Online Freeforms

With the arrival of 2020's coronavirus lockdown our freeform calendars have been abruptly cancelled - and this has meant that we have moved online in search of our freeforms.

Online freeforms present a number of challenges:

• Which video chat system to use (Discord seems to be the best, but can be fiddly to set up).
• You're unlikely to get full immersion from an online larp.
• Allow plenty of time to get technical difficulties sorted out.

And while they aren't a full substitute for face-to-face play, they do have their advantages:

• It's fairly easy to get a dozen or so people together to play a game online.
• You can play in different timezones.

Also, some freeforms have now been designed to be played online.

Tips for Online Freeforms

• UK Freeforms Online Gaming Guide A guide to running online freeforms - particularly for using the UK-Freeforms Discord Server.
• Tips for hosting online freeforms by Steve Hatherley on the Freeform Games blog.
• Communications Software for Running Online Larps An overall review of different types of software.
• Writing live action online games Tips for writing online larps by Quinn D and Eva Schiffer.

Discord Tips

Discord is the most flexible system for freeforms - it would be nearly perfect if you could choose your video background. Here are some tips on using Discord.

• Discord for Larpers by Karolina Soltys. Tips for setting up a Discord server for larps.
• Using Discord for online murder mystery games by Freeform Games.
• Private Discord Channels Setting up private channels on Discord for private GM-player chat.

Online Freeforms

• Bridgetown Blizzard for 10 players, written by Roger Gammons, Steve Hatherley, Sue Lee and Julie Winnard. 1931 rural America - and things are looking grim.
• Death in Venice for 5-9 players, written by Mo Holkar and published by Freeform Games. Set aboard a luxury super-yacht, a film crew is in lockdown after their director is murdered.
• Reunion with Death for 6-9 players, written by Mo Holkar and published by Freeform Games. A high-school reunion goes bad.
• An Overview of existing LAOGs - Live Action Online Games by Gerrit Reininghaus. Lots of online larps here (larps rather than freeforms)

Groups

• Social Distancing - RPG/LARP Resources Facebook group

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