We encourage guest posts from players and owners across the Larp genres. They will not always express our views or fit every game. If you would like to do a guest spot, please email us here with your idea! Ben Mathis has been Larping for several years and has served as Plot, Campaign Plot, and as a long-term player.
One of the things that makes me frazzled is a disorganized plot shack. For those that are unfamiliar with the term, a plot shack is where the majority of the event logistics take place. It also houses the NPCs and serves as a sort of "home base" for them.
I have found, through my 7 years of larping, that keeping a shack organized and clean will allow for a smooth event. Here are three tips that you can use for your shack that I have found to be effective.
1. Use a "Plot only" table.
In my experiences, having a plot only table is key to running a smooth event. Need information on that plot line Billy Bob wrote? It's on the Plot table. What about the write up on that super important artifact that went out at the campaign event last month? It is also on the plot table.
This will allow you to have all the information that you need readily available. The key point is that no one but plot should be mucking around on this table. Sometimes it will contain information that could affect a staffers PC. We want that to remain a surprise. It will also help other plot team members to know what is going on with other people's plot lines.
2. Have a Shack guy!
A shack guy is someone that will stay up at the shack, primarily, and make sure that it doesn't get completely destroyed. This person will clean off logistics tables and make sure that monster stat cards get put in a return box so they don't get lost.
Having someone that is willing to do this will help tremendously. It is also helpful if this person is a staff member so that they can check people in/out, print tags, and possibly answer plot related questions that any PC might have. If they aren't able to, I am sure that the shack guy could point you in the right direction to the plot person that can though.
3. Last but not least, have a timeline!
Having a timeline for when modules and randoms are supposed to go in is super handy. Let's say that the RP session with the Arch-Lich Daranak took a bit longer than expected. Maybe it took a couple hours longer. Another plot team member can look at the time-line and make sure that the next module goes in on time. A proper timeline will have a description of what the mod is, whose plot line it is, and what level it is supposed to target. All of that information should be packed into one or two lines so that there is plenty of room for everyone's stuff on one-two pages.
What can you do to make YOUR shack more organized?
~Ben
One of the things that makes me frazzled is a disorganized plot shack. For those that are unfamiliar with the term, a plot shack is where the majority of the event logistics take place. It also houses the NPCs and serves as a sort of "home base" for them.
I have found, through my 7 years of larping, that keeping a shack organized and clean will allow for a smooth event. Here are three tips that you can use for your shack that I have found to be effective.
1. Use a "Plot only" table.
In my experiences, having a plot only table is key to running a smooth event. Need information on that plot line Billy Bob wrote? It's on the Plot table. What about the write up on that super important artifact that went out at the campaign event last month? It is also on the plot table.
This will allow you to have all the information that you need readily available. The key point is that no one but plot should be mucking around on this table. Sometimes it will contain information that could affect a staffers PC. We want that to remain a surprise. It will also help other plot team members to know what is going on with other people's plot lines.
2. Have a Shack guy!
A shack guy is someone that will stay up at the shack, primarily, and make sure that it doesn't get completely destroyed. This person will clean off logistics tables and make sure that monster stat cards get put in a return box so they don't get lost.
Having someone that is willing to do this will help tremendously. It is also helpful if this person is a staff member so that they can check people in/out, print tags, and possibly answer plot related questions that any PC might have. If they aren't able to, I am sure that the shack guy could point you in the right direction to the plot person that can though.
3. Last but not least, have a timeline!
Having a timeline for when modules and randoms are supposed to go in is super handy. Let's say that the RP session with the Arch-Lich Daranak took a bit longer than expected. Maybe it took a couple hours longer. Another plot team member can look at the time-line and make sure that the next module goes in on time. A proper timeline will have a description of what the mod is, whose plot line it is, and what level it is supposed to target. All of that information should be packed into one or two lines so that there is plenty of room for everyone's stuff on one-two pages.
What can you do to make YOUR shack more organized?
~Ben
Rely on your staff. Let them handle randoms, mod-sheets, production, and gathering groups of NPCs for you. This frees up plot people to run plot and not running all over the place.
ReplyDeleteOrganize meal times for your NPCs.