Might NPC My First Event

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siriuslyyellow

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Hi all! :)

So, my sister and I, due to money woes, might have to NPC our first event in June. We've never played Alliance before, so we don't know anything about it. Does anyone have any advice for new NPCs? Is it fun to be an NPC?

Thanks! :)
 
Yes, it is WAY fun to be an NPC! I NPCed my first event and had an amazing time! Then again, I've only ever NPCed and PCed once each, but these are my findings:

Pros of NPCing your first event:
- easier to learn the rules and get a feel for combat
- people don't mind if you occasionally forget a rule (not that they do if you PC, but still...)
- get to try out different combat styles / rp situations
- still earn just as much xp for your character as you would if you PCed, so when you do PC you don't die in two hits
- cheaper / don't need to buy gear / you'll learn what gear to buy later, especially if you haven't decided on a class for your PC yet

Cons:
- slightly less time IG? and hey, I've heard 48 hours in character can be hard for some people so maybe a little more OOG time can be a good thing?

My plans (for the foreseeable future, at least) are to PC my elf whenever I'm at the Ashbury chapter and NPC at any other chapters I go to. Eventually I'll probably set up a secondary PC at another chapter, or the fates may just happen to suddenly whisk Ket away through the mists, who knows?

Advice:
- take advantage of the fact that you can try out all the fighting styles over the course of the weekend
- fishbowls (non-combat, non-plot-heavy rp situations)! ask for them!
- bring like 4x as many pairs of socks as you think you need if it might rain
- be prepared to make up a character backstory on the spot for anyone you NPC, even in combat. you may get captured and interrogated. if you don't know how your character would answer a question, ask a marshal.
- if you have questions about anything, ask! literally everyone I've encountered thus far has been happy to help (OOG, that is, lol)
 
be prepared to make up a character backstory on the spot for anyone you NPC, even in combat. you may get captured and interrogated. if you don't know how your character would answer a question, ask a marshal.
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Everything else above is great, but I had to jump on this especially. Every NPC who goes out as a character with some intelligence should know these basic things about "themselves":

- Likes
- Aspirations
- Hates
- Dislikes

Giving this small amount of depth to your character makes a world of difference in making your actions have reason and purpose.

Also, ASK QUESTIONS of the Plot staff before they send you out. Find out if there is information about the IG world that you can read about or a copy of the write-up for the weekend that you can peruse so that you understand what's going on with your NPC character and why they are doing what they are doing.

For more NPCing tips, check out larpcast.podbean.com (Episode #25, NPC Questions)

-Luke
 
Thanks for the tips, Mike and Luke! :D

Now for another somewhat related question. I know NPCs don't get to stay in the cabins. Does anyone have a spare tent that my sister and I could borrow for the June 22nd-24th event? We're trying to get sleeping bags, pillows, a battery-operated lamp, etc., but a tent is too expensive for us to get at the moment... :(

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! :)
 
jzick1984 said:
just an fyi they have tents at walmart for around $40.00.
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Thanks! :)

Unfortunately, $40 is a lot for me right now. Especially considering I still need to buy 2 sleeping bags, 2 pillows, a light, 2 single event memberships, the Catskills guide, 4 train tickets, 2 pairs of black shirts, 2 pairs of black pants, some sort of shoe covers for my sneakers or new shoes, and a few other minor things like bug spray.

I do appreciate the info, but my sister and I can't spend more than $100 on all that. Maybe $150? Bah. :(

I'm asking some friends if they have a tent, too. I'm hoping someone will come to our rescue! :p

Thanks again for the info and for thinking of me! :D
 
Hi, Sarah!

I have a two-woman tent you can use. It's not huge, so if you are really tall or plan to bring four suitcases, you might want to keep looking, but I'll bring it for you if it sounds like it'll work.
Let me know what you decide!

-Jane
 
I also NPCed my first event back in 2006. I LOVE it! I NPC more then I PC. I like that I play different things and I really like Role Play (RP) and actually some plot staff write stuff now to "test" my RP ability.


-helps you learn the rules
-you get to try out different classes and sometimes PC races (which have their own pros and cons)
-it allows you to see if you like combat or RP more so you can make a character that is more fun for you to play. I am not good at combat and have a caster with enough skill to wield a sword because I found that being in the thick of combat I get a little nervous and have a much harder time.
-it costs very little if anything (some chapters you do have to pay for food for the weekend when you NPC).
- you get to know some of the awesome folks that play our game out of game (oog). i know more peoples real names then character names (some people only know people by character name) which is nice and I have made amazing life long friends in monster camp (also ig as my pc but mostly as an NPC)
-one of my fave perks as an npc especially when i was new (i still do it too :oops: ) is if you aren't sure if something would kill you you can die with no consequence (unlike as a pc where you rez and after so many the character can permanently die)

-Water water water (this is for both sides of the fence) you MUST make sure to stay hydrated
-Don't be afraid to ask questions. We are friendly people and even in combat you can say what does that do and have someone tell you if you need (i still need to on occassion)
-Wear all black as an NPC costuming is provided for you as well as weapons. Make sure that what you wear can have garb put over it
-If you have camped before bring what you would for camping (bug spray, extra socks cause wet feet is bad, toiletries cause there are showers on site etc)
-crossroads doesn't have a ton of light at night so if you can't see well at night (I can't) get a light source. They sell glow stick type lights that are flash lights, red light is good because it doesnt mess with other peoples night vision.
-comfortable shoes (preferably black and with few markings like the nike swoop etc) you will be running and fighting in these shoes all weekend in the woods and you dont want shoes that by saturday morning your feet are covered in blisters or your feet are killing you

Welcome to the game! I hope (am sure) that you will enjoy it. Remember people don't mind if you ask questions so don't ever be afraid to ask. Crossroads monster camp is a fun and friendly bunch. I typically NPC but June I will be a PC so kill ya later (or maybe you will kill me) ;)
 
I want to chime in and say the more water you can drink the better. I have larped all over the country and I have found that at least for me the colder it is the more I do not realize that I am getting dehydrated till it is to late. Please make sure you drink water as nothing breaks atmosphere as bad as ambulance....:p but in all seriousness I hate to see anyone have to seek medical attention for not drinking water. And also on that note, yes I do know this, but I do need reminders to drink water myself.
 
Caprice said:
Hi, Sarah!

I have a two-woman tent you can use. It's not huge, so if you are really tall or plan to bring four suitcases, you might want to keep looking, but I'll bring it for you if it sounds like it'll work.
Let me know what you decide!

-Jane
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Thanks, Jane! :D

I have someone who said I could borrow their tent, but if they don't come through in the next week or two, I will definitely let you know! Thank you so much! *hugs* :D

Thanks to everyone for the pros of NPCing and the tips about having plenty of water! I totally didn't even think about getting dehydrated. I'll be more prepared now! :D
 
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