When you design a boffer larp, you’re not really making a competitive game: the players are going to win. Like a video game, there’s an illusion that you’re struggling against an opponent, but in the end, the NPCs are going to lose, and the storytellers aren’t really trying to defeat you. Instead, there has to be an “illusion of failure,” mixed with actual setbacks, minor defeats, and “reach goals,” to create the sense that you have agency, when actually, it’s really hard to lose. So the biggest challenge for designers is how much adversity should players encounter before they win… or “how much is too much?”
The Adept Survivor Problem
In Dystopia Rising, as in other larps with quantifiable mechanics, we have a particular problem. The wastes are full of zed, raiders, and critters who want to kill and eat your character, and they know that… so they struggle to prepare for the worst. Not only do they spend Build to gain skills, Body, and Mind, but they also craft gear such as weapons and brews. It’s a feature of the system that the more games you attend, and the more crafting you do, the better prepared you are for threats. However, the better prepared for threats you are, the easier they are to overcome, and the “illusion of failure” disappears: you’re running roughshod over your enemies. But if the designer ups the threat, then your work is for naught; the perceived challenge remains the same no matter how bad ass your character gets. We can call this the “Adept Survivor Problem:” the more adept your character is as a survivor, the more they’ll encounter dire threats to their survival.
Compounding this problem is that all characters have a different level of survivability. This is a matter of character longevity (i.e. Build) and wealth, but also player experience (such as knowing what items work the best in a given situation) and interest (not everyone enjoys crafting or economy). When designing for large groups of players, the Adept Survivor Problem becomes a tricky balance.
Lots of Solutions, But No One Way
There are lots of ways to deal with the Adept Survivor Problem, but really, no one solution will work. Designers have to use a mix of options to challenge players, particularly in large groups. Using one tool too much causes frustration, so it’s important to use a mix of them. Here are some tools we have as Dystopia Rising designers to create that “illusion of failure.”
Respawning enemies: having lots of enemies to cut down lets players feel like a bad ass, killing lots of zed or raiders, and challenges them with attrition.
Control Calls: area of effect crowd controls and other similar effects create a moment of inescapable challenge, letting the enemies get a few hits in before they disappear.
Weird Shit: in Dystopia Rising New York, we like to throw unique zed and calls at you that can surprise players and create a moment of confusion.
The Effect On Players
Because of the multiple ways to address the problem, players end up on a bit of a roller coaster. This isn’t a bad thing: remember, the designers are trying to create that illusion of failure, and that illusion will create frustration, fear, and anger in the characters. Sometimes, those emotions bleed over to the player… and that’s also okay, as long as it doesn’t disrupt their play. If a player can continue to play, they’ll eventually win or accomplish their goals, and that feeling of accomplishment will also bleed over to the player. But if the negative emotions stop play, then both the designers and the players have to work together to get the game back on track.
So what can you do as a player when you’re too frustrated to continue to play? First, while anger is a valid emotion, it’s often not a constructive one, particularly in a cooperative game like a larp. It might be best to take a break, cool down, and then either continue play (and send feedback afterwards) or talk to a guide. When you talk to the guide, try to focus on what you want to happen; this gives the storytellers an idea of how to move forward. And finally, remember this piece of advice: wait until the smoke clears. Often, your frustration peaks at the most difficult moments of the larp, and there’s a plan for what happens next. Sometimes it’s best to keep playing, and see how things turn out, than to stop a story before you get to the ending.