Unknown Armies Concern...

[the_eggwhite]

So... I'm starting to have second thoughts about my Unknown Armies LARP.

Not about running it... nothing can stop that now (well, actually several things could, but I prefer not to think about them)... but about one of my ideas for how to run it. The "Actually go there" one, which means that if your characters want to go somewhere, you actually go there.

I'm not abandonning it yet, but I'm starting to have concerns about how to handle party splits and how to bribe NPCs or DPCs to lurk in locations just in case PCs decide to turn up. Also, we're approaching winter, and I don't want to have to plan my game around our somewhat unpredictable weather... but with not so many cars in our gaming group things could get awkward.

I'd like to keep a certain element of this kind of thing in there, but basically I'm wondering about player acceptance of having to actually get up and go somewhere, potentially in bad weather. Moreso for anybody I want the players to be able to meet at that location, as they'd have to be waiting there for players to turn up - again, potentially in bad weather.

What do people think? Should I start it as a venue based game (still going with two distinct groups, two distinct venues - most likely people's houses) and move towards excursions when they seem to be appropriate/practical?

Comments

[urizen.livejournal.com]

While the 'actually going places' is excellent for building reality and atmosphere, I fear that it will be fraught with problems of practicailty. Plus, as you point out, freezing your nuts off in the cold is never fun. Especially if a lack of cars could also be an issue.

I agree that we should try and keep things as 'live' as possible though, but mainly we should just go with whatever we can get to work.

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

Yup... I'm thinking at the moment of certain set scenes taking place at other locations, and with a GM and/or appropriately briefed NPCs going there at the same time as the players... it might mean that whoever gets there first has to wait a bit, but I'm sure things like that can be worked out.

I don't think two players going to meet with a contact under the M25 bridge at the far end of Egham would pose too much of a problem... Especially as that kind of group (1 NPC, 2 Players, maybe a GM) would all fit in one car.

I forsee the use of things like garages and sheds, and perhaps even the houses of friends not involved in the game if they don't object. Perhaps even bribe them to NPC...

[themadone.livejournal.com]

Whilst it sounds like a cool idea, I don't think it's entirely practical at the moment. Running about town just sounds too tiring and us players are way too unpredicatable for you to be able to play where to have NPCs wait for us. Although most of that might be just me being fearful of having to go outside in the lousy weather we've got at the moment :)

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

I've got a kind of halfway house solution, mentioned above. I don't forsee large groups travelling anywhere en-masse, as that would draw attention, and in UA, drawing attention is unwise... It's more likely to be the odd PC or two going off for secret meetings, or to meet a contact who doesn't want to come to the PCs for some reason. That kind of thing is, I think, more likely to work...

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

I'll also try to stick to things that are not far from the base venue, or where I know somebody will be okay driving people there...

[izzy-stradlin.livejournal.com]

Pshaw...it would be good for lazy roleplayers (see above for example) to get out and get some fresh air and excercise. I for one think it would be fun anyway. After all, it'a a real world setting and it isn't always fun and sunshine...

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

Whilst it's good and fun, it's not always by choice that people prefer to avoid walking too far in poor weather.

I plan to keep at least some of this kind of thing in there, though, even if it's a bit more limited than I originally planned due to practical concerns.

I really like the idea of RPing a secret meeting in a dirty underpass in a dirty underpass, or an RPing a rendezvous in the woods actually in the woods... I just need to keep a bit of a reign on it rather than just letting players wander all over the place...

[satyrica.livejournal.com]

yeah, the halfway house solution sounds more sensible

[lucifermourning.livejournal.com]

the other difficulty that occurs to me, re the cars thing, is that even if you have a nice small group that needs to head off elsewhere, it could easily be a small group of non-drivers, thus restricting expeditions so they must include someone with a car.

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that "walking distance" is the ideal situation. If it can be walked to in 15 minutes or less then it's fair game for somewhere to have things happen...

[lucifermourning.livejournal.com]

this makes far more sense then.
i have to agree that moving locations would be quite cool, and if things were walkable it wouldn't be nearly as complicated.