I was at Knutepunkt 2017, but sadly did not document this trip well - due to drama at the time. Below are some random notes I took, in no particular order.
A group discussion lead by Tomas Morkrid, Claus Raasted, and _.
Tomas: Roleplay leads to choices + consequences, ethical praxis
Claus: Revolution on Reproduction, but can't do reduction all the time; mostly for children or orgs, so have to follow rules, but my own are challenged. From '97 (Fatland), found could follow quality. If make people active, they are happy - avoid drugs and other bad choices. Main goal is to challenge.
Claus: ran 1500 (?) at Abu Dabai, always female who won
Eli: go to games, giving more knowledge; think about it
Jamie: reproducing existing mindset / reaffirm; in 2006, only talking to own people, Belarus + Middle East. In 1001 Nights, flipped gender.
Claus: picking fights, diff ethical design vs ethical choices; choosing where time
Eirik: both larp and UI design, one is "dark patterns" (spam checkbox / coin slot); example dark patterns in larps - reinforcing hierarchy / privilege; ex. police student played but found enjoyed beating people up
Larp makes it easy to adopt point-of-view. Empathy for dark characters (ex. Lolita) is a problem, but can mitigate this. Code - procedural rhetoric (?). What you learn as a designer informs game-play.
Claus: must study psychology; ex. sell 200 person larp, as 50 people (?).
Tomas: new designers should blunder in; debrief is revolutionary
Marion: 10 yrs / 3 yrs designer / feel not ethical enough; easier not to revolt
Eibo: son larps / ethics enabling people to make choices
Prerna: India; researching larp for master's thesis; wondering why propagation / why international
Marika: teaching methods often pacifies kids, although necessary
Claus: thanks
This was a workshop about collaborating with others, incorporating constraints into larp design.
My example constraints: running in a rural area, by a lake, at least two days, 15 maximum players, cooperative
Concepts: Meso-American myth, dreams, and achievement
Ideas: Shaman / Wise Man; Everyone sitting around a fire - then flashback / jump into dream sequence
All character failed - cursed to transform themselves or else they will never succeed.
Everyone gets a human character - with basic info, only dream selves have the shards of their collective failure
Other ideas: everyday life; ceremony with shaman; replaying memories; (1) players have own dreams (2) players have others' dreams (3) NPC shadows deliver dreams
(1) Everyone did the dream, then got a puzzle piece like a key word
(2) Group agreement to succeed in re-living their failure
End ceremony - shaman tests the group
Other group's ideas:
Office Christmas Party: someone will be fired, the boss announces; boss PC decides; 4 hours.
Hotel room: everyone guilty, wrongdoing decided by players; each PC gets what was done to them, and player decides on perpetrator
A presentation on broader experience design principles. The Magic Circle was introduced.
rules + mechanics + affordances + alibi + understanding + feeling safe
= Agency
Manipulation example - getting people to dance at a party. Problems explaining larp to
outsider. Calls for help.
Needs: "surprises are never good in larp", "you don't want scared",
Social environment - everything that affects an agency and actions.
"What will you actually be doing?" ; "What are the verbs?" ; Type of Design = (The Interaction Machine)
Example Vampire game - "End of the Line". What is being a vampire about? "personal horror".
Needs: vampires, blood drinking. 15 different possible verbs within Conv. of Thorns.
People will default to what they know, aka "herd competence"
Example: Dutcher and German larpers
vampires larps involve (1) intrigue, (2) drama; but include many who like OOC drama which becomes toxic
(Our culture around (Their Experience around (WHO you touch)))
Expectation -> Expectation -(*)-> Reflection -> Memory
www.participation.design