Life has got busy. As a trader there is a very definite LRP seasons, and the start of it is approaching. Events happen year round, but our order levels are clearly seasonal and we’re right in the middle of that.
There’s another year of Empire and there have been some massive changes there. We’ve got a new site, I’ve got a new role, Mandala have written more plot. It’s been over two weeks since I wrote a blog entry (they’re often posted a week after writing) and life is busy getting in the way.
I figured I’d write about what you can do to make things better.
A big part of being happy with events is being part of them. Making things happen. We’re all in it together.
- It starts with the basics. Work out what you can do. If something needs doing make it happen. Don’t do this by complaining at me three hours later when I’m in the middle of something else. That just makes me grumpy.
- If I’m painting things, or hanging up clothes, or tidying up little, or cleaning and tidying orc masks in monster then I probably would appreciate help. The best sort of help is the one that just walks over and starts helping (possibly with questions such as “do we need to turn them all inside out?”. That’s amazing and I love you all. The next best is the one that comes over and asks what they can do. I’m often in the position where I can’t work out what to do with a task, or if I’ll be helpful, and if 2-3 people come to help with a job we get a nice community feel going. I love conversation.
For players, I expect a few things from you.
- First, keep improving your costume. Ask for advice, talk about what you want to achieve. Help constructively. This is important. Make improvements. There are three simple rules to costume. Make sure you’re not going to suffer or die. Make sure you don’t look glaringly out of character (unless you’ll suffer or die if you do). Finally do things to make you look more like the thing you’re meant to look like (unless doing so looks glaringly out of character or makes you suffer and/or die). Apply these and you’re probably going to end up with about the right costume.
- For monstering, then aim for generic base kit. You should absolutely own generic base kit. It’s not optional. It’s not expensive. It’s something you need. (I’m aware that people will say that expensive is relative. However, if you can afford the ticket to the event, and to eat at an event, and to buy kit and pay for transport then you can afford to spend £15 for basic monster kit. If you can’t afford to buy basic monster kit then you can’t afford to LRP. Make sure your arms are covered. Make sure your legs are covered and remember that when monstering your fun is about what you provide for other people. It’s not about what you do, it’s about what you enable other people to do.
- Look after people. Wookie requires a lot of looking after. He forgets food and drinking and then gets ill. A lot of people throw water at him. A lot of people at events forget to eat or drink enough. While it’s your own responsibility to stay warm, dry and fed some people handle this better than others. If someone does get cold, wet and miserable make sure they get warmer and dryer again. Stay hydrated and don’t get sunburn. Tell people if they’re being stupid. I’m often being stupid. (After battles I sit outside God and redistribute arrows to archers. I am often there with no hat or sunscreen and nothing to drink (although I bring a chair and growl if anyone tries to sit in it). I am an idiot. Please tell me this (because of the sunburn and dehydration, not because I think growling is an acceptable alternative to saying “Can I have my chair back please?”.
One of the advantages of running a lot of events is that I know how events are run. When the system is magical and hidden it’s really easy to assume that someone should find time to make sure that the thing important to me does happen. When you can see that’s it’s made up of so many parts suddenly you realise that the only person who has noticed that thing is you, and if you want it to happen you need to make it happen, or re evaluate its importance.
You’re also suddenly aware that the game organisation is made up of a lot of people who are just like you, and that when you’re standing there demanding that someone do something, the people you’re asking to do it are the ones who are already making things happen. Those people are the best people.
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