Warning: Do not read this page or the pages linked to if you plan on playing in this game. These pages contain information which could make you unable to play.
These pages present and link to complete information on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: B Ark, a one-night live-action role-playing game. That information is explained as it fits into the process of writing and running such a game.
In order to be successful, any LARP needs to recruit players. In order to make players interested in the game, they must be told somethign about it. They cannot be told too much, though, lest they have more information than their character should have and thus be unable to play the game. This is the same problem faced by the creators of a movie preview, or the jacket-description of a book, who wish to entice viewers/readers without giving away the story. The compromise for this situation is in the form of a blurb, which attempts to pique a player's interest without giving too much away.
During the process of gamewriting, I asked for preapps. This is a chance for potential players of the game to make suggestions of parts that they might like to play, which I can then incorporate into the game if I think they fit and will be enjoyable. The text of my request for preapps can be seen here. The preapps I received (sorted by the username of the person who sent them) can be viewed here Some were useful and sparked inspirations which caused me to change the game. Others weren't.
All gamewriting is done in advance, and the players receive all of their information from the GMs in a character packet. Once the game starts, all character interactions are controlled purely by the players, with GMs intervening only as needed by the various mechanics that represent in-game systems and events which cannot be simulated perfectly in a LARP. To get an idea of what the game will look like when the players get their pregame information, take a look at all of the information which would be received in the character packet of a sample character.
The rules, plot structure, and characters of the game are all described in brief in the files linked to below. This game is still definitely a work in progress. Specifically, though the plots, goals, groups, and characters are all in place, the mechanics which help them to fit together are still sketchy, described only in generalities rather than specifics. This level of development represents most of the interesting creative work which is relevant to a class project, while leaving the grunge of numbers and mechanics balancing to be handled at a later date before the game is run.
Note that while these descriptions include all information directly relevant to game, some details of character history and personality which are known from Douglas Adams' books are left out due to lack of space. In the final presentation of the game to the players, some of these details could be included in the longer charactersheets, while some may be left out as unnecessary to the game. In casting, attention must be paid by the GMs to attempt to choose players who are familiar with the books for characters where that knowledge will help in role-playing, thus allowing the full character effects to be accomplished without the gamewriters having to duplicate large amounts of information from the books.
Any comments, questions, or suggestions are welcome. Send me some mail.