I started thinking about LARP recently, with no apparent stimulus (I think I dreamt about it, but then what stimulated that?), and now I'm really interested in trying it out. You guys were one of the first groups I saw on Wikipedia (benefit of being near the beginning of the alphabet, I suppose). I checked out your website, and now I'm even more interested. There are several problems, though, and you guys seem like a nice bunch of folks, so I'm hoping I could get some advice on how to proceed.
I haven't done any kind of LARP or ARG in the past, nor a tabletop RPG, though I have read a few rulebooks, and made a couple of characters for one we were going to play this summer, but that never came to fruition. I've played several video game RPGs, but I'm sure the experience is much different. I also haven't done any kind of Renaissance Faire, or anything of the sort. I don't believe I have any acceptable clothing to be running around wearing in-game, with the possible exception of a green and yellow cloak (I have a green and black one, too, but that's made out of nicer material, and I'd be less comfortable about running through the woods in it).
I am currently based in Eugene, OR, without access to a car, which means I'll have to rely on public transportation, and/or the kindness of somebody from the Oregon chapter, or find a time when I can drag my girlfriend along, too, which brings me to my next hurdle...
As a University student in the marching band, I probably won't have a weekend free at least until the term is over, and when I do, my girlfriend likely won't, as she's in a couple different bands that often perform on weekends.
Also, as a University student who is graduating in the spring, and who doesn't know where in the US he'll be after that, my relationship with at least the Oregon chapter will last less than a year.
Given the above:
Would you recommend that I get a rulebook, or would I be essentially wasting money, as I would be if a new one came out before I could ever start playing. The main site says "Mid 2008" which is now. How close is it actually to coming out?
I read that it's recommended I start off as an NPC, and I'm cool with that. How much would the lack of a wardrobe thing be a problem in that case? As an NPC, would my in-game clothing be taken care of? Shopping for clothes would be a major barrier to entry for me, because of (1) the extra expense, and (2) I just don't really like shopping. Most of my clothing, I got for free at some point.
If I can't attend a majority of events, how would that affect how well I have a handle on the plot? I noticed that yesterday, Alliance Oregon had a faire day called "Shipments needed: The strangle hold has reach a critical point, resupply or die," which means nothing to me, except that I have a slightly higher fear of death by asphyxiation, and there will probably be merchants involved.
If I moved somewhere else, how likely would there be a chapter whose activities I could feasibly attend? On a related note, would moving to a different chapter be terribly discontinuous? That is, would the storyline be in a completely different place? If I PC'd for any events in the Oregon chapter, would my character transfer?
I imagine you guys are more plugged into this kind of thing than I am. I looked at a few off the Wikipedia page, and you guys looked like the best of those three, but is there another group that I should look into that might fit my situation better?
I also have several questions about logistics (lower-case l), but I imagine many of those would be answered with a careful reading of the rule book, so I won't bother anyone with those (yet).
I haven't done any kind of LARP or ARG in the past, nor a tabletop RPG, though I have read a few rulebooks, and made a couple of characters for one we were going to play this summer, but that never came to fruition. I've played several video game RPGs, but I'm sure the experience is much different. I also haven't done any kind of Renaissance Faire, or anything of the sort. I don't believe I have any acceptable clothing to be running around wearing in-game, with the possible exception of a green and yellow cloak (I have a green and black one, too, but that's made out of nicer material, and I'd be less comfortable about running through the woods in it).
I am currently based in Eugene, OR, without access to a car, which means I'll have to rely on public transportation, and/or the kindness of somebody from the Oregon chapter, or find a time when I can drag my girlfriend along, too, which brings me to my next hurdle...
As a University student in the marching band, I probably won't have a weekend free at least until the term is over, and when I do, my girlfriend likely won't, as she's in a couple different bands that often perform on weekends.
Also, as a University student who is graduating in the spring, and who doesn't know where in the US he'll be after that, my relationship with at least the Oregon chapter will last less than a year.
Given the above:
Would you recommend that I get a rulebook, or would I be essentially wasting money, as I would be if a new one came out before I could ever start playing. The main site says "Mid 2008" which is now. How close is it actually to coming out?
I read that it's recommended I start off as an NPC, and I'm cool with that. How much would the lack of a wardrobe thing be a problem in that case? As an NPC, would my in-game clothing be taken care of? Shopping for clothes would be a major barrier to entry for me, because of (1) the extra expense, and (2) I just don't really like shopping. Most of my clothing, I got for free at some point.
If I can't attend a majority of events, how would that affect how well I have a handle on the plot? I noticed that yesterday, Alliance Oregon had a faire day called "Shipments needed: The strangle hold has reach a critical point, resupply or die," which means nothing to me, except that I have a slightly higher fear of death by asphyxiation, and there will probably be merchants involved.
If I moved somewhere else, how likely would there be a chapter whose activities I could feasibly attend? On a related note, would moving to a different chapter be terribly discontinuous? That is, would the storyline be in a completely different place? If I PC'd for any events in the Oregon chapter, would my character transfer?
I imagine you guys are more plugged into this kind of thing than I am. I looked at a few off the Wikipedia page, and you guys looked like the best of those three, but is there another group that I should look into that might fit my situation better?
I also have several questions about logistics (lower-case l), but I imagine many of those would be answered with a careful reading of the rule book, so I won't bother anyone with those (yet).