Experimental blackbox digital LARP

This experimental blackbox digital LARP session (playtest) was run on Zoom within Trust in Play - Quarantine Jam #1 / 2020. It was inspired from the analog experimental blackbox LARP format which I got to know as attendee (player) at the blackbox CPH festival in 2019 & 2020. https://blackbox-cph.dk/en/welcome/. Latter structure is 'plug and play' -> no prior player experience necessary, run by a game designer (or game runner / Non Player Characters), short form of LARP, usually split into workshop (phase 1) and play (phase 2). 

• Ideas of game mechanics:
  • Experiment with filter options e.g. https://snapcamera.snapchat.com/.
  • Experiment with Zoom background options.
  • Experiment with setting the stage in the room where you are zooming in, e.g. everyone has 10 Min. to creating  a candle light dinner or birthday party atmosphere. => Scenography design of your (digital-window) frame by creating a specific atmosphere in your room/house.
  • Experiment with audio only or visual only.
  • Use Zoom break out session to create the larp-simulation where things / stories happen separately.
  • Experiment with hide self-view.
  • Experiment with moving in your room / camera angles.
  • Experiment with zooming / break out when you go to the same room in each one's house e.g. Kitchen.
  • Experiment with the Zoom chat option 'to all' and 'private'.
  • Experiment with time limits / tasks.

Experimental blackbox digital LARP structure we agreed to test:

• WORHSHOP (Phase 1)
  • Onboarding by game designer / game runner / Non Player Character -> Explaining format, structure, game world  / scenario
  • Setting the stage / aim for  the  LARP , distribution of (play) roles  by game designer / game runner / Non Player Character.
  • Leader's special task: To address the experts to the situation and special events - problems within the world e.g. "Dear experts, we gathered together to discuss... This is the situation now... and I have to deliver a speech in one hour to address the nation" -> to make clear in which scenario everyone is in. 
  • Individual character development of roles. 
  • In the meantime the leader gets a special briefing from the game designer / game runner / Non Player Character.

• PLAY (Phase 2)
  • Plenum: Self-presentation of each character in character (getting to know each role). 
  • Break out sessions
  • Plenum: Disruption happens
  • Break out sessions
  • Plenum
  • End-Scene
  • Offboarding (debriefing)

• Our scenario / game world was:
  • There is a global virus outbreak. The leader of a country has to address the nation in one hour. He/she/they assembled an advisory board of experts in several systemical relevant fields such as military, medical health, psychology, sociology, education / university, farming (...) to help him/her/them to conduct the speech. 
  • The experts break out in break out sessions to discuss. The leader jumps into the break out sessions to interact with the experts, asks questions or gets questions asked by. (Note - players can ask game designer / game runner / Non Player Character via 'back to panel' to switch rooms, or ask for specific persons to talk to)
  • Back to the plenum session the game designer / game runner / Non Player Character confronts the leader and the experts with a disruptive and absurd message regarding new global events such as 'Toilet paper is mysteriously dissolving' or Chickens revolt against the humans and want to attack them' (...) 
  • Due to this new more extreme scenario the leader and the experts discuss in breakout sessions what to advise the leader -> Providing him/her/them with facts and suggestions. Every expert writes a suggestion in private chat to the leader with a conclusion. There is a time limit to deliver the statements. 
  • Back to the plenum every expert can discuss with the 'big  group' while the leader prepares his/her/their speech to address the nation with his/her/their own statement with the addition of the experts statements. 
  • For the end-scene the leader addresses the nation in a speech. 
  • The end
  • Debriefing / feedback 

Feeback: 

• The game mechanics,  game structure, and Zoom options work well for an experimental blackbox digital LARP - format. 
• The chosen scenario hit 'too close to home' as it got very deep (& dark) for some due to the real Coronavirus outbreak situation. Others liked the experimental aspect of an absurd scenario within the disruptive and absurd message in the mid-scene, which made the LARP more playful and though simulating the reality it became a dystopian feel to it. 
• In this specific scenario the leader should be a Non Player Character / 2nd game designer / game runner to make it easier and clearer to play without separate instructions for the leader. 
• Because the playtested format is based on experimental LARP scenarios/worlds, the LARP-play can be explored and playtested either realistically or abstract, with an utopian or dystopian outcome (which is not clear at the beginning) => hence experimental LARP.
• We agreed to playtest more with this format by developing mire numbers of experimental blackbox digital LARPs. 

=>> Thank you to the organizers of the Trust in Play - Quarantine Jam #1, the session participants and the playtesters, all with their amazing ideas and playfulness!