I've been tossing around the idea of doing a LARP game for a few years now, but work has generally kept me busy enough to relegate the idea to daydreams... Until recently. I'm finally in a position to get my weekends free most of the time, and my desire to start my own LARP has intensified rather than waned. After discussing the idea with my regular 4E group (most of which have never LARPed), I've finally decided to take the plunge and start one up.
I played in some LARPs when I lived in California (eight years ago), but I've never been involved in hosting or running one myself. I have several concerns and questions. Anyone who has run a LARP before (or played in one and has some suggestions), I'd really appreciate the opportunity to bounce some ideas off you. Here are the basics so far:
• It's going to be based on the revised Laws of the Night rules, set in the classic World of Darkness. Players will play Camarilla vampires, mortals, or ghouls.
• The setting will be comparatively "realistic," that is, mostly accurate in geography and current events to the real-life city of Raleigh in which the game is set. I plan for the stories to be a mix of political intrigue and supernatural mysteries/wierdness, so I don't intend to go too far off-base in creating an alternate setting.
• Right now, I have approximately a dozen interested players (although if they drag along their significant others and buddies, it will probably be around twenty). Some of the players have been introduced through the new World of Darkness products and are curious about the classic setting, others are just looking for a break from D&D. One other person has volunteered to serve as a narrator and I can probably twist my girlfriend's arm into helping out with logistics as well.
Here are my major concerns right now:
• I don't have a venue. Bluntly put, my work keeps me out of town alot, and I don't know Raleigh well enough to find a good spot to play. Ideally, I'd like to find a place somewhere downtown where we could play indoors if need be (because of weather or for privacy, for example). Any advice on finding a place to play would be particularly appreciated.
• Some of my potential players have expressed concern that the subject matter (playing vampires) might attract certain undesirable segments of the population to our events. How does one go about graciously regulating the player base?
I intend to look up members of the local White Wolf groups and consult with them as well, but ENWorld has always been a great place for me to get insightful options and help. I'd appreciate any comments or thoughts that would help me get this project off the ground.
I played in some LARPs when I lived in California (eight years ago), but I've never been involved in hosting or running one myself. I have several concerns and questions. Anyone who has run a LARP before (or played in one and has some suggestions), I'd really appreciate the opportunity to bounce some ideas off you. Here are the basics so far:
• It's going to be based on the revised Laws of the Night rules, set in the classic World of Darkness. Players will play Camarilla vampires, mortals, or ghouls.
• The setting will be comparatively "realistic," that is, mostly accurate in geography and current events to the real-life city of Raleigh in which the game is set. I plan for the stories to be a mix of political intrigue and supernatural mysteries/wierdness, so I don't intend to go too far off-base in creating an alternate setting.
• Right now, I have approximately a dozen interested players (although if they drag along their significant others and buddies, it will probably be around twenty). Some of the players have been introduced through the new World of Darkness products and are curious about the classic setting, others are just looking for a break from D&D. One other person has volunteered to serve as a narrator and I can probably twist my girlfriend's arm into helping out with logistics as well.
Here are my major concerns right now:
• I don't have a venue. Bluntly put, my work keeps me out of town alot, and I don't know Raleigh well enough to find a good spot to play. Ideally, I'd like to find a place somewhere downtown where we could play indoors if need be (because of weather or for privacy, for example). Any advice on finding a place to play would be particularly appreciated.
• Some of my potential players have expressed concern that the subject matter (playing vampires) might attract certain undesirable segments of the population to our events. How does one go about graciously regulating the player base?
I intend to look up members of the local White Wolf groups and consult with them as well, but ENWorld has always been a great place for me to get insightful options and help. I'd appreciate any comments or thoughts that would help me get this project off the ground.
