designing social worlds
DESCRIPTION
The past 20 years have seen Live Action Role Playing evolve to become a complex scene of games in the Nordic countries. The Nordic LARP scene has been a creative, dynamic and experimental environment where questions regarding the design of intrigue and interaction have been explored from many perspectives. Over the past years the knowledge within this subcultural context has spread into several academic fields, into the schools of the nordic countries, to the national theatre stages, into other types of games and also into mainstream media. During this keynote Carl Heath will take us on a journey into this subculture, on an exploratory path aiming to explain key elements in the design of the rich and complex social worlds that can be found within LARPs in the Nordic countries.TRANSCRIPT
Designing Social Worlds
on intrigue and interaction in live action role playing games (LARPS)
Carl HeathGR Experiential Learning
onsdag den 3 november 2010
About GR Experiential learning
• Design games for the formal educational system
• Teacher training courses
• Execute gaming experiences
• Partner in research projects
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Among the games designed...
• Live action role play on immigration issues in Sweden
• Live action role play on experiencing the Swedish Parliament
• Digital interactive narrative on EU issues
• Role playing game on consumer rights issues
• Role playing game on sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Card games on algebra
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Prior & current research projects
• iPerg
• Mobile Learning Environments (MLE)
• AIREA
• GRowth
• GRO - crossing social borders in MMRPG
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Background recepie
• One part educational specialists
• One part thematic expert
• Two parts game designer
• One part project management
• (if digital, two parts programming, one part design and one part interaction design)
• Blend together with an environment of research, education, international network
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Swedish LARPS, intrigue and interaction
A live action role-playing game (LARP) is a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. The players pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world, while interacting with each other in character. The outcome of player actions may be mediated by game rules, or determined by consensus among players. Event arrangers called gamemasters decide the setting and rules to be used and facilitate play.
Wikipedia
onsdag den 3 november 2010
First games in Sweden in the mid 1980s
Few genres
Controlled narrative
Rule driven
Generic environments
onsdag den 3 november 2010
First games in Sweden in the mid 1980s
Environment
Characters (rules)
Main plot
Sub plots
Start P1 P2 P3 P4 End
Planned event 1 Planned event 2 Planned event 3 Planned event 4 Planned Ending
Usually 1-3 possible outcomes
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Early and mid 1990s - broader and deeper
Several genres
Semi-controlled narrative
Game Master driven
Complex environments
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Complex environment
Characters (narrative)
Relationships
Social context
Main plot
Sub plots
Start End
Several possible ends and outcomes
Early and mid 1990s - broader and deeper
Planned event 1
Planned event 2
Planned event 3
Planned event 4
GM tool 1
GM tool 2
GM tool 3
GM tool 4
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Late 1990s to present - exploration
Several genres
Complex narrative using a broad tool box
Story driven
Complex environments
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Complex environment
Characters (narrative)
Relationships
Social context
(Main plot)
(Sub plots)
Start End
Several possible ends and outcomes
Planned event 1
Planned event 2
Planned event 3
Planned event 4
In game GM tool 1
In game GM tool 2
In game GM tool 3
In game GM tool 4
Late 1990s to present - exploration
Meta game tool 1
Meta game tool 2
Meta game tool 3
Meta game tool 4
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Basic GM pre-game toolbox
Environment design
Basic narrative design
Main plot design
(Sub plot design)
(Character design)
Typecasting
Event design
Prop designonsdag den 3 november 2010
Basic GM in-game toolboxControlled characters
Controlled ”out of game” world
Controlled or monitored communications systems
Controlled props
Controlled environment
Event orchestration
Time management
onsdag den 3 november 2010
GM (or player) meta-game toolbox
Special function roles
Skjebner
Character controlled narrative
Shift of time and space
Controlled cut-scenes
Parallell narratives
Real world intervention
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Contrasting design patterns (Game Control)
Character creation
Game Master Players
Environment control
Plot design
Typecasting
In-game controls
Meta-game controls
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Contrasting design patterns (Character engagement)
RelationalPlot driven
Group Individual
External motivators Internal motivators
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Social dynamics and basic plot patterns
A player can only manage a given number of active intrigues or plot lines
A player can only manage a given number of active relations
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Social dynamics and basic plot patterns
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Social dynamics and basic plot patterns
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Social dynamics and basic plot patterns
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Using LARPS beyond entertainment
Game System Game Theme
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Using LARPS beyond entertainment
Game System Game Theme
Technology
onsdag den 3 november 2010
Using LARPS beyond entertainment
Game System Game Theme
Technology
Pedagogy, marketing, politics, sales, etc.
onsdag den 3 november 2010
More on Nordic LARPS
http://www.sverok.se/in-english/
www.knudepunkt.org
www.nordiclarptalks.orgonsdag den 3 november 2010
Carl HeathGR Experiential Learning
[email protected]/utbildningwww.grul.se
skype: carlheathwww.slideshare.net/carlheath
Thank you!
onsdag den 3 november 2010