Kapcon RPG Convention, Wellington, New Zealand

Judge’s Report – Kapcon 18 Scenario Design Contest

2009-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

This was a great year for the SDC with five entrants submitting 7 scenarios. The games covered a range of genre from futuristic horror to two fisted mystery to camp humour. The quality of the games was universally high and choosing a winning scenario was no easy task.

Aeon Angelus Necronomicon Evolution by Luke
This densely packed Cthulhutech scenario follows the emotional twists and turns of a group of youngsters who are pilots of giant biomechanical robots. Their fight against dark forces who threaten humanity’s very existence is fraught with peril, angst and a tangling web of conspiracy. This beautifully presented scenario could easily be the basis of a campaign game, or a full-on rollercoaster ride of 3 hours. Recommended for GMs who are fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Rah Xephon and other highly melodramatic Mecha stories.

Lambs of a Nameless God by Luke
Another Cthulhutech scenario, this is a chilling tale of life in the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world, this scenario sees a group of teenagers struggling to survive in a world without adults. Can the characters survive the machinations of monstrous entities, the bleak prospect of life in a shattered wasteland, and the scheming of other survivors? Recommended for GMs who like futuristic survival horror.

Murder Most Mysterious by Donna
A gathering of the greatest detectives of the early twentieth century, in the manor house of an aging aristocrat. Simmering tension between characters who wish to prove once and for all that they are the best detective of the age. What could possibly go wrong? A Cluedo-like mechanic makes this murder mystery a fun romp with some great detective characters. Recommended as an easy pick-up game for GMs wanting to parody some classic detective stories.

Spirit of the Tentacle by Mash
Exciting Pulp Action! Two-Fisted Heroes! A City in Peril! Will a band of heroes be able to avert disaster? This 1920s New York scenario features a stellar cast of heroes plunged into a dastardly web of intrigue that they must overcome in order to save New York. Excellent and detailed PCs and a classic pulp structure make this a great scenario for the pulp fan. Recommended for GMs who love their action bold and their heroes bolder.

The 18:25 to New London by Sophie
A classic mystery on a train, this scenario is set in the near future in a world ravaged by global warming where Victorian values have returned. The players find themselves aboard and increasingly dangerous ride, trying to prove their innocence and avoid danger. Recommended for mystery fans.

The Tale of Robyn Hood and Her Merry Band of Maids by Jenni
A Best Friends scenario that takes the cheesiest 1950s Hollywood image of Robin Hood and tips gender on its head. Robyn and her Merry Maids struggle against the villainous Princess Jenny and Girl of Gisborne, and Fifi the Sheriff of Nottingham. Meanwhile Robyn is in love with Man Martin, the most beautiful man in England. The scenario contains character sheets, NPC lists, and enough story hooks for several sessions of gaming. Recommended for GMs looking for hilarious, player-focussed parody gaming.

To Kill a Lie by Luke
A Cthulhutech spy game where the PCs must tackle a potentially deadly cult. This scenario sees the characters unraveling a mystery that leads to an explosive climax, set against the glittering lives of Hollywood’s elite. Recommended to fans of spy mission games, and the dark underside of Hollywood’s faded lights.

This year’s winner was Lambs of a Nameless God by Luke, with Spirit of the Tentacle a close second. Many of these scenarios will be available online shortly, and they all come highly recommended. It’s great to see the already rich range of SDC entries growing, and I hope these scenarios are read and run by a range of GMs – they are well worth it :-)

Matt Cowens, K18 SDC Judge

Kapcon tomorrow + drinks

2009-01-15T11:50:00.001-08:00

Hi all

as you may know KAPCON is tomorrow ( Saturday the 16th).
Registration opens at 8:00 for a 9:00 round one start.

for more details for the timetable and other games go to http://kapcon.rpg.net.nz/?q=timetable.

We are also having drinks at SYN from 7pm tonight ( Friday the 15th), please feel free to come along even if you can't make it to the con and catch up with gamers from round NZ .

cheers

VECNA

Kapcon 7 Days!!!

2009-01-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

We are seven days away from kapcon.

We are going to be having drinks the night ebfore the con( friday) at SYN on bond street.

turn up from 7ish and we will hopefully be sitting out in the sun, having pizza and beers and making up new stories to tell the next day at the con.

Its not too late to sign up, go to Kapcon.rpg.net.nz to register.

see you all there

Paul

Fright Night - Wellington Horror Con

2008-08-11T21:26:00.001-07:00

Coming soon is a ghoulish gaming con in Wellington - Fright Night 2.

http://frightnightwellington.blogspot.com/

Fright Night is Wellington's Horror RPG con.

It's a convention where we aim to raise the bar on Horror Gaming in Wellington, and present a whole evening of tingled spines and unsettling feelings. It is a small convention, with limited entries, and players who are hungry for the dark world of Vampires, Zombies, Serial Killers and things that can't be described in written words: they are unnameable.

There will be two rounds, each with 5 games. Pre-registered players only.

When: Saturday, October 25, 16:30 - 23:55
Where: Turnbull House, opposite the Beehive
What: Two sessions of horror gaming
How much: $15 players, $10 GMs
Who: Frightnight.wellington@gmail.com

Places are limited, so check it out!

Seeking first-round GMs

2008-05-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

Deep under Wellington, something stirs...

KapCon has been dead but dreaming for the past few months, but is now beginning to stir to life to ~~eat the minds of the puny fleshy things that walk the surface of the earth, never contemplating what horror lurks beneath~~ organise next year's con. The first step: organise the first round GMs. We need to start early because first round game details go in the flyer, which we would like to have out in time for Buckets of Dice (or CONFusion at the latest). So, we're looking for some volunteers. At this stage, all we need is a title, a blurb, and most importantly, a commitment to be there and run. If you can do that, then please email us or chip in on the NZRaG discussion.

Kapcon Larp Jan 2009 - Mafia 2071

2008-05-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that a LARP theme has been selected for Kapcon 18, with a team well underway with the planning and writing. January 2009 will see Mafia 2071, a rollicking fun game of Future Family Intrigue. More details will be distributed as the game takes shape, so keep an eye on the Kapcon website.

The call is out for first round GMs, too, so sign up at NZRaG or send an email to kapcon (at) gmail (dot) com to let us know if you're keen to run a game at Kapcon :-)

Full games and new games

2008-01-08T19:12:00.001-08:00

The following games are now full:

Round one:

One Crowded Hour
A Midsomer Night's Murder
Horror on the High Seas
A Fear of Dreaming

As a bonus, a space has opened up in Doom Town. Get it while the getting's good.

If you're wondering what you're going to play in, the Dingwell brothers (who last con ran the amazingly popular Penguin Harlequinade are back with Momento Mori, a gritty cyberpunk thriller which will be running in all six sessions. There's also Lashings of Ginger Beer, "a light-0hearted piss-take of the Famous Five", and a game based on Peter Pan (the book, not the movie).

Panic stations

2008-01-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Kapcon preregistration closes on the 14th. But as of today we have more people pre-registered than pre-registered in total for any previous con - and we still have a week to go. So, I am officialy panicing.

(Cut to shot of Idiot running around the room like a muppet with his hair on fire, going "memememememememe"...)

If you are a GM, I'd like you to consider running an extra session. If you're not a GM, I'd like you to consider running something. We might only need you as backup, or it might be in sixth round, but I think we're going to need the extra cover.

MiniLARP: For the Honour of the Family

2008-01-02T04:39:00.001-08:00

"For the Honour of the Family" is a 14-player historical family intrigue/drama running in session 4 (Sunday morning). Since we'd like to fill it, we're taking signups. Just email the kapcon account, or mention it in the comments field when you register. If you want a specific character, please mention that too.

Seventh day of June, in the year 1826. For centuries the Cantacuzino family, as one of the great houses, have been at the centre of Wallachian politics. During that time, the Family have weathered many changes, and survived many attacks. The Balenu family (who in recent years have aligned with the Ghica family) have always manoeuvred in opposition - often in secret but on occasion openly. The Ottoman Empire, during their current reign of power and resulting oppression of Wallachia, have attempted to destroy important family members, but their efforts have been blunt and cumbersome. Built on a foundation of tradition and tight family ties, the Cantacuzino family has endured this (and much more) in its attempt to build, and ultimately profit from, a just and strong Wallachian society.

And now the Head of the House, Duna Cantacuzino, is dead. Following the old ways his body lay in state within the family home in Bucharest for a period of 100 hours, and is now being transported to the ancient Cantacuzino graveyard in Craiova for internment. With the funeral period over the rebuilding task can begin: starting with the selection of a replacement for Duna. As tradition dictates, direct family members will select the new Head of the House, by vote, before the next New Moon leaves the dusk horizon. On the final night those within travelling distance have gathered together for a final wake and to discuss the future. However, without much time a decision will have to be made tonight. And with the suddenness of Duna's death causing suspicions, a possible alliance with the Balenu family and the likelihood of yet another Russo-Turkish war to be fought through Wallachia; the future fortunes or fate of the Cantacuzino family is very much at stake.

Cast list:

Head of House Candidates

Jelani Cantacuzino: Son of Duna. He is a passionate, decent man who wishes to marry for love, not his family’s interests. An exceptional duelist.
Gamyuka Cantacuzino: Brother to Duna. A military man, he is a rational intellect who is in the running at his wife’s insistence.

Duna’s Immediate Family

Adanna Lior: Daughter to Duna. She supports her brother, and desperately wants to find out who killed her father.
Iulia Cantacuzino: Mother to Duna and Gamyuka, she rules the clan with an iron fist. Is fond of Jelani, but disagrees with him on some issues.
Jofranka Cantacuzino: A social butterfly and gypsy, she is Gamyuka’s wife and wants him as Head. Is rumored to know ‘magic’.
Beniamen Lior: Husband to Adanna, he is a merchant and brought great wealth with him. His family is rumored to be heavily involved in alchemy.

Duna’s Nephews and Nieces

Kizzy Abijah: Daughter of Gamyuka, she takes after her mother a great deal. Supports Jelani’s decision on marriage, but is still undecided on the vote.
Chanoch Abijah: Husband to Kizzy, he is a well-respected Jewish scholar. He is fiercely proud of the Cantacuzinos, despite not being accepted by most family members.

Duna’s Cousins

Amadi Cantacuzino: Cousin to the family. Well-versed in the history of the family, but not overly interested in politics. Well-loved, but forgettable.
Isoba Cantacuzino: Cousin to Duna, he helped arrange the marriage between Jeilani and a girl from the Balenu family. He and Duna were very close.
Wadim Cantacuzino: Cousin to the family. As a banker, he is not very interested in the inter-family politics: he just wants to make connections. Has heard rumors…
Danut Cantacuzino: Cousin to the family. Somebody here killed Duna, and it was definitely with the help of a vampire. Expose them and get help to destroy the abomination!

Others

Serghei Popescu: Butler to Duna, he comes from an illegitimate family line that has served the Cantacuzinos for generations. He has his suspicions about Duna’s death…
Ahina Popescu: Housekeeper to Duna, she half-raised Adanna, Jelani and their siblings. Sister to Serghei, she may know something about Duna’s death…

Costuming:

"Admired, not required".

I've played this LARP, and I highly recommend it.

New games

2007-12-31T18:56:00.001-08:00

Ethel of Troy (Nick Cole - Scion)

As the Gods wage war against the escaped Titans in the Overworld, it falls to their mortal children to fight battles here on Earth.

The most beautiful woman in the world Ethel Wigglesworth of Troy, Idaho has disappeared and as the Scions of the Gods you are charged with finding and returning her safely.

Resident Evil : Desperate Measures (Gino Moretto - The Mountain Witch)

Five prisoners in a maximum-security facility are given a chance to redeem themselves and earn their freedom. They must brave the horrors of a ravaged Raccoon City and retrieve what could be the world's salvation from the clutches of the Umbrella Corporation. But everyone harbors a dark past which threatens to tear the mission, and each other, apart...

Fruits Basket (Jenni Dowsett - freeform)

The Sohma family is cursed, when hugged by members of the opposite sex they turn into the animals of the zodiac. Tohru Honda, an outsider has discovered their secret and wishes to help.

Based on the anime and manga of the same name, you will have your choice of many characters.

MiniLARP: Graduation Day

2007-12-28T02:58:00.000-08:00

"Graduation Day" is a 9-player lighthearted fantasy LARP being run in session 5 (Sunday afternoon). In the hope of getting it filled, we're taking bookings - just email the kapcon account, or mention it in the comments field when you register.

The independent city-state of Tourmaline is ruled by the wizards of the White College. Prince Ambrose, the younger son of the King of neighbouring Arlandia, was sent to the White College to receive a gentleman's education. To the surprise of many he actually passed his final exams. Today Prince Ambrose is holding the traditional graduation feast to honour the College Masters.

Cast list

Lord/Lady Agate: Archmage of the White Council. Head of House Tenebris. Has a reputation for espionage and intrigue.
Lord/Lady Malachite: Holder of the Green Chair. Master of Earth Magic. Head of House Domini (rivals of House Tenebris). Controls an extensive merchant empire.
Lord/Lady Cordite: Holder of the Red Chair. Master of Fire Magic. A former adventurer with a taste for danger.
Lord/Lady Moonstone: Holder of the Blue Chair. Master of Water Magic. A prophet "gifted" with visions from the gods.
Lord/Lady Amethyst: Holder of the Violet Chair. Master of Air Magic. A pampered dandy who spends more time on wine and poetry than magic.
Prince Ambrose (M): Prince of Arlandia. About to graduate from the White College
Azure: Prince Ambrose's mysterious foreign companion (Note: Azure is not a wizard, but is not entirely mundane either)
Jasper di Tenebris (M): Son of Agate. Student at the White College and friend of Prince Ambrose.
Crystella di Domini (F): Sheltered daughter of Malachite.

If you want to play a specific character, then mention that in your email.

Costuming

Admired, not required - this is meant to be a no-mess, no-fuss LARP. The GM will bring the Suitcase Of Surprises which should include some handy props for most characters (such as a fine collection of wizard hats). If you can be bothered, or have stuff just lying around, think fantasy wizards (robes, staff, pointy hats), with some renaissance Italy thrown in.

Three week warning

2007-12-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

Three more weeks to go!
Three more weeks till Kapcon!
Three more weeks till the big fat gamer
sits at your table and
rolls your dice and
drinks your coke...
Three more weeks till Kapcon!

OK, so that's pretty bad. But it is only three weeks away, so if you haven't preregistered, its probably time to do so. Our webmonkey is back from the UK, so the website has finally been updated with lots of shiny new games to drool over. And some of them are filling fast. So if you want a spot, register now.

Speaking of games, we'd still like a few more. So if you've had a good idea over Christmas which you wish to inflict on some helpless victims, please let us know.

Finally, there will be two mini-LARPs running during the con: For the Honour of the Family (14 players) in session 4, and Graduation Day (9 players) in session 5. We want these to run at or close to their optimum number of players, so we're taking bookings for them too. Just drop me an email, or mention it in the comments field while registering, and I'll stick you on the list.

I have played both LARPs, and they are good.

Games update

2007-12-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

Sleeping Ducks and Doom Town in round one, and Best Friends, Cold City, and To The Manor Thorn in round two are now full. Despite what it says on the form, we do have other second-round games (listed here), so there's plenty to play in.

We've also had two new games come in:

The 18:25 to New London (Sophie Melchior)

The oceans have risen and the world is a changed place. You boarded the 18:25 train from the Scottish Isles to New London a mere 3 hours ago when a foul murder is uncovered. In three days you'll arrive at your destination. Will the murderer be uncovered before then? Or will they slip away into gaslight?

A neo-Victorian Horror run under Unisystem

One Crowded Hour

"Welcome aboard the Maxos Shipping liner Duchess Selene. During our one-week jump you will enjoy the luxury facilities only Maxos Shipping can provide. Relax and enjoy the entertainment system, gym facilities, or the services of our five-star chef, while our trained crew whisks you to your destination in safety and comfort."

"In the unlikely event of an emergency, please remain calm and follow the instructions of your crew. Emergency exits are located at the top of the ship, and are accessible from the transit lounge. In the event of cabin pressure failure, don the vaccsuit in your stateroom or enter the nearest rescue ball. If accompanied by a child or other person needing your assistance, don your own suit first. Remain in your suit until a crewmember advises you to remove it. If the order to abandon ship is given, please form an orderly queue in the transit lounge to await your space in the lifeboat..."

Interstellar travel is safe. Nothing ever goes wrong. There is no need to pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing. It's just a routine trip, after all...

A Classic Traveller adventure, from Comstar games.

Our webmonkey should be back in a couple of weeks, so these games will appearon the website then.

SDC Closed and miscellany

2007-12-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

The SDC has closed, we will be working through them and sending them off to our judge soon.

remember to make sure that you prereigster for the weekend and you will be able to prebook your spots for the first and second round.

If you can get your t -shirt orders in Paul will be making the order soon, so we need colour , size and some moneys. Be in touch at Kapcon@gmail.com

Let the rush begin

2007-12-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

It's December, so time for the traditional pre-registration rush to begin. So, hit that form!

We've also had our first games fill: Sleeping Ducks in round one, and Best Friends in round two. We also have some new second-round games:

Bump in the Night
It's Glarlgle past Threep
The Truckstop
The City
Last Action Hero

Details of some of these games are here.

Unfortunately our web-monkey is in the UK ATM, so we won't be able to update the website until he gets back in a few weeks, but if you want to play in any of these games in round two, just stick it in the comments field when you register.

We also have a pair of mini-LARPs: For the Honour of the Family (a 15-player family / political drama, which ran at ConFusion, to much enjoyment) and Graduation Day (a 9-player game set in the White College of Arlandia, a magical university). I've played in both, and they are both very good.

Finally, a reminder: if you were entering the SDC, send us your entry ASAP. You only have until Monday.

Kapcon LARP: Sanctuary - Second Round of Casting

2007-11-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

The organising team (Naomi, Sean and Steph) are going to be meeting this Saturday (24/11) for the second round of casting. That means now is a good time to fill in that questionnaire (http://kapcon.rpg.net.nz/kapconXVII/cast.html). It looks like after this meeting half the characters will be cast, so if you can fill in the form before Saturday we will be able to consider you for a great deal more characters than those who fill in the quiz later on... People who've not been cast, and have already signed up are welcome to email us about any more thoughts they've had on what kind of character they'd like.

What we'll do for the (uncast) people who've signed up so far is:
- Consider your character questionnaire and any additional comments you've made to us.
- Suggest two or three characters that we think you'll like to play.
- Send you an email with a brief blurb about them.

What we expect back from the people who've been offered characters is a response something like:
- Yes, I'll have that one thanks.
- I'm still unsure, can you tell me more about X?
- I don't like any of them, what else have you got?
and we'll keep talking with you until you're happy with your character.

If you want to email feel free to use this address:
sanctuarylarp at googlegroups.com

This is your two month warning

2007-11-18T03:07:00.000-08:00

Two months to go till KapCon, and the registrations are trickling in. This means the first round games are filling up, so if you want to play in "Sleeping Ducks", it might pay to pre-register now to nab the last slot.

We've also had a pile of new games come in. Our web-demon is in the UK, so we're unable to update the website, but here's a short list:

It's Glargle Past Threep (Ivan Towlson)

Join the Time Police, they said. It’s a cushy life, they said, in the Women’s Auxiliary of the Xenochronometry Division of the Standards Inspectorate. Snappy uniform, they said, government pension and nothing more laborious to do than fill out the occasional B11 Notification of Noncompliant Measurement Units (Revised).

Yeah, right.

Because since breakfast you’ve been shot at twice, erased from history six times, trapped in five temporal paradoxes and narrowly avoided having sex with your own grandfather. And it’s still only glargle past threep. Again.

The Truckstop (Marcus Bone)

Area 51, Groomlake or the Dreamlands. Call it what you want, for the soldiers of the 8th Recon and Border unit it's just plain old Air Force Test Centre, Detachment 3. Here the day is just like any other Air Force Base, the same old food, the same old bunk beds, and the same old dull border security patrols.

Still, the buzz has it that something big is on it' way, perhaps another one of those hybrid jets or advanced Space Defence Initiative probes. Whatever it is, it's probably just as likely to be as boring as it was last week...

Or will it?

A Fear of Dreaming (Marcus Bone)

The year is 1940. The location, London, England.

Like so many others, you are about to be swept up in the great exodus of the young, who are leaving the only home you’ve ever known; heading out to the supposed safety and sanctuary of the English countryside.

But the world is a cruel and vindictive place, where those who say they’ll look after you are often the ones to do you the most harm. Can you survive the horrors that await you? Will you ever be the same innocent child who left the city? Or will you too develop that FEAR OF DREAMING…

Cold Front (Michael Foster)

MacReady Base, a UN-run research outpost in the frozen depths of Antarctica. "Home" to 13 personnel, where they must live in close proximity to each other for months at a time. After a murder leaves one of their number dead, tensions are running high, not helped by the sudden arrival of unexpected visitors.

And there's a big storm closing in...

(This is a re-run from Fright Night, and its damn good).

Bump in the Night (Michael Foster)

Finding himself alone after Martha says goodbye, the Doctor travels about while he wonders whether or not to take on a new companion. Fortunately, or perhaps not, potential candiates seem to be popping up all over the place.

There are already more good games than I can possibly play in. But maybe if I join the Time Police, I can get around that...

Scenario Design Contest - 3 Weeks to go!

2007-11-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

(here's hoping this doesn't do anything weird to the LJ feed)

The deadline for the Kapcon Scenario Design Contest is about three weeks away. It's the first Monday in December, which is the 3rd of December this year (according to the calendar in my office, which as a picture of a cute fox on it).

Remember: you are invited to write a scenario or adventure for 4-6 (ish) players, to be run in a 3 hour timeslot. You can include as much detail as you like, use any game system (or make up your own), and you have totally free reign as to what you include. Send your entries to kapcon's gmail address (kapcon at), or post a hard copy to Kapcon, PO Box 24155, Wellington.

Good luck, and get writing!

Why we need you to GM

2007-10-02T18:41:00.001-07:00

There's an interesting discussion over at GameTime on how we can encourage people to GM at KapCon, which has seen some numbers crunched on the way the GMing burden has shifted over the past few years. Five or six years ago, KapCon relied heavily on GMs who ran one or maybe 2 sessions. We heavily pushed the logic that 6 sessions of 6 participants each meant that on average everyone had to run a game, and so GMs made up ~40% of attendees. Unfortunately in recent years, we've seen a shift away from that, and towards relying on a smaller pool of people who GM 3, 4, 5, or even 6 games during the con, with the result that the proportion of GMs has fallen to 25% (it was ~22% in 2005 - 2006).

This is a trend we want to reverse. Partly this is because of long-term sustainability - relying on a small pool of people leaves us scrambling for GMs when some of those people can't make it. But its also an aesthetic preference. Part of the joy of KapCon is the wide variety of games and gaming styles on offer - and to provide that, we need a wide variety of GMs.

So, if you can GM, please think about trying your hand this year. If you need help, advice, or a playtest group to iron out the bugs in your game, we can help with that. If you want a relaxed atmosphere with no pressure, we can put you in the last session. But please think about it - KapCon needs you.

Kapcon T-shirts

2007-09-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Each year Kapcon sells t-shirts to commemorate the occasion. They're usually around $15 - $25, come in a range of sizes and colours, and most importantly need to be ordered in advance if you want to make sure you get one.

There'll be more details coming soon, but here's the current design:

Kapcon - Playtesting

2007-09-09T01:04:00.000-07:00

One way to make sure the game you're going to run at Kapcon will be as good as possible is to playtest it. To do this, you need to have your game/scenario (or at least a rough version of it) ready in advance of Kapcon, and get together a group of players who will play through the scenario and give you a little feedback afterwards.

In the past, I've found playtesting incredibly useful for identifying the good bits of the game, spotting areas that need beefing up, and for stealing cool ideas off the players to make the scenario better (especially at the end when I've asked for suggestions on how to make the game better).

This year Alasdair Sinclair, aka Mash, will be helping Kapcon GMs to find playest groups (as well as doing his best to get into some playtests, since he's going to miss out on playing in the rounds when he's GMing). To do this, he's going to use a tool called doodle. It's a really easy to use website calendar thingy for multiple people to use to indicate availability. Why use it? It gives you access to keen players other than your regulars, and might give you a chance to sneak into playtests you otherwise wouldn't have heard of.

Mash will no doubt have more to say on this, but here's the page for his Fright Night horror game playtest (this one's Wellington based):

http://www.doodle.ch/b3iyprdtmdpkvyhy

Check it out - it's incredibly easy to use!

Kapcon First Round Games Announced

2007-09-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Over on the official Kapcon website, the first 11 games for Kapcon have been announced. Nine of them are in the first round, and registration is now active!

The following games are confirmed as part of the first round:

* Doom Town - Alasdair Sinclair.
* Horror on the High Seas - Liam Jones.
* A Midsomer Night's Murder - Michael Foster.
* Sleeping Ducks - Susan Harper.
* The Last Action Hero - Dan L'Estrange.
* PX Poker Night - Idiot/Savant.
* Games on Demand - Mike Sands, Steve Hix, etc.
* The Strange Affliction and Decline of Dieter Kozier - Grant Robinson.
* Yesterday's Woe - Dale Elvy.
* The Seven Samurai of P-ram - Andrew MacLeod.

Games on Demand is a new idea this year, a dedicated room where non-timetabled games will be played throughout the weekend, with a see-who's-there-and-who-wants-what organisational approach. In the words of Mike Sands and Steve Hix:

Games on Demand: We'll provide a big selection of games and we'll play or run whatever you're interested in. You can also bring your own game to run.

Second round games so far:

* Best Friends - Jenni Dowsett (nee Sands).
* Games on Demand - Mike Sands, Steve Hix, etc.

Kapcon Scenario Design Contest

2007-08-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

For the past 6 years Kapcon has been running a scenario design contest. The challenge is to write a 3 hour con scenario (usually including pregenerated characters) which could be picked up and run by a GM at Kapcon with minimal preparation.

Usually, people who write SDC entries also run them at Kapcon, but you don't have to. In fact, you don't even have to come to Kapcon to enter the competition!

Examples of previous entries can be found at http://www.sdc.rpg.net.nz, the website of the scenario design contest.

Entries are due in on the first Monday in December, so if you feel like entering the sooner you can start writing the better!

More details available on the official Kapcon website.

Looking for GMs

2007-07-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Who is keen to run games this year?

Can you please either email Kapcon@gmail.com or post up here.

Name:
Blurb:
Facilitator :
Number of Players:
System :
System Knowledge? :
Genre :
Genre Knowledge? :
Style :
RPG Experience? :
Age / Maturity :
Classification :
Energy / Volume :
Scored :

Fright Night

2007-07-02T03:16:00.003-07:00

When: Saturday, October 27, 2007. Venue opens 16:45. First round 17:00 - 20:00; second round 20:30 - 23:30.
Where: Turnbull House, opposite the Beehive, Wellington
What: Two rounds of horror roleplaying
How much: Players $20. WARGS members $15.

16 players only; register here.

ConFusion

2007-07-02T03:16:00.001-07:00

When: Saturday, August 4, 2007. Sign up starts at 9am. First round 9:30 - 12:30; second round 13:30 - 16:30; third round 17:30 - 21:30.
Where: Turnbull House, opposite the Beehive, Wellington
What: 3 rounds of roleplaying, with a 14-player LARP in the final round.
How much: $10 GMs and WARGS members; $15 players
Who: wargs_rpg@hotmail.com

Bring V.

Six month warning

2007-06-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

And somewhere, a multi-headed beast stirs...

What's this year's LARP about?

2007-02-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

The LARP for January 2008, Kapcon 17, is probably going to be a fantasy based LARP. There's lots of potential for great costuming, and it should be a lot of fun.

Discussion about the LARP is happening at http://www.nzrag.com/bb under the upcoming cons sub-forum.

More information will be made available over the course of the year!

Interview on bFM

2007-01-30T16:56:00.000-08:00

Matt Cowens was interviewed on bFM this morning about Kapcon and roleplaying in general. There is a 2.4mb mp3 of the interview available at bFM - it won't be there forever, but if you're quick you too can hear Mikey Havoc reminiscing (albeit briefly) about his own roleplaying experiences, and Matt doing his best to make roleplaying sound awesome.

http://www.95bfm.co.nz/default,88824.sm

Kapcon 16 was Fantastic

2007-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Another year, another Kapcon. This was the second year that Debbie and I were in charge of Kapcon, and it was a great con to run. We kicked things off with pizza and drinks at Syn bar in Wellington on Friday night, a great casual evening (with delicious Hell’s pizza). We left early, having a drive home and an early start, but things were in full swing when we departed.

The number of GMs who offered to run games this year was great, and while a couple of arms were twisted to fill the few remaining spots in the timetable on the day, it was fantastic to have 90% of the timetable filled before the start of the convention.

The quality of games run at Kapcon this year was excellent, and this was reflected on the second day of the convention when a noticeable trend of people having a first choice for a game, followed by ‘anything – they all sound good’ coming through on the game selection forms.

Nick, Nasia, Katrina and Frank put together a brilliant 1930’s era LARP – ‘The Flight of the Hindenburg’, which ran on the Saturday night. 60 players spent an action, intrigue and politics filled night on the Hindenburg, mixing with aliens, a superhero, Nazis, a mummy, a werewolf, a vampire, a ghost, and lots of movie stars, politicians, businessmen, gangsters and other colourful characters. It was a highly successful LARP, and I look forward to hearing more stories of how people’s nights went (in person and over on NZRaG.com)

Evinshir games was present, with a huge display of boardgames and roleplaying products. There was a near-continuous stream of boardgames being played in the main room, and more than one con attendee walked out with a lighter wallet, but a pile of very reasonably priced games under their arm.

In the process of continually improving and adapting Kapcon, there were a few subtle changes this year. One of the more noticeable, and fun for me, was the hiring of a PA and wireless microphone. It made announcements, and GMs describing their games, much more audible. I must also confess that I do love playing to an audience when I have a mic in my hand. We also had colour coded forms to make paperwork easier, and a greater amount of information available to attendees about the schedule, what games they were in and so on, through the use of an oft-updated wall display of blurbs, the timetable, and the list of games, players and rooms for the upcoming round.

Once again a pizza run was done each day, and a candy bar was in operation, for the convenience and sustenance of attendees.

Numbers were very close to last year (final count pending, about 107). As Paul put it, Kapcon’s recent attendance has stabilised at 100 plus 2d10. Kapcon managed its goal of being a non-profit convention, with expenses coming incredibly close to income – closer than I had thought possible to zero.

We are passing the torch onto Paul this year – just as Scott passed it to Debbie and me, and Luke and Sam passed it to Scott before that, and so on. Scott, Luke and Sam were all still heavily involved in Kapcon this year, and will continue to be over the coming years I expect. Debbie and I will also continue to be involved in the running of Kapcon, helping Paul (and Zac, I believe) to make Kapcon the best convention it can possibly be. We all have a lot of love for this convention, a strong will to see it flourish, and a firm belief that Kapcon is a damn good way to spend a weekend. Thank you to everyone who made the weekend possible, those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, GMs who ran games, players who played in them, everyone who had a hand in Kapcon’s success.

My verdict? Kapcon 16 was a blast, a roaring success, and I can’t wait for Kapcon 17, in 2008.

I look forward to seeing you all there,

Matt Cowens
Kapcon Committee Leader, Kapcon 15 and 16

Pre-con Food and Drinks at Syn Bar

2007-01-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

Kapcon kicks off tonight with the pre-con gathering at Syn Bar (14 Bond Street, Wellington CBD), a fully licenced family restaurant (according to their website) wo serve delicious Hell's Pizza, sell beverages of an alcoholic nature, and even have a pool table for those who are so inclined.

Feel free to show up any time - the function room (to the left at the top of the stairs) is booked from about 6pm, but there will probably be a group of organisers heading in early, having set up the venue this afternoon.

See you there :)

Kapcon starts soon!

2007-01-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

Kapcon starts at Wellington High School at 8.45am tomorrow! Doors are open from 8.15 so come early and hang out, catch up with old friends and make some new ones, or you could purchase a coffee or delicious snack from the Kapcon candy bar (prices below).

Kapcon Candy Bar
Can of Coke etc $1
Bag of lollies $2
Bag of chippies $2
Mini pump $1
Cookie Time Cookie $1
Almond Gold/Peanut Slab $1
Tea/Coffee 50c

The day after tomorrow...

2007-01-17T03:01:00.001-08:00

...it all begins. Two days of gaming mayhem, a LARP, caffeine addiction and bad food. I can hardly wait.

LARP characters

2007-01-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

LARP characters have begun appearing in people's email boxes. Meanwhile, if you haven't received yours yet, check out the cast list here. If you signed up for the LARP, but aren't on the list, please email us, and we'll try and get things sorted out ASAP.

"T minus ten and counting..."

2007-01-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

Ten days to go, and another update. Registrations are open for a few more days, so better sign up, as the first round games are filling fast. The latest to fill is Apes on a (Mutha-Freaking) Shuttle, but there's also only one slot left in Firebird and The Station Agent. Fortunately we have a few other first-round games available on the day, so you won't miss out - but if you want a choice, or have to play a particular game, better get in quick.

More new games: Ivan Towlson is running Get Me to the Church on Time, described as "a tale of romance, betrayal, margaritas and blowing up the universe" - which sounds disturbingly similar to Hix's My Life with Master, described as "a game about villainy, self-loathing, and unrequited love" (margaritas optional). Housemonkey also has a fantasy offering, The Long Dry, which uses shared narrative ideas.

We still need a couple more games to round out the timetable, but it looks like it will all come together in time.

Two weeks to go

2007-01-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

Two weeks till KapCon, and we have more news. Firstly, registrations are working properly again, and have been extended till the 14th. So, if you are planning to come, but haven't registered, sign up today.

Second, I Know, Right?" has filled.

Third, we've had two more games added. Jon Ball will be running Star Wars - The Tomb of Freedon Nadd, a quest by five Sith Apprentices attempting to gain the favour of the Dark Lord, and Donna Giltrap will be running WonderQuest (tm), involving a magical tour company offering authentic epic fantasy quest experiences in a world of magic and adventure (all major credit cards accepted).

Update

2006-12-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

Frank has dug the last few week's registration information out of the server logs, and I've just beensending replies to everyone. Again, if you have registered but have not had a response, please contact us. But hopefully things are back on track now.

Another first-round game has filled: Sean Broadley's "The good guys". "The Station Agent" and "Apes..." are looking iffy, so if you want a slot in these games, register now.

We've had another game offered: "Angela's Ashes", a game of Zombie fun in Las Vegas. However, we still need more (we always need more), so if you'd like to volunteer, please let us know or fill out the form here.

Finally, we have orders for seven T-shirts so far from the NZRaG thread, and matt will be putting the order through when he gets back from holiday. So, if you want one, let us know quickly.

First-round game filled

2006-12-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

Susan Harper's Put on your red shoes and dance the blues has become the first game to fill. So, if you want a spot in any of the other first round games, better try and register now.

Registration problems

2006-12-20T05:33:00.000-08:00

Gremlins have struck, and the online registration form seems to be having some problems. If you have registered in the last few weeks and have not received an acknowledgement, then please resend your details (including first round game preferences) via email. In the meantime, hopefully our gremlin-hunter will get on to the problem before the last-minute rush.

T-shirt update

2006-12-15T05:02:00.000-08:00

KapCon T-shirts will be available in sizes S to 5XL, and in white, black, navy, brown, orange, emerald, bottle, royal, sky, yellow, purple, red, charcoal, or khaki. Cost is $25. Let us know what you want, and we should be able to get them out before the con.

Something from the mailbox

2006-11-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hello friend,

I am writing to you in regard to a SPECIAL CONTEST taht exist in my country. It is ELITE CONTEST for only most diligent and CREATIVE PEOPLE who have love of WRITING SCENARIO.

A very rich WORD-MAN have died recently, and he leave MANY THOUSANDS OF RPG WORDS and PICTURES in ether. I am writing to provide ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY to conjure from word-ether a scenario of RPG SCENARIO GOLD!!!!!!11!!one!1!1!!!

You have been SPECIALLY SELECTED by me for this intimate and probing message. The message climbs into your computer to ask - ARE YOU THE SDC WRITER PERSON THIS YEAR?

If you are the SDC WRITER PERSON, then your scenario must reach Kapcon organiser types by FIRST MONDAY IN DECEMBER. That mean you have plenty time!

If you are the SDC WRITER PERSON, please respond with HASTE to this private, personal, stimulating message and let Kapcon organiser person know.

Many thanks for your kind considerations,

The Admiral

New games

2006-11-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

A few more games have come in. Steve James has offered a Vampire: the Dark Ages scenario called The Seige of Montsegur. Dillon Burke has a followup to his thieves-competing-to-be-head-of-the-guild scenario, Greed II. Zak Clark will be re-running previous SDC scenarios, and in round two will be running Gilman House. And Mike Sands has a pair of games: Last Stand, in which a group of modern Benandanti must deal with their normal lives while fighting ritualised dream battles against evil witches, and A Cruise to Mars, a swashbuckling steampunk naval adventure, huzzah! Full details of all these scenarios are on the website.

Meanwhile, first round games are beginning to fill - so if you want to play in a particular one, it would be a good idea to register.

Pre-Kapcon Drinks and Nibbles

2006-11-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

Once again, on the Friday night before Kapcon (Friday the 19th of January) we will be hanging out in Wellington, having a few drinks, some delicious pizza, and catching up. This year the drinks will be held at Syn, a Hell's Pizza Bar on Bond Street.

They sell all kinds of delicious foods, and serve drinks, and have a pool table, and so forth. From their website:

We are a fully licensed premise. Your guests must be over 18 or with a parent. Alcohol is not to be brought onto or removed from the premises. We are required by law to ID anyone who looks 25 or under. The only acceptable forms of ID are 18+ cards, NZ drivers license, or an international passport.

If you click through to their website you can find a map, and links to the Hell Pizza menu, and other... stuff.

We hope to see you there, from about 6pm, Friday the 19th of January, 2007!

Kapcon 16 T-shirt Design

2006-11-04T00:09:00.000-08:00

T-shirts with the following design will be available at Kapcon this year. Sizes will be as per last year, with the exception of XL and XXL tees, which will be in a looser fitting style (as per K13). Price will again be $25.

Orders can be emailed to Kapcon, or added to the soon to be created t-shirt thread on NZRaG.

New games

2006-10-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

We've had a few new games trickle in that aren't on the website yet. Luke will be running a True 20/Dragon Fist Wuxia game called The Ultimate Challenge Tea Garden!, and a slasher-horror game called Beneath the Mask. The latter uses Dread, an icky little system that uses a Jenga tower instead of dice to determine task resolution (and having played Jenga recently, it will certainly help build an atmosphere of tension). Meanwhile, I will be running PX Poker Night, a modern horror game set on an isolated air force base in Nebraska. This was written by Dennis Detwiller and Adam Scott Glancy, and has been adapted to use the Nemesis system.

We're still looking for new games, so if you want to run something, drop us a line.

KapCon Wants YOU!

2006-10-26T01:58:00.000-07:00

Scenario Design Competition

2006-10-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

KapCon is running its annual Scenario Design Competition again this year. This is basically a scam to get GMs to write their games early, but its also a way of encouraging friendly competition amongst GMs to see who can produce the coolest games. There are prizes, but more important there's the mana you get from producing a kick-arse game. Not that you have to enter the SDC to get this - but if you have a kick-arse game, why not enter?

To enter, you basically have to write up your game so that someone else could run it. As a condition of entry, you have to let someone else run your masterpiece next KapCon. Not that anyone necessarily will, but another point of the SDC is to generate a pile of high-quality scenarios and "old favourites" for last round, and to help pad the timetable if we need to. We may also want to put your scenario on the web, but we won't do this without your permission. One year we even put together a nifty, print-on-demand book, but its up to you whether you want to participate in any such project. Legally, you retain copyright, and we don't want to infringe that.

If you have any questions, emial kapcon@gmail.com, or post them in the comments.

KapCon Needs You!

2006-10-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Three months to KapCon, and so we're looking for GMs. We have eight games for first round so far, but we would like another three, and of course we are seeking GMs for the rest of the con. GM's get discounted entry, fame, fortune, and the esteem of their peers. Sadly, we will not be providing replicant slaves this year.

We do not care what you run. We like to present a wide variety of games catering to all tastes, so everything from classic dungeon crawl to avant-garde freeform is in. Tentacles are optional, but always popular. What we do like to see is games that fit into three hours and which are fun for all concerned.

With over a hundred participants, we're looking at needing 60+ sessions of gaming over the course of the weekend, so we really need your help. You can register your game here. At this stage we just need a title, genre, and a bit of a blurb; the game doesn't actually have to be written yet, but we need a commitment and a basic idea so we can put it on the timetable and advertising. While you're at it, you should also register to attend here. If you want to see what else people are planning, details will be posted here.

First round GM's needed

2006-05-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

It's only been four and a half months since the last KapCon, and we're already planning the next one. As part of that, we're putting out an initial call for first-round GMs. Going by previous years, we will need about thirteen this time. So far, we have two. But seven and a half months should be plenty of time for people to make up their minds.

What we need from you: a firm commitment to run something (barring accidents, emergencies and whatever; we know it happens), and some idea of what you want to run. A full blurb would be great, but even just a vague idea (a system, and a theme) is good enough. After all, you have seven and a half months to work out the details.

What you get from us: your name on the flyers, the usual discounted entry, and our eternal gratitude.

If you're interested, then email kapcon@gmail.com, or post in the NZRaG thread here.

New KapCon website

2006-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

The official website for KapCon XVI: Flight of the Hindenberg, is here.

Kapcon Website Relocating

2006-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Due to the relocation of rpgcentral (a mostly Wellington based bulletin board) to the vastly superior http://www.nzrag.com the official Kapcon website is currently down.

We are likely to relocate to kapcon.nzrag.com in the next few weeks.

There is much discussion of Kapcon and planning going on at NZRaG (New Zealand Roleplaying and Gaming), with people from around the country contributing. One thing that is excellent about NZRaG is that it doesn't have a regional focus - there are people from the length of the country posting regularly about roleplaying.

We will update with news on the official Kapcon website as it becomes available.

LiveJournal Feed

2006-01-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Arn, we now have a LiveJournal feed, so you can now receive KapCon updates through your LJ friends list. There's also a standard RSS feed for people who'd rather monitor us through BlogLines or similar.

Not very useful at the moment, but it should come in handy around September, when we start pushing people to pre-register.

Kapcon 15 Hugely Successful

2006-01-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

As an early post-con report, I shall keep my comments brief, but the overwhelming concensus is that Kapcon 15 was very successful. We had over 100 attendees (I beleive 105, but haven't been through the sign-up sheets for the RPGA and checked them against pre-registrations), which is a very good number. We had a variety of excellent games run by wonderful GMs, and a lot of keen and enthused players.

[Update: Final count = 110 attendees, 1 fewer than last year]

From an administrative point of view, people were very cooperative, they listened well and followed instructions, and that made the lives of everyone who was working in admin much, much easier. So my thanks to everyone for being so polite and considerate over the course of the weekend.

T-shirts were sold again this year, and the delicate balancing act of a not-for-profit con was pretty much bang on. We sold 30 t-shirts, gave one away as a prize, and have one left over (a White Large if anyone's interested). The 'cafe' was in operation again - not a fully featured cafe at all, but rather a candy bar plus coffee urn and hot water. This too was a complicated exercise in neither making nor losing money, and though there are a few leftovers, the cafe pretty much broke even. Both t-shirts and the cafe represent a fair amount of work by the organisers and committee, but the benefit of having drinks and snacks and cool t-shirts feel worthwhile.

The number of players in each round was very consistent this year, with 11 or 12 games being run each round except the 6th, in which numbers always drop as out-of-towners and exhausted players take their leave. The quality and energy level in the 6th round was, anecdotally and from personal experience, fantastic once again.

It has been a big year for the Kapcon team, in terms of Real Life. A lot has been happening in the lives of the people who run Kapcon, some of it wonderful, some of it difficult. It was deeply satisfying for me on a personal level to see the team working hard over the weekend to bring Kapcon to life, and seeing it all come together smoothly and joyously. I cannot thank the team enough for their efforts.

Financially, the con succeeded in its goal of charging attendees enough to cover the costs, and nothing more. There was a price drop a few years ago, and the introduction of discounts for paying early, and the current attendance fees allow us to run Kapcon within a hundred or so dollars of the cost, depending on numbers of attendees. This is a delicate balancing act when your costs are in the thousands, but we've managed to get it right several years running.

So, another Kapcon has passed, very successfully, Debbie and I as organisers have settled in and are already discussing next year's con, and discussion and digestion of K15 is thriving on blogs and nzrag.com.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Kapcon awesome. Y'all are stars.

Matt Cowens, Organiser Kapcon 15

The morning after

2006-01-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

No sleep, no voice, no energy - but plenty of good memories. Thanks to everyone who came, and particularly to everyone who played in any of my games. I'll post some stats once I get the spreadsheet, but attendance was over a hundred.

In the meantime, here's some links to other people's post-con reports:

Also check out the comment threads on NZRaG and Diatribe.

K-8 update

2006-01-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

"Eight more days to go; eight more days till KapCon..."

Eight days out, and the final, last minute panic is setting in. Will we have enough games? Will anyone actually show up? Will the local shops run out of "V"?

Actually, I'm not that worried about the middle one - we've had a healthy number of pre-registrations. And while its now officially too late to get the preregistration discount (unofficially, however...), it's still worth your while filling out the form and preregistering. For a start, it means you get a better choice of games for first round. While there are still spaces available in all of them, some are very close to full - so if you want to play in Murder, Inc: Payback or The Flight of the Aristola, you should probably pre-register fast.

We've had some game offers that aren't on the website yet: Svend is running an amusing game called "Never Work With Animals" about, well, working with animals; Paul Wilson is talking about Kung Fu madness, and Hugh Dingwall and Vishala Jekic are offering "Normality", a disturbing freeform about where our society might end up. The RPGA have put forward a very healthy selection as well. We still need more games though (we always need more games), so if you're thinking of running something, then please let us know.

Finally, remember, the PreCon is on the Friday night, at the Southern Cross, at the top of Cuba St, starting from about 7ish. See you there!

Badges are Awesome!

2006-01-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the efforts of Giffy, there are badges available this year as Kapcon souvenirs. They have the Kapcon 15 logo in black on a white background.

They are round button badges of approximately 2.5 cm in diameter.

They will be available at the convention for the bargain price of $3 for one, $5 for two. There will be a limited supply, in the neighbourhood of 25 badges. Not badgers.

How to book into a game

2006-01-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

Kapcon runs a round-by-round booking system for getting into games. When you register, you get to choose which first round game you want to play in. This is the only session you can choose before Kapcon. We ask that you give 3 choices, so that we can put you into another game you're interested in if your first choice is full.

Before the first round on Saturday, at about 8.45am, the GMs who are going to run a game in the second round will step forward and describe the game to the attendees. We ask you to listen carefully, as you will have to choose your second round game before you go and play your first round game. You need to be at Kapcon before 8.45 to be sure that you will hear all the options. There are slips of paper called game choice forms on the tables for you to write your choice on, and hand in to the front desk. Again, we ask you to write your name and three choices on the game choice slips of paper to help us get you into a game you're interested in.

During the first round we will sort all the game choice forms, and get as many people as possible into their first choice games. Some people may get their second or third choice, depending on the popularity of certain games. If you do not get your first choice in a round, we will endeavour to get you into your first choice in the next round.

Before the second round, the third round GMs will describe their games. Again you will fill in a game choice form for your third round game. This pattern follows on for the whole convention.

Because the timetable may change on the day, we fill games on a round-by-round basis. It is not possible to guarantee that any one player will find a space in any particular game, but we will do our best.

RPGA Games
RPGA games are an exception to this rule. Bob Beck is in charge of the RPGA games, and their booking system and you must see him to arrange placement.

Website updated

2006-01-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

The KapCon website has finally been updated, with a whole slew of new games added. Links to the RPGA games have also been added, and Bob Beck has set up an online signup sheet for RPGA members here. Of course, we still need more, so if you're planning a game, please fill out the form or let us know.

More Games for Kapcon XV!

2006-01-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

More games

Our website co-ordinator is on holiday at the moment, so hasn't been able to update the website, but there have been a slew of new games added. In first round, we have "Bleeding Hearts" by Donna Giltrap (a medical soap in the style of Shortland Street) and Mike Sands' pirate-fest, "A Cruise In The West Indies". In other rounds, we've had people volunteering to run Serenity, Weapon of the Gods, Insylum and Cowboy Bebop.

We'll update the official website ASAP.

An RPGA Announcement

2005-12-30T02:15:00.000-08:00

This was forwarded to me by Idiot:

--- In NZLGR@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Beck"wrote:

Hi Guys and Gals,
Below are the links and games ordered for kapcon:

http://events.wizards.com/rpgaweb/external/caldetl.asp?ID=KAP106WEL
http://events.wizards.com/rpgaweb/external/caldetl.asp?ID=EKGAL106
http://events.wizards.com/rpgaweb/external/caldetl.asp?ID=EKGAL106

Can GM's decide on what games you want to run. Let me know if-

-You have / do not have the Scenario (PDF)
-You do / do not want it printed, and posted to you
-You do / do not want it printed, and brought to Kapcon

Modules will be available for download on Sunday, or maybe later ;-)
Certs will be printed and bought to Kapcon

Cheers everyone,
I hope Santa was good to you, and a Happy new year to you.

Bob Beck
RPGA Kapcon Co-ord

Tournament Scenarios

Living Greyhawk
COR5-15 Immortal Longings GM:
COR5-18 Kusnir GM:
COR5-19 Retribution GM:
COR5-20 Phantoms on the Bright Sands GM: Bob,
IUZ5-5 Iuz Border Year 5 Metaregional 5 GM: Wes, Sulenna
IUZ5-7 Iuz Border Year 5 Metaregional 7 GM:
IUZ6-01 Iuz's Border Year 6 Metaregional 1 GM:
PER5-09 Perrenland Year 5 Regional 9 GM:
PER6-01 Perrenland Year 6 Regional 1 GM: Bob,

Eberron: Mark of Heroes
EMH-5 Gambit at Dreadhold GM: Chris?,
EMH-7 The Delirium Stone GM: Chris?,
EMH-8 Freely Given GM: Chris?,

Kalamar
LKoK 13 Otter Side of the Coin GM: Peter,
LKoK 23 A Wrestling Good Time GM: Peter,
LKoK-19 Of Roses and Thorns GM: Peter,
LKoK22 Black and White GM: Peter,
LKoK24 A Bit of Truth GM: Peter,
LKoK 23 A Wrestling Good Time GM: Peter,
LKoK-29 Full Disclosure GM: Peter,
LKoK-30 Under Arena GM: Peter,
LKoK24 A Bit of Truth GM: Peter,
LKoK27 Turn About is Foul Play GM: Peter,

Kapcon Scoring System

2005-12-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Kapcon Scoring Guidelines

Kapcon is a RPG convention with many attendees. The attendees have a wide variety of opinions regarding the scoring of attendees and games run. Kapcon’s main goal is to make the Con the best experience for all of its attendees and as such it caters for as many of the attendees’ opinions as possible.

Kapcon’s scoring system is optional. Please note that Kapcon is not a tournament and any scoring system is flawed. There are two forms of scoring.

The first form of scoring is games. Games are scored by a rating from 1 to 7. The highest score is 7, and the lowest is 1. Players give the game a score based on how good they thought the game experience was. It is a score for best GM, so feel free to score a GM highly who has made a clumsily written scenario run smoothly, or a GM who has written their own awesome scenario and rocked your socks off.

The second form of scoring is nominations of attendees by other attendees on nomination forms.

Some GMs want to their games to be scored. If a GM wishes the game to be scored, it is important that all players respect his or her wishes and do so in order to give that person an accurate result.

Some GMs do not want to be scored. If a GM does not wish the game to be scored, then players should respect his or her wishes and not do so.

The second form of scoring is nominations. All attendees are eligible to be nominated by the other attendees. You may nominate as many people as you like in any session. The reason why you nominate someone is over to you. We encourage you to nominate attendees who have made the Kapcon experience better for you. Please provide a reason for your nomination so it can be shared with other attendees at the end of the Con. Though we cannot stop attendees from nominating you, please feel free to decline any prizes that you are awarded.

Prizes are awarded by category. These categories are decided each year by the Kapcon Committee. Traditionally, the categories have included:

- Best GM – the GM who has run more than 2 games and whose games have been scored the highest on average.
- Most Nominations – the attendee who has received the most nominations.
- Scenario Design – the writer who won the Scenario Design Contest.
- Best Game – the single game that received the highest score, not run by the best GM.
- Most Nominations in a Single Game – the attendee who received the most nominations in a single game who did not also get the Most Nominations.
- Best Costume – awarded to the person who was judged to have the best LARP costume.
- Most LARP Nominations – the person awarded the most nominations for the LARP.
- Most Amusing Nominations – the attendee who has received an amusing nomination as adjudged by the Kapcon Committee.

Kapcon T-shirts for K15

2005-11-10T17:01:00.000-08:00

There will be t-shirts at Kapcon again this year. The current plan is as follows:

One design (a crest), in black ink on a white t-shirt or in white ink on a black t-shirt.

Cost will be $20.

If you want to order one, please let us know (best way is to email kapcon at gmail dot com). Let us know if you want a black tshirt or a white tshirt, and what size.

I will contact the peeps about ladies tees shortly - watch this space.

Who runs Kapcon?

2005-10-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

Kapcon is run entirely by volunteers. The Kapcon committee, led by Paul Wilson in 2007-8, puts in hundreds of hours of work to get Kapcon organised and running smoothly.

There are a number of people who contribute to Kapcon, including Idiot, Luke, Sam, Scott, Frank, Nick, Nasia, Conan, Dale, Donna, Matt, Debbie and others.

If you are interested in sponsoring Kapcon, or helping out in some way, we'd love to hear from you. The more people who offer to help, the better Kapcon will be. Contact us at kapcon (at) gmail (dot) com

What's a Kapcon LARP?

2005-10-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

After the third round on the Saturday, there's a LARP. A LARP is a live action roleplaying game - one where you wear a costume, and stay in character at all times. The style of LARP we have at Kapcon doesn't use foam weapons or any complicated mechanics - it's all about being in character, finding out what's going on, achieving your goals and having fun. In recent years the Saturday night LARP has grown from 40 to 70 players. There is a dedicated team of writers who volunteer each year to put together the LARP, and it is due to their tireless work that it's so much fun!

You can expect to receive a character sheet with a background, some information about other characters you know, and a set of goals for your character. Once you walk into the LARP area, you must act as if you are your character. There will be lots of other characters to interact with, and there may be one or two big events over the course of the evening. It is important to know that there will only be a few GMs, and more than 60 players, so you have to drive your own evening. Have fun, talk to as many other characters as possible, and remember that if you achieve one or more of your character's goals, you've had a successful evening.

There is a high level of trust in a LARP situation - remember that the other players are fellow con attendees, and while they may be acting strangely, it's probably because of the information on their character sheet! There is a very simple rule to adhere to - no touching. Even if your character is roughing someone up, or forcefully ejecting someone from a room, you mustn't carry out any unwanted physical contact. Gesture and words will have to suffice.

How do I pre-register for Kapcon?

2005-10-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

To make sure we know who you are, and what games you're interested in, you can pre-register any time before January 1st. You can go to the registration page of the Kapcon website and fill in your details, or you can mail in a flier with your information on it. Pre-registrations give us a good idea of who's coming, and allow us to make the con even better.

If you pay before January 14th you also get discounted entry! This year's low prices are the same as last year's:

If you pay before January 14th
Preregistered Player: $20.00
Facilitator: $10.00

If you pay on the day
Player: $25.00
Facilitator: $15.00
Single Day Player: $15.00
Single Day GM: $10

Live Game only
$5.00

What is Kapcon?

2005-10-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

Kapcon is a not-for profit Roleplaying Game convention run annually in Wellington, New Zealand, every January. Over 100 people get together for a weekend of pen-and-paper roleplaying, in a diverse range of styles and systems. Over the weekend, more than 30 individual games are run, with volunteer GMs (or storytellers, narrators or facilitators) running games between one and six times over the course of the convention.

There are six rounds of gaming - each lasting 3 hours. Most games have pre-generated characters for the players to use, and some even have props, soundtracks, links to other games, or live action elements (where players act out the less dangerous parts of the story). Between rounds there's time to chat, meet or catch up with people, and get some much needed snack food. There's usually some snack food available on-site, and there's always the dairy and fish-and-chip shop nearby.

If you have a favourite game that you want to play in, you can let us know in advance and we'll try to find someone to run it - if you love Paranoia, Call of Cthulhu, D&D 3.5, or any other system, send us an email and we'll see what we can do.

After the third round on the Saturday, there's a LARP. A LARP is a live action roleplaying game - one where you wear a costume, and stay in character at all times. The style of LARP we have at Kapcon doesn't use foam weapons or any complicated mechanics - it's all about being in character, finding out what's going on, achieving your goals and having fun. In recent years the Saturday night LARP has grown from 40 to 70 players. There is a dedicated team of writers who volunteer each year to put together the LARP, and it is due to their tireless work that it's so much fun!

GMs Needed!

2005-10-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

Kapcon is only 3 months away, and we need more GMs. The first round has a healthy 7 or so games pencilled in, so we need at least 4 more first round GMs, and as many more GMs and games as possible.

Anyone who's planning on running a game at Kapcon, please get the details to us as soon as possible. Once we have your name and the name of the game or system you're running we can slot you into the timetable, and let other people know about your game.

As always, the best way to let us know who you are and what you're planning on running is to register through the Kapcon website.

Many thanks to those GMs who have already signed up, and to those about to sign up, we salute you!

For more information on GMing for Kapcon, see the New GMs Page.

Ask away

2005-10-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

Eventually, this may be a place for the Kapcon organisers to post updates and answer questions. It is not intended to replace the official Kapcon website, but rather to be an additional channel for information.