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
Comments
page revision: 13, last edited: 27 Dec 2020 14:08