LARP Site Questionnaire

P

Polare

Count
Greetings!

Pretty much everyone on this board knows me. My name is Bryan Gregory; I have played LARPs for a decade as of this year, both as staff and as a player.

I am looking to buy a site which I will build specifically for LARPs sometime this spring and build it up over the summer so as to be ready in early 2007 for games. I have contacted a number of LARP owners and Dan and Shane have graciously allowed me to put up this questionnaire here. I have a number of questions for people which will help me decide which site to buy and how to build the site. I would very much appreciate your input on the questions below (either via email at polare@larper.com or by a post in this thread). Your input will be very valuable, and will help shape a site built solely for LARPing.

Currently the site is slated to be between 20 and 35 acres in size, preferably butting against public land on at least one side. I am planning one large building with a camp-style kitchen and probably 2 bathrooms in it, as well as a number of smaller cabins/yurts/etc. scattered throughout the site. In addition I will be looking at 'themed' areas (graveyards, clearings, etc.). Mostly it depends on how far my funds carry (I am planning to put about $125,000 into this project). Note that the site will be designed to have a medieval theme (recessed outlets, no obvious power lines, Germanaic siding for the permanent buildings, etc.), but any LARP is welcome to come, and even SF LARPs could probably find a way to fit in quite easily with a few added props. I am hoping to charge *less* than other sites, but much depends on how many LARPers are interested in attending.

I am looking at properties between Portland, OR and Olympia (including some further up on the Olympic Peninsula and some a bit east into the Cascades).

Questions:

1. Where are you located (general vicinity is fine -- North Seattle, Portland, Everett, Bellingham, etc.)?

2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? This can be either distance or time, your preference.

3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? How much farther?

4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? How much more?

5. Imagine that you had several consecutive events scheduled at such a site. Imagine further that there are lockers available for LARP groups and specific individuals. Would you be interested in using lockers like these?

6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it? Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this? Even if it would cost outside my budget right now, these ideas will help guide my long-term plans.

Finally, if you know of any other LARPs that might be interested in such a site, I would appreciate it if you could send me a contact email for them so I could ask them some of these questions as well.

Many thanks!

-Bryan Gregory
polare@larper.com
http://www.larper.com
 
1. Where are you located (general vicinity is fine -- North Seattle, Portland, Everett, Bellingham, etc.)? I live in SW Porland, OR.

2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? This can be either distance or time, your preference. My site quality really isn't an issue for this question. I have driven upward of six hours for a fairly mediocre site (camp rogie) and as far as less than an hour for one of the best sites I've been to (scouter's mountain). When I was working, I really never could get out of work much before 2pm on average, and hate getting to site well after dark to do setup, get into gear, etc. So, five hours away is about as far as I want to have to trek to events regularly. Once or twice I year I'd be willing to schedule a day off, and then time or distance is irrelevant, but I think you're hoping to make this into the default site for NERO in the NW, and I hope that it happens that way. So, IMO, target area should be within five hours of both Portland and/or Seattle, if possible.

3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? How much farther? See above. And again, I'd be willing to go the extra distance on rare occasions, but I think in order to make this feasable you wanna make sure that at least half the events for both Seattle and Oregon's yearly schedule are gonna be held here.

4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? How much more? Hmmm, I'm gonna answer this one from an experienced logistician of both chapters. A lot of our player base is about at their cap on expenditure with $60 per player per weekend. We already have on average two or three people miss events regularly (and it changes as to who those people are) cause they can't afford to play that month, so if it were more than that, I think we'd have that happen even more often and that would discourage people from playing altogether if they could only make two or three events all year.

5. Imagine that you had several consecutive events scheduled at such a site. Imagine further that there are lockers available for LARP groups and specific individuals. Would you be interested in using lockers like these? AB-So-Lutely. A lot of things like tapestries, wall hangings, lights, candle holders, all that stuff that doesn't really get dirty or need repair between events is all just extra space to cram into a car and would be great to be able to just pack it up and leave it at the site between events.

6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it? Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this? Even if it would cost outside my budget right now, these ideas will help guide my long-term plans. You and I have already talked about how to do small caves, tunnels, etc around the site. Even one "underground" dwelling for dwarven or Dark elven chars who prefer that. On the other side of that coin, maybe some sort of pseudo-tree dwelling for sylvan elves? I've got a design idea that we could talk about sometime to maximize safety and minimize cost of building. Ummm, a two story tower of some kind with a stone looking surface for a school of wizardry? Could have communal sleeping on first floor with a loft for the head wizard with one bunk and desk, etc? Could even build that away from the "PC" buildings so that plot could use it as a lair, or PC's could evict whoever was there in that campaign and take it over, but have to live apart from other PC's, I dunno. That would go into the planning stages and might wanna work with your primary campaigns who are planning to use the site. But an actuall wizard's tower, just somewhere on the premises, waaay cool.

Finally, if you know of any other LARPs that might be interested in such a site, I would appreciate it if you could send me a contact email for them so I could ask them some of these questions as well.

Many thanks!

-Bryan Gregory
polare@larper.com
http://www.larper.com[/quote]
 
Oh, and i also forgot some sort of office space off to one side of the main site, preferably with internet access, a docking station and printer. Logistics would be soooo much nicer that way, and there have been many times where being able to get on the internet to retrieve emails sent to plot or logistics would have solved a lot of headaches.

Jeff
 
Solomon Maxondaerth said:
Oh, and i also forgot some sort of office space off to one side of the main site, preferably with internet access, a docking station and printer. Logistics would be soooo much nicer that way, and there have been many times where being able to get on the internet to retrieve emails sent to plot or logistics would have solved a lot of headaches.

Jeff
Click to expand...
logistics building would need an entrance and an exit so not every body was trying to cram in and out of the same openning
 
1. Where are you located?
Portland, OR (Beaverton Area)
2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event?
Due to the inconsistancy of most larps, I have a hard time commiting to one site, since most of the larps ive been to are constantly moving their sites around. It would be nice to have one site that it somewhat close (within 200 miles) that we could just go to, and bam... thats it. It helps with the budgeting and the bills to know how much money you going to need to save up etc etc. Also, with gas prices the way they are, having something closer to home is a good idea.
3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above?
If the atmosphere was that great, I would travel a wee bit further. I mean in the back of my mind it tells me "Paul, its just a game", so im not going to go all that far. But if its a good site, i might do it.
4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above?
Depends. If the site gets me to think nothing of my real life and is seriously THAT good, i would be willing to pay 50-75 bucks for a weekend. I would prefer cheaper (who wouldnt) but in the end, if its that good... i would pay money to have that much fun.
5. Imagine that you had several consecutive events scheduled at such a site.
Lockers would rock. Even having some sort of "basement" with storage units would rock. I would be pro-lockers
6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it? Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this?
Where do I begin...
a) Seperate the camp into 4 quadrants. The northwest Quad having a parking lot with one entrance into the camp. The entrance being the logistics building with the office, a costume rental room, bathroom/changing rooms a logistical bedroom, and the exit at the back of the building. The exit opens up into a the town, which is walled with 4 towers.
b) The town has all the essentials for players (Leatherworker, Smithy, General store, Inn, Tavern, Healers guild, Mages Guild, and plenty of "houses" for PCs.)
c) Outside of the town, place some "Wagon" houses around a camp fire
d) In the SE quad, put a lake thats about 3foot deep (so players can "swim" but small boats are still able to go on it.) Maybe have an island in the center for mods and stuff.
e) In the SW part of the camp put a "Treehouse" type village (maybe 4-5 trees with rope bridges and the like)
f) In SE part of camp put soem cave systems and whatnot for the underground races.
g) Put "monster camp" in the center of the land so it has easy access to all the differant areas. Also make it look "fort like" for modules and assults.
h) This part is tough. Put a tunnel system underneath the entire camp. Put 9 access point in the tunnel so that the points look something like:
1-2-3
4-5-6
7-8-9
Because I dont know about you, but when you see the NPCs massing to get ready for a module, you think to yourself "Ok, time to get ready for an assult". It takes some of the realism out of the game, when you know that NPCs are going to rift in, or phase in, or come up from the ground, you just subconsiously know to get ready. Well, what if they actually came out of the ground? What if they came out of the swamps or out of the trees?
i) Put NPC hiding places for when they spawn. (like hidden doors in a tree, or a blanket covered leaves on the ground off the beaten path. A wall with fake bricks that NPCs can burst out of?)
j) Secret doors in cabins and in other places. Im picturing a secret room underneath the tavern where the assassins guild get together and plot. Or secret doors in a specific cabin that take you outside of the town without having to go through the guards.
k) I dont know if this would work for safety reasons, but perhaps get horse/carriage phys reps. Lets say Golf Carts, or other electric based vehicles that dont go TO fast, but are still better than walking to one side of the camp to another.
l) An actual physrep for the magistrate/noble's estate. I mean wouldnt it be cool to be summoned to the lords estate and actually go to it, instead of the tavern or whatever.
m) extra land for people to build their own personal buildings.

I think that is it for now. I know... a lot of ideas. Some of them are off the wall, but still they would be so cool if it all worked out, you know? If i get more ideas, i will tell you.

Paul Iverson
 
Hmmm more ideas:

1) A couple of farms (like 2 or 3) that are near the town.
2) Some "Hobbit" houses around the town as well.
3) A barracks in or just outside town.

*ponders* cant think of anything else quite yet

Paul
 
I would be willing to drive farther to get to a site that looked in game. I think it adds to the mood greatly when all the cabins have the looks to back up the RP. Also our own personal site would be wonderful for eg. We could as you said put up a graveyard and leave it up giving it a weather worn look. Also not having joggers speeding through camp is nice. Also I think many people including me would be willing to volenteer our time to cut the costs of building down by doing some things ourselfs.
 
Oh yeah. I know. An actual honest to goodness BAR in the tavern. You know, long thing behind which the tavern keeper stands and slings drinks to the customers? Big time necessary.
 
1. Where are you located?

Portland, OR

2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? This can be either distance or time, your preference.

I'd be willing to put a good three and a half to four and a half hours in to get to an event. It's only when I start hitting the beginning stages of withdrawal that I start planning three-hour drives up for a game day.

3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? How much farther?

Oh, yes. Four and a half to six hours, considering how I will most likely be driving with other people who can share the load of paying attention to the road. Above that, I start to dislike driving immensely.

4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? How much more?

Currently, I have my parents paying for most everything, so I doubt I can give good estimates of how much I can afford. I'd say I'd easily pay 80-90 dollars an event for a site that is actually designed like you mentioned above. Depending on how the final project turns out, I might pay more and go to only a few events there a year. But it would be worth it.

5. Would you be interested in using lockers?

I echo what Jeff said, only even more strongly. I'm known a bit for my overpacking, and most of that is stuff I don't end up using for other purposes than to be a backup, decoration, or an aid to the IG atmosphere. If there were lockers, not only would it give me space to store these things, but a lot of little details that get overlooked (lighting, glassware, spare supplies) would be incredibly easy to reach. If there were lockers at this theoretical site, I would spend even more money on attending events there.

6. Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this?

I think one thing that would be neccessary at a site like this is something that's been said before: variety. The more places that can be used for varied situations, the better. Modularity (probably not a word) is the key thing I can think of here. If we have a graveyard, maybe the gravestones could be pulled out and set aside, turning it into a clearing. If we have a tower building, have the furnishings easily moveable so that the building can serve as a fortress, maze, or guard post. Don't invest in steel frames for beds, making them sturdy but hard to move. Wooden frames that slot into each other can be disassembled quickly, moved, and reassembled without needing a huge amount of muscle power.

Another thing I can think of is to require those who use the site to disassemble everything disassembleable and put it in designated areas. This does make set-up and clean-up longer, but there are advantages that I think outweigh the costs:
1. You can easily take inventory, examine things in a central location, and avoid having to travel to each and every place on the site to learn what is still actually there.
2. Groups could use only what they need, and keep the rest somewhere safe. I think this would help to cut down on the uneccessary wear and tear that might happen to uneeded equipment when it is moved out of the way.
3. It becomes easier to tidy the site, and it becomes easier for you to tell how well the site has been tidied. If you have to sweep the floor, disassembling the beds helps. If you have an underground complex to wipe down, being able to take some of the stalactites and stalagmites away keeps them from getting ruined. It also means you don't have to contort yourself in weird ways to avoid the ambient furniture while you're looking for mud or dirt.

One thing that might help the survivability of the cabins is to put in a pre-made set of hooks, nails, et cetera. That way, people won't be tempted to simply put one in, and those who have heavy props won't have to puncture the beams full of fifty thumbtacks to make them stick.

Make there be small but significant fees for the lockers. When you have twelve different groups storing supplies in there, each of them paying, say, $10 a month, that's a total of $1,440 a year. Not a lot compared to $125,000, but it might help. And I know that there are a lot of people out there who are individuals who'd be happy to store things for $10 a month, particularly if they wind up using them at every single event they go to.

I suggest you make the floorings of the cabins something smooth and moppable. I know that, at Miller, it's hard to tell when you've swept enough, because the floor has grooves and it's the same color as the dirt. Making the floor lighter-colored, and smooth so that it's possible to mop it if someone spills a soda or something, will quite possibly cut down on the number of insufficient cleanups.

That's all I can think of for now. Just my wooden nickel or so.
 
Solomon Maxondaerth said:
Oh yeah. I know. An actual honest to goodness BAR in the tavern. You know, long thing behind which the tavern keeper stands and slings drinks to the customers? Big time necessary.
Click to expand...

Oh hell yeah I would love to be sitting in the corner of a darkened bar drinking and discussing things with freinds. I love the dark musty tavern image from the Prancing Poney. You just can't get that with any normal camp site. Oh I forgot to mention FIREPLACES are a must.
 
I sent my Questionaire e-mail.
 
You should look at property around Hood Canal. *laughs* They have tons of acreage to spare. *Chuckles* I'm really just joking, but it is pretty ideal then again if your worried about animals that is also another factor.
 
1. Portland

2. I don't drive because I can't, but I'd be willing to go up to around 4 hours.

3. Yes, I'd add maybe another 2 hours to willingness.

4. I pay about $50-$60 for event, and I'd not be willing or able to go much higher than that... seeing as that's normally the extent of my money power =P

5. It would definetly depend on the cost of renting them. If it added a lot more to cost, probably not. If it was only maybe up to $5 per weekend, I would do it =D

6. Maybe an IG theatre. That would be cool.... or at least a stage would be awsome =D Definetly a fire pit or two. I don't know how this would work, but maybe an IG grocery store. Or an auction house! And maybe even an IG boat or ship!!!!
...just no outhouses -___-
 
1. Where are you located ? About 40 minutes west of portland
2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? I would have to agree with Jeff here. For a typical event, 5 hours is about my limit. Although if it was much further I would still attend, but I would be limited to one or two events a year.
3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? My restriction to the distance I would be willing to drive is entirelly money and time, and therefore even for a cooler site I would be unlikely to travel further consistantly. A cooler site on the other hand would make me try harder to get to those one or two events a year.
4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? In general my cap for an event around $60. If the site was really cool I would be willing to pay $10-20 more, but I would likely have to cut down on the number of games I attended.
5. Would you be interested in using lockers? I think lockers would be a very good idea. Not only could you change a small fee for people who may want to store there gear between events. But it would also be a great place for people to store their oog clothes and equipment during an event to allow the cabins to be entirely ig. I think this could be a very simple way to really add to the environment.
6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it?
a.) I think a tavern would be a great idea. I picture something in addition to the typical dining hall many sites have, around the size of a typical cabin. Something small, contains a bar, maybe a couple of small tables with a few chairs. I think this would be best located among the pc cabins, as a close local place to hang out and rp, while the dining hall could be spaced out from the pc cabins a bit, and contain the kitchen facilities. Something like a dart board or two could also add to this environment. Could keep pcs busy that just like to hang out and rp, or keep busy during possible downtime.
b.) Some sort of small labrynth or maze. It would not have to be overly complicated. Could be mostly created from hedges, with a few mobile "stone" walls, to allow you/staff to redesign it between events so people could not just memorize the layout. I have futher ideas on how this could be done if your interested.
c.) Tree house like structures. I think actual tree houses could lead to some pretty big safety hazards. Although I think they would be very cool, I could see all sorts of people jumping out of them during combat, or hanging off their edges. Intead you could build platforms, similar to those older wooden playground structures, but have them built around trees, maybe 4 or so feet of the ground. Creating a new type of pc/npc structure, that would be simple to build, and yet very cool.
d.) Caves or tunnels would be very cool. Or even a larger building that on the inside was done up to look like the inside of a cave, that kept light out could be very cool for a variety of mods.

I have alot more ideas, but alot of them are only half formed right now, or I cannot yet figure out how best to create them. Hope that helps some.

Holly

Oh hey, I noticed that so far almost everyone that has replied is an Oregonian. Now mind you I totally wouldnt mind Bryan building a site real close to home, I am sure suggestions from the other necks of the woods would be very helpful.
 
All of these suggestions and responses are much appreciated (and I'll be following up on a number of the suggestions with individuals in the coming days and weeks). Please keep them coming!

Thanks
-Bryan
 
My answers.

1. Where are you located (general vicinity is fine -- North Seattle, Portland, Everett, Bellingham, etc.)?

Anacortes. About 45 minutes SouthWest of Bellingham.

2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? This can be either distance or time, your preference.

As far as my dad is willing to drive.

3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? How much farther?

I am sure my dad would, but hes the driver so he would have to answer this question along with the onther one.

4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? How much more?

Yes I would, but it would also depend on the price.

5. Imagine that you had several consecutive events scheduled at such a site. Imagine further that there are lockers available for LARP groups and specific individuals. Would you be interested in using lockers like these?

Yes.

6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it? Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this? Even if it would cost outside my budget right now, these ideas will help guide my long-term plans.

I think that having Caves and small dungeouns would be really cool. Also mabey. I think it would be really neat to have separate buildings for say like guilds and merchant houses etc.

I will try and come up with more ideas.

Hope that helps!
 
6) *More additions*

a) Movable Mazes. Something that has a base layout (A basic large square) with a bunch of connectors to add moveable walls and the like.
b) Moveable Lairs. Imagine something like those Plastic Igloos you see for dogs, but much bigger. Paint them up to look like huts and whatnot. They would be light (2-3 men to move them onto a pick up truck) and then you can have instant huts/lairs/small caves/ etc etc
c) Better NPC costuming. Hire some tailors and just make a bunch of really cool costuming =P
d) An addition to the tree house idea. I remember going to Disney Land as a kid and seeing the Swiss Family Robinson tree. That tree wasnt all wood. As a matter of fact, if memory serves, it was concrete. You could make a "building" that looks like a tree, and then just make it amazing looking. Imagine something like a huge 4 Story high tree with rooms inside of it and safe stairs and ladders everywhere. It would be cool, i think... lol the idea needs to be fleshed out i guess.
e) Safe firelight everywhere. I really hate electricity at games.
f) Projectors for certain dungeon mods that give the feel for the environment. I recall reading this article about a LARP in Georgia? Or some other southern state. They had this great building they used and put projectors everywhere that had this repeating movie scene of magma flowing. So it looked like they were in the middle of a magma cave or something. They turned the heat up for some modules to about 90 and the players claimed (in the article mind you) that they felt like they were in a volcano. Projectors could work for all kinds of environments. Put some sort of water scene going on and BAM you under the water inside a Sea Elf city. Even have mist machines to blow mist at people sometimes. You want some deep underground cave, then BAM you got pictures of Stalagmites/tites everywhere. The list goes on and on. You could do anything!


I got more ideas. They will keep coming...
 
1. Where are you located (general vicinity is fine -- North Seattle, Portland, Everett, Bellingham, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Everett, WA. Roughly 30min North of Seattle.

2. How far are you willing to drive for your 'average' site for a weekend event? This can be either distance or time, your preference.
Click to expand...

I would be willing to drive about 3 hours (roughly 250 miles) for an average gaming place.

3. Would you be willing to drive any farther for a site with a better in-game atmosphere as described above? How much farther?
Click to expand...

I would bump it up to 5 hours (roughly 400 miles) for a superb area.

4. Would you be willing to pay any more for a site as described above? How much more?
Click to expand...

For a superb gaming area I would not be the least bit phased at paying $100+ for a weekend.

5. Imagine that you had several consecutive events scheduled at such a site. Imagine further that there are lockers available for LARP groups and specific individuals. Would you be interested in using lockers like these?
Click to expand...

Lockers would be nice. I don't find them necessary, but they would be cool. I would honestly be more inclined to have storage units for individual larping groups to hold Monster Camp, player furniture, camp repair tools, plot items too big to fit in a normal pickup (dragon head, anyone?), etc.

6. What would you put on such a site if you were building it? Do you have any unique ideas on how to add to a site like this? Even if it would cost outside my budget right now, these ideas will help guide my long-term plans.
Click to expand...

I think $175k will get you the land and build about 3-4 buildings to local code. However, since you want other ideas I would recommend looking to Diego's post. I really like what he had to say.

Also, I would like to add buildings for player housing that have provisions for fake/removable inside walls so the buildings can be customized from player to player and larp to larp (the walls would have to be fairly stable). Oo! And trap doors in buildings.
 
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