Contributor: Zoe
Submission: The LARP Community: Who Are We? Non-fiction on a current controversy
LARP (system): Accelerant
Location: Cambridge, MA
Character name: Esme Kingslocke, Tev
Years LARPing: 2
So, as most of you have probably read, there currently brews a controversy about NERO forums, goblin policies, the LARPcast guys (Bill and Mickey), and competition for players.
I really know absolutely nothing about NERO, the goblin policy, and/or NERO rules in general. I have close friends, who have posted to this blog, who really enjoy playing NERO, and I’m happy for them. I really don’t have much of an interest in NERO, though I’d try anything once. However, I wanted to add my online support for Mickey and Bill. I don’t have anywhere near the readership that Mickey and Bill have, but I appreciate my readers’ commentary, my contributors, and the discussion generated by this blog. So, I wanted to give the readers the opportunity to (respectfully) commentate on this issue.
Mickey and Bill, to my understanding, were accused of “driving off players” or “ruining forums” due to posting links to LARPcast and LARPOhio on the NERO forums. In fairness, Mickey and Bill have both posted criticism of the NERO system and rules on their blogs/podcasts. I’m not getting into the nuances of this controversy, please check out the LARPcast podcast for Mickey and Bill’s perspective on the situation. (And, please, check out Joe Valenti’s posts/rebuttals as well.)
There’s a big problem, here, however. And that’s the LARP community and the seeming disregard for the importance of this community. I have been fortunate enough to play in the Accelerant community, where, system-wide, we share XP/CP systems (a leveling-up system, for non-LARPers), costumes, make-up, and, perhaps most importantly, criticism. The owner of Accelerant, Rob Ciccolini, openly encourages players, other GMs, and staff members to comment on the game system to make the game better. Rob, his staff(s), NPCs, and players have worked hard to make a PvE environment that, most importantly, creates a positive, inclusive gameworld.
Moreover, while there is some negative sentiment among small cliques of Accelerant players, Rob and the majority of his staff work hard to encourage a panLARP community that embraces the advantages and disadvantages of all LARPs. If Rob or his staff knew that a player were being stigmatized due to involvement in NERO, I’m pretty sure the bullies would be kicked out of the game, or at least warned that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Before I move on, Accelerant, and the predominant players in Accelerant, have worked hard to engender an open, inclusive, and positive LARPing experience. It’s really too bad that Joe Valenti has responded so negatively to this situation. I know it doesn’t reflect on the entire NERO situation, nor, most importantly, NERO players or staff.
So, Mickey and Bill, perhaps borrowing from somebody else, have talked about the “Zero NPC moment.” That moment in your game when your players are playing. Without you. How does this happen? You’ve created a game so good and so engaging that your players can entertain themselves. They are so involved in the game that they don’t need an NPC to entertain them. I thought this, the zero NPC moment, was what LARPing was all about. And how does this moment happen? You make your game better and better over time, taking criticism, ideas from other games and other game systems, and, most importantly, you use every type of media possible to get your game out there.
It’s not about the money for the people who run the games I love. Melissa, at 7V, has written that it’s about the game, not the profit. I know others, like Mac of Endgame, Rob, Jake of Lost Eidolons, and Scott and Jeff of the calling, feel similarly. Let’s not forget the staff people who have written for this blog. LARPing is about a passion for creativity, expression, and telling a story. We do it together. We build community together. So, let’s work on building an inclusive, cross-LARP community that welcomes people from all systems and rules.
For some awesome forums, please check out Lost Eidolons or Endgame. Post links to others you frequent. Also, check out Bill's blog, LARPOhio.
As always, please share, contribute, and comment.
Submission: The LARP Community: Who Are We? Non-fiction on a current controversy
LARP (system): Accelerant
Location: Cambridge, MA
Character name: Esme Kingslocke, Tev
Years LARPing: 2
So, as most of you have probably read, there currently brews a controversy about NERO forums, goblin policies, the LARPcast guys (Bill and Mickey), and competition for players.
I really know absolutely nothing about NERO, the goblin policy, and/or NERO rules in general. I have close friends, who have posted to this blog, who really enjoy playing NERO, and I’m happy for them. I really don’t have much of an interest in NERO, though I’d try anything once. However, I wanted to add my online support for Mickey and Bill. I don’t have anywhere near the readership that Mickey and Bill have, but I appreciate my readers’ commentary, my contributors, and the discussion generated by this blog. So, I wanted to give the readers the opportunity to (respectfully) commentate on this issue.
Mickey and Bill, to my understanding, were accused of “driving off players” or “ruining forums” due to posting links to LARPcast and LARPOhio on the NERO forums. In fairness, Mickey and Bill have both posted criticism of the NERO system and rules on their blogs/podcasts. I’m not getting into the nuances of this controversy, please check out the LARPcast podcast for Mickey and Bill’s perspective on the situation. (And, please, check out Joe Valenti’s posts/rebuttals as well.)
There’s a big problem, here, however. And that’s the LARP community and the seeming disregard for the importance of this community. I have been fortunate enough to play in the Accelerant community, where, system-wide, we share XP/CP systems (a leveling-up system, for non-LARPers), costumes, make-up, and, perhaps most importantly, criticism. The owner of Accelerant, Rob Ciccolini, openly encourages players, other GMs, and staff members to comment on the game system to make the game better. Rob, his staff(s), NPCs, and players have worked hard to make a PvE environment that, most importantly, creates a positive, inclusive gameworld.
Moreover, while there is some negative sentiment among small cliques of Accelerant players, Rob and the majority of his staff work hard to encourage a panLARP community that embraces the advantages and disadvantages of all LARPs. If Rob or his staff knew that a player were being stigmatized due to involvement in NERO, I’m pretty sure the bullies would be kicked out of the game, or at least warned that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Before I move on, Accelerant, and the predominant players in Accelerant, have worked hard to engender an open, inclusive, and positive LARPing experience. It’s really too bad that Joe Valenti has responded so negatively to this situation. I know it doesn’t reflect on the entire NERO situation, nor, most importantly, NERO players or staff.
So, Mickey and Bill, perhaps borrowing from somebody else, have talked about the “Zero NPC moment.” That moment in your game when your players are playing. Without you. How does this happen? You’ve created a game so good and so engaging that your players can entertain themselves. They are so involved in the game that they don’t need an NPC to entertain them. I thought this, the zero NPC moment, was what LARPing was all about. And how does this moment happen? You make your game better and better over time, taking criticism, ideas from other games and other game systems, and, most importantly, you use every type of media possible to get your game out there.
It’s not about the money for the people who run the games I love. Melissa, at 7V, has written that it’s about the game, not the profit. I know others, like Mac of Endgame, Rob, Jake of Lost Eidolons, and Scott and Jeff of the calling, feel similarly. Let’s not forget the staff people who have written for this blog. LARPing is about a passion for creativity, expression, and telling a story. We do it together. We build community together. So, let’s work on building an inclusive, cross-LARP community that welcomes people from all systems and rules.
For some awesome forums, please check out Lost Eidolons or Endgame. Post links to others you frequent. Also, check out Bill's blog, LARPOhio.
As always, please share, contribute, and comment.
Thanks for the shout out, Zoe! I really do feel that a lot of the players and staff of NERO do believe in the idea of cooperation. It's just too bad that the man on top of the mountain doesn't.
ReplyDeleteI will say it's become so bad that some of the local chapters will bias against anything National related, regardless of the quality. And that's no better.