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Author Topic: Real live RPG  (Read 3054 times)

LiamK

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Real live RPG
« on: September 23, 2021, 01:59:16 AM »
Some time ago I played a deduction game that lasted for a long time, similar to Werewolf or Mafia. The difference is that players were not in the same room, but living their normal life, and they had to interact with others when they meet. Each player had a role or a mission to fulfill. If it is Mafia, each day would last an entire day.
Does anybody here know about games like the one I am describing? I don't know how to search for this.
Thanks

GeekEclectic

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Re: Real live RPG
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2021, 06:19:51 PM »
There are a couple things that sounds similar to:

Those weekend-long LARPs in which you pretend to be a fictional person in a fictional setting for a few days. Depending on your role, you'll have places to be at certain times, events to participate in, perhaps even some work to do if it's appropriate to the character. These don't usually tend to have a mystery attached, though they certainly can. If so, it'll be handled similarly to below:

Murder Mystery Games(not necessarily a murder, though that seems to be by far the most common type of mystery); usually only for an evening, though they can and have been made for longer durations. You're given a character to play. It'll list personality traits and other relevant info, give you certain pieces of information you're expected to let drop in conversation at certain times, perhaps even give you some tasks to do.

I figure it wouldn't be too difficult to change up a few things to make it more like the games you mentioned. Perhaps the clues and activities are meant to give hints about who the "wolves" or whatever are(and I assume each guest would have 1 or 2 clues they could actually use to misdirect people; can't leave them totally merciless after all), and each round of play's new death is the result of a vote. Honestly, this is sounding a lot like a LARP for Among Us(only with a fancy dinner party or something because heck if I'm going to one of these things and not getting fed), and tbh . . . I'm kinda down for that. Reskin to wolves or vampires or mafia members or whatever as needed.
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LiamK

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Re: Real live RPG
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2021, 02:00:08 AM »
Thank you very much for the detailed reply. Now I know the term "LARP".
 ;D

Omega

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Re: Real live RPG
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2022, 11:36:15 PM »
Late to this but what you describe used to be called Parlour Games. Usually a one day, or less, event, sometimes in costume. These are popular at conventions. Some running the whole event, 3-4 days. Some confined to one or a few rooms, others spanning the whole con grounds. Almost always non-combat oriented.
Back in at least the 90s and even now the "How to Host a Murder" sets were popular forms of this.

Your description also paralels the old Killer live game from SJG wayyyyyy back. In that you have to assassinate other players. For a time it was really big in schools and colleges till things got out of hand and it fell out of favor due to antics on the grounds.

Up from that are LARPs. These have a really broad range from fantasy to sci-fi. One of my personal favorite non-fantasy LARPs is Cthulhu Live. The official LARP for Call of Cthulhu. For fantasy IFGS is still my go to for LARPs. Locally we used to have a week long fantasy LARP. Always wanted to go to it but never had a chance.

There are also a few online ongoing video chat demi-LARPs where you get in costume and play the character talking to others via video. One example saw was a post apoc city where players were trying to get various things done and working remotely with others as needed.

Theres more. But those are a few examples.

As noted in another thread there are also the odd little solo or near-solo demi-LARPs where say you explore around your home or you adventure by doing exercises and eating healthy.

Lastly, before the advent of RPGs there were school social sims/games which were all the rage for a while in the schoolastic circles. In the ones I got to experience they lasted weeks or a whole month, with activities set aside each day to work through the sim. The two I was in were town sims where everyone was assigned a role and things played out via interactions and systems the teachers knew but we did not.

LiamK

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Re: Real live RPG
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2022, 02:30:31 AM »
Thank you very much for the reply.

Spinachcat

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Re: Real live RPG
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2022, 03:07:17 AM »