[Morlandus]

Alright, since this board is now my new home, I can feel free to let loose with my stupidity in certain areas, and feel free in the knowledge that I won't be kicked in the nuts for it. Now, what's up with the whole rock paper sissor thingy?

Oh yeah, I've heard you can use dice in these things, however, I heard it can be a bit overwhelming. Just ask DGG.

~chuka chuka chuka~

[Xemiel]

Janken is simply the easiest thing to use for a test, given that even if you do carry dice around with you, there may be nowhere to roll the dice. Some LARPs spill out of their building, and the ground is hardly a suitable surface for dice.

I like the new card rule, but again, sometimes you just don't have a place for them on your costume.

[Rasv_Hst]

I run a LARP. There are upsides and downsides to throwing chops.

Upside: its relativly fast.
Downside: its chops and that gets old and it can sometimes be unbalancing.

I haven't had a chance to play the whole pick a card thing yet, but it could work.

[zenten]

I'll just use the finger thing instead of the card thing, as long as the ST isn't being an idiot and allowing 0-10 fingers as opposed to 1-10 fingers.

[Morlandus]

Ok, so what all do you have to use these various things for? Executing actions? Using disciplines?

> <

[DGG]

My experiences with LARPs has been very well documented and I feel it is my responsibility to point out that my experiences, as horrendous as they may have been is not indicative of what a LARP is or the fun that can be had at them. My experience in Copenhagen really changed my point of view.

The Rock-Paper-Scissor thing does seem silly but they are only used for challenges (IE using your discipline on another). In truth, if you are involved in challenges too much, you are doing it wrong. I mean think about it; does a vampire use Dominate or Obfuscate every 10 minutes? No he doesn’t. In Jackob’s LARP I was only involved in one challenge and I was playing the Prince-Regent. Same thing goes for many other players who were playing powerful Cainites.

A LARP emphasizes mood and setting. You’re encouraged to stay in-character 100% of the time. Dressing up in costumes is part of the fun too. We are not just talking about role-playing here but full blown out acting, complete with props and accents. Throwing chops seems to break the mood but it is strictly there for when it is needed. I maintain that good LARPers can decide amongst themselves who wins or who loses a challenge but sadly, sometimes ego gets in the way or worse still, the LARP is ending in 10 minutes and a player says “Nuts! I haven’t had a chance to use my new powers yet!” so he finds an excuse to f*ck up the story just so that he can play with his new toy.

[Morlandus]

Ahhh, right. I didn't quite get what 'throwing the chops' were until now. Ok then, so, it's used more or less whenever you would role the dice in tt.

Interesting.

:g:

[zenten]

>>Ahhh, right. I didn't quite get what 'throwing the chops' were until now. Ok then, so, it's used more or less whenever you would role the dice in tt. <<

Actualy, it depend on the game. Assuming we're talking about the old MET game that goes with the old world of darkness, a lot of times there isn't any sort of test or random factor if you're not doing something to another character that doesn't want it done to him. Instead, you end up spending temporary traits (in old MET, attributes and skills have temporary and permanent values just like willpower) to reflect it's use, and thus don't have to have any sort of test.

[Morlandus]

Hmm, that actually sounds a bit better. But then again, I suppose it's a little bit closer to TT than 'chopping'.

[zenten]

Honestly, just think of RPS as a D3, and it seems less weird.

[DGG]

Honestly, just think of RPS as a D3, and it seems less weird.

A D3?

I thought that only exists in Warhammer.

[zenten]

That's all RPS is really, because there are three possible outcomes picked at random.

[adgramaine]

That's all RPS is really, because there are three possible outcomes picked at random.

unless you count "the Bomb".

And your best RPS strategy? Throw scissors - a lot. It wins on average twice as much as anything else, esp. when the Bomb is in play.

We made Challenge Cards for our LARP - a set of four cards with PRS symbols on them. We simply shuffle the deck prior to throwing any Challenge, and then show the bottom card. It works best when you aren't paying attention to what you throw, and you don't try counting your own cards.

Some of my players have bought multiple decks and put them together, thinking it increases the randomness of the outcome.

But the odds remain the same when using a three or four outcome range, despite how many cards are in the deck...

... but as it was said above - players throwing endless Challenges slow down game play. In the Garou LARP, as violent as it is, it is the nature of the beast, pun unintended. In Vampire and other games, whole sessions could rightly go by without a single Challenge being thrown...

And well it should be...

[Temple]

The Bomb..?

[adgramaine]

The Bomb..?

Yeah, the Bomb.

So, here's the quick run down:

Player A, let's say is a Child of Gaia Theurge. Player B is a Get Ahroun. Both are of equal rank and have equal number of traits. The Get, however, is in Crinos form when they square off and can throw the Bomb (fist with a "thumbs up", defeats everything except scissors).

There are several ways according to MET that one can earn the coveted right to throw the Bomb. Potence and Celerity both do so at certain levels, and in most games, Garou can as well as long as they are in Crinos and attempting a feat of Strength.

For the purposes of play balance for my own LARP, I allowed players to effectively buy levels of Potence dependant upon their rank. 2nd edition MET Garou simply "gave" Potence bonuses upon acheiving a given rank - total bunk if you ask me.

Making players pay for such bonuses makes much more sense to me. It also allows for some nasty surprises... like the Theurge that has purchased all available levels of Potence (we call it Spirit Strength) manages to get a hit on an Ahroun who has neglected that aspect of character growth...

Heh, but I digress....

[zenten]

The bomb is dumb. If both people know what they're doing, than all you get is changing things from a d3 to a d2.

[adgramaine]

The bomb is dumb.  If both people know what they're doing, than all you get is changing things from a d3 to a d2.

Hey, I didn't say it was a great tool, but it works somewhat at least.

To me, mechanics are as important as the Story anyway. If a scene can be described by looking at and compairing Traits, without resorting to PRS, then it should be done that way.

Whatever works for your group - the golden rule of the LARP.

Whatever does not get you arrested - the platinum rule of the LARP.

[Luxifer]

the bomb would work better if it was represented by some random system rather then a self-selecting one.

You could simply say bomb beats everything, have one card of each suit to represent paper, scissors, rock and bomb. That way it's randomised.

[adgramaine]

the bomb would work better if it was represented by some random system rather then a self-selecting one.

You could simply say bomb beats everything, have one card of each suit to represent paper, scissors, rock and bomb. That way it's randomised.

actually, we have a few players that use a normal deck of cards to simulate PRS the way you describe. And honestly, there isn't much of a difference. 4 cards or 40 cards... it's been a while since finite math, but I think the odds are the same if the 40 card deck is comprised of nothing but complete sets of PRS + bomb...

but dammit, I don't wanna do math!

[zenten]

No, if everything is fully random having the bomb gives you an advantage.