Con Report: Phoenix 2015
This year exiledinpn and I attended the Phoenix LARP convention in Christchurch for the first time. Phoenix differs from Chimera and Hydra in that it's held on the University campus rather than a scout camp. This makes the venue costs a lot cheaper, but does mean you have to organise your own food and accommodation.
Friday Night: The Linfarn Run
On Friday night I ran "The Linfarn Run" by Tony Mitton (who had very kindly sent me a copy of the run files). This is the first in the Kestrel series of LARPs (a setting loosely based on the Firefly series). While this was a pre-written game, it did involve a bit more GM involvement during run-time than I'm used to. Fortunately, despite a few hiccups it seemed to go ok and hopefully we'll be able to get hold of the sequels to run some time.
Saturday Morning: Vamp 2
This was a sequel to a game that ran at the first Phoenix. However, from the description I'm not sure that there were all that many characters carried over. The setting was similar enough to the WoD that I didn't have any problems picking it up. I won't say too much about the outcome other than my book club just wouldn't be the same any more.
Saturday Afternoon: Boats Against the Current
Boat Against the Current is a game by allova based on The Great Gatsby.This was actually the second time I'd played Boats, which didn't really matter as it's not a highly spoilerable game. It was interesting to see how things developed with a different group of players.
Saturday Evening: Henchmen
The flagship LARP was Henchmen, with the basic premise being that a group of heroes gets trapped in a supervillain's lair along with her minions with a 3-hour countdown until everything self-destructs. Unfortunately my personal melodrama plotline was derailed by my assumption that my character would be recognisable to anyone who knew me (I wasn't wearing a mask and didn't really consider I went to great lengths to disguise my appearance as I was only a scientist rather than a field agent). Unfortunately the writers had assumed that I was in disguise and therefore hadn't put any information linking my villain name to my previous identity. This lead to confusion as when my ex claimed to have never seen me before in his life I assumed that he was either (a) being a dick and/or (b) had been mind-wiped of the relevant memories and so nothing really got off the ground there.
Sunday Morning: The Gehenna Memo
This was the game that exiledinpn had spent many months working on based on Charles Stross' Laundry series, but set at Bletchly Park during WW2. Obviously the details are all classified, but exiledinpn did manage to evoke the feel of the setting. There was also so much going on that I don't think anyone had the full picture. This is the game that I'm currently spending the most time reflecting on and regretting all the things I could have tried but didn't. Still, now that I've played I get to red all the files.
Sunday Afternoon: Argonautica
Argonautica is about the contestants and crew of a trashy reality TV show set on a submarine. Part-way through there is a revelation that changes the nature of the game. This revelation renders most of the first part of the game irrelevant. While this is the point, it might not be everyone's cup of tea. As a player I think I preferred the earlier stage of the game (which was great fun). However, paradoxically, I think my character was actually happier in the second part (which is pretty messed up as those who have played will know).
Friday Night: The Linfarn Run
On Friday night I ran "The Linfarn Run" by Tony Mitton (who had very kindly sent me a copy of the run files). This is the first in the Kestrel series of LARPs (a setting loosely based on the Firefly series). While this was a pre-written game, it did involve a bit more GM involvement during run-time than I'm used to. Fortunately, despite a few hiccups it seemed to go ok and hopefully we'll be able to get hold of the sequels to run some time.
Saturday Morning: Vamp 2
This was a sequel to a game that ran at the first Phoenix. However, from the description I'm not sure that there were all that many characters carried over. The setting was similar enough to the WoD that I didn't have any problems picking it up. I won't say too much about the outcome other than my book club just wouldn't be the same any more.
Saturday Afternoon: Boats Against the Current
Boat Against the Current is a game by allova based on The Great Gatsby.This was actually the second time I'd played Boats, which didn't really matter as it's not a highly spoilerable game. It was interesting to see how things developed with a different group of players.
Saturday Evening: Henchmen
The flagship LARP was Henchmen, with the basic premise being that a group of heroes gets trapped in a supervillain's lair along with her minions with a 3-hour countdown until everything self-destructs. Unfortunately my personal melodrama plotline was derailed by my assumption that my character would be recognisable to anyone who knew me (I wasn't wearing a mask and didn't really consider I went to great lengths to disguise my appearance as I was only a scientist rather than a field agent). Unfortunately the writers had assumed that I was in disguise and therefore hadn't put any information linking my villain name to my previous identity. This lead to confusion as when my ex claimed to have never seen me before in his life I assumed that he was either (a) being a dick and/or (b) had been mind-wiped of the relevant memories and so nothing really got off the ground there.
Sunday Morning: The Gehenna Memo
This was the game that exiledinpn had spent many months working on based on Charles Stross' Laundry series, but set at Bletchly Park during WW2. Obviously the details are all classified, but exiledinpn did manage to evoke the feel of the setting. There was also so much going on that I don't think anyone had the full picture. This is the game that I'm currently spending the most time reflecting on and regretting all the things I could have tried but didn't. Still, now that I've played I get to red all the files.
Sunday Afternoon: Argonautica
Argonautica is about the contestants and crew of a trashy reality TV show set on a submarine. Part-way through there is a revelation that changes the nature of the game. This revelation renders most of the first part of the game irrelevant. While this is the point, it might not be everyone's cup of tea. As a player I think I preferred the earlier stage of the game (which was great fun). However, paradoxically, I think my character was actually happier in the second part (which is pretty messed up as those who have played will know).