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
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
This is your two month warning
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)
The Truckstop (Marcus Bone)
A Fear of Dreaming (Marcus Bone)
Cold Front (Michael Foster)
(This is a re-run from Fright Night, and its damn good).
Bump in the Night (Michael Foster)
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...
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...
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Scenario Design Contest - 3 Weeks to go!
(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!
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!
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Why we need you to GM
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Kapcon T-shirts
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:
There'll be more details coming soon, but here's the current design:
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Kapcon - Playtesting
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!
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!
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Kapcon First Round Games Announced
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.
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.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Kapcon Scenario Design Contest
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.
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.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Looking for GMs
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 :
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 :
Monday, July 02, 2007
Fright Night
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.
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
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.
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.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
What's this year's LARP about?
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!
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!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Interview on bFM
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
http://www.95bfm.co.nz/default,88824.sm
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Kapcon 16 was Fantastic
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
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
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Pre-con Food and Drinks at Syn Bar
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 :)
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!
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
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
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The day after tomorrow...
...it all begins. Two days of gaming mayhem, a LARP, caffeine addiction and bad food. I can hardly wait.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
LARP characters
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
"T minus ten and counting..."
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.
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.
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