Flow of Underlining Strategy Game

 

Underneath the LARP there is a strategy game that is reacting to the PCs choices.  The goal of the Strategy Game is to systematically measure and record the actions of the PCs.  This is done for the following reasons:

1. To keep the Storyteller from using a vague memory tally of where every player is in relationship to the others politically, economically, and militarily.  While vague tallies just in the memory of the Storyteller are much less work intensive, they lead to large mistakes and unintentional favoritism.  The player’s attempts to influence the story are reduced to something that is barely more than a few steeps above Storyteller whim.
2. To encourage realistic planning by the PCs.  If the PCs can not see their tally of power they are much more likely to over or under estimate their standing against other players.  Thus they either likely to avoid confrontation or get upset when their poorly conceived plans come to naught.

 

One thing that is to be made clear is that the Strategy Game is not to overwhelm to role play of the LARP.  It is something that only there to act as a tool.  At most the PCs will only have to give vague orders of what they want done on their downtime log, and their NPC underlings will perform them for them as quickly as possible. 

 

One other thing to note, some players will be fascinated by the Strategy Game and try to milk it for all its worth.  That behavior will not be discouraged and will likely result in the rewards such people enjoy.  Players that do not like that level of detail are already in a “respectable” samurai mindset.  Let those money grubbing [insert enemy clan name] root around in the dirt with the eta for stray zeni, your character will show that it is valor, glory, and honor that matter at the end of the day.  Players should realize that this conflict between pragmatism and respectability has divided the samurai class since the founding of the Empire.  Both sides have their champions, victories, and losses. 

 

 

Flow Chart

PC actions can have effect at any part of this Flow Chart.  Also this is just a simple guide to how the strategy game flows.  PCs should not feel limited to this flow chart if they can think of other reasonable directions and goals.