safety gear will be fully enclosing shatter resistant goggles. The game will be full contact with some restrictions: no biting, kicking, punching, joint locks, tripping, pulling on costumes, and any other action that is dangerous and cannot be made safe.
Airsoft weapons can be dangerous when shot within ten feet of the intended target, so no shooting can take place where the shooter and target are within ten feet of each other. This is called the "melee bubble" where only melee weapons may be used. A player may retreat outside of this bubble to regain the ability to use airsoft weapons, but only when a distance of ten or more feet has been reached between they and their target.
I can go on, but I'll leave it there for now. Soak up some more later; there is plenty more to blog about!
I am a budding LARP developer for a steampunk themed airsoft/boffer full contact game. You can find the facebook group by the same name as this blog: Antarctica Paradisium.
What's that?
The setting rests in an alternate 1870 where a newly formed company called "Element Trading Company" (ETC from here on) discovers that at the center of Antarctica lies an archipelago geothermally heated. On this archipelago are two things: ruins of an ancient and long dead civilization, and an element not previously known to man which has strange and wondrous qualities. The ETC secures from a newly formed league of nations the exclusive exportation and importation rights to the archipelago which they dub: "Antarctica Paradisium" (AP for short). Players of the game are prospectors, exploring and devloping the industry necessary to exploit the newly discovered element, or explore the ruins abundant on the archipelago and discover fantastic devices.
But maybe you're not the industrious type? Violence is an acceptable avenue to riches in AP. See, the ETC is not a policing organization; they don't care who or how they get the new element from, just that they get it at the best price. Stealing or murder from the ETC is cause for a bounty by the ETC, but not from unaffiliated companies.
In AP you can produce, trade, steal, or kill your way to glory and riches; nothing is sacred in your adventures in AP!
The major themes of this game are as such: A steampunk setting/world, economics, politics, warfare, intelligence, and research & development of new technologies. The hope is that with a developed economic model the players will have cause to produce, trade, or steal the things they will need to be successful in AP. This element of economics should fuel politics within the world, and from there war (which hopefully will be inevitable) between companies in AP. The players only know what they have discovered in the game, so if a group of players wished to form a pirating group, other players would have to seek them out to destroy them. Lastly, the game will have an extensive technology tree so players will have to compete to develop ever more fantastic devices to use on and off the battlefield to defeat each other. I hope you're excited about this like I have been!
So how do we play?
We will meet twice a month to do two things: monthly actions and field battles. Anything that does not take place on a battlefield, will be resolved in two meetings: the first where players declare the actions their companies and characters will take, and then the resolution of those actions. The battles that result from these actions will be resolved in real life on the second meeting, anything else will be explained to the players who need to know by officers of game (OG's from now on).
Field battles are the bread and butter of this game, and really are the focus of the game. Since the first meeting is when we declare monthly actions and the battles aren't yet organized, the first meeting will split all the players into two groups (while keeping companies together) and will complete battles as we see fit. These range from the classic slaughter the other side battles, to steal the device and set all red valves to green. These missions will reflect the same kind of things players can do as their monthly actions. The second meeting of the month will run all of the field battles the characters or companies of players are involved in. In the cases where a side has hired personnel like mercenaries to defend their assets, players can play games similar in function to the battlefield series where each side has a number of tickets with which they will use to respawn after already dying in the battle. Since no one wants to sit on the side lines while others are playing, other players who have a vested interest in one side winning over the other can join at the discretion of the company they are attempting to help. These concepts will be better explored later in the blog.
To simulate combat on the field we will use two types of weapons: boffer and airsoft. A boffer weapon is simply a padded stick used to safely strike other players. An airsoft weapon is a toy gun that shoots plastic bb's at other players. The only mandatory safety gear will be fully enclosing shatter resistant goggles. The game will be full contact with some restrictions: no biting, kicking, punching, joint locks, tripping, pulling on costumes, and any other action that is dangerous and cannot be made safe.
Airsoft weapons can be dangerous when shot within ten feet of the intended target, so no shooting can take place where the shooter and target are within ten feet of each other. This is called the "melee bubble" where only melee weapons may be used. A player may retreat outside of this bubble to regain the ability to use airsoft weapons, but only when a distance of ten or more feet has been reached between they and their target.
I can go on, but I'll leave it there for now. Soak up some more later; there is plenty more to blog about!
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