#reffing

Refs: I have talked about this at greater length elsewhere, but I think its worth mentioning a few points. Alot of people feel that making sure the game is fun *is* the refs responsibility. I would say it is more accurate to say that the refs job it to make sure the players *can* have fun. 

This is I feel more dependent on running the game you sold rather than micromanaging each players experience. If the players have shown up expecting a nice regency picnic, then you should give them a nice regency picnic, not horrible grim survival horror scenario (unless you sold grim regency survival horror picnic larp, cause I would totally go to that). 

If players come to you with complaints, you should hear them out. Assess why they are not having a good time. If they are asking for advantages you are not giving other players*, or for you to do something that is outside the tone and scope of the game, ignoring their requests is most likely better for the game as a whole. Remember your player base is bigger than any individual person, and you have a responsibility to the greater whole.

If you notice players not getting engaged, try to assess why. Aiming plots at people who seem to be having trouble getting involved is legitimate, but again you need to take a step back and look at how this will affect the game as a whole. At a fest larp running a plot solely for one person is a waste of crew resources, at a smaller game it is a good way to get people involved. 

The Ref’s role is to provide a framework for fun

The Crew: I have alot of feelings about crew.  Crew make your game run. They are important and should be treated as such. 

Having said that, crew have a job to do, and part of that job is remembering that if you are crewing you are not playing. There is a difference. NPCs should by all means be fully fleshed out. Make them real, that adds very much to the game. Give your NPCs motivations, drive. Don’t just role over and let the players win. BUT remember you are ultimately there to help the players have fun.

Some people talk about Larp in terms of ‘time in the spotlight’. I think this is very useful when thinking about the difference between crewing and playing. Crew should not be taking spotlight time away from the players. The game is not about NPCs. It is about the players. This means crew should not be solving problems, they should not be the big damn heroes. NPCs should be the sidekicks, the footnotes, the strange encounters that move the story along. Even if they are big and grand (I thinking of bad guys mainly here, but I guess gods, royalty ect) their interactions should still primarily be about the players experience not theirs. 

This doesn’t mean crew roles shouldn’t be fun. Ultimately any crew role you write in should be enjoyable for the crew (If its not, a ref should do it. Shit roles are for refs. Cool ones are for crew.). It just means crew often need to take a step back from the spotlight.

Crew also need to remember to come back and check in occasionally. Do not become an accidental PC. Random villager #5 does not need to hang around with the players for 8 hours. When crewing ask yourself 1) what is this adding to the player experience 2) Have I done what the refs told me to do 3)Will continuing this encounter ad anything more to the game

The Players: Ultimately I believe players are the ones most responsible for their own fun. Everyone likes different types of game. Players should make sure they go to games that sound like their jam (I know this sounds obvious, but I think sometimes people want to do the *cool* thing or the thing all their friends want to go to and make themselves miserable). Players should make sure they buy into the game (don’t show up to a regency tea party in space marine armor playing a murder bunny). Players should try and make sure their roleplay is inclusive (important note: you can be inclusive while playing an utter dick. I don’t by any means mean you need to play a nice character who loves everyone. In fact I’m of the opposite opinion in most cases.). Being inclusive is about making sure you

1) Don’t hoard plot. Ask other characters for help, advice, or simply to get involved. Delegation is big and clever. Spread the angst. If you have documents, don’t just sit on them, blackmail someone, show someone, ‘accidentally’ drop them. 

2) Try to avoid shutting people out. You have a right to only roleplay with who you want to play with, but if your problem is IC I advise playing that hatred in a way that lets you still interact with the person (snide comments, mean girls type roleplay, challenging them to a duel).

3) Share the spotlight. Let other people be awesome. 

TL:DR

Crewing, Reffing and Playing are all distinct experiences that require different approaches to the game

Refs are there to make sure the game runs

Crew are there to give players a framework

Players are there to do their thing, but should buy into the game

All three roles are responsible for making sure a game is fun, but the biggest responsibility is on the player.