[UA] UA larp

[Patrick O'Duffy]

----- Original Message -----
From: "James O'Rance" <jorance at hotmail.com>

That said, freeorm mechanics don't have to be randomiser-based. Cthulhu Live
has no randomisers, and it looks like a playable game (if a bit too detailed
for my preferences). It's purely base on stats - either you are good enough
to do something, or you aren't. The challenge as a scenario designer would
be to make sure that you don't create any impossible situations, although I
guess that would suit the genre of CoC.

--
This is my preferred way of doing freeforms as well (of course, LARPs have
different requirements, but I prefer freeforms anyway). Randomizers add
complications, and you want simplicity; randomizers are there to add
'realism', and I don't care about realism in live-play.

--
Over Easter I ran a freeform where each character started out with a certain
amount of play money. If you wanted to do something, and another character
didn't want you to, whoever bid the highest amount of money "won" (there was
a minor complication for the sexy characters). I'm glad that "Very bad
Things" was run indoors, because it looked like drug deals were continuously
being made.

--
I like that; it's quite clever. I've done something similar with this
Shadowrun freeform; each character has a number of persuasion and resistance
cards, so they can make other people do stuff a few times.

Little mechanics like that add unpredictability to the game. And you want
things to be unpredictable, not random.

If I were to design a UA freeform (I've been toying with the idea of a
'Jailbreak' multiform), I'd probably use stats (rated 1-10) as the lead
trait; you compare traits, the highest one wins, no arguments. Skills add 1
to the stat when appropriate.

On top of that, you use a card-based 'flip-flop' mechanism, keyed to the
obsession traits and the character's passions. Use a card, and your
appropriate stat doubles for the purpose of a single comparison (or triples,
or something; details aren't important). Use something similarly card-based
for spells, avatar abilities and assorted wackiness.

--
Patrick O'Duffy, Brisbane, Australia

What are you fucking looking at? What? You think I'm one of the nutless
freaks you peddle your watered-down gnat's piss to? One of your mental
barflies gone bad? I'm a fucking journalist! I am working!

 - Spider Jerusalem, TRANSMETROPOLITAN #34


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