Live Game Labs

A freeform larp about games, live-action roleplaying in particular, with accompanying workshops and discussion.

Game Type: Theater, metagame.
Date: February 24 (evening) and 25 (all day). Additional workshops for players may be added as needed and as schedules permit.
Locations: TBD for pre-game workshops, Wyvern Manor for the final game
Players: maximum 20
Ulterior Motives: To discuss and then play out the different roles of larp in a quick and highly improvisational game, based loosely on the book The Game of Sunken Places. This is our first attempt at a Scandinavian-style larp workshop, and I want it to be fun as well as informative for all the participants. However, the process will require a real commitment of time and energy from everyone.

More resources on the world of Sunken Places can be found here (http://mt-anderson NULL.com/sbs/), and here (http://www NULL.scholastic NULL.com/gameofsunkenplaces/explore/#).

Introductions
There is a book called The Game of Sunken Places. It concerns a game, played and designed by human beings, but meant to determine the final outcome of a conflict between two warring parties of an enchanted, otherworldly race. The game is run in secret, and the truth is kept from the players. It is not made for their benefit; they are like tokens, or dice. The makers of the game are themselves members of the warring parties, bound by only their own rules—and they are not impartial.

In the book, the game is played by two young boys, invited under false pretenses, set up to play without their consent, and by their playing they determine the fates of millions of people—or, “people”—they do not know, and will never meet. There is nothing in it for them, and yet they are forced to play.

It is, in many ways, a game made of lies, signifying nothing.

Of course, every larp is a game made of lies. The outcomes of our struggles there matter nothing in the actuality of our daily lives. And yet we play. We design; we build. We stay up through late nights to dream up new worlds; we sleep in the cold and wait for inevitable battles in the cold hours before dawn. We spend our money and our time on making unreal things slightly more real, to step into worlds other than our own.

Why do we play?

Despite the growing body of work studying larp, nobody to my knowledge has tackled this one yet. In truth, the answer is likely to shift places, depending on the point of view of the person asked. However, in Southern California we haven’t had much access yet to the intellectual aspects of larp, and the question itself has gone unasked. This is not a fault. Many people participate in larp merely because they enjoy it, and they don’t need to look any deeper than that. They are fortunate.

Some of us, however, aren’t so easily satisfied. What we are doing, we think, is actually rather interesting, and odd. We pretend we are someone else, in strange worlds we dream up ourselves: all the traditional province of childhood. Now, play pretend and world-building are acceptable for adults, but if you can make a living doing it—actor or author or director or videogame designer, fine, but there is no respect for the amateur here. When you consider the acceptance given to the amateur chef, or weekend soccer league, or the community theater, this seems a little suspicious. Why is what we do so much different?

We could, of course, just sit and discuss it. But why not play it?

A game, based on the theme and world of The Game of Sunken Places­—a game about a Game designed, constructed, run, and played by all the participants.

More to come.

Monsieur Beauregard’s Hollywood Speakeasyis an ELGL event taking place at WyrdCon on Friday, June 11 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Presidential Suite.

GMs: Ray Lavoie and Richard Becker

You’re invited to an evening of music, scandal, sin, and gin at…

 Monsieur Beauregard’s

An establishment of the highest quality

Monsieur Beauregard’s is rated 18+ for adult themes and mature humor.   Alcohol will be available – proof of legal drinking age will be required to be served alcohol.

The game takes place at M. Beauregard’s, an imaginary speakeasy in the Los Angeles of 1928.  Its proprietor, the eponymous M. Beauregard (either of two brothers, actually) is a large and cheerful fellow from New Orleans who maintains a policy of offering hospitality to all comers.  As a consequence, his establishment has evolved into an informal meeting place for those individuals who might otherwise not feel comfortable meeting each other elsewhere, be they rival politicians, studio heads, or even mob bosses.  This eclectic clientele of movers and shakers in turn attracts the cream (and the dregs) of Los Angeles, as everybody who’s anybody will find there way at some time to M. Beauregard’s. 

Players will be provided pre-generated characters – they may play  studio moguls, gangsters, movie stars,  aspiring starlets or leading men, gossup columnists, spiritualists, any of the many eclectic types that populated Los Angeles in 1928.   The game will focus on social and political intrigue as characters seek to keep their secrets, ferret out scandals, and pursue their dreams in the Golden Age of Hollywood! 

Combat will be extremely limited – les Freres Beauregard wish all their guests to enjoy a relaxing evening, and discourage violence.  Character powers are analogous to player actions – there are no special effects, only the skill by which you acquire information, leverage influence, and use the secrets you know to achieve your character’s goals.

Costuming should follow the styles of the 1920s.  This clothing catalogue (http://www NULL.costumes NULL.org/history/100pages/1928CATA NULL.HTM)from 1928 will give you some idea of the look of the era.  More generally, gentlemen should consider suits or a blazer and slacks.   Ladies should consider flapper-style dresses.  Althogh we appreciate efforts to wear suits and dresses of the appropriate cut, any suit is fine for gentlemen – a hat can do wonders to evoke an earlier era.  For ladies, if a flapper-style dress is not possible, a blouse and skirt of about knee length would suit as well.  

All necessary information about the plots will be provided in the charater write-ups.  No knowledge of LA history from the 1920s is necessary to enjoy the game.  However, some passing familiarity with LA History would certainly enhance roleplaying.  More details about LA History from the ’20s, a cast of characters, and notes on mechanics can all be found at the Monsieur Beauregard Game Page.

Please note that players who preregister will have first choice of roles.  If a particular character looks interesting to you, please preregister for the game and e-mail the game design contact person:  Ray Lavoie

Experimental theater style larp – 12 players – Saturday night, 11pm to 1am, in the private penthouse suite

GM = Aaron Vanek (email ( aaron null@null livegamelabs NULL.com))

The Road Not Taken (v.2) is adapted and inspired by the public domain larp of the same name (http://www NULL.interactivitiesink NULL.com/larps/download/trnt NULL.pdf) created by Mike Young of Interactivities Ink (http://www NULL.interactivitiesink NULL.com/).

I will be creating 12 new scenarios, but the tone, style, and structure will be the same.

There are 12 scenes, one for each participant. In each, a main character is faced with a difficult decision.

They have ten minutes to decide, or not, while the other participants argue different perspectives on the situation as voices in the main character’s head.

It’s emotionally intense, and pushes the boundary of live action role playing deep into psychodrama. However, it is cathartic and exults the power of larp.

For ages 18+ only

No costuming necessary. Wear something muted, not flashy, and comfortable.

4 males, 3 females, 5 of either gender required

Saturday, June 12, 9am-1pm  - 12 players – theater style

GMs = Aaron Vanek & Morgan Joeck

Located in the private penthouse suite

Who killed rock and roll?

You’re riding the wave as one of the hottest bands in the world, on tour for your latest album, partying all night long. But dark shadows lurk behind the spotlights, and silent death beyond the speakers. Players take the roles of musicians (who will prove their worth playing the Rock Band™ video game), the manager, roadies, groupies, record agent, a rock journalist, photographer, and other members of the entourage. The location is a 1-to-1 simulation, that is, the real world setting is the same as the game setting: the penthouse suite of a hotel in Southern California. However, the year will be a few decades prior to today (to avoid cell phones and internet).

Please comment if you are interested or have signed up for this game, as we’ll try to cast the roles before the con. Only four players will perform as the band, so we need a singer, guitarist, bassist, and drummer. These four should have familiarity  with the video game Rock Band is required, but expertise is not required.

In game breakfast (brunch) will be provided.

Mechanics will be very minimal, role-playing heavily emphasized.

This is a “what you do and what you say is what your character does and says” kind of larp game.

Costuming TBD! Email ( aaron null@null livegamelabs NULL.com) or comment if you want tips.

Those who sign up via pre-reg get first choice of character!

Casino Arcana is an ELGL event that will take place at Wyrd Con, Friday evening from 9PM to 1AM in the presidential suite.

The Major Arcana is a select club of the world’s most powerful occultists: to the outside world, they are known as captains of industry, political figures, movie stars, mob bosses, or crazed hermits. But to those in the know, they hold the strands of arcane power that control the world. Six of them have assembled in modern-day Los Angeles to play in the septenniel “Fool’s Errand” tournament. Despite a resemblance to seven card stud, the rules of Fool’s Errand are quite unusual; magic and death are constant companions at the table, as is the Fool: your Host and Dealer.

Players will either portray a member of the Major Arcana (which requires solid knowledge of the rules of poker) or a helper/bodyguard/concubine of one of the members (no knowledge of poker necessary). 18+ please, for adult language and childish behavior. Suggested costuming: occult millionaire – anything from elegant to eccentric.

For more information about the rules and roles, see the main Casino Arcana Page.
Casino Arcana is designed by Mike Tice. To ask questions, contact Mike (mtice null@null livegamelab NULL.com)