Musings on Anime Convention LARP
Though I've only done it twice, I found that I really enjoy it, when it's done well. From what I recconn, the group needs to be the right size (I'd cap groups off at 20 or so) and the system has to have the right mixture of seriousness and silliness to balance out.
But from what I've experienced, a lot of research/discussion with the players is needed as well as the GMs doing research on existing massivly multiplayer crossover games such as Super Robot Wars, Jump Supeerstars and Super Smash Bros. I've larped only at Katsularp (in what turned into my favorite and sadly the last of the Katsularps) and at Otakon.
Otakon suffered from the afformentioned size issue.
Katsularp was far more fun as it got the size right and the silliness/seriousness balanced pretty well, but it was not without its problems.
These are just my personal opinion, but it's the internet, so I'm free to speak.
1) Attribute Scaling: The system had 1 to 6 ratings for all stats, and that works pretty well...but they never did define the values. Ever. This lead to some weirdness. Energy and Life points were similarly skewed.
2) Contacts Failure: It seems so very wrong that senator palpatine cannot call more than a single squad of clone tropopers when the storyline established he had a Stardestoryer in orbit.
3) Did not Do the Research: I played Cassandra Cain, one of my favorite characters. I played her as best I could, but her stats were basically "Tifa as a Ninja". Cass, as a normal human, should have honestly been a glass cannon.
4) Combat Fubar: The combat system basically made it impoossible outside a perfect roll to hit a target with higher skills than you.
5) Mecha Malfunctions: The game established that Mecha could not hit human-sized characters and that human could not even hurt mecha. Anyone who wanted to play Ultraman, Hank Pym, A-Ko, Virtually any Transformer, Superman, a Kaiju, The Iron Giant or similar character would break the system so fast its not funny.
I had a great time, but these flaws stuck out.
Ota-larp had other problems--their combat system was confusing, aspects of "Did Not Do The Research" poppup up (though I should mention that all were willing to make changes at player requests) and a pisspot setting.
Being a GM for a good period of time (approaching 3 years now), I attempted to think of a few solutions.
The first step was to healthily define the attributes in broad but acceptable terms. For the 1 to 6 system of Katsularp, I broke it down as this:
1 - Below human average.
2 - Human Average.
3 - Athletic Human
4 - Peak Human/Low Tier Superhuman (Beast of the X-Men's Strength, Einstein's Intelligence, Batman's Willpower)
5 - Definitely Superhuman ("Super Strong" people who define it vaugely, from Starfire to Colossus)
6 - Beyond the Impossible (Class 100 Superhuman Strength people and beyond, the Intelligence of The Doctor)
I also ruled that people with Strenght 3 or more can harm Mechs.
Another concept I had was the natural unlocking of new abilities, new attacks and the natural improvement of skills over time.
For example if a player chose to be Kenichi from Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple. He'd start out rather puny on the first day of a 3 day Anime-Convention Larp. On the second day, he'd gain 1 level in several skills and several attributes, as well as unlock the ability Seikuken (basic). On the final day, he'd peak out his Martial arts skill and constitutioon scores and gain a more advanced form of Seikuken.
In another example: a Player who went with Masaki Andoh of Super Robot Wars would start with the mech Cybuster, but without two of its signature attacks. Each of those attacks would be unlocked one after the other over the following days.
This would be in addition to any benifits that would come to pass from gameplay (like if a person playing Negi from Mahou Sensei Negima went and whored himself out for Pactios).
Another thing I worked out was that they needed Drama Points from Cinematic Unisystem. I tweaked their abilities a bit for the larp, butthen toyed with the idea of imporitng the Spirit Skills from Super Robot Wars to the system as well. I'd limit a player to between 6 and 7 of thes especial skills for dama points, to prevent to much abuse.
Here's the list of Drama Point uses (original and slightly censored from-system ones) that I'd employ for a larp. Like Katsularp's Dodge points, they would not recover from use. More players would start with 5 to 20 depending on their role in the stories (Major heroes get 5-10, while supporting characters get 20). Depending on the point allocation for the players, the supporting, weak characters may have many more points (IE, if Kyon of Haruhi Suzumiya is in the same game as Hellsing's Alucard).
I debate whether or not to grant players 3 Drama Points at the end of each day.
Drama Point Usages (Collated)
- Heroic Feat - Automatic Extreme Success. Once per turn. Must be announced beforehand. Once per turn. Costs 1 point.
- Auto-Dodge - Once per turn. Costs 1 point.
- I Think I’m OK - Recover ½ damage dealt or 1/2 life point total, whichever is greater. Once per turn. Costs 1 point.
- Plot Twist - This power may only be used once per day and is basically "GM! I need a lucky break!" This can only be used once per day. Specific examples include:
o They Want Him Alive! - The enemy has you surrounded, but with this, they won't kill you quite yet.
o A Vital Clue - The mystery is getting no where, but--oh! Look at this!
o Look! A Distracting Thing! - You escape combat cleanly.
o I Summon Black Cat - deals damage to one target and stuns as a black cat crosses the target's path and a heavy object from the sky strikes them.
o You have a Weakness I know now! - Be it a chink in the armor or a elemental weakness, the character deduces it, making a boss fight that much easier.
- Righteous Fury - Bonus to all attack actions in and related combat. Lasts until combat ends. Needs a good emotional reason to activate. Once per battle. Costs 2 points.
- Back from the Dead - Variable cost, but it gets you back int he game that much faster. 5 points Returns you to life with half health at end of combat. 10 returns you at half health in the midst of combat or full health at the end of combat. Otherwise, recovery occurs within 1 hour. Bosses, while having drama points, cannot use this. This includes PCs that become bosses during the course of the campaign. Considering most Boss type characters wouldn't even have enough drama to pull this off to begin with too...
- Heroic Dive/Tackle - 5 Drama Points. Screaming “Noooooo!” is optional. Adds to the dodge attempt of an ally, but if the attack still connects, the “Saver” takes the damage instead.
- You Can Do It - Give 1 drama point to an ally at the cost of 2. They must use it within the space of that combat, or it disappears. Once per battle, but if a large enough group does it for one player...
- Fighter’s Drive - 4 Drama Points, grants a bonus attack actions. More expensive than Righteous Fury.
- Lament - 5 Drama Points, allows an ally character to be immediately resurrected at the end of combat at half health. The character doing this, however, must give a lamenting speach about how they were close to the petrson who is (though to be) dead.
From Super Robot Wars, I debated putting in the following Spirit Command uses of Drama Points.
- Valor - Ups damage of one attack. Costs: 3-5
- Fierce Battle - Increase base damage of all allies by ½ for 1 turn. Cost: 10
- Soul - Ups damage of one attack bny even more. Cost: 6-8
- Iron Wall - 1/4th incoming hits. Lasts 1 turn. Cost: 2
- Invincible - Next hit only deals 1 damage. Cost: 6
- Invisible - Cannot be attacked that turn. Cost: 7 (?)
- Attune - An ally’s attack Auto-hits. Cost: 2
- Disturbance/Confuse - Reduce enemy attack skill by ½. Cost: 6
- Focus - Small bonus to attack and defense for the entire turn. Cost: 1
- Sense - Auto Success on Attack and Defense that turn. Once each. Cost: 2
- Bonds - Heals all 50% total life points to all allies. Costs: 10
- Faith - Restore up to 5DP to an ally. Cost: 8
- Prayer - Undoes status effect on ally. Cost: 2
- Renew - Restore full energy to an ally. Cost: 6 (?)
- Trust - Restore small amount of Life Points to an ally. Cost: 2
- Faith - Restore full life points to an ally. Cost: 6
- Chain Attack - If the enemy is reduced to 0HP, the attacker may attack again. Cost: 5
- Enable - Ally may act again. Cost: 10
- Self-Destruct - Deals remaining HP as damage. Instantly Kills user. Cost: 10
- Fury - Bypass Defense Systems (Shields, Illusions, but not armor) for one attack. Cost: 2
- Mercy - Target, no matter how much damage dealt, is left with 1 HP from your attack. Cost: 1
- Zeal - Allows user to have another full action that turn. Cost: 7
And then there are combination Spirit Skills.
- Courage - Automatic next hit, damage of the first hit you receive that turn is reduced to 1. Damage of next attack increased, and defense systems (Illusions, Shields) are bypassed in that attack. Immune to fear effects that turn. Cost: 6-7.
- Love - Auto hit and Dodge this encounter. Damage that attack is increased. Cost: 6-7
- Messiah - Restore Full Life points to Entire Party. Cost: 10 (maybe more).
- Miracle - Full Restore HP. Automatic hit next attack and autodonext dodge. Cost: 6-7.
- Rage - All enemies dealt decent damage, ignores armor and damage reduction. Cost: 5.
- Raid - Auto Hit and Dodge next time they occur, Increase damage multiplier of attack. Decent Initiative boost/bump in order. Cost: 6-7
I think that would help balance things out in future LARPs.
That doesn't address all the problems, but I think this is a good start--unless I'm overcomplicating things.
I do have that tendancy.