Childlike, identity, reality |
| Designers: Stephanie Marx, Drew Novick, Margaret Simkins, Susan Weiner (US) |
| Number of participants: 10 |
| Duration: 3 hours |
| Genre/style: Slice of Life: Prewritten characters, no combat, low transparency (players do not know what characters do not know, some important world information is hidden from the characters and players), all mechanics are acted out with no stats or randomization. |
| The presenter feels that this larp IS suitable for young people aged 16+ |
About the larp
Why do children have imaginary friends?
Sometimes imaginary friends are there to help kids work through issues they can’t handle alone. Sometimes a lonely child is looking for company. Sometimes it’s because their real friends have imaginary friends. And sometimes, maybe, they’re just for fun.
In Playdate, a group of kids have been left with a teenage babysitter for an afternoon. There will be toys, craft time, pizza, and maybe some existential angst.
Playdate is a game about children dealing with difficult issues. It asks how we know what is real, and whether that even matters.
Content Warnings: Bullying, alcoholism, death or illness of family members, anaphylaxis, temper tantrums, existential angst, mid-game expectation shifts.
Costume (optional): Dress like kids on a playdate.
Presented by
Sue Lee (UK): Nominally responsible for UK Freeforms, and part of the team that builds and presents Consequences. I’ve run many games in many places, including lasertag, freeforms, nordic and build your own. Gaming brings a huge amount of the joy into my life and I want to share it with as many people as possible.
Parameters
| Communication style | Lots of speech |
| Movement style | Walking |
| Tone | Moderate |
| Characters | Characters are fully predesigned |
| Narrative control | Players have some influence over story, but there is basically a script or structure that they’re within |
| Transparency | There are predesigned secrets the organizers have from the players, and also that the players will have from each other |
| Representation level | Scenery and props will be used to make the play space look something like the fictional space |
| Play culture | Players are individually trying to achieve goals, such that not all can succeed |
The Smoke 