stuffing: how to make sure the game you wrote is the game they get
DESCRIPTION
Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get. Or, how did the policeman end up with the cultist bluesheet ? Stephen Kohler Lime Shirt LARPing NELCO 2014. What is Stuffing?. The act of turning the digital into the analog - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get
Or, how did the policeman end up with the cultist bluesheet?
Stephen KohlerLime Shirt LARPing
NELCO 2014
![Page 2: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What is Stuffing?
• The act of turning the digital into the analog
• Not just as easy as hitting print, although that’s a start
• Can ruin a good game if done poorly
![Page 3: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Aside: What style of game?
• Very generic games, not written in any specific method or style
• Some groups use programs that would invalidate parts of this talk
• Think in terms of a new, naïve, innocent writer
![Page 4: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Writing: The Early Pitfalls
• Two important elements: Stuffing List and Organization
• What is a stuffing list?
• What is this organ-ization?
![Page 5: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Stuffing Lists
• A list that tells you what you stuff
• More seriously, a checklist for every packet of what goes into said packet
• Also remember to document the things that don’t go into packets
![Page 6: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
File Organization
• Easy to lose things in poorly organized file structures
• Some things easily slot into folders, some don’t
• Make sure to keep printed and non-printed documents separate as much as possible
![Page 7: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Other Tips
• Divider cards are amazing
• Don’t put contingencies in the same document as character sheets
• Please have sheets and cards print in the same order!
![Page 8: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Stuffing Day/Weekend/Week
• We’re going to cover the five(ish) W’s and one H of stuffing
• Who• What• Where• When• Why• How
![Page 9: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Who?
• Who is coming to stuffing? Who can?
• Try for 3 GMs for a 4-hour(varies wildly), 5 for a weekend (varies less wildly)
• GMing tip: Remember that when stuffing a game isn’t a bad time to discuss it
![Page 10: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
What?
• What needs to be at stuffing?
• Review your game so you know what kinds of supplies are needed
• Easy to forget: Ink/Toner, stapler, Sharpie
• Also, index card boxes are a gift of the gods
![Page 11: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Where?
• Who has space you can stuff in?
• Recommended: Large open area like two tables or good floorspace
• Also, outlets. All the outlets. Bring power strips
![Page 12: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
When?
• If you’re not writing the game, shoot for at least two weeks before the game for a weekend, at least a week for 4-hour
• If you’re writing, you should use the same deadlines
![Page 13: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
How?
• ….and therein, as the Bard would tell us, lies the rub
![Page 14: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Stephen’s Fundamental Law of Stuffing
The LAST thing you do is put ANYTHING into a manila envelope
![Page 15: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Laying out Packets
• Lay down packets FACE UP, with character names already written on them
• Next, lay out things that everyone gets (rules, whitesheets, etc)
• Then probably sheets, then bluesheets underneath, then cards/other on top
![Page 16: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Assigning Jobs
• At any given time:• Have someone on the printer• Have a stapler-type person• Have someone laying out things on packets• (For a weekend) Two other floaters who can
help when/where needed
![Page 17: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
More Specific Jobs
• Make sure someone has decent handwriting for packet names, contingencies, etc
• Have someone manning the scissors for things like money
• Nested contingencies are a pain
![Page 18: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
The Joy of Printing
• The printer should always be doing something, hopefully printing
• Index Cards: HP Laserjet 1100 Series. From Walmart: $29.99. Shop Smart. Shop LARP-Smart
• When a printer dies, do not mourn
![Page 19: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
What do I Print?
• Try to print everything in one paper color at the same time
• My recommended order(For one printer): Rules/Whitesheets, Character Sheets Bluesheets, Items/Abilities, other as needed
• For the love of God, check your collating settings
![Page 20: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Printing Tips
• Print out a couple extra whitesheets (esp. rules for briefing)
• Maybe a couple extra bluesheets as well
• Don’t print characters you’re not going to need*
• Print all the ability/item cards*
![Page 21: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Badges
• Badges are either semi-unimportant, or the most important thing in your game
• If important, do them early, if not, they’re a classic Wednesday-night print job
![Page 22: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Minding the Details
• What does your game have that other games don’t?
• Odds are it should be one of the later things you do, so you can focus on it
![Page 23: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Sanity Checking
• After everything is out, pull out that handy-dandy stuffing list and check every packet
• Don’t forget to check the GM-held stuff, too! Use GM packets and index card boxes
• THEN, you can stuff the sheaf into a packet(But don’t seal them)
![Page 24: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Runtime Issues: If they crop up
• DON’T PANIC
• Figure out what got messed up and who it should go do
• Talk to the player and see if they read things they shouldn’t have read
![Page 25: Stuffing: How to Make Sure the Game you Wrote is the Game they Get](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022070420/56815e51550346895dcccc9f/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
The End!
• Questions? Comments? Pitchforks?